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Inventory of The Famous Scene: Starting from Emiya

Summary:

The name Projection of All Worlds website that appeared in each world has been around for a while.

One day, Jiang Xia comes to a so-called universal projection website invitation, just register to send the manuscript and there will be a reward......

So, one after another, the famous scene began to show its light.

Top10: Oath Under Snow: Emiya If this is evil, then I am evil! Can you give me back Miyu?

Top9: Luffy vs Kaidou: This is my country's friend, if I don't defeat you, I can't become the Pirate King......

Top8: Mount Natagumo : Hinokami Kagura-Dance.....

Natsu from Fairy Tail also wanted to protect his comrades, and he looked at the contemplation with the crowd of people, and also made a choice......

According to the image of each scene, countless people felt their enthusiasm boiling and therefore moved, as a result, the Heavens of All Worlds began to return to heaven......

The novel and the character are merely fictional, as if they have similarities, mere coincidences, and should not be imitated.

Notes:

I'd also like to attempt translating this web novel; please be patient with me, as English is my fourth language.

Chapter 1: A Suspicious Website

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Could this be a new type of fraudulent website?"

In a dimly lit rental apartment, a slightly immature teenager stared at the computer screen, confusion etched across his face.

Jiang Xia had been editing anime videos just moments ago when a strange website popped up unbidden.

A website called Projection of All Worlds.

He tried closing it, but the window wouldn't budge.

What's going on here?" Jiang Xia muttered under his breath.

As someone who had reincarnated into this world, he initially felt excited about the prospect of using memories from his past life to succeed.

But reality quickly slapped him in the face. This world wasn't much different from his previous one—he was still an ordinary guy struggling to get by.

Things like novels, anime, movies, and music that he once thought he could plagiarize already existed here. So much for becoming a winner in life.

Without any special skills, Jiang Xia resorted to what he knew best: video editing.

In his past life, he worked as a freelance editor, posting tutorial videos online to scrape together a living.

Now, though, even that meager income seemed out of reach.

But now he suddenly received an invitation from this website called Projection of All Worlds.

That's why the sudden appearance of this mysterious website intrigued him.

According to its instructions, all he had to do was upload a video, and he'd receive rewards based on its popularity.

Even first-time users got a hefty starting bonus: 2,135,520 yen.

"Two million yen? Seriously?" Jiang Xia frowned, skeptical.

This is a full 2,135,520 yen! Jiang Xai was worried about whether this was a scam website.

Still, desperation outweighed caution. With rent overdue and barely enough money for meals, he decided to take the risk.

The only thing he worries about is that the other party will not pay after uploading the video he edited with great effort.

If it turned out to be fake, he could always go back to being an "up master."

So, Jiang Xia immediately went to this website to register an account and bind a bank card.

After registering an account and linking his bank card, Jiang Xia set to work.

He decided to create a compilation video—a review of famous high-energy scenes from popular anime.

"Anime is topical, easy to edit, and doesn't require much technical skill," he reasoned.

"Just splice together exciting clips, add some flashy transitions, and call it a day."

An hour later, the video was ready. Titled "Comprehensive Review of the Top Ten High-Burning Famous Scenes," it showcased iconic moments guaranteed to grab attention.

With a deep breath, Jiang Xia uploaded the video to the Projection of All Worlds website.

Moments later, his phone buzzed with notifications.

He received several text messages.

Jiang Xai took out his phone and found that it was a text message from the bank.

'XX Bank has received 2,135,520 yen.'

Jiang Xia froze, staring at the message in disbelief.

"Damn… It's real?" Jiang Xia was stunned for a moment.

What is the origin of this website? Just register and upload a video to get a reward of 2,135,520 yen.

Questions swirled in his mind. What kind of website operated like this? How did they profit? And why choose him, an unknown editor, to participate? But the money was already in his account.

For now, he decided not to overthink it. "If I'm getting paid, I won't complain," he shrugged.

Since I just registered and posted the first video, I was rewarded with 2,135,520 yen. Are there any other benefits?

Curious about other benefits, Jiang Xia checked the author's dashboard. It resembled platforms like Station B, with likes, coins, shares, and collections contributing to rewards.

Just as he explored further, another email arrived.

[ Hello, Mr. Jiang Xia, I am the operations officer of Projection of All Worlds. The video you posted, "Comprehensive Review of the Top Ten High-Burning Famous Scenes," is currently under review. Once approved, it will be recommended to audiences in other worlds.]

"Other worlds?" Jiang Xia blinked, puzzled.

Had the operator made a typo? Or was this part of the site's gimmick? Either way, he didn't dwell on it.

After replying with a curt "OK," he shut off the computer and treated himself to a well-deserved meal.

By the time he returned home, it was nearly midnight. Exhausted from hours of editing, he took a quick shower and collapsed into bed.

After all, it is very tiring to edit videos in front of the computer all the time. Especially the eyes are more tired.

Unbeknownst to him, just after midnight, another email arrived.

The website sent an email to inform him that his video had passed the review.

[Your video "Comprehensive Review of the Top Ten High-burning Famous Scenes" has passed the review.]

[Your video has passed the review process. Promotion is underway.]

[Your content has been shared with the following worlds: Jujutsu Kaisen World, Demon Slayer World, Bleach World, Type-Moon World, JOJO World, One Punch Man World, One Piece World, Attack on Titan World, Akame ga Kill World, Fairy Tail World...]

[Promotion complete. We look forward to your next submission.]

Notes:

Station B = its similar to Bilibili
Up Master = content creator
I converted the currency from yuan to yen so, it should be 100,000 yuan = 2,135,520 yen

04/02/25 : Chapter got revise hope it better than the old one

Chapter 2: Oath Under Snow! Emiya "Great Hero?"?

Notes:

The "Blockquote," marked by the line on the side, signifies off-screen conversation, while text in "italics" signifies their thoughts. As usual, the bold text represents the on-screen dialogue. and the one start with bold Tilde (~) is the place.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Inside the Einzbern mansion~

"Are there no exciting videos to recommend lately? These don’t look very good~"

This screen called Projection of All Worlds has been around for a while. A system like interface with a function of watching video.

Irisviel von Einzbern sighed, her ruby-red eyes scanning the translucent screen before her. With silver hair shimmering like freshly fallen snow and a face too perfect to seem real, she lounged on the sofa and said boredly to the translucent screen in front of her.

"Iris, we don’t have time for this now. We need to prepare for the Holy Grail War,"

Emiya Kiritsugu, who was checking his equipment and packing up, turned around and said to Irisviel.

Kiritsugu had already summoned Saber and devised a plan: Saber and Irisviel would act as decoys in Fuyuki City while he prepared to ambush other Masters.

"I know, Kiritsugu,"

Irisviel replied, her tone tinged with disappointment.

"Ding—Dong—"

Suddenly, a soft chime echoed from the screen—a notification.

A video titled “Top 10 Famous Scenes” appeared at the top, marked with an exclamation point.

“When did Projection of All Worlds add this feature?”

Irisviel murmured, tilting her head curiously.

Despite her doubts, her innate curiosity got the better of her, and she clicked on it.

“‘Comprehensive Anime: Top 10 Famous Scenes’? What could this be?”

Irisviel was a little confused.

Although she didn't know what this was, she still reached out and poked Kiritsugu Emiya next to her.

"Kiritsugu, Kiritsugu! It looks interesting. Let’s take a quick look—it won’t take much time.”

Irisviel shouted excitedly,

In fact, Kiritsugu Emiya looked over when the screen sounded.

"Top 10 famous scenes?"

Kiritsugu glanced over when the screen chimed earlier. Though uninterested, he relented at the sight of Irisviel’s enthusiasm.

“Fine. The Holy Grail War isn’t starting today anyway.”

Even Saber, seated nearby, leaned forward, intrigued by the strange screen.

~Inside of Tohsaka Villa~

“Hmm? ‘Top 10 Famous Scenes’? Not bad—perhaps it’ll entertain this king.”

Gilgamesh, with blond hair, wearing golden armor, and exuding the majesty of a king, was also very curious about this treasure called the Projection of All Worlds.

“Could this be another treasure worth adding to my collection?”

He mused aloud, smirking arrogantly.

As the oldest king, he has the treasure of the king of all treasures in the world. The prototypes of all the treasures in the world are stored in the warehouse. He also wants to store this treasure called the Projection of All Worlds.

Across Fuyuki City, participants in the Holy Grail War received similar notifications. Curiosity drew them in—one after another, they opened the video, eager to pass the time before battle.

Not only the Type-Moon world but also the people in other worlds.

...

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro Kamado, fresh from training at Mount Sagiri, clicks on the video, hoping to find clues about turning Nezuko back into a human.

Meanwhile, as the 'ultimate creature,' Muzan Kibutsuji watched intently, searching for any mention of the Blue Spider Lily.

~One Punch Man World~

For Saitama, watching Projection of All Worlds was akin to flipping through TV channels—free entertainment. He munched on snacks alongside Genos, casually observing the unfolding scenes.

~Fairy Tail World~

Lucy, who had just joined the Fairy Tail Guild, paused mid-laughter as the guild hall buzzed with chatter.

Everyone gathered around to watch the recommended video, eager for distraction.

Of course, in addition to this, in countless other worlds, people put aside their tasks and tuned in, anticipation mounting, and started watching the videos recommended by the Projection of All Worlds.

So, the video began to play in Projection of All Worlds.

The first thing viewers noticed was the title:

 

【 Top 10: Oath Under Snow: Emiya "Great Hero" defeats 7 Servants. 】

 

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Hey, Kiritsugu! It has your surname—Emiya!”

Irisviel exclaimed, patting his shoulder enthusiastically.

“‘Emiya Big Hero’? That doesn’t sound like a name—it’s more like a title,” 

Kiritsugu muttered, frowning thoughtfully.

“Oath Under the Snow… It’s snowing outside right now,”

Irisviel noted, her eyes widening.

“Do you think it’s connected to us? Could you have obtained the Holy Grail and made a wish?”

Kiritsugu remained silent, considering various possibilities.

~Across Fuyuki City~

Others who recognized the surname Emiya shared similar thoughts. Was this foreshadowing Kiritsugu’s victory?

Did Emiya Kiritsugu obtain the Holy Grail?

Except for the Type-Moon World, no one else thought so much.

They just looked forward to what kind of high-burning famous scenes this video would bring and what kind of performance it would bring.

The video starts playing, the text disappears, and the next scene appears!

【 The video opened with Young Shirou Emiya sitting beside Kiritsugu in a car, driving toward a distant city. Suddenly, a terrifying black-and-red vortex erupted in the urban skyline.

"Boom!" 

Countless screams filled the air as people were sucked into the vortex, its range expanding rapidly.

Kiritsugu turned the car around, his expression grim. “At least only this city is affected—for now. But there’s no telling how far the darkness will spread. Worst case, it could engulf the entire country.”

Kiritsugu Emiya has no choice. He can't save everyone, and he can't solve this situation, so he wants to take Young Shirou away from this place.

He planned to flee with Young Shirou, but something unexpected happened. A radiant light enveloped the vortex, causing it to vanish.

The scene shifted. Young Shirou stood at the center of the chaos, where a girl with crimson eyes resembling a goddess emerged.

“You are…” Shirou began, stepping closer.

Before he could finish, the pillars of a nearby house collapsed, threatening to crush her. Without hesitation, Shirou ran forward, shouting internally:

“Please, please hold on just a little longer!”

The next moment, Time seemed to freeze. Shirou managed to pull the girl free moments before the structure crumbled behind them.

"Did she... do it?" Young Shirou Emiya looked at the girl in his arms with shock in his eyes! At the same time, he was also very confused

'What was that just now?'

Not far away, Kiritsugu observed the scene, his expression growing increasingly solemn. 】

Notes:

Revise : 02/04/25

Chapter 3: A Childish Child Who Fulfills Wishes? Miyu?

Notes:

The "Blockquote," marked by the line on the side, signifies off-screen conversation, while text in "italics" signifies their thoughts. As usual, the bold text represents the on-screen dialogue. and the one that starts with a bold Tilde (~) is the Place/World.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

The appearance of Young Shirou Emiya, Kiritsugu Emiya, and the mysterious girl left everyone outside the screen stunned.

What was that just now? Telekinesis? Time freeze? Or did Shirou Emiya’s wish come true?”

While other viewers speculated wildly, reactions varied across worlds.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"Kiritsugu, is that our son? Shirou Emiya?"

Irisviel asked, tilting her head curiously. Despite her confusion, she couldn’t help but admit:

“He’s quite handsome.”

She turned to Kiritsugu, her expression skeptical.

“Don’t you have anything to say, Kiritsugu? The boy shares your last name. Are you going to deny everything again?”

The boy's last name is the same as yours.

Kiritsugu exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke, his brow furrowed in thought.

“This should be a parallel world, right?"

“But… why does Shirou appear alongside me?”

His body tensed involuntarily. Was this a glimpse into his future? Or merely another timeline? And what about that ominous black vortex—it felt apocalyptic.

It was hard for him not to associate Shirou's surname with himself, and he also appeared next to him!

Can this Projection of All Worlds also play the future?

"I can only continue to watch..."

Kiritsugu murmured, his mind swirling with questions.

At the same time

 ~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"It's actually Emiya Shirou..."

Tohsaka Rin whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Why? Why is it, Emiya?"

However, at this time, Matou Shinji scowled bitterly.

“Hmph, what’s so special about an oath under snow? Or these so-called famous scenes?”

To ordinary students unaware of the supernatural, Shinji’s words sounded like envy—jealousy of Shirou’s apparent mystical abilities.

"Kiritsugu..."

He murmured softly, recalling the ideals he inherited from Kiritsugu.

“Is the version of me in this world also a ‘partner of justice’?”

Red A [Emiya Archer] looked at himself in the video, not knowing what to think.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"It's my brother... This!!!"

At this time, Illya exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

She immediately recognized both Shirou and Miyu on the screen—but something didn’t add up.

Why had she never heard of this before? And why did Shirou claim he’d never met Miyu?

Unlike Illya, Miyu fell silent when she saw the video.

“Wow! It’s you, Miyu! Tell me what happens next!”

And Magic Ruby on the side came to Miyu and asked desperately.

Miyu hesitated, her expression unreadable.

“I don’t know either. But if we keep watching, maybe it’ll become clear.”

Magic Ruby didn't know much about Miyu's past.

Illya leaned closer, her curiosity piqued.

Not sure. But they saw Miyu's performance in the video. It seemed to have the power to change the world!!! they still wanted to know.

"It will become clear if we keep watching. I also want to know too.”

“What did my brother do without me knowing? It must’ve been something big…”

She didn't say much after that. She just looked at Shirou on the screen.

After Miyu finished speaking, Illya and Ruby also stared at the screen intently.

They were also curious about what Shirou Emiya had done? To be able to be listed on the screen! And what was the oath under snow?

As the video continued, guilt flickered in Miyu’s eyes. She hadn’t realized how much her brother might’ve endured alone.

Shirou carried the mysterious girl back to the car, where Kiritsugu sat behind the wheel. His expression grew increasingly complex.

“Perhaps we’ve truly found the divine child of the Sakatsuki family,” Kiritsugu said, his voice tinged with excitement and resolve.

“Her ability—to grant wishes indiscriminately—will save humanity in this land.”

Shirou listened quietly, absorbing his father’s words.

Grant people’s… wishes indiscriminately?” he repeated softly, his gaze fixed on Kiritsugu.

"Not long after that, Kiritsugu passed away."

The screen turned, and the displayed text: [Five years later] appeared.

Emiya Shirou and Miyu began a warm cohabitation life. If they went to school part-time, the latter would help the other cooked meals a sumptuous meal and wait for them to go home.

And Emiya Shirou would bring some gifts to Miyu from time to time. Everything looked so warm and beautiful.

However, Shirou Emiya still thinks of Kiritsugu Emiya's calm words from time to time: “You know the price of making a wish, but don’t make a mistake, Shirou. We aim to save all of humanity—not the lives right in front of us.”

Kiritsugu viewed Miyu as a tool, but Shirou struggled with hesitation and doubt.

Back to reality, one evening, they gazed at the starry sky together.

“What kind of mindset did Kiritsugu have when he made that decision?” Shirou wondered aloud.

“And Miyu’s power as the God Child… It hasn’t surfaced in the past years. If only it really disappeared…”

A meteor streaked across the sky. Miyu clenched her fists tightly, whispering: "Make a wish to the stars. “If I could make a wish, I’d want to become real siblings with Shirou.” "

Shirou froze, startled by her words. Unbeknownst to either of them, Miyu’s pupils shifted from red to orange-yellow, resembling Shirou’s own.

The scene changed

"Haven't we reached the beach yet?" Miyu held Shirou Emiya's hand and headed somewhere. Until they came to a cemetery, Miyu was told about her past.

"So that's how it is. You were my brother back then. You and Kiritsugu saved me." Miyu looked at Shirou Emiya and was very grateful.

Shirou Emiya did not intend to hide "The reason we did that is because we want to use you as a way to trigger miracles."

Miyu seemed to be stimulated by these words and looked at Shirou Emiya with a trembling body, and her eyes lost their former spirit...

When Shirou Emiya noticed this situation, he was about to speak out his inner words.

The student council president, Julian Ainsworth, suddenly appeared.

He walked in front of Shirou Emiya and said coldly, "So it's you, the thief... Five years ago, this city was swallowed by darkness... Then, suddenly, a ray of light purified that darkness and the light column that purified it. I’ve been searching for the source of that light ever since."

After that, a blonde, blue-eyed, and stern-faced woman appeared in an instant and beat Shirou Emiya seriously.

"You are not injured, are you, Julian-sama?" Angelica Ainsworth walked in front of Julian with an expressionless face. No, it should be said that it was in front of Julian.

Then they took Miyu away, and Emiya Shirou could only watch them leave. He wanted to get up and chase them, but he fainted due to his severe injuries.

Notes:

revise : 05/02/25

Chapter 4: Everyone's Reaction? Wishes can be fulfilled!!

Notes:

The "Blockquote," marked by the line on the side, signifies off-screen conversation, while text in "italics" signifies their thoughts. As usual, the bold text represents the on-screen dialogue. and the one that starts with a bold Tilde (~) is the Place/World.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“It seems this is a parallel world, and the human-shaped Holy Grail grants wishes?”

Gilgamesh frowned, clearly displeased. He immediately recognized that Angelica Ainsworth was using his power.

“Zasshu, you dare to wield the strength of this king?!”

He muttered under his breath.

The thought of someone misusing his authority infuriated him. If he could step into that world, he’d teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget—what it truly meant to stand before a king.

Some Magus with magecraft skills expressed their opinions.

“They’re just using displacement magecraft. Isn’t it a bit too strong?”

A certain Magi commented.

Another nodded thoughtfully:

“True, the magecraft itself isn’t particularly powerful. But the way they used it… it felt overwhelming.”

Meanwhile, Shirou Emiya and Red Archer exchanged complicated glances as they watched their alternate selves on-screen.

This version of Shirou chooses to be Miyu’s brother rather than pursue being a righteous partner.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Past Timeline~

“Oh~ so you can actually make wishes come true? That’s amazing!”

Gojo Satoru grinned, twirling dramatically.

“If I could wish for anything, I’d want endless desserts!”

Gojo Satoru danced and said to Geto Suguru beside him as if he had thought of something.

Geto Suguru looked at Gojo Satoru jumping up and down, with a look of concern for the mentally retarded, and said slowly.

“Don’t make reckless wishes, Satoru. You know there’s always a price to pay.”

Just like there is no free lunch in the world.

Nearby, Jogo, a Special cursed spirit, clenched his fists excitedly.

“If we can get our hands on something like that, we won’t even need to revive Ryomen Sukuna! We could turn all cursed spirits into new humans instead.”

Hanami agreed quietly, nodding in approval.

~Demon Slayer World~

"Emiya Shirou, you have to work hard to become stronger, otherwise you can't protect your sister..."

Tanjiro, who had just finished his training at Mount Sagiri, watched the video.

Memories of his family flooded back—their laughter, their warmth, and most painfully, Nezuko’s transformation into an evil ghost.

“I have to become stronger. Only then can I find a way to turn my sister back into a human.

With renewed determination, Tanjiro rose to his feet and resumed training.

Elsewhere, Zenitsu Agatsuma gazed dreamily at the screen, his yellow hair shimmering.

"So cute!! I want to marry Miyu"

He exclaimed, twisting dramatically.

At the same time,

~In the Infinite Castle~

The demon king Muzan Kibutsuji was excited watching the video.

Leaned forward, his crimson eyes gleaming with excitement.

Initially, he sought clues about the Blue Spider Lily through the video—but discovering the ability to grant wishes sparked an entirely new ambition.

“If I obtain this power, I could become the ultimate being. No more hiding, no more weaknesses,”

He mused aloud.

Summoning the Twelve Kizuki to Infinite City, he shared his vision:

“This changes everything. Our goal is within reach.”

~Fairy Tail World~

~Earth Land~

The Fairy Tail Guild just ended the guild civil war

“Come on, Shirou Emiya! You’ve got to save your sister!”

Natsu Dragneel shouted. who was wrapped in bandages, flames erupting from his mouth as he kicked around enthusiastically.

“Your injuries aren’t healed yet! Stop running around, Natsu!”

Lucy sweat-dropped, shouting after him:

“Love~ is in the air~”

Happy, on the side, covered his mouth with both hands and looked at Lucy, curling his tongue and making a trembling sound to Lucy.

“Shut up, you stupid cat!”

Lucy snapped, her face flushing red as Happy zoomed away laughing.

“A man protects his family. Even without blood ties, bonds like these transcend everything.”

Elfman Strauss watched the screen solemnly, his respect evident.

The opportunity to realize anyone's wish. To protect his sister, give up if you say so.

“Family isn’t defined by blood—it’s the connections we forge that matter most.”

Makarov, who was lying on the hospital bed due to an illness during the civil war, said to everyone while watching the video.

"Do you understand, Laxus?"

He glanced skyward, muttering softly:

~One Piece World~

The Straw Hat Pirates, who had just finished the Judicial Island incident, gathered together to watch.

“What a lovely child, Miyu!”

The Money Lover, also known as "Cat Burglar" Nami, cooed, smiling warmly at the screen.

“Yes, she’d make a wonderful little sister.”

Nico Robin, otherwise known as "Devil Child", also supported her head with one hand and watched the video.

The difference is that Vinsmoke Sanji, also known as "Blackleg" Sanji, however, burst into flames, yelling indignantly:

“How dare anyone take my precious Miyu-chan away?! Unforgivable!”

Roronoa Zoro, also known as "Pirate Hunter" Zoro, rolled his eyes, snapping back:

“Stop making noise, you perverted curly-brow.”

“What did you call me, moss-head?!”

"BlackLeg" Sanji shot back, sparks flying between them.

Before long, the two were head-to-head, ready to brawl over their petty argument.

~Bleach World~

"Come on, Shirou Emiya."

"You must save your sister. As a brother, you should protect your sister, right?"

Ichigo Kurosaki called out passionately.

As a newly minted Shinigami, he understood the importance of familial bonds deeply.

~In Hueco Mundo Las Noches~

"Is it the same nature as the Hōgyoku? No, it should be said that it is one level higher than the Hōgyoku, and it can actually fulfill people's wishes."

Aizen mused, holding the orb in his hand.

His piercing gaze shifted back to the screen.

"But this kind of power that transcends dimensions. The price must be extraordinary.”

Ichimaru Gin, with narrowed eyes and a fox-like smile, smirked slyly beside him.

“Top ten famous scenes, huh? Doesn’t seem that exciting to me.”

Aizen chuckled darkly.

“No, there must be a reason for him to be on this list. There’s always more beneath the surface. I’m curious to see what comes next from you, Shirou Emiya…”

Aizen took back the Hōgyoku in his hand. He continued to move his eyes back to the screen.

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 5: The Origin of the Holy Grail War? The strongest card

Notes:

The "Blockquote," marked by the line on the side, signifies off-screen conversation, while text in "italics" signifies their thoughts. As usual, the bold text represents the on-screen dialogue. and the one start with bold Tilde (~) is the place.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

As the video played, the truth behind Julian Ainsworth’s actions was revealed.

 After Miyu was taken away by Julian, Shirou Emiya was rescued by Father Kotomine Kirei.

Under Shirou Emiya's questioning, Kotomine Kirei told Shirou Emiya the identity and purpose of the other party.

“The Ainsworth family has existed for thousands of years,” Kotomine explained calmly.

Though they lack talent in advanced magecraft, their goal has always been clear—to save humanity from extinction, no matter the cost. That is Ainsworth."

He paused, his piercing gaze locking onto Shirou.

"!!!!" As if realizing something, Shirou Emiya was about to speak. He was interrupted by Kotomine Kirei.

“Using Miyu Sakatsuki as a vessel to pray for humanity’s survival… Isn’t that justice?” Kotomine Kirei said, looking at Shirou Emiya as if he was expecting what choice he would make next.

Shirou froze, the weight of those words sinking in. Justice—a concept he once believed in wholeheartedly—now felt hollow.

“Justice…” Shirou murmured, his voice trembling.

Kotomine continued, unperturbed:

“Over two centuries ago, the Ainsworths attempted four rituals to summon the Holy Grail—a miracle beyond human comprehension—but all ended in failure. Now, they intend to use Miyu as the Grail’s container to save mankind.”

This mirrored the very wish Kiritsugu Emiya had entrusted to Shirou before his death: Use Miyu to save humanity.

Yet Shirou had abandoned that path, instead choosing to prioritize Miyu’s happiness.

After revealing the location of Ainsworth’s hideout, Kotomine left Shirou to ponder his next move. But until the next day, Emiya Shirou did not find the other party.

After returning home, Emiya Shirou lost his former cheerfulness and liveliness, haunted by indecision.

Living like a walking corpse until the appearance of Matou Sakura, Matou Sakura's care and company. Only then did he bring some light to his life.

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“It seems you in the video understand what pleasure truly is,”

Gilgamesh remarked smugly to Kotomine Kirei.

“Really? Is this pleasure?”

He mused aloud, watching the scene unfold.

This version of himself was unrecognizable—helping others for no apparent gain, acting almost compassionate.

It felt alien yet strangely fascinating.

“Myself in another world…”

Kotomine Kirei thought of himself in the video, and the corners of his mouth could not help but rise.

“I’d love to hear him explain what pleasure really means.”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"Sakura..."

Tohsaka Rin whispered, her brow furrowing with concern as Matou Sakura appeared on-screen...

Emiya Shirou watched his alternate self intently, guilt gnawing at him.

"Sakura..."

He murmured, recalling the bond they shared.

The music shifted abruptly—from warm and gentle to tense and foreboding.

Outside the video, viewers sensed the approaching storm.

Next, Shirou would soon embark on a perilous journey to rescue Miyu—and battles were inevitable.

After finishing dinner, Sakura lingered hesitantly near the doorway. Her voice grew firmer as she spoke:  “If possible, I want to spend more time with Senpai.

Sakura Matou's voice began to become very firm. As if she was sure of something, she spoke slowly. "Go to school together, join clubs together, walk home together, Say goodbye together... These little things are my happiness."

Shirou stared at her, momentarily stunned. He didn’t know how to respond.

“Sakura…” he began, unsure of what to say.

Suddenly, Sakura dropped her bag and umbrella, clutching a card tightly in her hand. Her expression softened as she gazed at him and said gently: “But all this ends now. The Holy Grail War has begun.”

“What do you mean, Sakura? How do you know about the Holy Grail War?” Emiya Shirou was a little shocked after hearing the words

Sakura held up the card, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her eyes. “Because one of the families that created the ritual is the Matou family.”

"That's unfortunate. I thought you'd be more flustered."

She smiled wistfully.

“How would I put it? I think I've gotten used to losing everything...”

Shirou lowered his head, guilt and sadness washing over him.

“Maybe so,” he admitted quietly.

Sakura’s smile faltered, replaced by determination.

“Does that mean I’m also part of what you’ve lost?”

Shirou Emiya didn't say much, picked up the umbrella on the ground, and looked at her. "Sakura, are you going to kill me?"

Sakura Matou looked at Shirou Emiya's expression and gradually became serious, and said to Shirou Emiya, "The Holy Grail War is to use the Servant Cards in your hand. It is a ritual to turn yourself into a Heroic Spirit and kill each other."

“This is the card of the strongest Heroic Spirit, Gilgamesh. If you want to save Miyu, you’ll need it.”

Before Shirou could reply, Sakura extended the card toward him.

Shirou hesitated, eyeing the card warily.

Why are you giving this to me?”

"If you want to save Miyu, it is impossible without this card." Sakura Matou said.

"But... there's one thing, if possible... If you can grant me this... please run away instead! Forget about magecraft or Miyu; forget all of that and run away from this town. If you are willing to do this, I am willing to lose everything and run away with you."

Emiya Shirou watched Sakura Matou throw herself into his arms and cry. After hearing his words, he slowly pushed her away.

"I'm sorry, Sakura..."

Before Emiya Shirou finished speaking, Sakura Matou's shoulder was pierced, and the Blood splattered across the ground as she collapsed.

"Sakura!" Emiya Shirou rushed over and hugged Sakura Matou.

From the shadows emerged a man with unkempt hair, his expression twisted with jealousy.

"Really... my sister... wants to go with a man so casually..." At this time, a man with a kelp hairstyle came out from the side and said with a rather distorted expression.

"It seems that as a brother, I have to take good care of you!"】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Sixth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Is this the Holy Grail War in another world?”

Someone wondered aloud.

Is it the power of the servant? It seems that the other party's mental state is not very stable.

Viewers outside the video struggled to comprehend the rules of this alternate reality. Ordinary people wielding Heroic Spirit cards? No master's involved?

“Does this mean everyone fights independently? What happened to the traditional roles of Masters and Servants?”

The confusion mounted as the battle unfolded, leaving audiences eager to see how Shirou would navigate this unfamiliar conflict.

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 6: The Counter Guardian "Heroes" Appear!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After Matou Shinji appeared, he launched a whip-like attack at Emiya Shirou.

With no time to think, Shirou raised the umbrella in his hand, chanting the only magic he knew: “Trace On.”

The reinforced umbrella barely blocked the assault before clattering to the ground. Shirou stumbled backward, injured but still standing.

"Senpai," Sakura shouted, her voice laced with worry.

Matou Shinji laughed maniacally, his expression twisted with madness.

“Why are you defending?! Why do you keep blocking my attacks?!” 

Without warning, Shinji pulled out a Servant Card, enveloping himself in an overwhelming aura. His face morphed into a skull-like mask as he cackled: "Ahahaha!!!" 

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Isn’t that Hassan’s mask?”

Someone muttered, shocked.

Others speculated about how Shinji obtained such power—wasn’t Hassan supposed to be an assassin? Why would anyone entrust him with such strength?

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro Kamado watched grimly. The tentacle-like appendages reminded him of an evil ghost, though this was far stranger.

~Akame Ga Kill World~

Tatsumi studied the card Shinji used, comparing it to Teigu artifacts.

“This feels similar to our world… but something’s off,”

He admitted, frowning.

Najenda nodded thoughtfully.

“It’s not exactly the same. There’s something unnatural about it.”

Tatsumi replied with a puzzled look.

"Really?"

Outside the video, viewers exchanged puzzled glances, eager to see what would happen next.

“Run away, Sakura! Didn’t you say you’d give up everything? Then don’t worry about me. Even if you’re the only one left, you have to live happily!” Shirou pleaded, struggling to stand, and shouted to Matou Sakura.

Matou Sakura looked at Emiya Shirou and made up her mind secretly. Picking up the Servant Card, she declared firmly: “I’ll defeat my brother.”

Shirou froze, memories of Miyu flooding back.

“No… Don’t… Don’t do it, Sakura! Siblings shouldn't kill each other!” he begged desperately.

Sakura smiled faintly, tears streaming down her face.

“I want to protect you, Senpai. Even if you didn’t choose me in the end, I still care for you the most. And I will win.”

After saying this to Emiya Shirou, Sakura took out the card: "As long as you use this strongest card... Install..."

As soon as the voice fell, Golden light flared briefly—but then dissipated.

The power of the strongest heroic spirit imagined did not come. At this moment, Sakura Matou widened her eyes as if she couldn't believe what was happening in front of her.

“How could this happen?!” Sakura Matou looked extremely shocked. Why didn't the installation succeed?

Shinji roared with laughter.

“Fool! Julian-sama predicted your betrayal. That’s just a worthless fake card—it doesn’t connect to any Heroic Spirit!”

"It's a genuine garbage card through and through!" Matou Shinji laughed loudly

"Garbage... Card...?" Matou Sakura was stunned.

Before Sakura could react, a mass of writhing tentacles pierced her chest. 

"Zabaniya!(Delusional Heartbeat)" In the next second, a hand made up of countless tentacles tore a big hole in Matou Sakura's chest, and then the displacement magecraft took Matou Sakura's body away instantly, leaving only a blank card slowly falling.

Emiya Shirou subconsciously stretched out his hand and only grabbed the card.

"Why..." he whispered hoarsely, staring at Shinji.

Before he could finish, Shinji kicked him into a nearby warehouse.

"You see, I'll have to kill lots of people in this war, and I will try not to make you suffer." Tentacles lashed out repeatedly, snapping against Shirou’s body. Each strike echoed painfully through the air.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!!"

As the tentacles whipped, there was a snapping sound. There was more than one wound on the body.

Yet Shirou felt nothing—not physically, at least. Memories of Kiritsugu and Miyu flashed through his mind.

"Lose... Lose... Lose again..." he murmured, consumed by despair.

Even the last thing he had left—his ideals—had crumbled into dust.

After what felt like an eternity, Shinji lifted Shirou by the collar, grinning madly.

“Hahaha! Tell me your final wish! Do you want to die like Sakura?!”

Emiya Shirou also spoke at this time, staring at Matou Shinji, and asked: “Tell me… How does it feel to kill your own sister?”

Matou Shinji seemed to be so high that he said with a crazy face: "Of course it's a hundred times more pleasant than shooting~, hahahaha!!!"

He tossed Shirou aside carelessly. As Shirou hit the ground, he muttered to himself:

“The ones I loved are gone… No miracles, no hope… My ideals vanished into darkness…”

Just as Shinji prepared to deliver the killing blow, Shirou suddenly stretched out his hand, seizing the Servant Card in mid-air.

“But even so, I’m still alive,” he growled, his voice firm despite the pain.

As soon as he finished speaking, Matou Shinji's attack arrived in front of him.

Before Shinji’s attack could land, something extraordinary happened.

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

Red A [Emiya] watched silently, torn between pity and admiration for his alternate self.

He gave up being a partner of justice… but lost everything in return.”

He murmured, his emotions conflicted.

Tohsaka Rin clenched her fists tightly, biting her lip in fury.

"Matou Shinji… I’ll never forgive you…"

Watching her sister die, Tohsaka Rin was extremely angry.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"Brother...!!!"

Miyu trembled, tears streaming down her face.

It turns out that...without knowing it, my brother lost everything and suffered pain that I didn't know...

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro gritted his teeth, unable to look away. Despite losing everything, Shirou refused to give up.

“Come on! Don’t give up yet!”

He urged under his breath.

You haven't saved your sister yet. Why is this happening? Died like this.

~Projection of All Worlds~

The viewers in other worlds were the same. They watched the kind-hearted boy in front of them in the video, from the original warm and ordinary life.

Now that he has lost everything, they can't help but cheer for him.

"But how can humans fight with servants..."

"Run away... Run away first..."

"Wait, what is that?! !..."

Just as despair seemed inevitable, a figure emerged—the legendary “Great Hero” version of Emiya Shirou.

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 7: Outburst of Emiya Shirou

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Just when Matou Shinji attacked Emiya Shirou.

“Bang bang…” The sound echoed as something snapped.

Matou Shinji screamed in agony: “Ahhhhhhh… my hand!” 

He stared at Shirou Emiya in disbelief.

“What’s wrong with you! … That Sakura garbage card…!!”

As the smoke cleared, Shirou stood transformed under the moonlight. Clad in a red headscarf and cloak, he wielded Gan Jiang and Moye with unwavering resolve. Magic circuits shimmered faintly on his face, but his eyes burned with determination.

It was clear—the Servant Card had been successfully installed, granting him immense power.

Shinji sneered, regaining composure.

“Who’s your Heroic Spirit? What kind of joke is this?”

After hearing what Matou Shinji said, Emiya Shirou did not answer. Instead, he rose silently, his gaze calm and piercing.

Matou Shinji looked at Shirou Emiya without answering...

He looked even crazier and threw the dagger in his hand at Shirou Emiya.

Shirou Emiya threw away his white robe...

He rushed out instantly with Gan Jiang and Moye in his hand.

“How naive!” Shinji leaped into the air, revealing razor-sharp tentacles.

He shouted at Shirou Emiya: “Even if my tentacles are broken, I can regenerate endlessly!”

But as soon as he finished speaking, Shirou abandoned his weapons mid-charge, sidestepping Shinji’s attack before delivering a devastating punch that sent him crashing to the ground.

“Aghh!” Shinji collapsed, his mask dented and his body limp. 

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~In the Einzbern Castle~

Irisviel von Einzbern clutched a pillow tightly, punching it repeatedly as she watched the video unfold and wished she could fight in person.

“Hit him harder… Go, Shirou!”

She cheered, her frustration over past injustices melting into joy as Shirou finally fought back against Shinji.

Before, she watched Shirou Emiya, who was also her son, being bullied all the time, and she felt so uncomfortable.

Now she was so happy watching Shirou Emiya beat up Shinji Matou.

Emiya Kiritsugu observed his wife’s antics quietly, choosing not to interrupt her moment of catharsis.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“This double dagger… Why does it look so familiar?”

Rin Tohsaka muttered, rubbing her temples in confusion.

She turned to Red Archer beside her.

“Isn’t this your weapon? What’s going on here?”

Red A [Emiya] frowned, equally baffled.

“How… why would I lend my power to myself?”

Red A was also stunned. His power, he lent his power to himself. I hate myself so much; how could I give myself power?

Saber watched silently, her expression thoughtful.

“If Shirou Emiya summoned me in this world, perhaps my power manifested differently in another timeline.”

At the same time, Gilgamesh, on the other side, showed an interesting look:

“Hahaha, interesting! Borrowing power from your future self? Truly amusing, Zasshu.”

 Keep entertaining this king.

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro Kamado sat stunned, watching Shirou’s transformation.

“I don’t understand how a ‘trash card’ could grant such strength…”

He murmured, glancing at Nezuko sleeping nearby.

His voice grew louder, filled with encouragement:

“But come on, Shirou Emiya! Bring your sister back!”

~Fairy Tail World~

~Earth Land~

The Fairy Tail Guild members also cheered. After watching the depressing video for so long, it finally broke out.

Although they don’t understand why Shirou Emiya can use the card that Sakura Matou just now couldn’t use.

It didn’t stop the stubborn Natsu from shouting excitedly:

““Finally, some action! I’m on fire…”

As Natsu shouted, flames erupted from his mouth as he pumped his fists.

Lucy sweat-dropped, shaking her head.

“Natsu, calm down—you’re setting everything on fire again!”

“What’s happening…?” Shinji groaned, struggling to rise.

When he looked up, Shirou emerged from the house.

He picked up the scarf that Matou Sakura had dropped on the ground when she used the class card and held Sakura’s scarf gently. then turned back to Matou Shinji and said calmly:

“You’re not suited to wielding the power of an assassin,” Shirou stated coldly.

Shinji’s eyes widened in fury.

“How dare you look down on me!”

With a roar, his tentacles exploded outward. It swallowed him whole and transformed him into a monstrous behemoth.

Shirou remained unfazed, muttering softly: “Trace On.”

Instantly, countless swords materialized, slicing through Shinji’s tendrils. Shirou swung Gan Jiang and Moye relentlessly, inflicting deep wounds—but Shinji regenerated almost instantly.

“Is that all? Are you trying to tickle me?” Shinji laughed maniacally, growing more unhinged by the second.

"I am the strongest...!!!" Shinji Matou became even more crazy.

"Hahaha!!! ..."

Just as Matou Shinji was laughing wildly, Shirou Emiya had already come to his bottom.

Despite his bravado, Shirou advanced steadily, his expression icy.

“You’re far from being the strongest.”

Infuriated, Shinji unleashed another wave of tentacles, seemingly obliterating Shirou. But moments later, Shirou reappeared atop Shinji’s back, driving his blade deep into the monster’s flesh.

“Explode!” Shirou commanded.

The weapons projected by Shirou glowed blue, detonating violently and splitting Shinji’s monstrous form in half. Yet even then, his writhing tentacles began repairing his body.

“Still alive, huh?” After seeing this scene, Shirou Emiya stretched out his hand, and a simple bow appeared in his left hand, and a spiral sword appeared in his right hand.

He said in a very cold tone, “Then allow me to end this once and for all.”

Just as Shirou prepared to fire, Sakura’s scarf, adorned with cherry blossoms, fluttered into view. Her words echoed in his mind:

“I like to watch Senpai shoot arrows.”

Shirou hesitated, lowering his weapon. A sense of calm washed over him.

“Sakura… thank you.”

As soon as the voice fell, Shirou Emiya seemed to realize something.

Realizing something crucial, Shirou dropped the spiral sword—and spun around just in time to impale Shinji, who had snuck up behind him.

Shinji’s eyes bulged in shock as he stared at the blade protruding from his abdomen.

“How… how did you?! Why did you notice?”

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 8: Puppet? Matou Shinji died

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “How…?” Matou Shinji spat out blood, staring at Emiya Shirou in disbelief. “How did you know?!”

He couldn’t fathom how Shirou had detected him sneaking up behind him.

“Didn’t you say it yourself?” Shirou replied calmly. “Your tentacles can move even when severed. That thing crawling around was just a decoy—a cover without a body.”

As soon as the voice fell, Emiya Shirou drew out the spiral sword, and Matou Shinji also fell from the wall and landed heavily on the ground in the courtyard.

After falling to the ground, Shinji scrambled forward desperately, his face twisted with terror, and said:

“No… I don’t want to die! Please… I don’t want to die…!!”

Looking at the arrogant Matou Shinji just now, Shirou’s expression hardened as he glared down at him: “Sakura felt the same way just moments ago.”

Hearing Shirou Emiya's words, Matou Shinji suddenly turned his head, showing an angry expression, and said loudly:

“Don’t preach to me! Of course, I know that kind of thing!! No one in this world wants to die—that’s why Julian-sama…”

Suddenly, Shinji froze, realization dawning on his face. He looked up at the sky, his madness giving way to clarity.

“Damn it… Now that things have come to this, I finally remember everything… Hahahahahahaha…” Matou Shinji laughed at himself.

He gripped the snow beneath his fingers, his voice trembling with regret. He said unwillingly: “What Julian-sama?! Damn it… I’ve already reached my limit!”

Looking at Matou Shinji's appearance, Emiya Shirou had no mercy in his eyes. Silently projecting a weapon.

“Enough!”

After Matou Shinji figured it out, he sighed and said calmly: "Kill me, Emiya."

Emiya Shirou had no intention of showing any mercy. Without saying a word, he swung the weapon in his hand and slashed at Matou Shinji.

Matou Shinji was very calm at this moment. He turned his head and said to Shirou Emiya: “Remember this feeling clearly. You’ll kill many more people soon. I’ve had enough.”

Matou Shinji spit out blood again and fell to the ground. He had reached his limit, but before he died, he looked at Shirou Emiya and continued: "I will wait for you in hell first."

Blood trickled from his lips as he added bitterly: “I’ll wait for you in hell first.”

With those final words, Shinji transformed into a lifeless puppet.

"Is this a puppet?" Shirou Emiya looked at the puppet, frowned slightly, and then thought of what Sakura Matou had said before.

"My brother died a long time ago."

Shirou Emiya was silent for a moment. He looked at Shinji Matou, who had turned into a puppet: "Is this the displacement magecraft..."

After speaking, Shirou Emiya picked up the assassin card.

Shirou Emiya looked at the card and remembered what Shinji Matou said before he died...

“Hell?”

He murmured softly. “I may not even be able to go to such a place.”

With renewed resolve, Shirou pressed onward. He still had a sister to save—and stopping wasn’t an option.

The scene shifted, revealing Miyu's awakening and confronting Julian... 】

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

“You must save your sister,”

Tanjiro Kamado said firmly, his voice brimming with conviction. 

“No matter what the reason, she’s your family. Even if you have to walk through hell, do it!”

Tanjiro understood Shirou’s feelings all too well. Nezuko was his sole source of strength—his only spiritual support. If anyone dared take her away, a human or evil ghost, he’d risk everything to bring her back.

~Bleach World~

“Can’t even reach hell…”

Ichigo Kurosaki muttered, watching Shirou’s unwavering determination on-screen.

Empathy flickered in his eyes. Like Shirou, Ichigo had faced impossible odds and made sacrifices for those he cared about.

As he walked forward, his eyes were more determined than ever before, and the confusion in his eyes disappeared.

"You must have made up your mind..."

Ichigo observed quietly.

At the same time, in the Las Noches, Aizen's mouth corners slightly raised, his eyes showed admiration, and he said:

“This level of resolve… Only with such conviction can one surpass their limits. Let’s see how far you can go, Shirou Emiya. it's getting more interesting.”

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World Golden Wind Timeline~

“Shirou Emiya has already won,”

Giorno Giovanna declared confidently, his tone upbeat despite the dire circumstances.

Guido Mista raised an eyebrow skeptically.

“Why do you say that? Based on the current situation, he’s clearly at a disadvantage. Even if he installed a Heroic Spirit, it’s just a random card activated by chance. Plus, he’s inexperienced compared to others.”

Before that, Shirou Emiya was just an ordinary person.

Even if he got the power of a Heroic Spirit, he could not compare with others in combat experience. Why did Giorno judge that Shirou Emiya had won?

Giorno turned to Mista, his golden eyes shining with certainty.

“Servant cards might act as substitutes, but when power levels are equal, what matters most is faith. And Shirou Emiya has something none of his opponents possess—a steadfast belief in protecting his sister.”

Mista nodded slowly, beginning to understand Giorno’s perspective.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“If you can’t even reach hell… does that mean you’ve abandoned humanity and chosen Miyu?”

"You gave up being a partner of justice? No wonder I lent him my power."

Red A[Emiya] smiled with relief. He hated all the partners of justice, so why did he lend him his power?

Because Shirou Emiya, in another world, made a different choice.

Given the ideals he inherited, he only wanted to be Miyu's partner of justice.

“So, keep working hard… Emiya Shirou,”

Red A[Emiya] whispered, his voice tinged with approval.

Meanwhile, Shirou and Saber sat in the courtyard, reflecting on the man who had lost everything—including his sanity.

“Giving up on being a partner of justice…”

Shirou murmured, his thoughts heavy.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

Miyu looked at her brother, who was determined not to even reach hell, and tears gradually appeared in her eyes.

Why didn't she resist in the past and run away from that place without struggling?

Memories of her past flooded back, shaking her once-calm heart.

“If I had fought back then… maybe we could’ve escaped together. Maybe my brother wouldn’t…”

Thinking of this, Miyu couldn't help but clench his fists tightly as guilt and sorrow overwhelmed her.

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 9: The Holy Grail War that was fought overnight

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The scene shifted as Shirou Emiya arrived at the entrance of Ryuudou Temple. A blond man greeted him with a smirk, pulling out the caster’s class card.

Without hesitation, they clashed. Shirou Emiya started fighting with him

"The important person is no longer around... The glory I inherited has also been abandoned by me, and what is exposed is the hopeless emptiness!!!"

In Shirou Emiya's calm eyes, a bow was projected, and a spiral sword defeated the blond man who used the caster’s class card.

“How is this possible…” the man gasped, disbelief etched on his face before transforming into a puppet like Matou Shinji, and the caster’s class card stayed on his body.

Emiya Shirou walked forward and picked up the servant card without changing his expression.

Then, Emiya Shirou walked out of Ryuudou Temple, and Emiya Shirou's voice sounded again in the video.

"Finally, I lost everything, and it was destined that I should complete the mission..."

Then the scene changed and came to the campus.

Emiya Shirou and a man who had obtained the power of Rider

The man had his eyes covered with cloth and held a chain in his hand.

"I want to take it back..." As soon as he finished speaking, the man holding the chain stretched his hand over his eyes covered with cloth.

"Shua..."

Seeing this, Shirou Emiya projected a weapon and threw it out, but it didn't seem to cause any damage.

"Ahhhhhh..." Rider roared in pain, tearing off the cloth to reveal glowing eyes capable of petrification.

"Uh...!! "The moment Shirou Emiya just made eye contact with him.

An invisible force hit Shirou Emiya, causing his entire body to freeze in place, unable to take any other actions.

This is Rider's petrifying mystic eye. Anyone who looks into his eyes will be petrified and stay in place, at the mercy of others.

Just when Rider wanted to take this opportunity to defeat Shirou Emiya.

Gan Jiang and Mo Ye suddenly flew over from behind Rider and stabbed him through...

The next moment, Shirou Emiya, who was petrified in place, resumed his actions.

Shirou Emiya took this opportunity to project Gan Jiang and Mo Ye without saying a word and killed Rider.

"Who is it? ...The name of that heroic spirit!? ..." The man who fell to the ground and lost the power of Rider asked a question.

Before he died, he seemed to want to ask Shirou Emiya which heroic spirit killed him.

Shirou responded calmly: “It was Emiya.”

Somewhere nearby, an older man using displacement magecraft chuckled softly. As if he heard what Shirou Emiya said, he muttered to himself: “Heroic Spirit Emiya? This is truly fascinating…”

His gaze drifted toward Miyu, whose lifeless eyes reflected none of the turmoil unfolding around her.

The scene turned again, and Shirou Emiya's enemy this time was a man who was holding Lancer, a blond man holding a red spear. And a substance like mercury flows through his body...

He said with a hint of arrogance in his voice: "I see, I see, Emiya, in my opinion, that is what you will look like in the future, right?"

Shirou remained silent, his expression unreadable.

“Don’t answer me?” Lancer snapped, irritation creeping into his voice. “Fervor, meisanguis (boil, my blood).”

"scalp"

The mercury tentacles quickly attacked Emiya Shirou.

Emiya Shirou waved the double swords in his hand and easily blocked the attack.

The next moment, Lancer and Emiya Shirou rushed toward each other.

“Clang!!”

Their weapons collided—Lancer’s spear against Shirou’s Moye.

At this time, Lancer looked at Shirou Emiya and continued to express his guess: "It is generally believed that the Throne of Heroes has no concept of time, so this may happen.

"Bang! ... Clang...! After a brief, staggered encounter, the two separated again.

"Scalp!" After separating, Lancer attacked Shirou Emiya.

But Shirou Emiya avoided them all.

"Shua... Shua..." In return, Shirou Emiya also projected several swords to attack Lancer.

"This weapon can't hurt me!" Lancer waved the scarlet spear in his hand and, at the same time, controlled Mercury to block all attacks.

As if he didn't hear it, Shirou Emiya threw another Moye.

"Bang!"

Lancer used mercury to easily knock him down and taunted Shirou Emiya: “It’s useless, what I said—”

"Puff...!!"

As soon as the voice fell, a sound rang out, and Lancer was stabbed in the abdomen by Shirou Emiya.

As the blood flowed, Lancer's eyes widened, and he said in disbelief: "What kind of power is this, you are..."

Before he finished speaking, he fell on Shirou Emiya's shoulder and turned into a puppet.

Shirou Emiya looked ahead, as if he was answering the other party's words, and said in a very calm tone: "The guardian of mankind who signed a contract with the world (Alaya).”

Then the scene changed, and Shirou Emiya fought with the man who had obtained Saber's power.

At this time, Shirou Emiya's inner voice sounded again

"That's right, the power of the guardian must be used for the sake of mankind, and I will use this power of the guardian..."

The Saber holding the invisible sword raised the treasure in one hand at this moment, and terrifying magic power burst out from his body.

He looked at Shirou Emiya not far away and said loudly: "The Sword of Promised Victory (Excalibur)..."

As soon as the words fell, a golden torrent of magic swept towards Shirou Emiya.

Seeing this, Shirou Emiya quickly jumped up and barely avoided this terrifying attack.

He took the opportunity to bend the bow and arrow and attacked Saber with a spiral sword.

"Boom!"

Following an explosion, Shirou Emiya flew backward and hit a tree, and the power of the heroic spirit on his body turned into light and disappeared.

Then the smoke dissipated, and Saber stood in the flames with her armor torn.

When Shirou Emiya saw that the other party was not dead yet, he said very seriously: "It depends on who will fall first..."

Hearing this, Saber looked up at Shirou Emiya and said: "Julian... I will leave it to you..."

"Bang..."

Accompanied by the sound of falling to the ground, the man who activated the power of Saber also turned into a puppet.

Only one card was left.

Shirou Emiya walked to the puppet and picked up the card.

At this time, Kotomine Kirei came out from behind the tree while clapping. He looked at Shirou Emiya and said calmly:

"It's wonderful, Shirou Emiya, you defeated all the enemies and collected seven cards.”

“You won this Holy Grail War.” Kotomine Kirei announced Emiya Shirou’s victory. He defeated all the enemies and collected seven Servant Cards.

Listening to Kotomine Kirei’s words, Emiya Shirou walked to him and said seriously: “Where is Miyu…?”

Kotomine Kirei said calmly: “For the Holy Grail to manifest, she must be present. In the past, there was a dragon dwelling on Enzou Mountain. Beneath it lies a bottomless cave—that is where your destiny awaits.” 】

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 10: Betrayal of all mankind for the sake of Miyu

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Emiya Shirou emerged victorious in the Holy Grail War—an outcome that seemed almost too extraordinary to believe.

What shocked everyone even more was the source of his power: Heroic Spirit Emiya, a future version of himself.

This revelation stunned viewers across the worlds.

The Counter Guardian’s power? Wasn’t that reserved for Heroic Spirits? Yet here stood Shirou, wielding seven Servant Class Cards and earning the right to make a wish upon the Holy Grail.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~In Emiya Shirou's house~

Silence hung heavy in the air as Saber Artoria, Red A [Emiya], and Shirou processed the implications of what they’d just witnessed.

Tohsaka Rin stepped back, her eyes wide with disbelief. She glanced between Shirou and Red Archer, struggling to reconcile their differences.

She didn't expect that Red A [Emiya] was the same person as Shirou Emiya. They didn't look much alike...

One had a bad temper and white hair, and the other had gentle red hair. How could you imagine that they were the same person?

Tohsaka Rin looked left and right, observing the two.

This…!! It’s really true!”

Tohsaka Rin was completely shocked. It seemed that at this moment, she realized that Shirou Emiya and Archer were the same person!!

They were the same person!! Why couldn't she see it before??

"Uh... I was actually defeated...!"

Artoria looked at Shirou Emiya with a complicated expression. Although it was just a class card with his own power.

But he did defeat someone with his own power, and she didn't deny it.

In the next video, Shirou Emiya will use the Holy Grail. What wish will he make? We can still guess a little!

Artoria was full of respect.

“Choose to save one person or ten thousand…”

Saber murmured thoughtfully.

As king, I would always choose the many over the few.”

After all, she is the king, and she can't give up the lives of ten thousand people for one person.

“Maybe I was a little confused before... But now I understand now why I lent him my power.” "

Red A[Emiya] broke his silence, his voice tinged with bitterness.

“You know, the person I hate most is my past self. But this Shirou… His resolve is unshakable. He knows exactly who he is and what he must do.”

Even the Heroic Spirit Emiya, found it hard to fathom how easily he’d been defeated by his younger counterpart.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Inside the Einzbern Castle~

“So he truly ended the Holy Grail War in a single night…”

“And the swordsman in the video used your Noble Phantasm, which is your power... Saber"

Kiritsugu muttered, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Had the war been so straightforward, he wouldn’t have needed to resort to such drastic measures during his own battle.

Irisviel gazed at the screen, her heart aching for the haggard figure of Shirou Emiya. Though unfamiliar with the boy, his surname alone forged a connection.

Emiya Shirou…”

Irisviel whispered softly, her sympathy evident.

But judging from his last name, it was definitely because she still felt a little sorry for Shirou, who had something to do with her, and looked at the haggard Shirou on the screen.

Looking at his inner monologue, everyone outside the video didn't know what to think...

Being forced into a desperate situation, he prayed to Valhalla for strength, but the only person who responded to him was himself...

The Ideals were shattered, the loved ones were no longer around, and the inherited glory was also lost...

The video continued to play

【 Following Kotomine Kirei’s guidance, Shirou descended into the cavern beneath Mount Enzou. There, Julian awaited him, Miyu at the heart of a massive magic circle.

After entering the entrance, Shirou Emiya stopped and said with some emotion:

"It feels like I haven't seen you for a long time. Are you doing well, Julian?"

Shirou Emiya's tone was flat, as if it was just a greeting between friends.

Julian turned slowly, his expression icy. Ignoring the comment, he remained silent.

"Give Miyu back to me..." Shirou Emiya said calmly, without paying attention to his coldness.

"Does that mean betraying all of humanity?" Julian also spoke at this time, and his tone was also very calm: "It is possible to save humanity from the doomed destruction of this tragic planet."

"But you are going to let everything go down the drain just because of your boredom!?"

As the words fell, scenes appeared on the screen, including what the young Shirou Emiya and Kiritsugu Emiya experienced, the world that the young Miyu saw, and everything that Shirou Emiya and Miyu experienced.

Faced with Julian's questioning, Shirou Emiya seemed to understand Julian's approach and said, “You’ve fought alone all this time.”

Julian was very angry after hearing what Shirou Emiya said, “Don’t pretend you understand!”

"I understand." Shirou Emiya looked at Julian, and the figure of Kiritsugu Emiya appeared behind him. He said calmly, “Kill one to save the many—I know someone else who’d do the same.”

After that, the screen reappeared the bits and pieces of Miyu and Shirou Emiya. It was a very ordinary life at that time.

However, Shirou Emiya clenched his fists and said firmly in his heart, "Even so, I still... I'm sorry, Kiritsugu. even if it's wrong, I have decided to take this path. "

Thinking of this, Shirou Emiya's eyes became more determined, and he continued: "You don't know about Miyu's family... the Sakatsuki family..."

"The Sakatsuki family always makes the same wish for the divine child who can make wishes come true. Do you know what it is?"

Julian did not answer it but just looked at Shirou Emiya in silence.

Shirou Emiya walked forward, saying as he walked: "They just pray that the child can grow up healthily, and wealth and honor are clearly within their reach."

"It is a very natural wish, and there has been no exception in the past four hundred years..."

Stepping past Julian, Shirou pressed onward.

Said in a very firm tone: “If you call this evil, then I’ll gladly embrace it!”

This time, Julian did not stop Shirou Emiya, and the other party just stood there.

Shirou Emiya continued to walk forward, and this time, he came to the depths of the large void.

Shirou Emiya arrived at the depths of the large void and saw a huge magic circle. Miyu was lying in the center of the magic circle...

Shirou Emiya couldn't help but smile when he came to Miyu.

"Brother...?" Miyu also opened her eyes and looked at Shirou Emiya, who came to her side.

Miyu's tone was not as enthusiastic as before, and she asked coldly: "Why did you come?"

Her words stung, but Shirou understood her pain.

“Didn’t my brother say so back then? That’s why Kiritsugu and I took you in,” Miyu continued bitterly.

Just to use me as a tool, right? Why bother now…”

As Miyu was talking, she looked at Shirou Emiya's wounded appearance, and it was obvious that he had gone through unimaginable hardships to get here. She couldn't help but shed tears...

“Because the reason is simple,” Shirou replied gently, extending his hand. Seven Servant Class Cards orbited above his palm.

Miyu’s eyes brightened once more.

“Because I am your brother,” Shirou said solemnly. “And it’s only natural for me to protect my sister.” 】

Notes:

revise 06/02/25

Chapter 11: Make a Wish to the Holy Grail

Chapter Text

【 “!!!” Miyu gasped, tears streaming down her face as she processed Shirou’s words.

Shirou smiled faintly, his expression softening despite the gravity of the moment.

“I’ve made mistakes before, so this choice might also be wrong.”

As the background music gradually became softer, Shirou Emiya held Miyu's hand, and he said firmly: “But my wish is true. I made a wish to the Holy Grail…”

In an instant, vibrant light erupted around them, responding to his declaration.

“I hope to create a world where Miyu will never suffer again,” Shirou continued, his voice unwavering. “A place where she can meet kind friends, share laughter, and enjoy simple happiness.”

While Shirou Emiya was speaking, Images flashed across the screen—Miyu smiling, surrounded by warmth and joy.

Miyu in the picture looks happy.

With seven Servant Class Cards orbiting above him, Shirou watched as Miyu began to ascend into the sky. The magic circle beneath her glowed gently, signaling the fulfillment of his wish.

“I hope she can grasp happiness,” Shirou whispered tenderly.

This is the last blessing as a brother, and it is also the hope that the other party can get rid of this endangered world and go to a world where she can be happy.

The next moment, Miyu slowly floated up, looking at the smile on her brother's face, and gradually closed her eyes, leaving only tears sliding down her face.

The Holy Grail fulfilled Shirou Emiya's wish, and Miyu was teleported to another world at this time.

"I'm sorry," Shirou Emiya turned around and said to Angelica Ainsworth, who had come behind him at some point:

"My sister is working hard now; can you please wait for a moment?"

Angelica Ainsworth, who had obtained the power of Gilgamesh, said in a very cold and arrogant tone: “Your wish will not come true. It’s impossible for a fake to enter the Holy Grail War and obtain a miracle.”

As she was speaking, Angelica waved her hand, and a golden ripple suddenly appeared behind her. Several treasures flew out of it and attacked Shirou Emiya. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people outside the video couldn't bear to watch it. Maybe Shirou Emiya had a chance to fight before.

But now, Shirou Emiya has taken the Servant class Card to make a wish, and he is now merely human.

He stood no chance against Angelica, who has a Heroic Spirit class card of Gilgamesh.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Inside the Einzbern Castle~

“What should I do?! Kiritsugu, Shirou is going to die…”

Irisviel sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She couldn’t bear to watch as Shirou sacrificed everything for Miyu, only to face an even greater threat.

Humans were no match for the Heroic Spirits, not to mention the card of the power of the Most Ancient King, the King of Heroes...

Kiritsugu remained silent, his expression conflicted. From the video, it seemed clear that Shirou was likely his adopted son.

Yet Shirou had chosen a path Kiritsugu himself would never take—to save one person over countless others.

“Save one person or save tens of thousands…?”

Kiritsugu murmured, his voice heavy with regret.

On the other side, Gilgamesh seethed with rage.

“Zasshu!! You dare exploit my power…”

His golden eyes burned with fury.

"I will never forgive you!"

~Naruto World~

Obito Uchiha clenched his fists tightly, memories of Rin flooding his mind.

“You did the right thing, Shirou Emiya…”

Obito thought of Rin, and he felt that he was very similar to Shirou Emiya.

For Rin, Obito had been willing to destroy the entire world. In Shirou’s actions, he saw a reflection of his own pain and longing—a desire to create a world where the person they loved could live happily, no matter the cost.

A world without Rin is not my world...

~Bleach World~

~Hueco Mundo~

“I pay my respects to you, Shirou Emiya!!”

Aizen watched the video and became more interested in Shirou Emiya. Making such a choice would be a betrayal of all mankind.

“But… powerless as you are now, how can you stand against the strongest?”

Aizen shook his head, intrigued yet skeptical.

“If there’s still a chance, I eagerly await your next performance.”

~On the other side, Karakura Town~

 Ichigo Kurosaki sat in silence, torn between his duty to protect the world and his love for his family.

“Shirou Emiya… trained as a partner of justice since childhood, yet he chose this path…”

Ichigo murmured, his voice filled with awe and understanding.

The video continues to play

【 Angelica’s Noble Phantasm sent Shirou flying, though it failed to deliver a fatal blow to Shirou Emiya.

"Without even a Servant class card, it is foolish to rely on human flesh to resist the power of the King of Heroes!"

Angelica walked toward Shirou Emiya with a cold tone and continued: "No matter ancient or modern, the treasures that humans pursue are the power of my heroic spirits."

"I see." Shirou Emiya struggled to get up and said with some emotion: “No wonder Sakura said you’re the strongest card.”

He tightened his grip, determination blazing in his eyes.

“But I carry something far heavier than personal feelings.”

Facing Shirou Emiya's words, Angelica also said calmly: “Personal feelings? They’re the most meaningless things in the world.”

After that, the golden ripples appeared again, and several treasures rushed towards Shirou Emiya.

"Trace On"

At this moment, accompanied by white smoke, it seemed as if something was burning on the body.

“???!!!”

Angelica was surprised to see this scene: “Projection?? How is it possible? And that kind of fighting method is…”

“How is this possible?!” Angelica exclaimed, stunned. “Hasn’t he already used his Servant Card to make a wish?!”

Shirou’s voice rang out, calm and resolute:

“The future that I may reach.” Emiya Shirou manifested the swords Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, then turned his gaze towards Angelica and continued: “Let the embodiment of that ideal attach to this body”

“I have already learned his skills and magic circuits in advance, and even the origins have all been received."

"To be more precise, this body has been replaced by the Heroic Spirit Emiya in countless battles!!!"

As Emiya Shirou spoke, swords materialized one by one, encircling him.

At this time, Emiya Shirou held Gan Jiang and Mo Ye in both hands, looked at the somewhat surprised Angelica, and said: "What you are facing is a fake of a Heroic Spirit."

Angelica seemed to be stimulated, and her emotions began to become angry. With a wave of her hand, countless treasures appeared again: "You faker!!!"

Emiya Shirou kept waving Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, knocking away the attacking weapons one by one.

And copied the treasures at the moment when Angelica attacked, projecting them back to attack one by one.

"Stop!" Angelica roared, enraged.

Angelica and Shirou Emiya’s weapons collided.

The next second, Shirou Emiya seemed to have sensed something and looked up.

The golden ripples reappeared, and the treasures inside rained down like raindrops.

“Bang Bang Bang Bang!!!”

The ground shattered beneath the onslaught, smoke billowing everywhere.

Chapter 12: Reality Marble: Unlimited Blade Works

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“Ah!!!…”

Illya gasped, her shock palpable even though the scene had flashed by briefly.

When Shirou made his wish, her own memories appeared on-screen—memories of Miyu and Shirou’s bond.

“Brother…”

Miyu couldn’t help but clench her fists, tears ran down her face again. After seeing this scene again, she was still very moved…

Despite having seen this moment before, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by emotion.

Her brother had sacrificed everything for her—his ideals, his strength, even his life force—and yet she had misunderstood him.

Now, stripped of the Servant Cards’ power, Shirou stood alone against an impossible foe.

"Don't worry, Miyu-sama..."

Magic Sapphire hovered close, offering comfort.

“The video isn’t over yet. Shirou Emiya will definitely win!”

"Maybe he is already on his way to find you!!"

Although it was to comfort Miyu, Magic Sapphire felt that it was a miracle that Shirou Emiya could hold on until Miyu completed the transmission.

In the brief battle just now, it was obvious that Shirou Emiya was not his opponent at all. Shirou Emiya, who lost the power of the Servant, had no chance of winning.

“I hope so…”

Miyu murmured softly, her voice trailing off as she focused intently on the screen. She needed to see what happened next—to know if her brother would survive.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Inside the Tohsaka Villa~

"This guy...!!"

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, watching the clash between Angelica and Shirou Emiya unfold. Gilgamesh is getting upset again.

Though he despised fakes, Gilgamesh found himself respecting Shirou’s unwavering resolve.

Everyone outside the video saw what Shirou Emiya paid for Miyu.

So, Gilgamesh also understands Shirou Emiya's purpose.

“A righteous partner? He abandoned that title long ago,”

Gilgamesh mused aloud.

Shirou’s goal was clear—to protect Miyu at all costs.

Gilgamesh admired such purity of purpose, even if he loathed Angelica’s misuse of his power.

The reason he is upset is that Angelica used his power but didn't show his kingly demeanor...

“Show some dignity, Zasshu.”

Gilgamesh muttered under his breath, irritation flaring.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Emiya House~

“This is the final battle…”

Rin Tohsaka said quietly, glancing between Shirou and Red A [Emiya] beside her.

Artoria nodded solemnly.

"It should be."

In fact, what Rin Tohsaka really wants to ask is, they are all Shirou Emiya, why can they look at themselves in the video so calmly.

For example, now Shirou Emiya turns his head and calmly asks Red A [Emiya].

"Can we win?"

Red A [Emiya] looks at the video without turning his head, and his tone is also very calm:

"If you use the Reality Marble, you may have a chance to win, —but only a slim one...."

In Red A [Emiya]'s opinion, it is unlikely that Shirou Emiya will defeat Angelica, who obtained the power of Gilgamesh.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Inside the Einzbern Castle~

Emiya Kiritsugu observed Shirou’s rapidly whitening hair—a clear sign of life force being drained to fuel magic circuits.

Without the Servant Cards or the Holy Grail’s power, Shirou relied solely on his own body.

Maintaining high-precision projections required enormous energy, even for someone who’d become a fake Heroic Spirit.

"Will Shirou die, Kiritsugu?"

Irisviel asked, her voice trembling.

He saw what kind of child Shirou Emiya was.

Kiritsugu remained silent—a silence heavy with meaning.

The video continues to play

(Translator-kun: Hold Up!! Before you proceed reading this. and commenting that.

That Note: For the Sake of people who keep commenting and correcting the UBW chant, I 'USED' the "ENGLISH" version, not the "LITERAL ENGLISH" version of it. For Reference, you can check the link in the Afterthoughts.)

 As the smoke dissipated, Angelica looked at Shirou Emiya, who stood up in a panic and said: “I don’t know what tricks you’ve used, but they’re meaningless. Only destruction lies ahead.”

"I know." Shirou Emiya gritted his teeth and stood up with difficulty and continued: "The reason why I have fought hard until now, the so-called ridiculous means you mentioned, is the bond!!"

Shirou Emiya's eyes began to became terrifying, and he said very seriously: "Miyu has always supported me. I am really a useless brother, but that's precisely why I'm..."

"I'm going to use up what's left of my life... right here and now".

Shirou Emiya tore off his worn-out coat, stretched out his hand, and put his right hand on his left hand.

"I am the bone of my sword."

"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."

"I have created over a thousand blades."

While Shirou Emiya was chanting, the golden ripples behind Angelica began to fluctuate, and several treasures were launched, attacking Shirou Emiya.

But they were all blocked by a huge petal that reappeared in front of Shirou Emiya.

Shirou Emiya took the opportunity to continue chanting.

"Unaware of beginning,"

" Nor aware of the end.

" Withstood pain with inconsistent weapons, my hands will never hold anything."

As he was speaking, the huge petal projected by Shirou Emiya shattered, and the golden ripples on the ground emerged with several chains that trapped Shirou Emiya.

This is Heaven's Chain...

Angelica also took the opportunity to rush towards Shirou Emiya with a sword.

Although Shirou Emiya was locked, he never stopped chanting.

"Yet, my flame never ends."

"My whole body was still Unlimited Blade Works."

In an instant, the surrounding space changed, as if it had lost its color.

Angelica was slightly stunned. As a snowflake fell on her shoulder, the whole space turned into a snowfield, and the surroundings gradually regained color.

"Individual and world, fantasy and reality, exchange the inside and the outside, and rewrite the real world according to my ideas."

Shirou Emiya appeared not far away as he spoke, and Angelica looked at him calmly, as if she was unmoved.

Shirou Emiya stood in the snow, he casually held A sword in the Reality Marble and said calmly: "This is the most powerful magic - Reality Marble."

"What do you think? The world of swords that can contain infinite things, in my opinion, these are all tombstones."

"But sorry, you have to stay here with me until my body disappears."

Angelica looked at the swords and snow around her, and finally looked at Shirou Emiya, saying coldly: "Then as you wish, let you sleep under these tombstones."

"Buzz!!!"

The golden ripples on both sides appeared again, and countless weapons emerged from them, attacking Shirou Emiya quickly.

"Dang--!!!"

Accompanied by the sound of weapons colliding, Shirou Emiya also ran towards Angelica, shooting down the attacking weapons on the way.

Seeing her attack being blocked, Angelica's expression did not change at all, and the golden ripples behind her appeared again, but this time the number was even larger.

"——"

Seeing this, Shirou Emiya quickly scanned the scene and instantly copied the treasure that was about to be shot out from the golden ripples.

The next second, the same treasure was shot out from behind Shirou Emiya, instantly destroying the treasure in the golden ripples...

"Before it was shot out..."

Angelica was really shocked and a little disbelieving.

“Too slow,” Shirou taunted, closing the distance between them.

With a swift slash, he struck Angelica, taking full advantage of her momentary surprise.

Notes:

Use the English chant of Unlimited Blade Works, not the literal English of it " https://typemoon.fandom.com/wiki/Unlimited_Blade_Works#English"

revise : 06/02/25

Chapter 13: The Hand of the Creator

Chapter Text

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Past Timeline~

“Reality Marble? It’s unfolding just like our Domain Expansion…”

Gojo Satoru removed his sunglasses, his piercing blue eyes studying the Reality Marble intently.

At this moment, Gojo Satoru was also a little shocked. You know, the domain expansion is the goal of countless Sorcerers in the entire Jujutsu world...

But only a few can achieve it!

“But unlike ours, there’s no guaranteed hit effect,”

He mused aloud.

He paused, considering Shirou Emiya’s words about the Reality Marble being a symbol of the heart.

“So… does this endless wilderness and snowfield represent your current state of mind?”

The image of countless swords forming graves resonated deeply with him—a reflection of loss, loneliness, and buried ideals.

“If that woman hadn’t broken through the barrier, Shirou Emiya might have won.”

Geto Suguru thought about the details of the previous battle.

Similar abilities to Angelica, but it seems that Shirou Emiya's projection is faster, and he copied all the other party's treasures in a split second...

Seal the opponent's long-range attack ability, and Shirou Emiya is stronger in close combat!!

"Really? But I don't think so..."

Ieiri Shoko shook her head and said faintly:

“Something feels off… Call it a woman’s intuition.”

She always feels that Angelica seems to be hiding something!

"Intuition?!"

Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru didn't say anything after hearing this but just turned their eyes back to the video.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"It's a Reality Marble!!"

"The realm that countless Magus want to reach in their entire lives!!"

"How old is he?!... He seems to be less than 16!!!"

Waver Velvet exclaimed, clutching his head in disbelief. His shock was palpable—how could someone so young achieve what countless magus spent lifetimes striving for?

Coming from the Clock Tower, he knew more clearly how difficult it was to learn magecraft, and in his impression, almost no modern Magus had a Reality Marble.

“Calm down, boy. Your noise is unbearable.”

King of Conquerors Iskandar raised his head and took a sip of wine, then reached out and pressed his master's head and said,

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh frowned at the scene unfolding in the video.

“Reality Marble, is this your trump card?”

"That Angelica has my power, which means she may also have EA"

"If you release EA, your barrier will be shattered in an instant..."

Gilgamesh is very confident in his EA, which can be said to be a treasure specially designed to deal with Reality Marble.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Reality Marble?! Impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!”

Tohsaka Rin shouted, her voice trembling with disbelief.

She understood the magnitude of what she witnessed—a mage rewriting reality using mental imagery. Such mastery over projection magic was unheard of, especially for someone seemingly inexperienced.

“It’s like a high schooler solving a famous mathematical conjecture out of nowhere!”

She muttered, half-frustrated, half-envious.

~Demon Slayer World~

Kimetsuji Muzan furrowed his brow, his expression wary.

This unknown power unsettled him—a technique capable of entirely transferring people into another realm.

“What kind of sorcery is this?”

He whispered, raising his guard.

~Naruto World~

Jiraiya scratched his chin thoughtfully, recalling Namikaze Minato’s legendary Space-Time Ninjutsu.

"Space Ninjutsu?"

He murmured, comparing the two abilities.

When Jiraiya saw this scene, this was the first thing he thought of.

Because his disciple Namikaze Minato used this trick to break into the name of Yellow Flash in the Ninja World.

However, the difference here lies in creating a space to trap opponents—a concept closer to sealing techniques.

The next moment, Shirou Emiya passed through Angelica's body directly. He was a little stunned because of his shallow knowledge of magecraft.

Beside Angelica, there was a diamond-shaped crystal flashing. She looked at Shirou Emiya and said angrily: "Don't underestimate Ainsworth."

After saying that, Angelica stretched out her hand, and Shirou felt a sudden weightlessness as he was teleported mid-air.

"What is this?! Space displacement?!" he gasped, plummeting toward the ground.

Angelica sneered coldly. 

 "It's over..."

Golden ripples materialized behind him, enveloping him as two colossal weapons—one black, one red—descended from the sky.

"Ig-Alima! Sul-Sugana!" 

Ig-Alima possesses the concept of "skyline," the principle "through which heaven and earth are absolutely separated. opening up the green horizon of thousands of mountains.

Sul-Sugana, possesses the concept of "horizon" at the end of the sky and sea, the peak of "the territory in which they melt and mix." the dawn horizon that burns the sea.

Two giant weapons, one black and one red, created by mythology, appeared and fell towards Shirou Emiya.

The appearance of these two weapons was reflected in Shirou Emiya's eyes. He instantly analyzed, constructed, and projected them. He roared with all his strength:

“Uh!! Ahhhhh!!”

Then, a giant black weapon was projected from his hand, blocking the giant black weapon from falling from the sky.

Shirou Emiya fell from the air onto the projected weapon, and then he waved his hand again, and a giant red weapon appeared again, blocking the weapon of the same appearance.

This scene can be said to be very shocking. Although it was only for a moment, it was indeed projected. It can be said that a weapon made by God was rubbed out with bare hands!

At this time, Shirou Emiya finally returned to the ground.

He looked a little embarrassed and gasped for breath.

"You are just a stain, that hateful ability, the magecraft you have for some reason, and the ridiculous belief that you are like a dead person."

As she spoke, the hilt of a sword appeared in front of Angelica, and then she stretched out her hand to hold it and said:

“All of this makes me want to cut it off completely!” she declared, gripping the Sword of Rupture tightly.

Angelica held the Sword of Rupture [EA], looked at Shirou Emiya coldly, and said, "Together with your world!"

Shirou Emiya stared at the Sword of Rupture [EA], lost in thought for a moment, obviously beyond his comprehension...

Looking at the sword, Shirou Emiya slowly stood up and said calmly, “There’s no sword in the world that can compete with it. Though unfair, let me return the favor with all my swords.”

As soon as he finished speaking, several swords fell with him as the center, and a sea of ​​swords appeared behind him, rushing towards Angelica.

Seeing the sword rain coming like a black cloud, Angelica didn't take it seriously at all. She held up the Sword of Rupture [EA], chanting:

"Return to the beginning! "

"The Star of the Creation of Heaven and Earth!!!"

               (EnumaElish)

The red magic power burst out instantly, as if destroying everything, and blasted towards the dark rain of swords in front.

"Boom!!!!"

The explosion sounded, and countless swords collided with the attack of the Sword of Separation like soldiers who came one after another, and the scene seemed a bit stalemate for a while.

"It's useless!" Angelica looked at Shirou Emiya, who was trying his best, and shouted:

“Even if you use every sword, you still can’t surpass this ultimate blade!”

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" What responded to her was Shirou Emiya's roar.

Even if an unimaginable number of swords collided with the Sword of Rupture [EA], they were still no match.

Shirou Emiya seemed to feel something and said with relief:

"Yes, you are right, sometimes a unique one will be above everything. "

As the moon vanished—signaling Miyu’s successful departure—Shirou sighed inwardly.

Countless swords were also destroyed, and the terrifying power of the Sword of Rupture [EA] hit Shirou Emiya head-on.

"Ah~ Oops."

As if realizing his failure and Miyu's departure, Shirou Emiya sighed in his heart:

“I forgot to promise her we’d go to the beach…”

Under the silent attack, Shirou Emiya's body was blown away.

Shirou Emiya's inner voice sounded again, and he sighed:

"After all, I failed to become a righteous partner who saved someone."

The wounded Shirou Emiya just lay on the ground and stretched out his hand.

As if he was holding something tightly, he said with a smile:

"But I won, Kiritsugu!"

His eyes closed as the screen faded to black. 】

Chapter 14: The End of the Oath Under the Snow

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Yes, Shirou Emiya won!!

He ended the Holy Grail War and successfully resisted Angelica, who wielded the power of Gilgamesh. He bought precious time for Miyu to escape a world full of despair.

At the same time, Shirou Emiya also lost.

Even with all his swords, he couldn’t withstand the might of the Sword of Rupture [EA]....

However, as a brother, he fulfilled his promise—rescuing his sister.

Though he chose to abandon that desolate world for Miyu’s sake, his sacrifice was complete.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“So, Miyu… you just came to our world like this?!”

Illya exclaimed, stunned as she gazed at Miyu nearby. Her emotions were tangled. If Miyu was Shirou’s sister—even from another world—did that make her Miyu’s little sister? Or perhaps her older sister?

Illya groaned inwardly. How was she supposed to address Miyu now?

Feeling Illya's gaze, Miyu could tell what she was thinking at a glance and said helplessly:

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not Shirou’s biological sister.”

"We are not related by blood."

At this time, Magic Ruby appeared, floating around Miyu.

“No, Miyu. You are related to Shirou Emiya,”

 it corrected firmly.

“In the video, when you made your wish, your original eye color turned red. Compared to Illya, you’re Shirou Emiya’s true sister!”

Magic Sapphire chimed in teasingly:

“Which means you two can’t get married!”

~One Piece World~

~In Water Seven Island~

"Interesting!"

"Pirate Hunter" Zoro murmured, watching the final scene where Shirou used every sword to resist Angelica’s attack.

The clash reminded him of his encounter with Dracule Mihawk—the moment he realized how small his world truly was.

“Frog in the well…”

"Pirate Hunter," Zoro muttered, recalling Mihawk’s words.

“Go see the wider world.”

After witnessing Shirou’s battle, he felt humbled yet inspired. His childhood vow echoed in his mind—to become the world’s greatest swordsman and let his name resound across the seas.

“I need to get stronger,”

He resolved, gripping Wado Ichimonji tightly.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

Gilgamesh looked at the fallen Shirou Emiya and couldn't help but praise him:

“The Sword of Rupture [EA] surpasses all swords. Yet I admire Shirou Emiya’s gesture of returning all his blades as a gift.”

His lips curled into a smirk.

“But what resonates most is this: ‘Sometimes a unique person stands above everything.’”

"Just like for him, Miyu is the only one who is above the world. Even if the world is destroyed, Miyu will not be allowed to become a victim."

"Although, for that world, he is an absolute villain!"

Gilgamesh admires such people, whose purpose is pure, and who strides forward despite knowing that it is evil.

At the same time.

~Inside the Einzbern Castle~

“Yeah… you beat me, Shirou,”

Kiritsugu whispered, responding to his son’s final declaration.

Shirou had abandoned the path of a righteous hero, forsaking ideals and the world itself. Yet, resisting a Heroic Spirit as a mere mortal was no small feat—it was a victory in its own right.

“Kiritsugu, look! The video isn’t over yet…”

Irisviel called softly, drawing his attention back to the screen.

Originally, she was also worried about whether Emiya Shirou would die, and where did Miyu go? As a result, As the darkness faded, a new scene emerged.

The picture gradually changed from dark to bright, and Miyu woke up in the big hole and looked around.

Then, Miyu walked out of the hole and saw a brightly lit city.

Completely different from the lifeless world, Miyu knew at this moment that her brother's wish had come true, and this was no longer her world.

Miyu walked aimlessly on the street, and two rays of light, one red and one blue, collided violently in the sky and then flashed by.

Miyu, who was confused, was almost hit by a car on the street, and her appearance at this moment attracted the attention of passers-by.

At this moment, she was alone in a strange world, looking extremely small and helpless.

At this time, Miyu changed into the clothes that others didn't want on the side of the road, and not so many people paid attention to her.

Her expression was still so confused and calm.

On the other side, the colliding magic ruby ​​and sapphire appeared.

They looked at Rin Tosaka and Luviagelita Edelfelt and said at the same time:

"We have to take a temporary vacation!"

"Wait!"

"Wait for me!!!"

Rin Tosaka and Luviagelita Edelfelt stretched out their hands to stop the two who wanted to leave.

But the next moment, the two of them fell from the sky at the same time, screaming...

The scene changed, and Miyu walked out of the park and washed her face. At this time, a voice sounded from the side, and Miyu subconsciously hid.

It turned out to be the Magic Sapphire who had just left.

At this moment, Magic Sapphire said helplessly: "Lady Luvia is really a headache. We obviously have the important task of recovering cards."

"Cards?!"

Miyu, who was hiding aside, also came out from the dark. She looked at Magic Sapphire and said hurriedly: "Please tell me about that matter in detail!"

"Sapphire!!! Sapphire——"

On the other side, Luvia was calling loudly, and at the same time, she looked worried.

She stretched out her hand and bit her thumb and said: "Really!! If this situation is known by the master, I don't know what will happen!!"

The sight returned to the park, and after learning about the card from Magic Sapphire.

At this moment, Miyu stood on the tree and looked at the city in the distance.

She said calmly: "My brother made a wish for me to be happy. I received it, but I still have nothing now."

"I lost everything, so... I want to start with something that everyone has."

Just thinking this, Miyu jumped down from the tree.

Luvia, who was looking for sapphire, looked at Miyu who walked out of the park, and couldn't help but stand there, a little puzzled: "Who are you? ..."

Looking at Luvia, Miyu said in a very calm tone: "If you want to recycle the cards, I can help, but in return, please provide me with a place to live, food, and clothes. Please give me a place to stay."

The scene changed.

In school, Luvia and Miyu looked at Illya, who was chased by Medusa in front of them!!

Luvia and Miyu reached an agreement: Miyu was responsible for recycling the cards, and Luvia provided a place to stay.

Miyu walked towards Illya and Medusa, picked up a Lancer-class card, and said in her heart: "Ainsworth's card, I must clean up the aftermath! "

"Lancer, limited deployment!"

The next moment, Miyu used the class card, holding a red spear, and rushed towards Medusa, saying: "GaeBolg (GaeBolg)!"

With a 'puff', Medusa died instantly and turned into a card floating in the air.

"The cavalry class card has been recovered!" Miyu reached out and took the card.

“Who… are you?”

Illya was staring at Miyu blankly at this moment.

At that moment, Shirou Emiya’s voice echoed once more.

"It's okay, Miyu! You will definitely make friends right away if you say so."

Then the words fell, Top10, the oath under the snow ended.

Notes:

Wait, I thought they were watching the video through a website, but in this chapter, they are looking at the sky? or its just Kiritsugu look the sky before turning back to watch the video...? I need to check the earlier chapters again.

TLDR; Translating Chinese words can be challenging due to their multiple meanings. However, it appears that the "Projection of All Worlds" website functions like a system interface. When you select a video, it is projected onto a large screen. In some worlds, it is displayed on a television, similar to what is seen in "One Punch Man world" while in the world of "One Piece" or others, it transforms into a huge screen.

Chapter 15: New Videos? Top 9 Famous Scene Training Arc

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"So, this is your past…Miyu"

Illya murmured softly, her voice heavy with emotion after watching the entire video. Though she hadn’t known Miyu’s story before, she now understood the depth of her suffering.

But she knew that the other party was very good. After all, Miyu was very good, very good...

Now that she knew it completely, she felt very sad again. Seeing Miyu’s confusion and loneliness upon arriving in a strange world broke Illya’s heart.

It made her extremely sad. Tears streamed down Illya’s face as she hugged Miyu tightly.

"Absolutely!!... I will definitely make you happy..."

"What are you doing...I can't hear what you said..."

Miyu tried to push her away half-heartedly, but when she realized Illya wouldn’t budge, she sighed and returned the embrace.

“Yes, brother… I made friends. I feel the hard-earned happiness!”

Miyu hugged the crying Illya and gradually cheered up.

"Miyu-sama——"

Looking at the spirited Miyu, Magic Sapphire watched the scene unfold, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

“To be honest, I’m looking forward to the next review.”

~Naruto World~

“Perverted Sage, why did Shirou Emiya let Miyu leave her original world?”

Uzumaki Naruto asked quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.

Looking at Miyu's appearance when she first arrived in a strange world, she looked very similar to him before, just as lonely!

He understood that feeling very well and longed for family affection, but it was precisely because of this understanding that he couldn't bear to watch Shirou Emiya and Miyu separate.

He always felt a little depressed, and he felt that this ending was not as beautiful as he imagined.

Although Shirou Emiya saved Miyu and sent her to another world, for Miyu.

Is this kind of life really what Miyu wants?

Jiraiya handed Naruto a popsicle, offering both comfort and explanation.

“If Shirou stayed in that world, he couldn’t have defeated Angelica wielding Gilgamesh’s power. Sending Miyu away was the best choice to protect her.”

Naruto nibbled on the treat, processing Jiraiya’s words. Still, he couldn’t shake his unease.

However, in this case, Miyu will have to start over in another world, while Shirou Emiya's life and death are unknown.

He likes both of them, so he doesn't like this ending. He thinks that only when Shirou Emiya and Miyu leave that world together can Miyu be happy.

Jiraiya sighed, patting Naruto’s shoulder.

“Shirou Emiya has done everything he could. It’s unrealistic to expect him to leave with Miyu. What matters is that Miyu has been reborn and freed from that doomed world.”

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

Irisviel gazed at the screen, her expression somber. Shirou Emiya’s fate remained uncertain, and Miyu’s solitary existence in another world filled her with sorrow.

Kiritsugu finally grasped the meaning behind Shirou’s declaration:

"I won, Kiritsugu".

Shirou had shed the burdens placed upon him—no longer bound by the title of “partner of justice.” Instead, he forged his own path.

Artoria tilted her head, puzzled.

“Isn’t the Holy Grail omnipotent? Why didn’t Shirou simply create a perfect world for Miyu? Why is it to teleport Miyu to another world?"

Emiya Kiritsugu looked at Artoria with an unchanged expression and said:

“The Holy Grail of that world is Miyu herself. Just as God cannot destroy what He creates, the most feasible wish was to send her elsewhere.”

Artoria nodded slowly, understanding dawning on her.

“Indeed, achieving even that much is remarkable.”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

Red A[Emiya] and Shirou Emiya exchanged glances, nodding approvingly as they watched Miyu secure shelter in the new world.

“No one knows me better than myself,”

Red A[Emiya] remarked wryly.

He turned to the screen, observing his counterpart whose fate remained unknown.

“Is this the second choice? It seems no matter what path you take, you’ll always end up alone.”

Red A[Emiya] admired the resolve of his other self, who had signed a contract with the world to become its guardian yet used that power solely to protect Miyu.

“If this is evil, then so be it…”

Red A[Emiya] muttered enviously.

“I envy myself in that world—for finding my true purpose.”

Shirou smiled faintly.

“Yeah.”

Red Archer sighed deeply.

“If I’d had a sister, maybe I wouldn’t have taken this path.”

Rin Tohsaka stood nearby, stunned by the conversation between the two Shirous. She shook her head, muttering under her breath:

“I’m really looking forward to the next video—it’s addictive!”

Suddenly, a new title appeared on the screen:

"Look!!... There's a new video!!"

Rin Tohsaka, who had just turned her eyes back to the screen, pulled the two Shirou Emiya, who were now sighing.

"Really... Let me see"

On the original black screen, another line of words appeared:

 

【 Top 9: Straw Hat Luffy vs Hundred Beasts Kaido!! 】

 

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"“This title is so straightforward compared to ‘Oath Under Snow.’”, which didn't reveal any information at all"

Rin Tohsaka was a little confused; compared to the previous title, this one was much more direct.

People in other worlds also think so, but the difference is that the One Piece world is boiling...

~One Piece World~

“Lululu… Luffy!!! Is that you?”

Tony Tony Chopper, also known as "Cotton Candy Lover" Chopper, squeaked, trembling as he hid behind Zoro, although he didn't know who Kaido was.

But when he thought about being on the Projection of All Worlds = famous = dangerous!!

Monkey D. Luffy, commonly known as "Straw Hat Luffy" or simply "Straw Hat", grinned widely, pumped with excitement.

“Hundred Beasts Kaido?! Awesome! Hahahaha!”

Unlike Luffy’s carefree reaction, Nico Robin frowned, recognizing the gravity of the situation.

“That’s one of the Four Emperors, Luffy. This isn’t something to laugh about.”

At the same time,

~The World Government on the other side~

“How could Luffy provoke Kaido?! Wasn’t he supposed to be in Water Seven?!”

Vice Admiral Garp stared at the screen in disbelief; it was really his grandson.

He was also on his way.

~Onigashima Island, Hundred Beasts Kaido headquarters~

“Straw Hat Luffy? Never heard of him…”

Hundred Beast Kaido raised his head, took a sip of wine, and said drunkenly.

Firefist Ace, who was in the Impel Down, couldn't help but scream in horror after seeing it.

“Kaido?! How could this happen?!”

Having been on the Four Emperors' ship, he knows the horror of the Four Emperors better...

At the same time, people all over the world began to talk about it, and *the originally peaceful* world began to become active...

Then the words in the video began to fade, and the video began to play...

Chapter 16: The Crowd Is Shocked

Chapter Text

【 A series of deafening explosions echoed across the desolate landscape of Onigashima. The sky was pitch-black, streaked with terrifying lightning bolts, as if the world itself teetered on the brink of destruction.

Under this sky, the tall figures of Kaido and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin stood here like ghosts and gods.

The conqueror's haki aura exuded from their bodies and made people shudder. Their presence alone seemed enough to crush any resistance.

But they were staring at the figures below with terrifying eyes.

"Boom!!!"

As an explosion sounded, Luffy pressed his straw hat with one hand and came to the two Four Emperors without any fear in his eyes.

Five supernovas—Luffy, Kidd, Killer, Law, and Zoro—stood united, undaunted by the looming threat. With unwavering resolve, they prepared to face the combined might of two Four Emperors.

.....

~One Piece World~

The entire pirate world watched in stunned silence.

Is this the Four Emperors? The aura emanating from their bodies is almost suffocating.

Just the aura!! It makes people lose the courage to resist.

At this moment, the Navy Headquarters was even more shocked. In the future, Hundred Beast Kaido and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin formed an alliance!!! …

Fleet Admiral Sengoku clenched his fists tightly.

“If Kaido and Big Mom form an alliance, the world will be thrown into chaos.”

It was the first time he saw the Four Emperors join forces when he became a Fleet Admiral. The last time was when they joined forces with Pirate King Gold Roger to defeat the Rocks Pirates.

This is a huge problem for the World Government!!

"How Sca..ry..."

Admiral Kizaru said while cutting his nails with one hand, sweating.

I don’t know if they are really shocked by the Four Emperors joining forces or the courage of the Straw Hat Pirates.

~In the New World~

~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

“Is this the little brother that Ace usually talks about?!!”

“Is this the future?! ! He is too young!!”

“Does this mean that the Straw Hat Boy will have the capital to challenge the Four Emperors in a few years?!!”

At this moment, the Whitebeard Pirates were also talking about it. They were also familiar with Straw Hat Luffy. Usually, Ace always showed off that he had such a little brother with Luffy’s wanted order.

But the terror of the Four Emperors cannot be overcome by passion!! After all, they look too young in the video.

“Ace’s little brother? He’s still far too young to challenge the Four Emperors…”

Even Edward Newgate, more commonly known as "Whitebeard", watching from afar, chuckled grimly.

~On the other side, in the Wano Country~
~Onigashima Island~

Hundred Beast Kaido felt a little incredulous when he saw that he and Linlin joined forces to deal with a few little ghosts.

"Hahaha! It's getting more and more interesting..."

Hundred Beast Kaido took a deep sip of wine, and after a brief surprise, he didn't care that he had joined forces with Big Mom...

~In the Water Seven Islands~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"Finally on this stage? But why is my left eye blind?"

"Pirate Hunter" Zoro smiled, watching himself appear in the video, and couldn't help holding the knife in one hand, a little eager to try.

"Why are you, a green algae-head, in there...!! What about me?! Where am I in this fight?!”

"BlackLeg," Sanji said with tears streaming down his face, grabbing Zoro's collar and shaking him angrily.

“We’re going to die… we’re definitely going to die…”

The cowardly duo "Cat Burglar" Nami and "Cotton Candy Lover" Chopper hugged each other, also in tears.

"The Four Emperors..."

Straw Hat Luffy, who was always the most active, became quiet instead.

It seemed that Shanks was not far away.

At this moment, the strong men in the entire pirate world began to boil, and it was good to see the battle of the Four Emperors with their own eyes...

The video continued to play...

【 At this time, Luffy seemed to notice something and slowly moved forward with a gloomy face.

Kaido the Beast watched Luffy walking slowly forward, turned to Big Mom, and said: “Linlin, guess what this kid’s about to say in front of me?

Big Mom smiled horribly and replied: "This guy is very arrogant, and he also said nonsense in front of me!!"

"You also destroyed our castle. apologize first, Straw Hat Boy!"

Luffy had a gloomy face, ignored the words of the two Four Emperors, and didn't care about the terrifying aura they exuded.

Directly passed between the two Four Emperors!!! 

.....

~One Piece World~

This scene completely shocked the entire pirate world!!

“Is he insane?! No one turns their back on the Four Emperors!”

Someone exclaimed.

There is no such person in the entire pirate world.

~Marineford~
~Navy Headquarters~

Vice-Admiral Garp was a little frightened when he saw that his grandson dared to turn his back on the two Four Emperors.

Goodman, even I, as a grandfather, don’t dare to do this.

But it seems that he has the temperament to become a Four Emperor…

While the powerful viewers from other worlds may not recognize Hundred Beast Kaido and Big Mom, the sheer intensity of their presence is impossible to ignore.

The oppressive, almost suffocating aura radiating from the two sends a clear message to anyone watching: these are not mere fighters—they are forces of nature, unparalleled and utterly terrifying.

Even without knowing their names or reputations, the viewers can instinctively sense that crossing paths with such beings would be a fatal mistake.

Just looking at them is already full of oppression, and both of them exude the temperament of a domineering king.

Facing such a terrifying opponent, he dared to turn his back to the other party, which looked a bit handsome.

~In the Water Seven Islands~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"So cool!! I'm really looking forward to it! I want to get to the future soon!!"

Straw Hat Luffy's eyes showed a light, and he was also impressed by his handsomeness in the video.

【 Kaido, the King of Beasts, saw that Luffy ignored him and said in a somewhat scary tone: "Hey, kid! What do you want to be? Say it again in front of us."

Luffy still ignored him, lowered his head, and recalled what Kin'emon had asked him to do before: 'I'll leave it to you, Mr. Luffy.'.

But at this moment, what he saw was the wounded Nine Red Soldier, and Kin'emon was lying on the ground with a serious injury and breathing rapidly.

Luffy reached out to help Kin'emon up and said in a low voice: "I'm sorry, I'm late."

At this time, the seriously injured Kin'emon spit out a mouthful of blood and said in a stuttering and difficult tone:

"I regret..."

Accompanied by the desolate BGM, tears kept flowing from Kin'emon. He stretched out his hand and tightly grasped Luffy's clothes, biting his lower lip and unwillingly said:

"I... don't have the face to go to that world... to see Lord Oden..."

After saying that, he spat out a large mouthful of blood again and couldn't help but hold Luffy's hand tightly, crying and unwillingly begging: "Can you please carry Wano Country on your back?"

Luffy looked at Kin'emon, who was constantly crying, and answered firmly: "Idiot! Of course... This is my friend's country!!!"

"Hey!! brat...!!"

At this time, Kaido, the beast, also appeared behind him, holding up a huge mace, with conqueror's haki aura all over his body and purple lightning wrapped around the mace.

The next moment, he attacked with the power to destroy the world!!

Luffy turned around and said hurriedly: "Trafalgar man! Send all of them down there!"

"Swish!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Trafalgar Law waved his hand, and with a swish, all of them were teleported down there. 

~One Piece World~
~In the New World, In the Land of Wano~
~Onigashima Island~

"Is this Thunder Bagua?"

Hundred Beast Kaido, who was drinking, saw it and wondered if he had looked down on these little ghosts too much.

And if he and Linlin joined forces, no one could resist them.

At this moment, the Nine Red Scabbards were all stunned in place, although they were all knocked to the ground in the video.

But they didn't expect that there would be people who dared to face the Four Emperors for their country...

Just a sentence: this is my friend's country.

The people in the Pirate World showed a look of fear as if they would be affected and die even through the screen!!

As expected of the Four Emperors' attack!!!

~Naruto World~
~Konoha Village~

"!!! Such a terrifying attack!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen showed cold sweat on his face.

If you touch it, you will definitely die, no doubt. This is what his intuition told him.

"And was that Flying Thunder God just now? It feels the same as Flying Thunder God!!"

"No"

Jiraiya was shocked, this was not Flying Thunder God.

Because what he just saw was that he was swapped with an object.

But this kind of space-based skill is very enviable.

~Demon Slayer World~
~In the Infinite Castle~

At this moment, Muzan Kibutsuji wiped away cold sweat, visibly shaken.

“Are you kidding? Is this really a human? Just looking at that attack makes me feel paralyzed…”

It's really too scary, and the last ability is very similar to Naruto's blood demon art!!

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

“If you get hit by that, you’re dead!”

Macao shouted, shivering despite himself.

"How scary!!"

At this moment, everyone in the Fairy Tail guild was looking at the huge figure holding the mace high.

The mighty power that seemed to destroy the world was frightening, and people couldn't even muster the heart to resist!!

Chapter 17: Kaidou is defeated?

Chapter Text

【 Kaido swung his massive mace, wrapped in crackling purple lightning, and slammed it into the ground. The entire Ghost Island trembled under the force of the impact.

In an instant, Luffy jumped in the air and appeared behind Kaido, stretched out his right hand wrapped with domineering, and closed his eyes to recall the previous words. 

"The Haki you are talking about is called Ryuo in Land of Wano".

"It has the meaning of Flow".

With a flash of light, the Haki-like cherry blossoms flashed through the lines until they flowed to his hand! 

At this time, Luffy suddenly opened his eyes, and the red light burst out instantly... The whole right hand was wrapped with dazzling red light, exuding a terrifying breath. 

The whole right hand suddenly became huge, covered with domineering like black iron!

Everyone in the pirate world naturally knew that this was armed color domineering!

But why does it feel a little different?

"Gumo..Gumo No, Red!!".

Luffy's right hand, like a giant, burst into red flames and smashed towards Kaido. 

"Roc!!".

His massive fist crashed into Kaido’s face with explosive force. Mountains shattered in the distance as the shockwave rippled outward.

Kaido stumbled backward, collapsing to the ground with a distorted expression.

At this time, Big Mom was looking at the fallen Kaido in shock. She couldn't believe that this blow actually knocked Kaido down...

“Hey!! Kaido, what are you doing?! How did you get knocked down?!”

Faced with Big Mom's shocked question, Kaido himself was also a little unbelievable. He looked at Luffy who was slowly landing with a difficult expression.

“I am Monkey D. Luffy, I'm the man who will surpass you all! and become the King of the Pirates!!”

Under the shocked gazes of Kaido and Big Mom, Luffy pressed his straw hat with one hand and said his declaration loudly with a firm tone!!  

.......

~One Piece World~

At this moment, everyone in the Pirate World was shocked and speechless as they watched Hundred Beast Kaido being knocked to the ground by Straw Hat Luffy's punch!

First, he turned his back to the two Four Emperors as if he was not afraid of his life!

Then he punched Kaido!

The entire Pirate World fell into a strange silence, but countless people's eyes showed disbelief.

Hundred Beast Kaido, who is known as the strongest creature! He was actually knocked down by a rookie straw hat boy with one punch...

“And what was that just now?”

Someone muttered.

"Kaido's defense was actually broken?!"

At this moment, countless people felt that they might have learned a fake Armament Haki. They were both Armament Haki, so why was there such a big difference?

"This is a high-level application of Armament..."

This is not unfamiliar to Vice-Admiral Garp, who is proficient in Armament Haki.

“This isn’t something you can learn overnight. At this age, to master such advanced Armament Haki…”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku on the side couldn't help but shed a trace of cold sweat, with a flash of shock in his eyes.

This is not something you can learn just by wanting to learn it, and he is so good at it on the screen.

Young?

At this age, he has already reached this level.

“Terrifying talent indeed.”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku nodded grimly.

~In the New World~
~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

Whitebeard leaned forward, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Dad!! What is that?"

"Is that also Haki? It looks so powerful!"

He turned to his crew, shaking his head in awe.

Whitebeard looked at the screen in surprise.

Seeing Straw Hat Luffy knock Kaido to the ground with one punch, he couldn't help but say:

"I underestimated you before. This Ace's little brother is really not simple!! This is a high-level use of Armament Haki. Ordinary people can't learn it!!"

"What's really surprising is his age! He has already stepped onto the stage of the Four Emperors at this age. This is what's surprising!"

~Totto Land~

Charlotte Linlin, better known as "Big Mom", who was eating cake in big mouthfuls couldn't help but look shocked. Kaido was actually knocked down!

It should be carelessness! Otherwise, how could Kaido be knocked to the ground by a young boy...

~Dressrossa Island~

This is too unbelievable...

"It's astonishing that the young boy, who seemed to come out of nowhere, has managed to achieve such a high level!"

Donquixote Doflamingo, nicknamed "Heavenly Yaksha", said with veins on his face and gritted teeth.

You know, Hundred Beast Kaido is an existence that he doesn't even dare to provoke.

But this Straw Hat boy looks only in his teens. He can actually break Kaido's defense. This talent is too terrible!

At this moment,

~In the Water Seven Islands~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

Everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates was stunned!

"So handsome!!"

Nami gaped at the screen, her voice trembling.

Nico Robin chuckled softly beside her.

“Indeed. Though our captain may seem foolish at times, moments like these remind us why we follow him.”

And Luffy in the video obviously has an extraordinary temperament, which makes people feel very reliable.

Unlike Nami and Nico Robin next to him Zoro, however, remained focused, studying Luffy’s technique intently.

I am definitely not an opponent now, and will Luffy become so strong in the future?

Then I can't fall behind!

~Bleach World~
~Hueco Mundo~

Aizen frowned, analyzing Luffy’s glowing red fist.

"What a strange feeling? You say rubber! But your hand is wrapped in flames?"

Aizen looked at Luffy's right hand wrapped in domineering power and couldn't help feeling a little confused.

"Is this ability the same as the technique of the Quincy?? It seems that I have to find a Quincy to study it."

Aizen thought, different worlds, but some powers don't seem to be very different.

“Perhaps spiritual pressure applied to the body’s surface could yield similar results. Fascinating…”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

~Naruto World~

"By the way!! Don't you think this weapon is a bit exaggerated?!"

Jiraiya's mouth twitched as he looked at the mace that was almost as big as some tailed beasts.

Who dares to take such an attack? If you touch it, you will be turned into meat paste!

And that devastating attack! Is this the power of the other world? It's really terrifying!

"So awesome, so handsome!!!"

Naruto looked at Luffy on the screen with his eyes shining.

Looking at Luffy knocking down Kaido with one punch and making his declaration domineeringly!

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

"I'm on fire!!!"

Looking at the handsome Straw Hat Luffy, Natsu's blood was boiling!!

"If Natsu really fights, he will definitely die in less than a second."

Happy, on the side, covered his mouth with both hands and did not care to sabotage.

"That's right, that's right!!

"Definitely not a match!"

Everyone in Fairy Tail also started to tease Natsu, and just when Natsu wanted to refute it, the video continued to play.

Chapter 18: The Attack of the Three Captains!! Low-level pirates?

Chapter Text

 Watching Luffy knock Kaido to the ground with a single punch left Kidd and Law stunned.

Kidd frowned, his voice tinged with disbelief.

 "What was that Haki just now? That attack was actually effective against Kaido?"

Zoro crossed his arms, his tone calm yet authoritative.

“Ryu-o. It uses entangled Haki to destroy the opponent from the inside.”

The blood from Kaido's mouth slowly flowed to the ground, and he stared at Luffy and said: "The attack is effective on me!! 】

......

~One Piece Worlds~

"Destroy the opponent from the inside?!"

"Isn't that a natural nemesis for Big Mom?"

"Even Kaido, who is known as the strongest creature, admits that the attack is effective!! "

Then the confused pirates finally understood why Kaido was beaten to a bloody pulp…

【 Kaido slowly stood up with his mace in one hand. His huge body gave people a terrifying sense of oppression, and his eyes were fixed on Luffy.

He saw the figures of several people standing at the top of the world from Luffy and slowly said:

"There are not many!! people who can fight me..."

"Do you think you can match them?"

As the purple lightning flashed across the sky, Kaido's face darkened slightly, and his tone was a little angry: "Do you want to fight me to the death?"

"Just relying on you, a young boy who just left the village!! Who do you think you are? Straw Hat Boy!!!

After that, with the lightning and thunder in the sky, Kaido picked up the mace wrapped with domineering. 

Luffy did not answer, staring at Kaido, and the Ryuo was wrapped around his hand again. 

As the two looked at each other, both of them exuded Conqueror's Haki, and the red and purple Haki began to compete with each other, producing a fierce collision. 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"This is a Conqueror's Haki collision!!!"

Someone exclaimed in awe.

“How old is Straw Hat Luffy?! To have mastered Conqueror’s Haki to this level…”

It is no wonder that everyone in the Pirate World is surprised, unlike Armament Haki and Observation Haki, which can be cultivated.

Conqueror's Haki cannot be trained; it is a rare ability, found in only one in ten thousand individuals, and is exclusive to those with the qualities of a king!

~In the Water Seven Islands~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"So scary!! I'm dead... Will we fight such a powerful enemy in the future?!!"

Chopper hugged Zoro's head tightly with tears.

"Come down... I can't see any more"

Zoro gently pried him off.

“To become the King of Pirates—and the world’s greatest swordsman—we’ll face battles like this sooner or later.”

His calm tone reassured the crew, even as they braced themselves for what lay ahead.

~In the New World~
~On the other side, in the Wano Country~
~Onigashima Island~

Kaido, who was drinking, put down the wine gourd in his hand and stared at the boy on the screen.

"This brat..."

~Bleach World~
~Hueco Mundo~

Aizen observed the clash of Conqueror’s Haki thoughtfully.

“It resembles Reiatsu—using spiritual pressure to overwhelm opponents. Fascinating…”

After all, the battle in Bleach World is a battle of spiritual pressure, so this world is the so-called Conqueror's Haki competition...

~Demon Slayer World~
~In the Infinite Castle~

Kibutsuji Muzan was sweating profusely, and he couldn't help but think of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

“Can humans really do this? First Shirou Emiya, now this… This world is terrifying.”

He clenched his fists tightly.

“We need to find the Blue Spider Lily as soon as possible. Only immortality can give me peace of mind.”

【 Kaido showed a terrifying and ferocious smile, and the mace accompanied by purple lightning hit Luffy. 

"Thunderous Bagua!"

Luffy barely avoided the attack because he foresaw the future with his observation Haki…

Luffy put his hand on his bleeding forehead, gasping for air with a look of shock on his face: "Damn…! I saw the future, but it was too fast!"

"What a loser…Kaido!!"

Before Luffy could catch his breath, the Four Emperors Big Mom rode a black cloud and arrived in front of him. 

"Prometheus!! Fire from the sky!"

Prometheus, grabbed by Big Mom's right hand, turned into flames and rushed toward Luffy. 

At this moment, Zoro also rushed out from the side and arrived in front of Luffy! 

"Fox Fire Style, Flame Slash!"

The blade flashed, and the huge flame in front of him was instantly split in two! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

Dracule Mihawk, better known as “Hawk Eye” looked at this blade and remembered what he said in the East blue.

"The scar on the back is a shame for the swordsman…!"

The corners of his mouth slightly raised. Has he grown to this extent?

It seems that there will be no opponents in the future.

"Awesome!!! Zoro!!"

Straw Hat Luffy's eyes were shining, and he stretched out his arms to shake Zoro desperately.

“Why does it always have to be you, moss-head?! What about me?!”

"BlackLeg," Sanji shouted with his hands on his head in anger...

【 Luffy looked at Prometheus, who was split in two. Just as he was praising Zoro, he suddenly heard an anxious and angry voice in his ear:

"Idiot!! Don't let your guard down for a second! There are two Four Emperors here!"

As soon as the voice fell, Kaido was already standing behind Luffy with his mace raised high. At this time, Luffy's observation Haki also saw the future attack. 

But it was too late. Foresight may not be able to avoid it. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the screen, spectators shook their heads in disbelief.

He’s still too young. How can he afford to be so careless in a life-and-death battle?

Not to mention that being distracted by the battle with the two Four Emperors is tantamount to seeking death!

If you are knocked down by this huge mace, you will be seriously injured if you don't die!

【 "Slaughterhouse!!" Law, who was far away, saw that the situation was not good, and the ability of the Ope Ope no Mi fruit was activated instantly. He immediately used the stone beside him to switch positions with Luffy. 

Kaido's attack only hit the exchanged stone, but it shook the entire Onigashima, and thick smoke appeared!

At this time, Law grabbed Luffy's clothes with one hand, angrily scolded: "Listen, I have formed an alliance with you! Alliance is equal!!"

"Don't make it seem like I'm following your orders!"

"Great, looks like Straw Hat Boy... has another little brother."

Kidd, who was watching the fun, fanned the flames and mocked.

Then there was a bunch of remarks from the low-level pirates, and the three began to argue about who was the low-level pirate!

“Enough nonsense. Burn them all, Prometheus!”

"Yes, mama."

"Heavenly Bon-bons!!!"

Big Mom on the side was unhappy and waved her hand, and the terrifying flames swept over immediately… 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

Although this attack was terrifying, the speed was not very fast, and there was enough time to react.

Just when everyone thought that it would be the same as before, using the surgery fruit to move everyone away and avoid it!

Faced with Big Mom's terrifying attack, Luffy and the other two made a shocking scene!!!

【 Instead of dodging, Luffy crossed his arms, his expression smug, and shouted loudly:

“Alright, it’s decided! Whoever avoids that guy’s attack first is a low-level pirate!”

Kidd and Law exchanged incredulous looks but ultimately stood firm alongside Luffy.

As the fireball closed in, their faces twisted into strange expressions—part defiance, part resignation.

"Boom!!! "

The explosion engulfed the three, leaving the audience stunned. 】

Chapter 19: Joining Forces Attack Is Ineffective??

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone outside the screen was left speechless. What kind of bizarre competition had they just witnessed?

~One Piece World~
~In the Water Seven Islands, The Straw Hat Pirates~

Nami appeared behind Luffy, her fist raised menacingly.

“You idiot…!!”

Luffy grinned sheepishly, raising his hands in apology.

“Sorry!!! But hey, at least I didn’t become a low-level pirate, right?!”

The next moment, Luffy, with a bruised face and a bump on his head, raised his hand to apologize, actively admitted his mistakes, and refused to repent.

~On another side, Somewhere in the Grand Line~

Eustass "Captain" Kid's face flushed red as he struggled to process what had happened.

“It’s impossible! I can’t be that stupid!”

His crew exchanged awkward glances, their expressions suggesting pity rather than admiration.

Even so, Eustass Kid crossed his arms, attempting to salvage his dignity as captain.

On the other side, Trafalgar D. Water Law, more commonly known as just Trafalgar Law fared no better. His crew openly questioned his sanity, insisting he get his brain checked.

“A doctor can’t treat himself,”

They argued.

Though outwardly aloof, Law adamantly denied being the “idiot” from the video.

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

Natsu shook his head dismissively.

“Zizi… You’re as dumb as Gray. I’d never do something that stupid!”

Gray immediately bristled.

“What did you say, droopy eyes?!”

The two erupted into another brawl, leaving Lucy sighing in exasperation.

“Honestly, if it were them, they might’ve done the exact same thing…”

【 As the smoke cleared, Luffy, Kidd, and Law resumed their argument over who had moved first.

A new round of quarrels began about who moved!

Zoro finally snapped, tying his black bandana tightly around his head. Gripping three swords, he charged toward Kaido with blazing speed along with Kira! 

"Beheading Claws!"

"Three Swords Style – Purgatory – Demon Slash!!"

The two men turned into two blue and green sword lights that crossed Kaido, and countless sword lights appeared on Kaido's body!! 

However, no wounds were caused, and the defense was not broken at all! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

As expected, Kaido, the hundred beast who is known as the strongest creature!!

Even if this kind of attack can't break the defense, there is no chance of winning...

Is this the horror of the Four Emperors...? No wonder no one has been able to shake their position for many years!!

~Demon Slayer World~

Sound Pillar Uzui Tengen stared wide-eyed at the screen.

“Such a magnificent sword technique couldn’t even scratch him? What a monster!”

He grimaced, imagining how hopeless fighting such a foe would be.

~Bleach World~
~Hueco Mundo, Las Noches~

Ulquiorra analyzed the scene clinically.

“It resembles our Hollows’ steel skin—but far harder.”

He frowned thoughtfully.

“If we can’t break his defense, perhaps only Ryuo can deal damage…”

【 Luffy and others also gave up the argument and stood up again to face Kaido. 

"Gear 4!"

The left hand is instantly covered with Armament Haki, Luffy opens his mouth, bites his left hand and blows hard...

With the eruption of white steam, Luffy's whole body expands instantly!

Black and red patterns appear on his chest, his limbs are covered with red Haki, his eyes begin to become fierce, and his whole body exudes an extraordinary aura... 】

.....

~One Piece World~
~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

Whitebeard watched approvingly.

"This is the development of the Devil Fruit ability and the application of Haki! You are quite good at it, Ace's little brother"

Whitebeard's years of vision naturally recognized what was going on in the current state.

Can the Rubber Fruit be developed to this extent?

~Navy Facilities, Impel Down~

Ace, who was imprisoned, couldn't help but feel a surge of pride—and relief.

“He’s grown up… Did you see that, Sabo?”

He raised his head and tried to hold back the tears in his eyes...

The brother who needed our care in the past has grown up. Did you see it, Sabo?

At the same time.

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

“Gear 4 looks so cool!!”

Luffy's eyes lit up immediately after seeing it.

He wanted to perform one on the spot, but unfortunately, he didn't know how to use Haki, so he couldn't use it.

【 Seeing Luffy like this, Kidd was not to be outdone. He waved his hand, and the magnetic force exploded instantly. 

Countless iron objects began to assemble together with the flash of purple lightning. 

"Magnetic Demon!" 

"Baton!" 

Law also activated the fruit's ability, lifted a piece of land, and turned it into huge stone cones. 

The three terrifying attacks rushed towards Kaido, and the speed was so fast that it turned into a series of afterimages! ! 

Faced with the attacks of Luffy and others, he directly resisted with his body and laughed instead of retreating: "Come on! Let me see if you guys are strong enough to become the King of the Pirates!!!..."

"Gomu..Gomu no—"

"Kong Gun!!"

Luffy's legs use elasticity to fly quickly, turning into a red light, and in the blink of an eye, he arrives in front of Kaido. 

A plan compressed to the extreme, the Kong Gun hit Kaido with the power to destroy the world! 

Kaido instantly flew out like a cannonball, forming a series of sound barriers... and smashed countless stone pillars like hills! 

But although Kaido was a little embarrassed, he did not receive any damage! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"So strong!"

This is the only thought of watching the video outside the screen. Both Luffy and Kaido are so strong...

Are the Four Emperors really invincible? This is what everyone in the pirate world thinks. Such a strong attack was hit head-on, but it seems nothing happened...

【 "Ow... That Hurts!" Before Kaido could stand firm, Kidd's attack followed!

"I'm well aware of your thick skin! But I bet you can be crushed to death!"

"As you wish, I'll show you how strong I am!"

"Punk-Vise"

Two huge mechanical hands instantly clamped towards Kaido, and the huge force crushed Kaido!

A normal warship would be instantly shattered by this attack! 

"That's not bad, but it needs more mass." However, this force that could crush a warship into scrap metal did not hurt Kaido! 

"Then I'm going to add some."

"Takt"

At this time, Law's attack also came to Kaido, and the huge stone cone hit Kaido with a monstrous power like a meteor...

"Boom——"

A huge sound sounded, the whole ground shook, and a huge shock wave spread out!! 】

...

~One Piece World~

The people watching outside the screen couldn't help swallowing their saliva!

Such an attack, let alone three head-on resistance, even if it was a single shot, would definitely not be comfortable...

The pirates who are still in the Grand Line of the Pirate World finally understand the horror of their own world...

Such a battle may even affect those watching on the scene!

~Marineford~
~Navy Headquarters~

“It’s too early. Kaido isn’t taking this seriously yet.”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku shook his head as he watched the battle on the screen.

Having dealt with Kaido, he naturally knew how terrifying Kaido was.

The attack just now looked impressive, but in fact, it only looked powerful and did not cause any damage at all...

【 Then the smoke dissipated, Kaido slowly stood up and praised: "As expected of these idiots who are targeting to become the Pirate King"

“Not bad, brats. But you still can’t stop me! 】

The next moment, something happened that shocked everyone outside the screen...

Chapter 20: A Stream Knife!! Flying Dragon Blaze!!

Chapter Text

【 “Arrg!!!” Kaido roared as blue scales erupted across his hands, morphing into razor-sharp claws.

His head elongated into a fearsome dragon skull, and with a thunderous roar, he ascended into the sky.

Accompanied by purple lightning, a blue dragon several hundred meters long was hovering in the clouds!

Surrounded by flames and thunder, the huge body gave people an unparalleled sense of oppression! 】

...

~One Piece World~

“This is… the strongest creature, Hundred Beasts Kaido!!!”

Someone whispered in awe.

"It's the first time I've seen it!! No... It should be said that it's a miracle to see it in this life!!"

At this moment, the once-noisy seas fell silent as everyone stared at the screen in shock.

Is this the Four Emperors, The Hundred Beasts Kaido?

Then how strong is the father of the man known as the strongest creature in the world?

Meanwhile, in Impel Down, Ace clenched his fists tightly, recalling his reckless decision to challenge this monstrous figure.

~Dressrosa Island~

“What a horrifying existence…”

Donquixote Doflamingo grinned as he looked at the giant dragon hovering in the sky on the screen, making the world even more chaotic!

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

Natsu’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“A dragon?!”

But then he frowned.

"It doesn't seem to be like our world! Igneel doesn't look like this!!"

At the same time, the black dragon king Acnologia, on the other side, couldn't help but roar when he saw Kaido transform into a giant dragon.

“It looks like me, a human turning into a dragon? But I’ll destroy all dragons—including him.”

He shifted back into human form, his expression calm yet menacing.

With that, he walked off toward an unknown destination.

 Kaido’s voice boomed across the battlefield:  “All treasures and historical texts belong to the victor! Only the winner can take one step closer to becoming the King of Pirates!”

He unleashed a devastating attack.

“Let's start the fight! Demolition Gust!”

Along with Kaido's roar, a tornado entangled the surroundings. Rays of emerald, green light brewed in his mouth! 

Kaido spits out countless blades and sweeps toward everyone...

“The samurai of the Land of Wano cannot open up a future just by being loyal to Oden!”

“Land of Wano is ruled by me!”

These blades made of bad wind can easily unfold rocks with each strike. 

However, when they attacked Zoro, He easily deflected them with his sword.

Faced with Kaido's attack, everyone also faced up to him. 

Some scenes of Land of Wano flashed in the video, and Luffy also recalled Kin'emon's last request. 

“Gumo....Gumo No—”

“Kong Rifle!”

Accompanied by a red light, a fist with tremendous power attacked Kaido's chin! 

Kaido's huge body was also hit by this fierce attack, and he fell backward with his head raised. 

Before he landed, Kidd came to his side and taunted: “Are you still asleep? Four Emperors!”

“Destroy-Hyun!”

With a might that seemed to crush everything, Kaido's huge body was thrown heavily to the ground!

Before he could react, Law also came to his side! 

“Although I haven't seen his heart map, but I guess your heart is around here, right!”

“Gamma Knife!”

Law's attack directly penetrated Kaido's hard body and reached his heart!!! 

“I'm going to destroy you from the inside!”

With Law's angry roar, golden light burst out and illuminated the entire screen. 

Kaido, who was attacked so fiercely, just gasped slightly. 

“So, you've learned how strong my body is!”

“I guess you guys are not just some ballsy idiots after all!” 】

.....

~One Piece World~

How can there be such an outrageous defense? No one can defeat such a monster like this...

The people of Wano felt despair creeping in. Are they really going to be ruled by Kaido forever?

Is it not possible from the inside? Is there anyone in the world who can defeat this kind of attack?

Vice Admiral Garp sighed deeply, his voice heavy with concern.

"Kaido and Big mom, these two guys have grown even stronger..."

After all, fighting against the Four Emperors is no joke, not to mention two of the Four Emperors. With one wrong move, Luffy and those people could die…

Just then, the video shifted again.

 Kaido unleashed a fiery breath aimed directly at Luffy.

At the last moment, Zoro appeared, teleporting via Law’s ability.

"One Sword Style—— ”

“Flame-Rend!"

His blade sliced through the flames, saving Luffy. Then, in mid-air, Zoro began channeling immense power into his sword.

Purple Armament Haki gathered densely around the blade, exuding a sharp, cutting aura.

“Get out of the way, Kaido… This isn’t an ordinary sword!” Big Mom shouted with a little concern.

“One Sword Style!——”

“Flying Dragon Blaze!”

The explosive energy condensed into a dragon-shaped flame, hurtling toward Kaido with overwhelming force.

Though Kaido dodged, the attack cleaved off a corner of Onigashima itself, leaving a gaping scar in the landscape. 】

...

~One Piece World~

Everyone in the pirate world was stunned.

This seems to be the first time Kaido has avoided an attack. He had always resisted it before!!

Does this mean Zoro’s sword can actually harm him?”

How come everyone in the future is as strong as a monster?

The most important thing is why everyone is still so young. How can those of us who are still in the Grand Line in our 40s...

At this moment, no one may object to Zoro officially joining the Great Swordsman Lineage.

~Somewhere in the Grand Line~

Hawkeye began to get excited when he saw this sword. Finally, a swordsman who wanted to fight appeared.

And judging from the screen, it seems that we don't have to wait too long…

~On the other side, in the Wano Country~
~Onigashima Island~

Kaido's face on Onigashima turned gloomy. This kind of aura…

He felt Oden's aura from that sword, and it can actually wound me…

~On the other side of Grand Line~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"It seems that I will be one step closer to my dream in the future…"

Zoro looked at his sword, which was something he could never achieve now.

“You’re so cool, Zoro!! But stay safe, okay?!”

Chopper and Nami came over instantly, feeling that it was safer here…

Chapter 21: A Terror Attack from the Four Emperors!!

Chapter Text

 “You underestimated us too much,” Big Mom growled menacingly under the gloomy black clouds, her voice echoing like thunder itself.

“Indra!” Big Mom showed a terrifying smile and waved her hand, and the surging lightning suddenly poured down!!

The terrifying lightning turned into a lightning column with the sound of lightning and thunder, hitting Zoro in the air

“Zoro——!!” Luffy shouted instinctively as he watched the terrifying attack unfold. His eyes widened in panic as Zoro disappeared behind the blinding light.

After all, it must be uncomfortable to bear the attack of the Four Emperors at such a close distance!

Before anyone could recover, Big Mom unleashed another devastating strike:

“God of Lightning Tenjin——”

Suddenly, terrifying lightning rushed down, like a violent storm, turning into purple thunder that mercilessly ravaged everything around!!

The rocks that were hit also exploded, making a series of roars!

Luffy in the air was also directly hit by this terrifying thunder, and his whole body emitted a dazzling white light along with the thunder.

“Damn it!!! Is this a natural disaster?”

Kid and Law couldn't avoid the exaggerated lightning at all and were directly penetrated by the lightning and screamed miserably!!

However, the raging lightning still did not stop raging, and everything collapsed wherever it went!! Everything was destroyed...】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, spectators were left numb by Big Mom’s overwhelming power.

~Demon Slayer World~
~In the Infinite Castle~

The upper demons were stunned.

“Is this really a human? Can humans truly control natural disasters?”

One of them muttered, trembling.

How come everyone is more terrifying than Muzan-sama?

What they don't know is that at this time, their Muzan-sama is already thinking about whether to dig a hole and hide for hundreds of years. The world outside is too scary!!

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

Laxus smirked hungrily at the sight of the lightning.

“This thunder looks delicious! If only I could absorb that kind of power…”

But others weren’t so enthusiastic.

“Can’t fight… This is just bullying. How are you supposed to counter something like that?”

Levy muttered dejectedly.

At this moment, everyone in Fairy Tail also felt that this was impossible to fight. One of them could not break the defense no matter how hard they fought, and the other one looked at this terrifying lightning and knew that he was not easy to deal with!!

“I wonder if Luffy’s okay… That looked painful, even for someone like him.”

Perhaps because of their similar personalities, Natsu was a little worried about Luffy's safety at this moment.

~One Piece World~
~In the one of the moons~

At this moment, Enel, who was on one of the moons in the pirate world, also looked embarrassed after seeing this.

“Straw Hat Luffy defeated my lightning once before… But now, it seems I’m not alone in being outclassed.”

It was not because Big Mom used the same lightning as him, but this scene reminded him of the past...

 At this moment, Big Mom was looking at the scene below with a strange smile, and it looked even more terrifying under the illumination of lightning and thunder...

Amidst the chaos, Luffy appeared unscathed in front of the two Four Emperors, grinning confidently despite the destruction around him.

“Straw Hat Boy! Why does lightning not affect you?!” Big Mom couldn't hold back any longer when she saw Luffy jumping around and asked with a shocked expression.

He said that and hit him with another thunderbolt!

Faced with Big Mom's questioning, Luffy replied as a matter of course: “Because I'm rubber man!!!”

“Huh???”

Big Mom dropped her jaw when she heard this reason for the first time!! She showed a strange expression… 】

.....

~One Piece World~

Her shocked expression brought satisfaction to Enel, who chuckled smugly.

“Yeah, that’s the reaction I’ve always wanted to see.”

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

“Of course! I forgot Luffy’s rubber—he’s immune to lightning!”

Nami breathed a sigh of relief, remembering that when they were on Sky Island, Enel's 200 million volts couldn't hurt Luffy.

~In the New World~
~On the other side, In the Totto Land~

"Straw Hat Boy——"

Big Mom of Cake Island stopped eating the cake and had a horrified look on her face.

The other pirates outside the video also showed a look of sudden enlightenment after hearing this!!

So that's why lightning does not affect him!

 Just then, Kaido emerged, furious that lightning had failed to harm Luffy.

"Hot Breath——"

The huge dragon's mouth opened quickly, and before Luffy could react.

The hot breath, accompanied by a terrifying high temperature, went straight through Luffy's body.

Even Zoro and his men who were hiding far below felt the surrounding heat, as if they were burning It's unbearable on the iron plate!! 

Not to mention Luffy, who is in the center of the flame...

The whole sky is dyed red!! The ground along the way is melted by the terrifying high temperature...】

...

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

In the Fairy Tail Guild, Natsu stared wistfully at the flames.

“Is this the true breath of a dragon? Such terrifying fire… I can’t even melt the ground with my roar. Only Igneel could do something like this.”

Gray crossed his arms, frowning.

“Forget melting the ground—this guy’s flames look like it could burn that entire place!”

~Bleach World~
~Soul Society~

This temperature!

Except for the Head Captain Zanpakutō, I'm afraid no one can compare...

Hitsugaya Tōshirō in Soul Society marveled at the temperature.

“Even Hyōrinmaru might struggle against this…”

He turned to Matsumoto, his lieutenant.

“Do you think Captain Yamamoto’s flames could match this?”

Matsumoto shook her head uncertainly.

“I don’t know…”

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

Mahito turned to Jogo.

“Jogo, This flame rivals yours!” 

As a special grade cursed spirit, Mahito naturally recognized that this flame was no less powerful than the Jogo.

Jogo’s single eye widened in shock.

“Perhaps… There’s actually a human who can match my level of heat.”

~One Piece World~

The people in the Pirate World had already given up hope, even though he was like rubber and was not afraid of lightning.

“Rubber may resist lightning, but it burns under high temperatures! He must’ve melted completely by now…”

Charlotte Oven whispered hoarsely.

But the next moment, a scene that shocked everyone appeared...

Chapter 22: Attacking is Useless!! Luffy was swa-!

Notes:

I deleted and redo everything from scratch, hope this one is much better.

Chapter Text

【 As the thick smoke cleared, Luffy’s figure remained intact in the sky, seemingly unscathed by Kaido’s flames.

Kaido’s massive eyes widened in disbelief, and he asked in confusion, “Even fire is useless?! Why…?” 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this moment, not only Kaido was confused, but also the people outside the video were confused.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

"It is unscientific that rubber can withstand the lightning just now without melting!! And now it can't even melt at such a terrifyingly high temperature? Are you sure this is rubber?!!"

Shirai Kuroko exclaimed in dismay at what she had just witnessed.

Another chimed in:

“Are you sure this is rubber? It defies all logic!”

At this moment, the three views of everyone on the science side are about to be shattered. This is not scientific at all!

【 Luffy took a deep breath and answered loudly with pride: “Because I have perseverance!!!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The absurdity of his answer left everyone speechless.

What kind of reason is this? So idealistic...

~One Piece World~
~In the New World, In the Land of Wano~

Kaido on Onigashima hadn't been so angry for a long time...

“Perseverance? Do you think I’m a child?!”

This excuse only idiots will believe!

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

Meanwhile, aboard the Thousand Sunny, Chopper looked at Luffy with shining eyes.

“Perseverance!! That's no wonder,”

Luffy said as if it was a matter of course.

Except for Chopper, everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates stared at him as if he were an idiot...

Only the innocent Chopper believed this reason and was looking at Luffy with shining eyes and admiration!!

【 While Kaido was still reeling from shock, Luffy launched himself forward at breakneck speed.

"Gumo.... Gumo no"

While speaking, Luffy turned into a red light, like a meteor, and rushed towards Kaido at high speed!

In the blink of an eye, Luffy appeared in front of Kaido! 

"Kong Gatling-Gun!!!"

Luffy's hands danced quickly, and his fists attacked at a speed that was difficult to see with the naked eye. 

The fist shadows in the sky hit Kaido like a storm!

"Boom!! boom!! boom!!"

This series of blows made the whole air vibrate, and even Kaido was suppressed and unable to move. He could only passively endure the fierce attack! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, spectators struggled to process what they’d just witnessed.

“Is it fake? ”

“Am I dreaming? ”

“How is this possible?”

This is the first reaction of everyone outside the video... Then came the question of whether it was really possible to defeat the Four Emperors!

~One Piece World~

Doflamingo gawked in disbelief.

“I’ve never seen Kaido suppressed like this before…”

It was obviously just a kid who was a dozen years younger than him, but he could do it to this extent!

Everyone in the Land of Wano looked at the screen and gradually ignited hope.

“Those attacks are wrapped in Ryuo Haki! Maybe… just maybe, we can win!”

Hyogoro watched intently.

Vice Admiral Garp was even more relieved and then showed a relieved look.

“Has he grown this much in just a few years?”

【 Kid and Law below were also shocked. Luffy suppresses Kaido! 

With the continuous punches, Luffy's physical strength is gradually consumed, and the speed of his punches begins to slow down! 

Luffy knows that the fourth gear is about to end, so he stops the punches!

He punches Kaido's dragon head with a powerful punch, and Kaido's huge body staggers! Then he falls heavily to the ground, and the whole of Onigashima is shaken!

The dragon body that was originally hovering in the sky also fell down, raising a huge smoke...

The people below Onigashima feel the vibration for no reason, and they all look up...

"Kaido..."

Big Mom in the sky is so shocked that she can't speak. She stays where she is. She can't imagine that a kid she despises can actually do this!

Everyone on Onigashima stared at Kaido, who fell to the ground. 

Luffy was gasping for breath in midair, but he didn't want to miss this great opportunity! 

"This is the final blow, Kaido!"

With Luffy's angry voice, his right hand began to compress continuously!

But the next second, Luffy's whole body shook, his eyes began to turn white, and he kept exhaling from his mouth!

Luffy's body, which had grown larger in Gear 4, was shrinking continuously. Without Gear 4, He plummeted to the ground, gasping for breath.

His body trembled as his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

“Straw Hat Boy!! When did he get defeated?!” Kidd shouted in alarm.

Kidd, who didn't know what was going on, looked at Luffy, who fell to the ground with a shocked face, thinking that it was caused by the attack of the Four Emperors! 

Law explained grimly.

“It’s a side effect of Gear 4—he can’t use Haki for the next ten minutes.” 

...

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Past Timeline~

“It’s similar to Heaven and Binding—a powerful attack at the cost of temporary vulnerability.”

Gojo Satoru looked at Luffy, who fell to the ground and thought, If this move doesn't work, it will become a burden instead!

~One Piece World~
~Navy Headquarters, Marineford~

Vice Admiral Garp clenched his fists tightly.

"Luffy is in danger now"

Vice-Admiral Garp didn't think that the attack just now could defeat Kaido, although he was stunned.

But it's far from enough to defeat Kaido, and he can't use Haki for the next ten minutes, so he can't face the attacks of the two Four Emperors at all.

At this moment, everyone in the Pirate World also breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately! Although the attack is very powerful, it has a time limit and side effects!!

Otherwise, it would be quite terrifying if it could be maintained all the time...

【 As the smoke dissipated, accompanied by lightning and thunder, Big Mom, who came to her senses, has come to everyone!

"What a big fight! Let's end it here!"

"Blade Mother Flame——"

With Big Mom's gloomy and terrifying laughter, she held the knife with both hands and slashed at Luffy fiercely!

A huge flame swept over, and the terrifying temperature made Zoro, who was holding Luffy, sweat coldly!

"Heart shock!"

Fortunately, at this moment, Law appeared in front of Big Mom in an instant and attacked Big Mom's heart with a heart shock, buying time for Zoro to escape!

"Wake up! Luffy!" Zoro, who had just gone to Luffy, was shouting anxiously. 

At this moment, Kaido, who had just come to his senses on the ground, woke up and soared into the sky with his body circling!

Tornadoes began to appear, ruthlessly ravaging the earth, like a natural disaster that was impossible to resist!

Luffy and Zoro, who had just woken up, were also swept into the air by the tornado!

The huge wind force separated the two people by themselves, and Luffy was directly swept towards Kaido by the tornado! 

"Luffy—!"

Zoro screamed as he watched his captain get sucked toward Kaido.

Before anyone could react, Kaido opened his massive jaws—and swallowed Luffy whole! 】

Chapter 23: The Collaboration of the Two Four Emperors

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~
~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"Luffy...Luffy...Luffy! was eaten!"

Chopper sobbed, hugging Luffy’s head tightly as tears streamed down his face.

“Hey! Aren’t you going to do something, you idiot swordsman?!”

Sanji also began to shout nervously to Zoro beside him.

“It’s no use shouting at me, you perverted cook! That’s my future self—I can’t do anything now. I can only believe in my future self!”

Zoro also replied in a muffled voice. They can't do anything now...

Everyone in the pirate world also showed a look of pity, but it was already very good to be able to do this!

However, the next second, a scene that shocked everyone appeared.

【 “Asshole, don't even think about eating our captain!!” Zoro growled, his expression darkening.

With a gloomy look, Zoro took out the sword with his right hand, held it in his mouth, stared at the front, and said sternly. 

Zoro slightly tilted his body, posed a three-sword style, and his whole body of domineering began to cover the blade! 

As Zoro charged up, Kaido above was also attracted! 

The sword in Zoro's right hand was covered with domineering, and a giant dragon formed by purple domineering emerged and stared at Kaido...

Kaido’s eyes widened in realization, and it dawned on him: “So that’s where the blade’s power comes from—that strange Conqueror’s Haki!”

The giant dragon of purple domineering began to shrink back on the blade. 

“Three sword styles—” 

“Black Rope—Big tornado!!”

Zoro kicked hard with his feet, and the whole person began to spin and rush toward Kaido! 

A huge tornado wrapped around Kaido, and the sword energy wrapped in the wind directly cut the dragon's scales!

Kaido couldn't help but spit out blood, and Luffy was spit out with the blood! 】

...

~One Piece World~

In the pirate world, spectators were stunned.

“The defense is broken again?! The swordsman on the Straw Hat Pirates actually cut Kaido!”

"The previous attack made Kaido dodge... This time it directly cut through the defense of the dragon scales!"

Are all the people on that ship monsters? It's not too much to be a captain with this strength...

~In the Land of Wano, Onigashima Island~

Kaido also understood what was going on. Was it Oden's sword?

~On the other side, somewhere in the Grand Line~

Hawk Eyes stared at the sword and nodded approvingly.

“Even if it’s a black sword, it’s your Conqueror’s Haki that did the cutting, Roronoa Zoro. You’ve earned the right to challenge the title of World’s Greatest Swordsman.”

~ On the other side, in the Straw Hat Pirates~

“Well done, idiot swordsman! But seriously, we can’t afford to let our guard down for a second against the Four Emperors…”

Only then did Sanji and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

【 Kaido also began to get serious at this time. His body began to shrink, and the giant dragon hovering in the sky began to disappear! ]

As the smoke dissipated, a half-man, half-dragon holding a mace and covered with blue scales appeared in front of him!

Finally appeared the Hybrid form!! 】

.....

~One Piece World~
~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

Whitebeard raised his cup of wine, smirking faintly.

Does this mean that you don't treat them as little brats anymore?... Kaido!

In Totto Land, Big Mom resumed her feast, confident in Kaido’s abilities.

“A serious Kaido can easily crush these brats,”

She declared dismissively.

【 The battle continued, but Kaido's defense in the dragon form seemed to become more terrifying! 

Kira, who rushed forward, was hit far away by a casual swing! 

Kaido in the Hybrid form continued to attack everyone with a demolition gust but was deflected by Zoro with his double swords! 

Before everyone could catch their breath, Big Mom's thunder attack followed! 

Fortunately, he was saved by a substitution of Law! 

Then, several people started a new round of attacks, but it was all in vain! There was no effect at all...】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

If there were no trump cards, this inventory would be over.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

Jojo's second Jo, Joseph Joestar, made a judgment that if there are no means to cause damage, dragging it out will only lead to a loss...

The people outside the video can't see any chance of winning, and can't figure out how to win.

The next moment is even more desperate!

【 Just then, Kaido and Big Mom's two huge bodies are seen side by side, exuding a chilling aura.

Everyone also understands that it is too difficult to face two Four Emperors at the same time. When Kidd and Law are trying to separate the two Four Emperors...

“Kaido, let’s combine our attacks and see how many of them survive.”

Big Mom showed a terrible expression and laughed wildly at Kaido on the side. 

After saying that, Big Mom raised the big sword in her hand, and her domineering aura was instantly aroused! 

Kaido, on the side, was not to be outdone and raised the mace in tacit understanding! 

Instantly, the whole sky was covered by a dark domineering aura, and the pressure from the two people made the air around them flow quickly...

"I hope your legs are not weakened yet, old bag?"

"Who do you think talking to, brat?!"

"Ha~kai——"

The next moment, the two Four Emperors swung their weapons at the same time! The domineering auras of the two began to mix, forming a sphere like a black hole and heading toward everyone...

The breath emitted by the sphere seemed to swallow everything up! 

In a moment, it had already arrived in front of everyone with the momentum of destroying the world! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Even though the screen separated them from the scene, the viewers couldn’t escape the overwhelming dread that gripped them. Instinctively, they recoiled, their bodies trembling as if an invisible force were pushing them back.

Some stumbled backward, their steps hesitant and unsteady, while others turned and fled outright, unable to resist the primal urge to escape the terrifying presence that seemed to bleed through the screen itself.

A single thought screamed in their minds: if they stayed here any longer, they would die!

Is this the combined power of the Four Emperors?! The sheer terror of it was overwhelming.

Just watching felt like a mountain pressing down on their chests, suffocating them, robbing them of breath, and leaving them paralyzed in the face of such unimaginable power.

It's over!!

This video is over.

This is what everyone thought when they reacted!

The next moment, everyone outside the video screamed in surprise!

"Wait! What is he doing!!"

"He will definitely die!"

"It's impossible to stop it..."

【 "Get away! You guys! ——" In the eyes of the crowd in shock…

Zoro stood in front of the crowd with two swords in hand, with the momentum of a single man standing in front of the crowd, roaring, and fighting against the dark haki torrent!!

"If you don't get away, we'll be wiped out!" 】

Chapter 24: The Two Emperors Join Forces to Defeat Everyone!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of all Worlds~

I don't know how long it took, it was just a moment!

Gudong!!! …”

“Sss!!”

At this time, the people outside the screens around the world swallowed their saliva and exclaimed incessantly…

Is it over!!!… It's impossible to stop it, there will definitely be no residue left!!!

What the hell was that combined attack just now? !!…It’s like a black hole swallowing everything…”

I'm afraid that the man who claims to be the strongest in the world, Whitebeard, may not be able to stop this kind of attack!!

The sheer terror of the two of Four Emperors’ combined assault left everyone breathless.

The people outside the video couldn't help but sweat on their hands, looking at the screen nervously, wanting to know if it was really over! …

Then, the thick smoke after the explosion dissipated, and several familiar figures appeared on the screen! 

Taking advantage of the moment when Zoro held off the attack, Law bought time to use his ability. 

Only then did they manage to move everyone out! 

At this time, Law breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Zoro, who was lying on the ground with serious injuries, and asked: "Master Zoro, are you still alive?" 

Even Kidd, who has always been arrogant, couldn't help but say: "You actually blocked it at that moment... Thank you!"  】

...

~One Piece World~

Outside the video, the entire pirate world was in an uproar!

“Are you kidding me?! None of them died?!”

That pirate hunter actually blocked it?! Even if it was just for a moment!!”

This is enough for him to brag about for the rest of his life! Although it was only for a moment, he did block it!!"

The joint attacks of the two Four Emperors didn't kill any of them!!”

At this time, in Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue.

"I'm so glad that Zoro is okay. He has grown into a great swordsman!”

Shimotsuki Koushirou sighed in relief and put down the hot tea in his hand.

One of the dojo students piped up excitedly:

“I'm so glad that Senior Brother Zoro is okay... I've decided that I want to learn the three-sword style too!”

The Koushirou dojo was bustling with activity as if he was the one who just blocked the attack!

~Somewhere In the Grand Line~

“You did a good job... Roronoa Zoro”

This is the affirmation from the world's number one swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk.

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

“I...I...I thought Zoro was dead!!”

Chopper tried to control his emotions and said intermittently.

“Tsk, he's not dead yet!”

Although Sanji said this, he loosened his clenched fist.

Zoro looked at the knife in his hand, a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said arrogantly:

“If I die like this, it means I’m only at this level.”

【 Just when Law asked Zoro, Straw Hat Luffy rushed up and launched an angry attack! 

"Gumo.... Gumo No—Red Hawk!"

Luffy's angry attack was wrapped with the domineering power of Ryuo! 

But Kaido turned his head subconsciously, Dodge!! 

Yes, that's right. Facing the attacks of several supernovas, Kaido, who always disdains to dodge, actually dodged!!!

Luffy grinned smugly: “You dodged it, Kaido! Because it hurts, right?”

Kaido responded with a brutal swing of his mace, sending Luffy flying. 】

...

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, viewers were stunned.

“This seems to be the first attack dodged except for the previous one from Roronoa Zoro!!”

“It seems to be true!! This time Kaido didn't take it head-on!!”

“Does this mean Straw Hat Luffy has what it takes to fight the Four Emperors head-on?”

The samurai of the Land of Wano were also surprised. This Straw Hat boy's Ryuo is becoming more and more proficient...

【 As Luffy's Ryuo Sakura Haki becomes more and more proficient, he begins to fight back and forth with Kaido! 

The mace with purple lightning and the fist filled with Ryuo sakura Haki constantly collide! 

The terrifying purple lightning is stimulated everywhere, and the flames of explosions are constantly coming everywhere! 

The entire battlefield is constantly shattered by the collision of the two people. As the two fight, Onigashima begins to shake continuously! 

"It's not enough! Can't you give me more stimulation!!" 

As Kaido kicked Luffy out, Kaido's arrogant words rang out on the battlefield. 

"Hurry up and kill them! Kaido!"

Big Mom on the other side spoke in a sinister tone!

Then he stopped watching and slashed at Kidd and Law with Napoleon's broadsword in his hand.

At the moment when Law and others dodged the attack, he controlled the purple thunder to attack the people who had just landed!

The "antibacterial weapon" barely blocked the attack with the special properties of the surgery fruit, but it couldn't stop the two four emperors from joining forces!

"Uh——"

After a while, all five supernovas were knocked to the ground and groaned in pain. 】

...

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s really over this time…”

Someone muttered hoarsely.

“When the Four Emperors get serious, no one can stand against them…”

【  At this time, Kaido, holding a mace, has come to the fallen people!

Kaido said impatiently: “What kind of awareness and determination! I'm tired of it!”

“This kind of boring nonsense has no impact on the world!”

“The weak can't leave anything behind, they can only die!”

While talking, he has come to Luffy! 】

...

~One Piece World~

This time, they are dead! All of them fell to the ground with serious injuries... They have no power to fight back...

Look carefully, and you will find that the two Four Emperors have basically not suffered any injuries after so many attacks!

And the two Four Emperors knocked everyone to the ground in an instant...

~East Blue, Windmill Village~

Luffy! ... Get up quickly...”

The Dadan Family watched anxiously, remembering how Luffy had grown up under their care...

Chapter 25: The Alliance!! Four Emperors Big mom defeated?

Chapter Text

【 "So what!! I still have things to accomplish!" Luffy growled through gritted teeth as he forced himself up from the ground. His voice was sharp, and defiant, despite his battered body.

“Don’t get too complacent… brat! As long as I’m here, there will be no freedom in this sea!” Kaido clenched the mace in his hand, and purple lightning began to flash continuously! 

"Wait!" Zoro, who was standing by, barely stood up with his seriously injured body, but his tone was extremely firm.  "If you invite our captain to hell, I will accompany you to the end!!"

Kaido sneered disdainfully: "At best, you will die more beautifully, giving me a little excitement!"

After saying that, accompanied by purple lightning, he swung the mace in his hand and attacked Zoro.  Luffy jumped in front of Zoro with both hands covered in armed color, blocking this fierce attack! 

At this time, Kidd and Law, who had fallen to the ground, stood up again and started a new round of battle with the Four Emperors! 】

.....
~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, spectators watched in awe.

Someone muttered thoughtfully:

“If they retreat now, they might survive to fight another day after training for a few years…”

Another shook their head.

“But look at them—they won’t stop. If he survives today, he’ll definitely carve out a place in this sea.”

~One Piece World~
~In the New World~

"Luffy, let me see it!"

The Four Emperors Red Hair Shanks spoke slowly.

【 With the start of a new round of battle, Luffy and Kaido kept crossing in the air. 

"Bang! Bang..." A yellow and a purple light kept colliding in the air, and thunder kept sweeping across the collision. 

From a distance, it looked like a place where the fire of war was concentrated. The ground kept breaking and explosions kept ringing!

On the other side, Kidd and Law also launched a fierce attack on Big Mom! 

Kaido's hot breath blew Luffy into the air again...

The next moment, Kidd and Law appeared in the air at the same time, each holding Luffy's hand. 

With the help of the two captains, his right hand began to grow larger and larger, and the domineering began to cover it.

The black iron fist rushed towards Kaido with flames at a high speed! 

"Kaido!!" Luffy's Red Hawk hit Kaido's face again, but Kaido resisted it! 

Kaido in the form of a dragon man charged a stick and knocked Luffy from the air to the ground! 

"Conqueror of the Three Worlds—— Ragnaraku!!"

The dazzling purple electric light continued to flash, and then began to gradually wrap around the mace!

Kaido descended from the sky and charged a powerful blow to hit Luffy. The dazzling purple light gradually took on a hint of black light!! 

"Boom——"

A huge roar was heard, and the ground of the entire Onigashima began to shatter. This was Kaido's first powerful attack besides the Thunder Bagua!! 】

.....

~One Piece World~
~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

At this moment, the worship and cheers on Onigashima began to sound continuously!!

"As expected of Kaido-sama! Straw Hat Boy is finished!"

Someone shouted jubilantly.

"Yes...Yes...Kaido-sama is invincible!!"

Others echoed.

Unlike Onigashima, the other pirates were surprised that Straw Hat Boy could fight Kaido to such an extent!

"This Straw Hat Boy can fight to such an extent even without using Gear 4!!!"

One exclaimed.

“At the start, he couldn’t even block a single hit from Kaido’s normal form! Now he’s trading blows with him in dragon form? This talent is terrifying!”

Another marveled.

The next moment, a scene that shocked everyone appeared!

【 "Let's finish the others, too!" Big Mom laughed sinisterly and then raised the Napoleon sword and prepared to attack Kidd and Law. 

At this time, Kidd and his men had already discussed the plan!

Kid clenched his hands, and a square iron box was formed instantly! 

"Room——Chamble's!!" Law also activated the ability of the surgery fruit, and instantly locked Big Mom's Black Cloud Zeus inside the iron box! 

Kira and Zoro took the opportunity to chop Prometheus under her feet! 

Prometheus was instantly split into two, and Big Mom, who lost her support, fell to the ground in a mess!

"I won't let you recover, Flame—Rend, Crossing the Six Paths!" Zoro swung his sword at Prometheus again...

Prometheus was directly chopped into more than a dozen small flames! 

Kira on the other side continued to attack Napoleon's sword, and now all of Big Mom's weapons were separated!

"Now, Punk Pistol!" Kidd also took this opportunity to attack Big Mom. 

However, Big Mom, known as the steel balloon, was unscathed and angrily said, "Do you think you can defeat me by separating them? Kidd...!"

Then, a fierce punch hit Kidd, but Kidd smiled triumphantly. 

"Magnetism-Repel!" Countless irons covered Big Mom's hands and then shot Big Mom into the sky. 

Seeing this, "Takt" Law waved his hand with one hand, and a huge stone pillar rose from the ground and hit Big Mom! 

The violent collision pushed Big Mom in the air far away! Until Big Mom stopped at the edge of the cliff with great force... She was only one step away from falling into the sea...

"Shua." The knife flashed, and the ground under Big Mom's feet was cut off.

Big Mom began to fall, plummeting toward the sea below. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This series of wonderful coordination stunned everyone's eyes, and the design pushed the arrogant Big Mom into the sea step by step.

No matter how powerful she is, she is still a capable person, and she can't survive in the sea if she can't swim!

~One Piece World~

Witnessing Big Mom’s descent into the water, the entire pirate world erupted in chaos.

“Unbelievable! They actually pushed Big Mom into the sea?!”

Someone gasped.

“No matter how strong she is, she’s powerless once she hits the water. She’s just a capable person, not a god!”

Another pointed out.

Meanwhile, Kid and Kira shared a glance, their expressions grim but triumphant.

“One down…”

Kid muttered under his breath.

Kira nodded solemnly.

“But we’re far from done.”

Chapter 26: Zoro's Last Trick!!

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

“Big Mom lost!!”

Someone shouted in disbelief.

“Impossible! How could a Four Emperor be defeated so easily?!”

Another exclaimed.

A third voice chimed in, explaining logically:

“Big Mom has special abilities, sure—but once she enters the sea, what’s the difference between her and an ordinary person?”

Cheers broke out as spectators processed the brilliance of the strategy.

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! That series of attacks was flawless—destroying her means of flight, knocking her into the air, and finally pushing her into the water!”

Hope began to spread among the onlookers.

“Two of the Four Emperors have been dealt with—one down, one to go. Maybe there’s really a chance to win…”

~In the Totto Land~

Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin seethed with rage.

“Damn brat… How could I lose to such a brat?!”

Faced with their angry Mother, her Daughters and Sons remained silent, too terrified to speak.

They remained silent, too terrified to speak. One of her children hesitantly stepped forward.

“Mother… We’ll get revenge for you!”

He stammered nervously.

Charlotte Linlin glared at him, her eyes burning with fury.

“Revenge? No. First, we need to survive this humiliation…”

~On the other side, in the Land of Wano~
~Onigashima Island~

Kaido watched the screen with a gloomy expression.

“That old woman is getting weaker as she ages…”

He muttered darkly.

“If we can’t handle a few young brats together, it’ll be a joke!”

At this moment, the black cloud Zeus trapped in the steel cage can only be helpless and furious and can't get out of the blockade at all! 

On the other side, Prometheus was torn apart repeatedly by Zoro with his seriously injured body every time he closed his eyes...

Zoro, who was staggering even when standing, tightly entangled the sun Prometheus! 

At this time, Law looked at Zoro and couldn't help but say in surprise: “At that time, it’s no wonder all the bones in his body were broken after enduring that attack…”

On the other side, Kaido looked at Luffy, who fell unconscious after suffering his own Kosanze Ragnaraku(Conquered Three Worlds, Attracting Hell), and then ignored him. He looked at Zoro! 

"This is outrageous! Linlin...!"

Kaido said with a somewhat impatient tone, and then he kicked his legs hard and rushed toward Zoro and his group! 

"Hey! Pirate hunter, let Prometheus go!" As soon as the voice fell, Kaido in the Hybrid form came in front of him in an instant! 

The mace, wrapped in black and purple light, has been raised high!

Zoro, who was already seriously injured, will definitely die here if he endures such an attack!

"Chamble's." At the critical moment, Law activated his Ope Ope no Mi ability, swapping places with Zoro.

Without Zoro's entanglement, Prometheus immediately rushed to the sea!

"Hey! That fireball is going to save Big Mom!" Zoro panted and said anxiously. 

Law gritted his teeth and said gloomily as if he had made a decision: "Let him go!"

"If it costs someone's life, it's better to fail the battle!"

"Our goal is to separate the two Four Emperors, there is no need to fight, Big Mom will be in my hands!!" Kidd's magnetic force started to work.

After saying that, Kidd and Killer also jumped down to the bottom of the cliff with countless steel.

However, Big Mom has been rescued by Prometheus at this time!

The scene changed, and Kaido looked at Luffy, who was unconscious and covered in wounds, and smiled horribly! Then, he walked away slowly. 】

....

~One Piece World~

"What a pity, we almost defeated one of the Four Emperors!"

"If Kaido hadn't taken action, Big Mom might have really been defeated by them!"

"And the Straw Hat Boy was also knocked down!!!"

At that moment, the pirates who were watching the show were talking about it...! They were so scared.

~Onigashima Island~

At this moment, Jack the Drought of the Beasts Pirates said proudly:

"How can a mere young boy resist the big move of Kaido-sama!"

"That's right! !"

"They are dead now! "

Everyone responded. They couldn't think of any way to save the Straw Hat Boy in this situation!

~On the other side, The Straw Hat Pirates~

Everyone began to worry because there were only a few people left on Onigashima Island!

However, Zoro suffered the combined attack of the two Four Emperors and broke several bones!

On the other side, Luffy suffered Kaido's Kosanze Ragnaraku and fell unconscious!

This means that Law is the only one who has the strength to fight on Onigashima Island!!

It's a pipe dream to face Kaido alone...

"This is dangerous..."

Nico Robin, who was clear-headed, reacted immediately and spoke gravely, her voice heavy with concern.

~Somewhere in the Grand Line~

Bartolomeo shouted passionately:

“Come on, Luffy-Senpai! I believe you won’t stop here! You’re the man who’s going to become King of the Pirates!”

As a die-hard fan of the Straw Hat Pirates, he would never believe that Senior Luffy's journey would end here!

~East Blue Windmill Village~

Dadan watched the screen with tears streaming down her face.

“Luffy…!”

She prayed silently, hoping against hope.

【 Faced with such a situation despite his injuries, Zoro forced himself to stand, breathing heavily. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

“Traman!! What I’m about to do next is my limit,” Zoro slowly pulled out the sword on his waist and spoke in a tone as if he were telling his last words.

“Endless fighting is just consumption. If this trick doesn’t work, my death will come, right?!”

He glanced at Law.

“The rest is up to you,”  Zoro said as he held a knife in his mouth, staring at Kaido, who was walking towards Luffy!"

Holding a sword in his mouth, Zoro unleashed his Conqueror’s Haki, creating a terrifying aura that spread like a demonic presence.

Even Kaido paused mid-step, shocked by the intensity. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this moment, outside the video, spectators were stunned.

“He blocked the combined attack of two emperors—and now he’s still standing?! Even the captain, Straw Hat Luffy, fell unconscious!, his injuries were no less severe than those of the Straw Hat Boy, yet he still didn't give up!”

Some shook their heads skeptically.

“What kind of move can a seriously injured man possibly pull off? And against Kaido, whose defense is suffocating…”

But the next moment, a scene unfolded that left everyone speechless.

Chapter 27: Ashura——Blades Drawn-Dead Man's Game

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “Hey! Kaido… That guy is my captain!! Why don't you try, to smash my head first!!” Zoro growled through gritted teeth, his voice laced with defiance.

The next moment, endless ghost energy continued to gather on Zoro's body, and gradually turned into nine arms with a terrifying aura and appeared on Zoro's body!!

Each arm holds a sharp blade, and it is always telling that it wants to harvest souls!!

“Demon Aura Nine-Swords Style!——”

“Ashura! Blades Drawn!”

The terrifying aura made Kaido's eyes widen suddenly, and he couldn't believe his eyes!!!

That posture is just like a demon from hell! 】

....

~One Piece World~

“Three heads??? Nine arms??? Is this something humans can do?! This isn’t just Devil Fruit power—it’s beyond comprehension!”

Someone exclaimed.

By the way, can sword skills really reach this level?…

This is clearly the devil from hell coming to claim his life. Is this pirate hunter so strong…

.....

【 "Boom——" With Zoro's footsteps, the ground shattered, and dazzling golden light crossed with Kaido!!!

Then Zoro's figure gradually condensed and appeared behind Kaido!

"Ashura——Blades Drawn....Dead Man's Game!"

The next moment, all the surrounding rocks were smashed to pieces by the passing blade! Blood was flying all over Kaido's body!!

Kaido seemed to be cut by an invisible blade, and a long wound appeared on his chest, revealing a deep scar that could be seen to the bone...!

Blood was gushing out like it was free, you can imagine how deep the cut was. 

......

At this moment, everyone outside the screen was silent at first, and fell into a strange silence!!

The strong men in countless worlds instinctively said

"What a powerful man! that Sword Skills!!"

~Bleach World~
~Soul Society~

Kenpachi Zaraki grinned maniacally.

“Now that’s what I call a fight! I need to find someone strong enough to test my blade against…”

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

Erza Scarlet stared at the screen thoughtfully.

“How could anyone reach that level of mastery? It’s unimaginable…”

~Demon Slayer World~

The sword-wielding Pillars shook their heads in awe.

“This kind of skill… We’ll never achieve it in our lifetimes.”

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

The people from Chaldea think that this is already almost Saber's level of Grand Servant, right?!

~One Piece World~

It's even more complicated at this moment!

“He performed such an attack while dragging his severely injured body?! Impossible…”

“Judging by the bleeding, that wound must have cut deep into the bone… Yet he broke through Kaido’s defenses?!”

“This is the second-in-command of the Straw Hat Pirates? Terrifying…”

~On the other side, In the Land of Wano~
~Onigashima Island~

Kaido muttered under his breath:

“Oden… Is this your shadow I see in him?”

~On the other side, Sabaody Archipelago~

Meanwhile, Silvers Rayleigh, also known as the "Dark King" watched intently.

“That attack was imbued with Conqueror’s Haki… of the Straw Hat Pirates has the Conqueror's Haki... Impressive.”

~Somewhere in the Grand Line~

The world's number one swordsman HawkEye showed an excited look on his face, he really wanted to experience this swordsmanship!!

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

All the Straw Hat Pirates also circled around Zoro, touching their hands from time to time, as if they were curious about how he did it.

"Zoro... Zoro!...!"

Luffy's hands, already excited and shining, tripped Zoro's body, and suddenly shrunk and crashed into Zoro!!

"This idiot...! I will chop you one day!!!"

Zoro, who was caught off guard, gritted his teeth.

【 Zoro, who crossed the way, gasped and slowly supported himself on the ground. 

Turning his head to look at Kaido, a scene that shocked him appeared! 

Kaido was holding his wound with one hand, but he was already standing on the ground! He didn't fall to the ground as expected!! 

Then, the blood began to stop flowing. This is the advantage of the animal-type fruit, which can quickly restore physical strength! 

Kaido touched his wound and looked at Zoro, and he couldn't help but say in shock: "Could it be that you also have Conqueror Haki?!..."

Otherwise, it would be impossible to cause such great damage to himself...】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Conqueror Haki!!! Kaido said that the pirate hunter has Conqueror Haki?!!”

“What a monster, such a powerful attack but still standing on the battlefield!!”

“Sure enough, it is worthy of being the so-called strongest creature Kaido...!”

【 "What are you talking about?" Facing Kaido's doubts, Zoro looked surprised. 

I don’t remember having anything like that. This was my full-strength attack—I at least want to knock you down!" After saying that, Zoro could no longer support his body and slowly collapsed. 

“You’ve earned the right to be proud of this scar. But alas…”

After saying that, Kaido walked towards Zoro, wanting to give him the final blow! 

Law on the side wanted to rush up to stop Kaido, but was knocked out along with Zoro by Kaido's Thunder Bagua! 

"What a pity! If you were with me, we could have taken over the world!"

Kaido showed a look of regret. He admired Zoro for hurting him, but he would not hold back...! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"This time it's really over!!"

"Everyone fell to the ground... No one can move!"

"As Kaido said, it's enough to be proud of this scar!!"

This long battle is finally coming to an end, and everyone shook their heads...

【 Just as everyone assumed the battle was over, Kaido turned sharply, sensing something.

The fallen Straw Hat Luffy slowly stood up, and the overwhelming domineering aura spread... dyeing the entire screen red! 

Luffy, with his back to Kaido, exhaled and clenched his fist! 

"It's still too shallow!!"

After being hit by your stick, I realized that Conqueror’s Haki can also be entangled.” 】

.....

Straw Hat Luffy said something in a light tone that shocked most people in the world!

“Entangled Conqueror’s Haki?! What does that even mean?!”

Someone shouted incredulously.

Conqueror's Haki can actually be entangled??? Everyone Sea in the One Piece World was confused!

Others murmured in disbelief.

“Isn’t Conqueror’s Haki supposed to clear the field? How can it be manipulated like that?”

Then they were extremely shocked by the talent of the Straw Hat Boy!! …

Notes:

It seems that the majority of reactions are focused on the world of One Piece this time. Also, Luffy's training arc 3rd lesson will start at this moment.

Folks remember what the Chaldea's staff (Of course, except for Da Vinci, Romani) thought They just know what is "Grand/crown'' but they don't know how powerful that really is, so don't argue with me that is "too exaggerated."

Chapter 28: A Stick of Enlightenment!! Overlord Entanglement!!

Chapter Text

【 Luffy closed his eyes, recalling the previous battle. His voice was calm yet certain as he spoke:  “You just wrapped your Conqueror’s Haki around the mace, right?!”

Although Luffy used a question, his tone was very sure!

Kaido sneered, unimpressed.

“Even if you know, what can you do? Knowing doesn’t mean you can use it!” 】 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone outside the video thought the same way.

Yes, knowing and doing are two different things!

~One Piece World~
~Sabaody Archipelago~

"Knowing doesn't mean you can master it, Luffy..."

Rayleigh shook his head and put down the wine glass in his hand.

But it couldn't stop some people from looking at Straw Hat Luffy differently!

Incredibly, he’s realized this level at such a young age!

【 The next moment, Kaido's Conqueror's Haki was aroused, and the momentum emanating from his body was like a demon! 

The black and red, domineering aura kept flashing, with black lightning wrapped around the mace! 

“Only a very few strong people can do this… Can you really pull it off?! You’re still far away!” After saying that, he raised the mace in his hand and attacked Luffy with black and red lightning! 

The mace was wrapped with a terrifying, domineering aura, and it came to Luffy in the blink of an eye with a roar!

Faced with this terrifying attack, Luffy still closed his eyes with a calm expression. 

“When you’re in a desperate situation, it’s time to awaken your power!”

Just then, Hyougoro’s voice echoed in Luffy’s mind.

Instantly, a golden light appeared in the originally dark picture, and Luffy, who had closed his eyes, opened his eyes! 

His eyes flashed red, and with a golden glow, he kicked back!

"Boom——"

The terrifying shock wave echoed throughout Onigashima, and the black and red domineering auras collided fiercely!

What's even more bizarre is that Luffy's feet did not touch Kaido's mace, but there was a fierce collision sound...

It was as if a pair of invisible forces were clashing in mid-air. 】

.....

~One Piece World~

Viewers were shocked by the collision in the air!

“This… didn’t touch?!”

Someone gasped.

“How is this possible? Neither of their attacks touched each other, but it seemed as if they had collided in the air?!!” 

Looking at Straw Hat Luffy on the screen, who seemed to have learned the Conqueror's Haki entanglement, everyone felt that they were dreaming!

You just knew you could entangle in the last second and use it in the next second??? Don't be so exaggerated!

He realized it in an instant!

~Marineford~
~Navy Headquarters~

"Hahahaha... You are worthy of being my grandson!"

Vice Admiral Garp laughed heartily and then became a little depressed. It would be great to be in the Navy with such talent!!

~Somewhere in the New World ~

"One step further... Luffy!!"

The Four Emperors Red Hair Shanks also smiled with emotion:

"Yeah, Luffy actually used Conqueror's Haki Infusion!"

"This is really shocking!!"

Everyone on the Red Hair Pirates was also shocked!

Shanks looked at the high-spirited boy on the screen with an expectant look, and felt that they were not far from meeting each other!

~On the other side, In the Land of Wano~

At the Beast Pirates, Kaido stopped drinking and stared at the screen. Did he actually learned it?!

"That kid... is really not simple, the Conqueror's Haki Influsion is really..."

Drought Jack's face was extremely shocked:

"How is it possible!! How could there be such an outrageous thing!!"

As one of the three disasters under Kaido, he naturally saw the duel between Kaido and Big Mom- that kind of collision in the air!!

Does this mean that Straw Hat Luffy has officially entered the emperor level?

"What if he learned it...! he is still no match for Kaido-sama!"

~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

“Kulala… I see Roger in him. This young man is terrifying.”

Whitebeard took a sip of wine.

Recalling the previous battle with Roger, it was still the same as now.

But this is the first time I have seen such a terrifying young man. Is this Ace's little brother?

【 Kaido looked at Luffy, who was colliding with him in the air, in disbelief. He couldn't believe that Luffy actually learned the Conqueror's Haki infusion!

The next moment, Luffy flashed with golden cherry blossoms, and the Conqueror's Haki wrapped around his body and gathered in his hands as if it had life! 

Buzz——

A flash of golden light cut through the darkness, and the dazzling light began to tear through the darkness! …

The fist wrapped with Conqueror's Haki infusion hit Kaido's chest with terrifying might!

Kaido's body was instantly blown into the air by this terrifying force and fell far away! The mace in his hand also fell out of his hand and fell on the ground! 】 

.....

~One Piece World~

Shh!!!...

The whole world seemed to be held down by the throat, and only the sound of trying to inhale was left …

Even though he was beaten all over by Kaido not long ago, he was able to beat Kaido away the next moment!

“Conqueror’s Haki infusion… Ordinary people can’t even comprehend it…”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku was also shocked when he saw Straw Hat Luffy, who beat Kaido away.

This talent can really be said to be a gift from God!

"This kind of pirate should be eliminated as soon as possible...!"

Admiral Akainu scowled coldly, cigar clenched between his teeth.

"You actually mastered it... This is really amazing!"

Admiral Aokiji also spoke up.

At this time.

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"As expected of my captain! I didn't misjudge him!"

Zoro said proudly, with his arms folded.

"That's our captain...!"

Sanji spoke slowly while holding a cigarette.

"The battle has just begun!"

Nico Robin, who was relatively rational, saw the problem.

“We now have weapons equal to the Four Emperors, but the real battle has only just begun. Whether we win or lose depends on our next moves.”

Yes!! Learning to dominate only gives you the capital to compete with the Four Emperors. The real battle has only just begun!!

“But this is proof that we’re closing the gap!”

Chapter 29: Luffy Falls into the Sea and Die?

Chapter Text

 “It didn’t touch him!!” Law muttered in disbelief, his eyes wide as he watched Luffy punch Kaido despite his injuries.

The scene left him stunned—it was beyond comprehension.

Luffy turned to Zoro and Law, gratitude shining in his eyes.

“Zoro… Terraman! Thank you for protecting me!”

Clenching his fists together, Luffy grinned confidently.

“No matter what happens next, I’ll beat this guy!! Just tell everyone like this!” 】 

.....

~One Piece World~

What? !!! Everyone outside the video thought they had heard it wrong!

Did the Straw Hat Boy actually want to fight Kaido alone?!

Before, the five supernovas joined forces and were beaten together and had no power to fight back, but now he actually wants to fight Kaido alone!!

Debate raged across the pirate world.

"Is he too arrogant? That's Kaido, the Four Emperors who is known as the strongest creature!!"

“He must’ve been overwhelmed by mastering Overlord Entanglement so quickly!”

Others speculated about Luffy’s newfound strength.

"Even if he has mastered the Overlord Entanglement, he has only just learned it. How can he compare with Kaido who has mastered it for many years?!"

"He has mastered the Overlord Entanglement!... Does this mean that the Straw Hat Kid has officially entered the Emperor level? Becoming the fifth Emperor of the Sea in the New World!!!"

Excitement spread rapidly.

"He actually mastered the Overlord Entanglement!!"

"This kid might really be able to do it...!!"

“An Emperor under the age of 20 about to be born... It’s unheard of—but possible!”

Pirates all over the world are talking about it!!

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

Kaido saw Straw Hat Luffy in the video, so arrogant, and widened his eyes and said angrily:

"What an arrogant brat!... Even if he really learned it, what can he do? There is a huge gap between your proficiency and experience!! Winning against me? It's still hundreds of years too early... Damn brat!!"

~Somewhere in the Grand Line~

CP9, who was defeated not long ago, was even more shocked and speechless!

They just beat them with difficulty not long ago, and now they can fight Kaido alone soon??

"Isn't this growth rate too outrageous...!"

Rob Lucci gritted his teeth; frustration was evident.

~Grand Line, Island of Baltigo~
~Revolutionary Army Headquarters~

Dragon looked at the confident boy in the video and grinned:

“He’s grown this much already… You’ve become strong, Luffy.”

【 With the activation of Law's Operation fruit ability, he moved to the bottom of Onigashima with the unconscious Zoro! 

At this time, only Kaido and Luffy were left on Onigashima, staring at each other!! 

Kaido looked at Luffy, who was smiling, and suddenly laughed out loud:

“The more desperate the situation, the more you laugh, huh?”

Luffy does not answer and attacks Kaido with his domineering right fist. Kaido responded with a mace! 

"Boom——"

As the two clashed, the black and red domineering energies collided fiercely! 

The ground of the entire Onigashima began to shatter, and the two men screamed in grief, and even the sea in the distance was stirred up by the fierce collision!

After the collision, the two men took a step back, and then they started to collide with each other in the air with their feet and sticks!

The terrifying shock wave began to spread in all directions!

The whole air was shaking, and black and red lightning was constantly ignited as the two men fought! 

Instantly, the entire Ghost Island was filled with Conqueror's Haki Aura manifesting like electric light! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"Really?!! He just learned it and he's already fighting Kaido!"

"This collision is like the end of the world…! Even a big pirate would definitely die if he gets hit by one of them!!"

"Even before, Gear 4 couldn't block a stick!! Now he can fight back and forth in his normal form!"

"This… does it mean that the Straw Hat Boy has the strength of the Four Emperors?!"

Surprise sounds from all over the world!

【 Black and red lightning symbolizing dominance flashed continuously, and the figures of the two kept crossing each other!! 

"Gumo Gumo No…Hawk Gatling-gun!"

Luffy roared, unleashing a barrage of punches infused with black and red lightning.

Faced with such a terrifying attack, Kaido defended himself with one hand, seized the moment when Luffy was exhausted, and hit Luffy into the air with a mace!! 

“Gear 3rd.”

“Gumo... Gumo No—”

“Grizzly Magnum!”

The next moment, the huge arm symbolizing the third gear collided with the mace and was then knocked back dozens of meters! 

“Kulala… Let me see more excitement, Straw Hat Boy!”

Kaido, in dragon form, laughed loudly, waving the huge mace and attacking again. 

"Boom——"

As the two fought tirelessly, they entered a critical moment!! 

"Thunder Bagua——"

Kaido, in dragon form, waved the mace in his hand and attacked Luffy with black and red electric light! 

The ground cracked inch by inch wherever the power passed, and the wind kept wailing! 

Faced with the terrifying Thunder Bagua, Luffy did not evade it this time but chose to confront it head-on! 

"Gumo.... Gumo No—— Red Hawk!"

The flaming fist wrapped in black and red lightning hit Kaido's face head-on! 

The Thunder Bagua also hit him! Then the two of them fought fist to fist! 

But suddenly, the lightning that ravaged the battlefield disappeared as if nothing had happened! 

Only Kaido's figure holding a mace appears over the entire Onigashima as if talking to himself. 

"So that's how it is. You are indeed ambitious in battle! But because you have a powerful weapon in your hand, you are too proud of yourself, right? Brat!"

Kaido slowly returned to human form and spoke with regret. 

I should have cut off your head and declared victory just now, otherwise, they would still believe you will win! 

Then the scene changes, and Luffy faints and appears on the screen, falling powerlessly into the sea! 】

At this time, the entire pirate world fell into a strange silence! The Straw Hat Boy who was so arrogant just now is dead?!

Chapter 30: Luffy's Resurrection!! Unison Attack!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

"The Straw Hat Boy is dead!! He is a person with Devil Fruit abilities, and he will die if he falls into the sea. Even if Big Mom falls into the sea, there is no way to save him!"

Someone shouted grimly.

"And he is the only one fighting Kaido above Onigashima. I am afraid his companions don't know that he fell into the sea, and there is no one to rescue him!!"

Another added.

A collective sigh of regret spread across the pirate world.

"Alas~ It's a pity after all!! I thought a new emperor of the sea would be born!!"

"This is the end of the game. Unless you’re Luffy or someone who knows how to use Overlord Entanglement in battle, there’s no way to even scratch Kaido! It’s over…!"

"After all It's better to be Kaido! "

"But the straw hat kid can fight with Kaido to this extent is proud enough! "

"And how old is he who is so talented, you can definitely become the four emperors!" ...

~In the Land of Wano~

"Luffy ..."

"Luffy actually...! No... No way!..."

In Wano, the samurai whispered among themselves, their hopes dashed.

~East Blue, Windmill Village~

"How could this happen...?!"

"Luffy will definitely be fine!!!"

Although the bandits of the Dadan family said that Luffy would definitely be fine, they all cried and hugged each other!

~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

"After all, he is still too young!"

Whitebeard also felt sorry for Luffy. With such a terrifying talent, he might have a chance of winning after a few years of training.

The difference in experience and domineering is too big!!

~On the other side, Dressrosa Island~

Doflamingo also breathed a sigh of relief. The boy with such a terrifying talent finally died!!

It would be too scary if he didn't die, but the fighting power he showed in the video has long surpassed me!

The appearance in the video is not much different from now, which means that he will be able to fight against the Four Emperors in about one or two years!!

Thinking of this, veins appeared on Doflamingo's forehead. It seems that it is better to get rid of it as soon as possible...

~Somewhere in the New World, Red-haired Pirates~

"Luffy!!..."

The always optimistic and cheerful fat man, Lucky Roux, also put down the meat in his hand, but he was in no mood at the moment!

"Luffy will definitely not end here!!"

"The video has not ended yet, how can we believe that Luffy is dead!!!"

Red-haired Shanks touched his broken arm with his only remaining hand, raised his head, and spoke in a firm tone.

~On the other side, In the Water Seven Islands~

Aboard the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hats are overcome with grief as they watch Luffy sink into the sea.

"Luffy...!"

Chopper grabbed Luffy's trouser legs, sobbing uncontrollably.

“There has to be a turnaround… There just has to be!”

Nami lowered her head and supported the table with both hands, tears kept falling on the table.

“Yeah... We haven’t fulfilled our dreams yet… We can’t let it end here!”

Sanji held a cigarette in his mouth, and his face was not very good...

"If you are defeated now... The position of captain will be handed over to me!"

Zoro crossed his arms and provoked Luffy.

“No way… Our journey isn’t ending here!”

Luffy looked at his companions with a firm face.

At this time, Nico Robin also said to Chopper with a calm face and a bad taste:

“It seems we’re next to die.”

Chopper and Nami were so scared that they hugged each other and cried, and kept saying...

“It’s over… It’s over…”

But then, Usopp's voice cut through the despair.

"Hey~ Look!!! Luffy is fine!!"

【 On the screen, the Heart Pirates' submarine found Luffy in the deep sea and rescued him! 

After spitting out a large ball of water, he began to regain consciousness, and the first sentence he spoke was!! 

"Meat!" 】

.....

~One Piece World~
~East Blue, Windmill Village~

"As expected of Luffy!!"

"It's so good that he's fine...!"

"Hahaha! I told you that Luffy is fine!!"

The Dadan family burst into tears of joy, and they were relieved when they saw Luffy eating meat!

"As expected of you!...Luffy!"

~Somewhere in the New World, Red-haired Pirates~

Shanks also breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the boy on the screen and then shouted happily to the surroundings.

"The party is about to begin... Cheers to Luffy's resurrection!!"

"Oh!!!!"

【 The scene shifts dramatically as Luffy, who has recovered his strength after eating meat, appears on top of a giant pink dragon...! 

They come to top Onigashima again, but Kaido is fighting with his daughter at this time! 

Yamato, in the form of the Great God Inu Inu no Mi [ Model: Okuchi no Makami ], is colliding fiercely with Kaido! 】

.....

~One Piece World~
~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

"What a rebellious daughter!"

Kaido couldn't help but speak in an angry and helpless tone after seeing Onigashima.

"?!! That's me?!..."

Yamato watched the battle between herself and Kaido in shock.

"What is that? Another mythical beast fruit?"

"No way! She’s actually fighting Kaido! Is she another monster like him?!"

“What an amazing battle! Is this the power of the Mythical Zoan fruit?!”

“That seemingly endless stamina… What a monster!”

Just when everyone was puzzled, Luffy had already arrived above Onigashima on the back of the pink dragon.

【 “Gear 4—Snake Man!” Luffy went straight into gear 4 and rushed toward Kaido! 

“Divine Swiftness—White Serpent!”

Yamato also pushed his feet hard, and the ground was crushed into a deep pit. and turned into a white light and rushed towards Kaido, charging forward more! 

"Gumo..... Gumo No—Jet Culverin!!"

Luffy and Yamato became streaks of red and white light, colliding with Kaido in a devastating explosion.

“Boom——”

With a huge crash, the entire Onigashima began to shake, and the black and red light continued to explode! 

Kaido began to fly backward for hundreds of meters, smashing one mountain after another and still flying backward with undiminished momentum!! 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

Such an explosive blow was completely beyond everyone's imagination!!

They couldn't believe my eyes!

~One Piece Worlds~

Outside the video, spectators struggled to process what they’d just witnessed.

“This… This is insane. How could anyone withstand that kind of attack?”

“Such an explosive blow—it’s completely beyond imagination!”

“I can’t believe my eyes!”

In Wano, samurai cheered wildly.

Meanwhile, on Onigashima Island.

“What a rebellious daughter! She’s actually holding her own against Kaido!”

Kaido growled angrily, glancing at the screen.

“You… You dare challenge me, your own father?!”

Somewhere on Onigashima Island, Yamato smirked defiantly.

“For freedom, I’ll fight anyone—even you!”

Notes:

OMG, my waif- I mean Yamato finally showed up! One of the famous scenes

The Fake Famous Scene

Straw Hat Luffy vs Hundred Beast Kaido [〤]

The Real Famous Scene

Luffy X Yamato vs Hundred Beast Kaido [/]

Chapter 31: A Punch that Splits the Sky!! Clash of Conqueror Haki!!

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

"Is this Straw Hat kid immortal? !! How many times has he been beaten unconscious?! He still has this kind of destructive power...!"

"It's outrageous...! Not to mention how many times he was knocked out—He must have been seriously injured; how come he is still alive and kicking now... His recovery ability is even better than Kaido...!"

Someone exclaimed incredulously.

Others marveled at his recovery ability.

"Gear 4-Snake Man?! This seems to be the first Gear 4 after mastering the Overlord Entanglement! And what's with that pink dragon?! Didn't they say that there are no identical devil fruits!"

~Somewhere in the Grand Line~

Bartolomeo burst into tears, overwhelmed with excitement.

"Luffy...Luffy...Sepai!! So cool! I have no regrets in this life!"

~Somewhere In the Grand Line, The Thriller Bark ~

Gekko Moriah looked at the pink dragon with an unbelievable expression.

Having fought against Kaido in his youth, he naturally knew how terrifying Kaido was, but how could this dragon be the same as Kaido?!

Didn't they say that there are no identical devil fruits?

Meanwhile, on Egg Island, Vegapunk spoke slowly, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“Isn’t this my failed experiment?”

【 Kaido, who was knocked far away, turned back into a dragon and hovered in the air. He looked at Luffy, who was alive and kicking, and asked angrily with a surprised look: "Why are you still alive?!!"

"I won't die no matter what! I am the man who wants to be the King of the Pirates!" Facing Kaido's questioning, Luffy clenched his fist with one hand and looked directly at Kaido, and said loudly. 

"Gumo... Gumo NoElephant Gun!"

Then Luffy jumped up, his right hand instantly entered the third gear, and his domineering began to cover him. The black giant fist fell from the sky and hit Kaido's dragon mouth! 

Kaido's huge dragon body also fell heavily from the air to the ground, and the shock wave caused even more waves! 

"Momo, stop Onigashima!! Leave Kaido to me!! I will definitely win!" 

Looking at the gloomy dragon, Luffy suddenly shouted, and his voice was so loud that it resounded throughout the entire Onigashima! 

The Samurai of the Land of Wano who heard the voice raised their weapons and cheered up again, and they were more convinced that Luffy was the one who could liberate the Land of Wano!! 

Faced with Luffy's shameless declaration, Kaido's domineering aura began to radiate, and then purple lightning flashed continuously, and he turned into a dragon man again!! 

With a fierce swing of the mace in his hand, the purple lightning immediately began to sweep the ground, and cracks appeared wherever it passed! 

Then Kaido, with purple light flashing continuously on his body, the ground began to break under this terrible momentum, and he rushed towards Luffy, waving the mace! 

"How could you possibly beat me?"

Luffy was unmoved, and as he clenched his right fist, red and blue veins flashed, and his whole body was filled with a golden light that symbolized dominance and rushed forward!

"As long as I am alive, there are infinite possibilities!"

As the mace and fist collided in the air! The entire video fell into a strange silence!

The next moment! The entire screen was covered with a red and black, domineering aura, and as the two collided, a huge, deep pit appeared under their feet. It kept spreading in all directions!! 

The entire ghost island began to shake constantly and began to be in danger! 

"Boom——"

Then there was a huge roar, and the red and purple domineering energy rushed into the sky in a constant collision!! 

Then the dark clouds in the sky were instantly dispersed, splitting the clouds in half and revealing the moon hidden behind!

.....

~One Piece World~

"The sky… cracked!! The aftermath of their attack actually cracked the sky…!"

"This is the crack in the sky that only appears in the duel between the emperor-level strongmen!!!"

Someone whispered hoarsely.

"Maybe learning the Overlord entanglement does not mean entering the emperor level!! But this is the crack in the sky that can only appear in the true emperor-level duel!!!"

Another added.

"This means that the youngest Four Emperors in history… was born!!"

Others marveled at Luffy’s age.

"How old is he?!! Looks like he is less than twenty?!…"

"I…saw…a miracle!"

~Somewhere in the New World, Red-haired Pirates~

"Luffy really cracked the sky!!!"

Fatty Lucky Roux gawked at the screen.

"Shanks…you are almost caught up by Luffy!"

Benn Beckman turned his head and said to Shanks with a teasing look on his face, How long has it been since Luffy went to sea? It has reached this level!

"Really?!... That proves that I didn't make a mistake! A new era is coming!!"

Red-Haired Shanks smiled, touched the scar on his face, looked at Luffy's figure, and thought of Roger's figure... They look alike! Luffy!

~Grand Line, Impel Down~

~Level 6~

Former Shichibukai Crocodile looked at the shackles on his body, It seemed that he had lost justified!

The first time he learned Ryuo... The second time, he learned Overlord Entanglement! Now he seems to be able to use Overlord entanglement more skillfully!

Every time he was defeated, he seemed to become stronger! With such a terrifying talent, it's no wonder that he lost...

Ace, who was also in the Impel Down, said excitedly to his fellow inmate, Jinbei,

“That’s my brother!!”

~Level 1~

"That guy... He actually did the same as the captain!"

Red-nosed Buggy showed an incredible look, thinking of the peak duel between his captain Roger and Whitebeard in the past!

The same is true of Overlord entanglement, but how old is Luffy? This has reached the level of the Four Emperors!!

~Marineford, Navy Headquarters~

At this time, the Navy soldiers buzzed with discussion.

"He is only the same age as me! I am still a recruit, and he has already become a Four Emperor!?"

"It's too outrageous!... Straw Hat Boy will definitely be a threat in the future!"

"If left alone, he will definitely be another Sea Emperor!!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku also thought so, and Straw Hat Boy had just made a big fuss on Judicial Island not long ago!

And this terrifying growth rate... Then he thought of his old friend Garp, it's really troublesome... he sighed silently in my heart!

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"Hey, pervert, what are you thinking about? "

Zoro, who had been leaning against the ship's railing, glanced at Sanji.

Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke, his visible eye narrowing, and shot back without missing a beat:

"Of course, I was wondering where the hell I’ve been this whole time—and why you , moss-head!"

Chapter 32: Kaido's Drunken Form!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 After they separated, the two of them were breathing slowly, and then they attacked each other again at the same time! 

The black and red electric light symbolizing the domineering color of the king flashed continuously, which was completely different from the previous battle!! 

The floating ghost island began to collapse as the two fought as if it would not be surprising if it shattered in the next moment!! 

"Gear 3," Luffy shouted, his body inflating dramatically.

"Gumo.... Gumo No—"

Luffy, who entered the third gear, jumped up and fell into the sky again with a golden light on his body. 

"I'm tired of hearing about Gumo Gumo!" Kaido growled impatiently.

"—Roc Gun!"

But he was still knocked to the ground by this attack! 

Kaido, who stood up again, couldn't help but burst into laughter. Luffy also grinned and said:

"Things are getting interesting!"

"What a wonderful night! There is a bright moon in the sky and a strong enemy on the ground!"

Then Kaido took out a barrel from somewhere and started drinking by himself! 

Then he covered his face and began to cry, the black and red domineering aura radiated and dyed the whole sky red, and then stumbled and cried and laughed! Like a drunkard!! 

......

Seeing Kaido like a drunkard, people in other worlds couldn't help but complain.

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

“Is this still the same guy who was terrifying just moments ago? Why does he look like a drunkard now? Like Cana!”

Macao Conbolt stared incredulously at the screen and couldn't help but complain.

“How is this the same?! I don’t cry and laugh like that…”

Cana Alberona scowled indignantly when she heard this. She didn't cry and laugh like him...

~ The Outcast World ~

"This is really casual...!"

The old Taoist Master smiled and narrowed his eyes.

~ Konosuba World ~

"Is this the calmness of a master? I'm so envious..."

The devilish Kazuma looked at the mentally retarded goddess who was swallowed by the giant frog and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

~One Piece World~

Spectators buzzed with disbelief.

“Kaido admits that Luffy is a strong enemy!! This is recognition from one of the Four Emperors!”

“But seriously… where did that wine barrel come from?! And why drink during battle?!”

Others speculated about Kaido’s condition.

“It’s over, Kaido’s obviously drunk! How can he fight like this?!”

“Look at him stumble around—he can’t even stand straight! This is look ridiculous!”

~In the Totto Land~

Big Mom, the Four Emperors laughed eerily when he saw this scene:

"Well... well, Kaido is finally serious!!"

~On the other side, Onigashima Island~

Kaido also laughed loudly. It seems that he is having a lot of fun in the video! I haven't drunk in battle for a long time!!

"Kaido-sama is finally serious!!"

"Kaido-sama is absolutely invincible when he is serious!!"

Everyone echoed...

 "What are you doing!!" Luffy couldn't help but shout at Kaido, who looked drunk, then threw his cape behind him and shouted while rushing. 

“Don’t give me that ‘I’m drunk’ excuse just because you lost to me!”

Kaido leaned on his hand, and he stood up shakily with the mace, looked up at Luffy's third gear attack, and said drunkenly: "I recognize you!"

"It's been a long time since I met someone who I can fight seriously..."

Then the dragon man form began to explode, and the skin turned dark purple! Purple lightning kept falling from the sky, and then fell on the mace! 

Haki began to entangle, and the black and red haki in the air was constantly stimulated! 

"Wine Dragon Bagua—"

"Drunk Wheel Thunder... Ragnaraku!!"

The mace with black and red domineering hit Luffy's face with golden light!! 

Luffy's pupils began to turn white visibly! 

This terrifying stick embeds Luffy deeply into the ground, and the ground begins to shatter layer by layer. The skull on the ghost island formed a purple light column that went straight to the sky!! 

"Boom——"

After the explosion, the drunk Kaido turned back into a dragon, leaving Luffy in the pit, covering his head and screaming in pain. 

.....

~One Piece World~

"Is this Kaido's serious attack… Wine Dragon Bagua!… It's terrifying!"

"The Straw Hat Boy didn't lose consciousness after taking this attack!! Has his ability to withstand become stronger!!"

Some marveled at Kaido’s unpredictability.

"Drunk Kaido has become stronger, and his endless tricks really make people sweat!"

"The Straw Hat Boy must be seriously injured!! This is the first time I've seen him scream in pain…"

~In the New World, Dressrosa~

"This kid…actually withstood the attack!"

Doflamingo was embarrassed. The attack just now was beyond his understanding.

"What a monster!... He's not human at all!..."

Trebol couldn't describe the Straw Hat Boy in words anymore. He exceeded his cognition again and again.

【 Kaido, who had transformed into a dragon again, fell into an inexplicable drunken depression! He muttered to himself.

Luffy, who was screaming in pain while covering his head, also recovers from the blow and launches a new round of attacks.

Faced with Luffy's attack, Kaido suddenly went from drunken depression to drunken crying!! 】

....

~One Piece World~

“Kaido cried after being beaten?! Is this really Kaido?!”

“He’s crying like a little kid!”

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

The loyalists erupted in excitement as they witnessed Kaido enter his drunken mode.

"This is Lord Kaido's legendary drunken mode!"

One of them shouted, their voice filled with awe.

"Every time I see it, it’s like witnessing something entirely new!"

Another exclaimed, unable to contain their enthusiasm.

"You fools! Do you really think a drunk Kaido is weak? This is when he’s at his most dangerous! Underestimating him now would be the biggest mistake of your life!"

A third growled, their tone fierce and protective.

"Kaido-Sama! Teach that Straw Hat brat a lesson he’ll never forget!"

Another cried, their voice ringing with unwavering loyalty.

【 "Demolition Gust——" Kaido in dragon form soars into the sky, and the bad wind destroys and cuts everything around, and Luffy can only dodge in a hurry! 

"Thunder Bagua"

Kaido turns into a dragon man again and cries loudly, but his attack is not reduced at all! 

Luffy ducked his head to avoid the attack and then collided head-on with Kaido in the form of a dragon man in mid-air!! 

The black and red Haki rushed out from the two of them, and the ground continued to collapse!! The strong wind spread from the collision between the two! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"He looks drunk, but his attacks are completely unpredictable...!"

A seasoned fighter in the crowd muttered, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of Kaido’s erratic movements.

"I’d be the last one to believe he’s actually drunk! There’s no way it’s that simple..."

A skeptical onlooker crossed their arms, their eyes narrowing as they scrutinized Kaido’s every move.

"He’s definitely pretending! This has to be some kind of trick!"

"He might look drunk, but his strikes feel even stronger than before... What’s going on?!"

A Navy strategist adjusted his glasses.

Luffy, in the video, felt this feeling even more deeply.

【 "His Haki has increased!" Luffy, who was flung away, said in surprise. 

Kaido, on the other side, covered his face with one hand and then entered a drunken rage state, angrily saying, "I finally got drunk once, but you almost sobered me up!"

As the voice fell, a hot breath erupted, and in the blink of an eye, it hit Luffy and raised a thick smoke!! 】

Notes:

Sorry for the late update, I need to double-check the content to ensure there’s nothing that might unintentionally offend anyone. even though I just translated this novel and I don't have any control over what the Author wrote. Sometimes I get Chinese word characters that it's hard to express in English, without changing the whole context of a certain sentence or paragraph.

Thank you for your understanding!"

Chapter 33: Big Mom's Defeated!! The crowd reacted

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

"It's confirmed, Kaido is definitely pretending to be drunk to paralyze the Straw Hat Luffy!!"

Someone exclaimed.

Others marveled at his technique.

"Haki getting stronger while in Drunk?! What's principle is that?!"

Despite his drunken antics, Kaido launched his most violent attacks, leaving the pirates baffled.

~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

"Kaido has too many cards...!"

"If this goes on, Ace's little brother will be in trouble!"

"Yeah!! We finally narrowed the gap, and now Kaido's Haki has increased again..."

"Come on!! Ace's little brother!!"

Marco, his pineapple-shaped hair gleaming under the light, wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked at Kaido's Haki, who had increased again! Now, it's even more difficult for the Straw Hat Boy to win...

 On Onigashima, Luffy barely blocked Kaido's breath! Then he jumped up from the smoke and entered the third gear state...

"Gumo.... Gumo No——"

"Roc Gatling—guns!"

The fist's shadows in the sky with golden light attacked Kaido like a storm!

Facing the fist's shadows, Kaido raised his mace horizontally without dodging, and black and red electric light kept jumping on the mace!

"Kundali—"

"Dragon Swarm!"

Kaido's whole body began to spin like a gyroscope, and Luffy's fists kept colliding!

The sound of sonic booms continued to echo in the air, but neither of them retreated at all!

"Boom—"

The roars of the two people accompanied the continuous collisions, and the shockwaves were even more terrifying as the two worlds' strongest forces competed!

In the fist's shadows and mace shadows in the sky, both of them endured each other's attacks, and the surrounding rocks were smashed to pieces in the aftermath!! 

Both of them were fighting back and forth with punches and clubs! 

.....

This kind of real manly duel with fists and flesh also made the people outside the video hold their breath!

~Akame Ga Kill World~ 

Brand, also known as 100 Man-Slayer Bulat, clenched his fists, excitement coursing through him.

“This is a duel between real men!”

~Naruto World~
~Konoha Village~

Might Guy, who was known throughout Konoha as the "Green Beast". stood upside down, watching the two people who were taking each other's attacks and refused to give in! He shouted with tears in his eyes that this is youth!

“Come on!! Defeat him! Luffy, knock down the Four Emperors!”

 Then there was an explosion from the intersection of the two, Luffy was thrown dozens of meters away, and then seized the opportunity before the smoke dissipated! 

Luffy's right leg became huge, and the giant foot wrapped with domineering power seized the opportunity to hit Kaido's abdomen! 

Kaido's face changed drastically, and he couldn't help spitting blood. He retreated dozens of meters, panting rapidly while leaning on the mace...

Luffy couldn't help but stop and gasp! He was not feeling well after taking those attacks just now! 

.....

~One Piece World~

"Kaido vomited blood again! He learned the Overlord Entanglement and every attack was very effective...!"

"Even the serious Kaido couldn't defeat the Straw Hat Luffy in the first place?! He really has the strength of the Four Emperors!!!"

Others speculated about Kaido’s condition.

“First, the five joined forces to fight him… Then the Pirate Hunter’s sword… Then Yamato…! Even a terrifying Kaido must have run out of energy!”

“But the Straw Hat Luffy isn’t much better. He’s been knocked unconscious several times. The damage he’s taken must be immense!”

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

"That brat could actually fight me to this extent…! "

Kaido looked at himself gasping for breath on the screen and was a little surprised.

How long has it been since he fought like this?! It has been a long time since anyone challenged him!

"Straw Hat Luffy... I will remember you"

I am afraid that this battle has reached a critical moment, and both of them seem to have little energy left.

Everyone stared at the screen intently, as if the winner would be decided in the next second!

 The screen flashed slightly, and Kaido, who was fighting fiercely with Luffy in the sky above Onigashima, suddenly shrank his pupils and hit Luffy far away with a stick!]

"Hey! Did you notice?!"

Then came Kaido's angry shout!

"Linlin was defeated!! "

Kaido, who felt the disappearance of Big Mom's aura, could not help but release his domineering aura, and his body was filled with black electric light, which continued to rage with Kaido's roar!

"Speaking of which, we have known each other for a long time." Recalling his acquaintance with Big Mom, Kaido could not help but burst into tears again after drinking, howling! 

.....

~One Piece World~

Big Mom was defeated!! At this moment, the whole pirate world was boiling!

“Did I hear that wrong?! Big Mom—the Four Emperor—was defeated?!”

“Unbelievable! How could she lose?!”

Speculation ran rampant.

"Kaido admitted this himself! It shouldn't be wrong!!"

"I remember that it seemed that Trafalgar Law and Eustass "Captain" Kid went after them! In other words, they defeated Big Mom, the Four Emperors!!!"

"Damn it!! Why it didn't show us the process... I really want to see it!!!"

~In the Totto Land~

Big Mom from Cake Island stopped eating cake and ate melons herself!

"I was defeated by that brat?..."

"I must kill them...!"

Big Mom's face was full of disbelief, and her domineering aura continued to oppress everyone.

"Mother! Please calm down...! You must have been careless! You must not have used your full strength because the other party was a brat!"

Perospero said tremblingly under pressure.

"Calm down... Mother! It hasn't happened yet, right?..."

Katakuri also comforted Big Mom with a gloomy face.

"Eustass "Captain" Kid and Trafalgar Law? I will remember you...!"

~On the other side, the Sabaody Archipelago~

The Kid Pirates have begun to get excited! This is a victory over the Four Emperors!

"We won! Captain won!!"

"Hurray!!!"

Some of his crew speculated about their new status.

"So, Captain is one of the Four Emperors from now on?! We are the crew of the Four Emperors!!!"

Eustass "Captain" Kid grinned proudly but quickly frowned.

"Our goal is One Piece. How can the Four Emperors stop us?"

Then Eustass "Captain" Kid couldn't help but grit his teeth and spoke.

“But!! Why is there only a picture of the Straw Hat Luffy? Don’t you even show me defeating Big Mom?!”

Notes:

Well, the famous scene title isn't Eustass "Captain" Kid Vs. Big Mom and it's too bad, Eustass "Captain" Kid. The one who will become Yonko is Luffy, not you.

Chapter 34: The Coquettish Kaido! Shocked everyone's jaws!!

Chapter Text

【 On the dome of Onigashima, Kaido, sensing the disappearance of Big Mom’s aura, began crying loudly after taking another swig of alcohol.

Luffy, wary of Kaido’s unpredictable behavior, didn’t dare let his guard down. He clenched his teeth, biting down on his right hand coated with Armament Haki, and transformed into Gear 4 Snake Man form.

"Bang Bang Bang——"

“I don’t care about your ambitions! But you’ve made the people of this country starve…!!” Luffy roared, his voice blending with the chaos of battle.

He declared fiercely:

“This is my last Gear 4!! I’ll never stop attacking until I’m exhausted!!!”

Luffy's violent fist hit Kaido! 

'I can't see the attack clearly.' Facing the irregular attack of the snake man's form, Kaido could only be forced to bear it, and his huge body was beaten back again and again!! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"It seems that this is the last battle!! The last Gear 4…!"

Morgans exclaimed.

Others marveled at Luffy’s determination.

"Will you not stop until you are exhausted?!"

"Is it my illusion?! It feels like Straw Hat Boy has become stronger again?!"

Some were astonished by Kaido’s predicament.

"Kaido was suppressed and retreated again and again!"

"Even Kaido couldn't see the trajectory of the attack! Straw Hat Boy is really surprising every time…!"

But it also made everyone outside the video more excited! Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors, has been defeated!

Now is the final confrontation between the old era and the new era! Whether it succeeds or fails, this peak showdown will be remembered forever!

 "Gumo Gumo No—Hydra!" Luffy's fists hit Kaido from various angles in an irregular manner. Every time Kaido dodges, he is immediately hit by a fist's shadow from an unknown place!! 

"The attack track is actually curved?! It's impossible from the nature of rubber!" Kaido thought, struggling to comprehend the strange assault.

Kaido, who couldn't fight back at all, looked at the strange attack and couldn't help but question it in his heart! 

Kaido, who passively endured the attack, could only scream in pain and hold on! 

.....

~One Piece World~
~In the Land of Wano~

Samurai watched with bated breath.

"Land of Wano may really usher in freedom!!"

"Come on!!! Luffy…"

"Drive Kaido… out of this country…!!"

They silently cheer for Luffy and eagerly anticipate the arrival of liberation.

~Moby Dick, Whitebeard Pirates~

"You did a good job in this attack… kid"

Whitebeard couldn't help but praise Luffy when he witnessed Kaido being suppressed.

 As Luffy’s violent attacks drained his stamina, he seized the opportunity to punch Kaido squarely in the face. His fist began to compress, glowing with red flames.

"King Snake——"

The charged attack with red flames kept changing positions in the air, attacking Kaido at a very fast speed! 

Kaido, who has gradually become accustomed to Luffy's weird attacks, swung out a stick and collided with Luffy's attack! 

"Boom——"

Black and red lightning continued to gather at the center of the collision between the two, and then with the explosion, Luffy also retreated dozens of meters and gasped! 

Then he launched another fierce attack. Just as he said, he would not stop attacking until he was exhausted! 

"It hurts so much! ~" Kaido, who was under attack, suddenly acted coquettishly. 

Pointing at his cheek with a sharp fingertip on his right hand, he winked at Luffy with a girlish look! 

.....

Watching this scene, everyone outside the video wanted to wash their eyes! Goosebumps all over the body!

~Gintama World~

"Not bad, but it's still a little worse than the test paper...!"

Saigou commented with his chin in one hand.

At the same time, Gintoki of the Yorozuya suddenly felt a chill!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

“Uh… This is giving me flashbacks…”

Joseph Joestar thought of his Tequila girl in women's clothing and wondered what he felt!

~One Piece World~
~Impel Down~

"Is this the tough guy?! I love it."

Ivankov is on Level 5.5; I think he has great potential!

"Is this really Kaido?! He is clearly acting like a spoiled child!!"

"Even if the Straw Hat Boy does this, I won't feel disgusted!"

Mr. 2 Bentham exclaimed.

"Kaido's majesty has fallen to the ground!... Suddenly I don't think it's that scary!"

"Is this the spoiled attack of the Four Emperors Kaido?! It's so terrifying... It's simply deadly!"

Even the always-cold Hawkeye was stunned. He has seen all kinds of scenes in his years of adventure! Now he has learned something new...

 Faced with Kaido's sudden spoiled behavior, Luffy was also disgusted and punched Kaido in the face! 

“Don’t think you’re the only one who can see the future!”

Kaido, who was beaten, sobered up and entered the drunken stealing mode! 

The body transforms into a dragon form, and the top-level observation Haki is used to the extreme, and it sees the future angle of Luffy's attack! ...

"Let me imitate you!"

The huge body dodges the punch at a strange angle and then appears behind Luffy! 

Then, in Luffy's shocked eyes, it bites Luffy's body! 

"It hurts so much——"

Even the Haki can't stop it, blood flies out of the wound...! 

Then it holds Luffy in its mouth, rushes to the sky, opens its mouth, and spits out Luffy! 

Just when Luffy hasn't reacted yet, the hot breath is ready to go...! 

The next moment, the breath that can melt rocks hits Luffy, and the hot breath instantly drowns Luffy...! 

"Boom——"

After the horrible breath submerged Luffy, it continued to move forward and penetrated the entire Onigashima!! 

Luffy continues to fall in the breath, and had already passed through Onigashima from the air, and was about to be pushed into the deep sea!! 

At this critical moment! Luffy suddenly had an idea and transformed from the snake man form to the elastic man form, and rushed out of the fire breath!! 

Luffy was desperately gasping for breath, looking thankful.

Looking at the breath that penetrated Onigashima! 

"How long can it last? This is my last Gear 4!" Luffy muttered anxiously, unsure how much longer he could endure.

Luffy used the elasticity of Stretch Man to return to the top of Onigashima, but he asked himself anxiously in his heart! 

He didn't know how long he could last in Gear 4. There was not much time left! 

Chapter 35: Roaring Thunder Bagua VS Over-Kong Gun!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Good fellow... who underestimated Kaido just now? Stand up yourself!!"

Someone exclaimed incredulously.

Others marveled at the devastation caused by Kaido’s attack.

“This attack directly penetrated the entire Onigashima…!”

“Is this one of Kaido’s various forms after drinking?! There are new moves every time!!”

Concern spread as Luffy’s condition worsened.

"Not good! Luffy's fourth gear is about to break...!"

"It's normal to be unable to hold on after taking so much damage in a row!"

But admiration remained for his quick thinking.

"The Straw Hat kid reacts so quickly. At this critical moment, he was able to react and switch to a more defensive elastic man!"

Speculation arose about the outcome.

"But Kaido probably won't be able to hold on for long. He didn't dodge the Straw Hat kid's bombardment just now!"

"I'm afraid the next attack will be the last one for both of us!"

【 "He's back again..." Kaido muttered, unsurprised that Luffy had escaped yet another deadly attack. After all, it has happened many times. 

Then he opened his mouth and kept spitting out flame bombs, but Luffy dodged them one by one! 

"Don't fail me, Gear 4!" Luffy shouted, knowing time was running out.

With no time left, Luffy plans to use his strongest attack to decide the outcome with one strike!

Luffy flies high into the sky, his right hand suddenly becomes huge, and his violent, domineering aura keeps flashing black electric light, and then covered with golden light!! 

Kaido is tired of fighting continuously and does not seem to want to avoid it, and he starts to accumulate power in his mouth!

“Gumo Gumo No—Over-Kong Gun!”

A huge fist falls from the sky and hits Kaido's head even faster, and the breath that is accumulating power explodes directly in his mouth! Smoke is coming out of his mouth...

Kaido's huge body falls from the sky after being attacked and billows thick smoke! 

“It’s not over yet!! We must defeat him completely!” Luffy declared anxiously, raising his giant fist to press the attack further. towards the fallen Kaido again! 

In the smoke, the fallen Kaido re-entered the dragon man form, with a flash of silver-black light, revealing a terrifying smile, and his skin turned dark purple. This is Kaido's drunk killing form! 

"Roaring Thunder——Bagua!"

Faced with Kaido, who suddenly stood up, Luffy couldn't dodge! 

Faster and more powerful than the Thunder Bagua, the Roaring Thunder Bagua was wrapped in black lightning and hit Luffy directly! 

Luffy turned into a beam of light and was blasted away! He smashed one mountain after another and finally fell to the ground with wounds all over his body, looking up and spitting blood with his eyes white! 

The breath of the fourth gear began to disperse, and the body began to shrink...! 

....

~One Piece World~

“It’s over. The fourth gear, whose achievements are almost unbearable, has taken this blow… I’m afraid…”

Someone whispered hoarsely.

"The roaring thunder Bagua is more terrifying than the thunder Bagua!..."

"As expected of the old four emperors! The methods are endless, and it is impossible to defend against them!"

Some speculated grimly:

"It's over now... With such a fierce blow, there is no way to resist even if you don't die!"

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

“This is Mr. Kaido’s Roaring Thunder Bagua?! It’s really scary!”

Quinn said slowly, with a look of shock on his face.

"Yes!! Maybe Straw Hat Boy is dead now!” 

Jack agreed with a lingering fear and said:

"It is no surprise that Kaido-sama won this game!! "

 Luffy, who was losing his temper, slowly regaining consciousness, clenched his teeth tightly, covering his mouth with both hands to prevent himself from ending Gear 4.

"Don't escape, my energy! " Luffy gritted his teeth and supported himself, and then he barely held the fourth gear.

Looking at Luffy, who slowly stood up, Kaido, who entered the drunk killing mode, was excited and showed a ferocious smile! 

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

“This kind of willpower is truly magnificent!”

The Sound Pillar couldn't help but praise.

Rengoku Kyojuro said with a look of approval:

“This spirit of not giving up is worth learning. The evil spirits have not been eliminated yet, and we must not give up easily!”

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

"Go!! Luffy!"

Natsu shouted excitedly.

"Come on! ..."

"Go forward on the path you believe in; this is a magic itself! "

President Makarov said to the guild members with a serious face.

 "If this doesn't work, then I'll lose." After Luffy finished speaking, his right hand suddenly inflated! Wrapped with black lightning, golden light burst out from his body, that was Tyrant!!

Then he kicked hard with one foot, and the whole person quickly went towards Kaido...!

He planned to use the 'Roaring Thunder Bagua' again

Kaido also smiled grimly and began to swing the mace with all his strength! Black lightning wrapped around the mace, and a dragon-shaped phantom appeared behind him! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I didn’t expect that he could still fight after withstanding the Roaring Thunder Bagua!”

Someone exclaimed in disbelief.

Tension mounted as everyone braced for the final blow.

"This is the last blow! !"

"After this blow, whether it succeeds or not, Luffy will fall down exhausted! ! "

"A direct confrontation between Over-Kong Gun and Roaring Thunder Bagua!!"

"What will the result be? ! It's really exciting...!"

Amid the expectant gazes of the crowd outside the screen, an unexpected situation suddenly occurred.

"Over…"

"Thunder——"

Just as the two's attacks were getting closer, a masked figure suddenly appeared on the battlefield with moon steps!!

Then he grabbed Luffy's arm tightly and entangled it tightly!

"Iron Block"

Luffy was caught off guard by this sudden scene.

"CP-0! Why is he here? "Kaido looked surprised.

Kaido couldn't help but recall a similar scene, but he couldn't stop using the mace!

Kaido looked at Luffy, who was hit by his mace with difficulty!

Luffy was hit in the face by the mace with a black electric light and thunderous force!

Could only scream and swallow a mouthful of blood before he was smashed to the ground. Gear 4 could no longer maintain itself!

He was seriously injured and unconscious! 

Kaido silently looked at Luffy who was lying on the ground, his eyes were bloodshot, and his eyes were full of grief and anger! 

The only thing missing was the joy of victory...

Such a hearty battle was actually interrupted by a jumping clown! 

Chapter 36: The Fifth Gear!! This is my highest point!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

Gilgamesh clenched his fists tightly, his voice laced with fury.

“You dare?! Zasshu!!”

Being interrupted during such a climactic battle felt like spoiling a perfectly cooked meal—an unpleasant aftertaste lingered.

~Fairy Tail World~
~Earth Land~

"You actually interfered with this duel! It's really infuriating..."

Erza Scarlet frowned deeply, her voice tinged with frustration.

~Cautious Hero World~

"This is the consequence of not being cautious enough"

Seiya Ryūgūin crossed his arms thoughtfully.

~One Piece World~

“Iron Block? T That’s the Navy’s move! Why would the Navy help Kaido?!”

Someone exclaimed incredulously.

Others echoed their disbelief.

“And the Straw Hat Boy was obviously fighting to save that country, but the Navy actually helped Kaido instead?!”

“Yeah!!! Is there some kind of deal with the Navy?!”

This is the thought of ordinary people in the Pirate World who don't know the CP-0, and it's also the thought of many people!

The reputation of the entire navy began to decline rapidly! and there's a lot of scolding!

~Marineford, Navy Headquarters~

Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s face darkened as he watched the events unfold.

"That's the CP-0!!"

He muttered under his breath, his voice heavy with concern.

If it came to a battle between Kaido and Luffy, he definitely hoped that Luffy would win!

He sighed heavily, conflicted by his hopes for Luffy’s victory. As Garp’s grandson, Luffy represented liberation for Wano—a cause Sengoku couldn’t help but support, despite his position, and couldn’t help but sympathize with, torn between his duty and his personal hopes.

“Damn it! Why would that CP organization do this in the future?!”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku refused to believe he stopped Luffy at the cost of his life without reason, it must be from them.

The thought left him uneasy. If they were willing to go to such lengths, it could only mean one thing: Luffy’s influence was far greater than anyone had anticipated—and a threat too dangerous to ignore.

A newly recruited Navy soldier clenched his fists tightly, his admiration for Luffy evident despite his uniform.

"He lost after all...!"

He muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with frustration.

"If he had used the Over-Kong Gun for the final blow, he might have had a chance!"

Another veteran Navy officer shook his head dismissively.

But skepticism lingered among others.

"It's impossible. Kaido had already withstood the blow! It's futile to do it again!"

"If it weren't for that CP0 messing things up, at least hee wouldn't have been so regretful!"

Someone whispered bitterly.

On the other hand, regret hung heavy in the air among some pirates.

"We almost witnessed the birth of the youngest Four Emperors in the world! We almost did...!"

Someone whispered hoarsely, their voice trembling with disbelief.

This competition between the new era and the old had ended—not because of strength or skill but due to interference. The battle was lost to the Four Emperors, not by merit but by manipulation.

For many, this outcome felt hollow.

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"How could it be...!?"

Cotton Candy Lover Chopper whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Luffy is dead!"

Usopp choked out, unable to process the reality before him.

Everyone still refused to believe what they saw, but the facts proved that Luffy lost, and no matter how much they didn't believe it, they couldn't change the facts!

"It's okay, Luffy, after all, it's the future, and now you can continue to work hard to become stronger!"

Cat Burglar Nami forced a smile, trying to comfort herself—and Luffy.

"We will face many powerful enemies later; we have to become stronger!!"

Pirate Hunter Zoro's face was gloomy. If he couldn't even protect the captain, how could he be the world's greatest swordsman?

"Our journey has just begun, and we will never stop here."

Straw Hat Luffy silently resolved to grow stronger, knowing failure wasn’t an option if he wanted to achieve his dream of becoming the King of the Pirates.

~East Blue Windmill Village~

At this moment, the wailing of the Dadan family continued to sound!

"Woo...Ah!!"

"Luffy is still dead...Ahhh!!"

"Even Luffy is dead...Woo...I was againts to let him go to sea at the beginning!"

"Luffy has tried his best, he have done his best, damn CP0, if it weren't for them, Luffy wouldn't have...!"

Dadan slammed her fist on the table, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions.

"Enough!! Shut up one by one..."

Her red-rimmed eyes glared fiercely at the others.

“Luffy is the one who creates miracles continuously! How could it end like this?!”

~Somewhere in the New World, Red-haired Pirates~

"He has tried his best... We can only pray silently!"

"Create a miracle again!! Like the previous times, stand up again!"

Looking at the fat boy, Lucky Roux was constantly shouting for encouragement!

Red-Haired Shanks stood silently, his thoughts lingering on CP-0.

“I hope I don’t meet them… Otherwise…”

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

Unlike the gloomy side! The Beasts Pirates are in high spirits.

"Kaido-sama won!! "

"How can a mere Straw Hat Boy be Kaido-sama's opponent? "

"Kaido-sama is the strongest! !"

The cheering pirates did not notice that their Lord Kaido was frowning!

This is not the victory he wanted!

Twenty years ago, it was like this for Oden. Will it be the same for Straw Hat Boy in the future...?!

It is a humiliation to have such a hearty battle interrupted!!

【 Kaido stared at the white figure, full of anger, and clenched the mace in his hand!

"You should know the consequences!"

The veins in his hand were exposed, and the mace wrapped in black lightning was swung down heavily!

"Boom——" A huge roar sounded throughout Onigashima, ending the life of the disturber! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"Finally ended the life of this CP-0..."

Someone muttered bitterly.

Others shared similar sentiments.

"It's annoying just to watch... unnecessary! "

"It's as if Kaido can't win without interference…!"

Cheers erupted outside the video, united in their disdain for the disruptive Navy.

【 Kaido, who turned into a giant dragon again, entered the lower level of Onigashima and announced the victory of this battle!

The scene turned and showed the battlefield on the dome again. The battlefield was extremely quiet at this time, with only the sound of the wind blowing!

The scene showed Luffy's finger suddenly moving!

At this time, a huge elephant appeared on the screen! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"That's so freaking huge!!!"

"This is really an elephant!"

Gasps erupted as a colossal elephant appeared on-screen, dragging an entire island on its back.

“Dragging an island directly?! It’s outrageous!!!”

【 "After 800 years, that voice is there!"

"It's Joy Boy, he… is back!! " 】

.....

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

The Three Disasters all cried out in surprise!!!

"Joy Boy!!"

"How could it be that little devil? !"

"It should be Kaido-sama"

~Holy Land, Mary Geoise~

"It turned out after all!"

"Is it impossible to stop it? …!"

The Five Elders sighed collectively, resigned to the inevitable—the one devil fruit they had been looking for but had been avoiding them.

【 The screen shifted to Luffy, who lay smiling silently. His heartbeat echoed powerfully, resonating throughout Onigashima.

Steam rose from his once-critical wounds as his body began to melt slightly. White air belts swirled around him, lifting him into the air.

“It seems that I can continue to fight,” Luffy murmured, excitement surging within him.

“The sound of my heartbeat is inexplicably interesting…”

His voice grew firmer, filled with resolve.

“This is my highest point! It’s also my…”

“Fifth Gear!!...” 

Notes:

And then RIP Kaidou-Sensei, in Honor of our Teacher Kai "One stick cure the Addiction, Two stick Overlord Entanglement and Three stick Devil Fruit Awakening!" and with that, the closing Speech will announce later on keep watching

Luffy Real Teacher []

Rayleigh [x]

Kaidou [/]

Chapter 37: Fifth Gear!! Trick Kaido!

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

At this moment, the world began to boil! The sudden change of Straw Hat's body...!

What is Joy Boy that the Huge Elephant mentioned? ...

What is even more surprising is the sudden resurrection of Straw Hat.

Can the battle situation be reversed... It is all touching!

Speculation ran rampant.

"Joy Boy? Who is that...?!"

"Why do you say Straw Hat is Joy Boy?"

Some felt they were privy to an incredible secret.

“He seems to know something big!”

"Forget it, it doesn't matter!! I am more looking forward to the final result!!"

Excitement bubbled over as fans recalled Luffy’s resilience.

"Every time Straw Hat comes back to life, it seems to become stronger. What will happen this time!!"

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"That's great... Wow!"

Cyborg Franky gasped, tears streaming down her face.

"Luffy is still alive!"

Cotton Candy Lover Chopper squeaked, hugging Nami tightly.

Confusion mingled with joy.

"What has changed to Luffy?!"

Cat Burglar Nami hugged Chopper and couldn't help crying with joy

Despite their bewilderment, hope surged through the crew.

"Although I don't know what happened, I believe Luffy will win!"

King of Snipers Usopp declared firmly.

"Yes! After all, he is the man who will become the Pirate King."

Although Zoro and Sanji are confused, they can't help but feel excited when they see their captain resurrected again.

~Sabaody Archipelago~

"Joy Boy, a liberation fighter who existed 800 years ago!"

Silvers Rayleigh smiled knowingly, his voice calm but filled with reverence.

He added thoughtfully:

"His appearance will bring laughter to people..."

It seems that the person Roger is waiting for has appeared! The one who can change the world!

Barrett, who was still in the Impel Down at this time, recognized the changes in the Straw Hat Boy at a glance!

This is the awakening of the Devil Fruit! ...

~In the New World, Onigashima Island~

"The Devil Fruit awakens...!"

Kaido growled, his lips curling into a hideous grin.

He also recognized this change. Let's continue the battle just now, Straw Hat Boy!

"What the hell?!"

Jack looked like you were teasing me again! How many times has this Straw Hat kid been knocked down? Now he is alive and kicking again...

Frustration boiled over.

“It’s just a rubber fruit, not a phoenix! Can’t it be killed?!”

~Somewhere in the New World, Red-haired Pirates~

Lucky Roux cheered loudly, his voice filled with relief.

"Great... Luffy is fine!"

"And the devil fruit has awakened, finally there is a chance to defeat Kaido!"

Red-Haired Shanks smiled softly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

It seems that I bet right on the new era; the new era is coming!!!

 Under the moonlight, Luffy, who got up again, bounced around, and the ground also bounced like rubber! 

Luffy's whole body turns white at this time, with smoke-like ribbons wrapped around his body! 

Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Luffy's Conqueror's Haki burst out, and the Haki turned into black thunders that devastated the surroundings.

Kaido’s subordinates on the lower levels of Onigashima were instantly overwhelmed by the sheer force of Luffy’s Conqueror’s Haki, collapsing one after another.

Even the remaining elites, who prided themselves on their strength, found themselves unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure.

Kaido suddenly raised his head, his eyes narrowing as he gazed upward. Something—or someone—had appeared on the dome of Onigashima, and the aura they radiated was impossible to ignore.

The next moment, a giant arm smashed through the roof and grabbed Kaido’s body!

Even Kaido in dragon form seemed so powerless and insignificant in front of this giant hand! 

He was dragged back to the dome of Onigashima without any ability to resist and was waved by Luffy like a rope! 

Kaido's eyes widened after being thrown, and then Luffy swung his left and right like a snake! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is awakening really that powerful? Kaido is being swung around like a rope?!"

Others marveled at Luffy’s newfound abilities.

"So strong!! Straw Hat Boy has become so strong!"

"The ground has also turned back to rubber! Is this the awakening of the Devil Fruit? It can affect the surrounding environment!"

Some couldn’t help but laugh at Luffy’s antics.

"Why is Straw Hat Boy laughing all the time? Although it is worth celebrating to be resurrected... you don't have to laugh all the time!"

 Luffy, who had been swung enough, let go of Kaido's hand and lay on the ground laughing! 

Kaido slowly came back to his senses from the ground and looked at Luffy with an expectant expression! 

"Straw Hat Boy, you are still alive, thank you!"

"I don't want to win unfairly like that!"

Then he opened his mouth wide and exhaled a hot breath directly at Luffy, who was laughing in the distance! 

Luffy seemed to be frightened by this attack and was stunned like Tom from Tom & Jerry! 

Then he lifted his hands on the ground, and the whole ground was pulled up like rubber, forming a wall! 

Then he bounced the breath back, and the hot breath bounced back to Kaido at a faster speed! 

Under Kaido's unbelievable eyes, Kaido was engulfed by his own breath! The flames kept burning on his body, and he cried out in pain! 

Kaido shook the flames on his body and observed the changes of the Straw Hat Boy! 

"I'm really sorry for that idiot before!" Kaido said in a deep voice, thinking of the previous battle. 

"Don't worry!" Luffy grinned confidently and clenched his fist with one hand. 

"Let's fight it out!" 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"What a talent… Straw Hat Boy!"

Others noted the drastic improvement in his abilities.

"Before, he could only dodge Kaido's breath, but now he bounces it back easily!"

Some found his playful demeanor unsettling.

"The Straw Hat Boy's ability that is almost like playing!… It's really scary."

Excitement grew as fans speculated about the outcome.

"The battle just now… Rather than a battle, it's more like Straw Hat Boy playing with Kaido!"

"Kaido must feel bad to be attacked by his own breath!"

"It seems like he can really win this way!!"

Questions lingered about Luffy’s transformation.

"But doesn't the awakening of the Paramecia Fruit only affect the surrounding environment? What's with his white hair and the ribbons floating around him like clouds?!"

~The Straw Hat Pirates~

"Oh oh!!!!"

Luffy's eyes were shining, and his face was full of excitement.

"Is this the new ability!!! Gear 5! So cool!"

He flexed his hand confidently.

"Not only if it was me, could I turn the ground into rubber and bounce back Kaido's attack?"

Chapter 38: Mastering Thunder and Lightning!!

Chapter Text

【 Kaido stared in disbelief as Luffy bounced around effortlessly. “Changing the surrounding environment is a Paramecia awakening! But this kind of transformation… Isn’t that only for Zoan-types?!”

Before Luffy could react, Kaido opened his massive jaws and swallowed him whole.

But inside Kaido’s body, chaos erupted. Luffy stretched Kaido’s organs, even turning his eyes into rubber and pulling them out. With a burst of elasticity, Luffy emerged unscathed. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people watching were shocked! It seemed that they felt so painful when they thought about someone grabbing their eyes from their bodies!

Tom and Jerry said that they were familiar with this operation!!

~Dragon Ball Z World~

Piccolo grimaced, recalling a painful memory.

“I’ve been through this before… So let me give you some advice: don’t swallow everything into your mouth.”

He paused, emphasizing his point with a wry smile.

“The key is to chew it first—don’t swallow raw! Otherwise, you’re just giving them free rein to do whatever they want inside you.”

 Luffy, who came out of Kaido's body, rushed directly into the thundercloud with lightning and thunder! 

"Gumo Gumo No—"

A voice was heard in the dark cloud, and then a giant several hundred meters tall appeared, stretched out his hand, and grabbed Kaido's body! 

"Jumping rope—"

Kaido could only scream as Luffy swung him in the air like a skipping rope. After reacting, he hit Luffy at close range with a breath! 

Turned Luffy into a charcoal-like shape, and then the huge figure returned to its original size! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"How did you achieve such a huge body?!"

Someone exclaimed.

Others marveled at the transformation.

"Is this the fifth gear?! The original third gear could only grow partially, but now it can grow as you wish!"

Some compared it to giants.

"This body feels bigger than the giants!!"

"The Four Emperors are being waved around like a kid's skipping rope!"

Excitement grew as fans speculated about the outcome.

"Speaking of which, the Straw Hat Boy was burned to charcoal by his breath again... I feel like I'm used to it!"

Laughter erupted when Luffy was burned again.

"As expected! I said I'm used to it!"

"Keep jumping up and down!"

 Luffy, who was burned to charcoal, shook himself and regained his spirit. His legs began to dance quickly, and he rushed toward Kaido again! 

"Ragnaraku—"

The giant stick wrapped in black lightning hit Luffy's head by itself and directly embedded Luffy into the roof. 

Everyone on the lower level of Onigashima was shocked by this sudden scene and showed amazing facial expressions! 

Then Luffy, who pulled his head out from the roof, gradually returned to his original appearance in one breath! The white hair on his head disappeared, and his body gradually became weak, looking like a little old man. 

Kaido also shows a surprised expression when he sees this scene: "It's just like a comic book." 

Then his body couldn't hold on, half-knelt on the ground, leaning on the mace and breathing heavily! 

.....

~One Piece World~

Fans couldn’t help but laugh at the exaggerated expressions.

"This exaggerated expression and action are just like what Kaido said, just like a comic book!"

Some joked about Kaido’s taste in entertainment.

"By the way, a tough guy like Kaido also reads comic books!..."

Others noted Luffy’s comedic flair.

"The Straw Hat Boy seems to have become a character like a comedy comic!"

Veterans offered advice:

"Never fight with a comedy comic character, this is the experience of a veteran!"

Questions lingered about the aftereffects of Fifth Gear.

"This is the aftereffect of the fifth gear? Luffy who has become an old man! "

"Now both of them are at their limit! they can't hold on for long!"

Both fighters were nearing their limits.

 Luffy's face is on the ground, he is weak and says in a very depressed tone: "I'm going to die... This physical consumption is really enormous!

Kaido responded solemnly in a deep voice: "Just go to death with peace of mind! Your story will be sung by someone!"

Luffy remembered Tama and Kin'emon's last request and also remembered why he came here! 

Isn't it just to liberate this country!? How can it end here? 

The majestic heartbeat sounded again, the hair turned white again, and the white steam appeared again and turned into a white ribbon wrapped around his body...

The whole person also returned to his old man appearance, jumping around full of energy! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It's confirmed, he ate the Phoenix Fruit! He's standing up again!!"

Others groaned in frustration.

"Whoever fights Straw Hat Boy in the future will be annoyed..."

Some marveled at his resilience.

"He can't be killed... He can't be killed at all...!"

Questions arose about the nature of Fifth Gear.

"But, judging from the posture just now, it feels like the Fifth Gear is not consuming his life!!"

Then, Luffy and Kaido have another fierce battle. As the battle continued, Kaido found the key!

【 This white posture is wrapped with not only Armament Haki! But also Conqueror Haki! I've never seen such a free fighting method... 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"Is Armament Haki and Conqueror Haki wrapped at the same time?"

"Unheard of!"

"Is this really possible? I've never heard of it!"

【 At this time, Luffy used the elastic force to rubberize Kaido's head with one punch and used the elastic force to bounce Kaido away! 

After crashing into the mountain, he lay on his back, spitting out blood, covering his injured face with one hand, and his face became heavy as he spoke: "Who are you?" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why would Kaido ask such a strange question?"

Someone wondered aloud, their voice tinged with confusion.

Others began to theorize.

"Does he think that the person in front of him is not the Straw Hat Boy?"

Speculation grew wilder.

"Could it be replaced? But this possibility cannot be ruled out?!"

【 Faced with Kaido's questioning, Luffy bounced into the air, showing his own smile and saying familiar words loudly: "I am Monkey D. Luffy... the person who going to surpass you... and the man who becomes the King of the Pirates!!

Kaido showed a relieved smile: "I feel relieved to hear that you are still so arrogant." 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"It is Luffy-Senpai indeed! !"

Bartolomeo squeaked excitedly.

"It is absolutely correct, Luffy is Luffy! "

Hearing these familiar words, the pirates were 100% sure that this was Luffy!

 Then he emitted purple light all over his body, leaped forward, and swung the mace in his hand continuously!

"Kundali—Dragon Swarm!"

The mace, wrapped in a domineering aura, was swung continuously, turning into a violent storm to attack Luffy!

Luffy, who was hit with dents all over, spun his body and began to return the favor with random punches!

Kaido vomited after being beaten. The blood was repelled for a distance, and Luffy also bounced and fell to the ground! 

Luffy flew into the air with the help of elasticity and smiled widely at the dark clouds with lightning and thunder! 

"I have a good idea!"

"Gumo.... Gumo No— Kaminari!!"

Luffy's figure kept flashing in the lightning, and then he grabbed the lightning and threw it out! 

But Kaido dodged it and then hit Luffy with a mace! 

Luffy, who was hit, turned the lightning in the air into rubber and used the elasticity to launch himself directly! 

Luffy flew into the sea of ​​clouds and caught the lightning. Like the arrival of Thor, lightning kept attacking Kaido from his hands! 

Chapter 39: Flame Gossip!! vs Ape Sharpshooter!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

Everyone was shocked by the Straw Hat boy who looked like the god of thunder!

"Is this really rubber? Not the Thunder Fruit...?"

"I can understand that rubber is insulated, but why is it so exaggerated!"

Enel, who was in an unknown place [Moon], couldn't help but twitch his lips when he saw this scene!

When you beat me, lightning didn't work on you. Now you just don't act anymore, right? In fact, you are the one who has the ability of the Thunder Fruit...

~Fairy Tail World~

"By the way, can Laxus do this?"

Erza tilted her head thoughtfully.

Everyone turned to Laxus with eager eyes, expecting him to demonstrate something similar.

Laxus raised his hands defensively, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I am the Thunder Dragon Slayer... not the god of thunder!!"

Just because I can eat lightning doesn’t mean I can pull off stunts like that.

【 Kaido’s body flashed past the thunderbolts, appearing behind Luffy in an instant. He swung his mace wrapped in black lightning, knocking Luffy to the ground.

“It’s amazing how things work,” Kaido growled. “Just like Roger—he wasn’t a Devil Fruit user either!”

Luffy fell to the ground with the help of rubber cushioning and then bounced into the air, but this also made him a living target! 

“Devil Fruit alone cannot dominate the world,” Kaido declared.

“Only Haki… can trump all else!”

His voice grew deeper, almost reverent.

"Destroyer of Death..."

"Thunder Bagua—!!!" 

Kaido’s eyes glowed red as purple lightning surged across his body. With a mighty swing of his mace, he struck Luffy, sending splashes of purple lightning everywhere! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"Destroyer of Death...Thunder— Bagua!!! How many trump cards does Kaido still have that he has not used!!!"

Others reflected on the profound nature of Haki.

"Only Haki... can trump all else?! It's really profound! "

Some expressed awe at the battle itself.

"The two of them fought back and forth. It's a great honor to be able to see such a battle, let alone participate in it!!"

Speculation arose about other powerful figures.

"Speaking of which, Red Hair, one of the Four Emperors, doesn't seem to be a Devil Fruit user, but his Haki is terrifying!"

Concern lingered for Luffy.

"I don't know if Straw Hat Boy can hold on. You know, neither Thunder Bagua nor Roaring Bagua could hold on!"

The two sides can be said to have revealed their trump cards. The next one should be the final showdown!!

 Luffy, who was hit, was hanging in the air. Although he was covered in wounds, he held Kaido's chest tightly with one hand! 

"Dragon Twister—"

"Demolition Breath!"

Kaido saw this and changed back to dragon form, and countless sharp wind blades shot towards the sky!

"Your vulnerability to cutting attacks hasn't changed." Kaido sneered.

Luffy in the clouds in the sky was bleeding, but he still held Kaido's body tightly! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

“What is Straw Hat Boy going to do?! If you don’t let go, you’ll really die!!”

Others speculated about Luffy’s strategy.

"Do you want to continue using lightning?! Although it is useful, Kaido may not be able to withstand it!"

Concern remained about Luffy’s weaknesses.

"Sure enough! Even in the fifth gear, cutting attacks is still a weakness!!"

Just when everyone was guessing what Straw Hat Boy was up to, the next second shocked everyone's eyes!

 "It's time to end it!" Luffy's desperate shout came from the sky above the dome of Onigashima...! 

The next moment, a black fist bigger than Onigashima fell from the sky! With black and red lightning symbolizing dominance, it came like a natural disaster! 

Kaido's huge dragon form was as small as an earthworm in front of this huge fist! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone outside the video was stunned by this fist bigger than the island!!

The size was beyond people's imagination, and the sense of oppression made everyone feel extremely frightened!

"Is this really something a human can do?!"

"Should I say this is still a human!!"

"Even Kaido can't handle this huge fist!!"

"Is this earth-shattering fist going to destroy Onigashima as well!"

 "I accept your challenge!" The hot breath in Kaido's dragon form continues to condense and then gradually covers his entire body, turning into a fire dragon! 

"Flame Dragon Torch!"

The scorching heat continues to melt the surroundings, and with a casual sweep of his body, the giant horn on Onigashima melts and falls off in an instant! 

"Gomu... Gomu No—Monkey God Gun!!"

"Rising Dragon—Flame Bagua!"

The dark fist in the air with black and red lightning collides with the dragon's body below, which is wrapped in flames like hell magma! 

Two rays of light, one red and one blue, collided in mid-air, and the sky seemed to light up as if a light bulb had been lit, emitting an extremely bright light, illuminating the entire dark Onigashima! 

The next moment, it was like a nuclear explosion, and the shock wave continued to hit everywhere, destroying everything it touched! 

The sky continued to twist, the air continued to roar, and the sea of ​​clouds cracked! 

"What kind of world do you want to create, Straw Hat Boy?!" The Flame Dragon held Luffy's fist and asked loudly. 

Luffy endured the erosion of the terrifying high temperature on his right hand and replied in an extremely firm tone:

"I want... a world where all my friends... can eat well!!!" 

As Luffy roared, it seemed as if there was an extra force on his body, and his huge fist exerted force violently!! 

The huge fist of the Ape God Spear broke through the flames and hit Kaido! 

Kaido's eyes suddenly turned white, the flames on his body gradually disappeared, and he fell to Onigashima like a meteor! 

Like Big Mom before him, Kaido disappeared into the molten depths without resistance.

And Luffy floated in the air, looking at the wishes on the lanterns sent from Flower Island! He smiled knowingly and closed his eyes! 

At the end of the video, a bounty poster appeared:

Straw Hat Luffy – 3 Billion Baileys! 】

.....

Straw Hat Boy Luffy vs. Kaido, the winner is Straw Hat Boy!!

The new Four Emperors are born! The world pattern is about to undergo earth-shaking changes...

At this time, the entire pirate world was in uproar...

Notes:

Laxus believes to yourself, you can do that!

And the Closing remark of Teacher Kai, "Devil Fruit alone cannot dominate the world, only Haki... can trump all else!" It was a significant remark to remind his top student, Luffy, not to rely too heavily on the Devil Fruit but rather on his own perseverance, "Haki".

Also never forget the one last teaching of Teacher Kai to his top Student before leaving the training ground "What kind of world do you want to create Straw Hat Boy?!" -Kaidou, before signing off, he always reminded his student to never forget their dreams.

Chapter 40: Everyone's Reaction! With a new inventory!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~One Piece World~

Looking at the smiling face on the wanted poster—Straw Hat Luffy: 3 Billion Baileys —the world collectively gasped. This marked the end of the old era and the rise of a new emperor.

In Dressrosa, Doflamingo clenched his fists tightly. In Impel Down, Barrett stared in disbelief. All the well-known pirates were stunned.

These people also knew that although Kidd, Law, Zoro, and others had launched fierce attacks! Except for Zoro's sword, they actually did not cause any damage!

This means that the damage was completely caused by the Straw Hat Boy alone, which can be said to be a one-on-one fight with Kaido!

Whispers of awe spread across the seas.

"The youngest of the Four Emperors in the world is born..."

"A boy who is only 20 years old defeated Kaido, who is known as the strongest creature!!"

Some marveled at the implications.

"What kind of future is that! First Big Mom and then even Kaido fell one after another..."

Others struggled to believe it.

"I can't believe it! But the winner of this peak duel on Onigashima is indeed Straw Hat Boy."

Yet what truly terrified people wasn’t just the victory—it was Luffy’s potential.

"That's not the key... The key is that he is still young! This is the most terrifying thing!"

His ability to evolve mid-battle left everyone speechless.

"The most terrifying thing is that Straw Hat Boy can continue to evolve in battle! First, Ryuo, then Overlord Entanglement, and finally a Devil fruit awakening! "

"It's incredible that miracles happen to the same person one after another!"

~In the New World, Land of Wano~

"Great!! Woo…"

"Straw Hat Boy Luffy is the hero of Wano Country!! "

The oppressed people of Wano Country began to feel a little impatient, and their originally numb eyes glowed again…

Hyougoro was already in tears:

"Mr. Straw Hat… What an incredible person!"

The Nine Red Scabbards remnants couldn't help crying with joy, finally! Revenge for Oden-Sama!!

Years of perseverance had paid off. Wano Country still had a future—a day when it would tear through the darkness and usher in freedom.

At this moment, the samurai of Wano were filled with hope. They firmly believed that one day, the boy with the straw hat would set foot in their land again.

~East Blue, Windmill Village~

"Wow... That's great!!"

The bandits cheered wildly, hugging each other in celebration.

"I knew Luffy would definitely win!"

One boasted.

Another rolled their eyes.

"Stop lying! It was you who said Luffy was dead just now!!"

The guilty party laughed nervously.

"How... How is it possible? I watched Luffy grow up, how could I say that!"

Faced with their companions' guilty excuses, the bandits hugged each other and boasted happily, saying that Luffy was able to defeat Kaido because their cheering and prayers worked!

~Somewhere in the New World, Red Hair Pirates~

"They really won!!"

"It's a miracle! I just said I believe Luffy will win, but I don't know for sure!"

After all, their opponent was none other than Kaido—one of the Four Emperors.

"Shanks! Luffy is about to surpass you!"

The pirates started to cheer as if Luffy could surpass Shanks in the next moment!

"Then come on! A new era is coming... I'm looking forward to it even more!"

Shanks laughed when he heard this, laughing loudly.

"Let's have a party!!! To celebrate Luffy's success in defeating Kaido...! Cheers!"

"Oh!!! Cheers!!"

~Navy Headquarters, Marineford~

“Hey hey!! Is this true? Kaido was actually defeated! How terrifying.”

Admiral Kizaru trimmed his nails lazily, a hint of surprise crossing his otherwise indifferent expression.

"He will definitely be a big worry in the future, and pirates should be eliminated." 

Admiral Akainu clenched his fist and showed a terrifying expression.

This kind of pirate should be eliminated as soon as possible before he is fully grown!

"What?! Okay!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi, his face solemn. The Five Elders had summoned him—likely regarding Joy Boy.

“This sea will never be calm…”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku muttered, rubbing his temples.

It seems that this kid will grow into a more troublesome opponent than Kaido in the future!

But he can't guarantee whether Garp will do anything or not, it's really troublesome! It's too much of a headache!

But Garp thinks it's nothing. Luffy said he was a pirate, but he was more like an adventurer!

And he did a good thing, saving Alabasta and liberating Wano Country!

~On the other side, Onigashima Island~

The Beasts Pirates are full of oppressive atmosphere at this moment!

Everyone's face is full of shock and disbelief; all eyes widened!

"Kaido-sama...!"

"That powerful Kaido-sama actually...!"

"Impossible!! Kaido-sama is one of the Four Emperors! How could he be defeated by a young boy."

At this moment, everyone in the pirate group doesn't believe the fact in front of them. They don't believe that Kaido, the strongest creature, will be defeated in a one-on-one fight!

Unlike the pirates who don't believe the fact, Kaido, the protagonist of the Beasts, laughs!

"If you lose, you lose. No need to find any excuses. Besides, there hasn't been a battle like this for a long time!"

~In the Totto Land, Cake Island~

Even Big Mom herself hadn’t expected Kaido to fall into a one-on-one battle.

"Damn kid...! Do you want to use us as a springboard?! Then come on! I'll show you the true terror of the Four Emperors!"

She cackled menacingly, her gloomy smile sending chills down spines.

"Mah... Mah!"

Big Mom laughed with a gloomy face!

(Big News) Morgan was excited:

"What a big news!! The world will be turned upside down!"

~Fairy Tail World~

"What a fierce battle!"

Natsu Dragneel exclaimed, his eyes wide with awe.

Gray Fullbuster nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! The two of them fought back and forth! All their cards were revealed!"

Erza Scarlet smiled softly at the harmonious scene.

"Luffy's willpower is incredible! Every time he thought he couldn't do it, he survived!"

"I wonder if the next video will be as exciting as this!"

Natsu and Gray said simultaneously.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“This review is really thrilling!! Reversal after reversal!”

He mused aloud:

“But the fighting methods in this world are fascinating. Rubber arms that extend and hold thunder… Incredible!”

~Naruto World~

“Such a battle is truly terrifying. We wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Jiraiya chuckled wryly, scratching the back of his head.

~One Punch Man World~

"I'm so envious! There is an equal opponent."

Saitama said slowly after defeating the monster in front of him with an expressionless punch.

"When can I have an equal opponent?! Let me feel the long-lost blood!"

Just when other worlds began to discuss, a new inventory video appeared!

 

 

【 Top 8: Demon Slayer — Hinokami Kagura, Mount Natagumo Arc 

Notes:

Didn't the author say the top 8 is Vasto Lorde vs Ulquiorra? It's too bad, it's Demon Slayer and it seems I need to watch it for a better translation of the upcoming chapters.

Chapter 41: Mount Natagumo

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Hey!! Another new video has begun...!"

"It seems that it will not stop until the ten episodes are broadcast. I wonder what kind of battle this time will bring!!"

"Yeah! This time it's Demon Slayer? The title doesn't reveal any information!"

"From the title, I feel something that will not be good on my heart...."

As soon as they saw a new video, people in other worlds began to be spectators!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Ghost? Could it be Dio!!!"

The group who had just entered Egypt was shocked.

"If it's really Dio, maybe we can know the information about his stand..."

Joseph Joestar looked thoughtful.

"And the first use of Sun Breathing? Could it be like my Hermit Purple?!"

Jotaro Kujo also decides after hearing this.

"Then let's take a break! First, watch this video to see if there is any information about Dio!"

~Inuyasha World~

"Demon Slayer? Is it a sword?"

Inuyasha glanced at the Tessaiga in his hand, deep in thought.

After all, Tessaiga is known to be able to kill hundreds of demons with one sword, so killing demons is no problem...

~Demon Slayer World~

“Ghost? Could it be our world?”

Tanjiro, who had just finished the Final Selection, froze upon seeing the title. His heart raced, and his mind immediately flashed to Nezuko, his family, and the demons he had sworn to defeat.

Speaking of ghosts, he was no stranger to them—he had joined the Demon Slayer Corps to eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji.

“Sun Breathing? Could it be the breathing style of one of the Pillars?”

The other Pillars exchanged puzzled glances. But doubts remained.

“Speaking of demons and breathing styles, it should be our world. But Sun Breathing? It seems none of us uses it…””

Shinobu Kocho, ever calm and analytical, tilted her head slightly, her butterfly hairpin catching the light.

Giyu Tomioka turned to Rengoku Kyojuro curiously.

“Flame Pillar, is this your Breathing Style?”

Rengoku Kyojuro shook his head firmly.

“No, I’m using Flame Breathing. I don’t know anything about Sun Breathing.”

Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar, clasped her hands together, her cheeks flushing with excitement.

“Oh! Maybe it’s a new style! Something even more powerful than what we’ve seen!”

Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Pillar, scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. His scarred face twisted into a scowl.

“Tch. Sun Breathing? Sounds like nonsense. If it were real, we’d know about it by now. Probably just some fairy tale.”

~In the Infinite Castle~

Unlike the Pillars' doubts, Muzan Kibutsuji widened his eyes after seeing the title, and his whole body was shaking with cold sweat!

"Muzan...sama?!"

Mukago asked nervously. who was standing by, looked at Muzan Kibutsuji's strange behavior and couldn't help but wonder.

"What happened? Muzan-sama!"

She pressed.

Muzan ignored Mukago's question, he remembered the man who had almost killed him with a blade!

The screen first heard a man's voice

【 The screen starts, and two young men appear in the dark screen, staring at each other! 

One of them has red hair and red eyes, and there is a large scar on his forehead! Holding a broken sword, he was covered in wounds and carrying a wooden box on his back, and he was breathing heavily! 

The other one had white hair and a white body! 】

....

~Demon Slayer World~

"That boy..."

Tomioka Giyu’s calm eyes flickered slightly, a rare hint of emotion breaking through his usual stoic demeanor. His gaze lingered on the screen as if searching for something—or someone—familiar.

"Is he someone you know?"

Rengoku Kyojuro, ever perceptive, turned his head sharply toward Giyu, his fiery eyes alight with curiosity.

"He is the new apprentice of Master Urokodaki..."

Giyu finally said, his voice calm and measured.

After hearing the words, everyone turned their heads to look at Tomioka Giyu and waited for his next words.

As a result, Giyu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the screen. He offered no further explanation, no elaboration. In truth, this was all he knew—or at least, all he was willing to share. His mind, however, wandered back to the boy he had encountered that fateful day. The determination in Tanjiro’s eyes, the unwavering resolve to protect his sister… was something Giyu hadn’t seen in a long time.

Sanemi, however, rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Tch. Another rookie. Just what we need—more dead weight,”

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"Gojo-sensei! He has white hair just like you!"

Yuji Itadori exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise as he pointed at the screen.

Gojo Satoru, ever the larger-than-life figure, tilted his head slightly, his ever-present blindfold hiding his eyes but not his smirk. He reached out with one long arm and pressed down on Yuji’s head, ruffling his pink hair with playful roughness.

“He’s not as tall as me, though!”

Gojo declared, his tone dripping with mock superiority.

Megumi Fushiguro, standing a few steps away, let out a quiet sigh. He crossed his arms and glanced at the screen with his usual stoic expression.

“It’s just hair color,”

He muttered, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You’re acting like you’ve never seen someone with white hair before.”

Nobara Kugisaki smirked and chimed in.

“Yeah, Yuji, don’t get too excited. Not everyone with white hair is as… extra as Gojo-sensei.

She emphasized the last word, shooting a pointed look at Gojo, who simply grinned in response.

“Extra?”

Gojo repeated, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense.

“I prefer to think of it as charisma. But I get it—not everyone can handle this much charm.”

He struck a dramatic pose, his white hair catching the light as if on cue.

~Gintama World~

"Gin-san, that is the same white hair as yours! And it is straight hair! The straight hair you have always wanted!"

Kagura picked her nose and flicked it!

Gintoki punched Kagura on the head and said angrily.

"Gin-san! wanted straight hair, but he has white hair, and I have silver hair, okay? you idiot!"

【 Tanjiro stared ahead with cold sweat on his face, thinking in his heart, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Urokodaki, Mr. Haganezuka! It's all because of my immaturity that the sword was broken!"

Before he could think more, Rui began to swing the silk thread, and the silver-white silk thread emerged from his hand and attacked Tanjiro! 】

.....

~One Piece World~

"Fufufufu… how interesting, It's very similar to my ability!"

Doflamingo exclaimed, his trademark grin spreading across his face as he watched the silk threads erupt from Rui’s hand.

“To think there’s someone out there who can manipulate threads like I can. And here I thought I was one of a kind.”

He chuckled, his voice low and filled with amusement.

Trebol, standing nearby, slithered closer with his usual grotesque grin.

“Doffy, Doffy! Are you saying this brat’s as good as you?”

Doflamingo ignored Trebol’s rambling, his focus entirely on Rui’s technique.

“Fufufufu… this is going to be fun.”

He murmured to himself, his eyes never leaving the screen.

~Akame Ga Kill World~

Lubbock stared at the Imperial Weapon in his hand, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare look of genuine surprise.

His fingers tightened around Cross Tail, the familiar threads of his weapon responding to his touch as if sensing his unease. Slowly, he raised his eyes to the screen, his voice low and measured as he spoke.

“It… actually has the same ability as my Imperial Weapon,”

Tatsumi scratched the back of his head and offered a tentative smile.

“Maybe it’s not a bad thing, though. If it’s similar to yours, Lubbock, maybe we can learn something from it. You know, like how to use it better or something.”

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 6: Stone Ocean Worldline~

Jolyne Cujoh called out her stand, wondering if she could make it as cutting as on the screen! But after trying several times, it still didn't work, it was still a soft silk thread!

 Tanjiro barely dodged the attack, gasping for breath as the silk thread drew scratches on the ground one after another! 

'After all, he has controlled his power to the point where he won't kill me, but he still forced me into this! '

"I understand… Then tear me into pieces!" Rui said these terrifying words expressionlessly. 

Just when Tanjiro was still thinking about countermeasures, Rui's right hand retracted! The overwhelming silk threads fell like a spider web! 

In the blink of an eye, it was already in front of him! If nothing unexpected happens, he will be torn into pieces by these threads! 

'I can't dodge it,' Tanjiro thought anxiously as he looked at the silk threads. 

The next moment, blood spurted out everywhere! Tanjiro looked at the figure in front of him in surprise! 

Just at the critical moment, Nezuko, biting a bamboo tube in her mouth, came out of the box behind her and blocked the attack with her body!! 

....

~Demon Slayer World~

"The one who just came out of the box was a demon?!"

Tengen Uzui, the Sound Pillar, exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

The other Pillars exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and suspicion.

"How is it possible?! Aren't Ghosts only thinking about eating people?! She actually protected that boy."

"And as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, he actually carried a demon?!"

Rengoku Kyojuro, the Flame Pillar, crossed his arms, his fiery eyes narrowing as he studied the scene.

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.

His gentle presence seemed to calm the rising tension, and his soft, melodic voice carried a weight of authority as he spoke.

“I have received a letter from Mr. Urokodaki about this,”

He said, his tone calm and reassuring.

“He used his own life to guarantee that Nezuko would not harm humans.”

The Pillars stared at Kagaya, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

As the Pillars exchanged uncertain glances, the screen flickered, drawing their attention back to the unfolding events.

Notes:

I'll mention this in advance: I'm not well-versed in 'Demon Slayer' because I haven't watched the show, Please bear with me if I misspell something or use confusing terminology. And I would like to explain in advance that in Chinese mythology, entities like Evil Ghosts, Monsters, Evil Spirits, Earth Spirits, Yakshas, and other malevolent beings often fall under the broader category of the 'Demon Clan.' Chinese mythology has had a significant influence on Japanese mythology, so sometimes I use terms like 'Evil Ghost,' 'Demon,' or 'Monster' because Chinese wordplay and cultural nuances can be difficult to translate directly into English without adjusting the sentences to make them fit naturally.

TLDR: I added some dialogue to fit some scenes. If this is too much, let me know, and I will revert it back to normal.

Chapter 42: False Bonds! Lower Rank 5

Chapter Text

 "Nezuko!!" Tanjiro hugged Nezuko and ran out of the attack range. He came to a big tree and gently put Nezuko down! He looked at the injured Nezuko with heartache! 

"It's so badly injured! The left wrist is almost broken!"

Looking at Nezuko, who was seriously injured and unconscious but still frowning because of the pain, Tanjiro could only look anxious: "Heal it quickly! Heal it quickly!"

Rui, who was standing by, was shaking all the time when he saw this scene! He raised his right hand slowly with trembling, and said in disbelief: "Are you brother and sister?"

"So what?" Tanjiro didn't even turn his head, still looking at his sister anxiously!"

.....

~One Piece World~

"Doctor! Call a doctor quickly..."

Chopper shouted frantically, running around in circles.

Then he slapped his forehead, realizing something.

"By the way! I am a doctor!! But I can't get over it either!!"

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"This kind of injury can be cured in a flash by a Reverse Cursed Technique."

Shoko Ieiri said while holding a cigarette and staring at the dark circles under his eyes.

But judging from their physiques, they seem to be the same as ordinary people. If there is no special treatment, this hand will be useless!!

Judging by the white-haired boy, he should be the same as the cursed spirit in this world, full of disgusting smells.

"Eh, can voice have a healing effect? He just shouted to heal quickly, and Her body was actually healing!!"

Yuji Itadori chimed in excitedly.

Shoko Ieiri looked at it after hearing it, took a deep breath of smoke, and slowly exhaled. But Nezuko didn't seem to be an ordinary person either, her body was gradually healing!!

Not only that, but people in other worlds also noticed this situation!

~Bleach World~

~Hueco Mundo, Las Noches~

Aizen Sousuke stood in the grand hall of Las Noches, his sharp eyes fixed on the screen before him.

"It's healing, similar to the super-speed regeneration of the Hollow?!"

He murmured, his voice calm but laced with fascination. His mind raced with possibilities, dissecting the mechanics of the ability and comparing it to the regenerative powers he had observed in Hollows and Arrancars.

Ulquiorra Cifer, who had been standing silently in the shadows, stepped forward, his pale, emotionless face betraying no hint of interest.

“If it is similar to Hollow regeneration, then it is flawed,”

He said flatly.

“Hollow regeneration is tied to our instincts and survival. It is not perfect. This ability may share the same weaknesses.”

Aizen turned his gaze to Ulquiorra, his smile never faltering.

“A fair point, Ulquiorra. But that’s precisely what makes it worth studying. If we can eliminate those flaws, refine the ability, and integrate it into our plans… the possibilities are endless.”

 "Your... sister has become a Ghost!! But you're still with her!" Rui's eyes widened, and he stood there staring at Tanjiro. 

"That girl stood up... and protected her brother... Risking her own life..."

Rui leaned forward slightly, his blood-red pupils trembling constantly, and his eyes showed a look of desire. 

"This is a genuine bond!! I want it so much!"

Rui's sister's face was full of anxiety, and she couldn't help but call out to Rui anxiously, but Rui impatiently waved his hand, and several extremely sharp silk threads instantly cut through her sister's body!! 

Cut the body into several pieces, and the head fell directly to the ground! The silk threads continued to knock down the tree behind him! 

.....

~Fairy Tail World~

"This is not brother and sister!!"

Elfman said angrily with an expression of disbelief on his face.

His voice rose with indignation.

"A real man would not attack his sister! This is an insult to the word brother and sister!"

The people in other worlds also looked tired of looking at scumbags. A child, but really cruel!

Killed his sister, as she said, just out of impatience...

Some speculated about Rui’s nature.

Or is this a demon? There is no mercy or hesitation, not to mention any guilt or uneasiness!

【 The head that fell to the ground looked at Rui with tears in his eyes and said in a panic and fearful tone: "I have been a good sister! Give me a chance..."

Rui said impatiently with a gloomy face: "Then you kill the guy wandering around in the mountain now!"

Hearing this, the body that fell to the ground picked up the head and immediately ran towards the forest, not daring to stay any longer! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The scene in front of them shocked everyone. They had seen serious injuries, but it was the first time they saw a head that was still able to speak!

"It's talking!! The head is talking...!!"

Others marveled at the bizarre sight.

"The dead are talking!"

"The body can actually pick up its own head... and even run...!"

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"It's very similar to the cursed spirits in our world."

Gojo Satoru smirked knowingly.

It has super-fast healing, and the head and body can be separated without dying.

 Watching Rui turn around and put his hand over his heart, he said to Tanjiro with a deeply moved look: "After seeing your bond... I am deeply moved..."

"Just hand over your sister to me, and I will spare your life!"

"Let your sister become my sister! Don't worry, I will create a bond."

"The bond of fear!! I will let him know what the end of resistance is!" 

.....

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“This guy is a pervert! Taking away someone else’s sister and trying to make her your own? What a joke!”

Illya shouted, her small fists clenched tightly at her sides. Her face was flushed with anger, and her ruby-red eyes burned with indignation.

Miyu, standing beside her, nodded in agreement, her usual calm demeanor replaced by a rare look of disapproval.

~Fairy Tail World~

"It's really infuriating! This guy...!"

Mira rarely lost her temper, but this time, she snapped.

She shook her head in disgust.

"That's right! What's the use of a bond that can only be maintained by fear!!"

~Demon Slayer World~

"Nezuko is not an object! She has her own thoughts and will!"

Tanjiro, outside the video, was also full of anger when he heard this!

He clenched his fists tightly. Damn it! I must become stronger, otherwise, I will lose my only sister.

【 "Stop joking!!" Tanjiro walked out with a broken sword in his hand, his eyes full of anger. 

"I won't hand Nezuko over to someone like you!"

Faced with Tanjiro's angry roar, Rui said expressionlessly: "You have good momentum! If you can do it, come and try it!"

Rui lifted the hair covering his left eye, revealing the words in his pupil: "If you can beat me, one of the Twelve Demon Moons!"

The words ‘Lower Class’ glowed ominously in his eyes. 】

Chapter 43: The Comatose Bean

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Demon Slayer World~

"It's the Twelve Demon Moons!!"

Rengoku Kyojuro frowned, his eyes fixed on the screen with visible concern.

No wonder Tanjiro was covered in wounds at the beginning. The Twelve Demon Moons are not something a newcomer can deal with!

His gaze shifted to the other Hashira, his tone grave.

Unless he’s a genius who became a Pillar after holding a sword for just two months…

"This Tanjiro is in danger! It is impossible to defeat him with his strength now!"

"What's more, the Nichirin Sword in his hand has been broken now!"

Others nodded grimly, their expressions heavy with worry.

The gentle yet commanding voice of Kagaya Ubuyashiki cut through the tension.

"If you can, can you check where Spider Mountain is!"

The gentle voice of Lord Ubuyashiki sounded.

His tone remained serene, but his words carried weight.

“We must be prepared for both situations. What is being played now may be the future, or it may be something that is happening right now.”

He added firmly:

“Now arrange a Pillar to go and investigate. The Lower Rank Five might still be there.”

Without hesitation, Giyu Tomioka stepped forward, his expression unreadable.

"I'll go!"

His voice was flat and emotionless, yet it carried an unshakable resolve.

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn World~

Rokudo Mukuro tilted his head thoughtfully, his mismatched eyes glinting with intrigue as he touched the six-sided iris of his own eye.

“Do eyes… have words?”

His voice carried a mix of curiosity and fascination as he stared at the screen intently.

“Then what kind of ability will you have?!”

He smirked faintly, his mind already racing with possibilities.

 Tanjiro was sweating as he held the broken sword in his hand. He kept thinking about countermeasures in his mind:

"The silk thread can't be cut easily... What should I do?"

"If I use the broken blade... What if the child's neck is harder than the thin thread!"

Rui looked at Tanjiro impatiently and said in a cold tone:

"What a disgusting look... It's burning!"

"It's really annoying! Do you think you can beat me!"

After saying that, Rui controlled the silk thread and tightly entangled Nezuko under the tree behind him! Then, he dragged her into his arms. 

Tanjiro rushed over immediately when he saw this. Nezuko was also struggling, and then her sharp claws grabbed Rui's face! 

Several deep scratches suddenly appeared on Rui's face, and blood gushed out of his face! 

Rui didn't care about the blood on his face. Facing Tanjiro's attack, he slashed five sharp silk threads at Tanjiro with one hand! 

Tanjiro jumped back to avoid the attack. When he looked at Rui again, Nezuko was no longer there. A lot of blood kept falling from the top of his head! It fell on Tanjiro's broken sword. 

Tanjiro looked up and saw Nezuko's body hanging upside down in the air under the moonlight. The silk threads were embedded deeper and deeper as he struggled! Blood kept falling. 

"Nezuko!" 

...

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Damn, what a pervert!"

"He really stole someone else's sister..."

"How much love does he need?"

"Poor Nezuko... She's bleeding a lot!"

Just when everyone started to point fingers at Rui, something even more outrageous happened!

 Rui looked at Tanjiro, who was shouting with an expressionless face and said coldly: "Stop making so much noise!"

"I really need to teach her a lesson! Let her bleed for a while..."

"If she still doesn't obey me, I'll leave her until sunrise! Just roast her a little!" 】

.....

~Jujutsu Kaisen World~

Yuji clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His face twisted with anger, his usual cheerful demeanor completely overtaken by a storm of emotions as he stared at the screen.

“This guy is more cursed than a cursed spirit!”

His voice rose with frustration, raw and unfiltered, as though he couldn’t contain his disgust any longer.

“He has no emotions at all! But he imitates the bonds of humans and wants to steal emotions!”

Megumi, standing beside him, glanced at Yuji with a calm but serious expression.

“He’s empty. A shell that tries to mimic what it can’t understand.”

Gojo chimed in, his tone light yet carrying an underlying edge.

“Some people are just born without the ability to understand what makes us human. They see emotions, bonds, and connections as tools—something to be used or taken, not something to be cherished.”

Yuji shook his head, his tone hardening with disgust.

“At the end of the day, he’s just a twisted monster!”

【 "Release Nezuko!" Tanjiro gritted his teeth and shouted angrily. 

Then he rushed towards Rui as fast as an arrow shot out! 

Rui waved his right hand, and several silk threads were thrown towards Tanjiro without any rules, but they kept changing their positions as if they were conscious, and then tripped Tanjiro to the ground! 

Before Tanjiro could react, a bare foot kicked him hard, and the whole person flew backward, spitting blood! 】

....

~Demon Slayer World~

The Pillars exchanged grim glances, their expressions heavy with concern.

“He is no match at all!”

One muttered under their breath.

Another shook their head in despair.

“It’s too difficult to deal with the Twelve Demon Moons…”

They all knew the boy on the screen stood no chance against such a formidable foe.

Their hopes turned to the title of the video, clinging to the faintest glimmer of optimism.

We can only hope that the person who can use the Sun Breathing mentioned in the title will come out to save the boy’s life!

 Rui looked at Tanjiro who stood up staggeringly and walked to Tanjiro with great arrogance, opening his hands: "Come and give it a try!"

Tanjiro immediately raised the broken knife and chopped it over, but was hit by Rui's palm twice and turned twice! Tanjiro used force to chop Rui's neck! 

"Bang——"

With a sound, Tanjiro showed an incredible look, and his right hand kept exerting force, and the knife that chopped on the neck kept shaking! 

"I can't cut it in!!" 

.....

~Gintama World~

Shinpachi turned his head toward Gintoki, his expression a mix of curiosity and exasperation.

“What a hard neck!!”

He muttered before posing a serious question. He adjusted his glasses thoughtfully.

“What would you do if you were Gin-san and met such an enemy?”

Gintoki didn’t even glance up, lazily picking his nose as he replied in his usual deadpan tone.

“First, find a time machine and run away before you meet him!”

~Demon Slayer World~

At this moment, the Pillars glared at the arrogant Lower Rank Five, their anger simmering just beneath the surface.

“What a despicable creature,”

One muttered under their breath.

“So arrogant… I hope I never meet him in battle.”

Kocho Shinobu tilted her head slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing as she noticed something amiss.

“Ah, he didn’t use any sword techniques from the Breathing Styles when he slashed just now, right? It was just an ordinary swing!”

Her voice carried a tone of realization as she pieced together the problem.

“That’s why he couldn’t cut the demon’s neck—it wasn’t due to a lack of strength. He simply lacked proper technique.”

Another Pillar nodded grimly, their frustration evident.

“Huh, it seems to be true…”

They exchanged knowing glances, their expressions softening slightly with understanding.

“Too little experience, after all, he is a newcomer!”

【 Tanjiro was kicked away dozens of meters by a tired kick! After hitting the tree, he stopped and raised a huge smoke! 

Seeing this, Nezuko kept struggling in the air, which also angered Rui! 

"Woo——"

Rui raised his hand and clenched it tightly. The silk thread wrapped around Nezuko's body continued to shrink and gradually embedded into the flesh. Blood fell in pieces! Nezuko could only scream! 

Rui looked at Nezuko expressionlessly and slowly said: "Your brother is already me... Don't keep screaming!"

Afterward, Nezuko gradually became motionless and passed out, either because of excessive blood loss or physical exhaustion! 】

Notes:

Sheesh, I didn't know there were some perverts in Demon Slayer.

Chapter 44: Hinokami Kagura

Chapter Text

【 Tanjiro lowered his head, holding the broken sword tightly with both hands, trying to calm his emotions. His chest heaved as he took deep, deliberate breaths, his mind racing with a mix of frustration and determination.

'Calm down, don't let your emotions get in the way! This will play into the enemy's hands.'

He clenched his teeth, his grip tightening on the hilt of the broken blade.

'Concentrate!! Adjust your breathing! Release the most accurate form!' 】

.....

~One Piece World~

Hawkeye Mihawk sat poised in his usual composed manner, his sharp gaze fixed intently on the screen. He observed Tanjiro’s internal struggle—the way he fought to regain focus—and gave a slight nod of approval.

“He’s young, but his resolve is clear,”

Mihawk said, his deep voice calm yet imbued with the weight of experience.

He paused, his piercing eyes reflecting wisdom earned through countless battles.

“Letting anger control your body will only make the situation worse. That boy understands this—he’s learning to channel his emotions rather than be consumed by them.”

~Straw Hat Pirates~

Zoro, who had been watching intently, crossed his arms and grunted in agreement.

“He’s got the right idea. A swordsman’s greatest enemy isn’t the opponent in front of him—it’s his own emotions. If you lose control, you lose the fight.”

Luffy, seated nearby with his trademark carefree grin, tilted his head curiously.

“But isn’t it okay to get mad sometimes? Like when your friends are in trouble?”

His innocent question hung in the air, breaking the tension momentarily. Zoro sighed, shaking his head but unable to suppress a faint smirk.

~Demon Slayer World~

The Pillars watched intently as Tanjiro steadied his breathing, their expressions softening with approval.

“It seems that this newcomer is no ordinary swordsman!”

Rengoku Kyojuro remarked, his booming voice filled with admiration. His fiery eyes gleamed with interest as he observed Tanjiro’s movements.

“He can still calm himself in this situation… His mentality is impressive.”

Another nodded thoughtfully.

Shinobu Kocho tilted her head slightly, her usual serene smile deepening as she watched Tanjiro steady himself.

“Indeed,”

She said softly, her voice laced with quiet admiration and curiosity.

Her gaze remained fixed on the screen, her tone thoughtful yet probing.

“His ability to calm himself in such a dire situation is… impressive. Not many can do that, especially under such immense pressure.”

She paused briefly, her expression contemplative.

“It seems this boy has more potential than we initially thought.”

Sanemi Shinazugawa, though still visibly skeptical, crossed his arms and grunted.

“Hmph. He’s got guts, I’ll give him that. But let’s see if he can keep it up when things get even worse.”

Mitsuri Kanroji clasped her hands together, her cheeks flushing with excitement.

 “Oh, I think he’s amazing! Look at how he’s adjusting his breathing—it’s so precise! He’s really giving it his all!

Giyuu Tomioka, standing silently at the edge of the group, gave a slight nod. His usual stoic expression remained, but there was a faint glimmer of approval in his eyes.

“He’s learning,”

 Giyuu said simply, his voice calm but firm.

 “That’s what matters.”

Tengen Uzui, ever the flamboyant one, leaned back with a grin.

“Well, well, looks like we’ve got a flashy newcomer on our hands! I like his style—calm under pressure, focused, and determined. That’s what it takes to survive in this line of work.”

Seeing this, the group couldn’t help but exchange approving glances.

“Well done! The angrier you are, the calmer you must become. Only then can you break through such a dire situation.”

Despite their praise, concern lingered in their voices.

Obanai Iguro, standing quietly with Kaburamaru coiled around his shoulders, narrowed his mismatched eyes.

 “His mentality is impressive,”

He admitted his voice low and measured, though tinged with caution.

He paused briefly, his expression remaining stern and unyielding.

“But let’s not forget—the situation is still very bad. Calm or not, he’s up against one of the 6 Lower Ranks.”

 Tanjiro bends his body slightly, kicks his feet hard, and a stream of water appears on the broken sword. His body keeps spinning and tumbling, dodging the silk thread while spinning continuously! 

"Water Breathing·Tenth Form·—

"Constant Flux"

On the broken sword in Tanjiro's hand, the water gradually gathers into a water dragon, and then cuts the silk thread with force! 

"Cut it off!! Cut the thread off!" 

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

"What a gorgeous swordsmanship, is this the water breathing? It’s got a certain… flair to it. I can appreciate that."

Tengen Uzui, the Sound Pillar, remarked, his voice as flamboyant as ever. He crossed his arms, his sharp eyes following the movements on the screen with clear admiration.

Shinobu Kocho, ever the knowledgeable one, nodded with a soft smile.

“Yes, that’s the Water Breathing’s Tenth Form—Constant Flux,”

She explained, her tone calm and instructive.

“By continuously rotating the body, the user gradually increases the power of the strike. The more rotations, the stronger the attack becomes. It’s a technique that requires both precision and endurance.”

Her sister's flower breathing was born from the water breathing.

Giyu Tomioka, the Water Pillar, remained silent, his expression as stoic as ever. But his eyes lingered on the screen, a faint glimmer of recognition in his gaze. He didn’t need to speak; his quiet approval was evident.

Shinobu glanced at Giyuu, her smile softening.

“You must be proud, Tomioka-san. Water Breathing is your specialty, after all. And to see it wielded so skillfully by someone so young… it’s quite inspiring.”

Giyuu gave a slight nod, his voice calm and measured.

“He’s doing well. But the fight isn’t over yet.”

As the Pillars continued to watch, a sense of anticipation filled the air.

~Inuyasha World~

Inuyasha stared at the screen, his golden eyes narrowing as he watched Tanjiro wield a broken sword with such skill and determination.

The sight stirred something deep within him, and he couldn’t help but glance down at Tessaiga, the powerful fang sword resting in his hand.

"Can a broken sword do this?"

He muttered to himself, his voice low and thoughtful. His grip tightened on Tessaiga’s hilt as a wave of unease washed over him.

“If I didn’t have Tessaiga anymore and had to replace it with some ordinary sword… I’d be screwed. I wouldn’t stand a chance against Naraku, let alone survive.”

The thought lingered, gnawing at him. For so long, he had relied on Tessaiga’s immense power to get him through battles.

But what if, one day, he didn’t have it? What if he was forced to fight with nothing but his own strength and skill? The idea was unsettling, but it also sparked a fire within him.

Kagome, standing nearby, noticed the troubled look on Inuyasha’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

She asked, her voice gentle but concerned.

“You’ve been quiet for a while.”

Inuyasha glanced at her, his expression serious.

“That kid… he’s fighting with a broken sword, and he’s holding his own. Meanwhile, I’ve been relying on Tessaiga this whole time. What happens if I lose it? What happens if I can’t depend on it anymore?”

Miroku, leaning on his staff, raised an eyebrow.

“That’s quite the revelation, Inuyasha. Are you saying you’re considering training without Tessaiga?”

Sango, standing beside Miroku, nodded in agreement.

“It’s not a bad idea. Relying too much on one weapon can make you vulnerable. If you can hone your skills without it, you’ll be even stronger.”

Shippo, perched on Kagome’s shoulder, chimed in with his usual cheeky tone.

“Yeah, Inuyasha! Maybe you’ll finally stop yelling ‘Wind Scar’ every five seconds!”

Inuyasha shot Shippo a glare, but there was no real anger behind it. Instead, he sighed and looked back at Tessaiga.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, runt. But… you’re not wrong. I’ve been relying on Tessaiga too much. If I want to beat Naraku—no, if I want to protect everyone—I can’t just depend on this sword. I need to get stronger on my own.”

 Rui was also a little surprised when he saw the cut silk thread, and his face sank slightly:

"Every time it rotates, the power will increase! It's a bit troublesome!"

Tanjiro's body kept sprinting, rushing toward Rui with an unstoppable momentum. 

"It works!! We can win if we continue to shorten the distance like this!"

Tanjiro's broken sword kept spinning and moving forward with the water dragon, cutting off the silk thread close to him, and the distance between him and Rui kept getting closer! 

"It's useless… Do you think this is the limit of the strength of the silk thread?"

Just then, Rui's voice sounded full of disdain! Rui's hands were suddenly covered with blood, and the blood gradually flowed onto the silk thread, and the silk thread flying in his hands was gradually dyed red! 

"Blood Demon Art—"

"Cutting Thread Cage!" 】

.....

~Akame Ga Kill World~

Lubbock stared at the screen, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and fascination.

His fingers twitched slightly as if he were already imagining how to incorporate what he was seeing into his own techniques.

“I didn’t expect silk threads could be used like that ?!”

He exclaimed, his voice brimming with awe. He leaned forward, his expression alight with admiration.

“That’s… actually really impressive.”

Lubbock’s gaze shifted, reflecting a newfound determination to learn.

Akame, standing nearby, turned her head to look at him. Her crimson eyes were calm but piercing, cutting through his excitement with her usual bluntness.

“You should learn more, Your previous attack methods were too simple. Teigu is not that basic.”

Her tone carries a hint of admonishment.

Lubbock scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. No need to rub it in. But you’ve got to admit, that guy’s technique is on another level. Using blood to enhance the threads? That’s something I’d never even thought of.”

Leone, leaning casually against a wall, smirked playfully.

“Well, maybe if you spent less time goofing off and more time training, you’d come up with something like that,”

She teased, though her voice carried an undertone of encouragement.

Lubbock’s grin widened, and he crossed his arms, his earlier sheepishness replaced by a spark of inspiration.

“Alright, alright, I hear you two. No more slacking off. I’ll figure out how to make my threads even deadlier. Just you wait—I’ll come up with something that’ll blow your minds.”

Najenda’s expression softened slightly, though her tone remained firm and commanding.

“Good. Because in our line of work, standing still means falling behind. And falling behind… means death.”

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of Najenda’s words settling over them. Each of them understood the stakes, and each of them felt the unspoken truth: survival depended on constant improvement.

As they turned their attention back to the screen, a renewed sense of determination filled the air.

【 Dense red silk threads covered Tanjiro like a spider web! 

Then he closed his hands in exhaustion, and the spider-web-like cage began to shrink continuously, directly surrounding Tanjiro! He couldn't escape. 

Tanjiro's instinct told him at the moment the cage shrank that he couldn't cut it! 

Cold sweat slid down his forehead, and his pupils kept trembling!

"No... This thread can't be cut! The number of rotations is not enough!" 

"The smell is completely different from the silk thread just now! I must not lose! I'm going to die... I'm going to lose." 】

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

"He can't dodge anymore! ..."

The experienced Rengoku Kyojuro said in a deep voice.

This distance is no longer a distance that the young Tanjiro can dodge. As he said, he is going to lose!

He is just a kid who just joined the team, but he is fighting against opponents like the Twelve Demon Moons...

Giyu Tomioka, the Water Pillar, remained silent, his stoic expression unreadable.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"Come on!! Don't you have a sister waiting for you to save her too!!"

Miyu exclaimed, her voice trembling with intensity.

Illya, standing beside her, turned to Miyu with wide eyes, surprised by the outburst. She could see the raw emotion in Miyu’s expression—the fear, the hope, and the unshakable resolve.

It was a side of Miyu that Illya didn’t often see.

“Miyu…”

Illya said softly, her voice filled with understanding. She reached out and gently placed her hand on Miyu’s hand.

【 At this time, with Tanjiro's eyes as the center, countless memories turned into fragments and appeared in front of him! 

A sickly man looked at Tanjiro and Nezuko gently, and his voice was extremely gentle:

"Tanjiro... You need to breathe, adjust your breath, and make yourself completely become the Hinokami."

Then the scene changed! On a snowy night, the sickly man was wearing a ritual costume and performing a priest dance in the snow! 

Then a gentle BGM sounded! 】

...

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro, outside the video, couldn't help but be confused. Why did he think of this scene at the critical moment of life and death?

~In the Infinite Castle~

Muzan Kibutsuji's body was shaking constantly. This was the Sun Breathing move... After all, he had experienced it firsthand! He almost lost his life, how could he not be familiar with it?

There are still a few people that got an inheritance?! Didn't I kill all the people related to the Sun Breathing?

【 The scene changed again, Tanjuro Kamado reached out and touched Tanjiro's head, and said slowly and gently: "There is a way to breathe, a way that will not make you tired no matter how you move!"

"Breathe?" The young Tanjiro didn't understand what his father said. 

"That's right!" Tanjuro Kamado nodded and continued: "As long as he can breathe correctly, Tanjiro can dance all the time."

Tanjuro Kamado looked into the distance and said to Tanjiro in a very firm tone: "Tanjiro, you must pass on this Kagura and earrings, and don't let them be interrupted!"

"We have an appointment."

As the memory came back to his mind, Tanjiro's eyes condensed, and the breathing method in his mouth changed! 

"Hiss——"

Tanjiro breathed, and due to the change in breathing method, the water dragon on the broken sword also turned into a fire dragon, burning with blazing flames! 

"Hinokami Kagura—"

"Enbu!"

The flaming dragon with the broken sword in his hand suddenly cut off the silk thread wrapped around it, and just now, the extremely hard silk thread was chopped into pieces! 】

Chapter 45: Breaking the Constant Bonds!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 "My line!!"A look of horror appeared on Rui's expressionless face as if he couldn't believe that his line had been cut so easily! 

Facing Tanjiro, who was rushing towards him with overwhelming momentum! 

After reacting, Rui immediately shot out countless blood-colored threads, which kept cutting wounds on Tanjiro's body! 

"Puff——"

Blood kept spurting out of his body, but it still didn't stop Tanjiro's steps, as if his body was not his own. He rushed towards Rui with all his strength! 

'Don't stop! Keep running! If you stop now, the side effect of forcibly switching from Water Breathing to Fire God Kagura will appear! '

'In that case, I probably won't be able to move for a while. '

'So… I have to take advantage of it now! Run! I want to protect Nezuko!! '

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The roar of Tanjiro moved countless people.

"Go!"

"Come on!"

"Don't stop!..."

~Demon Slayer World~

"Tanjiro is really something!"

Rengoku Kyojuro’s voice boomed with enthusiasm, his fiery eyes gleaming as he watched the screen. The boy’s determination, his unwavering will to protect others, and his unyielding spirit had completely captivated the Flame Hashira.

"Exactly the kind of young man I admire. If conditions allow, It would be honored to guide him as if he were my own."

Rengoku Kyojuro looked at the screen with a look of approval. The boy's indelible will had completely inspired him!

The declaration was met with a mix of laughter and disbelief from those around him. Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, raised an eyebrow, his usual flamboyant demeanor tinged with amusement.

"But I can’t say I disagree. The kid’s got guts. I’d take him under my wing too if I had the chance."

Tengen chuckled, shaking his head.

"Tch. The kid’s got guts, I’ll give him that. But he’s reckless. He’s going to get himself killed if he keeps charging in like that."

Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Hashira, narrowed his eyes, his voice low and measured.

The others nodded in agreement, their eyes glued to the screen as Tanjiro continued his relentless charge, bloodied but unbroken, toward Rui.

Meanwhile, Zenitsu Agatsuma was curled up in a ball, trembling uncontrollably

"T-Tanjiro! Why are you so brave?! I could never do that! I’d just run away! But... but you’re amazing! Please don’t die!"

~Gintama World~

"Go! Since you named your moves after me, you must win! Don’t you dare lose, or I’ll beat you up myself!"

Kagura stood on the stool, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she waved her arms wildly, her voice booming through the room.

"That’s right, go for it!!! Show them what you’re made of, Tanjiro!"

Shinpachi, equally fired up, clenched his fists and joined in, his glasses glinting as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Stop making so much noise, idiots! I can hear you clearly from here! My ears are going to fall off at this rate!"

Gintoki, lying lazily on the floor with a lollipop in his mouth, groaned and covered his ears with his hands.

Kagura turned to Gintoki, hands on her hips, and stuck out her tongue.

"Shut up, Gin-chan! You’re just jealous because no one names their cool moves after you!"

Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Gintoki-san, you’re just a lazy bum who names his moves after desserts. Tanjiro’s out there fighting for his life, and you’re here complaining about noise?"

Gintoki sat up, scratching his head lazily.

"Hey, don’t drag me into this. I’ve got my own battles to fight, like figuring out how to pay this month’s rent. Besides, naming moves after food is a perfectly valid strategy. It confuses the enemy!"

Kagura rolled her eyes and turned back to the screen, her enthusiasm undiminished.

"Whatever, Gin-chan! Just watch and learn! Tanjiro’s gonna win, and it’s all thanks to my amazing name!"

Shinpachi sighed but couldn’t help smiling.

"Kagura-chan, I don’t think it’s the names that are helping him win. It’s his determination and hard work."

Kagura waved him off dismissively.

"Details, details! The point is, he’s winning, and I’m taking credit for it!"

Gintoki leaned back against the wall, smirking.

"Typical Kagura. Always stealing the spotlight. But fine, I’ll admit it—Tanjiro’s got guts. He’s like a Shounen protagonist or something. Too bad he’s not in our world. He’d fit right in with all the craziness here."

Kagura grinned, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Yeah, and then I could teach him even more awesome moves! Like the ‘Kagura Super Smash’ or the ‘Umbrella of Doom’!"

Shinpachi sighed again, shaking his head.

"Please don’t give him any ideas, Kagura-chan. He’s already reckless enough as it is."

As the trio continued to banter, their eyes remained glued to the screen, cheering Tanjiro on with their unique blend of chaos and camaraderie.

 The scorching fire dragon kept approaching, cutting off all the threads that blocked its way forward, and the distance between the two kept shortening! 

"This guy…" Rui's face showed a panicked expression for the first time. Seeing Tanjiro approaching with the fire dragon in his hand, his body began to panic! 

While waving the silk thread in his hand to stop Tanjiro, his body retreated! 

How could Tanjiro, who had finally approached, miss this opportunity? He continued to rotate his body to cut off the approaching silk threads, and he finally came to Rui! 

"I see! The thread of the gap!"

At this time, he was also surrounded by blood-colored silk threads! But Tanjiro didn't care about that at this time! 

"I want to defeat him now!"

"Even if... we both die!"

The camera turned slightly and turned to the unconscious Nezuko!

"Nezuko, wake up, Nezuko!" A gentle female voice sounded at this time, and then appeared in front of everyone! 

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjiro outside the video was already shaking, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the figure on the screen. His voice trembled as he spoke, filled with a mix of shock and longing.

"Mom...? Is it really you...?"

He took a step closer to the screen, his hands clenched into fists, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Is it a memory? Or... a soul? Why did Mom appear now? Has she... has she been protecting us all along?"

Nezuko, still in her small, childlike form, tilted her head curiously at the screen. Though she couldn’t speak, her wide, innocent eyes reflected a deep sense of recognition and warmth. She reached out a tiny hand toward the screen as if trying to touch the image of her mother.

The others in the room fell silent, the weight of the moment settling over them. Even the usually boisterous Inosuke and Zenitsu were quiet, their usual antics forgotten as they watched Tanjiro’s reaction.

 Seeing that Nezuko didn't respond, Mom couldn't help crying, and cried: "Please, Nezuko! If you keep going like this, you will kill your brother too!"

It may be that Mom's words took effect. The next moment, Nezuko suddenly opened her eyes, revealing pink pupils! She stretched out her arms and clenched them violently! 

"Blood Demon Art!"

"Blood Explosion!"

As Nezuko's voice fell, the blood that had been flowing was ignited like gasoline, and burned along the silk thread to Rui's side!! 

"Boom——"

The silk thread that originally threatened Tanjiro's life was all burned, and Tanjiro's knife also cut Rui's neck! 

"Bang——" The knife cut into the neck and made a metal collision sound, but it didn't cut it off immediately! 

"The bond between me and Nezuko!" Tanjiro looked straight at Rui. 

"No one can…cut it!!"

As the words fell, Nezuko's blood that had been dripping on the sword began to burn, and the broken sword began to turn red! 

The next moment, a ring of flames illuminated the entire night! Then, Rui's head flew out! 

.....

~Demon Slayer World~

"What a handsome sword!! Tanjiro is so cool! I wish he’d protect me too... I wouldn’t have to face those terrifying demons by myself. After all, I’m so ‘weak’ and helpless!"

Agatsuma Zenitsu’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he clutched his hands to his chest, his voice trembling with a mix of awe and envy.

"Did this boy really defeat one of the Twelve Demon Moons? Impressive... truly impressive. It seems our young demon slayer has grown stronger than we anticipated."

Mitsuri Kanroji clasped her hands together, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Tanjiro-san!! So handsome...! That final move with the flaming sword was breathtaking! And Nezuko-chan’s Blood Demon Art was so cool too! What a perfect sibling duo!"

Rengoku Kyojuro’s booming voice filled the room, his fiery eyes blazing with enthusiasm.

"Tch. Not bad, kid. Taking down a Twelve Demon Moon is no small feat. But don’t let it go to your head. There are still stronger demons out there."

Obanai Iguro, standing in the corner, adjusted his snake Kaburamaru and spoke in his usual measured tone.

"Hinokami Kagura! Is this the Breathing of the Sun?!"

~In the Infinite Castle~

At this moment, Muzan Kibutsuji watched the neck of Rui being cut off in the video and couldn't help but get angry.

"It's still too weak... The Lower Moon shouldn't exist!"

Kibutsuji Muzan felt that the Lower Moon was defeated by someone who was not a pillar; it was really too weak!

"Find the boy wearing this earring in the video! And then kill him!"

"I've been looking for the blue spider lily for so many years, but there is no movement. Now let's set our sights on this little ghost!"

Kibutsuji Muzan killed a few little ghosts to vent his anger!

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

Illya’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she watched the screen, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"So cool!! The brother and sister teamed up to finally defeat that creepy pervert!

Her voice was filled with relief and admiration, her heart swelling with emotion as she watched Tanjiro and Nezuko’s unbreakable bond in action.

Miyu, standing beside her, nodded in agreement, her usual calm demeanor softened by a small smile.

"It’s incredible how much they trust each other. Tanjiro’s determination and Nezuko’s power... together, they’re unstoppable."

Illya turned to Miyu, her expression bright and enthusiastic.

"Right?! That’s what siblings are supposed to be like! Fighting together, protecting each other... It’s so touching! "

Illya turned back to the screen, her eyes shining with determination.

"I want to be just like them! Strong, brave, and always protecting the people I care about! Let’s train harder, Miyu! We’ll become the best magical girl ever!"

Miyu nodded, her smile gentle but resolute.

~Fairy Tail World~

Elfman slammed his fist into his palm, his booming voice filled with excitement as he cheered for Tanjiro.

"Great, Tanjiro is a man!! That’s what I’m talking about! Taking down a Twelve Demon Moon with sheer determination and a flaming sword? Now THAT’S manly!"

He puffed out his chest, his muscles flexing as he struck a dramatic pose.

"Brothers protecting their sisters, fighting side by side—that’s the kind of bond that makes a man truly strong! Tanjiro, you’ve earned my respect!"

Mirajane, standing nearby, couldn’t help but smile gently at her brother’s enthusiasm. Her calm and serene demeanor contrasted with Elfman’s boisterous energy, but her eyes sparkled with pride as she watched the screen.

"Tanjiro and Nezuko’s bond is truly inspiring. It reminds me of our guild—how we always fight for each other, no matter how tough the battle gets."

Natsu, who had been lounging on the floor with Happy, suddenly sat up, his fiery spirit ignited by the scene.

"Now THAT’S what I call a fight! Tanjiro’s got guts, I’ll give him that! Taking on a demon like that with nothing but a broken sword and his sister’s help? That’s the kind of fire I can respect!"

Happy, floating beside Natsu, nodded enthusiastically.

"Aye, sir! "

Wendy, standing beside Carla, nodded shyly.

"It’s amazing how much they trust each other.

The guild erupted into cheers, their spirits lifted by Tanjiro’s victory and the unbreakable bond between brother and sister.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Yare yare daze—"

Jotaro Kujo, who set foot in Egypt, pressed his hat and then set off again.

Notes:

I like how Kagura from Gintama reacted to the name of Hinokami Kagura

Chapter 46: Focus on One Point!!

Chapter Text

 Tanjiro's battle has ended! The scene changed to the other side of Mount Natagumo! The moon had just risen, and under the moonlight, a blond-haired young man wearing a yellow robe was walking on a quiet path! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Huh! The story of Mount Natagumo isn't over yet, right!?"

"Which Demon Slayer Corps member is this time? Is he a newcomer?!"

~Demon Slayer World~

Seeing the new recruit walking out, the Demon Slayer Corps' logistics officer took out the latest batch of Demon Slayer Corps members and handed them over to the Demon Slayer Corps members.

"This young man's name is Agatsuma Zenitsu! He is the adopted son of the former Thunder Hashira, Mr. Kuwajima!"

The Kakushi officer explained the information to everyone who was looking at it.

"Lightning Breath! Known for his swift movements with the sound of thunder, and the original Roaring Hashira, Mr. Kuwajima is one of the strongest Hashira!"

On the top of a certain mountain, Kuwajima Jigoro sighed deeply, covering his face with one hand.

"This kid, Zenitsu..."

He shook his head, unsure how to explain his disciple's quirks. While Zenitsu had incredible potential, his overwhelming fear often overshadowed his skills.

When Agazuma Zenitsu saw himself appear on the screen, he was so scared that his soul almost flew away. He turned pale and used both hands to hold his head and said anxiously, "

"What should I do? I'm going to die... I'm going to die!!!"

 Zenitsu walked forward in the dark forest until he reached a fork in the road and started pretending to shout angrily to cover up his fear and anxiety!

"This place stinks! It really stinks!"

The spiders on the ground were still crawling under his feet. Zenitsu pinched his nose with one hand and continued to speak 

Suddenly, he couldn't help but tremble all over, as if the voice behind him had startled him. He immediately pointed at his finger, turned his head, and shouted angrily:

"Really? That's too loud! Don't move!"

Looking in the direction Zenitsu pointed, a person with a human head with wide eyes! A demon with the body of a spider appeared behind him! 

Zenitsu was shocked and turned around and ran, while the surrounding trees retreated from him: "No! ...!"

"It has a human face! A spider with a human face!"

"If this is a dream, I'll work hard! I'll farm... So!! Let me wake up from this nightmare!" 

....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

In an ornate mansion filled with golden statues and vibrant decor, Bruno Bucciarati stared at the projection screen in horror.

"What kind of species is this!!! A hybrid between a spider and a human?!"

Bruno Bucciarati exclaimed, clutching his chest.

Giorno Giovanna leaned forward, his golden hair catching the light.

"Fascinating,"

He murmured.

"Even in other dimensions, life finds ways to evolve into strange forms. But no matter how bizarre, courage will always prevail."

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

In a high school gymnasium where cursed energy pulsed through the air, Yuji Itadori lounged casually on a bench, his eyes glued to the screen. He scratched his head as he watched Zenitsu flee from the spider demon, his expression a mix of amusement and curiosity.

"Hmm,"

Yuji mused, tilting his head.

"That thing doesn't look too different from some cursed spirits I've dealt with. Guess every world has its own version of creepy crawlies."

Megumi Fushiguro crossed his arms skeptically.

"But didn't he come here to fight those creatures? Why is he running?"

Yuji shrugged, a grin spreading across his face.

"Maybe he’s got a plan. Or maybe he’s just scared. Either way, we’ll see what happens next."

Nobara Kugisaki, leaning against the wall with her hammer slung over her shoulder, snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Scared? That guy’s practically screaming his lungs out! If he’s a demon slayer, he’s doing a terrible job of it. I’d have smashed that spider’s face in by now."

Megumi sighed, his tone dry.

"Not everyone has your... enthusiasm for smashing things, Nobara."

Nobara smirked, twirling her hammer casually.

"Too bad for them. Smashing things is the best part of this job."

Yuji chuckled, leaning back on the bench.

"Come on, give the guy a break. He’s clearly freaked out, but he’s still out there facing those things. That’s gotta count for something, right?"

Megumi glanced at the screen again, his expression thoughtful.

"True. Fear doesn’t mean weakness. It’s how you handle it that matters. Maybe he’ll surprise us."

Nobara raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening.

"Or maybe he’ll just keep running and screaming. Either way, it’s entertaining."

~Gintama World~

In Kabuki District, where aliens, samurai, and robots mingled freely under the glow of neon lights, the Yorozuya trio sat in their usual cluttered office, watching the screen with a mix of fascination and horror.

"Ghost?! Wait, is that even a ghost? It looks like something out of Edo-period folklore gone horribly wrong!"

Shinpachi adjusted his glasses nervously, pointing at the screen. Even though there were aliens here, they weren't that strange!

Kagura, perched on the couch with a bag of snacks in hand, tilted her head and squinted at the spider demon.

"Ah, that’s not a ghost, Shinpachi. It’s just a creepy spider with a human face. We’ve seen weirder things in Kabuki District, haven’t we?"

Shinpachi shook his head vigorously, his glasses slipping down his nose.

"No, we haven’t! That thing is nightmare fuel! It’s like someone took a spider, a human, and a bad dream, mashed them together, and called it a day!"

Meanwhile, Gintoki, who had been lounging lazily on the floor, suddenly shot up, his silver hair sticking out in all directions as he trembled uncontrollably.

"Time machine! Someone find the time machine! I need to go back to a time before I saw that thing!"

He grabbed the edges of the table with both hands, his face pale as he stuffed his head into a nearby cabinet, his voice muffled but still panicked.

~Demon Slayer World~

"Why are you running!"

This is the same thought on every pillar!

Your first reaction when you see an evil spirit is to slash it with your Nichirin sword!

Why do you look scared? Why are there still ghost-killers who are afraid of ghosts?

 Back in the dark forest, Zenitsu stumbled into the base camp of the human-faced spiders.

Under the moonlight, he saw several grotesque figures hanging high in the air—some resembling humans, others fully transformed into spider hybrids.

Among them were Demon Slayer Corps members, now corrupted and cocooned like prey.

Zenitsu's body kept shaking, his eyes widened, and he couldn't believe the scene in front of him! 

"What the hell is this? A human turned into a spider... or a spider turned into a human!"

Colorful ,human-faced spiders slowly descended from the sky, looking at Zenitsu with a vicious smile! 

....

~Demon Slayer World~

"I didn't expect the situation in Mount Natagumo to be this bad!"

"How many members of the Demon Slayer Corps have died on Mount Natagumo? And now they're turning people into spiders…"

Genya Shinazugawa frowned grimly.

"But it's not too late,"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki interjected gently.

"Let the non-pillar members withdraw from the mission for now. Tomioka Giyu is already en route to Mount Natagumo."

 Zenitsu was so shocked that his whole body exploded! Then he turned around and ran away! -

"There's no point in trying to escape. You've lost." The spider demon looked at the fleeing Zenitsu with interest.

What he likes most is torturing these demon slayers, and this guy looks easy to bully! 

"You were bitten by a spider earlier, right? This is a poison that can turn you into a spider... In half an hour, you'll become a spider and become my slave, lying on the ground!"

"What are you talking about? Don't talk to me at this time!" Zenitsu's eyes kept crying as he looked at his hand, which was already poisoned! Suddenly, the hair on his body exploded, and then he ran quickly and hugged the tree! he kept shaking... 

....

~Demon Slayer World~

"As a demon slayer, you can't be afraid of evil spirits like this!"

Rengoku Kyojuro said in a loud voice.

"If you're not good at swordsmanship, you can practice it, but no matter how high your swordsmanship is, you can't show it if you're afraid!"

"As a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, you must at least have the courage to face evil spirits, otherwise your life will be in vain!"

The Pillars were not very optimistic about Zenitsu's behavior of avoiding battle...

"After all, he is just a newcomer, just a child!"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle voice rang out.

"You have to give him time to hone his skills...!"

Chapter 47: Reaching the Peak!

Chapter Text

【 Zenitsu recalls the past. Zenitus's voice, filled with sadness, slowly comes. 'Without parents, I can’t meet anyone’s expectations...'

Everyone has abandoned me, and no one believes in me anymore...

'Because I… always ran away.'

Beneath a towering tree, amidst gathering storm clouds, a white-haired elder clutching a staff called out to Zenitsu above him:

"Calm yourself! You possess immense talent!"

But only Grandpa refused to give up on me. He alone held faith in my potential...

"Crack"

A blinding bolt of lightning surged through the sky, striking Zenitsu squarely. Turning his hair yellow and his body fell under the tree.

I’m the person who dislikes myself the most, but Grandpa… never gave up on me. Even when I lost hope, Grandpa insisted on believing in me. And now, I want to live up to his expectations.

Zenitsu, trembling and unconscious, collapsed headfirst under the tree—but a thunderous roar erupted from his lips. 】

......

~Pirate World~

"Hmm, suddenly I’m missing Gramps"

Luffy grinned wistfully, recalling how his gruff but caring grandfather pushed him to grow stronger.

Sure, they had their differences—he didn’t end up joining the Navy like Gramps wanted—but becoming a pirate

~Fairy Tail World~

"Raising a grandson… who truly understands the heartache involved?"

Makarov sighed heavily, memories of Laxus flooding his mind. They were inseparable once, bound by love and trust.

Yet, that fateful day tore them apart. And now, here we are—Laxus banished from Fairy Tail, branded a traitor for sparking rebellion within the guild…

~Demon Slayer World~

The Hashira and the others watched Zenitsu’s transformation with a mix of shock and admiration.

"He was frightened and fainted!"

Mitsuri exclaimed, her hands clasped together.

"But how did he start using breathing techniques when he fainted? How did he do that?"

Shinobu tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

【"Pah--" A peach hit Zenitsu's head. You're such an eyesore! Why don't you leave?"

Faced with his senior's accusations, Zenitsu was speechless and could only bear it silently.

Yes, I'm a waste. Zenitsu's heart is full of negative energy....

He also learned a sword technique!

Just when Zenitsu was full of negative energy, his grandfather's words appeared in his ears again.

in the dust, his grandfather kept hitting Zenitsu's head. Facing Zenitsu, who only learned one sword technique, his grandfather did not blame him.

Instead, he kept hitting Zenitsu's head with his hand.

"Listen! Zenitsu... this is enough!"

"If you can only do one thing, then make it the best! Train it to the limit!"

"Hiss—"

Zenitsu took a deep breath and closed his eyes. bending down. The panic just now disappeared, replaced by an extremely calm state.

The air around him kept vibrating, shaking away all the spider surrounding him, and there seemed to be lightning and thunder around him, making crackling sounds.

Then Zenitsu opened his eyes suddenly, revealing glowing eyes, and the whole person began to turn into a flash of lightning... 

.....

~Projection of all worlds~

The reactions across the multiverse were a mix of awe and disbelief.

"Why does it feel like a different person?"

"How is this even possible? Moments ago, he was trembling like a leaf, collapsing into unconsciousness. Now… now he radiates confidence and strength. It’s like looking at an entirely different person!"

"Is this still the coward who was scared and fainted just now?"

"Now he gives people a sense of security!"

"Alter Ego?? or what is the reason, it's like two people."

"Just now he was timid, now he hits hard!"

The people in other worlds also benefited a lot. It seems that even the not-so-powerful world can learn something...

Yes, it doesn't matter if you can only do one thing, then keep beating him and make him the strongest blade!

~Chivalry of a Failed Knight World~

"That’s right—it doesn’t matter if you excel at only one skill. As long as you refuse to surrender, pour everything you have into mastering it. Push beyond limits and ascend to greatness!"

Kurogane Ikki was full of Affirmation, and he would hone one move to the limit!

~Konosuba World~

"I’ll refine my Explosion magic to perfection! Nothing else matters!"

Megumin touched her eyepatch, her voice brimming with conviction.

"Explosi--"

~Naruto World~

Might Guy and Rock Lee stood upside down watching the video, tears streaming down their faces.

"Lee! This is what youth is all about!!"

"If you can only master Taijutsu, then train it until you reach the pinnacle!"

Might Guy shouted, his voice filled with passion.

"Yes! Guy-Sensei!!"

Rock Lee replied, his voice equally fervent.

Rock Lee, who doesn't know ninjutsu, finds a sense of identity in other worlds. If he only knows Taijutsu, then train it to the highest point!

~One Punch Man World~

Saitama glanced lazily at his fist, scratching his chin.

"Hmm… Do I really need to take my punches to the next level? Feels kinda unnecessary when I already win with one hit…"

~Demon Slayer World~

Jigoro Kuwajima, the former Thunder Hashira, watched with pride in his eyes.

"It seems this little guy is not without merit! Go ahead, cut off the head of that evil ghost in one breath!"

Jigoro Kuwajima said proudly.

Shinobu Kocho tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. This really challenged her curiosity.

"I’m more curious about why he can still use the breathing style when he is unconscious. It’s almost as if his body remembers what his mind cannot."

【 "It doesn't matter if he cries or escapes! As long as you don't give up...

Then, train it to the limit! "

"Focus! Reach the pinnacle!"

"Thunder Breathing - First Form: Thunderclap and Flash... Sixfold!"

The golden air wave sizzled, and then Zenitsu turned into a ray of light that kept jumping in the forest, and the dazzling sword light was extremely bright in the darkness.

The next moment, Zenitsu jumped up on the spider silk, and a flash of lightning rose into the sky! Before the spider ghost could react, he had already put away the sword.

"What happened?!... I was chopped by that little guy!

The spider ghost's head had been chopped off without him knowing it.

"I had a dream… a beautiful dream,"

Zenitsu murmured softly, sliding his blade back into its sheath. Bathed in silver moonlight, he stood tall and serene—a far cry from the frightened boy of moments past. In that instant, he wasn’t merely reliable; he was radiant. 】

.....

~Projection of all worlds~

The reactions continued to pour in, each more astonished than the last.

"Handsome guy! Who are you?!!"

"Wake up! I'm not dreaming! You really did it!"

"Is this kid so handsome?!"

"Is this the ultimate move? One move can conquer everything!"

"He definitely has an Alter Ego. He is so reliable after Falling asleep! he is a completely different person when he awakes!"

~Chivalry of a Failed Knight World~

"My One Sword Shura can definitely be honed to become unstoppable! I’ll keep pushing myself to the limit!"

Kurogane Ikki became determined in his heart and planned to continue to hone himself.

~Detective Conan World~

When Ran saw this scene, she didn't know why she felt a sense of Déjà vu...

Oh, isn't this the same as her father? he is completely two different people when he wakes up and when he sleeps! Could it be that her father also has an Alter Ego?

~Demon Slayer World~

"I really misjudged that little guy, if he can maintain that coma state, he is a qualified demon slayer"

"Why not give your companions more trust?"

On the top of a certain mountain

For the old man, the growth of his children makes him extremely happy.

Kuwajima Jigoro's eyes were slightly moist, and his voice was a little choked:

"That’s great, Zenitsu… It’s great that you’re still alive! You haven’t disappointed me, your grandfather."

As the screen faded, the multiverse was left in awe of Zenitsu’s transformation. From a trembling coward to a radiant warrior, he had proven that even the most unlikely heroes could rise to greatness when they refused to give up.

Chapter 48: Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Chapter Text

~Demon Slayer World~

"Let’s begin the meeting now! The information we’ve gathered confirms that Tanjiro Kamado and Agatsuma Zenitsu have just completed their assessment at Mount Sagiri."

 Amane Ubuyashiki announced while holding up a scroll.

"This means the battle at Mount Natsumi has yet to occur,"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki added gently.

"As a precaution, I’ve sent Tomioka Giyu to investigate. Additionally, I’ll ask the pillars to handle nearby tasks first."

 Kagaya Ubuyashiki added in a gentle voice.

"Now, let's talk about how we will deal with Nezuko!"

The room fell silent as the topic shifted to Nezuko Kamado.

"Master!! Tanjiro and the evil spirits must be dealt with!"

Fuzugawa Shima declared, kneeling with his head bowed.

"All evil spirits must be eliminated without exception!"

His voice trembled with conviction. Memories of his mother turning into a demon—and attempting to kill him—still haunted him. He refused to believe any evil spirits retained humanity.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki raised a hand to calm the tension.

"While Nezuko protected Tanjiro in the video, it doesn’t guarantee she won’t harm others. However,"

The other pillars didn't express their opinion, but sometimes silence is also an opinion.

Seeing that everyone else was silent, Kagaya Ubuyashiki took out the previous letter and handed it to everyone to circulate...

"Regarding this matter, Until I meet her myself, no decision will be made. After all, Sakonji Urokodaki and Tomioka Giyu have staked their lives on her innocence that Nezuko wouldn't hurt anyone..."

"Even that annoying water pillar guaranteed it."

The pillars were all extremely curious about that silent, dark, and annoying water pillar who actually guaranteed it with his life

"A new video has appeared!"

"Will this still be our world?"

"In that case, let's see if there is any information about this world first!"

 

 Top 7: Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia - Uruk will live forever! - 

 

~Projection of All Worlds~

"????"

When seeing this title, everyone in the other worlds was still confused... Demonic? Uruk, a person or a place?

But the people in the Type-moon universe showed a surprised expression. They were familiar with it! Could this be their world?

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~In the Einzbern mansion~

"Uruk! Isn't this the country of the King of Heroes?"

Irisviel von Einzbern exclaimed, glancing toward Gilgamesh, and the three kings were still holding a cocktail party here!

"The King of Babylon! It seems like it's your country this time!"

The Conquering King must have mentioned the Fifth King of Uruk when thinking of Uruk!

“The legendary ruler who is two-thirds god and one-third human… Could he truly appear this time?”

Another voice mused aloud.

After all, the power that Angelica used before was his power to fight with Emiya Shirou.

"It's actually me! Then let you open all your eyes to see my glorious history!"

Gilgamesh raised his glass and laughed wildly, ignoring everyone's gazes.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"That arrogant bastard actually made Into the list?!"

Tohsaka Rin stared in disbelief. She didn't have a good impression of the King of Heroes

“Surprised?”

Gilgamesh’s voice echoed behind her, startling both her and Emiya Shirou. Dressed in a sleek black suit, he lounged on the sofa as if he owned the place.

"Don't be nervous!"

Gilgamesh, who was wearing a black suit, sat on the sofa as if this place was his own home.

"I originally came here to see what the difference is between Emiya Shirou and the Big Hero Emiya that showed before!"

“I’m merely here to observe. After all, my glorious city of Uruk deserves attention.” 

Gilgamesh waved his hand but had no intention of fighting.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* World Line~

Meanwhile, in Chaldea:

"Ah!"

Dr. Roman nearly dropped his notes.

"Absolute Demonic Front?! This matches the data from the Seventh Singularity!"

As he was still feeling surprised, the video started playing!

In the video, hordes of grotesque monsters surged forward, their eyes burning with ferocity.

Blood soaked the battlefield, painting the earth crimson.

The scene shifted to a magnificent palace bathed in starlight. Standing atop its roof was a regal figure, arms outstretched.

"Come if you have the ability!" His voice boomed confidently.

"To this land where gods and humans coexist—"

"The last Master of mankind!"

As a loud and confident voice rang out, everyone’s gaze looked up, with him in the center!

A glorious city appeared before everyone’s eyes, glowing with golden light .】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~In the Einzbern mansion~

"An ancient city?! Is this really Uruk?"

Irisviel gasped, overwhelmed by the grandeur before her. What she imagined as a modest village turned out to be a sprawling metropolis.

But the scene in front of her was really beyond her imagination!

Gilgamesh chuckled darkly.

"Behold the glory of my reign”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“That egotistical show-off… Is this really the same Gilgamesh?” 

Tohsaka Rin frowned skeptically and looked at Gilgamesh, who was sitting on the sofa with an expression of disbelief.

Thinking back to how arrogant Gilgamesh used to be, it was impossible to connect them together.

Unlike Tohsaka Rin, who was shocked, Gilgamesh looked thoughtful. It turned out to be at that time, but was there an invasion of monsters at that time?

The scene turned, and the view came to a sea! A woman appeared on the surface of the water; she was a mixture of black and red! Her hands and feet were held...She had blue hair and purple eyes with a Big diagonal cross! She wasn’t wearing any clothes, and most of his skin was exposed to the air! -

Slowly, she tilted her head skyward and let out a haunting cry: 

“Aaaaaaaaaa——!”. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The reactions of the viewers were a mix of awe, fear, and confusion.

"Who is that woman? She looks... terrifying."

"Is she a goddess? A demon? What is she?"

"That cry... it sent chills down my spine. What kind of power does she possess?"

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~In the Einzbern mansion~

The garden fell silent as the haunting cry echoed through the projection. Irisviel’s eyes widened, her hands instinctively clutching her chest.

"That woman... who is she? Her presence feels... overwhelming."

She murmured, her voice trembling.

~One Punch Man World~

Saitama scratched his head, his expression was as blank as ever.

"Huh? Sounds like a tough opponent. But... I wonder if she can survive one punch?"

~Demon Slayer World~

The Hashira and other demon slayers watched in stunned silence.

"It seems our world is not the only one facing unimaginable threats."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s gentle voice broke the silence in the room.

Shinobu Kocho tilted her head, her curiosity piqued despite the gravity of the situation.

"To think such a being exists in another world. It’s both fascinating and terrifying."

The Hashira exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of determination and unease.

The battle against Muzan and the demons was already a daunting task, but seeing a threat of this magnitude in another world put their own struggles into perspective.

Chapter 49: An Gal Ta Ki Gal Šè

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"????"

“You’re not seriously planning to fight that existence, are you?”

Tohsaka Rin looked at Gilgamesh with disbelief etched on her face.

“Is she a demon beast?”

Emiya Shirou asked hesitantly, his curiosity piqued.

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, a flicker of surprise crossing his features, saying,

“No… She’s not a demon beast. She is the god of creation!”

He paused dramatically before adding:

"Technically speaking... she's, our mother! The Primordial Sea, the Mother of All Life! The Divine Goddess of Beginning, Tiamat!”

Gilgamesh declared, his voice dripping with reverence.

Rin and Shirou exchanged stunned glances. Opposing the creator deity? Was humanity even capable of such a feat?

"Mother of all life? So… you’re rebelling against your own beautiful mother?”

Rin quipped sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

Before Gilgamesh could respond, the video shifted again.

 Along with the cry of Tiamat, several figures soared across the sky toward her. One carried what looked like a bow and arrow, charging directly into battle.

“Aaaa——”

Noticing the uninvited guest's arrival, Tiamat slightly opened her mouth and let out a strange sound.

Then it turned into a terrifying sonic wave, attacking everyone! No one could get close at all.

“It’s too dangerous to approach her!”

Ishtar shouted, stepping forward to take charge. With a confident smile, she turned to the black-haired boy beside her.

"Fujimaru! I’ll leave it to you to cover me."

Fujimaru Ritsuka immediately understood what Ishtar meant. He raised his arm, and a command seal appeared on it. Then he looked at Ishtar and shouted loudly:

“I'll leave it to you, Ishtar!”

As soon as Fujimaru Ritsuka finished speaking, the trace of the command seal on his hand disappeared immediately. Ishtar’s magical power increased significantly! It began to boil!

“Leave it to me!” Ishtar declared.

Feeling the blessing of magic power, Ishtar waved her hand in the air! Suddenly, a large hole appeared in the sky, revealing the vast universe! 

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

~Tohsaka Villa~

“Why does this goddess look so much like my daughter?”

 Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at his daughter in the video with a confused expression.

“Is it a coincidence or is there some reason?”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

"Why does this person look so much like me!"

Tohsaka Rin felt a big surprised when she looked at herself in the video.

The legendary Ishtar really did look just like her!

Gilgamesh watched Tohsaka Rin as if enjoying a good show and spoke in a gentle tone,

“I didn’t expect her to possess you!”

“But they really are a perfect match, They’re identical! in all kinds of meanings!”

Gilgamesh could hardly suppress his laughter! Something failed at a critical moment and still lacked gems!

Tohsaka Rin’s face turned bright red as she looked at herself on the screen. Aside from their external appearances, they were exactly the same! Was what she was wearing too revealing?

Meanwhile, the rest of the world still felt like it hadn’t woken up yet. What was going on? Was there a giant hole appearing in space? -

 “Gate open!!” As Ishtar spoke confidently, a glowing golden planet appeared in the large hole in the sky. 

.....

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"Hey, hey!!! This is ridiculous!"

Gojo Satoru leaned forward, his usual playful demeanor replaced by genuine astonishment. His Six Eyes glowed brightly as he stared at the screen.

“A planet!? Is that Venus?”

Yuji Itadori, beside him, blinked in disbelief.

Megumi Fushiguro, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms and frowned.

"That's something on a completely different level. That's how another world fights?"

Nobara Kugisaki, her usual confidence momentarily shaken, muttered under her breath.

"Okay, I take back everything I said about being the strongest. This is... insane."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Everyone who saw this scene immediately felt that Dio wasn’t as scary as they thought!

“At least Dio never used a whole planet to attack people!”

Someone joked nervously.

Joseph Joestar, leaning back in his chair, whistled low.

"Well, I’ve seen some crazy Stand abilities, but this takes the cake. A planet? Seriously?"

Jotaro Kujo adjusted his hat, his usual stoic expression betraying a hint of surprise.

"Yare yare daze... This Ishtar woman is on a whole other level. Dio would’ve been a footnote compared to her."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Giorno Giovanna, sitting quietly, clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.

"If this is the kind of power we’re up against, then we need to be ready. Gold Experience Requiem might not be enough..."

Some people thought Ishtar moved the planet, but in reality, it was her power as the goddess of Venus! Degrading her strength and achievements, turning them into conceptual weapons!

~Fairy Tail World~

Natsu’s eyes blazed with excitement as he watched the screen, his fists clenched.

"Now that’s what I call a fight! Is a goddess throwing planets around? That’s my kind of opponent!"

Erza, standing beside him, crossed her arms, her expression serious.

"This isn’t just a fight, Natsu. This is a war on a larger scale. If Ishtar can wield a planet as a weapon, then her power is beyond anything we’ve ever seen."

Gray, leaning against a wall, smirked faintly.

"Yeah, well, at least we don’t have to deal with her. I’ll stick to fighting demons, thanks."

~Naruto World~

Guy and Lee stood side by side, their usual exuberance tempered.

"Lee, this is what a true challenge looks like! A battle against a goddess who can wield a planet as a weapon!"

Guy declared, his voice filled with passion.

Lee nodded, his eyes shining with determination.

"Yes, Guy-sensei! This is the kind of battle that tests the limits of one’s youth!"

Kakashi, leaning against a tree, sighed and shook his head.

"Somehow, I don’t think even the Eight Gates would be enough against that."

 “This is all my power!!” Ishtar’s red eyes turned gold, and she raised her hand. The Huge planet began to approach Ishtar, and then the golden planet shrank rapidly, condensing into a small orb.

Then, she transformed into an arrow, and Ishtar pointed at Tiamat with one hand. The flying object beside her transformed into a bow and arrow, and the arrow turned into Venus was put on it.

“Annihilate them! Kindling of Venus that Shook the Mountains”

                                (An Gal Ta Ki Gal Šè)

“Boom——”

A deafening explosion echoed as a colossal beam of purple light descended upon Tiamat, obliterating everything in its path.

When the dust settled, a massive crater scarred the ocean’s surface. Tiamat appeared to have vanished entirely.

“Very good!” Ishtar exclaimed, clearly pleased with her work that actually managed to destroy Tiamat!

Dr. Roman’s voice crackled through the communication link:

“It has been confirmed that the spiritual base of Tiamat in the sea has collapsed!” Then, Dr. Roman’s excited voice rang out

“Next, all we need to do now is wait for the seawater to return to normal and retrieve the Holy Grail. Then the mission will be complete!” Dr. Roman sighed in relief. Finally, the problem was solved

But before anyone could celebrate, bubbles began to rise from the calm surface of the sea! Then the surface exploded, and a figure with large horns stood above the sea...!

Goddess Tiamat was unharmed——! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What kind of monster is that? - Even an attack of that level had no effect! "

"That world is insane..."

That was the magical attack of the goddess Ishtar! And this even included an enhanced command spell.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Was that useless?”

Gilgamesh frowned. He knew the goddess well. If this was useless, he would surely be in trouble!

“Sure enough!! Dealing with the mother goddess of creation isn’t that easy, is it?!”

Rin grimaced, imagining herself as Ishtar in the video. Seeing her attack rendered ineffective left her feeling oddly embarrassed.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

Meanwhile, back in Chaldea

“Tiamat… how is this possible!”

Dr. Roman’s pupils contracted slightly. If this method didn’t work, having a few more god-level servants wouldn’t make a difference…"

“Is this.... really something we can handle?”

Fujimaru Ritsuka clenched his fists tightly, staring up at Tiamat's towering figure.

If brute force alone won’t work, and there’s nothing else we can do… then the mission is doomed to fail.

Chapter 50: The Final Battle of The Age of Gods

Chapter Text

 The massive form of Tiamat loomed above the ocean, her crimson-purple eyes glowing ominously. Opening her mouth wide, she unleashed another ear-splitting cry:

“Aaaaaa——”

“Boom!”

The sound resonated like a sonic boom, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Suddenly, the entire surface of the sea surged upward, transforming into a dark red tide of black and red mud. This was no ordinary water—it was the Sea of Life, an abyssal force capable of corrupting minds and turning any living being it touched into a servant of Tiamat. 

The viscous waves spread rapidly, swallowing everything in their path. Cities crumbled, forests were obliterated, and the horizon vanished beneath its relentless advance. 

......

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“What is this? Just looking at it feels suffocating…”

Irisviel murmured, turning to Saber for answers.

“I don’t know either.”

Saber shook her head, her expression grim.

Gilgamesh stepped forward, his golden armor gleaming under the dim light.

“King of Heroes, you lived in the age of myths when gods coexisted, so perhaps you know something about this!”

The King of Conquerors spoke up at this moment as well.

Gilgamesh stepped forward, his golden armor gleaming under the dim light.

“This is the Sea of Life, belonging to the Mother Goddess Tiamat—a black mud ocean that transforms all life into monsters.”

Everyone stared in stunned silence. How could they possibly hope to defeat such a monstrous force?

 Faced with the strange black and red mud ocean emanating an ominous aura, the Quetzalcoatlus waved his arm and immediately flew higher, taking several people off the ground!

The black and red mud ocean, having lost its target, did not stop and continued to grow rapidly under Tiamat’s command! The ground was soon swallowed up as well

Ishtar gazed at the towering figure of Tiamat in awe: "Is this... the true form of the Mother Goddess?!"

At that moment, Fujmaru Ritsuka received a call from Chaldea and asked the blonde-haired girl beside him: "Quetzalcoatl! If you, the supreme god of South America, were to use your full power, could you stop it? Tiamat?”

After hearing this, Quetzalcoatl hesitated, then shook her head firmly and said in an indisputable tone: “No! Even with Ishtar’s strength, we wouldn’t be able to harm her. There’s simply no way to injure Tiamat!”

Upon hearing this, Fujmaru Ritsuka couldn’t help but punch his thigh in frustration! 

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“Is this truly the end for us?”

Dr. Roman was slightly shocked. Even the gods of South America admitted it was unstoppable.

Just then, Da Vinci noticed Roman’s unease, lightly patted his shoulder, and said helplessly,

“That’s a matter for the future. For now, let’s quickly gather information about the goddess Tiamat! That way we can figure out how to deal with her!”

Dr. Roman sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.

“You’re right. We need to focus on gathering information thru on this video.”

Da Vinci smiled faintly, leaning closer.

“And remember, humanity has always found ways to overcome the impossible. Perhaps the key lies not in brute force, but in wisdom.”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“Even the combined powers of the supreme gods of South America and Ishtar can’t do any harm!!”

Tohsaka Rin’s eyes widened.

In her memory, Ishtar’s attack was beyond anything she could imagine. Unexpectedly, even Quetzalcoatl herself didn’t think their combined assault would achieve anything!

Gilgamesh felt a little worried, too. Was he really powerless against these two goddesses? Then how could he stop the Tiamat back then? Why does he have no memory of this at all?

His golden eyes flashed with frustration.

“Could it be that my memories are incomplete?”

 Quetzalcoatl turned to the crowd and said, “We can’t defeat him right now! Let’s retreat to Uruk and find Gilgamesh first.”

The scene shifts to a magnificent palace. Gilgamesh sits atop his throne, calmly listening to reports from his soldiers.

“The black mud has swallowed the city of Girsu!”

“It's heading towards Uruk…”

Gilgamesh smiled and waved his hand to interrupt the conversation, speaking calmly,

“I know, weigh anchor!”

The scene shifts again, and arrive outside the city of Uruk. The strange black mud ocean surged like waves, heading straight for Uruk!

“The Fangs of Nabistin—Unleash!”

Gilgamesh smiled confidently as the approaching black mud neared Uruk, creating a defensive barrier resembling an iron wall!

As Gilgamesh finished speaking, rows of stone pillars and structures resembling a dense forest sprouted from the ground, intertwining chaotically!

"Bang——"

With a thunderous sound, the strange black and red wave that devoured everything was blocked outside the city walls by the fangs of Nabistin!

Amid cheers from the crowd, Gilgamesh descended from the palace, radiating confidence and authority.

“We’ve finally come this far!”

“For the past six months, I’ve had to endure quietly!”

“Mother of Origins! What follows is the legendary battle that even I cannot witness!”

“Will you devour this world, or will humanity prove itself worthy of exploration? Let us settle this once and for all—the final battle of the Age of Gods begins now!”

As the words left his lips, Gilgamesh spread his arms and gazed down at the city below. His expression became resolute, and his words, filled with the air of kingship, made the people feel calm and secure! 

......

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Timeline~

“That’s the behavior of the King of Ancient Babylon. He truly deserves to be called a king!”

The King of Conquerors raised his glass and exclaimed in admiration!

“To declare war on the Mother of Origins—what courage!”

Gilgamesh smirked, raising his own glass in acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, in Tohsaka Villa

Tohsaka Tokiomi watched silently, his lips twitching with irritation.

Why does the Gilgamesh I summoned act so arrogantly? He calls everyone ‘Zasshu’ and shows no respect whatsoever…”

He glanced at the screen, comparing the noble ruler before him to the insufferable servant he had summoned.

“Could it be that I summoned a fake version?”

Chapter 51: The Battle Begins!

Chapter Text

【 Just after returning to Uruk, Fujimaru Ritsuka and his group received devastating news:

Only 500 people remained alive after two waves of attacks by Laḫmu and the relentless erosion of Tiamat’s chaos tide.

At this moment, Gilgamesh walked out of the temple and looked at the remaining 500 people of Uruk, and with a commanding voice that echoed through the ruins, he declared:

“Announce this to all people of Uruk!”

“Uruk will be destroyed! But that doesn’t mean our destruction!”

He raised his fist high, his tone unwavering.

“As long as one person can witness the dawn of victory, our legacy will live on in their memory forever!”

“Listen well, my elite warriors! We shall shine at the dawn of triumph and usher in a new era for humanity!”

His words ignited a spark among the crowd. Though they numbered only 500 people, their cheers rang out with unwavering resolve.

“From this moment forward, we reject the Primordial Goddess and carve a future for mankind!” Gilgamesh proclaimed, clenching his fist tightly.

“Dedicate your lives to this king—to pass the glory of Uruk to the next generation!”

The response was thunderous. Despite their dwindling numbers, the survivors’ spirits soared, united by their king’s vision. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Rin Tohsaka stared back and forth between the screen and Gilgamesh lounging on the sofa. Her frustration bubbled over.

“No matter how you look at it, you two are completely different people! Definitely not the same person,”

She concluded firmly.

Seeing the composed and inspiring figure of the king on-screen reinforced her belief. She nodded confidently, turning to face Gilgamesh.

“Are you questioning me? Zasshu”

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, frowned slightly, and spoke to Rin Tohsaka coldly.

Even Shirou Emiya began to doubt his judgment.

The contrast was undeniable—the man before him was arrogant and self-serving, often causing trouble when displeased.

In contrast, the king on-screen radiated wisdom and trustworthiness, calming his people even in dire circumstances.

Shirou Emiya, standing beside Rin, couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Faced with the disbelieving looks of Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou, Gilgamesh continued to explain,

 "The person in the video experienced the loss of his closest friend and sought the elixir of life. He is a wise king"

Gilgamesh explained coldly.

Rin and Shirou exchanged glances, silently agreeing:

“Isn’t this still not denying that you’re a tyrant?”

~Type-Moon World, Magical Illya Worldline~

Illya and Miyu watched the screen with wide eyes, their usual playful banter replaced by awe.

"Is this truly the king?"

Miyu whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Illya tilted her head, her expression thoughtful.

“He’s so different from the Gilgamesh we know. This version of him... he’s like a real hero.”

Miyu nodded, her thoughts heavy with memories of Angelica wielding Gilgamesh’s power to defeat her brother. Despite her past grievances, she couldn’t help but admire the scene unfolding before her.

“Such a virtuous king… This is the oldest king.”

She murmured, awestruck by Gilgamesh’s declaration of war against the Primordial Goddess.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

Gojo Satoru leaned back in his chair, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare look of respect.

Nobara Kugisaki exclaimed, watching the remaining 500 people of Uruk. Their morale spoke volumes about their leader’s trustworthiness.

This is what a true king looks like,”

Even in the face of overwhelming odds, they stood tall, ready to fight for their future.

Yuji Itadori’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

“He’s not just a king—he’s a symbol of hope. No wonder they’re willing to follow him, even against a goddess.”

~Gintama World~

In Kabuki District, the Yorozuya trio watched the screen with a mix of awe and introspection.

 “Is this the kind of king worthy of the people’s trust?”

Shinpachi muttered, adjusting his glasses.

Kagura, perched on the couch, nodded solemnly.

“Yeah, he’s not just bossing people around. He’s leading them, even when things look hopeless. That’s what a real king does.”

Gintoki, lounging lazily on the floor, scratched his head and sighed.

“Tch. Makes you think, doesn’t it? What kind of leader am I, huh? All I do is laze around and eat sweets.”

Shinpachi and Kagura exchanged glances and then burst out laughing.

“Gin-chan, you’re not a king. You’re just a lazy bum!”

Kagura teased, poking him with her foot.

Meanwhile, in the Tokugawa Family.

General Tokugawa Shigeshige muttered, gazing at the screen in awe.

“What must I do to become someone like him?”

He sighed deeply, feeling a pang of inadequacy.

The farewell battle between humans and gods was about to begin! The winner would gain control of this land, and the loser would lose everything!

 After raising morale, everyone started taking action.

“Be prepared—Goddess Tiamat will appear soon!” 

Chaldea’s voice reminded everyone!

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was sitting on the Quetzalcoatlus, seemed to have noticed something. He was stunned and looked in the direction he was looking.

Under the dark night sky, a pair of huge horns were emitting a strange red light!

In addition, there were countless Laḫmu flying around Tiamat, the number of which was beyond anyone's imagination! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Hey, hey, is this true? Such a large number...!"

Someone shouted incredulously.

"And that huge figure! Those exaggerated horns!"

"It's like the world is about to end! Or is it about to end now!"

"How are we going to fight it! I'm afraid that just one flying monster will eat us all up!"

In the Type-Moon universe, countless viewers outside the video were paying special attention to this farewell battle between humans and gods!

【 Laḫmu seemed to notice everyone and started attacking everyone in the air!

"I can't wait any longer," Ishtar said with a smile, as she fired several magic bullets from her hands, hitting the Laḫmu who flew by.

Quetzalcoatl jumped off the Quetzalcoatlus, grabbed the flying Laḫmu with both legs, and threw it away! Then he returned to the Quetzalcoatlus, waved his hand, and the weapon appeared and eliminated all the Laḫmu that attacked them!

Suddenly, Chaldea’s voice crackled through the communication link:

 “Spiritual reactions detected! One! Two!! And they’re increasing!”

“No! You're surrounded!”

As Dr. Roman finished speaking, before anyone could react, a black-skinned girl adorned with crimson vines—a samurai-like figure—lunged at Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Instinctively dodging, Fujimaru nearly fell off Quetzalcoatlus but was caught just in time by Mash.

Oh! I acted too hastily again,” Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) remarked with a rueful smile, observing Fujimaru’s shocked expression. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Artoria Pendragon, her regal demeanor unwavering, turned to Gilgamesh, her emerald eyes reflecting confusion and doubt.

“Is this a servant? Why does she appear so strange? Isn’t she supposed to be on your side? Why is she attacking them?”

She gestured toward the screen, her tone laced with disbelief.

Gilgamesh, his golden armor gleaming under the dim light, frowned deeply. His crimson eyes narrowed as he watched the corrupted Ushiwakamaru on the screen.

“She has likely been corrupted.”

His voice carried a grave weight as he explained further:

“As I said earlier, the red-black seawater—Tiamat’s Chaos Tide—turns anyone who comes into contact with it into a follower of the Primordial Goddess.”

Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, leaned forward, his usual boisterous demeanor replaced by a rare solemnity.

“This is no simple battle—it’s humanity’s final stand against the gods.”

With spiritual reactions multiplying rapidly, the climactic showdown had begun.

Chapter 52: Noble Phantasm! Piedra Del Sol

Chapter Text

[ The next second, Quetzalcoatl's hand was emitting flames, and said sternly;

"I don't have time to play with you now!"

The flames in her hand turned into several yellow beams of light and attacked the surrounding Laḫmu.

"Boom——"

With an explosion, all the Laḫmu around them were eliminated!

On the other side, Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) smiled cruelly and slashed at Mash with the longsword in her hand before she could retaliate!

"Puff——"

Contrary to the scene she had imagined when Mash was slashed, Ushiwakamaru herself was stabbed by a spear thrown from above!

As Mash looked over, a monk holding multiple weapons appeared on the Quetzalcoatlus! Benkei looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka and said sternly: "Please leave the trouble my master had caused and let me handle it!"

"You are as free as the wind, but you are overwhelmed by anger! I can't stand it!"

When he said this, He drew his long sword from his back and started fighting Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide)! ]

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Uh——"

Ushiwakamaru found it hard to accept her other self. How did she become like this?

"It's possible that her spiritual base was contaminated, and she became the same species as Laḫmu?"

Leonidas I, looked at Ushiwakamaru and spoke.

"That deep red seawater has a strong corrosive effect on the mind, so be careful!"

【 Ishtar continued to use magic bullets to repel the approaching Laḫmu and asked with concern: "How far is it?!"

"Mother is almost at Nabis's fang outside the wall of Uruk!"

The next moment, above their heads, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mashu rwere iding on Quetzalcoatlus and moving forward quickly! Mashu released her shield and repelled every Laḫmu that was charging at her!

Ishtar looked at them and shouted, "Wait! That's a Laḫmu group over there!"

On the other side of the battle line, Quetzalcoatl clenched her fists! Singing loudly!

"The past is here, and so is the present!"

"The future is here!"

"Buzz——"

As Quetzalcoatl shouted, a golden magic ring appeared above her head!

"Come winds, come lightning!"

"When the morning star shines... let all know the Sun's"

"Light reaches every corner of the Earth!"

A fiery fireball fell from the golden magic ring, and Quetzalcoatl grabbed it! A dazzling red light wrapped around her hand, and then she leaped out of the Quetzalcoatlus!

While Quetzalcoatl was chanting, the outcome of the battle on the other side had already been decided. Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) had already stabbed Benkei's body with her sword!

"Piedra (Sun)!"

"Del (Calendar)!"

"Don't even think about it!" Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) jumped up and tried to stop Quetzalcoatl!

A moment later, Benkei, who had been stabbed by her and fallen, grabbed her foot tightly, spitting out blood, but his voice was very resolute: "This time, this poor monk will accompany you until death!"

"You!" Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) looked at Benkei, who had fallen to the ground with a troubled expression, but he still held him until he died!

"Sol (Stone)"

As the voice fell, Quetzalcoatl was like a falling sun, and her fist fell heavily on the ground.

"Boom——"

A moment later, a nuclear-like explosion spread out in all directions, centered around Quetzalcoatl! A huge sun appeared in the sky! Then it exploded!

A terrifying, scorching heat burned the surrounding Laḫmu like the sun!

Even Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) and Benkei, who were servants, could not resist it, and it slowly turned into gold particles and disappeared!

"This kind of courage is really not the behavior of a coward like you, Hitachibo!" Ushiwakamaru (Chaos Tide) looked a little sad at Benkei's disappearance, and then she turned into gold particles and disappeared into thin air!

The attack of Quetzalcoatl swept away more than half of the black-red ocean above the ground, halting the progress of Tiamat! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is this the fighting power of the gods?!"

"If it falls on this city, I can't imagine it everything will reduce to ash instantly!"

"It's as hot as the sun is about to set! It's like the sun is setting!!"

"If this kind of attack is used on the battlefield, I'm afraid that many people will die afterwards!!"

"Is the goddess from the Age of Gods more terrifying than other?!"

~Naruto World~

Deidara's eyes widened as he watched the explosion caused by Quetzalcoatl. His hands trembled with excitement, and he clenched his fists, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

"Alright, art is about explosion!!"

Sasori, standing beside him, rolled his eyes.

"Stop drooling, Deidara. It's just a flashy attack. True art is eternal, not some fleeting explosion."

Deidara shot him a glare.

"You just don't get it, Sasori! That explosion—it's alive! It's the pinnacle of artistic expression, yeah!"

~Konosuba World~

The Devilish Kazuma pointed at the screen, his face a mix of awe and frustration.

"Aqua, look at that! That's what a real goddess is supposed to be like! She's out there fighting gods and monsters, and what are you doing? Begging for drinks at the tavern!"

Aqua pouted, crossing her arms defensively.

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm doing my best! Besides, that Quetzalcoatl lady is clearly on a whole different level! I'm just a humble water goddess, okay? I can't go around dropping suns on people!"

Megumin, her eyes sparkling, chimed in.

"That explosion… it's magnificent! The sheer scale of it! If only my Explosion magic could reach such heights!"

Darkness, blushing slightly, added,

"To think she could unleash such power… I wonder if she'd be willing to train me. I'd gladly endure her fiery discipline!"

Kazuma facepalmed.

"You're all hopeless…"

~Tensura World~

Rimuru Tempest stared at the screen, his usually calm demeanor shaken.

"What a terrifying attack!"

He couldn't help but sigh when he saw this scene.

"Great Sage, did you analyze that attack? How much energy are we talking about here?"

[ Answer: The energy output of the attack is equivalent to a small-scale nuclear detonation. It is capable of annihilating an entire city in an instant. ]

Rimuru whistled.

"That's insane… And she just casually dropped it like it was nothing. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that."

Shion, standing nearby, clenched her fists.

"Rimuru-sama, I could totally take her on! Just give me the word!"

Shuna sighed, shaking her head.

"Shion, please. That kind of power is beyond even you. We should be grateful she's on their side."

Benimaru, arms crossed, nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. A goddess of that caliber… she's in a league of her own."

~Type-Moon World in the Carnival Phantasm Worldline~

Tohsaka Rin couldn't help but twitch his mouth when she saw this scene and said in disbelief:

"What the hell?! That's not just a Noble Phantasm—that's a cataclysm! How is she even allowed to wield that kind of power?!"

Archer, Red A [Emiya] materializing beside her, crossed his arms.

"It's the Age of Gods, Rin. The rules back then were… different. That kind of power was probably just another Tuesday for them."

Tohsaka Rin groaned.

"Great. So not only do we have to deal with Servants, but now we have to worry about goddesses who maybe can drop suns on people?"

Emiya Shirou, watching from the sidelines, looked equally stunned.

"That attack… it's like she's bringing the sun itself to the battlefield. How are you supposed to fight something like that?"

Saber, her expression serious, replied,

"You don't. Not unless you have a counter on the same scale. Even then… it would be a miracle to survive."

The last one was Venus; this time, it's the sun! Do ancient goddesses like to use planets to fight?

Gilgamesh frowned slightly and said slowly:

"This attack destroyed most of the black-red ocean! It stops the progress of Tiamat. There's no way to destroy the opponent! It can only prevent Tiamat from advancing!"

~My Hero Academia World~

Bakugo stared at the screen, his usual scowl replaced by a look of intense focus.

"Now that's an explosion… I've gotta step up my game."

Midoriya, muttering furiously, scribbled notes in his notebook.

"The energy output, the radius, the heat… It's like she's channeling the sun itself! How does her body even handle that kind of power?!"

Todoroki, his expression unreadable, simply said,

"Impressive."

Chapter 53: The Great Power that Destroy Life

Chapter Text

【 After Quetzalcoatl’s explosive attack, the scene shifted back to Chaldea.

“The release of Noble Phantasm [Piedra Del Sol] has been confirmed!” a voice announced.

“The black mud was rapidly burning and evaporating under the intense heat. Ushiwakamaru and Benkei’s spiritual bases began to fade along with it.”

The ground beneath Tiamat turned into molten magma, causing her immense body to sink slightly. With great effort, she managed to support herself by plunging her hand into the magma.

On the other side, Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted in alarm:

 "Tiamat! Stop!"

"We have successfully stopped the advance of the Goddess Taimat!..." The people of Chaldea could not help but sigh in relief. They had finally successfully stopped Taimat's advance!

“If we just buy enough time, the gate to the underworld will open,” Da Vinci said, a hint of hope in her voice.

“This means we’ve won… right?” Dr. Roman also sighed in relief!

But their relief was short-lived.

“Quetzalcoatl Continue to use her Noble Phantasm!” Everyone in Chaldea was still worried about the situation on the battlefield and did not dare to be careless!

The camera panned back to Quetzalcoatl, who stood gasping for breath amidst the magma. Her previous attack had nearly drained all her magical energy, pushing her to her limits.

Suddenly, Quetzalcoatl’s eyes widened as she noticed something alarming.

Looking up at Tiamat, she saw the giant horn slowly glowing red. White steam-like gas began billowing out continuously.

Slowly, Tiamat’s massive head lifted, and her hand emerged from the magma.

“No…” Fujimaru whispered, his heart sinking.

Tiamat wasn’t merely standing—she was floating above the magma, defying gravity entirely.

The people outside the video felt an overwhelming sense of despair wash over them. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* World Line~

~Chaldea~

Leonardo Da Vinci leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled as she analyzed the data on the screen. Her sharp eyes scanned the information, her mind racing to piece together a solution.

“Although this situation feels hopeless, at least we’ve gained crucial information,”

She remarked thoughtfully, her voice calm despite the gravity of the situation.

“From what I gathered in the video, our plan should be to drag Tiamat down to the underworld. That seems to be the only way to neutralize her immortality.”

She continued, her tone analytical yet tinged with a hint of optimism.

Dr. Roman nodded slowly, though his expression was far from confident. His usual cheerful demeanor was replaced by a rare seriousness as he processed the information.

“Tiamat’s immortality stems from the living beings on the surface. As long as life exists here, she cannot truly die.”

His voice was heavy with the weight of the revelation. The implications were staggering—Tiamat’s connection to life itself made her an almost insurmountable foe.

Mash, standing nearby, clenched her fists.

“Then we must drag the goddess Tiamat into the realm of the dead—the underworld! It’s the only way to stop her!”

However, watching Tiamat rise again in the video filled Dr. Roman with growing unease. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as doubt crept into his voice.

“But can it really be done…?” 

He muttered, doubt creeping into his voice. The question hung in the air, a stark reminder of the enormity of the task before them.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War World Line~

Gilgamesh scowled, his golden eyes narrowing as he watched the screen. The sight of Tiamat recovering so quickly after such a devastating blow clearly displeased him.

“I didn’t expect her to recover so quickly after such a devastating blow!”

He growled, his voice dripping with irritation.

Even those outside the video were stunned. How could Tiamat withstand an attack of that magnitude? The sheer scale of her power was beyond comprehension.

But even Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others in the video couldn’t believe their eyes!

【 Ishtar opened his eyes wide in disbelief and said: “Didn’t they say her legs couldn’t support her weight…?”

After the Chaldeans tried their best to analyze the situation, they quickly replied to Ishtar and his people: “She focused her magic power on the large horn and the structure behind it, ignoring her weight entirely, and was able to successfully stand up. Is it possible that...

Leonardo Da Vinci’s voice rang out urgently.

“And now she’s not only standing but also flying!”

Ishtar’s worldview shattered before her eyes “Impossible! Mother is the goddess of the earth! She would never approach the sky!!”. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Timeline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

Outside the video, Ishtar mirrored her reaction. She still refused to believe that her mother would approach the sky!

“This can’t be happening…!”

Ishtar’s voice was filled with disbelief as she watched the screen. The idea of Tiamat, the primordial mother of all life, ascending into the heavens was almost too much to comprehend.

~Chaldea~

"This is a problem!"

Dr. Roman and Da Vinci exclaimed simultaneously, their voices filled with urgency. The sight of Tiamat ascending into the sky was a devastating blow to their carefully laid plans.

If dragging Tiamat into the underworld was their only chance of victory, then their strategy was already crumbling.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War World Line~

"This is really hopeless!"

Emiya Shirou muttered.

First, it was Venus, then it was the Sun... The two goddesses' full-powered attacks couldn't even block her steps.

Finally destroyed the black mud that supported her movements! they can take a little breath... But they didn't think she could fly! No matter what they threw at Tiamat, she seemed unstoppable.

【 Then Mash spoke up, voicing everyone’s worst fear: “If she can fly, she won’t fall into the underworld! Then the battle plan is useless, Senpai!”

Hearing Mashu's words, Fujimaru Ritsuka gritted his teeth, his pupils trembled slightly, his mind racing for solutions.

Let Mash unleash her Noble Phantasm? No, Mash Noble Phantasm "Lord Camelot" (Now is a Castle of Distant Ideals) is a shield that can't stop Tiamat, so it doesn't make sense here!

Let Ishtar use her Noble Phantasm again? - I'm afraid it'll just be a waste of the command seal! Isn't there no other way?

Just as despair threatened to overwhelm him, Quetzalcoatl’s words echoed in his ears.

“The weapons of the Mesopotamian world can’t harm her at all. I said it before!”

As Quetzalcoatl finished speaking, he saw her standing in the magma and placing the treasure in her hand, which was 'Piedra Del Sol (Solar Calendar Stone)' into her body!

Quetzalcoatl stomped on the ground with one foot, and her armor began to break!

“But because this body is a Goddess from the distant Mystic land!”

"Bang--"

It was as if something in Quetzalcoatl's body had broken, and the aura on her body shot up rapidly. And her magical power began to boil, emitting a terrifying aura as she opened her eyes! Revealing golden eyes

“The God of Mesopotamia is no problem at all!”

“Let me show you the underground world of South America—the power of a great conflict that claimed countless lives!!!”

Quetzalcoatl kicked hard with her right foot, and the entire ground exploded! The magma on the ground was still surging with such impulse, exploding!

"Bang--"

Quetzalcoatl transformed into a golden beam of light and shot straight into the sky! 】

Chapter 54: Xiuhcoatl (Flame, Burn the Gods Themselves)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Quetzalcoatl soared into the sky, reaching an impossible height. From her vantage point, a blue planet loomed before everyone’s eyes. 

She leaped off Earth itself, ascending into outer space as if defying gravity entirely. 

......

~Bleach World~

“That’s Earth?!” 

Kurosaki Ichigo exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. The sight of Quetzalcoatl leaping into space was unlike anything he had ever seen.

“Is this a battle between gods? The main deity of South America legends…”

Ichigo couldn’t help but feel awestruck by the sheer scale of the conflict unfolding before him.

Rukia Kuchiki, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“Ichigo, you’ve fought Shinigami and Hollows, and this is what shocks you?”

Ichigo shot her a glare, his cheeks slightly flushed.

“Hey, I’ve never seen someone jump into outer space before! This is on a whole other level!”

Uryū Ishida adjusted his glasses, his usual calm demeanor slightly shaken.

“It’s not just the height—it’s the sheer audacity. She’s treating Earth like a stepping stone.

His analytical mind was already racing to process the implications of such power.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

Joseph Joestar chuckled nervously, scratching his head as he watched Quetzalcoatl soar into space.

“She jumped that high?! I wonder if she can see Kars from there…”

He muttered under his breath, his trademark humor shining through even in the face of such an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Though accustomed to exaggerated displays of power, even Joseph found this level of combat astonishing.

~One Punch Man World~

Saitama scratched his head thoughtfully, completely unfazed by the spectacle.

“I should’ve reached that height once,”

He mused aloud.

“Maybe I’ll give it a try sometime—just treat it as a little trip.”

His nonchalant attitude contrasted sharply with the awe-inspiring scene on-screen.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The battles between gods back then were terrifying! But why did such a terrifying Age of Gods gradually disappear from the world?”

Irisviel tilted her head, her expression a mix of awe and confusion.

Gilgamesh swirled his glass lazily, smirking.

“This is a battle between gods—an honor for you zasshu to witness.”

Everyone was used to the zasshu remarks of Gilgamesh, and they paid no attention. Instead, they turned their attention back to the video.

Because they still wanted to know how the battle between gods would unfold!

~Dragon Ball Z World~

Goku stared at the screen, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Whoa! She jumped into space?! That’s so cool! I wanna fight her!”

Vegeta, standing beside him, crossed his arms, his usual scowl firmly in place.

“Hmph. Jumping into space is child’s play. Any Saiyan worth their salt can do that.”

Bulma rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips.

“Yeah, but she did it without a spaceship or anything. That’s kind of impressive, don’t you think?”

Vegeta grumbled, his pride clearly wounded.

“I could do that too… if I wanted to.”

Goku grinned, his enthusiasm undiminished.

“Hey, Vegeta, let’s go train in space sometime! It’ll be fun!”

【 Quetzalcoatl plummeted from the heavens like a meteorite, her body engulfed in flames.

“I shall burn everything away… And become the comet that killed Earth!” Quetzalcoatl declared, her voice echoing through the void.

As if noticing something, Tiamat raised her massive head, her red-purple eyes glowing ominously. Three purple barriers expanded around her, forming a layered defense.

"ULTIMO— TOPE... PATADA!!!"

Quetzalcoatl became a world-destroying meteorite falling from the sky with red light, rushing toward Tiamat with flames!

"Peng——"

"Boom——"

Quetzalcoatl shattered two of the purple barriers of Tiamat instantly with a kick, accompanied by an explosive sound!

The entire area shook violently, and a powerful shockwave spread everywhere! Distant peaks turned to dust under the shockwave.

Even Tiamat staggered backward under the impact,

"Click!!"

When a sound occurred, her large horn cracked audibly

“Aaaaaa——”

Tiamat let out a guttural cry as dazzling purple light erupted from her final barrier. Despite the ferocity of Quetzalcoatl’s attack, the blessed barrier held firm.

"I don't have enough power to go beyond this wall," Quetzalcoatl muttered. The attack power was insufficient! ——

The momentum of Quetzalcoatl began to decline, and her flames flickered weakly. Her strength was fading fast.

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka, who stood on Quetzalcoatlus nearby, raised his hand with a command spell in it and he shouted, his voice filled with resolve at Quetzalcoatl: "O Command Spell!! Bring victory to Quetzalcoatl!"

"Boom—"

A surge of magical energy coursed through Quetzalcoatl, reigniting her flames and rekindling her fighting spirit. The immortal fighting spirit ignited in his heart!

Quetzalcoatl smiled faintly, lifted his foot onto the obstacle once more, looked down at Tiamat below, and then landed heavily! She shouted loudly:

“Burning Fighting Spirit——!”

"Xiuhcoatl !!!" 

(Flame, Burn the Gods Themselves)

"Click!!"

"Peng——"

"Boom——"

Flames shooting up into the sky appeared once again, and the originally blessed purple barrier reappeared under the roar of Quetzalcoatl!

“Aaaaaa——”

Below, Tiamat also screamed and fought against Quetzalcoatl!

"Don’t lose, Quetzalcoatl!!"

The cheering voice of Fujimaru Ritsuka seemed to be more effective than the spell.

"Boom—"

A loud explosion rang out! A dazzling red light enveloped Tiamat like the sun!

It was like a world-destroying meteor falling to the ground! Then, a violent shockwave attacked everyone from afar!

In the distance, Mash immediately supported a shield to block this terrifying shockwave!

Ishtar blocked the shockwave with both hands, and when the smoke cleared, the center of the explosion appeared before everyone!

Ishtar looked at the huge figure in shock and saw that the other side was still standing just as before in the dazzling red light! She looked at everyone with a calm expression, as if she hadn’t been harmed at all!

"Even with an attack of that caliber, we still can't reach her!" Mash gasped; her expression incredulous.

On the other side, Fujimaru clenched his fists tightly, beads of sweat rolling down his face.

“Is even this trick useless?” he murmured, frustration mounting.

The combined willpower of Quetzalcoatl and the blessing of the command spell had failed to pierce Tiamat’s defenses... 】

.....

~Bleach World~

“That was insane!”

Kurosaki Ichigo’s eyes were wide with disbelief. The sight of Quetzalcoatl’s fiery descent and Tiamat’s unyielding defense left him speechless.

“I’ve fought some crazy battles, but this… this is on a whole other level!”

Rukia Kuchiki, standing beside him, nodded slowly.

“If even a goddess can’t defeat her, what hope do they have?”

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

Joseph Joestar whistled his expression a mix of awe and disbelief.

“That was one hell of a kick! But even that wasn’t enough… What’s it gonna take to stop her?”

Notes:

Translator Notes:
Well, I'm just going to say that this is literally High Burning Famous Scene

Chapter 55: Gorgon's Appearance!!

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“This is... a battle between gods! Simply releasing a Noble Phantasm could unleash destruction akin to the end of the world!”

Irisviel was shocked by the release of the Noble Phantasm one after another. The sheer scale of the conflict was almost too much to comprehend.

“The power they wield is beyond anything I’ve ever seen…”

Her crimson eyes were wide with shock, her mind racing to process the enormity of what she was witnessing.

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, stared wide-eyed at the spectacle before him, his usual boisterous demeanor replaced by uncharacteristic solemnity.

“The Sun fell like a comet! What immense power! If such an attack were to strike my Kings army, it would collapse instantly!”

His voice was filled with a mix of admiration and dread. Even Iskandar, who had faced countless battles, was awestruck by the sheer destructive force on display.

King of Knights, Artoria nodded and spoke thoughtfully,

"No matter from which perspective, it’s terrifying...!"

Her piercing green eyes were fixed on the screen.

However, even such a terrifying explosion couldn’t cause any damage! What method could be used to stop Tiamat?

Gilgamesh, who had been silently observing the scene, couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows as he gazed at Tiamat, who remained unscathed. and he couldn’t help but sink into deep thought...!

Although he didn’t want to admit it, even if he fought Quetzalcoatl with all his strength, he feared he wouldn’t be a match, and surely the opponent wouldn’t be easily defeated either!

"How can I defeat Tiamat and stop the catastrophic disaster that threatens to destroy the world?"

Gilgamesh complained as if he had been thrust into the video, struggling hard to think of a countermeasure!

However, his words were overheard by the King of Conquerors beside him.

"Hey! This isn’t like you! The King of Heroes..."

The King of Conquerors turned his head and looked at Gilgamesh, who was frowning and lost in thought and spoke in a tone of disbelief.

“At times like this, shouldn’t you say something like, ‘I should appear next! Let me handle it!’”

According to what he knew, Gilgamesh should say this.

Gilgamesh, who had been interrupted, looked at The King of Conquerors and calmly replied:

"Since you’re bringing it up! Then my minister, such as Siduri, will surely appreciate you."

【 Looking at the large figure standing in the magma on the ground, Dr. Roman’s panicked voice came from Chaldea with anxiety in his tone: “No! The situation isn’t good… If this continues—!”

Before he finished speaking, the anxious voice of Fujimaru Ritsuka rang in his ears: "Doctor! Hurry up and analyze the damage on Goddess Tiamat!"

"Perhaps we might find progress in the damage!"

Facing the desperate people, Fujimaru Rikka forced himself to command everyone and began organizing a new round of attacks!

This attack also consumed most of his mana. It can be said that he has almost exhausted it now, and he is just holding on.

But I still can’t fall! I remember my mission to this singularity! With only 500 people left in Uruk... He must work harder!

"Ishtar, block Laḫmu in the northwest direction!"

"Understood!" Ishtar immediately flew off with Maanna in the direction he had mentioned!

Turning to Mash, Fujimaru gave another order.

“Mash! Unfold your Noble Phantasm in front of Tiamat and buy us more time!”

Mash looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka with a pained expression, knowing he couldn’t continue anymore...

"Senpai! Your mana already..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka felt a twinge of pain, looked at Mash with tears in her eyes, and said firmly:

"There’s no problem!"

"Even so!! We can’t stop!"

Mash felt an immense resolve in the tone of Fujimaru Ritsuka! Mash would support his actions, even if it didn’t belong to this era! But it was reason enough to give everything...

Looking at Fujimaru Ritsuka like this, Mash stopped insisting, and her eyes became resolute: "I understand! As you said...!" 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“You don’t give up when facing a terrifying opponent!”

Someone whispered in awe.

"The new round of attacks has been reorganized!"

"Clearly, humans are capable of achieving this beforehand! If you choose to give up, no one will look down on him!"

"After all, this is a battle between gods..."

~Fairy Tail World~

"Master! Even though the worlds are different, if mana is exhausted, it will...!"

Natsu rarely ran out of mana, but he recalled fighting Brian’s (Zero) of Oración Seis using the Genesis Zero spell, which drained magic, soul, and existence itself.

"Now, only the willpower in his body remains supported!"

Makarov knew what Natsu wanted to say and shook his head.

"Sometimes, it surpasses magic itself!"

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"As a subject, you are already qualified!"

Gilgamesh said with praise.

A person not from this era is doing their best for Uruk! No, it should be said —for humanity.

As humans, it’s beyond imagination to achieve something like this!

"Of course!"

 The King of Conquerors exclaimed as well. If he had the chance, he would also like to subdue such a person as a minister.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“I always feel that his eyes resemble Miyu’s older brother, Emiya Shirou.”

 Magic Sapphire spoke thoughtfully.

"Yes! His eyes look very similar to my older brother! This spirit of not giving up."

Miyu nodded in agreement.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Is this the last master of humanity?! It seems I didn’t put my faith in the wrong person!"

The Wise King, Gilgamesh, smiled faintly.

"I didn’t expect that she wouldn’t get hurt even though I used my full power! She deserves to be the Goddess of Beginning!"

Quetzalcoatl grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"But you, little master, aren’t half bad either! Consider me a fan!"

【 Before Mash finished speaking, the dark clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, and tremors like an earthquake arrived!

Mash looked in surprise and saw a giant snake-like hair attacking Tiamat! The entire ground continued to shake!

Tiamat let out a strange cry when she saw this: "Aaaaa—— -!"

As Tiamat looked at it, a pair of massive wings appeared! When the wings spread, a mature face emerges appeared! Purple eyes shone with strange magic...

"Gorgon!" Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn’t help but feel astonished at the sight of this scene! 】

Chapter 56: The Domineering Gorgon!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Upon hearing Fujimaru Ritsuka’s words, those outside the video who were familiar with mythological history erupted into astonished exclamations.

"Gorgon!!? Isn’t that the snake-haired witch from the legends?!"

Someone shouted incredulously.

“Her body is enormous! But… perhaps with such a massive physique, she might be able to stop Tiamat!” 

Another added.

"I wonder if looking into her eyes can turn people to stone!"

"Isn’t the Gorgon in legend considered an evil force?! Could it be that this time she plans to stop Tiamat?!"

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"Another giant!!"

Itadori Yūji couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. In his world, even cursed spirits rarely grow to such enormous sizes!

"But this time, perhaps she can stop that Tiamat!"

Fushiguro Megumi added.

"Looking again, she appears to be a goddess."

It seems she isn’t an enemy; as soon as she appeared, she charged toward Tiamat to attack!

However, seeing Fujimaru Ritsuka’s surprised expression, it seems even they are curious as to why the Gorgon has appeared!

Is she really not an enemy?!

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Isn’t that the Queen of Magical Beasts?!"

Merlin was slightly surprised, looking at the Gorgon who had just appeared in the video, and immediately attacked Tiamat as soon as she appeared!

"But! This is truly an surprise!"

 "Does this mean the Three Goddesses Alliance has collapsed?! They’ve all joined Uruk to resist Tiamat."

Gilgamesh stroked his chin, revealing a slow smile as he spoke.

 "HUH?!"

Ushiwakamaru looked as if he didn’t want to joke around, having prepared for so long to oppose the goddess alliance only to find out in the end that they were on the same side!

"Though I don’t know why the three goddesses have joined our camp, isn’t this good news?"

Leonidas I, on the other hand, seemed quite relaxed, appreciating Fujimaru Ritsuka!

“And that young man—the last master of humanity—is truly remarkable. His willpower might be what attracted the essence of the three goddesses.”

The youth whose mana has been exhausted but continues to fight—such willpower.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Never thought that Gorgon would choose to help Uruk!"

Gilgamesh mused thoughtfully. If Gorgon joins, perhaps they can really buy time to open the gates of the underworld!

"This is truly an unpredictable variable!"

Emiya Shirou watched as the Gorgon suddenly appeared!

【 The snake-tailed Gorgon used her hair to pin Tiamat in place, and numerous Laḫmu all angrily charged forward!

"Let go!"

One Laḫmu roared, its voice dripping with fury.

"Let go!"

Another screamed, rushing toward Gorgon with reckless abandon.

"You filthy impostor!"

Laḫmu furiously shouted as they rushed toward Gorgon!

 "Stop your useless shouting!!" Gorgon slowly opened her mouth, her expression unchanged.

Her hair transformed into monstrous snakes that bit into the charging Laḫmu, her tone cold and chilling: "You pathetic beings made of mud!!"

"Squish squish ——"

As Gorgon’s words fell, the snake hair that bit into the Laḫmu suddenly tightened its grip. The Laḫmu was directly severed into two pieces, violet-color blood splattering everywhere, before dissolving back into black mud and vanishing into thin air!

"Gorgon!" Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were both somewhat surprised as they looked at her. Weren’t you supposed to have been killed? Why have you appeared now?! Moreover, judging by her appearance, she’s here to help us!

Fujimaru Ritsuka, sweating nervously, couldn’t help but ask the suddenly appearing Gorgon: "Do you plan... to help us?!"

"Help you?" Gorgon didn’t turn her head, her tone remaining cold.

"Yes!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka, no longer caring about anything else, hastily said: "Hold Tiamat back here!"

Hearing this, Gorgon glanced at Fujimaru Ritsuka once more, her tone still icy cold: "You’re the one getting in the way!"

"In the way?" Mash was slightly stunned, unable to understand Gorgon’s meaning for a moment.

Then, Gorgon looked at the shield in Mash’s hand and slowly said: "You can’t even lift your own shield!"

Reminded by Gorgon, Mash immediately looked at the nearly dissipating shield in her hand and realized—not only his Senpai, but she herself had unknowingly reached her limit!

"Look at your master’s fingertips!" Gorgon continued indifferently: "Because of insufficient mana! It’s already falling apart!"

Following Mash’s gaze, Fujimaru Ritsuka gritted his teeth. Though he tried to hide it, his trembling right hand revealed pale fingertips that Mash noticed.

"Tiamat’s wings shattered under my power! Let them know—she only deserves to crawl on the ground!" Gorgon looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka, now resembling a trembling queen, her tone haughty and supremely domineering.

Gorgon’s words effectively answered Fujimaru Ritsuka’s earlier question—she is here to help them stop Tiamat!

Understanding her meaning, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Gorgon and said: "I understand! Then I’ll leave this matter to you!"

Hearing this, Gorgon quietly gazed at Fujimaru Ritsuka, slightly lowering her head.

Her originally chilling gaze softened immensely, and her arrogant tone became gentle: "I told you, I'm not here for you."

Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka was momentarily stunned, then seemed to understand something!

Gorgon immediately shifted her gaze, closed her eyes, and calmly said: "Hurry up and go!"

"Thank you..." Fujimaru Ritsuka’s pupils trembled slightly as he looked at Gorgon’s back.

"Farewell..."

Afterward, the Quetzalcoatlus adjusted its direction and flew off into the distance. At this moment, Mash seemed to realize something and shouted to Fujimaru Ritsuka:

"Master!! Please wait a moment! That Gorgon just now was Anna!"

Just as Mash was about to say something more, Fujimaru Ritsuka interrupted him.

"Mash... I know!"

With Fujimaru Ritsuka’s words, Mash seemed to understand something as well, biting her lip and bowing her head as tears streamed down her face! 】

Chapter 57: Pandemonium Cetus 【 Forced Seal — Pandemonic Temple 】

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone outside the video was captivated by Gorgon’s elegance.

"Is this really the legendary snake-haired witch?! Love it!"

Someone exclaimed.

Others marveled at her authority.

“Gorgon truly has authority over others, especially with her statement that Tiamat only deserves to crawl on the ground… It really touches my heart!”

Some noticed her softer side.

"And it seems like she treated Fujimaru Ritsuka differently! She said, 'You don’t even need to ask for my help...' She was so gentle when she said that."

"Is this the legendary tsundere? He’s arrogant toward Tiamat, but her attitude toward Fujimaru Ritsuka is completely different!"

Speculation arose about her personality.

But Fujimaru’s condition didn’t go unnoticed.

"But this Fujimaru Ritsuka is special too. His magical power has run out—he’s literally struggling to survive!"

"Even his fingertips are starting to die! This spirit... clearly he doesn’t belong to this era, yet he’s fighting for this era with all his might!"

~Fairy Tail World~

"Love"

"There’s an affair~!"

Happy covered his mouth and smiled goofily. His tongue rolled and shook as he said,

"You dead cat, can you serious?"

Lucy grabbed Happy, who was flying in mid-air! Just as she was feeling touched by Fujimaru Ritsuka, Happy interrupted her immediately.

"But it feels like something’s a little off...!"

"As expected, if the magic power of this world runs out, vitality will be consumed."

Porlyusica touched her chin and analyzed.

"Now that the fingertips have started to get damaged, I’m afraid they won’t last much longer."

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"If he keeps this up, he might die before defeating Tiamat!"

Shirou Emiya crossed his arms, his voice tinged with both concern and frustration as he watched the video feed of Fujimaru Ritsuka's struggles.

The Master of Chaldea was pushing himself to the limit, and Shirou couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy.

But then, his attention shifted to Gorgon.

"Gorgon... she really surprised me,"

Shirou admitted, his tone softening.

 "I didn’t expect her to care so much about Fujimaru and the others. The moment she appeared, she noticed how exhausted they were. She’s not the monster the legends make her out to be."

"Gorgon?!"

 Tohsaka Rin's eyes widened as she leaned closer to the screen.

"Wait, I feel like I’ve seen her face somewhere before... but I can’t quite place it."

Rin’s mind raced, trying to reconcile the image of the infamous snake-haired witch from mythology with the figure now fighting alongside humanity.

She had always thought of the Gorgon as a symbol of terror, a being to be feared and avoided at all costs. But here she was, defying expectations and standing as an ally.

【 Gorgon waited until Fujimaru Ritsuka left, then immediately spread her wings and positioned herself behind him. Gorgon closed her eyes and murmured: "For me, this is enough!"

"I’m sorry. I don’t want you to see me like this..."

"This would only cause unnecessary harm..."

Her tone shifted from indifference to unparalleled gentleness. However, as she spoke, Tiamat beside her let out a strange roar while advancing, and the snake hair binding her kept tearing apart—

"Aaaahhh——!"

Seeing that Tiamat had broken free from the chains of her hair and began to move, Gorgon opened her eyes, revealing glowing purple eyes, and said sternly with a slight frown:

"But Tiamat! I will let you taste my true power!"

As Gorgon finished speaking, her eyes glowed purple, and a large red magic circle formed in front of her immediately!

"I will be the Great Snake and bring the Earth Dragon down!"

With Gorgon’s chanting, the hair at the back of her head slowly floated upward! It began to float and writhe as if alive. The large wings behind her slightly folded forward, and the magic circle in front of her suddenly grew larger!

"Melt everything! Forced Seal - Pandemonic Temple!"

                      (Pandemonium Cetus)

Magic power began to gather on the magic ring, gradually turning into a red and black light. In an instant, streams of red and black magical energy shot toward Tiamat!

"Crack…!"

With a thunderous sound! The giant figure cracked after being hit by Quetzalcoatl’s attack! The deep cracks widened and shattered!

Seeing this, Gorgon increased her magical power and quietly roared!

As the colossal form of Tiamat collapsed, white smoke filled the battlefield.

The smoke cleared, revealing Gorgon’s peaceful smile. Her body slowly turned into purple light and began to dissipate!

"Thank you for the flowers..."

She whispered gently

After Gorgon finished speaking, she completely turned into purple light and vanished on the battlefield!

On the other hand, Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was on the Quetzalcoatlus, gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and continued flying toward Uruk while suppressing the pain in his heart.

The scene returns to the towering figure of Tiamat once again. Above the white smoke, there was a large broken horn on its head. Its head tilted slightly, but it still stared into the distance with red-purple eyes.

Everyone in Chaldea immediately analyzed the damage inflicted on Tiamat!

"No! Even though her flight has been restricted!"

"But as long as the black mud continues to be produced, there’s no way to stop her from heading toward Uruk!"

Dr. Roman’s worried words made everyone feel even more hopeless without a doubt.

Gilgamesh in Uruk seemed to feel the same way and walked up to the top of the palace dome. He looked up at the distant sky and sighed.

"Those two goddesses! They truly used what they had to achieve the best possible outcome."

"It seems there are still incredibly capable goddesses out there!"

"Ishtar, the useless goddess, actually lost her sacred cow! Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in this situation—"

Though not ideal, it was still useful for the other two goddesses! It gave him some relief— 】

....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* TimeWorldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Is this really me?!"

Gorgon stared at the screen, her voice trembling with disbelief.

The image before her showed a version of herself she could barely recognize—a version that fought alongside humans, protected them, and even seemed to care for them.

"It’s impossible! I despise humans more than anything! Why would I ever help them?!"

Her words were sharp, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. The sight of herself defying her own nature left her conflicted, torn between her hatred and the undeniable proof of her actions.

Deep down, a part of her wondered:

"Could I really change? Could I become... that?"

Meanwhile, in Uruk...

Ishtar, on the other side, glared at Gilgamesh angrily and shouted,

"What do you mean, 'It seems there are still incredibly capable goddesses' ?!"

Ishtar’s voice echoed through the palace as she glared at Gilgamesh, her hands planted firmly on her hips. Her golden red iris burned with indignation, and her cheeks flushed with frustration.

"I’ve always felt like you’re targeting me!"

Ishtar felt an indescribable resentment in her heart. No matter what she did, it seemed like Gilgamesh always found a way to belittle her.

Gilgamesh, ever the provocateur, simply leaned back on his throne, his expression unreadable.

"Hmph!"

Gilgamesh looked at her silently, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. I’m talking about you! You’re the goddess who always fails at critical moments!

Ereshkigal, the Mistress of the Underworld, held the key to defeating Tiamat. Quetzalcoatl’s treasure had temporarily evaporated the black and red mud sea, halting Tiamat’s advance—

So, among the alliance of the three goddesses, who was the one who always seemed to fall short?

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Is there no way to stop Tiamat?"

Dr. Roman’s voice was heavy with despair as he stared at the screen.

The giant’s horn was destroyed. Though it prevented Tiamat’s ability to fly, the black and red mud sea that Quetzalcoatl had just evaporated reappeared!

The situation was dire, and the weight of their failure pressed down on him.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Gorgon… is she gone?!"

Tohsaka Rin’s voice was tinged with sadness as she watched Gorgon turn into light and vanish into thin air. Though the goddess had appeared only briefly, her domineering attitude and unexpected sacrifice had left a deep impression on everyone.

"Are Ishtar and Ereshkigal the only goddesses left now?!"

Shirou Emiya muttered, his brow furrowed in concern. The stakes were higher than ever, and the odds seemed insurmountable.

"But it seems there’s no way to stop Tiamat’s advance now!"

Gilgamesh remained silent. Even the King of Heroes, with all his wisdom and power, couldn’t think of an effective solution.

No one outside the video could come up with a way to stop Tiamat!

But a moment later! Everyone outside the video was impressed by Gilgamesh’s charisma! This is a king!

Chapter 58: Just a Mortal Wound!! Uruk is still alive and well!

Chapter Text

【 Gilgamesh spoke as if realizing something! Looking up at the sky, He saw Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash appear above the red ocean, flying toward Uruk aboard Quetzalcoatlus.

"Are you okay?"

"King Gilgamesh!" Before the Quetzalcoatlus even landed, Fujimaru Ritsuka jumped down and shouted anxiously toward the distant figure!

"You’ve returned!" Gilgamesh turned his head to look at both of them, then turned back to gaze at Uruk again! He spoke calmly:

"Look, the entire overview of Uruk!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash stared into the distance. The once grand and magnificent Uruk was now engulfed in flames, and black and red mud seas were flowing in through gaps in the city walls!

“This is yet another step closer to disappearing from the face of the Earth! The end of the world!” Gilgamesh declared solemnly.

Then, the scene shifts to the city of Uruk. Thick smoke filled the air everywhere. The once radiant city could only be described as desolate. There was no sign of life left in this great city.

The entire city was flooded with black and red mud. Soldiers lay lifeless on the ground, and countless monsters roamed around!

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash, who had witnessed the prosperity of Uruk, looked at the scene before them in shock. Cold sweat broke out on their faces...

This is the end of the world! It’s the end of civilization. Gilgamesh is the only one left in Uruk! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this the end of the world?”

Someone whispered hoarsely.

The question hung in the air, whispered hoarsely by someone in the crowd. It was a question no one wanted to answer, but the scene before them left little room for hope.

Uruk, once a thriving city of life and prosperity, now lay in ruins. The streets were empty, the buildings crumbling, and the sky darkened by the looming shadow of Tiamat. It was as if the world itself had been drained of color, leaving only desolation in its wake.

"Uruk, once a prosperous city, has become the background for the end of the world!"

Others marveled at Gilgamesh’s resolve.

"The era has ended, and there is only one person left in the world!"

"Now there is only Gilgamesh left. Can he really delay the opening of the gates to the underworld?"

When Fujimaru and the others returned, they found Uruk devoid of life. Tiamat approached relentlessly, and time was running out.

"But now, Tiamat is approaching, and time is running out...!"

Everyone outside the video was stunned by this apocalyptic scene. Is this the end of the world? And can they successfully buy more time? Everyone is eagerly awaiting it.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"Even in the face of annihilation, he doesn’t falter."

Yuji Itadori’s voice was filled with respect. He had faced his own share of impossible odds, but nothing compared to what Gilgamesh was up against.

【 She’s here! Our mother has appeared!" Gilgamesh crossed his arms and looked at the figure appearing before him, startling the two people who were still in shock!

As Gilgamesh watched, the huge Tiamat had arrived outside the walls of Uruk, and countless Lahmu were moving toward Uruk like dark clouds!

"Open your eyes and observe carefully!"

Gilgamesh showed no fear in this situation. He calmly looked ahead and extended his right hand. With a flash of golden light, a stone book appeared in his hand!

“Next, let Tiamat witness the last courage of Uruk!”

Gilgamesh stares at Tiamat with steady eyes. The stone book opened, and golden runes began spinning within it! A golden magic circle beneath his feet suddenly revealed itself—

"Buzz——!"

The seal of divine authority on the walls of Uruk glowed red!

Dr. Roman, upon detecting this scene, couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise: "There are no Lapiz Lazuli stones! Not a single soldier left!

"The Seal of Sacred Power has been activated!"

The seals of sacred power on the city walls, resembling cannons, slowly rose, and golden magical energy continued to gather at the tips!

"Who am I? The 360 Sacred Seals are set up in Uruk! I built it myself! I personally supplied it with magical power and coordinated it all by myself!"

As Gilgamesh proudly declared this, countless golden magical bullets were fired from the Sacred Seals! -

"Bang, bang, bang——!"

Countless cannons rained down on Tiamat like meteors, successfully slowing down the advance of Tiamat!

The immense magical power caused Gilgamesh to break out in a cold sweat, but he gritted his teeth and stared forward.

“As long as you drive this body with the determination to die, I can operate it together!” he growled fiercely.

"I will complete my mission of pinning Tiamat here perfectly!"

"Aaah——" Tiamat, attacked by countless cannons, couldn’t help but let out a strange cry—

"Amazing!" Fujimaru Ritsuka beside him watched everything in front of him in shock. 】

......

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"That’s right! You can all enjoy witnessing the glory of this king!"

Gilgamesh’s laughter echoed through the room, rich and unrestrained, as he watched his own performance in the video.

His golden eyes gleamed with pride, his arms crossed over his chest as if daring anyone to challenge his magnificence.

"......!!"

Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou both acknowledged that this king was indeed the same person!

Impossible, absolutely impossible! Both of them seemed to have their worldviews shattered.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War worldline~

"This is it! The King of Heroes?!"

Irisviel’s voice was filled with awe as she watched the screen, her crimson eyes wide with disbelief.

Even though he’s alone, he fights to the very end without fear. This is completely different from the Gilgamesh standing before him.

【 Fujimaru Ritsuka was suddenly startled, turned his head, and shouted to Ereshkigal underground: "Ereshkigal, how’s the preparation for the underworld going?"

 Ereshkigal looked up with cold sweat on her face and quickly replied: "Just a little more! Please wait a bit longer!"

Upon hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka was stunned. A bad feeling immediately arose, and he looked toward the distant Tiamat!

Amidst the dense cannon fire, the mouth of Tiamat opened slightly, revealing her sharp teeth, but the light continued to gather!

Gilgamesh’s eyes turned orange, and he activated his special intuition to see the future—

A purple light was emitted from afar, and Fujimaru Ritsuka could only stare wide-eyed, unable to react at all!

Just as he thought he was about to die, he saw Gilgamesh, who predicted the attack. Without hesitation, he pushed Fujimaru aside and took the hit himself—

As blood flowed to the ground, Fujimaru Ritsuka, with blood still on his face, stared blankly at Gilgamesh in front of him. His voice trembled:

"King Gilgamesh…!"

Gilgamesh, whose heart had been stabbed and wounded, looked at the blood on his hand and said indifferently:

“You actually played sniping! How hateful. Your aim was excellent! Damn it, Tiamat, you’re truly capable!”

Gilgamesh finishes speaking and walks away again.

Mash, who stood nearby, found it hard to accept this and tearfully said:

"King Gilgamesh! It’s my fault for not being able to protect Master..."

Gilgamesh interrupted him before he could finish, saying nonchalantly:

"Don’t worry about it! It’s just a fatal injury... as long as you’re okay!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What a fatal injury!... And this is what it means to be a king? I really like it! A truly handsome king! If I ever meet him, I’ll definitely dedicate everything to him!"

Others marveled at Gilgamesh’s influence.

The words were spoken with a mix of awe and admiration, the speaker clearly captivated by Gilgamesh’s heroic actions. The sight of the King of Heroes standing tall despite his injuries, his resolve unshaken, left a lasting impression on everyone who watched.

"No wonder the mere 500 people left in Uruk have no fear of death!"

"No wonder the previous soldiers of Uruk were willing to sacrifice their lives!"

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Is that really you!?"

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, looked at the arrogant Gilgamesh before him, his brow furrowed in confusion. The man in the video—heroic, selfless, and brave—was a far cry from the Gilgamesh he knew.

The magnificent king in the video— what a brave man! He sacrificed his life to block the attack of someone not from this era!

Why does the person before me only show arrogance? Their personalities are so completely different!

"Who else can it be except me?"

Gilgamesh sneered, his golden eyes glinting with pride. He understood that after experiencing the death of his best friend and searching for the elixir of immortality, his personality had changed completely.

But that didn’t stop him from being proud of himself in the video. The wine in his hand tasted better, and he took a full gulp.

Artoria, the King of Knights, stood silently nearby, her expression unreadable. Her piercing green eyes were fixed on the projection, her mind racing with thoughts.

"That version of Gilgamesh... he acted selflessly, putting the lives of others above his own," 

She murmured, her voice soft but firm.

"It seems even the King of Heroes is capable of change."

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, turned to her, his boisterous laughter filling the room.

"What do you think, Saber? Isn’t it fascinating to see such a stark contrast between the Gilgamesh we know and the one in that screen?"

Artoria’s gaze remained steady, her tone measured.

"A king’s duty is to protect their people, no matter the cost. The Gilgamesh in the video understood that. He embodied the true essence of kingship—sacrifice and responsibility."

Gilgamesh, overhearing her words, let out a derisive snort.

"Spare me your sanctimonious drivel, King of Knights. A king is the law, the absolute authority. My actions are beyond your comprehension."

Artoria’s eyes narrowed, but she did not rise to his bait. Instead, she turned back to the projection, her voice carrying a quiet resolve.

"Perhaps. But even you cannot deny the impact of your actions in that world. You saved a life, not for glory or pride, but because it was the right thing to do. That is the mark of a true king."

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"It’s my fault for not being prepared... I couldn’t protect Senpai!"

Mash clenched her fists tightly, guilt weighing heavily on her heart. If I had been in the video, I could have raised the shield, perhaps I could have prevented this attack...

But she resolved firmly:

"But it hasn’t happened yet... I won’t let the same situation occur again! I will definitely protect Senpai!"

~Akame Ga Kill World~

Tatsumi stared at the screen, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

The image of Gilgamesh—standing tall despite his fatal injury, protecting Fujimaru Ritsuka without hesitation—burned itself into his mind.

"It would be great if he were our king..." 

Tatsumi murmured, his voice tinged with both longing and bitterness.

The memory of his two fallen friends, Ieyasu and Sayo, flashed before his eyes.

Their deaths had been the catalyst for his journey, a grim reminder of the corruption and cruelty that plagued the Millennium Empire.

 The rulers of this world cared nothing for their people, only for their own power and greed.

But Gilgamesh... the Gilgamesh in the projection was different.

He was arrogant, yes, but he had also proven himself willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. He was a king who inspired loyalty, not fear.

"Maybe... if we had a king like him, there wouldn’t be a need for a revolutionary army,"

Tatsumi said quietly, his gaze fixed on the screen.

Beside him, Akame tilted her head, her crimson eyes thoughtful.

"A king who fights for his people, even at the cost of his own life... It’s hard to imagine such a ruler in this world."

Leone, leaning against a wall, crossed her arms and smirked.

"Well, if that guy ever showed up here, I’d gladly follow him. At least he’s got style—and the guts to back it up."

Tatsumi nodded slowly, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. The Millennium Empire was a rotten system, but seeing Gilgamesh’s actions made him wonder if true change was possible.

If a king like that could exist, then maybe—just maybe—there was a future worth fighting for.

【 Gilgamesh walked away, turning his back to the two. With a wave of his right hand, the glowing golden stone book appeared in his hand again—

"Move! King's Signal Cannon!"

            (Melammu Dingir)

The Sacred Seal, which had originally stopped attacking, gathered light again and attacked Tiamat!

Mash, who stood nearby, couldn’t help but cry out upon seeing this and shouted anxiously to Gilgamesh: "Please stop! No matter what your body has..."

"Are you trying to say it’s impossible?"

The cannons in the sky kept firing, and Gilgamesh, with cold sweat on his face, looked at the figure of Tiamat before him without turning his head! There was anger in his tone: "Do you think I’ve reached my limit yet?"

"Do you think Uruk can no longer fight?"

As he spoke, the cannon fire didn’t stop. Gilgamesh, with blood flowing from his mouth, shouted loudly: "Do you think the same? Fujimaru Ritsuka!"

Looking at Uruk, which had no vitality, there were only a few of them left in the whole city. With tears in his eyes, Fujimaru Ritsuka supported his body.

"No!"

Looking at Gilgamesh’s back! He clenched his fist over his chest and spoke in a firm tone:

"Uruk is still alive here!" 】

Chapter 59: O' Humans, Let Us Restrain the Gods

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Uruk is still alive!!"

People outside the video shouted, their voices tinged with hope despite knowing they might disappear in the future.

Their determination burned brightly, undeterred even by the threat of destruction. As long as their king remained, Uruk would endure—not just as a city but as an idea etched into the hearts of its people.

“Even if we die, our intentions will live on in the hearts of others.”

Someone murmured,

Even if the world crumbled around them, their legacy would live on, not through bloodlines but through the hearts of those who carried their intentions forward.

This was no mere inheritance; it was a chain of life, linking past, present, and future.

The final battle to bid farewell to the gods was not just a fight for survival—it was a testament to Uruk’s glory, a story that would be told for generations.

The people’s trust in their king was unshakable, their willingness to sacrifice everything for Uruk a testament to their faith.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Shirou Emiya muttered, his blood boiling as he watched the scene unfold.

“What a kingly spirit…!” 

He muttered under his breath.

However, His words caught the attention of Gilgamesh, who was nearby. The golden-haired king tilted his head thoughtfully, stroking his chin as if seriously considering this possibility.

“If you wish to become my subject, it’s not impossible,”

He declared with characteristic arrogance.

Shirou immediately recoiled, waving his hands frantically.

"Uh... forget it!"

Rin Tohsaka just thought that Gilgamesh in the video looked quite handsome, but for some reason, the Gilgamesh beside her immediately shattered all her impressions the moment he opened his mouth.

“Ugh, why is there such a big difference between the same person?”

She groaned, shaking her head.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Artoria Pendragon stared at the screen, her emerald eyes wide with disbelief.

"This is the King of Heroes?" 

Artoria’s voice was laced with disbelief. She had expected a tyrant, a ruler drunk on power and arrogance. But the figure on the screen was nothing like that. He was mature, stable, and wise—a king worthy of respect.

Her gaze shifted to the Gilgamesh standing beside her. This version was nothing like the one in the video.

He swore chaos, grew angry at the slightest provocation, and killed indiscriminately when displeased. The contrast was jarring.

Not only that, but everyone in other worlds is also inspired by the bravery of Gilgamesh!

~Fairy Tail World~

"In fact, I’m severely injured and still clinging to my body to keep attacking!"

Someone marveled at Gilgamesh’s resilience.

The words hung in the air, heavy with desperation. The members of Fairy Tail exchanged glances, their usual boisterous energy replaced by solemn respect.

"And magic takes time to seal so much divine power!"

The room fell silent as they watched Gilgamesh fight on, despite his injuries. It was a reminder of what true strength looked like—not just power, but the will to keep going, no matter the cost.

At this moment, everyone in Fairy Tail sighed. Clearly, Gilgamesh had earned their respect.

But doubts lingered.

"But he heavily injured and have used too much magic; I’m afraid..."

~Naruto World~

Uzumaki Naruto couldn’t contain his excitement.

"So cool!!"

He shouted, pumping his fist in the air. his eyes shining with excitement. The image of Gilgamesh, standing tall against impossible odds, resonated deeply with him.

This is just like the Hokage he imagined.

To protect the village, one must give everything—even one's life. Inspired, Naruto resolved to become Hokage in the future.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

Yuji Itadori stared at the wise king, his expression thoughtful.

"Even though the worlds are different, no matter how you look at it, he’s just human... but a human who’s fatally injured can still cast such powerful spells!"

Megumi Fushiguro chimed in, his voice calm yet intrigued.

"Perhaps his existence is abnormal—you need to know that there are gods in that world..."

【 Gilgamesh couldn’t help but smile when he heard the words of Fujimaru Ritsuka and passionately said:

"Well said! Then it's time for me to show my true abilities!"

As Gilgamesh’s words fell, the golden magic circle on his body became clear, its opening transforming into a circle—

"Although I have been doing my best from the beginning! I still want to save face!" Gilgamesh said with a cold sweat on his face.

At this moment, Dr. Roman’s shout reached his ears:

"Confirmed that a large number of Laḫmu have appeared! They have arrived before Tiamat!"

Ishtar, floating in the air continuously fired magical bullets, but it was just a drop in the bucket for the Laḫmu in the sky.

"No! There’s too much!! If this continues..."

"Click—"

At this moment, a roar came from my ear, causing Ishtar to look up and see countless Laḫmu crashing into the city walls as if they didn’t care about their lives—

"I said!! Is this different from siege weapons?" Ishtar said in disbelief, then looked up at Laḫmu in the sky.

"Are those guys still planning to crash into us?!" She looked at the Laḫmu gathering in the sky in shock, and she couldn't care less.

"Since that’s the case! The accumulated magic power to send my mother to the Underworld! I can only release it here."

Ishtar waved her hand, and the treasure Maanna appeared again, but before she could unleash it, golden ripples appeared behind her.

Ishtar immediately crouched down, grabbed her head, and ducked to avoid the defense, then looked back and saw countless chains coming out from there, passing through her! Smashing all the Laḫmu in the air—

Ishtar was shocked when she saw this scene and spoke in disbelief: "No way! Those chains!" 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

The moment the chains appeared on-screen, Gilgamesh’s tense body and expression were no longer calm. His golden eyes burned with fury, and angrily stared at the screen in disbelief.

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar and The King of Knights, Artoria exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why Gilgamesh unleashed such murderous intent, For a moment.

They almost thought that the Holy Grail War was about to begin.

But just as quickly, Gilgamesh’s expression returned to its usual composure—as if nothing had happened. Beneath the surface, however, his heart raced.

“If I remember correctly,” 

He murmured softly, almost to himself,

That scene… it was after my friend died…”

A question lingered in his mind, unspoken but heavy with significance:

So, who controls this Heavenly Chain?”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"This goddess’s appearance looks familiar!"

Emiya Shirou couldn't help but twitch his mouth when he saw Ishtar crouching her head in her hands.

“Isn’t your posture of crouching and holding your head a little too skilled?”

He glanced at Rin Tohsaka beside him, wondering:

“Does relying on your body still affect your personality?”

Rin shot him a glare, but before she could retort, the scene shifted, drawing their attention back to the screen.

【 A figure with green hair rushed out from behind, following the chains, and rushed into the group of Laḫmu. Then a flash of lightning passed by, and all the Laḫmu behind her exploded.

"Boom—"

The explosion lit up the night sky—

Kingu, flying in the air, turned around and stretched out her hand, and a circle of light lit up from her hand. Chains shot out from it, triggering all the Laḫmu behind her. She wore a pair of clothes and spoke in an ordinary tone:

"You guys are really mass-produced."

Seeing this, Laḫmu immediately rushed towards her and shouted loudly:

"There's Nothing to be afraid of!"

"Why are you still alive? Kingu!!"

Before they could approach, a golden light shone on the ground. Countless shackles rushed out from underfoot, locking them tightly!

"Why do you want to help humans? Kingu!" The locked Laḫmu shouted angrily at Kingu!

Facing the angry questioning of Laḫmu, Jingu calmly spoke without changing her expression: "Who wants to help humans? I’m a brand-new human, the only human! Kingu!"

After Kingu said this, she lowered her head and reflected on what Gilgamesh had said to her earlier: "It doesn't matter where you come from or what your background is!! Go do what you like."

"But…"

Kingu sadly looked at her hands, tears falling from her eyes, and spoke sorrowfully with a trembling voice: "I don’t have it! Gill..."

"But when I think about it carefully, there is once…”

"I want to see you, I want to talk to you, I want to share so many memories and feelings left in my heart! As a friend, I will trust you."

Tears kept flowing, blurring Kingu’s eyes—

"But this can’t be done. This isn’t my wish... but the wish of Enkidu!"

"My...Kingu's wish will never change!"

Finally, Kingu looked gently at Tiamat and said apologetically:

"Goodbye... Mother... You chose the wrong child..."

At this moment, Fujimura Ritsuka looked at the collapsed city walls and couldn’t help but shout anxiously: "Not good! She is about to enter the city!"

"If this continues!" Mash shouted in panic.

At this moment, they both noticed Kingu flying in the air!

"That is...!" Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the figure rushing toward Tiamat and Gilgamesh silently stopping the King's Signal Cannon beside him! Watching the figure.

Kingu, flying in the air, looked steadily at Tiamat and continued chanting:

"Kingu, son of Tiamat,"

"Will show you the power of the Chain of the Heavens!"

As the words fell, dazzling golden cross light appeared behind him, accompanied by blue light that appeared behind her.

Then, a massive golden light appeared on the ground, and countless chains rushed out to surround Tiamat in the center.

"Mother's fury is a thing of the past!"

"Now I will awaken the breath of the planet—"

Countless golden chains surrounded Kingu and flew together toward Tiamat.

Then, Kingu and these chains merged into a massive golden chain.

The memories in my heart surged through one by one.

"O' Humans, Let Us Restrain the Gods!!!"

                  (ENUMA ELISH)

The massive chain formed from solidified gold struck Tiamat, and then dense golden chains rained down from the sky, forcing... 】

Notes:

Translator Notes:

For the sake of Kingu/Enkidu gender, I'm gonna use what the author wrote which is [Her] a female pronoun and yeah I know Kingu/Enkidu is genderless. if you don't want to, just change it to a male pronoun while reading it.

Chapter 60: From the great Heavens, Towards the Great Earth!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"O' Humans, Let Us Restrain the Gods!! This sentence is perfect!!"

The words echoed across countless worlds, resonating with those who heard them. It wasn’t just a declaration—it was a rallying cry, a testament to humanity’s defiance against the divine.

"Dont people in that world fear death?"

Someone whispered, awe-struck

The question hung in the air, heavy with disbelief. In many worlds, death was the ultimate end, something to be feared and avoided at all costs.

"Quetzalcoatl, plus Gorgon while ago.. and now Kingu who just appeared and claimed to be the son of Tiamat! They all sacrificed their lives to stop her!"

"Is this the final battle against with God?! This is too tragic...!"

"No! This might also be your wish, Kingu... Perhaps it’s the wish to protect Gilgamesh...!"

The thought brought a bittersweet clarity. Kingu’s actions were not just about stopping Tiamat—they were about fulfilling a deeper, more personal desire. A desire to protect someone who had once been a friend, even if that friendship was now a distant memory.

"Only when she woke up with tears on her face did she realize that there were so many warm and satisfying memories in her body! However, none of them were hers...."

Everyone outside the video felt a little sad. This was another person who was willing to sacrifice life for Uruk, or should I say, for Gilgamesh!

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"This must be Enkidu, the legendary hero king's best friend!"

Tohsaka Rin looked at the green-haired figure in the video with confusion.

Her thoughts raced.

What happened? - Doesn’t it mean that Gilgamesh experienced the death of his friend and searched for (he has found life)𒌓𒍣 to find the elixir of immortality?

How could there be another person who looked like Enkidu to appear? And judging from his memories, it was indeed Enkidu herself.

"And that’s the Heavenly Chain, right?!"

Shirou Emiya looked confused. This chain had appeared briefly in the first video, but it was not as shocking as what he saw now.

Gilgamesh looked at Kingu, who had turned into chains in the video, with a complicated expression once again!

This made me lose my best friend all over again.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"I’m actually went against my mother?!"

Kingu gazed at herself in the video, shock and loss etched onto her face.

Kingu knelt by the river, gazing at her reflection with tears shimmering in the water.

"What did I do wrong? Did the physical memories of Enkidu affect me?"

The question haunted her. She had been created to serve Tiamat, yet here she was, fighting against her Mother. Was this her choice, or was it the remnants of Enkidu’s will?

~Uruk~

"sigh~"

Gilgamesh was also filled with complexity at this moment and sighed deeply. The memory that just appeared belonged to Enkidu...

Is she someone with both the memories and body of Enkidu? Regardless of who she is, as Kingu said now, Gilgamesh wanted to talk to her!

~Chaldea~

“Doctor!! Is Kingu—the person who just appeared—Enkidu?”

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Kingu, who claimed to be the son of Tiamat, but helped them and was a little confused for a moment.

"The person just now should'nt be Enkidu."

Dr. Roman poured himself a cup of coffee, savoring the moment before answering.

"According to the information obtained by Sylvia, she is the one who has obtained Enkidu's body, the son of Tiamat, Kingu."

Upon hearing the doctor’s answer, the expression of Fujimaru Ritsuka became even more confused:

 "Then why should she help us? Since she was created by Tiamat, shouldn’t she stand on the side of Laḫmu? "

How can she fight alongside them against the God Tiamat, even at the cost of her life?

"Uh..."

Dr. Roman couldn’t think of a reason for a moment.

【 As the impact faded, Mash slowly opened her eyes after being shielded, looking at the figure who had just saved her in disbelief:

"That just now—"

Gilgamesh had a dark face and spoke to Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash behind him: "See for yourself."

Looking at the gaze of Gilgamesh, the massive Tiamat was entangled with countless golden chains! Even if you want to move it, it’s extremely difficult—

"As long as she takes a few more steps forward, this ziggurat will be reduced to ashes."

Gilgamesh sneered and continued speaking, his hand on his chest: "She must not be willing to accept it! Even taking a step is very heavy."

"But it’s only a moment of enslavement! But for her, it’s a mind-numbing eternity (it says it’s an hour; I saw it in a post)."

"Kingu..." Fujimaru Ritsuka said sadly as he looked at the golden chains. In the end, unexpectedly, it is the most unlikely person who stops Tiamat!

Gilgamesh looked proudly at the scene before him and proudly spoke for his friend:

"The Chain of the Heavens even held back the physical strength of a God of Creation!"

"I’ve seen the departure of my best friend twice. The first time was lamenting, but this time, it’s different!

Her proud, valiant figure is burned into my memory for eternity! 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The golden chains can even lock the Creator God!!"

A murmur spread among the spectators.

"I don’t know how long it will delay, but if you have more time, you’ll have a better chance of winning!"

Others nodded grimly.

"Even though the first two goddesses couldn’t stop them, they managed to delay them in the end...!"

Someone added thoughtfully:

"This should be a conceptual-level weapon!"

"The saddest thing should be Gilgamesh saying the most painful thing in the calmest tone!"

A collective sigh rippled through the crowd.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"I’ve seen the departure of my closest friend twice... This sentence is truly unsettling!"

Gojo Satoru’s voice was uncharacteristically somber. He understood the pain of loss, the emptiness that came with saying goodbye.

One time was tragic, the other time was the most proud, your heroic figure is indeed imprinted in the eyes of us!

~Naruto World, Shippuden Timeline~

Uzumaki Naruto clenched his fists, his mind racing back to the Valley of the End. It was me who wasn’t strong enough.

That time, I couldn’t stop you from leaving, but next time, I’ll interrupt your hands and feet, and I’ll bring you back to Konoha... Sasuke!

The determination in his voice was unwavering. He would not lose another friend.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Yes, that’s right! Your heroic figure is engraved in my heart!"

Gilgamesh doesn’t feel emotional like before, but this time he looks at the picture on the screen calmly...!

Unlike before, his emotions were restrained, replaced by a quiet pride.

“This time, the pride I feel is greater than the sorrow.”

【 After saying that, Gilgamesh brought the stone book back into his hand. Turning his head and looking at Fujimaru Ritsuka, he smiled slightly and said: "I’d like to thank you! Fujimaru Ritsuka!"

"Even if we mobilized everything in this era!"

The image was given to Uruk. At this time, the entire Uruk had been swallowed up by the Chaos Tide. Red flames could be seen everywhere, and explosions sounded everywhere.

"I’m afraid I can only reach this point!"

"You’re foreigners! A foreign element in this era and a surplus..."

"But precisely because that very surplus was the thing that helped us face destruction we alone could not have overcome, and helped us make our final move! The time has come."

As Gilgamesh spoke, some golden chains began to turn to stone and crack!

"I'm leaving everything in your hands now."

Hearing the final words of Gilgamesh, the eyes of Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash steadied, and they responded firmly:

"Yes—"

"Okay—"

"Fujimaru!" Ereshkigal held a glowing red treasure in his hand, gasped, and shouted upward:

"The phase transfer between the underground of Uruk and the Underworld is complete... Next, all we have to do now is dig a hole!"

Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at each other and realized this was the best opportunity.

"Master!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka immediately shouted to Ishtar in the air:

"Ishtar! We're going to drop Tiamat into the underworld!"

"I’ve been waiting for this! Okay, Fujimaru!" Ishtar extended her hand, and as golden light surged in, a treasure appeared in her hand, and she said in a firm tone:

"According to your request, I'm going to punch through the ground beneath your feet with no mercy!"

"Gate Open!" Ishtar waved his right hand with the treasure, and the familiar starry sky appeared before everyone once again

Then, a massive Venus slowly descended from the cave entrance!

"From the great Heavens, Towards the Great Earth!" Ishtar's eyes turned golden again, her magic power fully activated, and she said in a serious tone:

"The Future will take care of itself."

Throwing the treasure in her hand, towards the golden planet in the sky! With golden light exploding out!—

"Fujimaru! Mash!" Dr. Roman quickly warned both of them: "Are you ready to face

After the golden light slowly turned into a massive purple arrow! His right hand pointed at Tiamat—

"Kindling of Venus that Shook the Mountains—"

               (An Gal Ta Ki Gal Šè!)

The purple light piercing the sky fell like a comet, and a purple beam fell from the sky and struck Tiamat heavily.

A nuclear-like mushroom cloud explosion appeared moments later, and a violent shockwave spread around.

"Mash!" Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn’t stand steadily in this intense shockwave.

Gilgamesh stood in front of them without fear.

As the shockwave hit, the ground began to collapse, and Fujimaru Ritsuka seemed to think of something, extending his hand to grab Gilgamesh in front of him.

Gilgamesh smiled faintly and finally gave both of them a gentle look. Then it was enveloped in white light! 】

Chapter 61: Sanctions for the Intruders of the Kur!!

Chapter Text

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect to see this shocking scene again!"

"Yes, shooting the world is like a concept of arrows! No matter how you look at it, it’s still incredibly shocking!"

"This is the fighting power of the God Era...!"

"The death of the Heavenly Wedge is a farewell between humans and gods!"

"I didn’t expect that in the end, he just let everyone see the last moment...!"

"That means no one exists in this era anymore!"

"But now we should be able to drag Tiamat into the Underworld. We’ve seen hope for victory through this method!"

"It means everyone’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain, and they successfully delayed things!"

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"King...?!"

The people of Uruk couldn't help but complain as they looked at the vanished king.

Gilgamesh watched the video in the palace with a calm expression, not overly concerned about his death.

 ~Chaldea~

Dr. Roman sighed in relief and poured himself another cup of coffee. He slowly closed his eyes and said,

"Now it should all be over!"

"As long as it’s in the Underworld, the power of Ereshkigal is invincible!"

"Finally, I see hope for victory!"

Leonardo da Vinci smiled and said.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Tohsaka Tokiomi seemed like a ghost, and her elegance was gone. When did he see Gilgamesh smile faintly?

Besides being called a Zasshu when seeing people, he occasionally got angry too, which made him quite arrogant.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

When seeing Ishtar, who had the same appearance and support again, Tohsaka Rin smiled proudly.

In various feelings, she had a good sense of intuition.

【 After the dazzling white light dispersed, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash continued falling from the collapsing place into hell!

 "Master!! I can’t see clearly below!" As she fell, Mash shouted anxiously and with great focus at Fujimaru Ritsuka.

"Hum——"

Ereshkigal temporarily stayed underground with a treasure in his hand.

"This is!" Fujimaru Ritsuka looked around and saw the goddess of the Underworld below and said in surprise: "Ereshkigal!"

"Welcome to the Underworld!" Ereshkigal looked at the two of them lightly and said, "I grant you special permission."

"You are not considered life in hell! Focus your magic at your feet... Imagine the ground so you should be able to fly!"

With the words of Ereshkigal, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash finally succeeded in landing on the ground of hell! 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"What?! That woman! She even gave the power of the Underworld to the living... That Idiot?!"

Ishtar gritted her teeth; the price of breaking the rules of the Underworld was not so pleasant. What a stupid woman!

Moreover, it is absolutely forbidden to give protection to the living, which is tantamount to destroying the spiritual foundations!

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Anyway...! I've wanter to complain this since before, why is even the goddess of the Underworld use my apperance?"

Tohsaka Rin seemed to want to stop talking, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

Shirou Emiya was also confused. Could it be that the ancient goddess liked the appearance of Tohsaka?

【 Before Fujimaru Ritsuka and Ereshkigal just stopped.

"What is this shaking?" Fujimaru Ritsuka looked around.

Ereshkigal, who wasn’t surprised by the shaking, held a weapon in her hand, turned around, and pointed at Tiamat in the distance, saying, "Okay, Fujimaru and Mash, both come and take a look!"

As they both looked at each other, lightning surged around Tiamat, who knelt on the ground, countless bolts of lightning and thunder slicing through her!

“Aaaaaa——”

With the lightning, Tiamat, kneeling on the ground, made strange cries!

"Amazing!" The surprised voice of Romani Archaman in Chaldea could be heard, and he noticed the astonishing event!

"Enough heat comparable to the Noble Phantasm level of Ishtar is constantly burning Tiamat, and it doesn't seem to be going out!"

Ereshkigal explained the lightning to both of them and said, "It’s the defensive mechanism of the Underworld! It’s a special way to deal with living beings who invade the Underworld without permission."

"It’s a rule set by the world known as 'Uruk.' Not even Tiamat is an exception to that rule." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Amazing!! The goddess who appeared is better than others!"

"It’s only a defensive mechanism, but every strike has the power of the Ishtar Noble Phantasm level!"

This surprised many people.

Now, every attack of those lightning strikes has that much power... It’s the God of Hell.

【 Fujimaru Ritsuka on the side couldn’t help but praise: "It’s an Authority that only belongs to the goddess of Underworld, Ereshkigal!"

Ereshkigal smiled proudly when he heard this! Then he raised his weapon in his hand, pointed at Tiamat in the distance, and said, "Even though I feel a little sorry for King Gilgamesh!"

"Let me, the master of the Underworld, put an end to this!"

As the words of Ereshkigal dropped, the weapon in his hand emitted a purple-red light.

"Hear me, Gallu spirits, the spears of rotting flesh and death."

Then, a column of purple light emerged from Ereshkigal, floated out, and spun around Tiamat!

"Sanctions against invaders coming to our Underworld!" Then, Ereshkigal waved his hand at him!

"Make her feel the wrath of the iron hammer of Kur!"

The column of purple light fell on Tiamat, and gravel on the ground continued to fall.

“Aaaaaa——!”

"Here in Kur, even Tiamat is just another god!" Ereshkigal's tone was full of confidence and continued:

“An all-out attack from me and the gallu spirits was enough to dispatch."

Ereshkigal looked at Tiamat, where mud reappeared under his feet, and his voice gradually lowered: "To dispa...?!"

Then, Tiamat, after being attacked, wrapped himself in a black and red sea on the ground!

Fujimaru Ritsuka saw this and shouted anxiously: "Tiamat covered herself with black mud!!

The Chaos Tide corruption began to erode! Something big and bad is happening this way—the Underworld will be taken over...!

"Ah!!" Ereshkigal was overwhelmed by this scene, held her weapon in front of her chest with both hands, did not look like a goddess just now, and said in a panic: How, how... What's wrong?! What's going on? 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is this the master of the Underworld or not! I feel so cute when I’m scared!"

"Even the power of the master of the Underworld can’t have any effect—she’s a terrifying opponent!"

"Ereshkigal, who was still confident now, got slapped in the face...!"

"But how can such an opponent be defeated—it feels like an existence of immortality!"

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"I always feel déjà vu!"

Shiro Emiriya looked at the panicked Ereshkigal and couldn’t help but complain.

Does someone with the same characteristics have traits like Tohsaka Rin?

Tohsaka Rin didn’t pay much attention; she just cared that even attacks filled with the strength of the Master of the Underworld were ineffective.

"Even such an attack is useless!!"

Tohsaka Rin was incredulous—was she slapped recently or what?

There were also people with this doubt!

"Even the Master of the Underworld has an effect on Tiamat or not!"

Shirou Emiya said in disbelief. Now everyone had no choice...

Everyone sacrificed their lives just to bring Tiamat to the underworld and use the invincible power of Ereshkigal in the Underworld to destroy Tiamat!

"Now they have an another problem...!"

Tohsaka Rin spoke slowly, not expecting the black mud to erode the Underworld.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"What should I do now!"

Dr. Roman held his head in both hands, thinking about countermeasures, but found it useless.

He has no choice but to do everything he can to deal with Tiamat. Would he have to face Tiamat in the future?

Chapter 62: Logos of “Regression” The Principle of Return!

Chapter Text

【 Da Vinci in Chaldea observed the chilling data and said in surprise: "Even Underworld can be eroded?!"

Dr. Roman stared at the screen in front of him and spoke with alarm in his tone: "Not only that! The spiritual foundation of Goddess Tiamat has returned to the Age of Gods—it’s reached the Jurassic era!"

"The expansion project of the spiritual foundation has stopped! Confirming that the magical heart furnace is continuously restarting... The damage suffered when falling into the Underworld is gradually recovering!"

Just as Dr. Roman and his team analyzed, Tiamat reappeared from the black and red sea of mud! With a strange roaring sound rising up!

“Aaaaaa——!!”

The original human form disappeared! But it was replaced with a terrifying giant beast... and its hands turned into sharp giant claws, and its body emitted a strange red glow, similar to magma!

Dr. Roman looked at the increasing values on the screen in shock and continued: "The transformation of the dragon body is complete!— There is no doubt, that thing over there... is God Itself!!"

Fujimura Ritsuka and the other two looked at the hideous giant creature in astonishment! Their pupils kept trembling, and cold sweat still slid down their faces. They had originally thought that they would win, but the situation had been easily broken by the opponent. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Are there really other forms of the god of Tiamat?!"

Ushiwakamaru said in despair.

There’s no other way now; only a few remain, and the power of Ereshkigal in the Underworld has lost its effect on the Goddess Tiamat.

On the contrary, Underworld began to be eroded by the Chaos Tide released by Goddess Tiamat...! Is it possible to reach this level? Are humans destined to be unable to defeat gods?—

Even Gilgamesh, beside Her, couldn’t help but frown—if even the Underworld couldn't do anything to his mother Goddess Tiamat, then what should he do?

~Chaldea~

"Gather the information about Tiamat now!!"

Dr. Roman immediately took action. As long as he had more information about Tiamat, he would not be so helpless in the future.

How many times has Tiamat endured the unleashed of Noble Phantasm since the beginning?—Even the Noble Phantasm released by the three goddesses could only stop her, not defeat her!—

Even those outside the video felt despair. This is no longer a problem that can be solved by strength alone!

【 As everyone looked at the dragon form of Tiamat along with their trembling pupils, Dr. Roman's anxious voice came to their ears: "The waves of Chaos Tide will hit us and we will be finished! Is there some way to hold it back?"

Hearing Dr. Roman’s words, Ereshkigal quickly held a weapon in his hand and spoke without confidence in his tone: "I’ll try...!"

As she spoke, the sea of mud under the feet of Tiamat continued to expand, accelerating the scope of erosion of the underworld!

Holding the weapon in front of her chest with both hands, trembling slightly, looking at the black and red sea of mud in front of her, and continuing,

"Although I will find a way! But the scope of this erosion is too overwhelming!"

When Ereshkigal was in panic, the words of Fujimaru Ritsuka woke her up:

"Ereshkigal!! Just focus on dealing with Tiamat!"

After saying that, Fujimaru Ritsuka ran to Mash, placed his right hand on the shoulder of Mash, and continued to withdraw the magical power from his body, transferring it to her!

Mash, who felt the stored magical power being injected, held up her shield, and stared at Tiamat with Fujimaru Ritsuka and said in a steady tone:

"Yes!! Leave this to us!" 】

....

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Hasn’t his mana run out long ago?"

Tohsaka Rin asked suspiciously.

"Yes, he should be overdrawing his life force from his body in exchange for mana!"

The face of Emiya Shirou darkened slightly, staring at the figure in the screen.

【 When Ereshkigal heard this, she still nervously watched Fujimaru Ritsuka and looked around with a panicked expression, saying,

"Even though I’m very happy you can rely on me! But the output of the entire underworld has decreased!"

"But if we don’t defeat her here, we have nowhere to fall back upon!" Dr. Roman’s worried words came back again, looking at the data in front of him, continuing:

"It’s only speculation, but Tiamat may be at her weakest right now."

Da Vinci on the side added: "We must defeat her before she escapes from the Underworld!"

In Underworld, the black and red sea of mud continued to rise continuously, wave after wave impacting Underworld, and the entire underworld shook incessantly—

Ereshkigal, who was slightly afraid, closed her eyes tightly. and encouraged herself

"Brace yourself, Ereshkigal!"

However, it was already too late! The wave of black and red mud reached him and rushed towards everyone as if time had slowed down at this moment—

Their trembling eyes saw the Chaos Tide current drawing closer! It can no longer be avoided—this was the only thought in their minds— 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Don’t toy with me! Is the current state of Tiamat is actually the weakest state?!"

"I remember this Chaos Tide can erode everything as long as it touches it—they’re finished!"

"It’s over! They paid too much price to finally bring Tiamat into the underworld yet it's still not enough."

【 Just as everyone watched the Chaos Tide current break out, petals appeared in the air!

Then all the black mud that originally fell on everyone turned into petals and slowly drifted down—

"What... is this?!" Ereshkigal muttered. It was the first time she saw flowers in the Underworld.

Then, not only the wave but also the entire chaotic sea turned into flowers until a sea of flowers appeared.

" This is...!" Dr. Roman quickly analyzed the situation in front of him—

"Chaos Tide's detoxification is accelerating, becoming harmless!"

"The number of Laḫmu emittance is ZERO?"

"Then, what you see there is just a..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka took advantage of the falling flower petals in the sky and looked at Mash with surprise at the same time, exclaiming: "Could it be that...!!!"

"All right! I made it in time!"

As the words fell, a man in a white cloak and white hair fell into the sea of flowers, holding a staff in his hand.

Merlin, who fell into a sea of flowers, held his chest with one hand, smiled, and spoke to everyone in a gentle tone: " Operation: 'Since the black mud is an ocean that nurtures life! Then replace it with harmless life' is a great success!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Amazing!! Instantly, the black mud that could erode the underworld turned into a sea of flowers!"

"It’s such a beautiful sea of flowers...!"

"How much mana does this require! Even ereshkigal was helpless against it!"

"According to the law that suddenly appeared before, I hope it won’t be the same as the one that leave the stage after releasing the Noble Phantasm!"

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Oh!!! Merlin?" How did he get to a place like that?

The King of Knights, Artoria, looked at the figure who suddenly appeared in surprise! How could he run to such a place?

The Conqueror King, Iskandar, looked at Artoria in surprise and asked, "

Saber! Do you know this person who suddenly appeared?"

Artoria nodded with a complex expression and said,

"He’s my teacher and the one who taught me the sword! But his personality is... loose!"

"huh! He’s Merlin!?"

Irishviel seemed to be more shocked than Artoria. In her impression, if Merlin was in the era of Saber, how did he go to ancient Babylon?

Could it be a Heroic Spirit as well? But it seems no one has ever seen anyone summon him?

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

Merlin looked at himself falling from the sky at a critical moment, showing a proud smile, and proudly proclaimed:

"Of course! In the end, it's me who must turn the tide!"

Looking at the proud Merlin, everyone, including Ushiwakamaru, was speechless. He was so shameless. He didn't appear in the video just now. They thought he had already left.

If he hadn't left, where had he been earlier?

If he had appeared earlier, the battle wouldn't have been so difficult!

Chapter 63: Grand Servant - King Hassan

Chapter Text

【 Seeing Merlin suddenly appeared. Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka smiled happily like children and shouted excitedly: "Merlin!"

“What!” Even Dr.Roman in Chaldea was extremely surprised. He slammed both his hands on the table, leaning forward, unable to help but ask:

“Merlin!! How are you here?”

“Could it be that you were summoned again? No, no, no!! That’s impossible.

While Chaldea’s Dr.Roman was still in shock, Ereshkigal stood stunned, staring blankly at the Underworld, where swaying flowers bloomed.

In the lifeless Underworld, this was the first time she had ever seen such a beautiful scenery...

"Don’t worry!" Facing Roman’s questioning, Merlin smiled calmly and said without hesitation: "I am 100% the real Merlin... I hurriedly ran here from Avalon!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“He actually ran over...!”

“Is it true that experts often use the simplest method to travel?!”

“Not bad, even a marathon runner can’t run like that!”

The crowd outside the video silently watched. In such an urgent situation, couldn’t they just fly? With such powerful magic, I don’t believe they don’t have any teleportation skills.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Ran over!!”

Upon hearing this, Irisviel couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Would a normal person think of running all the way from Britain to Uruk?! Then her gaze unconsciously turned towards Artoria.

Keep in mind that the distance between Britain and Uruk is over 4000 km(about 2,485 miles)...

Feeling Irisviel’s gaze, Artoria quietly covered her face with one hand!

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Not summoned?!"

After hearing this, Roman was somewhat surprised, but then he understood.

Running over from Britain to Uruk—With the real body. Never did I expect that even Merlin’s Real self would be mobilized this time!

【 As they spoke, the sea of flowers beneath their feet gradually disappeared, revealing the desolate ground of the Underworld once more. Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka ran to Merlin’s side, their faces filled with shock as they exclaimed: "Ran over?!!"

Merlin calmly smiled at the two and said: "That's right! I hate sad farewells the most... Even if I have to fight to the last breath, I can't say goodbye by dying."

"So this time, I decided to violate my own creed!"

While Merlin was speaking, Fufu on Fujimaru Ritsuka's shoulder kept frowning, staring intently at Merlin as if harboring some deep grudge.

"Merlin!" Upon hearing these words, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were deeply moved and shouted emotionally.

Merlin extended his hand, and a flower appeared in his palm. He looked at the flower in his hand, closed his eyes, and said frivolously: "Because I cannot tarnish my nickname of flower magician!"

"Go ahead and praise me as much as you can!"

After hearing this, Mash nodded respectfully and praised him: "Yes! Merlin-san, I’m so glad to see you again."

Fujimaru Ritsuka also happily chimed in: "It’s really great that you could come! Merlin."

"Ahem ahem...!" Seeing everyone giving him face, Merlin was instead surprised by their reactions, pretending to cough twice with his hand over his mouth, his face flushing slightly, as if somewhat embarrassed! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I always feel like this Merlin seems a bit unserious...!"

"Definitely didn’t expect these two to give him so much face!"

"Never thought that being called for praise would make him blush—it’s quite enlightening!"

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Uh...!"

Feeling the gazes cast upon him, even Merlin fell silent for a moment.

"I think I can explain this..."

【 Meanwhile, Ereshkigal looked around, sensing the anomaly in the Underworld, and said in surprise: "The output of the Underworld has stopped decreasing!! In this case..."

Just as Ereshkigal extended her weapon, preparing to attack again, suddenly the entire Underworld began to quake violently, preventing anyone from standing firm and interrupting her focus!

Feeling the tremors, Merlin turned to look at Tiamat and said seriously: "It seems that now is not the time to celebrate!"

Only to see Tiamat transformed into a beast, with red glowing wings appearing behind her back!

Observing this change, Dr.Roman couldn’t help but start to grow tense and said: "Tiamat has spread its horned wings!!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka, looking at the colossal beast with its horned wings, stammered: "Is she planning to fly again?!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"We worked so hard to drag her into the Underworld...!"

"If we let her return to the surface, it’s all over!"

"But now we have no means to stop her...!"

"Are we just supposed to watch Tiamat leave the Underworld?!"

Outside the screen, the crowd watched the towering, monstrous figure, which brought about an overwhelming sense of dread.

【 Seeing Tiamat preparing to fly away with her horned wings, Ereshkigal held her weapon tightly in her hands to her chest with both hands, her tone filled with disbelief:

"To be forced to this point! It’s simply unbelievable!"

Compared to the shocked crowd, Merlin’s expression remained unchanged, as if everything was within his expectations. Looking at Tiamat, he said calmly:

"It is shocking and sad that you are not needed by human history and have been abandoned!"

"And the joy of replacing the earth's ecology that was created after being abandoned, and becoming the goddess of all things once more."

As he spoke, the dragon-like Tiamat continued to endure the Underworld’s resistance mechanism attacks, accompanied by flashes of lightning. She couldn’t help but roar again, then began flapping her massive wings.

"Due to her nature, she directly decides her role in the world!"

Watching this scene, Merlin continued speaking with an unchanged expression:

 "The title of creation goddess is just a false title!"

"This kind of existence, abandoned by humanity, especially rejected by human history, is a great calamity!"

"One of the Seven Great Evils of Humanity... The Beast with the Principle of Return (Beast II)."

As soon as Merlin finished speaking, the dragon-like Tiamat slammed her claw into the ground, stirring up waves of Chaos Tide! The Underworld began to shake...

Ereshkigal, her weapon emitting a red glow, beads of cold sweat forming on her face, clearly exerting her full strength to suppress it, said in astonishment: "No way!..."

Ishtar, who had just entered full-flight mode in the Underworld, stared in shock at the ferocious beast before her: "What is that thing?!"

Dr.Roman closed his eyes, sighed in relief, and then informed the crowd:

"She’s preparing to ascend!"

"If we let her return to Uruk! The Underworld’s defensive mechanisms will be useless!"

"The worst-case scenario is that she’ll return to her indestructible state of immortality!"

Dr.Roman’s anxious words sent chills down everyone’s spines!! Because now they had no means to stop Tiamat...

Ishtar had released her treasures several times, and her Mana was likely running low!

"Mash, Fukimaru!" Without turning his head, Merlin stared at Tiamat and spoke to the two behind him!

"Your journey to this singularity is the most difficult... And that beast is also the strongest enemy so far."

"Rely on the two goddesses to hold her physical form, using Uruk as bait to push her toward the Underworld!"

"The lock of heaven's chains... The punishment of the Underworld!"

"And my flowers, which only appear superficially..."

At this point, the three of them looked together at Tiamat, who had risen. Merlin continued:

"We’ve come this far, everyone has used all their means, but it’s still not enough!"

Tiamat took step after step toward the group, and with each step, the Underworld continued to tremble.

"That one still knows no fear! No natural enemies! No awareness of her own death!"

As he spoke, a figure clad in a black robe appeared on the screen, the back of the robe fluttering in the wind.

"It’s not King Gilgamesh!! Nor is it the Holy Grail!" At this point, Merlin turned to Fujimaru Ritsuka and continued with a smile.

"The one who summoned him is none other than you, Fujimaru Ritsuka!"

"The conditions for his appearance on this land have ripened! A world weapon capable of resisting and suppressing the Beast! A Grand Servant, also known as the Grand Class!"

"Good! Look up at the sky, O primal sea! There stands your death!"

As the crowd looked up, their gaze rose higher and higher. On a distant mountain cliff, an old man clad in a black robe stood with both hands holding a great sword, slowly gazing down at Tiamat below.

"Without death, there is no life; and with death, there is life."】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

~Clock Tower~

"It turned out to be a Grand Servant!"

One voice rang out, trembling with disbelief.

"One of the seven servants standing at the pinnacle of Heroic Spirits… An existence chosen by the Counter Force itself…"

Another murmured, their tone hushed with reverence.

“I never thought I’d live to see one in action!”

A third exclaimed, gripping the edge of their seat as though afraid to blink and miss a single movement.

"But judging by the way he wields that great sword, could he be a Grand Saber?!"

The first speaker hesitated, eyes wide with realization.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Never thought it would be him!"

Merlin looked in shock at the figure who appeared, even though he had summoned him!

Grand Assassin——The Old Man of the Mountain, King Hassan!!

Chapter 64: The Evening Bell Has Ringed!! A blow to abandon the crown

Chapter Text

【 And below, everyone looked on in shock at the sudden appearance of the figure. Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but exclaim: "Ahh!"

King Hassan paid no attention to the startled crowd and continued speaking to the Goddess Tiamat: "The Eternal calamity you mentioned is not walking, but sleeping."

"Beast of Calamity, born from human malice!"

As King Hassan spoke, a blue flame erupted around his body. Armor appeared on him, holding a torn black greatsword and wearing a skull mask!

"Even though I have fallen as a beast, as the mother of origin, I have no choice but to reveal my name."

"From the abyssal valley, soaring through the hazy realm of death... the old man in the mountains... Hassan Sabbah!" 】

....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Is this the first generation Hassan that holds the position of Grand Assassin?!"

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, looked at the figure wielding the greatsword, thinking he was a Saber class.

But shouldn't there be a better class for this situation? After all, they were dealing with the Goddess Tiamat.

Even if an assassin held the responsibility of the Grand class position, wouldn't it be enough this time?

I can't imagine what use an assassin would serve here? He probably wouldn't even be able to break through Tiamat's defenses...

"Assassin?!"

Kotomine Kirei recalled the earlier clones killed effortlessly by Gilgamesh. Even if there were some theatrics involved, they still seemed so weak!

Could he really make any impact on this battlefield?

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"This old man looks incredibly strong!"

Emiya Shirou swallowed his saliva. His instincts told him that the person before him was immensely powerful!

Gilgamesh, hearing this, turned to look at Emiya Shirou and praised:

"I didn't expect someone like you, a mere mongrel(Zasshu), to have such insight!"

Then, turning serious, he addressed Emiya Shirou:

"You must understand, anyone who bears the title of 'Grand' is no ordinary being!"

【 After saying this, King Hassan’s gaze hardened. The azure flames in his eyes burned fiercely as he raised his greatsword, the blue flames engulfing his body.

"Aaaa——"

Below, Tiamat seems to sense something and let out an eerie cry towards King Hassan. Then, mana condensed in her mouth, forming a stream of dark red mana that instantly shot towards King Hassan!!

King Hassan lifted his great sword and leaped gracefully, dodging the dark red mana stream. He flew towards Tiamat!

"The title of 'Grand' is not what I need. The ultimate proof lies in this single sword!"

Looking at King Hassan flying towards her, Tiamat unleashes several beams of dark red light.

The King Hassan wielded his greatsword, blocking the beams aimed at him, and then spoke again to Tiamat:

"The evening bell has marked your name!"

"In accordance with divine fate, I shall strip you of your wings!"

Accompanied by a deep tolling sound, King Hassan, enveloped in azure flames, had already raised his greatsword and brought it down upon Tiamat's head!!

In an instant, the entire space turned a deep azure. Two heavy sounds echoed as if something had been cleaved! Then everything returned to normal!

A moment later, King Hassan's figure appears on the other side, and before anyone can react, he once again approaches Tiamat!

With his greatsword, he slashed at Tiamat! The space turned azure once more, then exploded! Not only did it sever her flight-capable wings, but it also left numerous cracks on the dragon-like Tiamat!

"What is this?" Da Vinci, who was observing from Chaldea, could hardly believe her eyes and exclaimed in astonishment:

"The concept of death has been bestowed upon Beast!"

Doctor Roman immediately realized the opportunity and quickly addressed everyone: "Fujimaru! This is our chance!"

"Now we can completely destroy Beast! Everyone, launch your attacks together!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Incredible!! He was able to bestow the concept of death upon the Goddess Tiamat!"

"I knew it; no one who suddenly appears in this world is ordinary!"

"That old man is so cool! Though I don’t fully understand what he said, he seems so cultured!"

"I don’t know what happened, but for a moment, I felt death...!"

"This is truly a dimensional attack that reduces space itself...!"

"It feels like his greatsword didn’t just cut flesh, but something unknown!"

Everyone watching the video couldn’t help but clutch their necks as if that blade had struck them directly.

~Fairy Tail World~

(Year X784)

Zeref stood atop the ruins of an ancient cathedral, the wind howling through shattered stained glass as the scene of King Hassan’s judgment unfolded before him. His black robes billowed like the wings of a fallen seraph, and his obsidian eyes burned with a hunger that had gnawed at him for centuries.

"To impose death upon that which defies it… Not through curse or trickery—but by will alone." 

He murmured, his voice a whisper lost to the gale. His fingers curled into fists, nails biting into his palms. "

"How… unfair."

A hollow laugh escaped him, bitter as the ashes of the countless lives he had unwillingly erased.

"I, who have begged for death’s touch, am denied, while this knight wields it as though it were his birthright."

The vision shifted—King Hassan’s blade fell, and Tiamat’s wings were severed, her immortal flesh sundered by the concept of mortality itself. Zeref’s breath hitched.

"Is this what I have been missing?" 

He wondered, his mind racing.

"Not a curse to be broken, nor a plea to be answered… but a law to be enforced?"

For the first time in centuries, something stirred in his chest—not hope, but something darker, more desperate.

"If death can be commanded… then perhaps it can be stolen."

The wind screamed around him as he raised his hand, dark energy crackling at his fingertips.

"Ankhseram… you who cursed me with this wretched existence…" 

His voice was a venomous promise.

"I will learn this knight’s truth. And when I do, I will carve my own death."

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Is this Grand Assassin, truly the one who holds the position?..."

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, looked at King Hassan, who wielded his great sword with unmatched strength, and fell silent.

Whose Assassin would face the enemy head-on... Shouldn’t they be sneaking around, waiting for the perfect moment to strike a fatal blow?!

But indeed, he is very strong, truly capable of facing enemies head-on!

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Th-this... Is this the ultimate strike of the Grand Assassin?! It can actually directly give the Goddess Tiamat the concept of death!"

Tohsaka Rin stammered in disbelief.

Remember, earlier, even after unleashing five Noble Phantasms, none of them managed to harm her, including several goddesses!

Now, this suddenly appearing elder managed to deliver the concept of death to Tiamat with a single strike.

Simply incredible! It’s as if he’s revealing Tiamat’s HP bar! Now, all we need to do is deplete her health to defeat her!

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"After such a long time, we finally see a chance for victory,"

The Wise King, Gilgamesh said with a smile, arms crossed. Remember, earlier, we were constantly being beaten down, but now we finally have a means to counterattack!

"Yes!"

Merlin followed with a smile:

"Now the Goddess Tiamat has a concept of death!"

However, we can’t let our guard down yet. Right now, we’re merely on equal footing. Whether we can actually defeat her remains another matter!

~Overlord World~

Ainz’s crimson eyes flared within the shadows of his throne room as he observed the battle. The digitized gasp of his undead body slipped out unbidden.

"Impossible…"

His skeletal fingers clenched the armrests.

"To force the concept of death onto something that transcends it—this isn’t mere instant-death magic. This is…" 

For the first time, he hesitated to name a power.

Albedo, sensing his tension, stepped forward.

"Ainz-sama?"

"…It’s nothing," 

He lied as he breathed. His mind raced. My [The Goal of All Life is Death] can bypass immunities… but this ‘Grand Assassin’ doesn’t just ignore resistance. He rewrites the rules of existence itself.

A chilling realization settled in his non-existent bones:

"If such an entity can impose death as a divine decree, what does that make me—a mere player clinging to game mechanics?"

"It's possible that there's another player out there that had such an ability..."

Behind him, Demiurge adjusted his glasses, misinterpreting his master’s silence.

"A proposal Ainz-sama, let us capture this ‘King Hassan’ for… experimentation?"

The air froze. Ainz’s cape billowed as he rose, voice echoing with finality:

"Some doors are better left unopened."

【 Naturally, the group didn’t miss this golden opportunity. Ishtar shouted loudly: "Leave it to me!"

Carrying the Noble Phantasm Maanna, she flew towards Tiamat, unleashing one blue magical cannon after another onto Tiamat’s body, causing explosions!

"Alright, I’ll join in, too!" Merlin spun her staff, and a column of pink magical energy descended from the sky, striking Tiamat!

Ereshkigal summoned a birdcage-shaped Noble Phantasm, inside of which was a flickering azure flame!

As Ereshkigal waved her hand, the azure flames appeared beneath Tiamat’s feet, burning incessantly!

"Aaaa——"

Facing the group’s assault, Tiamat, who no longer has immortality, screams in pain. She was now vulnerable to injury!

Then, her gaze hardened, and a torrent of dark red mana repelled King Hassan, who was advancing forward!

Her massive form slowly crawled across the crimson mud sea, allowing everyone to continue attacking her without resistance!

Seeing Tiamat ignore their attacks and crawl towards the surface, Ishtar exclaimed in surprise: "Could it be?! Is she trying to climb onto the land?!"

Watching Tiamat begin climbing the walls, the group also took flight, continuously attacking her!

Unable to endure, a large amount of chaotic sea emerged from Tiamat’s body, falling towards the group! Then, eleven Laḫmu reemerged from within!

"Bang——"

The newly appeared Laḫmu quickly launched attacks at the group. Mash barely blocked the assault with her shield but was blasted away!

"Are you alright?!" Ishtar managed to say before being attacked by the fast-moving Laḫmu!

Barely dodging, Ishtar looked at the rapidly moving Lahmu in the sky and exclaimed in shock: "They’re so fast!"

"This is quite troublesome indeed!"

"These Laḫmu can be called the new eleven demonic beasts!" Merlin’s expression became extremely grave: "Very difficult to deal with!" 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"This is bad!"

Outside the video, Merlin’s expression was equally serious. If these Laḫmu are equivalent to the new eleven demonic beasts, they are beyond what the group can handle with their current mana reserves!

"I never expected that at this moment, the Goddess Tiamat would create Laḫmu of this caliber...!"

Gilgamesh’s expression also turned grave. They had done everything they could!

This is bad. Just dealing with the new Laḫmu alone is already straining us. We don’t have the energy to stop Tiamat from climbing onto the land!

Is this really where it ends?! After all this effort to reach this point!"

Chapter 65: Archer! The King of Heroes is here

Chapter Text

【 “In short, we have to rely on ourselves to stop them!” Ishtar, having no other choice, said to Merlin.

Then, she shouted towards Ereshkigal below: “Ereshkigal! You and Fujimaru must go and stop Beast from returning to the surface!”

“Understood! As you wish!” After hearing this, Merlin looked around gravely, then drew a long sword from his staff and threw it at the Laḫmu. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn’t he supposed to be a magician? Why does a mage’s staff contain a sword?!”

“Everyone knows that every magician has a dream of close combat!”

Everyone silently cursed after seeing Merlin pull a sword from his staff!

【 Taking this opportunity, Ereshkigal and Fujimaru Ritsuka’s group immediately flew towards Tiamat, but three Laḫmu behind them noticed and flew even faster!

“Don’t think you’ll get your way!” Ishtar moved quickly in the air, then swung her hand, summoning several golden magical cannons that chased after the Lahmu!

“Bang ——” With an explosion, the Laḫmu were struck down, but suddenly another one emerged from the side, kicking Ishtar!

“Damn it!” Kicked by one of them, Ishtar tumbled several times in the air. When she stabilized herself, she found herself surrounded by Lahmu.

Seeing this, Ishtar couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat, forcing a smile and muttering: “This is really hard to deal with!”

At the same time, on the other side, Ereshkigal, flying toward Tiamat, looked at the enormous figure climbing upward. Though not very confident, she still firmly said:

“I will find a way to stop her!”

However, the LaḫmuLahmu attacking from behind forced everyone to stop. Although Mash blocked a few rounds of attacks, she was eventually knocked down to the ground!

Seeing this, Merlin also rushed over to draw away the Lahmu, buying time to rescue Mash!

While fighting alongside the Lahmu, Merlin was pushed back by a terrifying force, looking at his opponent in shock: “This power! Is it Divine-level?!”

Even though the opponent was at the level of a Divine, Merlin still turned to Fujimaru Ritsuka behind him and said: “Fujimaru! Leave this to me.”

“I’ve been waiting to say this line for a while now!”

“Merlin!” Fujimaru Ritsuka looked worriedly at the figure ahead, unable to imagine how Merlin could possibly deal with these Divine-level Lahmu! 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“According to theory, aren’t all eleven Lahmu at the level of Divine?!”

“No wonder even the goddess Ishtar finds them so difficult to handle!”

“But this Merlin… He can actually withstand the strength of a Divine-level being… He’s incredible!”

“Not only that, but she looks so skilled and experienced!”

“Could it be that he has some ultimate move he hasn’t used yet? Or maybe he’s like those goddesses earlier, releasing Noble Phantasms?”

The crowd outside the screen was extremely curious about what method Merlin would use to deal with this situation!

【 “Alright!” Merlin smiled at the Lahmu in front of him and said: “Since it’s come to this, let me show you something I’m best at—a little trick!”

Then, Merlin materialized a holy sword in his hand, swung it, crouched slightly, and disappeared instantly at high speed.

A flash of white light appeared, and the Lahmu in front of him was cut in half. Another Lahmu used its hand like a blade, exchanging blows with Merlin!

“Although this isn’t my usual style!”

Then, while Merlin was engaged in close combat with one of the Lahmu, he charged his staff with magical energy and unleashed a burst of magic to finish off her opponent!

“Artoria often falls to this trick!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“By the way, why does a mage have such incredible speed?!”

“Indeed, a mage who can’t fight in close combat isn’t a good mage!”

“This is the legendary close-combat mage!”

“Suddenly, I feel a bit sorry for that person.”

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“It’s truly unpredictable!”

 Outside the screen, Artoria looked nostalgically at the familiar move!

The crowd once again turned their gaze to Artoria. No wonder she’s the King of Knights—it’s not easy to grow up like that!

Is this the legendary teacher of the King of Knights? It’s really unclear whether he’s a mage or a swordsman.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Wow!!!”

Leonidas watched Merlin, wielding a sword, effortlessly slay a Divine-level Lahmu and felt utterly astonished!

Based on what he knew, he should be a prospective magus, right?! He couldn’t help but turn his gaze toward Merlin.

Feeling everyone’s gaze from Uruk, Merlin laughed awkwardly:

“Yare yare! I may be a magus, but isn’t it reasonable for me to know a bit of swordsmanship to protect myself?”

If you don’t believe me, just ask the Lahmu he just defeated—they’ll tell you it’s reasonable!

Feeling the silent gazes of the crowd, Merlin sighed helplessly. Isn’t Gilgamesh, your king, also a prospective magus?!

And doesn’t he love swinging axes and swords during battle?! Why don’t you ask your king—he might even be called the Axe King of Uruk!

【 On the other side, Ishtar, who had been holding off a group of Lahmu, was covered in wounds, blood dripping from her mouth, and was kicked flying again.

Just then, King Hassan appeared behind the Lahmu without anyone noticing. Blue flames began to burn on his body, and he swung his massive sword!

“Boom ——”

Accompanied by the sound of a bell ringing, two Lahmu disappeared without a trace. The heavily armored King Hassan’s blue flames vanished as well, and he turned to the injured, fallen Ishtar and said:

“Retreat! If they are children personally nurtured by the goddess Tiamat, each of them possesses power equal to the leaders of the Demon Gods!”

The heavily armored King Hassan once again turned his gaze to the surrounding Lahmu and slowly said: “Though my title as an Assassin may have been given to the Primordial Sea, my assassination techniques remain undiminished!”

Then he began fighting several Lahmu together, knowing that each possessed power equivalent to a demon god!

King Hassan’s body was instantly pierced by black mana beams released by one of the Lahmu, creating several large holes!

But King Hassan didn’t fall. Instead, azure flames erupted from his wounds, and the eyes of his skull mask suddenly lit up with a bright glow!

On the other side, thanks to King Hassan’s assistance in stalling, Fujimaru Ritsuka’s group finally reached Tiamat’s back!

“Not good! We can already see the surface with our naked eyes!” Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted anxiously…

“Then I’ll use my Noble Phantasm to stop her!” Just as Ereshkigal closed her eyes to release her Noble Phantasm, a black whip emerged from the side, pulling Mash’s shield!

Then, with great force, Mash was flung away, crashing into the wall!

“Mash!” Fujimaru Ritsuka hurriedly ran toward where Mash had fallen!

Meanwhile, Ereshkigal’s hands glowed red, tightly binding the Lahmu that wanted to attack!

“I won’t let you run wild in my Underworld!”

However, the bound Lahmu began releasing dark mana beams indiscriminately, striking Ereshkigal!

From afar, Mash narrowly avoided the attack, thanks to Fujimaru Ritsuka’s timely arrival!

By now, Tiamat was almost out of the Underworld, but everyone was tightly held back by the Lahmu.

There was no way to stop her.

“At this rate... Tiamat will escape!” Fujimaru Ritsuka supported Mash with one hand, his voice hoarse.

Just then, several golden sword lights descended from the sky, striking the mocking Lahmu nearby!

Then, countless sword lights fell, and Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash couldn’t help but look up. Amidst numerous golden ripples, a familiar figure appeared before everyone!

“You people take too long to handle things!”

Then, golden waves of Noble Phantasms continuously fired, raining down on Tiamat, pushing her back into the Underworld!

Upon seeing this person, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash immediately broke into joyful smiles!!

“Allow me, your king, to assist! Archer, King of Heroes Gilgamesh!” Gilgamesh, arms crossed, smiled as he looked at the crowd below:

“Because it’s too noisy here! I’ll help you out.” 】

........

~Projection of All Worlds~

“King of Uruk?! Didn’t he die already?!”

“Never thought that at this critical moment, the King of Uruk would step in. Truly reliable!”

“Following someone? Without being summoned, he can just appear on his own?!”

“These golden ripples seem familiar……!!”

The crowd outside the video suddenly recalled the first video they watched and realized. Isn’t this the borrowed power of Angelica?

No wonder these golden ripples and the continuous release of Noble Phantasms seemed so familiar!

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahahaha!!! Finally, it’s my turn to shine!!”

This wasn’t another version of him—it was the Heroic Spirit Gilgamesh in the Archer class!

Seeing the return of the familiar personality, the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, wondered how one person could change so drastically!

How did he manage to come out of the Throne of Heroes? Did he summon himself from the Throne of Heroes?

However, now that Gilgamesh has entered the battlefield, the situation is sure to change dramatically!!

Chapter 66: The Bellows of Kur that Tramples upon Ekur!!

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Wait a minute, didn’t you die already?! Why are you there...”

 Tohsaka Rin looked at Gilgamesh with an expression of disbelief.

The wise king from before was gone, completely transformed into this overly arrogant figure standing before them. Now, there was no doubt that these were two different people. Just look at that haughty hairstyle—it was like a template for arrogance...

Did he really just come out to fix his hair or something?!

“Could it be that someone summoned him?!”

 Emiya Shirou had the same puzzled look on his face!

“Ha ha ha ha...!”

Gilgamesh bursts out laughing after hearing this. Then, looking at Emiya Shirou, he disdainfully said:

“Do you think I’m just anyone?”

“I’ve never told a lie! If I say I’ve come, then there’s no such thing as being summoned!”

【 Seeing Gilgamesh, Fujimaru Ritsuka was also surprised by his current state and quickly stood up to ask: “My King! But how are you...?!”

“King Gilgamesh?!” Even Chaldea’s Doctor Roman was astonished, unable to comprehend the situation. Full of doubt, he asked: “What?! Is that really you?!”

Da Vinci stroked her chin, analyzing the data she observed: “Could it be that he came here entirely on his own?” 】

.....

~Nasuverse~

“Never thought there would still be someone capable of bypassing summoning and directly manifesting from the Throne of Heroes!”

“Is this the ultimate ability to appear independently?!”

“So does this mean we’re seeing the Heroic Spirit, King Gilgamesh in his prime as an incarnation?!”

“But judging by his tone, there seems to be some subtle change.”

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“Never thought that King Gilgamesh could manifest himself after death!”

Doctor Roman was at a loss for words for a moment.

“Does this mean his class isn’t limited to being a Caster class reserve but instead has the independent action capability of an Archer-class?!”

All I can say is, no wonder he’s the King of Heroes—easily achieving what others cannot.

【 Tiamat, who had fallen to the ground, roared furiously. A beam of dark mana shot out from her head, attacking Gilgamesh above!

The golden ripples of Noble Phantasms Gilgamesh released from behind were partially shattered, and the weapons were neutralized by the dark mana beam. A gash appeared on Gilgamesh’s chest, and blood flowed out!

Gilgamesh still stood with his arms crossed, his expression unchanged, as if the injury wasn’t his own. His eyes remained fixed on Tiamat!

“Don’t underestimate her!” Merlin arrived beside Fujimaru Ritsuka, seriously warning: “Don’t take your eyes off Tiamat!”

At this moment, Ereshkigal descended from the sky, supporting the injured Ishtar, and joined the group in watching Tiamat!

The dragon-like Tiamat stands still with her eyes closed. Red light emanated from the wounds on her body, and waves of mist rose from within her!

Then, she suddenly opened her eyes—her purple-red eyes glowing with violet light. Centered around her feet, the ground began to shatter.

“Boom——!!”

Then, she created a black-and-white boundary that enveloped Tiamat and began expanding toward the Underworld!

Merlin, unable to believe what she saw, exclaimed: “This can’t be!!”

“Wait… Wait a second!” Doctor Roman from Chaldea frantically operated his hands, analyzing Tiamat’s data. Then, in disbelief, he said: “This is… This reaction is…!”

Meanwhile, Da Vinci, extremely frightened, exclaimed: “What’s going on?! Could it be a Reality Marble?!”

“No!” Merlin’s face lost its calmness, cold sweat dripping down. Staring at the rapidly expanding black-and-white boundary, she solemnly declared: “This is world rebirth!”

“Nega-Genesis!”

Inside the black-and-white boundary, the floating rocks that had just shattered turned into ash and disappeared. Even the Lahmu, whom everyone had struggled so hard to fight, vanished into nothingness upon contact with the boundary! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What… What is this?!”

“Nega-Genesis?! Everything that touches the boundary, whether living or non-living, disappears?!”

“Is this isolating the world from itself?!...”

“Is this the power of the Creation Goddess?! Directly returning everything to its origin!”

“At this rate, forget defeating her—even surviving inside this boundary is already a huge challenge…”

“You know, those Lahmu earlier were dominating them. Even the goddess Ishtar was caught in a fierce battle!”

“Now, with just a touch, they’ve all turned into black particles and returned to nothingness!!”

Such terrifying power! Being able to fight against an opponent like this, even if you die, it’s enough to be proud of!

Everyone saw their efforts. Rising again and again from despair.

【 The black-and-white boundary expanded rapidly in all directions. Everyone thinks it is the end when Ereshkigal stands up.

She raised her hand and summoned a Noble Phantasm, then spun it in both hands while chanting continuously:

“A vast sea in the heavens...and a prison upon the land...”

As the Noble Phantasm in her hands kept spinning, white lightning scattered in all directions, stirring up a violent storm and tremors!

“My heel is the wrath of Underworld itself!” 

Flames erupted from the ground, surrounding the expanding black-and-white boundary and halting its expansion!

“Aaaa——” Seeing her Nega-Genesis stop, Tiamat raised her head and let out an eerie cry! She glanced at Ereshkigal, seemingly puzzled as to why she could not stop it.

“Appear, O scorching shrine!” 

A powerful red glow erupted from Ereshkigal’s body, and she thrust the Noble Phantasm in her hand into the ground.

“Reflect upon your behavior...” 

“The Bellows of Kur that Tramples upon Ekur—!!” 

                        (Kur Ki Gal Irkalla)

Then, a blinding white light illuminated the entire Underworld. Mountain peaks beneath Tiamat’s feet converged, climbing onto her body and tightly restraining her!

The ceaselessly expanding Nega-Genesis was also halted by the red flames!

“It's stop.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was extremely excited to see the halted expansion of Nega-Genesis! Unable to contain his joy, he praised: “Ereshkigal! You’re amazing!!”

Ereshkigal, holding her Noble Phantasm, smiled weakly and nodded in response to Fujimaru Ritsuka’s praise.

“Though this manifestation of the temple is indeed a final trump card, it can only temporarily restrain it…”

Gilgamesh knew this could only briefly halt the process. If they couldn’t find a way to resolve Nega-Genesis, everyone would face death.

Though Gilgamesh hadn’t finished speaking, Ereshkigal understood. Sweating profusely, she looked at the trapped Tiamat and weakly said:

“Though it’s hard to accept, at most, I can only buy some time! That space will continue to erode the Underworld!” 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even though it’s only a temporary restraint, being able to achieve this level is already incredible!!”

“No wonder she’s the Mistress of the Underworld!”

“But remember, even with the full power of the Underworld goddess, she can only buy a short reprieve!”

“Remember, this is the Underworld! Even with the Underworld’s power, she can barely manage to hold back Nega-Genesis.”

“Can we really find a solution to Nega-Genesis in such a short time?!”

“Remember, this is the terrifying ultimate move that can return everything to its origin! Tiamat is practically flipping the table!”

【 “Merlin!” Fujimaru Ritsuka turned and asked: “What is Nega-Genesis?!”

Merlin stared at Tiamat and earnestly explained: “That person plans to completely renew the entire Underworld!”

“Renewal?!” Fujimaru Ritsuka didn’t fully understand what Merlin meant.

Merlin continued: “That Beast-centered space, once devoured, will destroy everything! All beings will be annihilated!”

“How could there be such an exaggerated power?!” Ishtar clutched her injured arm, finding it hard to believe. 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is bad. With Nega-Genesis, Tiamat is practically invincible!”

“Now, even getting close to her might be impossible!”

“It’s clear we worked so hard to bestow the concept of death upon Tiamat. How much did we sacrifice for that?”

“In the end, he was still one step behind!”

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“If we can’t break through Nega-Genesis, continuing like this means failure...!”

Emiya Shirou suddenly thought of something and turned to Gilgamesh to ask.

“In the first video we watched, wasn’t Angelica using your power?! Maybe the Noble Phantasm from that could...”

“You’re too naive, Emiya Shirou!”

Gilgamesh interrupted Emiya Shirou’s next words.

“My EA is indeed an Anti-World Noble Phantasm!”

“But this Nega-Genesis isn’t just a boundary—it’s Tiamat’s power...! It’s not that easy to deal with.”

An atmosphere of despair spread among the crowd outside the video…

Chapter 67: There Are So Many Flowers in the Underworld...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 On one side, Gilgamesh stared intently at Nega-Genesis, seemingly deep in thought. He turned his head toward Mash and said: “Mash!”

“Ye-Yes!” Facing King Gilgamesh’s call, Mash tensed up slightly and responded nervously.

“To deal with that accursed barrier, we need your power!” Gilgamesh’s expression remained unchanged, his calm demeanor unshaken as he addressed everyone.

“Bear the weight of the King's remembrance! That castle of chalk that a certain king sent her heart out for— The Materialization of such a place, it may be able to withstand that thing!” 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The King of Heroes was talking about is you—the King of Knights!”

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, looked at Artoria and slowly spoke.

The White Chalk City refers to Camelot, right? I thought this King of Heroes wouldn’t acknowledge the King of Knights as a King?!

Artoria, the King of Knights, hesitated for a moment before replying. Her piercing green eyes were fixed on the screen, her expression a mix of surprise and contemplation.

“It must be...”

Her voice was soft but firm, carrying the weight of her thoughts. She had always seen Gilgamesh as an arrogant and self-centered ruler, someone who would never acknowledge her as an equal. Yet, the words on the screen spoke otherwise.

Gilgamesh, seated nearby, swirled the wine glass in his hand, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. He said nothing, his silence speaking volumes.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“They look so similar... Even their hairstyles are the same!”

Tohsaka Rin’s voice was filled with disbelief as she analyzed the image of Gilgamesh on the screen.

“Even the class rank are the same! Why is there such a huge difference?!”

Tohsaka Rin held her head, her thoughts swirling internally.

Shirou Emiya, standing beside her, scratched his head in confusion.

“I don’t get it either. How can the same person be so different? It’s like they’re two completely different people.”

Rin groaned, her frustration evident.

“It doesn’t make any sense! The Gilgamesh we know would never sacrifice himself for anyone. He’s too busy calling everyone ‘Zasshu’ and acting like he’s above it all.”

Gilgamesh, overhearing their conversation, let out a derisive snort.

“Foolish girl. Do you truly believe you understand the complexities of a king’s heart? The man in that video is but one facet of my greatness.”

Rin crossed her arms, still glaring at Gilgamesh, but she reluctantly turned her attention back to the screen.

【 “You mean we're going to slam Mash’s Noble Phantasm, the distant hope fortress Lord Camelot, against it?” Ishtar turned to Gilgamesh.

Regarding Mash’s Noble Phantasm, they were quite familiar with it. While it was effective for defense, using it offensively—aside from smashing things—they couldn’t think of other methods!

Mash hesitated for a moment, while Fujimaru Ritsuka furrowed his brow and continued: “But, if it can defend against the expansion of that space...!”

Merlin looked at Tiamat and added: “Exactly! While Mash holds the space steady, someone must deliver the final blow to Beast!”

Saying this, Merlin turned to Fujimaru Ritsuka and slowly spoke: “But who could do that...!”

Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Merlin, puzzled!

“Nega-Genesis denies past life while attempts to give birth of new life within that space! Therefore, only the living are allowed to exist!”

After Merlin finished speaking, everyone turned their gaze toward Fujimaru Ritsuka. Without hesitation, Fujimaru Ritsuka stared at the white expanse of space ahead.

“I’ll go!”

Clenching his fists tightly, Fujimaru Ritsuka resolved himself. They had sacrificed so much to defeat Tiamat; it couldn’t end here!

Watching Fujimaru Ritsuka’s bravery, Gilgamesh smirked and slowly said:

“When the space manifests, I won’t be able to act! Take this with you.”

A golden ripple opened beside him, and a dagger-like Noble Phantasm appeared in Gilgamesh’s hand. He then tossed it to Fujimaru Ritsuka!

“Aim at her head—that’s her weak point!”

After catching the dagger, Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded slightly, his expression becoming incredibly serious!

“But within that space, even my special privileges will be useless!”

Ereshkigal voiced her concern; her powers were unrelated to that space!

“In that case, I’ll deploy my Noble Phantasm alongside Mash!” Merlin smiled at Ereshkigal and then looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka: “We’ll pave the way for you!”

“Master...!” Mash called out, worried for Fujimaru Ritsuka’s safety.

Understanding Mash’s concern, Fujimaru Ritsuka placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, gazing at the white void ahead, and softly said: “Mash! You just need to face the future and give your all strength—that’s all you need to do!”

Feeling her master’s trust, Mash regained her spirit, her tone becoming resolute: “Yes! I believe in you, Master!”

As they spoke, the mountains imprisoning Tiamat began to crack, trembling violently. The previously halted expansion of Nega-Genesis resumed its slow advance forward!

Ereshkigal, struggling to maintain control, tightened her grip, her voice weakening: “My barrier won’t hold much any longer!”

Knowing there was no time to waste, Mash and Merlin began deploying their Noble Phantasms together!

A magic circle appeared beneath Merlin, who held his staff in both hands!

“From the stars of the inner sea and the tower of insight...” 

Beside her, Mash closed her eyes and began reciting the incantation:

“True name unleashed—I will stand on the seat of catastrophe!” 

Meanwhile, Merlin also closed her eyes:

“From the four corners of paradise, let them know:” 

“Their story is filled with blessings.” 

Then, Merlin appeared in a sea of flowers, petals dancing endlessly in the sky above!

Mash opened her eyes, and a skirt appeared on her body.

“Only those free of sin may pass...” 

“That which heals all wounds and grudges, our glorious homeland.” 

At this moment, Tiamat broke free from Ereshkigal’s restraint!

“Manifest yourself!” Mash raised her shield forward.

“Now is a Castle of Distant Ideals”

            (Lord Camelot)

A burst of white light erupted from the center of the shield, and the ethereal image of a fortress appeared behind them, standing before the group!

Tiamat’s Nega-Genesis approached the group, enveloping the sky above them. However, thanks to Mash’s Noble Phantasm, they narrowly avoided being reduced to black particles!

On the other side, Merlin opened her eyes, revealing a smile as she stood amidst the sea of flowers, waving her staff.

“Eternally Secluded Utopia!” 

     (Garden of Avalon!)

Countless petals surged forward, paving the way for Fujimaru Ritsuka!

Fujimaru Ritsuka raised the dagger in his hand and followed the path of petals into Tiamat’s Nega-Genesis, charging toward her!

Meanwhile, Ereshkigal finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed, her knees hitting the ground.

Ishtar cried out in alarm: “Ereshkigal!”

Ishtar rushed over to catch the slowly falling Ereshkigal, her face pale as she realized: “I should have known!”

“You didn’t just break the taboo of the Underworld—you also lent your power to the living!”

“Using your power like this means you can’t possibly leave unscathed!”

Ereshkigal’s eyes trembled with pain, but Fujimaru Ritsuka had already entered Nega-Genesis with the help of the petals, running toward Tiamat.

Ereshkigal’s voice softened as she gently said: “So what? I am the Mistress of the Underworld!”

“To protect the Underworld, I simply chose the most effective method!” Her trembling hand was gripped tightly by Ishtar.

Looking at Ereshkigal, who seemed to still harbor some lingering determination, Ishtar grew anxious and confused:

“You finally found someone you could communicate with! If you disappear here, what meaning does it hold?!”

Ereshkigal lowered her face, biting back tears.

“Who knows if next time there might be an even more romantic unexpected meeting? My fundamental divinity is even more gloomy than it is now...”

“Perhaps we won’t be able to chat smoothly anymore...”

“But it doesn’t matter! I don’t like who I am now. Instead, I admire the way humans live.”

With great effort, she reached out her hand, lifting a petal from the ground. Her weakened face once again revealed a smile, tinged with joy:

“It’s wonderful!”

“Ereshkigal...” Ishtar silently tightened her grip on Ereshkigal’s shoulder.

“My Underworld is actually full of flowers...” Then her entire body turned into points of light, dancing with the petals, dissipating into this world! 】

.......

The Underworld has flowers, but just this one blooms, named Ereshkigal!

The Underworld has flowers, but just this one blooms. Though it may wither, it remains incomparably radiant!!

Notes:

My Waif— Ereshkigal is the real MVP, not Gilgamesh.

Chapter 68: The Last Words of the Mother Goddess of Creation

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“The Underworld has its own rules, even the Mistress of the Underworld cannot be an exception!”

“Never thought that giving power to the living would have such severe consequences...!”

“So this means from the very beginning, she was already risking more than half her life just to maintain her body?!”

“Before, I thought this Ereshkigal was useless, but now I understand... Sigh!”

“Suddenly, I feel like this Mistress of the Underworld is quite adorable...!”

“Even though she possesses the power of death, she doesn’t make people afraid at all…!”

“You didn’t realize that you yourself are the most beautiful flower in the Underworld!”

The crowd watching the video couldn’t help but feel their noses sting with emotion. They felt deep sympathy for this cute goddess; simply seeing the Underworld bloom with flowers made them feel incredibly satisfied as they departed.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Wa... Oh!!... Ereshkigal!!”

Ushiwakamaru’s voice was filled with emotion as she watched the screen. The sight of Ereshkigal’s sacrifice had deeply moved her.

After all, she was summoned specifically to deal with the alliance of three goddesses.

Now, it feels strange, but no matter what, she can't bring herself to fight against the goddess of the Underworld anymore. Perhaps there’s no need to fight after all!

“She’s a foolish goddess... But she did well!”

Gilgamesh knew this goddess had always resented Uruk.

In order to let the Underworld erode Uruk, she even dug a ten-year pit underground, trying to transfer the entire Underworld directly beneath Uruk!

But now, seeing her sacrifice, even Gilgamesh couldn’t help but acknowledge her worth.

~Chaldea~

“Ereshkigal...!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka stared blankly at the figure disappearing amidst the sea of flowers. So, she was just happy talking to people like that?!

Is it really enough to be satisfied with just a single flower?

Where is the terrifying goddess of the Underworld? She’s just a lonely girl.

When I get to this Singularity, we’ll definitely become friends! Ereshkigal...

Mash, standing beside Fujimaru, felt a pang of sympathy.

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Huh...! Am I dead?!”

Tohsaka Rin looked at the person who resembled her and vanished, feeling a strange sensation.

“Do you understand how I feel now?!”

Emiya Shirou was deeply moved. Looking at the first video where this person appeared, he also felt a strange sensation.

But having such a Mistress of the Underworld is truly wonderful!

【 Just as Ereshkigal disappeared, Fujimaru Ritsuka entered Nega-Genesis, running forward along the path of petals without stopping!

However, Tiamat noticed his presence, and several Laḫmu emerged from her body again, striking the ground and shattering it into pieces!

The Laḫmu kept laughing, seemingly mocking Fujimaru Ritsuka for being overconfident!

At this moment, King Hassan, enveloped in blue flames, appeared within Nega-Genesis! He shielded Fujimaru Ritsuka, allowing the sharp claws of the Laḫmu to pierce his body!

“If they are the dead, then their natural opponent is death itself!” 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“He’s such a handsome old man!!”

“I thought once someone entered, they’d disappear?! How did he manage to do this?!”

While everyone was puzzled, the next scene shocked them even more!

【 Suddenly, King Hassan's eyes narrowed, and blue flames erupted from his mouth. Then, he bit into the Laḫmu, tore its head open, and stomped it to pieces with one kick.

“The mission of subjugation is handed over to me. As a living person, keep moving forward!” King Hassan said without turning back to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

With a determined expression, Fujimaru Ritsuka resumed running forward, while King Hassan once again bit down and killed another Laḫmu attempting to attack him! 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How were those Laḫmu? Did they taste good?!”

“One bite, one Laḫmu!!”

“Is this guy really an assassin?! It’s hard to believe my own eyes!”

“Class rank as Assassin, pronounced as Berzerker!!”

【 On the other side, Mash and Merlin worked hard to maintain the barrier, buying time.

At this moment, black mud began to gather behind them, forming another Laḫmu!

By the time Merlin turned around, the Laḫmu had already been pierced by one of Gilgamesh’s Noble Phantasms and collapsed to the ground!

Then, golden ripples appeared behind Gilgamesh, continuously firing Noble Phantasms without giving the enemy any chance to catch a breath!

Meanwhile, inside Nega-Genesis, Fujimaru Ritsuka was blocked by constantly shifting boulders, causing him to shout in frustration:

“Damn it!! We’ve come so far!”

Suddenly, Fufu appeared behind him and teleported Fujimaru Ritsuka to the air above Tiamat. Petals surrounded him as he descended!

Fujimaru Ritsuka raised the Noble Phantasm in his hand, and with the petals guiding him, he struck Tiamat’s head, emitting a burst of golden light before everything went dark!

Outside the barrier, Gilgamesh and Merlin silently observed.

In the midst of attacking Tiamat, Fujimaru Ritsuka arrived in an empty space and encountered a humanoid form of Tiamat, standing there dazed.

“Crack!”

Right then, cracks appeared outside Nega-Genesis, gradually shrinking until they disappeared completely. Tiamat let out a loud scream toward the sky.

“Aaaa——”

“Gilgamesh!” Fujimaru Ritsuka’s figure reappeared in the air, falling downward while shouting toward Gilgamesh!

“Looks like you've settled the score, Fujimaru Ritsuka.” Gilgamesh crossed his arms and smiled, his magical energy suddenly bursting forth.

“Then, I shall take this one blow and call it the 'Ritual of Separation'!!” 

A red magical vortex appeared under his feet, accompanied by a golden ripple. A strangely shaped cylindrical sword emerged!

“I will tell you of the beginning.” 

“Heaven and Earth split, nothingness praised creation,”

“And my Sword of Rupture cleaved the world!” 

Gilgamesh grabbed the manifested Enuma Elish sword, red magical energy swirling at the tip of the blade, accelerating rapidly. Lightning followed, wrapping around the sword!

“Mortar of the stars, heaven's hell is the eve of creation's celebration!” 

Gilgamesh raised the Enuma Elish in his hand, a vast starry sky appearing above it. Red-black pressure swept through, accompanied by thunderous roars, gathering at the tip of the blade!

“Now you shall die and be silent...” 

The Star of Creation that Split Heaven and Earth——!!” 

               (Enuma Elish)

“Buzz——”

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, a torrent of magical energy engulfed Tiamat’s massive body, gradually disintegrating her.

Finally, Tiamat slowly disappeared entirely!

The ground shattered, returning to the pure white space from before.

“You are...” Fujimaru Ritsuka, holding a dagger, gazed at the human-like form of Tiamat.

“I nurtured countless lives! Once loved by all beings, but my children have used me as a ladder, and they always head to places so far away—desu.”

As Tiamat spoke, her body began to dissolve into light, gradually vanishing!

“I wanted to keep loving them forever—desu.”

“I wanted them to stay by my side forever—desu.”

“Is my love... mistaken? —desu.””

Facing Tiamat’s question, Fujimaru Ritsuka had no definitive answer and could only respond seriously:

“I don't know.”

“But... your children all love you!”

“So, you need to get going.” Fujimaru Ritsuka released the Noble Phantasm in his hand and watched Tiamat slowly disappear.

“Please don't leave me behind... Please never... love me again.” Tiamat, tears streaming down her face, softly spoke to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

“Farewell!” Fujimaru Ritsuka, unsure of his feelings, turned and said.

“Thank you!” With that, he left this space. 】

This is the final parting between humans and gods!...

Notes:

Translator Notes:

Folks remember this scene was from the Anime, not from the game, so there's a different scene. But this scene is one of the best I've seen in anime.

Chapter 69: Top: 6 Divine Realm of The Round Table

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“After seeing Tiamat’s final words, I feel a bit heartbroken. She was the one who created the world...!”

“She loved her children so much, yet those beloved children treated her like a stepping stone and left her behind!”

“The final plea, ‘Don’t go, and don't love me anymore,’ feels almost like a desperate prayer!”

“Love itself isn’t wrong—what’s wrong is the way it’s expressed! Humanity must move forward too!”

“Humanity has grown up and no longer needs gods to guide them on their path!”

“I never expected Gilgamesh’s full-powered Noble Phantasm release to have such terrifying power!”

“Yes, that’s true! But it also helped me understand just how formidable the opponent in the first video was for the alliance of heroes.”

“In the end… This marks the final battle between humanity and the gods!”

The crowd watching the video couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of melancholy. The repeated use of Noble Phantasms, the reversal of expectations, and the unfolding of events left them with a strange feeling—a thousand thoughts swirling in their minds, yet unable to articulate anything.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Mother… Childhood ended long ago. Humanity no longer needs gods to show us the way!”

 Gilgamesh looks at Tiamat’s final words and shakes his head, speaking aloud, a declaration of humanity’s independence from the divine.

“Whether humanity will destroy themselves or soar to the future—it’s unknown! Children eventually grow up, and the future path can only be walked by themselves!”

【 After Fujimaru Ritsuka exited the white space, the aftermath of Enuma Elish caused the Underworld to collapse. Massive boulders fell continuously.

Amidst the falling rocks, countless petals from Merlin appeared, surrounding everyone and carrying them back to the surface!

As the scene shifted, under the dazzling sunlight, Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka lay hand in hand on the ground. The final shot lingered on the traces of the command spell left on Fujimaru Ritsuka’s hand!

And thus, Uruk’s great existence came to an end!】

.....

Fujimaru Ritsuka’s long journey finally concluded. Now, only the mark of the command spell remained on his hand, a testament to the epic tale that had unfolded.

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

~Einzbern mansion~

At the King’s Banquet

“Hua ha ha ha... Did you see that?! Zasshu”

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, laughing triumphantly. He then proudly declared:

“That heroic figure of mine!!”

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, wasn’t surprised by this demeanor at all. On the contrary, he praised him:

 “It truly gives the impression of the King of Heroes! Whether in strength or spirit, he is worthy of the title!”

Indeed, in the video, Gilgamesh could genuinely be called the King of Heroes. Especially with the overwhelming power of his final strike—perhaps even his Noble Phantasm, Army of the King (Ionioi Hetairoi), wouldn’t be able to withstand it!

Artoria found it hard to believe that one person could have such contrasting sides. The current Gilgamesh gave off the impression of a tyrant, making it difficult to associate him with the wise and virtuous King of Heroes from the video!

~Type-Moon World in the Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Phew—”

Emiya Shirou sighed deeply after the video ended.

In the video, everyone had given their all to deal with Tiamat, but her constant transformations brought more despair each time.

However, it’s no wonder Emiya Shirou said earlier that no sword could possibly match her. Her power truly was terrifying!

It’s fortunate that the Angelica in the first video only borrowed her strength. If the person in the video had appeared directly, they might not have been able to hold out until Miyu’s departure!

Tohsaka Rin’s heart was filled with complex emotions. She originally thought that the group fighting Tiamat was facing an incredibly evil existence.

But in reality, they were dealing with a mother who didn’t want her children to leave! And yet, it cost everyone dearly...

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

Dr. Roman let out a deep sigh, collapsing onto his chair.

Although this was an event from the future, the oppressive presence of Tiamat and the despair she instilled were palpable.

Since the event hadn’t happened yet, there was still time to change many things. They had also gathered a lot of useful intelligence.

After the video ended, the people of Chaldea immediately got to work.

At this moment, a brand-new video quietly appeared, though the people of Chaldea didn’t have time to watch it yet.

Having witnessed Tiamat’s terror, they were now preparing to face her in a more manageable way!

 

【 Top 6: The Divine Realm of the Round Table 】

 

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Finally, a new video has arrived!”

“The Divine Realm of the Round Table?? Is that the name of a technique? Or is it a place?”

“I wonder what kind of scenes this will bring us... Will it be another grand epic like the last one?”

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Divine Realm of the Round Table!!”

Irisviel turned to Artoria, questioning curiously:

“Saber! Does this refer to your twelve knights of the Round Table?”

“Not necessarily! After all, there are so many worlds!”

Artoria replied uncertainly. Though she did have a group of knights of the Round Table...

Meanwhile, in the Throne of Heroes, the spirits of the Knights of the Round Table gathered once again, observing this video that might be related to their King Arthur.

【As the text faded, the video began playing!

A familiar voice echoed through the screen, addressing a petrified man amidst a sea of flowers.

“I come to fulfill the sinner’s wish.”

“This is truly your final chance!”

“No matter what happens in this battle, you will perish!”

The camera focused on the petrified face, surrounded by dancing petals, listening intently.】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is that Sir Bedivere?!”

Artoria exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the all-too-familiar face.

It seemed certain that this was indeed her Knights of the Round Table! But why had Sir Bedivere been turned into stone?

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“Sir Bedivere?!”

Sir Gawain spoke first, astonished. What crime had he committed to deserve this? The other Knights of the Round Table were equally shocked.

【“Your soul will be exhausted, breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation. Your very existence will fall into nothingness!”

Amidst the sea of flowers, a familiar figure appeared, bowing slightly as she continued to speak to the petrified man below: “Even so, do you still wish to walk the path to the end?”

“Crack…”

As Merlin spoke, Bedivere answered with action. The petrified statue cracked, and she rose again!

He then appeared in a vast desert, her golden hair shining, clad in white robes. With his left hand covering his right arm, he spoke in a complex tone: “Is this the end of my journey?”】

.....

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“Could he be a giant too?!”

Shin Asuka exclaimed in surprise. Not long ago, they had just seen a giant resurrect from stone.

“No, definitely not!”

Daigo cursed silently in his heart. No matter how you looked at it, he didn’t resemble one.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

“Could it be The Pillar Men?”

Joseph Joestar pondered deeply. Could there still be undiscovered Pillar Men out there?

~Projection of All Worlds~

At that moment, the crowd outside the video was also stirred with curiosity.

“The shadowy figure who spoke earlier was Merlin from the previous world!”

“But what crime did this blond man commit to required the exhaustion of his soul?”

“Regardless of success or failure, he’ll fall into nothingness...!”

“By logic, this should be a predetermined path to death, right?”

Notes:

Translator Note:

And here we go again. Due to the drastic changes in character settings in the anime, the Author-san decided to combine game and anime elements, which might make the story feel a bit chaotic.

Chapter 70: The Confused Sun King

Chapter Text

【 Yearning for the king to rest, Sir Bedivere began his journey of atonement!

After wandering for over 1,500 years, Sir Bedivere arrived at Jerusalem, which had turned into a desert due to special circumstances, along with the sudden appearance of the Holy City.

On the road, he saw crumbling cities, starving people everywhere, and former comrades who had become cold and heartless.

“You are Arash Kamangir, aren’t you?” After constant inquiries, Sir Bedivere found Arash eating something!

“I never expected to see the face of this great Persian hero!”

“I am Lucius!” Using the alias Lucius, Sir Bedivere began conversing with him.

“I heard that you know a lot about that suddenly appearing Holy City! I would like to ask you for advice!”

Arash put down the food in his hand and did not answer his question, but instead turned to look around at the people and said to him: “Here, you can see the colorful world! People who are discouraged, desperate people! People who have forgotten the future.”

Arash widened his eyes and approached Sir Bedivere, scrutinizing him, and continued speaking: “Your face shows signs of death! It’s the kind of expression that yearns to tread the path of destruction.”

“You carry a heavy burden and haven’t raised your head in a long time.” This statement points directly to the silver armor on Sir Bedivere's right arm. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

~Einzbern mansion~

“Isn’t this the legendary great hero Arash?”

Waver Velvet couldn't help but exclaim. With his extensive knowledge, he naturally understood the exploits of this great hero!

The great hero of ancient Persia, who ended the more than sixty-year war between Persia and Turkey, bringing peace and tranquility to the people of both nations, was a savior!

【 Afterwards, Arash told Sir Bedivere everything he knew about the sudden appearance of the Holy City!

After a brief conversation, Sir Bedivere turned and left, intending to cross the desert no matter what. He had to complete his salvation! All of this was because of his fault...

Seeing the starving refugees scattered everywhere, Sir Bedivere felt tormented in his heart.

It was all because he failed...

This was an error he must rectify, and it was also the trial he had to undertake!

Reaching out to grip his right arm tightly, he said with regret: “I don’t have the right to call myself a knight anymore!”

“I am a masterless Servant, Lucius!”】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the Fourth Holy Grail War Wordline~

“Sir Bedivere, my loyal knight…!”

Artoria didn’t understand what her loyal knight had experienced.

She knew that being called a knight was an honor, yet he admitted that he wasn’t worthy of the title. What mistake had Sir Bedivere made?

~Throne of Heroes~

“Masterless wanderer?!”

Sir Gawain seemed to recall that Sir Bedivere wasn’t present here either. Indeed, based on Sir Bedivere’s life achievements, he wouldn’t qualify for the Throne of Heroes!

Tristan’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly said:

“We’ll know the reason if we continue watching...!”

“How infuriating! To so easily abandon the title of a knight...”

Mordred said angrily.

【 Walking through the desert, Sir Bedivere suddenly sensed a familiar presence and immediately turned towards the source of the aura!

Chaldea’s Fujimaru Ritsuka met Nitocris, the Egyptian Pharaoh under Hassan of the Hundred Faces!

However, she mistakenly considered him an enemy and summoned the Sphinx, known as the pinnacle of Phantasmal beasts.

“Sphinx!” Looking at the enormous Sphinx statue before them, Mash trembled slightly, holding her shield with a face full of anxiety: “In this situation, it seems impossible to fight this divine beast!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn’t this Mash, who blocked the Genesis of the Creator God Nega-Genesis?”

“How could she be so powerless?”

“It seems to be what happened before the event in the last video; they appear so immature!”

【 “No, please look up. No matter what kind of divine beast, it cannot destroy your shield.”

At the moment when Mash was filled with unease, a loud voice rang out, directed more towards her as if addressing her specifically:

 “Moreover, your justice is correct, so you will surely win this battle born from misunderstanding!”

“Who... Who is it?” The startled magical queen, Nitocris, immediately changed her expression, looking utterly shocked!

Sir Bedivere emerges from the golden sand, refusing to reveal his true name: “I have no reason to declare my identity, so you may consider me an enemy.”

Then he turned his gaze to Fujimaru Ritsuka, slowly saying: “You are Fujimaru Ritsuka, right?”

“Nice to meet you. I am Lucius! A masterless Servant!”

“I apologize for suddenly joining your conversation. If possible, please allow me to lend you some strength, and feel free to use my sword,” Sir Bedivere said apologetically to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Facing the sudden appearance of Sir Bedivere, who refused to reveal his true name, the magic queen Nitocris wasted no time in ordering the divine beast Sphinx to attack!

Upon hearing the command, the Sphinx roared angrily, stirring up a massive sandstorm in the desert! A terrifying beam of energy also emitted from its eerie face!

“Switch On - Airgetlám!!” 

Facing the incoming attack, Sir Bedivere swung his right hand, and his arm emitted a faint golden glow, resembling a sharp sword as he slashed forward!

“Boom ——”

The yellow torrent of magical energy devoured the attack, its momentum unrelenting as it swallowed the Sphinx whole!

The powerful shockwave blew away the surrounding sandstorm, exploding past it, and the Sphinx disappeared on the spot, leaving behind only a large crater.

“That... That knight’s right arm...?! No doubt, it’s the brilliance of the Silver Arm!” Seeing this scene, Da Vinci suddenly realized! 】

......

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“No!... It’s not just that!”

Sir Gawain was somewhat confused. He knew Sir Bedivere’s weapon!

The shimmering silver arm, according to legend, was cultivated by the Celtic war god Nuada to compensate for the loss of his right arm... But!

The golden glow that just emanated was undoubtedly the radiance of the holy sword! It was filled with the radiance of hope!

“That’s the power of the holy sword!”

Mordred said confidently, very familiar with everything about the king!

“How could he possess such power?”

Clearly, among the twelve knights of the round table, he was relatively weaker, and he shouldn’t be able to wield the king’s holy sword!

~In the inner sea of the planet, in the furthest tower~

“Uh...”

Merlin had a bad premonition because he recognized traces of his own doing in it. Perhaps it was something he did...

~Type-Moon World, Both 4th & 5th Holy Grail War Worldline~

Both Artorias knew it was the light of the holy sword. Precisely because she knew, she was even more puzzled... Could it be that Sir Bedivere hadn’t returned the holy sword?! Was this the sin he spoke of?!

【Da Vinci was confident that she hadn’t mistaken it. It was indeed a divine-level weapon!!

The ancient Egyptian magic queen, Nitocris, frantically searched for the vanished Sphinx, flustered:

“Aoa oa... Pharaoh’s divine beast?!... Ozymandias-sama entrusted me with this precious divine beast, which was... completely destroyed!?”

“I’m sorry! If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have been able to calm the situation!” Sir Bedivere apologized.

Afterward, he explained what he had witnessed to the magic queen, Nitocris. They truly were saved by Chaldea’s group!

Regaining composure, Nitocris recalled her panicked experience and suddenly blushed: “Very... Thank you, travelers... Sorry, because of my impulsiveness...”

“By the way, I suddenly want to drink water.” Fujimaru Ritsuka made a mischievous request!

“Drink... Water? Then let’s go to the nearby oasis...” Nitocris nodded, thinking it was a minor request!

“And I’d like to eat some fruits too!” He then added another request.

Not finished yet, Da Vinci supplemented with: “Also, I want to bathe... and have a good rest!”

After all, due to the misunderstanding, they nearly annihilated their group, so it wasn’t easy to calm down!

Since they were previously at fault, how could they refuse these requests? They could only smile awkwardly.

“Alright!” 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 6th singularity, Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot~

Outside the video, Nitocris wished she could strangle herself:

“It’s over! I have no face to see anyone. The dignity of the Pharaoh has been tarnished by me!”

【 Afterward, upon learning that the group intended to visit the Great Temple, Sir Bedivere revealed a smile: “Then I shall take my leave here. May your journey be smooth.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Sir Bedivere didn’t linger any longer and turned to leave.

Later, the group who arrived at the Great Temple also encountered the Sun King— Ozymandias!

His golden pupils looked down upon the group, exuding an air of majesty and dignity. Right now, he was recounting how he reclaimed the Holy Grail from the Crusaders.

But while speaking, his head suddenly fell off from above.】

Everyone outside the video was terrified!!

Chapter 71: Sword of Revolving Victory!

Chapter Text

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Uh... How shocking! Just like that, his head fell off!?”

Shokuhou Misaki clutched her chest in disbelief. Initially, seeing Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka from the previous video appeared, she thought it would be another grand epic of humanity.

But to her surprise, it turned out to be a horror movie! A moment ago, he was speaking with such dignity, and then suddenly his head just... fell off! Anyone would have been startled!

~Madoka Magica World~

“Suddenly, I feel a chill on my neck!”

The young girl with a mature physique—curly blonde hair typically styled in twin drills and yellow, square-shaped eyes—set down her cup of black tea.

Tomoe Mami couldn’t help but touch her neck. For some reason, she had an ominous premonition, and this feeling was incredibly strong.

【 Even within the video, Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others were frightened. Despite having witnessed spectacular scenes before, they couldn't help but exchange puzzled looks.

Then Fujimaru Ritsuka cautiously spoke up, concerned: “Uh... That... Ozymandias, Your Majesty... your head!”

Before he could finish, Ozymandias interrupted him, struggling to maintain his dignity, and shouted loudly: “It must be because you’re too tired from traveling and made a mistake. This time, I’ll forgive you!”

After saying that, he added emphatically: “I am the Sun King!! My head isn’t missing ——”

Before he could finish, his head fell off again!

”......” At this point, the atmosphere became extremely awkward. The Chaldea group remained silent, pretending not to see anything!

The once-dignified Sun King quietly picked up his own head, his golden eyes staring at the people without uttering a word. The awkward tension spread throughout the hall...! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter just imagining how awkward this must be for him!!”

“But still, it’s impressive. After all, losing his head twice and still being alive is no small feat!”

“Who could’ve done it? Who has the skill to silently cut off the Sun King’s head not once, but twice?”

“Haha, Fujimaru Ritsuka didn’t say anything out of consideration, did he?”

~Nanatsu No Taizai World~

“Haha, who does this guy think he is, calling himself the Sun King?!”

The Lion's Sin of Pride, Escanor, laughed loudly before continuing:

“How arrogant...!”

【 In the next scene, perhaps due to the awkwardness, after being treated to a delicious meal by the Sun King, Fujimaru Ritsuka and his group were kicked out of the Radiant Temple!

However, they did manage to obtain crucial information from the Sun King. They came too late! In this world, the Lion King of the Holy Capital had already destroyed everything!

Traveling through the desert wasn’t easy, so the ever-resourceful Da Vinci built a wooden vehicle called the Flapping Sphinx, capable of flight, heading toward the pure white Holy Capital!

Along the way, they saw nothing but desolation everywhere, along with countless displaced refugees. These people were starving, deranged, their eyes devoid of any light!

When they arrived near the chalk-white city, a large number of refugees had gathered to perform the Holy Pulling Ceremony. So, the group blended in with the refugees and followed them into the inner city!

After entering the Holy City, a tall figure stepped out from behind the wide-open gates.

A knight with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, dressed in armor, slowly approached. As he came closer, the blazing sunlight illuminated the sky, making him look even more dazzling under its rays! 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline~

In Fuyuki's Emiya Household, Artoria set down her bowl of rice, staring intently at the familiar figure on screen, reminiscing:

“I never expected Sire Gawain to appear too! It seems what they say about my Knights of the Round Table is true.”

Emiya Shirou silently refilled her bowl and asked:

“Saber, do you know that knight?”

Artoria took a bite of rice and replied:

“That’s Sire Gawain. No one is more earnest and sincere than him, and he absolutely wouldn’t harbor any negative emotions like resentment!”

“He’s a noble knight, shining like the sun!”

~Throne of Heroes~

“Sire Gawain!!”

Tristan exclaimed in surprise. There was no doubt about it—the outfit! And that presence as if he embodied the Sun itself.

Gawain nodded in response to his doubts, confirming that the person in the video was indeed him. However, he had a bad feeling about it.

【 This Sun Knight explained the requirements for the Holy Pulling Ceremony to the people, then slightly raised his hand and said solemnly: “Please beg for the king’s mercy!”

As his words faded, the master of this holy city emerged from behind, clad in silver armor and draped in a white robe. Her voice was cold and emotionless as she stated the conditions for the Holy Pulling Ceremony!

“Only a limited number of people can reach the end!”

“Human nature is corrupt and defiled!”

Then, a golden glow emanated from her hand. Out of the many suffering people, only three emitted a golden light—they were the chosen ones.

“People who have maintained purity since birth!” After selecting these three individuals, the so-called Holy Pulling Ceremony ended!

However, after the conclusion of the Holy Pulling Ceremony, Gawain of the knights of the Round Table began commanding the Enforcement Knights to eliminate all the refugees except for the three chosen ones.

Suddenly, numerous arrows appeared in the sky, raining down on the refugees! Lives were mercilessly taken. The heavily armored Enforcement Knights also wielded blades, harvesting lives without hesitation!

Gawain’s cold face showed no emotion whatsoever—an unimaginable calmness, as if none of this had anything to do with him, silently observing everything! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How infuriating!! He’s nothing but a scoundrel!!”

“This demeanor makes him seem like a heartless machine!”

~One Piece World~

“It’s truly brutal...!”

Nico Robin recalled her own childhood, when the World Government mercilessly fired cannons at refugee ships to erase history. The memory sent a shiver down her spine.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Why...!”

Artoria’s expression darkened with sorrow. She was deeply pained to see such a noble knight reduced to this numb, unfeeling state.

But beyond sadness, she felt shame and anger toward the brutal and inhumane Lion King!

She knew without a doubt that the person clad in armor and mask, conducting the Holy Pulling Ceremony, was none other than herself!

“Why has Sire Gawain become like this...!”

Artoria’s face was full of disbelief. How could Sire Gawain order the massacre of civilians?! They had come to the Holy City seeking protection, after all!

Somewhere in Fuyuki City. Berserker Lancelot, who had been silently watching the scene, suddenly let out a guttural roar, his blackened armor trembling with barely contained rage.

A----urrrrrr!!!

His voice was distorted, filled with anguish and fury. The sight of Lion King, once awakened something deep within him.

“Arrrrthurrrrrr……!”

His madness twisting his speech, but the pain in his voice was unmistakable. —he was condemning the Lion King, the twisted version of Artoria who had allowed such atrocities to occur.

~Throne of Heroes~

“Sire Gawain!”

Agravain’s face was filled with rage as he glared at the noble knight, shouting with genuine indignation:

“You’ve betrayed the chivalric code!! Have you forgotten all twelve tenets?!”

“Calm down, Sire Agravain!”

Tristan stepped in to restrain the furious Agravain, his voice steady.

“We don’t yet understand the full picture. Perhaps this is some kind of impostor!”

Gawain said nothing. He knew that the person in the video was indeed him.

Now, his heart was filled with anger, but he understood that the most critical issue was still the king!

“Why has the king changed like this?!”

~Akame Ga Kill World~

“This is even worse than the empire!”

Tatsumi slammed his fist on the table, his voice trembling with fury. Massacring unarmed civilians—what kind of knight does something like that?!

【 To save the refugees, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash confronted knight Gawain directly!

However, they were completely no match for the knight Gawain!

“You’re pitiful, no—you’re someone whose emotions make me want to sigh deeply,” Gawain said indifferently as he watched Mash being pushed back.

“You don’t see me as an enemy. With such a mindset, why are you even on the battlefield?”

“The Enforcement Knights are merely following my orders. You should hate your enemies—me, their commander! How could someone who doesn’t even understand this basic principle step onto the battlefield? It’s an insult to us!”

He then unsheathed his sword, and the sky began to brighten. Sunlight shone upon him, and his magical power surged rapidly!

Seeing this scene, Da Vinci immediately realized and shouted to Mash: “That’s him!! He’s knight Gawain, the Sun Knight...!”

“Exactly!” Gawain calmly admitted his identity, his cold voice addressing everyone: “As long as the Sun remains, my power will be blessed by the saints. You have no chance of winning!”

At this moment, Mash quickly charged at Gawain with her shield but was stopped by the first strike. Looking at the shield, Gawain was surprised and said: “Since you possess this shield, I must show my true strength!”

With a flick of his hand, he knocked away several weapons. Then, he immediately summoned his Noble Phantasm, running his hand along the blade!

“This sword is a replica of the sun!”

“Its flame shall cleanse all the impurity of this world.” 

“Mash!” Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted loudly, and Mash stepped forward, revealing his own Noble Phantasm!

Virtual Noble Phantasm Pseudo-Deployment!”

                (Lord Chaldeas)

As the magic circle appeared, a blue beam of light manifested on the shield! Meanwhile, Gawain’s attack came swiftly!

“Excalibur Galatine——!! ”

 (Sword of Revolving Victory)    】

Chapter 72: O Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is he teaching Mash? Although I don’t want to admit it, what he said is correct!"

"On the battlefield, not seeing your opponent as an enemy is simply like not taking them seriously!"

“Isn’t his protection excessive? As long as the sun doesn’t set, he has the blessing of a saint and remains invincible?!”

"Is this why he’s called the Sun Knight?! But how can someone who just massacred civilians be called a knight?"

~Nanatsu No Taizai World~

"When he draws his sword, does sunlight come out? No wonder he’s called the Sun Knight!"

Escanor’s voice was filled with excitement as he watched the screen. The idea of a knight whose power was tied to the sun resonated deeply with him.

"If only this sword could pair with me, wouldn’t that be perfect?! Though I doubt it could handle the brilliance of my Sunshine!"

Escanor’s laughter boomed, his pride shining as brightly as the sun itself. As the Lion’s Sin of Pride, his own power was tied to the sun, and the thought of wielding a weapon that complemented his abilities was tantalizing.

"A Sun Knight, you say? Hah! If only he could witness the true might of the Lion’s Sin of Pride!"

His words were filled with his trademark confidence, his tone playful yet boastful. To Escanor, the idea of a sun-based sword was not just intriguing—it was a natural extension of his own greatness.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

"Ah!!"

Misaka Mikoto’s voice was filled with disbelief as she stared at the screen. The image of Gawain, the Sun Knight, clashed violently with the historical records she had studied.

"This can't be right! The book clearly recorded him as an excellent knight, but how did that holy Sun Knight become so corrupted? Could history have gotten it wrong?"

She quickly flipped through the pages of her book, her brow furrowed in confusion. The Gawain in the video was a far cry from the noble knight described in the texts.

~Re: Zero − Starting Life in Another World~

~Felt's Camp~

"The Sun’s blessing?! How fascinating! I think I have something similar."

Sword Saint Reinhard’s voice was filled with curiosity as he watched the screen, his blue eyes reflecting the glow of the projection. His own abilities were tied to numerous Divine Blessings, and the idea of a sun-based power intrigued him.

"Though I suppose my blessings are a bit different... Still, it’s fascinating to see how similar concepts manifest in other worlds."

His expression grew thoughtful. Reinhard was always eager to learn and understand new things, and the idea of parallel powers in different realms was no exception.

However, as the scene shifted to show the Sun Knight’s actions—particularly the harm inflicted on innocent civilians—Reinhard’s expression softened, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"To wield such power... and yet use it against the innocent... How tragic."

His voice was calm but carried a weight of disappointment. As the Sword Saint, Reinhard believed deeply in the duty of a knight to protect and serve. Seeing someone with such noble abilities act in a way that contradicted those ideals was deeply disheartening to him.

"A knight’s strength should be a shield for the weak, not a weapon against them. I hope he finds his way back to the path of righteousness."

"How can someone with such power act so... recklessly?"

Felt’s voice was filled with disbelief as she watched the screen. The idea of a knight harming innocent civilians was completely foreign to her.

~Anastasia's Camp~

Julius, the Finest of Knights, stepped forward, his expression a mix of disapproval and sorrow.

"A knight who turns his blade against the innocent is no knight at all. Honor and duty are not mere titles—they are responsibilities that must be upheld, no matter the cost."

His voice was firm, reflecting his unwavering commitment to the chivalric code. Julius, who prided himself on his ideals of knighthood, could not fathom how someone with such power could stray so far from their purpose.

~Crusch's Camp~

Wilhelm van Astrea, the Sword Demon, stood silently at first, his sharp eyes fixed on the screen. His weathered face showed no emotion, but his voice carried a quiet intensity when he finally spoke.

"Power without discipline is a dangerous thing. A knight who forgets his duty is no better than a beast with a blade."

Wilhelm’s words were heavy with experience. As a former knight who had seen the horrors of war and the consequences of losing one’s way, he understood the weight of responsibility better than most.

Crusch Karsten, the Dragon Knight Duchess, crossed her arms, her emerald eyes narrowing as she watched the scene unfold.

"A knight’s strength is not measured by their power alone, but by how they wield it. To harm the innocent is to betray the very essence of what it means to be a knight."

Her tone was sharp and authoritative, reflecting her strong sense of justice and leadership. Crusch, who valued honor and integrity above all else, could not tolerate such a blatant disregard for the principles of knighthood.

Felix, the Blue Knight, nodded in agreement, his usual playful demeanor replaced by uncharacteristic seriousness.

"A knight’s duty is to protect, not to harm. To see someone abuse their power like this... it’s heartbreaking."

His voice was soft but carried a deep sense of disappointment. Felix, who dedicated his life to healing and protecting others, could not understand how someone could use their strength to cause harm.

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“Sire Gawain! There’s no need to unleash Noble Phantasms on a little girl!”"

The group of knights buzzed with discussion, their voices filled with disapproval. Gawain’s actions seem excessive, even for a battle-hardened knight.

"Don’t you see that shield..."

Gawain turned to one of the knights, his expression serious.

"If I’m not mistaken... That shield belongs to the pure knight Galahad!"

The mention of Galahad silenced the room. Galahad, the son of Lancelot and one of the purest knights of the Round Table, was a figure of immense respect.

"Galahad! The son of Lancelot from the Knights of the Round Table..."

The knights exchanged glances, their earlier criticism replaced by a sense of awe. If Mash was wielding Galahad’s shield, then her presence on the battlefield was no accident.

【 An intense ring of fiery light erupted from Gawain's tattoo, sweeping forward. A blinding white light filled the screen, striking Mash’s shield!

The momentum didn’t falter, burning a circle into the ground. Flames shot out, incinerating all the surrounding civilians almost instantly!

"A...!!" In that moment, cries of pain echoed from the civilians before they turned to ashes.

"How could this happen...!" Mash collapsed to the ground, holding her shield. She looked around at the vanished civilians, bowed her head deeply, and felt immense self-blame inside.

Fujimaru Ritsuka held the injured child he had saved, turned toward Gawain, and shouted angrily: "Why did you do this?"

Gawain, still calm, pointed his Sword of Revolving Victory at Mash: "We are the guardians of a thousand-year-old kingdom! The knights of the Round Table!"

"Only those chosen by the king deserve to live! Eliminate humans without survival value. It’s that simple."

Looking at the bodies scattered everywhere, Fujimaru Ritsuka grew even angrier.

What kind of reason is this?!

"Some people came seeking YOUR help! Aren’t you supposed to be the hope for these people, the knights of the Round Table?!" 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

At this moment, Gawain’s heart was heavy with self-reproach. He knew he had unleashed Noble Phantasms indiscriminately upon civilians, his actions driven by a twisted sense of duty. Clenching his fists tightly, his thoughts screamed in anguish:

"Someone, anyone, hurry and stop me...!"

His mind was a storm of guilt and regret. The once-proud Sun Knight, who had sworn to protect the weak, now found himself drowning in the consequences of his own actions.

"This is not who we are..."

Lancelot’s voice was filled with regret as he watched the scene unfold. The Knight of the Lake, who had once been consumed by his own guilt, understood the pain of losing one’s way.

"We were meant to be protectors, not executioners. Gawain... what happened to you?"

The other knights of the Round Table also felt remorse, their hearts heavy with the weight of their failure.

"What kind of ridiculous reason is this? Eliminating humans without survival value?!"

The question hung in the air, a bitter reminder of how far they had strayed from their ideals.

"Whether or not someone has value isn’t something we can decide!!"

The words were a plea, a desperate attempt to reclaim the honor they had lost. The knights knew they had failed not just the people they were meant to protect but also themselves.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Sire Gawain!"

Artoria’s voice was filled with anguish as she watched the screen. The sight of one of her most loyal knights becoming so devoid of humanity was almost too much to bear.

She wanted to intervene, to reach out and pull him back from the brink, but she was powerless. Her hands clenched into fists, her heart torn between her duty as a king and her love for her knights.

"How could it come to this...?"

Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, but the pain in her words was unmistakable. Artoria had always believed in the ideals of knighthood—justice, honor, and protection of the weak.

To see Gawain, the Sun Knight, fall so far from those ideals was a devastating blow.

【 Just as Gawain swung his Sword of Revolving Victory down, a silver knight clad in white robes appeared before Fujimaru Ritsuka, blocking the attack with his sword!

Seeing this knight suddenly appear, Gawain’s previously calm face shows surprise: "Sire Bedivere!! Why are you here?!"

"You’re part of the Knights of the Round Table! Are you betraying the king?!"

Bedivere, standing firm against Gawain, responded sternly: "If the Knights of the Round Table have fallen into evil ways, then I cannot refuse to act!"

Then Bedivere once again channeled the power stored within Airgetlám!

"O, Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword!"

        (Switch On - Airgetlam)

A dazzling golden light reappeared in his hands. He turned, and a massive golden-yellow ocean converged into the shape of a sword, clashing with Gawain’s Sword of Revolving Victory!

"Boom ——!" An explosive sound reverberated, followed by a burst of white light. The terrifying heat rapidly spread in all directions.

As Bedivere gritted his teeth and roared furiously, Gawain’s Sword of Revolving Victory was instantly suppressed. Gawain himself was uncontrollably pushed back!

A moment later, Gawain sat half-collapsed on the ground, looking ahead in disbelief: "You were able to push me back!!"

On the other side, Bedivere’s condition worsened! He could barely stand upright, his face turning extremely pale. Moreover, a smell akin to burning emanated from his body!

"Does this smell mean he’s burning? Not just his arm, but internally!" Mash rushed over to support Bedivere, discovering his abnormality!

Afterward, the group decided to retreat. During the day, Gawain couldn’t be defeated. Then, using Da Vinci’s tool, they attacked the sealed White Chalk Wall gate!

"Boom ——" The gate was instantly shattered. With a burst of white light, even the unsuspecting Gawain couldn’t help but close his eyes. Taking this opportunity, the group escaped! 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

"Phew~ you did a great job, Sire Bedivere!"

Gawain sighed inwardly, a mix of relief and self-reproach in his heart. The sight of Bedivere standing firm against the corrupted version of himself brought a strange sense of comfort.

"It would be best if the video version of me could fight and be killed by this guy—it wouldn’t be too much to ask!"

The thought was bitter but honest. Gawain knew he had strayed far from the ideals of knighthood, and the idea of being stopped by someone as pure-hearted as Bedivere felt like a form of redemption.

"Is that Sire Bedivere?! How could he repel Sire Gawain!"

Mordred’s voice was filled with incredulity as she watched the screen. The idea of Bedivere, often seen as one of the more reserved and less combat-focused knights, standing up to the mighty Sun Knight was almost unbelievable.

"But... Doesn’t wielding the king’s holy sword require a great price!?"

Her tone shifted from disbelief to concern as she noticed how pale Bedivere had become. The toll of wielding the holy sword was evident, and it was clear that this power wasn’t something to be used freely.

【 "No hostile forces detected nearby, we’ve distanced ourselves from the Holy Capital, Master!" Mash reported the results of her investigation to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Now that night was approaching, everyone finally got a chance to rest momentarily. After a brief conversation, the group set their next objective.

To defeat the Lion King, relying solely on us isn’t enough. So, guided by the refugees, they headed towards Mountain Village!

Under the starlight, Bedivere reminisced about the past, gazing at the starry sky and muttering to himself: " King of Knights...!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka approached him, sitting cross-legged beside him: "Are you thinking about the Lion King? He truly is a cruel king!"

Hearing this, Sir Bedivere retorted: "No! My King is a great King!"

Hearing him say this, Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn’t help but look back at him in astonishment. How could someone who massacred civilians be considered a great King?

"My King, built the White Chalk Castle Camelot! Defended against external enemies! Pacified the populace!"

"Even though I am such an unremarkable knight, he allowed me to follow him closely!" Bedivere suddenly fell silent.

"Even so, do you still want to fight?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked curiously.

"Precisely because of that! I must stop My King!" Sir Bedivere said firmly, his eyes becoming resolute.

After a night passed, the group finally arrived at Mountain Village, where masked figures clad in black cloaks, Hassan, began appearing around them.

Hassan allowed the refugees into the village but forbade the Knights of the Round Table and the Chaldea group from entering!

"Since you’ve discovered this hidden place, I can’t let you leave alive!" Hassan of the Cursed Arm pointed at the group!

Just as the battle was about to begin, the great hero Arash stepped in to resolve the conflict! Only then were they allowed to enter Mountain Village. 】

........

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sire Bedivere…! You aren’t completely without merit. Your gentleness, righteousness, and the very qualities of a true knight shine through you!”

Artoria’s voice was firm, her piercing green eyes fixed on the screen. Watching the seemingly self-deprecating Sir Bedivere in the video, she couldn’t help but speak up. Her words carried the weight of her respect and admiration for her most loyal knight.

"I am definitely not some great King...!"

Her voice softened, a hint of regret creeping into her tone. Artoria’s thoughts turned inward, her desire to obtain the Holy Grail and change the past burning stronger than ever.

~Throne of Heroes~

"Sire Bedivere, aren’t you being too harsh on yourself...!"

Agravain’s voice broke the silence, his usual stern demeanor softened by concern, his eyes fixed on the screen.

“If you truly had no merits, how could you have become one of the Knights of the Round Table?”

His words were direct but carried a deep sense of respect. Agravain, who often prioritized logic and duty, recognized the value of Bedivere’s unwavering loyalty and kindness.

“But our king is indeed a great king! You’re absolutely right about that.”

Tristan shook his head slightly, his tone calm but firm.

Gawain nodded in agreement, his golden eyes reflecting the glow of the projection.

The other Knights of the Round Table also nodded in agreement, their expressions a mix of respect and admiration.

Notes:

Translator note;

At the moment, I’m unsure about the specific timeline of Re: Zero because the author-san didn't emphasize nor explain what the current timeline of Re: Zero is. He slaps them there and vaguely puts some sort of timeline, so for now, I’ve organized the reactions by camp and will revise the timeline details later once I’ve pinpointed where exactly the Re:Zero world is situated.

Chapter 73: King Hassan Reappears!!

Chapter Text

【 Arash looked at the Cursed Arm Hassan figure skillfully leading the refugees into the village, his face revealing an enlightened expression. He said with a complex tone: "So that's how it is! I was wondering why that big brother seemed so familiar with this place. It turns out he was summoned to his own land as a Servant!"

Then Arash turned to Sir Bedivere and the Chaldea group, raising his bow and arrow, slightly pulling the bowstring, and introduced himself with a smile: "I am Arash, as you can see, I am an archer class Servant."

"Let me lead you into the village. However, since this place is relatively poor, we cannot organize a welcoming party." Arash joked and then led the group into the village! 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Such a coincidence again?! That Cursed Arm Hassan was actually summoned to his own era! It's just like you!"

Tohsaka Rin turned her head and looked at Red A [Emiya] with surprise.

"And that Arash class also has the same class as you, which is archer!"

"What's so strange about that?! In the previous video, that King of Heroes wasn't summoned by himself!"

Red A [Emiya] spoke with a very calm tone; after watching so many videos, he was no longer surprised!

【 The group settled in the village, needing food and drink, which required them to go hunting. However, this also made them integrate faster into the village!

The Cursed Arm Hassan, who had been observing secretly, nodded quietly and finally decided that if that adult could help...!

Thus, Hassan of the Cursed Arm led everyone to a Temple the next day. Inside, Hassan’s face could not be seen clearly, but his tone was very determined.

"We have made up our minds! Maintaining the current situation will eventually lead to destruction by the Lion King sooner or later..."

"Now is the time for the great divine guidance to take control of fate!"

The Cursed Arm Hassan turned his head towards the Temple and said: "The temple where the angel of death was built is our sacred site!"

"Our sleeping Hasan-i Sabbah The First Hassan! The old man of the mountain!" 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is the assassin from the previous video!"

"That's good! If that old man takes action, it shouldn't be a problem!"

"In the previous video, one strike couldn't even withstand the Creator Goddess...!"

"Unless this Lion King is stronger than Tiamat...!"

The crowd outside the video had full confidence that the old man could win!

【 But when Hassan of the Cursed Arm led the group into the Temple, there was suddenly a flash of light! Then, Doctor Roman's astonished voice came through!

"What happened?... Fujimaru Ritsuka's response disappeared in an instant!!"

"Everyone! According to my observations here, Fujimaru Ritsuka is dead..." Doctor Roman's panicked words made everyone fearful! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is he dead?!..."

"No reaction at all!... Falling to the ground for what? The person is obviously still alive, but appears dead over there."

"So, why did they attack upon meeting? I don't understand..."

"Is this King Hassan? It really feels mysteriously hypnotic......!"

【 At this moment, a deep voice came through the ear: "Magicians... And non-human existence!!"

"Your voices have been conveyed, the meaning of wanting to save the era has been approved by my sword!!"

A figure wearing a skull mask, dressed in jet-black heavy armor, and holding a black stone longsword appeared before everyone, speaking calmly to the group.

"Welcome to my Temple. I am the old man of the mountain— Hassan-i-Sabbah."

Seeing the first Hassan, Cursed Arm Hassan, looking sincerely at King Hassan, he said: "My Lord, please allow us to shamelessly visit the Temple."

"These people intend to resist against the Lion King, but they lack the fighting power to fight against the Lion King."

"Please lend them a helping hand! All of this is for the future of our mountain people!" The Cursed Arm Hassan bowed his head and spoke with utmost seriousness.

King Hassan turned his gaze towards Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others, then spoke calmly: "Magicians! There are some things you must know!"

"The true intentions of the Lion King, the nonsense spoken by the Sun King brat, the flaws in human nature, and... The beginning of everything!"

Hearing these words, Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others fell into deep thought. Could there be some other reason? Clearly, King Hassan knew the reason, so why didn't he say it? Or does he want Fujimaru Ritsuka to find it themselves?!

"Once you understand everything, my sword will become your vanguard! Sun Knight, called Gawain, right?"

"My sword will transform into a fierce bird pecking out that person's eyes. My black robe will turn into darkness devouring the pure white Holy Capital!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

" 'That guy's called Gawain, right?' What a bold statement! As if he doesn't care at all!"

"No wonder, it's King Hassan, Grand class has an powerful aura, and his words are different!"

"This era is before the previous video, so does he still have a Grand class rank?..."

"Another strike that will cost me my Grand class...!?"

【 "After understanding everything, I will appear on the battlefield —— As the sword of death!" After saying this, King Hassan turned his gaze toward the Cursed Arm.!

As he moved, blue flames rose in his eyes, raising the longsword in his hand, and sternly said: "That Cursed Arm Hassan, hand over your head!"

As if he had foreseen it, the Cursed Arm Hassan stepped forward calmly and said: "Hassan of the Cursed Arm is willing to accept punishment!"

Suddenly, this scene left the crowd confused. Bedivere exclaimed in surprise: "Why do you suddenly want the Cursed Arm of Hassan's head?!"

Unfazed by his shock, King Hassan calmly said: "When the Hassan becomes corrupt, falls, or deviates from the path, I will appear before him."

"This era's Hassan seeking my help is equivalent to declaring that he is not qualified to become the Hassan."

Bedivere looked at the Cursed Arm Hassan incredulously and asked in astonishment: "So, knowing this, you still brought us here?" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Really...! Is this Cursed Arm Hassan truly an assassin? He feels more like a knight than a knight of the Round Table!"

"To get King Hassan to act, directly sacrificing his own life..."

"He is truly an unusual assassin!"

"For the mountain village, the Cursed Arm Hassan doesn't care. If he continues like this, they will be killed by the Lion King sooner or later!"

"But King Hassan's words are completely straightforward and easy to understand! They feel refined..."

【 The Cursed Arm Hassan remained silent, while Fujimaru Ritsuka stood up directly. He looked at King Hassan and said: "If that's the case! I don't need help!"

To sacrifice someone's life to accomplish something is not something we would do, especially since the Cursed Arm Hassan is inherently kind-hearted!

"Cursed Arm Hassan!" King Hassan looked at the silent Cursed Arm Hassan and suddenly raised his voice: "Lift your head! You've already lost face; don't continue to lose composure!"

"Fulfill your duty with these people! After the mission is accomplished! I'll cut off your head!" He then disappeared without a trace.

The group returned outside the Temple once again, but received bad news!

The Western Village was attacked by Enforcement Knights, and even Hassan of Serenity, who was responsible for protecting the village, was taken away! Thus, Arash stayed behind to protect the village, while Hassan of the Cursed Arm led the others to try and rescue the Western Village!

As the sun set, the group infiltrated high above the city walls. Before they took a few steps, a shout rang out from their ears!

"Why are you appearing there?!" A figure dressed in red armor and silver, holding a longsword, stood on the city wall!

Bedivere turned his head and exclaimed in surprise: "Knight Mordred!" 

......

~A Certain Magical Index World~

"Knight Mordred!! The legendary Arhut Pendragon’s son?!"

Shokuhou Misaki threw away the book in her hand, thinking it was rubbish history, mentioning that he was an illegitimate child. This voice sounded like a good girl...

Mordred's height... To put it, it's really small!

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

"It's Mordred, that rebellious traitor again...!!"

Agravain's heavy voice greeted them first; he had a lot of opinions about the person who killed the king.

"Tsk..."

"Foolish... With such little ability, do you still want to stand before my father?!"

Mordred paid no attention to Agravain's glare, thinking it was just his father’s approval, and looked at Bedivere, opposing her in the video.

"Let's keep watching for now... Maybe Mordred has changed inside!"

Gawain spoke up to mediate.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Mordred...!"

Artoria looked at the figure with a complex expression, realizing that it was due to her failure to notice that led to the final result!

I must obtain the holy grail and change that tragic past!!

Chapter 74: Rebellion Against My Beautiful Father

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Bedivere’s expression turned serious as he looked at Mordred, drawing his sword and pointing it behind everyone else: “Everyone, you go first!”

“Stop joking with me!”

However, these words seemed to provoke Mordred. In an instant, she appeared in front of Bedivere, slashing down with a blade onto his sword!

“You actually conspire with rebels! Is this some kind of stupid joke?” The voice carried anger, echoing within the armor.

“I don’t want to say anything more to you, the treacherous traitor who killed the king.” Bedivere blocked the attack with his sword and didn’t wish to speak further.

“Shut up!”

These words thoroughly enraged Mordred, who kicked Bedivere away. Then mocked him: “How clever to borrow someone else’s hand, you coward!”

Afterwards, the two clashed again, their swords colliding repeatedly.

“I no longer have the protection of the spirit!”

“Nor do I have the blessing of the Sun!”

Clearly, Bedivere was no match for Mordred, struggling desperately to defend himself, yet his gaze remained incredibly determined!

“But time and again, until the very last moment!” Bedivere dodges an attack, stomping on the tip of the opponent’s sword!

He then raised his sword, his tone complex: “She has entrusted me with an important mission!”

Upon hearing this, Mordred became silent, like the calm before a storm. With great force, he pushed back Bedivere, who had been stepping on his sword!

“The last moment?!”

Mordred relentlessly attacked Bedivere with a barrage of strikes, her voice filled with disdain.

“So full of yourself, aren’t you? Bedivere!”

“You’re nothing but a third-rate knight sitting idly on an empty seat!”

Facing Mordred’s furious assault, Bedivere could only barely evade it without any chance to catch his breath! One slip, and he would die on the spot!

“Useless in battle! It can’t even protect your lord!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Third-rate knight?!”

“A knight isn’t ranked by combat ability!”

“Without noble character, one cannot be called a knight! In my eyes, Bedivere is far more of a knight than you are.”

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn! World~

“The final moment!? It means King Arthur’s last order to return the holy sword!”

Sawada Tsunayoshi nervously answered Reborn’s temporary test.

“Correct answer!”

Reborn put away his handgun and nodded!

Relieved, Sawada Tsunayoshi sighed. Though worlds differ, history still holds some truth!

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

Gawain turned his gaze toward Mordred, speaking with a complicated tone:

“That's too much... Mordred!”

Even unable to protect their Lord… this statement is also applicable to them.

“What does it have to do with me? It wasn’t me saying it, and weren't you the one slaughtering innocent civilians in the video?”

Mordred retorted.

Gawain fell silent. They still didn’t fully understand what happened in the video!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sir Bedivere, you are absolutely not a third-rate knight...!”

Artoria said solemnly.

Perhaps he wasn’t skilled in battle or blessed. Yet his mind was meticulous, his spirit strong, and his willpower admirable, all qualities worthy of praise!

【 “You’re nothing but a coward protected by the king!” With that, she raised his sword!

The helmet visor opened, revealing an angry face glaring at Bedivere! It seemed dissatisfied that he had gained the king’s attention!

“Even so! I also want...!” Bedivere struggled to rise from the ground, his right hand emitting golden light, charging toward Mordred.

“Boil over! Wrath of the Planet—!!”

Mordred glared viciously at Bedivere; mana around them condensed, turning red!

“Rebellion Against My Beautiful Father——!”

            (Clarent Blood Arthur) 

“O Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword——!!”

          (Switch On - Airgetlám)

A torrent of red mana erupted from the sword, accompanied by lightning and shimmering golden light clashing against the right hand!

By the time Hassan of Serenity Fujimaru Ritsuka’s group emerged, they saw a city wall engulfed in flames. Amidst thick smoke, Bedivere walked out unharmed!

Seeing Bedivere safe, Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded and fled together...! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This... liberation feels somewhat special...!”

“Could it be a great filial son?! Rebellion Against My Beautiful Father?!”

~Kamen Rider World~

At that moment, a straightforward cry echoed among professionals, raising a signal hammer:

“Farewell, Father! And my weakness!”

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“This is definitely Father’s holy sword!”

Mordred grumbled, clearly defeated, though only by the sword of the father.

What puzzled her more was why Bedivere could wield her father’s sword!

But even with her father’s holy sword, if truly part of the Round Table Knights, meeting the father wouldn’t be easy...

【 Meanwhile, Enforcement Knights had found East Village. The once peaceful village was now ablaze, and the flames of war continued to burn.

Countless torch-bearing cavalry surrounded East Village. Corpses littered the mountain ridges!

“The twentieth!” Arash shot down an Enforcement Knight, but there were simply too many! Even he couldn’t save everyone!

A purple-armored figure charged at Arash, but Arash dodged the attack and retaliated with an arrow!

“A sneak attack?! Can you call yourself a Knight of the Round Table?!”

Lancelot didn’t deny it, immediately wielding his longsword, staring intently at Arash: “Facing such an enemy like you, I’ll stop at nothing!”

At the same time, Chaldea’s group returned to the outskirts of the village! What they saw was a mountain engulfed in flames, survivors massacred by Enforcement Knights!

The cursed arm Hassan knelt in disbelief; unable to believe what he saw, his voice filled with rage: “Those bastards!!...” 】 

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Why won’t they leave them alone!! Aren’t they just ordinary people wanting to survive?!”

“They haven’t done anything... Yet they’re mercilessly slaughtered!!”

“Those were people hoping for salvation in the Holy City, they can only gather together here for warmth, yet even they didn’t spare them...!”

Knights without boundaries angered those watching outside the video, wishing they could enter and take revenge!

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“Aren’t we all humans living together... Can’t humanity coexist?!”

Such slaughter stirred Daigo, trampling freedom! Is this what justice calls itself?!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Such an infuriating Lion King...!”

Red A [Emiya] couldn’t help but speak. Even he wanted to deny his past self; facing such actions was unbearable... Why hadn’t suppression summoned him over there?!

~Throne of Heroes~

“This lion king is absolutely not our king...!”

Gawain angrily declared. Such behavior was unacceptable for knights, especially our holy king!

These are ordinary people trying to survive in chaotic times!

“Maybe we’re all unknowingly controlled by someone?”

Lancelot’s appearance wasn’t surprising, given that several Knights of the Round Table had already shown up.

【 The scene shifted! Lancelot and Arash’s battle continued.

Lancelot’s Arondight emitted light, striking Arash’s shoulder where they intersected...

Lancelot turned his back to Arash and praised: “Good skills! Arash...”

As these words ended, Arash realized something, looking at the severed shoulder!

“Breaking All Restraints - Overloaded Light of the Lake——!”

                       (Arondight Overload)

Arash’s wound extended from the shoulder, blue light bursting forth, as if struck multiple times, collapsing and bleeding profusely!

From afar, Bedivere stared at the light, astonished: “That light is...!!”

When Bedivere and Fujimaru Ritsuka arrived, they saw Arash lying in a pool of blood!

“Arash... How could this happen!” Fujimaru Ritsuka exclaimed in disbelief, shocked that someone could defeat this legendary hero!

Suddenly, a red-haired knight approached, closing his eyes and saying: “Ah! I feel deep sorrow!”

His words spoke of sorrow, yet his face showed no emotion, his tone utterly calm.

Bedivere gazed at the figure, slowly saying: “Sire Tristan!” 】

Notes:

I find it hard to translate ultraman names I'm not sure if it's Dyna or Daigo. I'm not quite versed in the Ultraman verse because it big as a super sentai verse, so bear with me if I misspelled their names.

Chapter 75: A Shooting Star! Stella!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this another member of Knight of the Round Table ?”

“This is utterly over! Right now, they’re just barely managing to deal with one Knight of the Round Table…!”

“If only the king Hassan could step in now, it would be great!”

“They’ll make sure they has no way back!”

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Now even that tragic son, Tristan, has appeared...!”

Shokuhou Misaki quietly picked up the history book discarded by her and continued reading!

“But can a great hero like Arash Kamangir really going retire just like that? so easily?!”

According to historical records, he was the great hero who ended the sixty-year war between Persia and Turkey. He shouldn’t retreat so easily, right?!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sire Tristan!”

As more and more Knights of the Round Table appeared, Artoria didn’t know how to react!

Once upon a time, you were so gentle and kind, but now you allow soldiers to massacre villagers, not sparing even this last sanctuary.

What kind of king have I become in that world? Why is even such a king worthy of your pursuit?

【 Bedivere looked at Tristan, whose eyes were tightly shut, and couldn’t help but say in confusion: “Your eyes...!”

“That’s right! In order not to see the sadness that is about to spread!” Tristan calmly spoke with a composed face.

“Sorrow!” Hearing this, Bedivere became angry. Is this the reason why you slaughtered civilians? Then he stood up and furiously said: “Have you abandoned the glory of the Knights of the Round Table?”

“This is my loyalty to the Lion King!” Tristan’s low tone made his face unreadable.

Hearing this, Bedivere slowly drew his longsword and moved forward!

“Whoosh ——!”

Tristan activated a string-like weapon in his hand. With a small sound, a dazzling red light formed an arrow that attacked Sir Bedivere’s sword.

“Truly admirable!” Tristan praised outwardly but increased the speed of his finger movements!

The red arrows fired faster and faster, continuously attacking at increasing frequency!

Bedivere could only block with his sword, taking one step closer to Tristan!

“You actually release such killing intent, truly heartbreaking!” Tristan feigned sadness, though his mouth curled into a smile.

“Never before has any knight cooperated with me so perfectly as you do!” Bedivere’s tone was extremely serious, his heart uneasy as he spoke: “We are...!”

“Former friends!” Tristan slowly closed his eyes and smiled, completing the sentence.

It was precisely because they were friends that Sir Bedivere was so angry, quickly stepping forward! Using his sword to block the magical artifact in Tristan’s hand, he furiously said: “If the king approves of your actions, then I must step over your body to question my king!”

“Let you meet the current king?” Tristan forcefully pushed Sir Bedivere back, then frowned deeply and said in a low tone: “I can’t think of anything more tragic than this.” 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“As expected!! Something must have happened to me...!”

Watching his former knights fight each other, Artoria’s heart was filled with immense pain.

After all, these two once worked together seamlessly! Now, they’re about to clash blades.

【 In the instant Bedivere was knocked back, he charged forward again, golden light gathering once more in his hand!

“O Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword——!”

(Switch On - Airgetlám)

Golden light swept across Tristan’s body. As the mist dissipated, Sir Bedivere suddenly collapsed to the ground.

“The sound of flesh burning!” Tristan, bleeding and smoking, looked at Sir Bedivere on the ground with a low face: “This smell... Truly makes one...!”

Then he revealed a smile, speaking coldly: “Our friendship ends here, bringing this tragedy to a close!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this what happens every time Sire Bedivere uses Airgetlám?! Does he endure the agony of his flesh burning?!”

“How many times has he used it?!”

“It seems he’s used it three or four times already. The more he uses it, the worse his condition becomes! Now, after using it, he can’t even stand...”

“But without using this power, there’s no way to defeat the Knights of the Round Table!”

【 Tristan activated the weapon in his hand again, but this time, the attack was blocked by Mash’s shield.

Using the shield, Bedivere, supported by Fujimaru Ritsuka, slowly approached Tristan!

“By the command spell’s order! Mash! Let the wall of determination shine! Protect the weak people!” Fujimaru Ritsuka decisively used the command spell!

Blue light reappeared on the shield, the blue pentagram magic circle enhancing defense, rendering Tristan’s arrows unable to cause harm!

“Dance to my heart's content”

“Phantasmal Music of the Painful Lament!”

(Failnaught)

Seeing Bedivere’s glowing right-hand approach, Tristan urgently began activating his Noble Phantasm.

But it was too late. Bedivere’s resolute cry echoed through the heavens and earth: “Devour my soul, fly swiftly!”

“O Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword——!”

(Switch On - Airgetlám)

As the light dissipated, Tristan fell to the ground, and Bedivere, unable to withstand the side effects, collapsed alongside him!

But at that moment, a sudden radiance appeared in the sky, illuminating the entire area!

From the side came Doctor Roman’s frantic shouting: “A High-density magical energy reaction detected in the sky! Everyone, leave there immediately!”

At that moment, everyone looked up at the sky. Above, black clouds swirled, and then a ring of pure light pierced through the clouds.

The high-density magical energy reaction left everyone unable to resist, bathing the entire mountain range in radiant light.

Emerging from the clouds was an enormous spear radiating golden light!!

At this moment everyone was utterly astonished, looking up at the sky, unable to entertain thoughts of resistance. Under this strike, without a doubt, everyone would be obliterated.

“This is the judgment of the Lion King! Holy Spear, The Lance That Shines to the End of the World, Rhongomyniad!” Tristan, fallen on the ground, slowly spoke. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even my own people must perish together!?”

“How brutal is this Lion King?”

“But look at the sacred divine radiance emanating from that light! It feels as if salvation itself has descended...”

“What kind of Noble Phantasm is that?”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“This is the Holy Spear!! Rhongomyniad??”

Tohsaka Rin exclaimed in shock.

“That’s not a human weapon; legend says it’s a divine weapon forged from a planet!”

Is there anyone who can truly stop it?

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Don’t joke around! They will absolutely going to die........”

Saten Ruiko said, her face filled with fear, making it impossible for anyone to resist.

~Mob Psycho 100 World~

Looking at the magnificent pillar of light, Kageyama Shigeo, who had been calm, suddenly felt his emotions surge. Such combat was truly terrifying.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

“One of the knights of the Round Table is still lying there! Is this a quest for justice?! Are none of them considered life in the eyes of this Lion King?

Bruno Bucciarati couldn’t understand why they would do this. These are precious warriors.

【 “Sire Tristan! Have you gone mad?!” Bedivere angrily questioned.

Originally calm Tristan loudly retorted: “If we’ve gone mad, how could we allow such stagnation!”

“That king finally abandoned humanity. Farewell, my dear friend.”

Bedivere instructed Fujimaru Ritsuka to raise the shield. With the shield protecting them, perhaps they’d be safe.

“What about the villagers? What will you do?” Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted anxiously.

Bedivere lay prostrate on the ground, recalling his past, perhaps with a hint of liberation: “I can only go this far.”

“Don’t give up!” The heavily injured Arash staggered toward them, his voice full of certainty: “There’s still a way!”

“This isn’t where you should die!”

The fallen Bedivere understood his intentions, looking at his back: “No!”

Tiny points of blue light appeared under Arash’s feet. He raised his bow and arrow: “Show your loyalty until the very last moment.”

Before the glorious Holy Spear, Arash’s figure seemed so small, yet he still aimed the sun-like Holy Spear onto his bow. He began chanting.

“O' Holy Lord of the Sun's rays, One who bestows all wisdom, majesty... and strength.”

Beneath the Holy Spear, the mountains appeared so tiny.

“O' Shining Lord. My heart, my thoughts... and my accomplishments be examined.”

Yet Arash showed no fear! His gaze became incredibly resolute.

“Now, creator of the moon and stars...My deeds, my end. Behold my Spənta Ārmaiti!.”

Already gravely injured, his blood flowed ceaselessly. The blue light beneath him gradually faded.

“As I unleash this Final arrow, let my very being...!”

“Be shredded into dust!”

“STELLA——!!”

A roar filled with resolve echoed through the heavens and earth! This arrow, carrying everyone’s hopes, soared upward.

Beneath this sky, it appeared so small. Like a fleeting firework, it flashed momentarily.

Though its light was faint, the will within was unbreakable.

“Boom ——!”

The arrow, bearing hope, collided with the comet-like Holy Spear, shattering its tip. Then the Holy Spear unraveled like wool, dispersing into curved fragments flying in all directions!

The golden light faded, gradually turning gray-black and vanishing into the sky! 】

Notes:

Translator note:

Press "F" for Arash!

Chapter 76: The Lion King!!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

The crowd outside the video fell completely silent for a moment, followed by an outpouring of disbelief.

“I… I… Are my eyes deceiving me? This is simply unbelievable!”

“Today should have been a day of intense action! How could I dream something like this...?!”

“The key point is that this was a direct clash between humanity and divinity! Arash, who was gravely injured, unleashed his final strike!”

“A single ordinary-sized arrow defeating a colossal holy spear radiating divine light...! Remember, even the mountains appeared tiny before the Holy Spear!”

“This is truly a collision between human nature and divinity! To protect the people, Arash fired his ultimate strike against the holy spear, which represents divine retribution!”

“With a mortal body, he struck a blow worthy of the gods.”

~Campione World~

“Is this really something a human can achieve...?!”

Erica stared blankly at the images in the video, beginning to question her own worldview.

~Saint Seiya World~

“It’s this kind of will. Even when facing the gods, they dare to draw their bows and fire. That’s the true will of humanity.”

Virgo Shaka couldn’t help but praise.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is this the full-force strike of the great hero Arash?!”

Emiya Shirou was utterly shaken by this blow. Although he had seen many Noble Phantasm releases in previous videos, this time, the disparity was so clear that it left an indescribable sense of awe.

Meanwhile, Tohsaka Rin was at a loss for words to describe what she was witnessing. Only one thought remained in her mind:

“The title of ‘great hero’ is absolutely fitting!!”

While others who can shoot down falling stars... But there is only one person who can shatter the stars!

【 The mountain village, originally shrouded in dark clouds, was once again bathed in light under this miraculous event!

But as the crowd turned back, the only evidence of his existence were the footprints left in the muddy ground.

This was the final brilliance of the great hero’s life. His figure had vanished just before dawn arrived! 】

.....

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“…Other than admiration, there’s nothing else to say!”

The Conqueror King, Iskandar, raised his goblet and silently toasted this great hero.

“He has earned the title of ‘great hero.’ His glorious deeds will be known across different worlds!”

“This man named Arash… will definitely have a place even in Uruk. As one of the servants who possess Clairvoyance like me, he would undoubtedly hold the highest seat of honor!”

The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, who had previously been arrogant and dismissive, now wore a rare smile as he praised Arash. His golden eyes gleamed with genuine respect, a stark contrast to his usual condescending demeanor.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 6th singularity, Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot~

“Hahaha… No wonder even I, the King of Kings, hold this man in high regard!”

 Even Ramesses II, the Sun King, who always maintained his dignity, felt deep respect.

“What a dazzling and radiant strike! A hero of this caliber is worthy of my admiration!”

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“So this is the legendary hero…!”

Kamijōu Tōuma muttered.

Such blinding willpower will surely leave its mark in human history.

【 “I’ve walked a long and arduous path!” Bedivere looked at the sorrowful crowd, his heart becoming incredibly resolute.

“No matter what it takes, I must… With this hand, kill my king!” Bedivere slowly rose, supporting his right hand, gritting his teeth as he reaffirmed his resolve. 】

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“It’s truly tragic…”

Tristan revealed a sorrowful face.

As Bedivere’s good friend, he knew how loyal Bedivere was to the king. Now, he had no choice but to personally end the life of his king.

“In the video, Tristan didn’t move an inch, did he?”

Gawain stroked his chin, speculating.

Could it be due to some reason? Perhaps the remnants of conscience kept him from resisting the king’s command?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, the King of Knights, Artoria’s heart was filled with immense sorrow and hatred for the Lion King in the video! How could she allow the Knights of the Round Table to slaughter each other?

Even worse, he showed no shred of humanity, not sparing even the last sanctuary or her own subordinates, whom she intended to annihilate along with everyone else.

【 Then the scene shifted to a knight riding a white horse speeding through the dense forest!

“Sire Bedivere, my knight… Take my sword!” Leaning weakly under the shade of a tree, King Arthur (Artoria) handed the sword to the knight before him.

“I command you… Leave this forest, cross the blood-stained hills! As you go further, you’ll see a lake. Then, cast my sword into it.”

The weakened King Arthur (Artoria), trembling, managed to extend the sword and continued: “After completing this task, return here and tell me what you saw!”

Suddenly, Bedivere regained consciousness, punching the ground in pain. Groaning, he looked up at the heavily armored figure before him!

“Old man of the mountain! Why do you show me these things?!”

The skull-masked jester king, wielding a massive sword, faint blue flames flickering on his chest. A heavy voice echoed.

“The tolling bell announces divine fate! Bewildered knight, to liberate your sovereign, there is only one way, but once achieved, your soul will surely be exhausted. Knowing this, do you still wish to fulfill your purpose?”

Bedivere, writhing in pain on the ground, struggled to stand. Though in agony, his tone remained resolute: “Yes…! This is my mission.”

King Hassan’s eyes emit a faint blue light, and his heavy voice continues: “Show your determination! Let it shine upon the master of the land! Otherwise, divine fate cannot be fulfilled!” 】

.....

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn! World~

“That was the legendary scene of King Arthur instructing Sire Bedivere to return the holy sword,”

Sawada Tsunayoshi said slowly.

According to legend, Sire Bedivere hesitated twice before finally casting the holy sword into the lake on the third attempt.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“So, this is your suffering, Sire Bedivere, my knight…”

Artoria had no idea that her final command placed such a heavy burden on him.

“The king does not understand the hearts of people.”

These words echoed once again in Artoria’s mind. She couldn’t help but smile bitterly— Sire Tristan was right after all.

【 The scene shifted, showing Lancelot running through the desert, casually slashing a Sphinx beast that emerged from the sands!

Recalling the scene in the Holy Capital!

“Why did you unleash the Holy Spear? That village was almost entirely defenseless refugees!” Lancelot questioned Agravain.

Agravain’s cold voice responded: “I already told you; we must eliminate the old man in the mountains… the leader of those assassins!”

Seated on the throne, the Lion King remained expressionless, his tone icy: “My knights, the Holy Spear has entered its final phase. The Tower of the End will soon envelop us.”

Crowned with a golden circlet, his emerald eyes devoid of emotion, he continued: “Thus, I have systematically eradicated all opposing forces.”

Then Tristan delivered shocking news: “There’s still one rebel among us—our ally, Sire Bedivere!”

Upon hearing this, the Knights of the Round Table were astonished, sparking heated discussions. At this moment, the Lion King spoke.

Still expressionless, his green eyes devoid of emotion: “What are you talking about?”

“Sire Bedivere?”

“Who is it again?”】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

These words left everyone outside the video utterly shocked.

“How could this be? He’s the knight you entrusted to cast the sword into the lake before your death!”

“He doesn’t even recognize one of the Knights of the Round Table?”

“This Lion King must be an imposter! But what about the other knights?”

“This Lion King is strange, as if devoid of humanity, like an emotionless machine.”

“That’s the odd part—she recognizes the other knights but not Sire Bedivere?!!”

“Though that knight Lancelot seems to retain some humanity, caring about those villagers!”

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

At this moment, the crowd could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They were certain this person was absolutely not their king!

From her demeanor alone, it was clear! Our king wouldn’t have such a large heart. But could there be another king with a similar face...?

Not even recognizing the trusted knights of the Round Table, as if Sire Bedivere never existed.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“This Lion King must be a fake! Sire Bedivere was King Arthur’s most trusted knight!”

Misaka Mikoto quickly flipped through historical records, her grades skyrocketing since watching the video.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“You in the video look more like a king than you!”

Gilgamesh found King Arthur in the video far more dignified from any angle.

Artoria remained silent.

Despite having the same appearance as the others, why didn’t she recognize Sire Bedivere…

What exactly happened? The other knights were real, and so was the Noble Phantasm...

Notes:

"Misaka Mikoto quickly flipped through historical records, her grades skyrocketing since watching the video." ngl this scene is really funny

Chapter 77: Famous Scene! Mash vs Lancelot

Chapter Text

【 At the same time, the Chaldea group received guidance from King Hassan and went to seek an alliance with the Sun King Ramesses II to resist the Lion King together!

On the other side, after finishing his reminiscence, Lancelot had defeated the temple guardians and entered the vast inner sanctum of the temple!

He respectfully addressed Ozymandias, who sat on the throne: “ King Ozymandias! Thank you for allowing me to come here.”

Leaning on his longsword, clad in purple armor, Lancelot continued solemnly: “I am Lancelot, serving under the Lion King’s command. I have come to capture the rebel standing before your throne now!”

To him, Ozymandias, seated on the throne with one hand supporting his face, spoke with great interest to the Chaldea group:

“Fujimaru Ritsuka! They say this man is the strongest knight of the knights of the Round Table. If you can defeat him, I might reconsider forming an alliance with the mountain folk!”

Lancelot was not surprised by their discussion of alliances. To conquer the Holy City, this was the bare minimum condition.

“However! None of this is possible.” He raised his longsword, glaring at the Chaldea group, then paused momentarily upon seeing Mash.

Bedivere approached the puzzled Lancelot and asked, “What reason could you possibly have to serve this current king?”

“How could you call that light... The stupid act of burning down entire villages to ashes! Is that something King Arthur would do?”

Hearing this, Lancelot tightened his grip on his sword, gritting his teeth and loudly denying: “That is absolutely not a deed worthy of a king!”

Raising his sword, he struck Bedivere back, venting his anger: “The only king I serve is King Arthur, not the Lion King!”

“If you know this, why do you still fight?” Bedivere was utterly confused!

“In this doomed world, the path shown by that king is righteous! It cannot be shaken. Precisely because of this, I wield my sword for her!”

More than this reason, it resembles repentance for past mistakes! Once committing grave sins left him trapped in unbearable guilt and regret, so this time, summoned again, he must...!】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The crowd outside the video couldn’t understand why this knight, knowing the actions of the other party were unworthy of a king, still raised his sword to fight.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Perhaps it’s due to guilt and regret…”

Emiya Shirou also understood Lancelot’s history!

After committing unforgivable mistakes, he yearned for the king’s punishment but instead received the king’s forgiveness!

~Throne of Heroes~

“Yes. Once an extremely merciful king now massacres recklessly!! It’s truly tragic!”

Tristan clenched his fists, his sorrow mingling with pain.

What made him angrier was the suffering inflicted on the people in the video. Such crimes couldn’t simply be erased with an apology.

Other knights remained silent, looking at their own misdeeds in the video.

They would rather see themselves being destroyed.

“The one I serve is King Arthur, not the current Lion King…”

Gawain’s knight also understood why Lancelot continued to swing his sword in the video!

He knew Lancelot lived in constant regret. For the sake of the king, no matter what, he would never let go of the sword in his hand.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sire Lancelot… Have you been living in regret all this time? Even so, must you remain loyal to such a king?”

Artoria didn’t understand the outcome… Hadn’t she already forgiven him?

She didn’t realize that her forgiveness left him unable to suppress his anger, plunging him into unbearable pain and guilt.

【 As the words fell, Mash, holding her shield, sent Lancelot flying until he crashed into a pillar!

Mash’s low voice revealed no clear expression, but her tone carried anger:

“Knight Lancelot! Are you done yet?”

Lancelot emerged from the rubble, astonished at the figure before him.

Mash, dragging her shield, stepped forward, leaving a long gash on the ground.

“Are you worthy of being the knight once most respected by King Arthur?”

Accompanied by Mash’s seemingly iron-hard questioning, her face revealed anger. Dragging her shield, she leaped high and struck toward Lancelot below the stone column.

Dodging the attack, Lancelot was pushed to the outside of the pyramid! Standing above, Mash looked down at Lancelot with a serious tone:

“I formally challenge you to a duel!”

Below, Lancelot seemed flustered, his stuttering voice replied:

“Wait… Just a moment! Don’t be impulsive! You are…!”】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Why does the usually strong Lancelot, who was so powerful just now, seem to have met his match?!”

“It feels like he has no desire to fight at all…!”

“Could it be he doesn’t want to bully a young girl?”

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

The crowd outside the video didn’t understand, but those inside the Throne of Heroes clearly did.

“That shield… It’s Galahad…! Lancelot’s child!”

 

“No wonder Lancelot looks so timid.”

Gawain speaks calmly.

“That's it, exactly! That’s the reaction we wanted.”

Mordred watches Lancelot and Mash’s confrontation with excitement, shouting loudly!

【 Lancelot and Mash fought atop the pyramid, but Lancelot only struggled to defend, avoiding active attacks!

“My armor! My heart! They scream like this! Because… because!”

Once again, Mash struck Lancelot, sending him crashing into the pyramid.

She stood before him with her shield!

“My name is Mash Kyrielight! The Heroic Spirit that possesses me is Sire Galahad! I vow to use this body as a price to evolve the crimes of the knights of the Round Table!” Placing the shield firmly on the ground, Mash stared at the fallen figure with utmost sincerity.】

......

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Did I hear that wrong? It’s Galahad?!”

Tohsaka Rin exclaimed in shock.

“Isn’t that Lancelot’s son?”

No, it should be his daughter since his son currently possesses Mash. No wonder he’s been getting beaten since the start—it’s a father-son dynamic.

If it were a son, it’d be easier to explain, but with such a cute daughter, who could bear to harm her?

“It’s simple—this is one sided Slaughter! Perhaps it could be called a Noble Phantasm specifically for Lancelot…”

Emiya Shirou couldn’t help but curse.

【 “If you have doubts about the king, pursue them relentlessly.”

Mash charged toward Lancelot again, her voice filled with anger, her attacks unrelenting.

“If the king makes a mistake! Shouldn’t we fight first? Isn’t that the spirit of a knight?” Mash and Lancelot continued their battle atop the pyramid!

Facing Mash’s questioning, Lancelot only blocked her attacks with his sword, constantly evading.

Mash, seeing Lancelot’s confused state, grew even angrier, loudly questioning him.

“A true knight is one who serves the nation wholeheartedly, protects the people fully, and takes pride in their city!”

“You, such a powerful warrior, as a knight, as a father, don’t you feel ashamed?!!” Mash dragged her shield step by step closer, her tone filled with determination.

Lancelot froze, watching the angry Mash approach until she collided with him. Without resisting, he was sent flying, raising a cloud of dust.

“Are you awake now, Sire Lancelot?” Mash’s tone returned to calm.

Lying on his back, Lancelot regained his senses, slightly moved:

“With such a heavy blow from that shield, who wouldn’t wake up?”

Then, looking at Mash’s shield, he continued:

“That shield is our Round Table! It’s also my son’s shield.”

Mash trotted to Lancelot's side, crouching beside him and smiling cutely: “Isn't that right? Dad!”

Upon hearing the word “Dad,” Lancelot immediately became flustered. His longsword dropped to the ground, his eyes wide with astonishment!】

“Uh… Sorry, that term… It’s bad for my heart!”

Lancelot’s flustered and embarrassed tone echoed through the sky!】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

“They’re father and son? No wonder Lancelot lost his previous cold demeanor.”

“Haha! I’m dying of laughter. Being called ‘Dad’ and he couldn’t even hold onto his sword.”

“Bad for his heart…?! Simply hilarious.”

“But in the end, the confused father was awakened by his child!”

“Just now, Mash wasn’t fighting him—her inner Galahad was scolding his father for becoming like this!”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Artoria’s originally sorrowful face revealed an unpredictable bitter smile:

“Sire Lancelot, you really are…!”

She didn’t know how to express it. Facing his own child, his heart was in turmoil.

The entire time, he only defended, his flustered demeanor making it hard not to laugh or cry.

~Throne of Heroes~

Lancelot was also flustered upon hearing the word “Dad,” clutching his heart. Yet, his face couldn’t suppress a smile!

A daughter? Though he was Galahad’s father, their personalities were completely different, as if he truly had gained a daughter.

“You look very happy!”

The voice at his ear made Lancelot shiver. Turning around, he saw Galahad staring at him with a strange expression.

Chapter 78: The Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Although Lancelot was defeated, the Sun King Ozymandias still did not share the same thoughts about forming an alliance. He believed that defeating the Lion King would leave no future worth discussing.

The Sun King Ozymandias sat upright on his throne, looking down at the crowd with full authority, and spoke:

“The world burns humanity to ashes and then burns again. Even if we defeat the Lion King, it would all be in vain!”

“What remains is the necessity to use my power to protect my remaining people...”

Seeing this side of the Sun King, Fujimaru Ritsuka slowly stepped forward and said gravely:

“Your Majesty predicted that fighting the Lion King would lead to mutual destruction. No, perhaps something worse than you foresaw!”

“That’s why you abandoned the fight!”

Ozymandias, his expression unchanged, stared coldly at Fujimaru Ritsuka below and disdainfully asked: “So...?”

Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had come so far with his companions, remembered the worlds they had seen and became emotional: “But we...!”

“Chaldea has not given up! We want to stop the Lion King and prevent humanity from burning again. I cannot guarantee success.”

“But precisely because we strive for success, we have come this far. Isn’t Pharaoh Ozymandias the strongest? Do you dare say you can save the world?!” Fujimaru Ritsuka passionately shouted the final words with his eyes closed.

Perhaps provoked by Fujimaru Ritsuka’s audacious words, Ozymandias laughed loudly a few times, looked down at the crowd below, and opened his mouth: “Since your words have reached this point, let me show you something.”

“What is the Holy City? What is the Holy Spear? Let me reveal the truth to you, showing how foolish and overconfident you are!!”

Ozymandias waved his hand and solemnly commanded: “Manifest! Tri-Hermes!!”

The golden, radiant ground began to crack open, and from the blue depths emerged several stone pillars engraved with unfamiliar runes!

Nitocris pointed her finger, and high-tech-like images of various parts of the world appeared! Whether it was the Mediterranean or Arabia... All foreign regions disappeared almost entirely. It could be called the end of the world!! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is what you call the burning of humanity?! All foreign nations outside have vanished!!”

“Not only that, but entire regions disappeared along with them...”

“No wonder the Sun King said that even defeating the Lion King would be futile. Indeed, if this issue isn’t resolved, the situation won’t change!”

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“wh...what?!!”

Shokuhou Misaki immediately began questioning life. What kind of insane technology is this? Is it too far off the mark?

Even though it seemed plausible earlier, why does a pyramid in Egypt suddenly project a 3D hologram of the entire world?! And doesn’t anyone realize what era he’s from...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

“I see ~, this Sun King Ozymandias sounds just like me. Did he also originate in Egypt?”

Dio noticed that the Sun King’s voice was identical to his own. Could there be some connection?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Hearing the Sun King’s laughter, Tohsaka Rin felt a strange sense of familiarity. She then turned her gaze toward Gilgamesh, who sat like a king nearby.

Gilgamesh burst into loud laughter upon seeing the Sun King in the video:

“Hahaha! Sun King, you call yourself the King of Kings, and now you’re being mocked by a child!!”

That’s right!” 

Tohsaka Rin silently nodded. No wonder the laughter sounded so familiar.

【 Nitocris stared intently at the projection of the world on the three pillars of Hermes and said seriously: “The Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad! Also known as The Lance That Shines to the End of the World.”

“Originally located at the end of the world... No! Wherever the Holy Spear exists becomes the end of the world!”

After Ozymandias’ explanation, they finally understood that what was called the Holy City wasn’t Camelot at all—it was the Holy Spear,  Rhongomyniad!

It wasn’t a city but a mechanism to preserve selected humans and permanently record their existence.

Upon hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka broke out in a cold sweat and exclaimed in astonishment: “Isn’t this like creating specimens?!...”

Having revealed the origin of the Holy Spear, Ozymandias returned to his throne and spoke: “As long as we have the Holy Grail, even if the earth disappears, we can preserve this kingdom!”

“This is our choice, but what will you do?”】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What is this so-called Holy Spear?... The end of the world!”

“Isn’t this treating humanity as specimens? There’s absolutely no future to speak of.”

“But this Sun King is truly remarkable! Even if the earth disappears, he can still protect his country.”

“There’s always a feeling that he resembles the Gilgamesh from earlier in the video!”

~Pokemon World~

“If it were me, I’d definitely choose to protect this world. Isn't that right, Pikachu!!”

A ten-year-old Trainer, Ash, with 30 years of experience, looked at Pikachu on his shoulder and spoke with determination.

“Pika pika!”

Pikachu puffed out its chest, ready to take on the responsibility.

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~ 

“So this isn’t Camelot after all...!”

The Sun Knight, Gawain, remained calm, unsurprised by the outcome.

However, those inside are undoubtedly guilty...

Their hands were stained with the blood of innocent civilians. How can they possibly atone for such sins...

The Knights of the Round Table wished they could personally end the lives of those in the video!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“So this is the Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad... The end of the world is also its anchor point! Once it appears, destruction follows...”

The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, muttered in astonishment.

But how can we possibly prevent the world from meeting its destruction?

【 The Sun King Ozymandias looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka with disappointment and coldly said:

“Facing the end of the world, what can you possibly do? Leave! Foreign Master, you are powerless!”

Expelled from the temple, the group, led by Lancelot, arrived at a new village. This was where he hid the refugees, protecting them under the guise of his private army!

Here, the refugees and soldiers coexist peacefully. Though not wealthy, they could at least survive!

Bedivere looked around, and his expression changed. Lancelot still possessed a noble heart and chivalrous spirit that made him feel joy.

With excitement in his voice, he asked: “Sire Lancelot! Here, it’s not just your soldiers, is it...?!”

Lancelot’s expression didn’t change; he merely sighed: “Those chosen by the Holy Spear must be sent to the Holy Capital!”

“But how I treat those not chosen is my freedom. The king hasn’t ordered punishment for them, so they are essentially my private army.”

Clearly defying the king’s orders, even Mash couldn’t help but praise him earnestly:

“You can’t judge a book by its cover—you’re really impressive! Dad!”

Once again hearing this title, Lancelot couldn’t maintain his aloof demeanor.

He held his forehead with one hand and said, flustered: “I told you not to call me that!”】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Never thought this Lancelot would retain the style of the knights of the round table!”

“Truly clever, protecting the unchosen refugees under the guise of a private army.”

“Though defying the king’s orders, this is what a knight should do—protect the weak!”

“Mash’s comment about not judging by appearances really hits home. On the surface, he looks aloof, but deep down, he has a warm heart. He has no resistance to being called ‘Dad’!”

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn! World~ 

“Is this what King Arthur envisioned as the ideal knight?”

Sawada Tsunayoshi murmured.

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside, with a heart of justice.

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

The Sun Knight Gawain patted Lancelot on the shoulder and couldn’t help but praise him:

“Sire Lancelot! Well done!!”

Though they had differing opinions, this action of his truly lived up to the title of a knight.

Lancelot nodded slightly, which brought him a small sigh of relief. This could ease the burden of guilt on his shoulders.

Beside him, Galahad’s expression grew more complex...

Why did Lancelot in the video have no resistance to Mash calling him “Dad”?

Such different treatment—could it be because I’m not his daughter?

Notes:

Well, it looks like Sherlock Holmes did not appear this time. Too bad for Conan Edogawa; he must be sad.

Chapter 79: The Pyramid Armor Complex!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After returning to the camp, Fujimaru Ritsuka discovered that Da Vinci, who was thought to have died long ago, had reappeared before their eyes.

After battling with the high-ranking knights and escaping the Holy City, Da Vinci sacrificed herself to cover for their retreat, along with the refugees, by launching a suicidal attack against Lancelot’s leading soldiers.

Fujimaru Ritsuka assumed she had returned to the Throne of Heroes, especially after such an intense explosion that left everything seemingly shattered into pieces.

However, much to everyone’s surprise, she was not only alive but also happily residing within Lancelot’s village.

While everyone was still rejoicing over Da Vinci’s survival, they learned from her analysis: “The current King Arthur has lost all rationality!”

“Are you saying the king is nothing more than a puppet?!” Lancelot, shocked and disbelieving, questioned: “A mere puppet obeying Agravain’s commands?”

Da Vinci couldn’t immediately respond to Lancelot’s astonishment and continued explaining the analysis of The Lion King.

“Moreover, he isn’t even a Heroic Spirit anymore!”

“What does this mean?” Mash asked, full of doubt. Everything was shrouded in too many mysteries.

“Beyond Heroic Spirits! Into the realm of gods—divine beings!” Da Vinci, looking at the intelligence in her hands, spoke with unwavering certainty: “She is a god!!”

Upon hearing this, Bedivere’s breathing quickens uncontrollably. Lowering his head and widening his eyes, the overwhelming sense of guilt made it impossible for him to lift his head again!

Repeated use of Airgetlám had pushed his body to its limit, and the sudden surge of guilt rendered him unable to endure further. He collapsed unconscious on the ground!】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Transformed from human to divine! No wonder there’s no trace of humanity left—only divinity remains.”

“So here’s the question: we can understand why the Lion King became like this, but why do the Knights of the Round Table still follow such a king?”

“The key issue is that the Lion King recognizes the other knights, so why does she repeatedly fail to recognize Sire Bedivere?”

“It’s truly baffling.”

The crowd outside the video was filled with confusion and bewilderment. The Lion King’s Knights of the Round Table had seemingly forgotten Sire Bedivere. Though there were originally twelve members, only a few remain now.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~  

“Only divinity remains?”

Gilgamesh, intrigued by the analysis on the screen, turned to mockingly address the King of Knights.

“Is this what you call a king? To have your body possessed by the divinity of the Holy Spear!”

Gilgamesh understood what had happened. Inside the video, The Lion King was merely a puppet controlled by the Holy Spear.

Artoria ignored Gilgamesh’s taunts but gradually began to understand.

Could it be that Sire Bedivere hadn’t returned Excalibur for the third time? Is that why he was driven by the divinity of the Holy Spear?

【 Bedivere remained unconscious until the second day when he finally awoke. In conversation with Fujimaru Ritsuka, he realized his path was clear—he must personally kill the Lion King.

As dawn approached, the group began their plan. Lancelot led the charge, commanding the soldiers to block the high-ranking knights, followed by dividing forces to storm the city. After breaching the walls, they split into multiple routes, heading straight for the royal fortress!

The great sun shone overhead as the massive army charged forward. The Sun Knight Gawain leaped down from the city walls to block the gate!

“The gates to the holy city lies beyond.”

“My sun will thwart any and all evil!”

“Sword of Revolving Victory——!”

           (Excalibur Galatine)

Gawain unleashed his Noble Phantasm, swinging his sword and releasing flames akin to the sun toward the crowd. But Lancelot stepped forward and blocked the attack.

Seeing Lancelot’s betrayal once again, Gawain’s voice carried a hint of anger: “How dare you betray us at this critical moment!”

“Knight Lancelot, I am utterly disappointed in you!”

For Lancelot didn't care about the words of the Sun Knight because it was an act of loyalty to the king. Then, drawing his sword, he charged forward, engaging the Sun Knight Gawain!

However, blessed by the saints, Gawain’s strength surged under the sun, even forcing Lancelot back.

Just as Gawain prepared to unleash his Noble Phantasm against the army, Bedivere stepped in to block his attack.

“Sire Bedivere…” The Sun Knight Gawain was slightly surprised, then asked with suspicion: “I thought you fled out of fear of the King’s Divine Light.”

“Yes, I ran away!” Sir Bedivere closed his eyes momentarily and then opened them wide. His expression was resolute: “But! I’ve returned. I’ll defeat you. I’ll defeat the Lion King!!”

As soon as these words fell, a sandstorm rose behind him, accompanied by the tolling of bells, swallowing the Holy City whole. Not only the Holy City—the sun itself was obscured.

“Your cries—I’ve heard them!” Accompanied by the ringing of bells, the skull-masked, black-robed king appeared at the center of the sandstorm.

The king’s eyes burned with blue flames as he gazed at Sir Bedivere, his voice deep: “Bewildered knight! You’ve shown the will of heaven. Now face the end you deserve!”

Then, the scene shifted, and Gawain finds himself in a pitch-black space!

“What is this…?” Gawain surveyed his surroundings, raising his greatsword and cautiously eyeing the figure before him: “Who are you?!”

The king ignored his question, blue flames rising from his chest, and said gravely: “Look up at the sky! O proud knight, do you see the sun above your head?” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“No sun—only the flashing light of a dying star!”

“This decisiveness truly befits a king Hassan, doesn’t it…?”

“With King Hassan blocking the Sun Knight, we’re safe.”

“I’m impressed by King Hassan’s ability to instantly change the battlefield. It’s truly mysterious and unpredictable.”

【 Even though Gawain was held back, the group was still unable to breach the city gates. Even Lancelot’s Noble Phantasm couldn’t break through. As they stood helpless, planning to retreat…

Suddenly, a pitch-black teleportation gate appeared beside them. Nitocris emerged, tossing a black box to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

“Arrange for everyone at the front gate to retreat immediately. Don’t waste time!” Nitocris finished speaking and returned to the teleportation gate, disappearing from sight.

Then, clouds accompanied by flashes of lightning roared into view! The magnificent golden pyramid temple appeared before everyone’s eyes.

Inside the temple, the Sun King Ozymandias rose from his throne, descending step by step!

“It seems I’ve become too clear about the future, losing sight of my duties. I am not someone who avoids war in order to protect myself!”

Ozymandias moved toward the three pillars of Hermes, arms outstretched, gazing at the Holy City below! With great confidence, he declared: “I rule over all people, even the enemies of the world!”

“Open the Great Temple’s Eye!”

“Pyramid Armor Complex! Disengage!”

As his words fell, the floating golden light of the pyramid temple slowly opened.

A highly technological machine appeared before everyone—a massive lamp-like device beneath the pyramid!

“Large magic compression acceleration ritual. Begin!” Nitocris’ voice followed closely.

As lightning flashed, magic continuously replenished the energy, and the lamp-like Noble Phantasm began emitting golden light!

“Almighty god! Witness my great achievements! All destruction shall be decided by Pharaoh.”

“Behold! Great Lightbulb Dendera!!”

With the Sun King’s roar, a blinding blue magical cannon struck the city gates. A loud explosion followed, and the once indestructible gates were instantly shattered into pieces. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So this pyramid can fly?!”

“Is this really Egypt? Is there some mistake? How could they possess such advanced technology…!”

~Yu-Gi-Oh World~

“Another me—are you sure you’re truly Pharaoh?”

 Yugi silently asked his companion inside him.

Pharaoh Atem said nothing, even doubting whether he might be a false Pharaoh...

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“It's crooked, right? Absolute crooked…!”

Misaka Mikoto’s voice, filled with doubt, rang out repeatedly.

It wasn’t just about the misfired light cannon. The technology itself was a complete deviation. An Egyptian pyramid as a technological artifact? The earlier 3D projection was already too far off.

Now, this pyramid doesn’t just fly—it sheds its armor, revealing a giant lamp inside. And then the lamp releases an immensely powerful beam of light?

My worldview is shattered.

What is this? A floating pyramid as a technological artifact? Even Academy City wouldn’t be certain it could create something like this… Do you dare believe this is Egypt?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“This is absolutely a light bulb!”

Tohsaka Rin similarly looked as if her worldview had collapsed. She never imagined the seemingly indestructible Holy City would fall to a mere lamp.

History can’t always be trusted. Who would’ve thought ancient Egypt already had such advanced technology?!

Even with modern technology, creating something like this would be impossible!!

Notes:

Translated words from the Author-san

Which world would be next "What should I choose for the next world? Ultraman Tiga? Nexus? To Aru Majutsu no index? Jojo? Tensura? Overlord? Puella Magi Madoka Magica? No game, No Life?"

Chapter 80: Encounter with the Lion King!!

Chapter Text

【 After the Sun King Ozymandias released his Noble Phantasm to destroy the gates of the Holy City, Fujimaru Ritsuka opened the box that Nitocris had handed over.

To their astonishment, inside was the Holy Grail they had desperately searched for.

Mash stored the Holy Grail within her shield!

Normally, retrieving the Holy Grail would restore the timeline through its healing power. However, this time, defeating the Lion King was still necessary. Thus, the group headed toward the Lion King’s palace!

The Round Table Knight Agravain’s frenzied army was single-handedly held back by Da Vinci!

On the other side, Gawain, restrained by King Hassan, recalled the scene when he was summoned by the Lion King. It was during a sunset when the Lion King, emotionless, addressed the crowd.

“I summoned you because this plan requires your participation!” The Lion King’s golden pupils were devoid of emotion as he coldly continued: “But I am aware that this action contradicts your principles!”

“Follow me! Or leave me. At sunset, give me your answer.”

As the knights deliberated, Gawain approached Tristan, who sat on a withered tree, seeking his thoughts.

With his back turned to Gawain, Tristan responded sorrowfully: “I believe the king’s judgment is correct. If humanity is to be reborn and the world collapses, we have no choice but to comply.”

“However, I might not be able to endure it!” He then stood up, and blood dripped from his eyes as he blinded himself.

“Sire Tristan...!” Gawain watched in shock.

“Turn around,Sire Gawain!” Tristan ignored his astonishment and walked away, saying sadly: “Next time we meet, I will no longer be the person you know.”

As the sun set, the Round Table Knights, divided by differing opinions, stood on opposing sides under the Lion King’s cold gaze, beginning their civil war. 

......

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

This explains why only a few of the Knights of the Round Table remain!

“To blind oneself—to avoid witnessing the Knights of the Round Table killing each other!”

“Why does Sire Tristan willingly change his personality to serve the Lion King?”

“No longer the person you know?!... That statement feels like a final resolution.”

“To force former comrades to draw swords against one another... This is truly painful.”

“Did the loyal knights kill all those who opposed them?... How could they bring themselves to do it?”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sire Tristan... You clearly despised such a king. Why, despite changing yourself, do you still choose to follow me?”

Artoria closed her pained eyes, unable to bear watching her former companions fight amongst themselves.

The king doesn’t understand human hearts! Tristan’s words after leaving the Round Table echoed once again in her mind.

【 At the same time, the Lion King activated the Holy Spear, and the entire Holy City began to move. Golden light surged from the ground, and the earth started to shatter.

“Round Table Sealing! This domain will transform into steps.” As the Lion King spoke, the Holy City floated in mid-air, radiating golden light as it became the Tower of the End! Simultaneously, a purple glow engulfed the rest of the world, and the land disappeared entirely. Only the area within the Holy Spear remained! 】

......

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

“The earth has vanished?!”

“So now, the entire world exists only within the range of the Holy Spear!”

“To erase everything directly from this world—what kind of power must this be?!”

“Or perhaps this is what they’ve been referring to as the burning of humanity?!”

【 Standing atop the tower, the Lion King’s cold voice continued: “Camelot has collapsed, and the era of upheaval approaches. In the name of the Storm King, I will take everything into account.”

As the perspective widened, the Holy City transformed into a floating spearhead, with countless massive stones suspended in the air! Outside this range, all land had vanished.

Meanwhile, King Hassan, having no reason to fight Gawain, turned and left!

The Sun King Ozymandias gazed at the Holy City now transformed into the Holy Spear and solemnly declared: “Lion King! Just the great divine punishment is far from insufficient.”

Ozymandias raised his hand and clenched it tightly, his confident voice echoing through the temple: “Even the Holy Spear! Before my colossal pyramid, it’s nothing more than a small boat!”

“O' Monument of the Sun... O' Pyramid, which rules the universe!”

“The Sun descends here... in our unlimited brilliance!.”

“Fall!”

“The Shining Great Temple Complex——!!”

               (Ramesseum Tentyris)

As the Sun King pointed his finger, sunlight resembling the sun appeared in the sky, accompanied by fleeting bubbles. Then, the floating pyramid emitted golden light and, like a meteor, crashed into the Holy Spear!

“And now, I leave it to you...”

“BOOM——”

A deafening explosion resounded, and the pyramid shattered amidst flames. Though the Holy City began to collapse, the path to the Lion King was cleared. 】

......

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

“The Sun King... This reminds me of the Wise King Gilgamesh from earlier in the video—they’re really similar!”

“Similarly sacrificing their lives to pave the way for Fujimaru Ritsuka! Truly worthy of respect.”

“I didn’t expect the seemingly uncooperative Sun King to have such admirable qualities…”

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“If i remember correctly, isn’t this pyramid supposed to be an Egyptian tomb?”

Misaka Mikoto looked utterly confused. So this is a tomb collision?

Though impressive, thinking of it as a tomb immediately made her feel uneasy.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Sun King Ozymandias... Truly deserving of respect.”

Emiya Shirou watched the dazzling attack in awe.

This Sun King, both in personality and attitude, resembles the Wise King Gilgamesh greatly...

First, he gave the Holy Grail to Fujimaru Ritsuka, then helped break open the gates of the Holy City, and finally sacrificed his life to clear the path to the Lion King.

“A king acknowledges, a king allows, and a king carries the weight of the entire world! Only by embracing the resolve to die can one achieve such glorious radiance.”

Gilgamesh is praised with admiration. Even in his final moments, he could shine brilliantly.

【 Without King Hassan stopping Gawain alone, the Sun Knight Gawain Stood alone on the road that must be passed, blocking everyone. Then he and Bedivere engaged in fierce combat.

Even after enduring Bedivere’s full-powered Noble Phantasm attack, Gawain still stood firm on the battlefield!

Crowned by the scorching sun, he pushed away the stone pillars on his body and sincerely declared: “I will fulfill my vow until my final moment—I will serve the king faithfully!”

“The king is no longer the king he once was... Britain has fallen! Our world of the past has perished.” Gawain picked up a sword from the ground and solemnly addressed Sir Bedivere.

“I am now the knight of the Lion King! Gawain!” Casting aside his cloak, he loudly questioned Bedivere: “One final question! Why does your sword exist?”

Facing Gawain’s question, Bedivere responded with unwavering determination: “My right arm embodies the end of loyalty!”

“It’s an irrevocable acknowledgment of guilt! His dream of becoming the ideal king was to save the prideful ideals! All for the sake of uncovering the truth.” Bedivere drew his sword.

The two knights began their righteous duel, unassisted by others—a one-on-one battle. Sword clashed with a sword, a collision of souls!

In the end, it was a test of willpower! And ultimately, Bedivere’s resolve surpassed Gawain’s.

As the sun set and gradually faded, Gawain revealed a sorrowful face: “So this is fate...”

“Once again, I failed to catch up with the king’s battle...”

“This seems to be the destiny of an unfaithful knight like me...” After uttering these words, the sun disappeared from the sky.

Bedivere knelt on the ground, panting heavily: “Sire Gawain, there is no knight more loyal than you!”

Gawain, lying on the ground, spoke weakly but gently: “Sire Bedivere... Why have you only appeared now?”

“If you had come sooner, the king... Perhaps the king could have reclaimed his lost heart. I truly... hate you.” 】

......

 ~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s hard to tell if Gawain’s loyalty is blind obedience or something else entirely!”

“This is the heavy burden both knights feel regarding their king!”

“Perhaps it’s not just them—all the knights, even if they become villains, want to stay by the Lion King’s side to atone for their mistakes!”

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“Ah... Perhaps all the Knights of the Round Table feel the weight of their sins toward their king!”

Miyu gradually understood everything—the fall of the Round Table, Lancelot’s end, and Mordred’s betrayal!

Within them, the desire to serve the Lion King stems from their belief in the heaviness of their sins! They wish to use this to make amends for their mistakes.

The hatred expressed in their final words was not hatred itself but regret that he arrived so late. He was the king’s most trusted knight, entrusted with his final orders. If only he had appeared sooner, perhaps the king could have regained his lost heart.

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

Now, the knights fell silent, understanding everything after hearing Gawain’s heartfelt confession in the video.

It turns out it wasn’t just him; the other knights also believed their sins were unforgivable...

Gawain watched as the figure in the video gradually died, unsure why. It was natural for someone who committed such atrocities to meet their end.

But repeatedly, he didn’t expect to be killed by Bedivere...

Because among the Round Table, who didn’t envy the knight entrusted with the king’s final orders—the knight always trusted by the king, Bedivere...!

(After all, the Knights of the Round Table only had the king's banquet and the twisted banquet.)

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“So this is how you thought, Sire Gawain...!”

 Artoria felt indifferent about her own death, just as Sire Bedivere had said.

“There is no knight more loyal than you, Sire Gawain.....”

Artoria’s expression saddened as she once again witnessed the death of her knights—a feeling far from pleasant...

【After defeating Gawain, Bedivere and Fujimaru Ritsuka’s group approached the Lion King’s location!

Behind them, purple flames burned fiercely. The golden-haired, blue-eyed king sat on the throne, exuding an aura of regal indifference. Without emotion, he coldly addressed the Chaldea group:

“Who are you? I am the Lion King! The Lord of storms, the Lord of the end.”

“Answer me! Why have you come to the land of the end?!” Her voice was godlike, devoid of emotion.】

Chapter 81: The Holy Spear Pulls the Anchor! Shining at the Spear of the End

Notes:

Here is the update, sorry for the delay.....

Chapter Text

【 Facing the Lion King’s emotionless words, Fujimaru Ritsuka showed no fear. He looked straight into the other’s eyes and declared firmly.

“We’ve come to stop you!! To correct humanity’s path and reclaim the future.”

The declaration echoed throughout the throne hall, carrying an unwavering will that moved everyone present.

“Humanity has already been burned away, and only this place remains as salvation. This is the end of the world!”

The regal figure on the throne slowly rose and approached Fujimaru Ritsuka, but his words sent chills down everyone’s spines.

“Gods cannot exist without humans; I love you all. Unable to bear losing you, I have decided to grant you eternity.”

“I have gathered all noble souls fit to remain behind, fixed them, and turned them into data! Where did I go wrong?”

The holy sovereign left golden footprints with every step, continuing his speech without pause.

“Granting limited lives eternal existence—this is the ultimate conclusion for protecting humanity! This is your happiness.”】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“These words sound just like Tiamat’s! Her so-called love is far too heavy for humanity to bear.”

“Is this what the gods have in common? All of them were deeply attached to humanity.”

“But even so, what gives her the right to judge humanity? How can she justify slaughtering innocent civilians?”

“Granting limited lives eternal existence—but how is this different from turning people into specimens?”

The crowd outside the video understood what a god was for the first time. A god devoid of emotion, collecting noble souls and turning them into fixed data... Isn’t this essentially creating specimens?

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“How foolish, how arrogant! Are you truly such an ignorant deity? It’s infuriating… What a joke, the so-called god!”

Gilgamesh clenched the wine glass in his hand. The Lion King’s words made him feel extremely angry!

God does not know how to adapt and does not have the power of thinking and judgment. The only thing he recognizes about his friend is that he died at the hands of the so-called God.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Don’t joke around! Giving our limited life an eternity and calling it our happiness?”

Emiya Shirou gritted his teeth in anger.

The value of life isn’t determined by its length but by how you use it! The so-called happiness is nothing more than a label the Lion King forces onto others!

Even if you claim to save humanity, there’s no future in it. The reason why Humans are human beings is because they survive with thought and reason.

~Sword Art Online World~

“This is no different from numerical life data…”

Kayaba Akihiko mused deeply. Fixing souls and turning them into data—this is no different from the current state of numerical information.

At least in his SAO world, people still retained some freedom, which was slightly better than being reduced to specimens.

~Naruto World~

“Though I desire immortality, being turned into a specimen is out of the question…”

Orochimaru, despite his obsession with eternal life, couldn’t accept being reduced to mere data. What would be the point of immortality then?

【 “You’re wrong!!” Mash immediately shouted in rebuttal upon hearing this. Whether it was Galahad’s anger within her or another reason, she now possessed the courage to defy the divine proclamation.

“I don’t accept your so-called happiness! An ending isn’t meaningless, and life continues!” Mash gripped her shield tightly, her voice clear and resolute.

“Even if we lose our lives in this battle, we know that life is interconnected and will continue endlessly! If you are the end of the world, then we will fight you with everything we have.”

The once fragile girl had grown into an outstanding warrior.

Despite Mash’s bold declaration, the Lion King remained unmoved. He raised his hand, radiating golden light, and spoke in an emotionless tone:

“Then let me show you something—the truth beneath the world’s shell after I peel off the outer layer of the world!”

As golden light flickered in his hand, it gradually converged into a gleaming golden spear. Several golden ribbon-like lights descended from the sky, wrapping around the spearhead above!

“Holy Spear! Raised anchor.”

“You who are the fury of the storms that divide the sky and connect the earth.”

Golden light rained down from the sky, converging as a massive golden glow appeared beneath the Lion King’s feet. Terrifying pressure surged toward Mash!

Mash didn’t dare to be careless. She raised her shield and began chanting to activate her Noble Phantasm!

“This is the light that heals all wounds and calms all resentment—our glorious homeland—”

As she chanted, mana gathered in her shield, emitting a blue glow.

“Unleash your light from the confines of this world.”

Golden light from beneath the Lion King’s feet shot upward, converging into the sky.

“The Lance That Shines to the End of the World——”

                 (Rhongomyniad)

Accompanied by bursts of starlight, the storm anchor connecting heaven and earth blazed with golden light, descending with apocalyptic force!

“Manifest yourself! ”

“Now is a Castle of Distant Ideals——”

                  (Lord Camelot)

Mash raised her shield high, and a familiar blue silhouette reappeared in the sky. Then, golden light bombarded her shield!

To everyone’s disbelief, Mash’s shield blocked the world-destroying storm anchor. 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A spear that tears through the heavens and connects to the earth’s storms? This oppressive feeling is truly terrifying!”

“What’s surprising is that Mash actually blocked it!”

“However, this was expected. After all, this is the same shield that could block even the Nega-Genesis of the Creation God, Tiamat.”

“But defense alone isn’t enough. Defense alone won’t defeat the Lion King!”

“Moreover, Mash doesn’t have other offensive means. Fujimaru Ritsuka is just a human and can’t do much either.”

As everyone pondered how to deal with the Lion King, a familiar sea of flowers reappeared before them.

【 In the sea of flowers, Merlin addressed the knight kneeling before him: “I see, that's... She is King Arthur, who has mutated due to some discrepancy. You should... know the reason, right?”

“Not wrong...” Bedivere, kneeling on the ground, trembled as he barely managed to speak those two words. 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So Sire Bedivere knows the cause of the anomaly but has been hiding it…”

“Perhaps the guilt he mentioned earlier is related to this.”

“A knight once known for his loyalty must now personally end the king’s life.”

【 “I’ll tell you something cruel, just as before.” Merlin gazed at the knight before him, his voice gentle: “Bedivere... Can you still fight? Can you still fulfill your mission?”

Under the overwhelming power of the Holy Spear, Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka struggled desperately to hold on. Meanwhile, in reality, Bedivere watched as the Holy Spear bore down on Mash and slowly stepped forward.

“It’s alright, Mash Kyrielight!” The struggling Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka heard a voice.

“As long as you have no hesitation in your heart, that shield... That chalk-white castle wall will never collapse!”

Upon hearing the voice, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the Command Spell in his hand and used it without hesitation.

A voice continued to echo in his ears.

“You, he is not a knight who defeats the enemy. You were chosen for the Round Table because of the kindness in your heart!”

Surprisingly, as these words fell, Mash’s grip on her shield loosened. Above everyone’s heads, the Holy Spear dissolved into golden light.

At this moment, Chaldea’s Dr.Roman’s astonished voice rang out: “Is this the Holy Grail resonating with Sir Galahad’s spirit?!”

As the light expanded, the distant chalk-white city reappeared before everyone’s eyes. The familiar Camelot emerged atop the Tower of the End! 】

.......

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“This is... Camelot!!”

The Round Table knights saw their familiar homeland and were overwhelmed with mixed emotions of guilt, regret, and glory.

“The Holy Grail can resonate with Sire Galahad’s spirit?!”

Mordred exclaimed in surprise.

“So the legend was true! Among the Round Table knights, only Sire Galahad could touch the Holy Grail—but he had no desires...”

The Sun Knight Gawain said, shaken.

【 The wounded knight Bedivere, after a long journey, finally met his king once again.

But the King he once served drew the Holy Spear from the ground and asked coldly: “Who are you?” 】

Chapter 82: The Sacred Sword Finally Returned

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

After a journey spanning over 1,500 years, the path is finally approaching its conclusion. While 500 years might suffice to destroy a companion of justice, even 1,000 years could not extinguish the loyalty of a knight!

Now, the knight—his body riddled with wounds—finally met his king once again.

【 Facing the Lion King’s inquiry, Bedivere ignored it and gently turned his head toward Fujimaru Ritsuka behind him, speaking softly.

“Fujimura Ritsuka, I am fortunate to have reached this point because of you.”

His voice was filled with gratitude, his green eyes shining with sincerity. The weight of his words carried the depth of his appreciation for the Master who had stood by his side

“Wait a second. What about this reaction?” Doctor Roman’s astonished voice echoed through the comms, his usual calm demeanor replaced by surprise.

“On that night of the holy selection… if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have made it this far!”

As Fujimura Ritsuka processed Bedivere’s words, he wondered what had happened. This reaction...

Bedivere stepped forward, extending his right hand, and continued:

“And also, forgive me—I’ve been hiding something from you.”

At this moment, Mash began to suspect something and bit her lip, trying hard to hold back her tears.

“O Silver Arm, Take Up Thy Sword——!!”

         (Switch On - Airgetlám)

Bedivere raised his right hand, which faintly glowed blue. As he clenched his fist, an overwhelming golden light erupted, and he charged toward the Lion King at full speed.

The Lion King hesitated briefly before raising the Holy Spear in his hand. Several beams of blue light surged toward Bedivere.

The blue magical beams attacked Sir Bedivere at incredible speed, shattering the ground beneath him layer by layer. If struck by such an attack, there was no doubt Bedivere would vanish on the spot!

The terrifying assault of the Holy Spear was blocked by Bedivere using Airgetlám, but he was still blown backward and collapsed to the ground.

However, Bedivere showed no fear. His regret was far greater than anything else. After searching for so long, his king was now before his eyes—how could he give up?

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka heard Doctor Roman’s astonished voice in his ear:

“That can’t be… Because until now, I didn’t notice this.”

“Doctor, what do you mean?” Mash’s voice echoed with confusion.

“I don't detect his Origin Spirit at all! His magical circuits at the level of a human—in fact, this is.”

“Fujimura Ritsuka! The person in front of you isn’t a Heroic Spirit! He’s human, just like you!!”

Hearing Doctor Roman’s words, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the staggering figure of Bedivere in disbelief, who was repeatedly waving his right hand! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sire Bedivere is a Living human?! not a Heroic Spirit?”

“This knight, who has been battling Heroic Spirits, is actually human!”

These words shocked the crowd outside the video. How could he have survived until now?

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Human...?! How is that possible?”

Emiya Kiritsugu said, his face filled with disbelief.

A human fighting against Heroic Spirits—no one understood this better than him. It was nearly impossible, let alone facing the now-divine Lion King!

“Sire Bedivere...!”

Artoria recalled the past. Perhaps only in front of Knight Bedivere could she briefly set aside the burdens of kingship and show a hint of exhaustion...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

“Could he also be a Pillar Man?! Otherwise, how could he live for so long...? For a mere human, it’s impossible to fight such an opponent!”

Jotaro Joestar stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Didn’t he emerge from a stone statue at the beginning? Could my guess be correct?

【 The Lion King covered his face with one hand. The familiar brilliance, etched into the soul’s memory, gradually awakened. The emotionless tone disappeared, replaced by disbelief: “This light is...!.!”

Mash held her shield firmly in front of the collapsing Bedivere!

Kneeling on the ground, Bedivere gazed at his gradually dissipating right hand and slowly said: “I used Merlin’s magic to deceive everyone.”

“Even this Airgetlám... Is the same... This is..”

“Excalibur?” The Lion King Arthur, covering his face, spoke the name painfully. The memories flooding his mind seemed to remind him of who this person truly was.

“Be...Bedivere?! That name...!”

Kneeling on the ground, Bedivere’s voice continued to echo, narrating his past: “Yes, I committed a crime—a foolish sin!”

“Because I feared that returning the holy sword would mean the king’s death. Because I feared that outcome, I couldn’t return the sword for the third time...”

“But because I didn’t return the holy sword, the king couldn’t even die!”

“To search for the vanished king and atone for my sins! I’ve wandered endlessly... Searching for that shadow that seemed nonexistent.”

At this moment, images of Bedivere’s search for the King appeared—deserts, mountains, rivers, snowy fields. He traversed every possible place, all to make amends for a knight’s mistake!

“I... I have the duty to stop you!” Kneeling before the Lion King, Bedivere spoke with anguish!

“I am a knight of the Round Table, Bedivere! I must punish you, an evil person!”

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka heard Doctor Roman’s astonished voice: “If this is true! Then Sire Bedivere has been searching for King Arthur for over 1,500 years!!”】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A loyalty spanning over 1,500 years?! All because he didn’t want the king to die, committing such a grave sin!”

“Now I understand why King Hassan called Sire Bedivere the bewildered knight!”

“To search for King Arthur, whose body was overtaken by the Holy Spear’s divinity, and wander this world aimlessly for over 1,500 years.”

“This is unbearably tragic. What kind of obsession could drive him to endure until now?”

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“Sire Bedivere!”

The knights did not blame him for his actions. If it were them, they wouldn’t want to see their king die either. Perhaps they, too, would have acted similarly, refusing to return the holy sword!

No wonder the king...

But for you, Sire Bedivere, enduring 1,500 years of regret has been too painful. Though your body was protected by the holy sword, your spirit bore the torment of this suffering.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Is this the alternate ending of Sire Bedivere’s three attempts to return the holy sword?”

Shokuhou Misaki gradually understood everything. Because he didn’t return the sword the third time as history dictated, this result occurred. No wonder Sire Bedivere initially referred to himself as a sinner!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sire Bedivere...”

Artoria closed her eyes slightly.

Though the holy sword preserved his body for a thousand years, his soul was nearly worn away by the passage of time! The thousand years of wandering pain should now come to an end.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“So this is the truth of the matter?”

Illya secretly wiped away her tears. To wander alone for over 1,500 years in search of King Arthur—what kind of loneliness must he have faced?

All those he once knew had vanished, leaving behind only a knight wandering the earth in search of his king!

Is this a sin? He simply didn’t want to see his king die! But it was precisely his selfishness that created the current Lion King...

King Arthur, unable to die completely, picked up the Holy Spear and became the wandering undead king.

Over a thousand years, he merged with the divinity within the Holy Spear, transforming into the Lion King and losing all traces of humanity.

Faced with the impending end of history, she chose to save worthy human souls by engraving them into the chalk-white city as intermediaries.

【 “You are wrong... You are...me?...” Chaotic memories caused the Lion King to grow increasingly violent, with red lightning flashing around her uncontrollably.

“Me... My only!” The Lion King raised the Holy Spear in her hand. Terrifying lightning spread upward like veins, then branched out like roots across the land.

“Fujimaru... Please... Please grant me the third—” Bedivere pleaded, his voice trembling.

“O Command Spell... Grant knight Bedivere strength,” Fujimaru Ritsuka replied, his tone resolute and unwavering.

“Mash, I leave you in Fujimaru’s care,” Bedivere said as he rose to his feet.

Bedivere stepped forward, raising his right arm. The armor on his arm receded, revealing a radiant glow as a golden sword materialized before him. In his ears echoed the King’s past words.

“Why was someone like me chosen as the Knight of the Round Table?” Bedivere asked Artoria.

Meanwhile, Artoria replied: “Why are you inferior to the rest? Do you think you are not worthy?”

“Yes...”

Holding Excalibur, Bedivere deflected the Holy Spear’s attacks, advancing step by step toward the King he had searched for over a thousand years.

“Simply strength or weakness should not be used to measure the person. This Camelot was built from everyone’s dreams.”

“One day, humanity will build such a city of hope with their own hands. This city barely survives on such dreams!”

“That’s why we need a knight like you—a careful and thoughtful knight.”

After deflecting all the Holy Spear’s attacks, a path leading to the Lion King appeared before Bedivere. Holding the holy sword, Bedivere seemed to see the shadow of his former King once more.

As Bedivere’s reminiscence ended, under a sea of golden light, the Lion King’s Holy Spear pierced through Sir Bedivere’s chest!

“You... Who are you? Why do you go so far?” The Lion King Arthur, equally astonished, loosened her grip on the Holy Spear!

“That's it...Because of your smile that day—it remains vivid in my memory, King Arthur!” Bedivere, blood flowing from his mouth, slowly knelt on one knee as he had in the past, bowing to his king once again!

Then, kneeling on one knee, Bedivere raised the holy sword with both hands, lifting it gently and speaking in a tender tone: “On behalf of the knights of the Round Table, I offer you our gratitude!”

“Leaving you to bear the darkness of that era alone. To us, you are the shining star! My King! My teacher!”

“Right now... No, this time, I finally... Return this sword to you!”

As he spoke, Bedivere’s eyes gradually lost their light, and his right hand dissolved into specks of light, almost entirely disappearing. His body lost all vitality.

The moment King Arthur received Excalibur, all the golden light faded completely. The purple light circle that had been eroding the land also vanished entirely.

The Holy Spear fell from Sir Bedivere’s body. With the holy sword back in hand, Artoria regained her humanity.

Artoria looked at the lifeless Bedivere kneeling before her and spoke with a pained voice: “So that’s how it was! I finally remember.”

“That forest! That hill, the knight who always cared for me, shedding tears for me.”

“To erase this regret, you wandered through endless years!”

Artoria lowered her head, gazing at her knight, and praised him: “Very well done! You are my final and most loyal knight.”

She reached out and touched Sir Bedivere’s head, watching his body gradually fade away. Her voice softened as she said: “Be proud, Bedivere. The holy sword has been correctly returned to my hands. You have fulfilled the mission entrusted to you by the king!” 】

This journey, spanning over 1,500 years, ended with Sir Bedivere kneeling once more before his king, personally returning the holy sword. Such unwavering devotion, enduring for over 1,500 years, truly deserves admiration.

Notes:

Press “F” for Knight Bedivere, 1,500 years of looking for a certain girl.....

Anyway, the top 5 is another series that I didn't watch. Good luck to me.

Chapter 83: Everyone's Reaction!!

Chapter Text

As a knight, all he wanted was to prevent his king from dying—what fault could there be in that?

Moreover, he bore no ill intent; it was his mistake that caused the once-noble King Arthur to transform into what she had become now.

However, Bedivere still carried this sin upon himself, enduring it for 1,500 years in order to atone for his error.

Although Bedivere survived for so long due to the protection of the holy sword, now that he had returned Excalibur, his body had already decayed... A single gust of wind could scatter him into nothingness!

【 Mash watched as Bedivere dissipated, her strength leaving her as she collapsed onto the ground, unable to bear lowering her head. With sorrow, she said: “Doctor… Sire Bedivere…”

“During these 1,500 years, Sire Bedivere has been tirelessly searching for King Arthur. Though he managed to endure, it was only because of Excalibur’s protection!” Doctor Roman also revealed an expression of reluctance, but continued explaining to everyone.

“And now, he has returned the holy sword.” As he spoke, Da Vinci, who had been summoned earlier, gradually turned into spirit particles and faded away!

Da Vinci sighed as she gazed at the crumbling Holy City in the sky, her voice trembling with emotion: “You succeeded, Fujimaru, Sire Bedivere!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka had retrieved the Holy Grail, and the healing power of the era began its restoration process, forcefully returning everything to its original state. Thus, both Fujimaru and Mash began to emit faint blue light, gradually fading away.

“For this battle, I will not apologize to you.” Artoria held the holy sword tightly and slowly walked back to the throne.

“I will perish along with my ideals.” Artoria gazed at the collapsing Holy City, then turned her head and placed her hands on the hilt of the Sword of Victory, speaking gently to the starry sky.

“But there are those who have been saved! Sire Bedivere... Your mistakes were meaningful!”

“To me... they were meaningful!”

As Artoria finished her final words, the screen darkened. The wandering spirit of the Lion King, who had wandered for 1,500 years, finally perished alongside the Holy City in this era. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is truly moving... Over 1,500 years, and still the loyalty of a knight could not be erased!”

“Wasn’t that final spear strike intentional, meant to awaken the Lion King’s memories?”

“Even with a body nearing death and a soul on the brink of collapse, the sole obsession in his eyes kept him alive until now.”

~Re: Zero World~

~Felt Camp~

Even Reinhard, who bore the title of the Holy Sword, was deeply moved:

 “This is what a true knight looks like! Such unwavering loyalty that cannot be destroyed is a model for all knights.”

It’s not about strength alone—Bedivere’s spirit will surely be remembered by countless generations across the multiverse.

Felt, visibly shaken by what she had just witnessed, and clenched her fists tightly.

“That’s… That’s so unfair. After everything he went through, after 1,500 years of searching, he just… disappears like that?”

Reinhard turned to Felt, his expression softening.

“Lady Felt, life often isn’t fair—not even for those as noble as Sir Bedivere. But perhaps his disappearance wasn’t in vain. His sacrifice ensured the salvation of others.”

Felt wiped at her eyes, trying to hold back tears.

“But why does it feel so… cruel?”

~Emilia Camp~

Everyone gathered around a glowing screen, watching the events unfold with bated breath. The scene of Bedivere’s sacrifice, Artoria’s final words, and the collapse of the Holy City left them in awe and sorrow.

Emilia, her eyes glistening with tears, clasped her hands together and whispered,

 “Bedivere… he endured so much for 1,500 years, all for the sake of his king. His loyalty is beyond anything I’ve ever seen…”

Beatrice, though usually reserved, couldn’t hide her admiration.

“To persist for so long, even with the help of Excalibur… that knight’s determination is truly remarkable, I suppose.

Subaru, standing beside her, crossed his arms and nodded solemnly.

“Yeah… it’s not just about strength. It’s about the heart and the will to keep going, no matter how impossible it seems. Bedivere’s spirit is something else.”

Otto, ever the emotional one, wiped a tear from his eye.

“It’s so sad… but also beautiful. He finally fulfilled his duty, and Artoria… she accepted her fate with such grace. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also… kind of inspiring.”

Roswaal, with his usual enigmatic smile, tilted his head slightly.

“A tale of loyalty and sacrifice that transcends time itself~ How fascinating. It seems even in other worlds, such stories resonate deeply.”

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“This is truly heart-wrenching...!”

Shirai Kuroko silently wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, her usual composed demeanor faltering as she struggled to process what she had just witnessed.

Driven by a single unyielding thought in his heart, he traversed rivers, mountains, and seas... And even fought former companions who had become Heroic Spirits—all while being merely human.

Kuroko shook her head slightly, her voice tinged with admiration and sorrow.

“To think that Sir Bedivere endured such trials for 1,500 years… It’s beyond comprehension. His resolve wasn’t fueled by strength or power but by sheer willpower alone.”

Misaka Mikoto, standing nearby, crossed her arms and sighed deeply, her expression somber.

“It’s hard to imagine someone persisting like that for so long. He wasn’t fighting just enemies—he was battling time itself. How could anyone endure that kind of loneliness?”

Kuroko nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the now-darkened screen.

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“This guy…”

Mordred was equally moved. Although she lacked the etiquette and discipline of other knights.

However, the fact that King Arthur bestowed upon him on his deathbed was something others envied endlessly. Now, King Arthur praised Bedivere as his most loyal knight.

It was truly admirable... She, too, wished for her father’s approval and encouragement. But this time, Bedivere did well—he didn’t betray King Arthur’s trust.

But then Mordred soon fell silent. Everything that had happened stemmed from her actions, and there was no need to deny it. She wouldn’t refute her past either—after all, denying her past would mean denying her present self.

“Sire Bedivere has finally attained salvation…”

Lancelot murmured as he watched Bedivere gradually fade away.

King Arthur’s final words were a pardon for the knight entrusted with the task of atoning for his sins—from beginning to end.

Tristan gazed at the figure on the screen and sincerely blessed him:

“Sire Bedivere... My friend! I am truly proud of you!”

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Artoria silently watched Bedivere depart. Her knight, who had struggled to keep her alive, had failed three times to return the holy sword.

But that wasn’t your fault, Bedivere... Thankfully, in the end, you were freed from the heavy shackles binding you.

The King of Conquerors couldn’t help but marvel at how such a loyal knight existed under the seemingly speechless King of Knights. However, if Artoria were to seek the Holy Grail to change the past, it would be an insult to such a knight.

This undoubtedly negated Bedivere’s persistence over 1,500 years…

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“I never expected Saber to have such a side... Truly regal demeanor!”

Emiya Shirou remarked with deep admiration.

Compared to the Saber, who seemed more like a neighborly girl, the one in the video clearly exuded the aura of royalty... Are these truly King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table? They’re incredibly charismatic!

“Huahahaha! King Arthur is truly fascinating!”

Gilgamesh suddenly burst into laughter.

He saw how King Arthur in the video was completely different from before—two contrasting postures, two distinct personalities, two divergent paths of kingship intersecting until the very end, where they merged together.

Yet, even so, they still commanded the loyalty of their subjects!

In some worlds with legends of King Arthur, people began to gain new insights...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

“Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful… Inspiration keeps rushing in!”

Kishibe Rohan’s expression was filled with excitement as his hands rapidly sketched manga panels!

Sin and salvation! This chapter was imbued with romance and mythological undertones!

A spirit transcending the limits of the body—a golden spirit! Stories like these are truly worth everyone’s reflection and understanding.

Chapter 84: Top 5: Heroes! At this moment, he seemed to have encountered a god

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Yu-Gi-Oh World~

“Finally, it’s over... Good, this is truly an excellent story!”

In the towering cloud-like Industrial Illusions, Maximillion Pegasus, with long silver hair and dressed in a red suit, couldn’t help but applaud in admiration!

“It seems that making cards out of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table and the earlier heroes of Uruk who achieved immortality could create quite an interesting set!”

As the president of the Industrial Illusions, seeing such intriguing characters naturally made him want to create a related card set.

However, it seems that the relationships among the Knights of the Round Table hold some unusual secrets… It appears they need to be thoroughly researched. With that thought, he began reading materials related to King Arthur.

Now, as the video plays, more and more people are eager to explore the mysteries within, and many hope to apply these findings to their own worlds... hoping to gain intelligence beneficial to their situations.

But in some relatively ordinary worlds, things seem more open. However, they lack the ability to conduct such research and can only watch idly...

In contrast, technologically advanced worlds like the Land of Light have been continuously analyzing this screen phenomenon. Yet, even Hikari, the top scientist of the Land of Light, has spent a considerable amount of time without reaching any conclusions.

“Chief Hikari! Look quickly, there’s a new video!”

In the Space Science Technology Bureau, a shout interrupted Hikari’s thought. Hearing about a new video, Hikari immediately looked up.

On the previously darkened screen, large letters appeared once again.

 

【 Top 5: Heroes!! 】

 

The moment this title appeared, everyone outside the video fell silent. Heroes?? Such simple words—this definition was too broad, leaving people unable to guess its meaning.

What is a hero? Does it refer to those who possess fearless qualities and courageously sacrifice themselves for justice? Or perhaps those who, despite knowing the danger, still unhesitatingly save the world?

~One Punch World~

“Sensei!! This ranking is definitely about heroes, and it’s absolutely you!”

Genos exclaimed excitedly, shouting toward the bald man beside him. Without a doubt, this ranking is undoubtedly for Saitama-sensei!

“Is that so?”

Saitama scratched his head, staring at Genos with his ever-clever eyes.

Though he was interested in being called a hero, he didn’t recall doing anything particularly heroic.

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“Hey! The title this time is ‘Heroes’!?”

Shin Asuka stroked his chin.

Could it be referring to his ace pilot bravely protecting civilians while disregarding danger during the flight?

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Heroes...? Could it be him?”

Shokuhou Misaki suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

If there’s anyone in this world who could be considered a hero, though he no longer remembers, there’s no doubt—he was my hero!

At this moment, the video began to play, and the crowd outside turned their attention back to the screen. After all, this video had never disappointed them since its release.

【 Amidst a grand and heroic soundtrack, a man wearing a black jacket appeared before everyone. His eyes were filled with sorrow but also an unprecedented determination.

“Light is the bond!” His gentle voice carried exhaustion, but his tone was resolute: “There will be someone to carry on its legacy and shine once more!” 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

When Himeya Jun appeared, the way people looked at him! Everyone outside the video felt sorrow, warmth, and light!

Indeed, the kind of light that seemed to embrace everything, giving viewers an overwhelming sense of security and warmth.

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

At TPC headquarters, Shin felt an inexplicable tremor in his heart. He sensed the presence of light.

Is he like me? What beliefs does he hold as he fights?

The newly transformed Shin was full of confusion. Why fight? And for what purpose? He hoped to find answers from this video.

~Land of Light~

“What a warm light!”

Ultraseven immediately recognized the man as a human form but couldn’t identify which Ultra Warrior’s light it belonged to.

“Arrow of Light...Himeya-san!!”

Seeing the man appear, Komon Kazuki of the Night Rider team couldn’t sit still.

He knew that Mr. Himeya Jun was Ultraman Nexus, and if his identity were exposed through this video, Mr. Himeya Jun would be in grave danger...!

While he was lost in worry, the video continued.

【 “We live peacefully in this world, taking peace for granted.”

“Even if unknown phenomena exist behind our daily lives, most people feel it doesn’t concern them!”

“But what if everything we see is an illusion...?”

As Komon Kazuki spoke calmly, the video shifted to his perspective.

For Komon Kazuki, he would never forget that day when he joined the rescue team. During a mission, he was overwhelmed by the memory of his childhood drowning, nearly causing the rescue to fail.

This left him feeling deeply guilty and self-blaming. Though his teammates consoled him, only spending time with his fiancée helped him regain calmness. 】

....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn’t this the man who appeared at the beginning of the video? Could he be the protagonist?”

“I thought the man in the black jacket at the start was the main character! After all, he gave off an extraordinary vibe.”

“But looking at this guy now, he’s clearly just an ordinary person?”

“Perhaps the story is being told from the perspective of an ordinary person...!”

Even viewing the story from the perspective of an ordinary person like Komon Kazuki, the mundane scenes carried an undercurrent of nameless darkness, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

【 The story continued from Komon Kazuki’s perspective until one day, he was transferred to a mysterious organization... TLT-J, a special operations unit directly under the Night Rider!

Following the device’s instructions, Komon Kazuki arrived atop a remote mountain, surrounded by wilderness. He couldn’t help but wonder if the Night Rider really existed here.

Suddenly, a bread delivery van stopped on the mountain road ahead. Instinctively, he approached to investigate, only to find the interior in disarray and completely empty.

He picked up a soda can that had rolled to his feet. As he carefully examined it, a thick, black liquid oozed out, causing him to instinctively toss it aside!

A sudden noise from outside made him turn his head!

It was a monstrous creature resembling a giant slug, with terrifying tentacles. 】

....

~Ultraman Tiga World~

Nexus Komon Kazuki watched himself appear on the screen, lost in reminiscence.

So this was the moment I first saw Nexus? That incredibly divine scene! At the time, I thought it was a god descending...

“What kind of monster is this? So disgusting.”

“How could something with such a massive body hide inside a soda can? If it appeared in a city, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

Iruma Megumi couldn’t help but frown.

【 Seeing this, Komon Kazuki immediately ran out, but he was still ensnared by the monster’s tentacles. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t escape being dragged closer to the beast!

Fortunately, he managed to grab onto a fence at the critical moment, preventing himself from being pulled away immediately. However, fear and despair relentlessly consumed his spirit. This feeling was identical to when he nearly drowned as a child!

It left him feeling suffocated, helpless, and utterly hopeless!

“Don’t give up!”

A sudden voice gave him inexplicable courage!

A beam of red light descended from the sky, followed by a powerful explosion. The tentacles binding him loosened!

When he scrambled to his feet and turned around, a massive silver arm had pierced the road. The monster had been obliterated by this single punch.

Komon Kazuki followed the arm with his gaze, and a towering silver giant appeared before him!

Beautiful? Powerful? Divine? Komon Kazuki couldn’t find the words to describe what he was witnessing!

The colossal silver giant retracted his arm and looked down at Komon Kazuki. The two locked eyes for several seconds!

“I... Am I dreaming?” Komon Kazuki muttered to himself.

At this moment, he felt as if he had encountered a god! 】

Notes:

This Series isn't my forte, but somehow, I managed to translate it. The next few chapters are going to be hard, so wish me luck.

Chapter 85: Nexus Under Attack!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s no wonder Komon Kazuki was stunned. As a human, seeing such a massive body would naturally fill anyone with awe!”

“Humans are so small, yet they always yearn for beings stronger than themselves!”

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“It’s truly similar! That warm light… Just like a divine scene!”

Captain Iruma Megumi stared at the silver-white giant, falling into a daze. The first time she saw the enemy, she wondered if she’d encountered a descending god.

“A giant… I never imagined another world’s Ultraman would have such a giant!”

Though Daigo had sensed Himeya Jun’s aura earlier, but was still astonished when witnessing it firsthand!

Does this mean that there is more than one giant? Did he, too, have regained his giant form through light like me? With lingering doubts, Daigo continued observing intently.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Commander!”

Ultraseven turned to Father of Ultra, questioning,

 “I’ve never seen him in Land of Light’s history. Could this be the future? Or a parallel world?”

“Do you recognize these Ultra Warrior?”

Father of Ultra shook his head, feeling an inexplicable familiarity. Yet he was certain he’d never met this Ultra Warrior—perhaps one from another universe.

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

Ishikawa Mitsuhiko remained silent, his face grim. The Dark Zagi possessing him now wished to tear the video apart!

With Space Beast and Nexus exposed, his plans would face obstacles. The critical issue was whether their existence would also come to light…

After all, he has not yet been fully resurrected, but the video broadcast across the entire universe complicated matters. Using the River Styx’s power to erase human memories would no longer be simple!

【 The silver giant’s body flickered and vanished, leaving only a massive crater to prove it wasn’t an illusion.

Komon Kazuki, rescued by Nexus, was found by Night Rider and successfully joined their ranks!

Since joining Night Rider, he left his ordinary life behind, uncovering secrets hidden beneath the mundane.

Years ago, Space Beasts—cosmic beings unmatched in scale—descended to Earth! Night Rider’s mission: secretly eliminate these creatures.

Yet Kazuki couldn’t help but feel conflicted. Just days ago, he was a regular rescue team member: “Why choose me? I’m just an ordinary person, with no special talents.”

The man who recruited him pressed the elevator button and said, “Whatever the reason, remember this.”

As the elevator opened, the man gazed at the floor display: “Protecting humanity’s future is our mission. What do you think? It's not too late to regret it now?” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Such a hero-and-villain dynamic! Joining Night Rider to defeat evil Space Beasts… Is this what makes a hero?”

“Hardly. If this qualifies, the title’s too cheap!”

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“An organization dedicated to protecting humanity’s future? Sounds like Chaldea!” Doctor Roman sipped his coffee, musing.

His analysis of the giant revealed little beyond it being a light-based lifeform…

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Well said!”

Ultraman Taro (via Father of Ultra) nodded approvingly.

“Humans must protect their own future. Relying on Ultraman alone stifles their growth.”

【 Komon Kazuki didn’t disappoint. After a grueling month of training, he officially joined Night Rider. Successfully joined the organization.

His first mission differed from past ones—even his initial Space Beast encounter!

This Space Beast was colossal, rampaging through the city. Just as Night Rider attacked, it cunningly took two humans hostage.

The white-coated commander calmly stated, “No alternatives. Sacrifice is inevitable. If we don’t defeat it, the damage will escalate!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So they plan to sacrifice two lives? Still, maybe it’s right. Delaying could cause unimaginable destruction!”

“Damn… Isn’t there another way?!”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Another trolley problem? Again, a choice…”

Emiya Shirou muttered, conflicted.

Saving two would risk greater casualties. Letting them die condemns innocents…

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“No! This isn’t right!”

Captain Iruma frowned. As Earth’s defenders, they’d never abandon any life.

【 When all seemed lost at the captain's order to open fire, a black-jacketed man—Himeya Jun—appeared at the lighthouse, drawing the Evoltruster. Blinding red light enveloped the area!

His figure vanished, and then a crimson meteor crashed down. A silver-white giant, wreathed in light, stood before Night Rider!

Its chest bore a bird-shaped energy core, a teardrop body, intricate patterns, and a helmet-like head. The silver-white giant towered over the land.】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The crowd sighed in relief. No more impossible choices. This warm light gave people an inexplicable sense of security, and the only thought in their minds was that—this time, the two hostages were saved.

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“If giants originate from humans… does that mean humans can become giants?!”

One of the members of the Scientific Research Circle scientist, gasped.

“Energy conservation? Compressing such a massive body into human size defies physics!”

(Unbeknownst to him, Daigo sweated nervously. Close call! He was almost exposed.)  

【 Nexus swiftly rescued the hostages with a blue beam, placing them near Night Rider. But as he prepared to fight the Space Beast, an attack struck him from behind.

“BANG—” Sparks flew. Nexus turned to see… Night Rider’s deputy captain, Nagi Saijyo, had fired. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Viewers were stunned. Nexus had just saved humans—why attack him?

“Is Nexus their enemy? He doesn’t seem evil! He rescued the hostages!”

“Then why…? Makes no sense!”

“Humans distrust outsiders. Maybe that’s why!”

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“How could it be…?”

Daigo couldn’t believe it. Nexus was labeled evil?

They should’ve teamed up against the Space Beast! Nexus clearly meant well, while the monstrous Beast was obviously evil!

“I'm afraid that the Night Rider in that world views all external beings as enemies!”

Megumi Iruma mused. Humans often fear what they can’t control.

~Ultraman Gaia Worldline~

“Humans… must be eradicated!”

Hiroya Fujimiya’s face darkened, reaffirming his resolve.

“What’s Night Rider scheming?”

Akio Ishimuro pondered. From Kazuki’s perspective, they erase witnesses’ memories to suppress panic.

No wonder Kazuki mentioned secrets hidden in “ordinary life.” But this creates a false world—one crisis away from total collapse.

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

Ishikawa Mitsuhiko stayed silent, his expression thunderous.

Chapter 86: Himeya Jun's Past!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Just as Nagi Saijyo prepared to continue his attack, Komon Kazuki—whose life Nexus had saved—mustered the courage to intervene and cut through the tension!

Nexus ignored Nagi Saijyo’s attack on him, turning aside to engage in combat with the Space Beast, relentlessly punching it again and again!

Seeing it was no match, the Space Beast released a large amount of flammable gas from behind, obscuring everyone’s vision, then flew toward the sky, heading for a densely populated city!

Noticing this, Nexus pursued the Space Beast. To prevent it from destroying the city, Nexus slid his left hand across his chest in mid-air, transforming into his red form with rippling patterns!

In his red form, Nexus raised his hand and unleashed a beam of light.

A golden ripple appeared before the Space Beast, catching it off guard. It was then sucked into the golden ripple!

This is Nexus Meta Field! Outside, Night Rider had lost all means of tracking their target.

Moments later, a red light descended from the sky, reappearing before Night Rider. By then, the Space Beast’s life signs could no longer be detected.】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this.... similar to Shirou Emiya's Reality Marble technique from the first video, like the one used by that crouching giant?”

“Directly pulling the Space Beast into another dimension for battle to avoid urban destruction!”

“What an incredibly practical skill!”

“Creating an entirely separate space… Seems like this Nexus isn’t simple at all!”

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“If only we’d had a skill like this back then… Would Tokyo not have sunk during the Black Tide invasion?”

Leo thought to himself. If such a skill existed earlier, even if they couldn’t defeat the enemy, they could’ve trapped them in that space, buying time for everyone to escape.

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“I wonder if our Tiga have a skill like this?”

Daigo couldn’t help but fall into deep thought. Such a skill seemed incredibly practical! If they had it, they could surely reduce civilian casualties.

“Does our Tiga also have the ability to change forms?”

A technician operating a computer pulled up previous analysis data on the enemy.

“In the past, when the Tiga transformed into red form, his strength increased but his speed relatively decreased!”

Could it be that this Ultraman’s red transformation works similarly? Perhaps it grants additional unique abilities.

【 After defeating the Space Beast, Himeya Jun staggered up the mountain, then collapsed to his knees, panting heavily while staring at the Evoltruster in his hand.

“I can’t fully suppress it!” Exhausted and unable to stand, Himeya Jun gasped under the dark night sky, utterly alone.

The next day, Komon Kazuki and Nagi Saijyo argued over the latter’s attack on Ultraman Nexus!

Later, Nagi Saijyo led Komon Kazuki to the site of the earlier attack. There, a group of people dressed in black stood mourning near the cliffside.

Komon Kazuki stared in shock at the scene: “They are the family members who were devoured by the Space Beast… Why are they mourning near the cliff?”

“That’s because, including the missing driver, all 13 victims were treated as casualties of a bus accident falling off the mountainside!” Nagi Saijyo explained in a calm tone.

Nagi Saijyo turned and walked toward the car, speaking as he went: “It’s not just this time. All deaths caused by Space Beasts are handled as accidents. The public remains unaware of the truth.”

“If the world knew the truth, chaos would ensue. What you see isn’t always real. This is the answer.”

Komon Kazuki was stunned, unable to believe what he heard. He hadn’t expected the so-called secret to involve hiding the truth: “What about the witnesses? Surely they can’t distort reality?”

Nagi Saijyo replied coldly: “No need to worry. A specialized organization will erase their memories.”

Later, Komon Kazuki learned from Nagi Saijyo that Space Beasts feed on human fear! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So they hide the truth and erase everyone’s memories?”

“If people had known about the existence of Space Beasts earlier, they might’ve been more prepared, potentially reducing casualties.”

“Even though Space Beasts feed on fear, there are already countless things in the world that terrify humanity. Adding one more Space Beast wouldn’t make much difference…”

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

Victory Team’s Masami Horii nodded thoughtfully:

“So that’s how it is. Human fear attracts more Space Beasts, and these creatures feed on fear?”

“But if the truth is hidden and fear deliberately forgotten… Then humanity will never be able to defeat the Space Beasts!”

Daigo took a deep breath.

Seeking light in the darkness, finding courage amidst fear—this is the only way to overcome it.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“If humanity remains stagnant, they’ll never grow.”

UltraSeven shook his head.

If the relationship between Night Rider and the public is like that of a mother and child, then overprotecting the child is undoubtedly a mistake.

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

At this moment, the world’s names began to buzz with outrage. Night Rider’s concealment of the truth enraged them!

How many of their loved ones had died in the mouths of Space Beasts, only for them to be told it was an accident? They felt mocked and treated like fools by Night Rider!

【 While the two were discussing, Nagi Saijyo suddenly sensed someone watching them. They chased into the forest, discovering none other than Himeya Jun, whom they’d seen earlier!

Before they could say anything, a group of Space Beasts surrounded them. Just as Komon Kazuki was about to be grabbed by the Space Beast’s tentacle and pulled toward its mouth…

“Don’t give up!” A familiar voice echoed as it had before. At that moment, Komon Kazuki realized the person before him was the giant he’d seen earlier!

As Komon Kazuki uncovered more truths, his heart grew increasingly confused. Fighting Space Beasts endlessly to protect humanity, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, which filled him with frustration and unease.

One day, Komon Kazuki unexpectedly stumbled upon a stone ship. As he touched it, he felt Himeya Jun’s sorrowful memories.

Amidst a battlefield engulfed in flames, he saw a young girl named Sera smiling beautifully. But beneath the smoke and fire, all beauty vanished, and the little girl disappeared before his eyes.

This became Himeya Jun’s deepest pain, a burden he carried endlessly. Occasionally dreaming of that scene, he would wake up in shock, his heart aching unbearably. 】

.....

~Kamen Rider OOO World~

“War… Always war!”

Hino Eiji’s memories resurfaced in his mind.

“War brings only sorrow and pain. When will humanity understand all of this?”

How familiar this scene is! Unable to grasp the hands of that girl… His heart overflowed with grief!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“Mr. Himeya Jun… Who exactly are you fighting for? What is your purpose in this endless battle?”

Daigo felt a pang of pity.

A fellow Ultra Warrior—what kind of sorrow must he bear to fight until now?

~Ultraman Gaia Worldline~

“Destroying humanity truly is the right path…”

Hiroya Fujimiya’s face darkened further.

“Humans only know how to fight amongst themselves. Endless battles will only destroy Earth!”

【 As images rapidly unfolded, Himeya Jun’s repeated battles took an increasing toll on his body.

Every injury Nexus sustained was transferred to his human host, who bore the brunt of exhaustion and recovery!

This meant that Himeya Jun’s battles consumed his own stamina and life force!

Though Nexus possessed strange equipment capable of rapid recovery and healing, still…

For some unknown reason, the frequency of Space Beast appearances accelerated, leaving Himeya Jun increasingly fatigued. Repeated battles and injuries left his body battered and scarred.

His body had long since reached its limit, yet he continued to endure, holding on despite the immense strain!】

......

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

“Is this predecessor…? What kind of resolve drives him to keep fighting?”

 Natsukawa Haruki felt overwhelming sadness.

“No trust from Night Rider… Frequent Space Beast appearances… Physical injuries long surpassing their limits…”

He gradually understood the meaning behind this chapter’s title. Heroes!! They are also lonely…

Notes:

Ngl, at first, I thought this series would be boring, but after I edited it, my childhood memories with Ultraman surfaced, and I started watching it.

Chapter 87: Behind Him, Every Home Lights Up!!!

Chapter Text

Himeya Jun once used his camera to record the brutal truth of war, capturing its raw and unfiltered essence!

His camera conveyed truths that many did not wish to know, yet his photographs became the ultimate dream for countless photographers.

【 The image shifts, revealing a grotesque, monstrous head amidst a white mist. On the screen, viewers see a terrifying beast with sharp, glass-like crystal spines protruding from its back!

The monster swiftly leans its head against a cliffside, devouring several climbers into its massive, blood-red maw...

As a backpack falls to the ground, faint human groans and chewing sounds can still be heard. Then, the crystals on its back emit a faint golden glow, and the entire beast vanishes without a trace.

Inside Night Rider’s base, a man in white analyzes the creature: “This Space Beast is named Golgolem. It possesses the ability to freely leap between dimensional spaces!”

Facing such an opponent, Komon Kazuki couldn’t help but ask: “Then… aside from Ultra Warrior’s Meta Field, is there no other way?”

The man in white smiled and explained his plan.

“We just need to lure the beast toward an area equipped with scanning pulse amplifiers, which will damage its dimensional movement organs!”

“Once the beast enters this zone, we can destroy it with a million-cannon barrage!”

However, this plan has a fatal flaw: How can they guarantee the beast will fall for the trap? Komon Kazuki thought about this and raised his question.

Facing Komon Kazuki’s query, the man calmly explained: “Thirty kilometers from our target lies a city of approximately 100,000 people—that’s Golgolem’s destination!”

To ensure the success of their plan and avoid panic, Night Rider decided not to issue an evacuation warning, choosing instead to withhold the order temporarily!!

If Night Rider fails to stop Golgolem, the 100,000 people in the city will face certain doom.

Meanwhile, Himeya Jun’s body, worn down by continuous battles, collapses on a mountainside. Fortunately, passing civilians brought him to the hospital!! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This organization is truly ruthless…! They’re directly gambling with 100,000 lives ~”

“Aren’t they essentially using the entire city as bait? Have they considered what happens if the plan fails?”

“You must understand—they’re facing an incredibly ferocious beast! If the plan fails, do they have any backup strategies?”

“Himeya Jun’s body has already reached its limit. Even transforming into Nexus might not last much longer…”

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“I was wrong…”

Doctor Roman silently pressed his forehead. I shouldn’t have compared them to Chaldea.

Are you serious about such tactics? Should I call you arrogant or naive? Listening to your analysis makes me feel like you can’t even break through the enemy’s defenses.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Why has Himeya Jun’s body deteriorated to this extent?”

UltraSeven gazed at the unconscious Himeya Jun on the mountainside, unable to hide his bewilderment.

Ultraman’s human host should only experience physical exhaustion, right? Could it be that Nexus’s injuries and fatigue are also transferred to the human host?

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

“What kind of joke is this? This is a city of 100,000 people!!”

Aihara Ryū angrily slammed his fist on the table. At this rate, forget to protect the city—how can they even protect the masses?

Regardless of the concerns voiced by those watching outside, Night Rider decided to proceed with the plan!

【 Following the plan, Komon Kazuki piloted a fighter jet into the dimensional space, firing a specially designed beam to destroy Golgolem ’s dimensional organs!

Forcing Golgolem to reappear in real space.

But they were too naive. Even though Golgolem appeared in real space, it was still beyond Night Rider’s ability to penetrate its defenses.

Countless attacks were neutralized by Golgolem’s shields, and its incredible regenerative abilities repaired the damaged organs. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s over!! What we feared most has happened…”

“Forcing Golgolem into real space doesn’t mean Night Rider can defeat it!”

“What now? What about future plans? Remember, there’s a city of 100,000 people ahead!”

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

“Damn it! The plan has truly failed!”

Aihara Ryū clenched his fists tightly, his expression darkening with frustration.

“Night Rider is out of options. If Golgolem continues advancing, the city is doomed!”

Captain Kazuya Serizawa’s face turned grim, his tone filled with anger:

“Why haven’t they issued an evacuation order yet?”

“There are still so many people in the city… Do they really want everyone to die before regretting it?”

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“What kind of organization is this Terrestrial Liberation Trust?”

The commander slammed his fist on the table in frustration. Night Rider’s meticulously planned strategy had now been declared a failure…

He was utterly enraged by this organization’s reckless actions. Not issuing an evacuation order—was it really just to prevent panic? Waiting any longer would cost more lives. What about the crisis, then?

【 At this moment, the scene shifts. The video shows the city’s joyous atmosphere. Amidst the night sky and starlight, people smile with heartfelt happiness—a simple, everyday joy.

As danger gradually approaches this brightly lit city, a strangely shaped flying object races across the distant sky!

On the ground, Komon Kazuki mutters upon seeing this: “Mr. Himeya Jun…”

In a strange dimensional space, a resolute-faced man lets out a life-filled roar, raising the Evoltruster in his hand despite his pain!

A brilliant red light blooms in the sky as Nexus transforms into his red form, landing on the ground and standing before Golgolem!】

Nexus assumes a fighting stance. As the camera pulls back, a brightly lit city appears behind him!

Ahead lies an unknown, terrifying enemy; behind lies the brightly lit city! He has no retreat.

Even though his body is battered and bruised, even though not a single light shines behind him for him alone.

Because behind him, every home lights up! 】

Chapter 88: Meta Field Death Match!! And Human Experiment??

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Clearly, the difference is stark. Ahead lies an endless darkness, a terrifying beast! Behind is a brightly lit city where people are immersed in happiness and joy, unaware of the impending danger.”

“Perhaps this is what a hero is... Though not a single light shines for him behind, he still fights on with his battered body.”

“And now, he stands before everyone once again, ready to protect them! Once more, he assumes a fighting stance!!”

At this moment, those watching the video finally understood the true meaning behind the title’s “hero”!

【 The battle begins. Golgolem is a fierce quadrupedal monster. Its usual method of attack—swinging its long, braided head—is simple but highly effective!

The towering Golgolem swings its long conical head, striking Nexus’s abdomen with immense force!

“BANG BANG BANG——”

The overwhelming power forces Nexus to retreat continuously, but he skillfully disperses the force with a spinning motion!

Finally, with a powerful kick, Nexus sends the beast Golgolem tumbling to the ground.

However, Nexus clutches his left arm, panting heavily. Even this brief exchange seems to have drained the Ultra Warrior of his energy.

Remember, his previous injuries haven’t healed yet, and now they’ve worsened! 】

....

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Himeya Jun’s body... I fear it’s beyond optimism.”

UltraSeven spoke with deep regret.

“Even when I saw him transform just now, it felt forced.”

But there’s no choice but to fight! Such warriors evoke pity. Remember, back during the Black Tide invasion, he broke his leg.

At that time, he even lost the ability to transform into Seven. If Leo hadn’t been there, Earth might have...

“The body is one aspect... What’s scarier is that the enemies he faces are far stronger than ordinary monsters...”

Original Ultraman sighed deeply.

If only we knew which world it was, perhaps we could ask Hikari to develop a device capable of crossing worlds to assist him. Then this warrior wouldn’t have to fight alone.

“I fear it’s not just that...”

Hikari from the Land of Light’s Science Bureau observed Nexus on the screen and voiced his hypothesis.

“It’s unrealistic that such a short battle would leave him completely exhausted... I suspect Himeya Jun has fought multiple battles within a day without rest... And his wounds haven’t been treated!”

【 To prevent Golgolem’s escape and protect the city, Nexus, despite his battered body, raises his right hand to his left arm, summoning a dazzling stream of cerulean light toward the sky!

“BOOM——”

Golden light descends from the heavens, gradually forming a protective barrier that envelops both Nexus and Golgolem, then vanishes from Night Rider’s sight! 】

....

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

“This Meta Field feels incredibly impactful and highly practical!”

Future nodded. With such an ability, urban destruction and casualties could be significantly reduced!

But given his current physical state, the outlook isn’t optimistic.

【 At this moment, Komon Kazuki pilots a fighter jet emitting a blue glow, successfully entering Nexus’s domain!

The Meta Field’s scenery appears before everyone for the first time!

The surroundings are desolate, devoid of life, as if a ruined civilization lies in tatters. Ruined buildings stretch endlessly, and the sky twists with unnatural colors!

But what Komon Kazuki sees upon entering is Nexus’s chest crystal flickering red at a rapid pace, emitting a clear ringing sound...

Nexus’s breathing grows labored, his movements slow drastically, and he clutches his chest, unable to stand due to the pain coursing through his body!

He attempts to assume a fighting stance, but both his mental and physical limits have been reached. Like waves crashing, the pain overwhelms Nexus, and he can no longer endure.

He collapses heavily onto the ground! At this moment, the video replays Nexus’s earlier battles.

Enemies seem to appear with intent, and Himeya Jun can only keep fighting, never getting rest or treatment. Whenever an enemy appears, he’s always the first on the scene! 】

.....

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“Such intense combat! And he can’t even rest properly.”

Daigo closes his eyes in anguish.

Rena Yanase silently nods and slowly says,

“Not only that... He keeps fighting, reopening old wounds... I'm afraid it's already...”

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

“Mr. Himeya...”

Komon Kazuki tightly clenches his fists, deeply worried for himself.

At this moment, Night Rider finally realizes that Nexus isn’t evil, and Himeya Jun isn’t a Space Beast!

He’s a warrior! A brave soldier willing to risk everything to protect others!

【 The fallen Nexus struggles repeatedly to rise. Meanwhile, Komon Kazuki’s commentary echoes from the side.

“For the first time, I realize it’s natural.

“Even Ultra Warrior, and originally Himeya Jun, are just ordinary humans.”

“When his body reaches its limit, it’s not surprising.”

“His loneliness, his suffering, the burden he carries... I don’t even understand half of it.”

Nexus tries again and again to rise, but the pain in his body and spirit causes him to collapse repeatedly. 】

.....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders

“This feeling is truly unpleasant...”

Jotaro Kujo quietly expresses his thoughts. However, there’s no doubt that a certain spirit shines within this warrior.

It’s like golden radiance, sparkling like sunlight—a golden spirit.

~Madoka Magica World~

“It’s heartbreaking...”

Homura closes her eyes, praying for Nexus and feeling deep sorrow for Himeya Jun’s experiences.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

At this moment, the Ultras of the Land of Light aren’t comfortable either. They wish they could form a team to help, no doubt recognizing Himeya Jun as a qualified warrior.

But he carries too much pressure and past burdens. If possible, they’d rather not see such a warrior wear himself out here.

They can only hope Hikari develops a way to cross universes soon!

~Ultraman Gaia Worldline~

“Such willpower... Such resolve, even now, still thinking of fighting?”

Gamu Takayama, who has never experienced energy depletion, wishes he could transfer his energy to Nexus and help it defeat the enemy.

【 The severely injured Nexus can no longer maintain the Meta Field. Reality reappears before their eyes. Golgolem ignores the fallen Nexus, turning toward the brightly lit city.

Golgolem relentlessly assaults the Meta Field barrier. If it escapes, outside lies a city of 100,000 people!

But this Meta Field, created by Himeya Jun’s life force, has already reached its limit just by maintaining Nexus!

Night Rider continues attacking Golgolem, attempting to halt its advance, but to no avail.

Seeing Golgolem approach the city, Nexus grits his teeth, half-crouching with his remaining strength, releasing a blue beam to restrain Golgolem!

“AHH——”

“BOOM——”

With a roar, Nexus uses all his strength to pull Golgolem back, collapsing heavily onto the ground.

Golgolem immediately rises, furiously charging toward Nexus.

Nexus raises both arms, blue energy currents wrapping around them, culminating in a dazzling grid-like blade between his hands, resembling a brilliant net of light.

This overlapping storm is Himeya Jun’s ultimate finishing move!

“BOOM——”

Nexus’s final beam shatters the massive beast into fragments. All its cells are annihilated amidst swirling cerulean light, and the Space Beast’s figure quietly vanishes!

Nexus nods toward Night Rider and disappears from sight!

The city remains filled with laughter and joy, unaware of the fierce battle fought by a lone warrior to save them... 】

.....

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

Hikari analyzes the results of the Meta Field. The Meta Field shares the same origin as Nexus’s light. This is the answer: it’s a field created by Nexus using his own body.

Thinking about this, Hikari feels troubled. Himeya Jun burns his life to protect the world.

It seems he must research ways to preserve the lives of human hosts...

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera coldly remarks,

 “Warriors of light! What can a flickering candle in the wind do? Darkness will devour everything!”

As he says, the next scene enrages the people of the Land of Light and all viewers of the video.

【 Himeya Jun emerges under the light, his battered body struggling through the forest, covered in wounds. He collapses weakly onto the ground!

The fallen Himeya Jun trembles from his injuries, barely managing to pull out the Evoltruster, intending to summon Stone Wing to heal himself!

Suddenly, blinding lights pierce the quiet night! Several cars emerge from the mist, their headlights illuminating the forest like daylight!

A group of TLT cleanup squad members wearing masks step out, holding pitch-black guns aimed at the fallen Himeya Jun.

“Begin recovery mission!” A cold voice orders, locking onto Himeya Jun.

After countless battles, Himeya Jun is riddled with injuries and utterly exhausted, unable to resist.

The TLT operatives show no mercy, swiftly injecting a sedative into Himeya Jun’s neck, rendering him unconscious!! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The sight leaves the external audience stunned, and the events to follow will fill countless hearts with rage...!

Chapter 89: The Audience is Furious!!

Chapter Text

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

“Wait... What are they trying to do!!”

Natsukawa Haruki couldn’t believe what he was seeing, hesitating for a moment.

“Could it be what I’m thinking?!...”

Shota Hebikura’s expression also turned grim as he sneered,

 “They probably just want to obtain that light power... Typical human behavior.”

“Captain! You mean...”

Hearing Hebikura’s words, Haruki couldn’t help but feel a chill.

“Do they want to take Ultraman’s power?”

Clearly, Himeya Jun had risked his life to protect the city, even exhausting himself to maintain the Meta Field. And now, after their plan failed, they’re treating their savior like this...

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“No matter the reason, this is not the way to treat a warrior!”

Even the usually calm Inspector General Souichiro Sawai was filled with rage.

As someone in a high position, he naturally understood the warmonger’s desire to seize Ultraman’s power.

Daigo, also furious, remained silent. If they knew I was the Tiga, would I face the same fate...

【 This cleanup squad, part of Commander Matsunaga’s forces, aimed to analyze Himeya Jun’s body structure and condition!

They planned to study and replicate Nexus’s power source, using it as data to create more powerful weapons!

When Himeya Jun woke up, he was met with blinding surgical lights. Countless white cables were attached to his body, connected to a heart monitor, and his body was completely restrained.

Before Himeya Jun could speak... a researcher placed a plastic mask over his mouth, preparing for human experimentation!

In the observation room, Commander Matsunaga coldly said to the doctor beside him: “We want to know the secret of his power.”

“When and how did he obtain this strength?”

He then turned his gaze to the unconscious Himeya Jun. Commander Matsunaga continued indifferently.

“If we can’t get answers... use electricity to scan his brain!!”

As his words fell, the researchers attached a device to Himeya Jun’s head, releasing a massive electric current to search for secrets within.

Under the intense electric shock current, even the unconscious Himeya Jun’s body tensed, trembling in pain. His consciousness began to awaken...

The brain is the most fragile part of the human body. The agony of the electric current made Himeya Jun feel like his head was about to explode!

“By stimulating his cerebral lobe inside his brain with electricity, we can extract memory images.”

“The key is to find the moment he obtained this power...”

Commander Matsunaga’s cold voice continued as they used special equipment to observe Himeya Jun’s memories!】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The audience outside the video was horrified, their scalps tingling. Their anger ignited instantly, and a flood of curses erupted like a tidal wave!

“They’re truly despicable! How they treating a hero like this.”

“I knew it! Why did he even protect them?! Even a dog knows gratitude!”

“Human experimentation?! Humans turning their blades on their own kind! How are they any different from monsters?”

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Doctor Roman was furious. As a researcher and Doctor, he despised human experimentation—this was pure depravity!

With such technology, why not research how to defeat Space Beasts? Instead, they point their blades at their own savior!

~Land of Light – Universal Prison~

Belial sneered at their actions, mocking Himeya Jun for fighting for such humans.

They’d be better off left to their own destruction... Sooner or later, the Space Beasts will wipe them out!

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

The public was outraged, flooding the internet with curses against TLT’s actions!!

Their earlier refusal to issue an evacuation order had already sown resentment. Now, they’re subjecting the hero who risked his life to protect the city to human experimentation...

This is pure evil... No, even evil organizations aren’t this vile!!

Even devout believers of the “Orb Cult,” Makoto Aizen, could not help but shout angrily when he saw this scene:

“Damned humans! I’ll purge you all in Orb-sama’s name!!”

【 As Himeya Jun writhed in pain, deep memories resurfaced.

Amidst the flames of war, Himeya Jun documented everything with his camera. A girl named Sera called out to him, and when he turned...

A shell ended her life, leaving a deep scar in his heart. His memories held no good images.

Seeing no results, Commander Matsunaga decided to use Space Beast shockwaves for irradiation experiments.

“But Space Beast shockwaves are highly damaging to the human body...” The doctor hesitated but was cut off.

“If we can understand his inherent shockwaves, we can analyze the Ultra Warrior’s destructive beams!”

Commander Matsunaga ignored the doctor’s concerns, coldly issuing the final order. He would bear all consequences. 】

.....

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

His cold words terrified even the kind-hearted UltraSeven, filling him with endless rage.

Even the Earth-loving Ultra Brothers were furious at Commander Matsunaga’s actions.

The usually cheerful Mebius fell silent, wondering if he’d face the same fate on Earth. Could he still protect humanity after this?

After fighting Space Beasts for so long, to be subjected to such cruel experiments... This is unacceptable.

Himeya Jun sacrificed his life to save humanity, but no one could save him.

Even the evil Baltans wouldn’t harm their own kind.

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

Jugglus Juggler, stepping into the restroom, couldn’t contain his anger. He was furious at Himeya Jun’s treatment and Commander Matsunaga’s actions.

If his identity were exposed, would he face the same fate? Thinking of this... He wished he could tear Commander Matsunaga into pieces!!

~Kamen Rider Build World~

“Hahaha... Humans are so amusing.”

 Evolto laughed mockingly, his belly shaking.

Protecting humans only to be harmed by them—nothing is more ironic!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

Daigo, originally confused, grew even more lost. He didn’t know why he was fighting anymore. If his identity were exposed, would he face the same fate as Himeya Jun?

“This is what humans are like! Only our Kyrieloid God can lead them. The holy flames will cleanse their sins.”

Kyrieloid sneered.

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn! World~

“Humans! To this day, they are still untrustworthy beings...”

Rokudo Mukuro said coldly.

Having endured human experiments as a child, he trusted no one...

~Projection of All Worlds~

Human experimentation seemed like a forbidden word! Now, the audience’s anger burned fiercely!

“Himeya Jun risked his life to protect them, yet they treat him like this!”

“They don’t deserve to be called human! I feel so sorry for Himeya Jun!”

“Such humans have no future! They’ll destroy themselves sooner or later!”

~Ultraman Gaia Worldline~

Fujimiya Hiroshi, the angriest of all, slammed the table, unable to hold back his frustration.

“Humans are so greedy and ugly, destroying the Earth’s environment!”

“Why do you still protect such ugly humans? Tell me, Himeya Jun! Why?!”

Chapter 90: Land of Light’s Fury! Searching for Answers, Himeya Jun!!

Chapter Text

【 Just as the Space Beast wave vibration experiment began, a white-clad prophet’s hologram appeared before Himeya Jun. With great focus, he communicated his doubts.

“Why don’t you resist...? Could it be that you lack even this ability?”

“Perhaps I want to know too!” Himeya Jun’s voice was filled with confusion as he said, “What does obtaining this power truly mean?”

“Then why continue fighting?” The prophet asked in a complex tone, unable to understand why Himeya Jun didn’t resist.

“If this continues... You might die!”

Himeya Jun wasn’t afraid of death and replied, “I’ve already prepared myself mentally. But... until I find the answer I’m searching for, I can’t die!”

“Then what exactly are you searching for?”

Upon hearing this, Himeya Jun fell silent because he didn’t know either—he was lost in his own confusion.

At this moment, the Space Beast wave vibration experiment began. A blinding light radiated onto Himeya Jun’s body, bringing unbearable pain…

 As the frequency surged with a "lonely ring," the light gradually shifted from blue to red, increasing its destructive power. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The excruciating pain was so vivid that even through the screen, viewers could feel it clearly!

In some everyday worlds, kind-hearted girls couldn’t bear to watch and close their eyes.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Another gathering of Zasshu,”

Gilgamesh sighed, the wine glass shattering in his grip, more from casual annoyance than outright rage.

“They infest this world like vermin, Such people don’t deserve to be my subjects… No, they don’t even deserve to be called human!”

~Kamen Rider Build World~

Banjō Ryūga was equally enraged, recalling the time he was infused with the Nebula Gas—the feeling still lingered vividly in his mind!

Compared to him, Mr. Himeya Jun endured even greater pain! He could imagine just how dark that world must be.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

“Truly a bunch of rotten oranges… It seems no matter the world, so-called higher-ups are equally corrupt.”

 Gojō Satoru’s deep blue eyes stared intently at the figure on the screen.

【 The experiment didn’t stop due to the audience’s anger; instead, it grew more intense!

“BOOM——”

Finally, under the commander’s orders, when the spectral amplification ratio exceeded 5000, Himeya Jun’s heart rate surpassed the 300 limit!!

This was completely beyond the range of human capability!!

Ultimately, the constantly fluctuating green curve flattened into a straight line. A piercing alarm echoed throughout the room, and the entire laboratory descended into chaos!

Because... Himeya Jun’s heart had stopped beating!!

The hero who fought to protect the people didn’t die at the claws of a ferocious beast but fell victim to the blades of his own kind. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Himeya Jun... dead?”

“Just like that...?!”

No matter how much the external audience refused to believe it, the result was clear: Himeya Jun’s heartbeat had completely ceased…

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

Even the Ultras of the Land of Light, known as an ideal society, were now utterly furious.

How could they treat their own kind as human experiments, killing an Ultra Warrior?! This made them indignant on behalf of Himeya Jun!

“Brothers! This is an emergency! Let’s go save Nexus!”

Ultraman Ace urgently exclaimed.

The Ultraman of the Land of Light shook their heads. The universe was vast, and without coordinates, no matter how angry or anxious they were, they couldn’t reach him.

If only they could get there… Perhaps Hikari’s life-stabilizing equipment could revive Himeya Jun!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“How dare you treat life like this?!”

Even the usually calm Daigo slammed his fist onto the table.

The Victory Team members couldn’t help but look at him, though they understood his frustration. At this moment, they too wished they could drag that commander out and beat him senseless.

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

Now, even Nagi Saijyo of Night Rider looked grim. After watching the video and realizing Himeya Jun wasn’t the enemy, they felt deeply indignant on his behalf!

~Kamen Rider Zero-One World~

“This is the bad nature of human beings...!”

Horobi sneered disdainfully.

“Humans are full of greed, hatred… and arrogance.”

“Without Nexus, if another Space Beast appears, they’ll only await destruction!”

【 Seeing Himeya Jun’s heart stop, the previously confident commander becomes extremely flustered.

Commander Matsunaga clutched the defibrillator, frantically shocking Himeya Jun’s chest—but to no avail.

Having lost his heartbeat, Himeya Jun was subjected to the same Space Beast wave vibration under the Prophet’s guidance, awakening the light’s power once again!

A brilliant light erupted from the glass core of the Evoltruster, and together with Himeya Jun, he escaped from the lab…

Himeya Jun, whose heartbeat had just returned, appeared wrapped in light in the hallway of Night Rider’s base, standing directly in Komon Kazuki’s path.

“Mr. Himeya…?!” Komon Kazuki stared in shock at the suddenly appearing figure.

“Komon!” Himeya Jun looked at Komon Kazuki and spoke in a gentle tone.

But before he could say more, the Prophet’s figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

“Let me give you a piece of advice: for now, you absolutely cannot transform again!”

The Prophet’s voice was grave as he gazed at Himeya Jun’s glowing figure. “The burden on your body is far greater than imagined. Your body can’t endure any longer!”

“If you transform and fight again, you might truly die!”

Komon Kazuki was astonished by their conversation but, lacking context, simply turned his gaze toward Himeya Jun.

“I don’t intend to lose my life…” Himeya Jun’s voice remained gentle, showing no fear despite the Prophet’s warning.

“But sometimes, I’m not in control of my actions.”

Himeya Jun’s expression seemed tinged with self-mockery, but his jet-black eyes revealed an unyielding resolve to face death!

The Prophet sighed deeply and then vanished without another word, leaving behind one final statement: “If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more I can say.”

Himeya Jun also disappeared on the spot, leaving Komon Kazuki stunned in place, unsure of what had just happened.

Teleported away, Himeya Jun collapsed on the street but was fortunately found and taken in by a familiar acquaintance, Taro Takahashi.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, pitch-black storm clouds gathered over the city. Vile, grotesque tentacles emerged from the sky, snatching humans off the ground.

The Evoltruster in Himeya Jun’s hand flickered with light, seemingly alerting him to the appearance of a new Space Beast!

As Himeya Jun prepared to head out, Taro Takahashi quietly appeared behind him.

“You… are going to fight again?” Taro’s voice carried mixed emotions as he gazed at Himeya Jun’s figure. “I still don’t fully understand the weight you carry on your shoulders… Perhaps I can’t fully grasp your pain.”

Then, with an almost pleading look in his eyes, he continued: “But! You need a place to rest, don’t you?” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The external audience, who had initially rejoiced at his revival, now saw another side of Himeya Jun. They noticed the mutual admiration between these two individuals, hindered only by pride and hesitation.

No one understood shipping better than they did.

【 Himeya Jun naturally understood the implication, but…

“I couldn’t protect many people, and others have lost their lives because of me… I don’t want to see anyone else hurt, including you.”

After speaking to Taro Takahashi, Himeya Jun picked up his black coat and left the house.

Taro Takahashi mustered his courage, immediately running out the door and chasing after Himeya Jun: “Mr. Himeya, please don’t go!”

He couldn’t bear to see Mr. Himeya, battered and bruised, leave again. When he’d first found him unconscious, his frail and broken state had pained Taro deeply.

Hearing the call, Himeya Jun recalled Sella, who had called out to him in the same way! It was precisely because of this that he wanted to save more people.

Himeya Jun’s expression grew complex. Slowly turning his head away, he took a deep breath and murmured, “I’m sorry!”

“I still have something I must accomplish…” Himeya Jun said before running once again toward the Space Beast.】

Chapter 91: Fighting Against ‘Fate’!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Why does Himeya Jun continue to fight for such humans?!!”

“To think he was subjected to horrifying human experimentation by the very people he protected!!...”

“The torment he endured through those experiments… The relentless physical and mental toll, the constant risk to his life—it’s unimaginable!”

“Now, after barely surviving, he’s once again dragging his battered body into battle!”

Everyone watching the video felt indignant on behalf of Himeya Jun. They couldn’t understand why he would keep fighting for such ungrateful people.

~Land of Light, Universe Prison~

“How laughable! Himeya Jun… The beings you’re protecting have no value at all.”

In the dark confines of the universe prison, Belial reopened his eyes. His entire body was embedded in the wall, and normally, all he could do was watch videos to pass the time.

Even Tregear, shrouded in the darkness of an unknown world, spoke with a chillingly calm tone:

“Warriors of light! What can your frail, candle-like body possibly achieve in this storm? I’ll be watching closely to see how far you can go!”

Seeing someone who embraced the light despite being surrounded by darkness, Himeya Jun had piqued his interest.

~Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Ah! It truly is heartbreaking!”

UltraSeven felt a deep pang of sorrow. He could sense the immense pain Himeya Jun must be enduring.

Based on what the Prophet had said earlier, transforming again would undoubtedly lead to his death! Right now, Himeya Jun was merely burning his life away to protect this world.

【 “You seem overly worried about him?”

Just as Megumi Sakuta gazed at Himeya Jun walking away, a sinister voice suddenly echoed in her ear. At that moment, a strange man appeared beside her!

Even though they were meeting for the first time, Megumi Sakuta could sense the dark aura emanating from the man… A feeling of unease wrapped around her heart. Her only thought at that moment was that this person was definitely not someone good.

Meanwhile, guided by the Evoltruster, Himeya Jun kept running forward.

At the same time, at a construction site, the Space Beast’s grotesque tentacles tightly coiled around a worker’s leg, pulling them toward a black vortex in the sky. The worker’s screams faded into silence, and more tentacles emerged to attack the remaining workers.

Himeya Jun, who had just arrived, saw this scene and furrowed his brows. Gripping the Evoltruster in his hand, the Prophet’s earlier warning echoed in his ears once again!

“If you transform and fight again, you might truly die!”

But if he feared death, Himeya Jun wouldn’t be here in the first place! Without hesitation, he drew the Evoltruster from his hand!

Under the brilliant flash of light, Nexus’ figure appeared in the sky once more. With a single strike, he severed the tentacles!

The worker who narrowly escaped death looked up in terror, only to see a towering silver-white giant standing protectively before them.

Nexus stood tall, releasing waves of cutting light from his hands to free the other trapped workers.

However, he was soon restrained by several tentacles. Perhaps due to Himeya Jun’s deteriorated body, Nexus couldn’t evade them!

“Clang! Clang!”

In mere moments, Nexus’ core on his chest began flashing rapidly, emitting warnings of insufficient energy!

It wasn’t until Night Rider intervened that he managed to break free. Breathing heavily, he collapsed onto the ground, his towering form unable to endure any longer, and then vanished completely. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“His appearances are getting shorter and shorter! Doesn’t this mean Himeya Jun is reaching his limit…?”

“Right now, his appearances last less than 10 seconds, and his chest core is flashing incessantly!”

“What’s the reason behind his continued fighting? What keeps him going like this?”

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“This isn’t good at all!”

As Land of Light’s chief scientist, Hikari was extremely familiar with Ultraman physiology.

Himeya Jun was now fighting to sustain life itself… No, it would be more accurate to say he was using his very life force to sustain the fight!

The cycle of fighting, healing, and fighting again—without rest—had already pushed his body beyond its limits. And then came the human experimentation! His body had long surpassed its breaking point.

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

'Monster Professor' Teppei Kuze frowned as he watched Nexus's disappearing figure.

“From appearance to disappearance, it’s been less than 10 seconds… He can’t hold on anymore! Based on past records, when an Ultraman’s chest core stops flashing, they will die.”

“Ultraman can die too?... Does that mean Ultraman is also a living being?”

Aihara Ryū asked in shock.

“Not only that but injuries to the human host affect the Ultraman’s body. The chest core acts as a reflection of the host’s current state!”

Teppei Kuze nodded, referencing past Ultraman records, and continued his analysis.

“This is why Himeya Jun’s condition has exceeded our imagination… Even transforming into Ultraman has become incredibly taxing for him!”

【 Komon Kazuki found the unconscious Himeya Jun in the forest. As he examined Himeya Jun’s battered body, Himeya Jun suddenly opened his eyes, stood up, and staggered into the distance.

Komon Kazuki watched as Himeya Jun, his body broken and frail, limped away. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he voiced his question.

“Why fight so desperately? What’s the reason?” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This was also the question everyone outside the video wanted answered.

Witnessing the darkness of the world and enduring betrayal from their own kind, why did he still fight to protect humanity?

Was it simply because of his kind heart?

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

The ordinary citizens of this world now felt overwhelming guilt. To be treated this way… It was nothing short of a betrayal by humanity.

How could they not feel remorse for wanting to protect him despite everything? Their hearts were filled with shame, and Others clenched their fists tightly, nails digging into their palms as if trying to channel their anguish into something tangible, cursing their own kind for being so despicable.

【 “I still have… something I must do!” Himeya Jun summoned Stone Wing and knelt on the ground.

“As for the reason… I don’t know.” Himeya Jun panted heavily, staring at the Evoltruster in his hand: “All I know is… This light granted me this power, so I…”

Komon Kazuki couldn’t bear to watch his battered Himeya Jun suffer any longer: “In your current condition, you’ll die in battle!”

“Let him be.” Nagi Saijo suddenly appeared, having gradually come to understand Himeya Jun!

“Hurry up. The Memory Police will be here soon.”

Himeya Jun looked at Komon Kazuki and Nagi Saijo, a rare smile appearing on his face: “I’m sorry!”

He then transformed into a beam of white light, riding Stone Wing and leaving the area.

Night Rider obtained hidden information through basic code decryption: “When the seventh seal is broken, at midnight, the gates of darkness leading to the end will open.”

This event occurred five years ago— Shinjuku!

Meanwhile, another group uncovered the secrets of Revelation, arriving at the location where a mysterious vortex reappeared, sending out tentacles to drag them in!

“BANG——”

A gunshot rang out as Himeya Jun saved them.

“Mr. Negoro, it’s dangerous here! Please return to the surface immediately!!”

When Jinzo Negoro insisted on uncovering the truth, Himeya Jun fired a shot at his feet, stopping him in his tracks.

“Go back. If you proceed further, you’ll only meet your death. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt!”

Jinzo Negoro, forced to stop, looked into Himeya Jun’s eyes. He felt something stir within him, evoking complex emotions.

“Himeya… What drives you to fight so relentlessly? What exactly are you fighting against?”

“What am I fighting against?” Himeya Jun lowered his head, recalling the countless battles he’d fought.

As if finding the answer, he spoke.

“It’s…”

“BOOM——”

A bizarre spatial rift reappeared, and grotesque tentacles surged forth, lunging toward Himeya Jun and Jinzo Negoro with deadly intent!

“FATE!!”

Without hesitation, Himeya Jun drew the Evoltruster! Amidst a burst of crimson light, he transformed into Ultraman Nexus! 】

Notes:

I’m torn, does Jun Himeya resist fate or align with it?

Chapter 92: The Core Energy Exhausted!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Fate? Why does Himeya Jun say that he is against fate…?”

“Could there be some hidden scene we haven’t seen yet?”

The audience outside the video was puzzled by Himeya Jun’s mention of fate. What kind of reason was this to fight?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 6: Stone Ocean Worldline~

Rikiel, with an unusually calm expression, watched his Stand roll on the ground beside him.

He then slowly turned toward the screen, addressing Himeya Jun:

“Each of us is a slave to our fate! Those who resist fate will ultimately walk the path to destruction.”

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“Fighting against fate…?”

Daigo now wore a look of confusion. He began searching for his own reason to fight.

What about me? Why do I fight? Looking at the faint glow emanating from the firework prism in his hand, he wondered:

What was the reason I was chosen by the light?”

~Land of Light~

“Without a doubt, he is an outstanding Ultra Warrior!”

Ultraman Leo clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with admiration.

For someone who considered Earth their second home, Leo himself had fought countless life-and-death battles against powerful enemies to protect it, even at the cost of his own life.

“That’s right, Leo-nii!”

 Astra couldn’t help but smile warmly at his brother’s enthusiasm.

He understood how Leo felt about Himeya Jun, who risked everything to fight. It was clear that Leo held immense respect and admiration for him.

But not everyone in the Land of Light shared this sentiment.

“What is Nexus thinking?! Allowing a human to transform like this?!”

Max exclaimed, his face filled with bewilderment.

Even in a state of perfect synchronization, Ultraman could prevent a human host from transforming! So why did Nexus allow such a thing…

【 Himeya Jun, transformed into Nexus, became a streak of red light and charged into the spatial vortex, disappearing into the underground passage!

Meanwhile, in a dim and murky world filled with foul air and the stench of death, this desolate wasteland perfectly described the land known as “Land of the Dead!!”

Sakuta awoke from unconsciousness to find herself in this eerie space. Behind her stood Shinya Mizorogi, who had kidnapped her and brought her to this strange, oppressive dimension.

At that moment, the spatial vortex in the sky suddenly trembled, and the silver-white figure of Nexus emerged, falling onto the ground!

“Look, that’s Himeya ~~!” Shinya Mizorogi said to the astonished Sakuta.

Nexus, upon arriving, noticed the two figures below. His bright eyes met Sakuta’s gaze, and the two exchanged a long look.

“Aaaa——”

A grotesque tentacle beast named Kutuura launched a surprise attack, lashing out with a menacing appendage toward Nexus!

Nexus glanced back, casually swatting the tentacle away before charging toward the Space Beast!

Just as he approached, Nexus leaped powerfully, curling his body mid-air and delivering a fierce kick directly onto Kutuura’s back.

The forceful blow sent Kutuura flying, sparks erupting as it let out a pitiful scream!

Nexus immediately transitioned into close combat, seizing control of Kutuura’s tentacles and spinning with all his might, flinging the beast far away like a massive windmill, creating a tremendous shockwave.

However, Nexus’ condition wasn’t great either. Though unharmed, the previous battle seemed to have drained his strength, leaving him kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath. 】

......

~Ultraman Cosmos Worldline~

“This situation isn’t good!”

Musashi Haruno’s face was etched with worry. Anyone with eyes could see it.

“Himeya Jun’s body can’t take it anymore!”

The Space Beasts seemed to have kept appearing one after another without giving Himeya Jun any time to rest. Each new appearance brought a stronger foe than before!

Was this bullying Nexus because he had no allies? Don’t let me find out which world this is! Otherwise, I’ll show you what it means to face a compassionate warrior!!

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

Ultraman Ace suddenly realized that Space Beasts fed on fear, knowing neither fear nor death—only destruction and the desire to kill. This was familiar to him!

To deal with such monsters, they had to keep attacking relentlessly until the enemy was reduced to atomic dust!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“So this is what an Ultra Warrior is…”

Daigo’s once-confused eyes now shone brightly.

He is both light and human. If Himeya Jun, as an Ultra Warrior, can fight like this, then so can I.

I won’t run away. I’ll shoulder the responsibility of Ultraman and fight to the death.

With newfound resolve, the haze in his eyes disappeared, replaced by unwavering determination.

“I’ll protect this world and strive to become a hero worthy of it!”

 Due to exhaustion, Nexus’ reactions slowed, and Kutuura’s tentacles tightened around him, spewing black smoke that struck Nexus’ body!

“BOOM——”

Sparks erupted from Nexus, accompanied by anguished screams. The core on his chest flickered wildly.

“Clang!... Clang!!”

This scene made Sakuta, who was standing on the ground, feel a tightness in her heart. She couldn’t bear to watch as Nexus struggled.

As Nexus’ energy core rapidly blinked, Himeya Jun’s life force continued to slip away!

Kutuura clearly didn’t want to miss this opportunity. He hurled Nexus into the air and slammed him down onto the hard ground with tremendous force.

“BOOM——”

The entire ground shook violently, trembling endlessly.

But the assault didn’t stop there. Kutuura kept repeating the process, relentlessly battering Nexus.

Two… Three times… The ground quaked continuously!

Unable to bear the sight, Sakuta cried out in anguish: “Himeya-sama!!...”

Her mournful cry echoed through the sky. Shinya Mizorogi watched impassively, saying: “His fight is about to end. Himeya Jun’s mission has been completed!”

After speaking, Shinya Mizorogi revealed a sinister smile, as if his plan had unfolded exactly as intended, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

Kutuura seemed to toy with Nexus, launching brutal attacks every time Nexus tried to rise. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, even soft-hearted girls turned away, unable to bear watching any longer. Tears streamed down their faces as they whispered,

“How could anyone endure such pain…?”

~Land of Light~

“Damn, bastard!”

Ace was furious, his fists clenched tightly as energy crackled around him, ready to tear him apart. His eyes burned with rage as he glared at the screen, unable to contain his emotions.

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

Natsukawa Haruki clenched his fists tightly, shouting desperately:

“Himeya-senpai!”

~Ultraman ██████ Worldline~

Dyna, who was wandering around in different universes, was filled with rage.

“If I ever find out which world you’re in… I’ll banish you straight into a black hole factory!”

Then he traveled through the world again, hoping to locate Nexus’ universe.

【 After repeated assaults, Himeya Jun’s body finally couldn't bear it anymore and reached its limit. The energy core on his chest stopped blinking altogether.

Nexus couldn't support his body anymore, and the energy core on his chest also stopped pulsing. And his massive form collapsed heavily onto the ground.

His once-bright eyes dimmed completely, and the dark world fell silent once more.

The Night Raiders, who had just arrived at the land of the dead, saw Nexus bound by countless vines atop a mountain riddled with caves!

The core on his chest had gone completely dark. His body hung there like a statue, exuding an aura of despair that enveloped everyone’s hearts.

“No… No!!” Komon Kazuki screamed in agony: “It can’t end like this!!”

His voice echoed through the darkness of the land of the dead, but could no longer reach the revered Himeya-sama in his heart… 】

Notes:

Translator note: Jun Himeya’s battle feels like both rebellion and surrender to fate. I can't decide which one is which...

Chapter 93: The Hero!! A Man Who Keeps Fighting Even After the Light Goes Out

Chapter Text

Nexus’ chest core went dark… The light in his eyes disappeared as well. Perhaps those unfamiliar with Ultraman might think it was simply exhaustion leading to unconsciousness.

But the Ultras of the Ultraman universe understood what this truly meant. Though Ultraman’s color timers now came in various forms, they all served the same purpose: controlling the energy core of Ultraman! This was both Ultraman’s weakness and their strongest point…

From previous videos, it was clear that Nexus was unique. His injuries were transferred to his human form, and now that the chest core had stopped blinking, it meant Himeya Jun had completely lost his life!!

~Land of Light~

At this moment, even the Ultras were shaken. Everyone urged the brilliant scientist Hikari to accelerate his research on tools capable of crossing universes.

Commander Zoffy and his brothers couldn’t wait to deliver a righteous beating to those evil Space Beasts!

Even Zoffy, who had witnessed countless Ultramen die in battle over thousands of years, couldn’t help but sigh deeply. But this human named Himeya Jun was someone they deeply respected.

~In a World of Darkness~

Tregear tilted his head slightly and spoke slowly:

“Is this all you’ve got? Warrior of light?”

It was over! He could no longer sense the power of light within Himeya Jun.

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“What… happened?!”

 Daigo, who had just risen from his seat, collapsed back into his chair in shock.

Though he had only recently become an Ultraman, he understood what it meant when the chest core stopped beating. Himeya Jun, who had tirelessly fought for humanity, had ultimately fallen in this land of eternal night!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

“Johnny, Himeya Jun is a warrior worthy of our respect!”

Caesar Zeppeli removed his hat as a sign of respect, shaking his head in sorrow as he turned to Johnny, who shared his grief.

Even Johnny, with his indomitable will, couldn’t help but bow his head in mourning for such a brave warrior.

~Haiyore! Nyaruko World~

“How can this be? I refuse to believe Himeya Jun’s story ends here.”

Nyaruko slammed her fists on the table, her silver hair bouncing with indignation.

As a member of the alien race known as Nyarlathotep—originally featured in Lovecraft’s works as an Outer God—she was no stranger to cosmic horrors and tragic tales. But this… this was unacceptable!

“Heroes don’t just meet such tragic fates!”

She declared, pointing dramatically at the screen. An otaku herself knew heroes didn’t meet such tragic fates.

“Not in anime, not in light novels, and definitely not in real life! It’s against the rules of storytelling!”

Mahiro, sitting nearby, sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair.

“Nyaruko, life doesn’t follow script conventions. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.”

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

The world’s citizens, including some members of Night Raiders, fell into silence. Their faces reflected endless sorrow.

“Is this my fate?”

Himeya Jun muttered bitterly as he stared at his fallen figure.

“How could I fall like this? I haven’t yet found my reason to fight…”

【 “No, no! Mr. Himeya can’t possibly lose!” Komon Kazuki refused to accept this reality, her voice filled with anguish.

Suddenly, Shinya Mizorogi’s figure appeared on the cockpit screen, revealing a sinister smile.

“Don’t panic. You’re still as fragile as ever!”

“The defeat of Ultraman is merely the beginning—a prelude to the sacred ritual! That is about to begin.”

“Shinya Mizorogi!! I’ll never forgive you!” Komon Kazuki shouted furiously, clenching her fists and preparing to attack.

Anticipating her move, Shinya Mizorogi pulled Sakuta in front of him as a shield, preventing any attacks.

While Komon Kazuki hesitated, Kutuura’s tentacles bound the Night Raider aircraft tightly.

Watching the scene unfold, Shinya Mizorogi couldn’t suppress his grin: “All guests have arrived… Now, let the execution begin.”

He then pulled out the dark Mephisto transformation device, and with a flash of red light—

“Hell… shall open!”

The dark ivy-like tendrils binding Nexus spread relentlessly, covering his entire body. As the vines consumed him, Himeya Jun’s life force began to fade entirely.

Shinya Mizorogi laughed maniacally as endless darkness enveloped everyone.

Meanwhile, within the extinguished energy core, Himeya Jun once again dreamed of the past. He lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.

“Jun… Jun!!”

When Himeya Jun opened his eyes, he saw Sera standing before him, smiling warmly.

“Sera?” Himeya Jun whispered, his voice trembling.

Sera stood there, her gentle smile unwavering: “Jun, did you capture the photos you were satisfied with?”

Hearing her question, Himeya Jun shook his head slowly, his voice tinged with pain: “I… originally wanted to document everyone alive, searching for the meaning of survival. But instead… I ended up capturing everyone’s final moments.”

“I’m so pathetic!” 】

.....

~Kamen Rider Decade World~

“So this has been the weight he’s carried all along? No wonder he’s never smiled,”

 Tsukasa Kadoya murmured.

As a photographer himself, he understood the torment of being rejected by every world he visited, leaving behind twisted images of despair.

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

“That's not true! There’s no one better than you, Senpai!” Haruki exclaimed, trying to reassure Himeya Jun.

【 Himeya Jun slowly drew the Evoltruster, continuing softly: “It was you who guided me to obtain this light’s power!”

“And then… I kept fighting to save others.”

“This light’s power was entrusted to me, but to me, it felt more like a punishment.”

“Fighting left me battered, and in the end, I died alone.”

“Perhaps this… at least eased some of the guilt I felt. But now, it’s all over!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Now, the audience outside the video finally understood his reason for fighting.

To him, it had been a form of punishment, a way to die in battle and perhaps alleviate some of the guilt he carried within.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 6th singularity, Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot~

“He feels so much like me,”

Bedivere said his expression was complex.

He understood this feeling. For over 1,500 years, he had sought King Arthur to atone for his sins.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“So that’s what he thought…”

Ultraseven shook his head.

Himeya Jun, this was absolutely not a punishment! It wasn’t that humans were chosen—it was humans who chose the light!!

Across different worlds, people quietly took out their transformation devices, pondering why they had been chosen by the light.

【 Sera shook her head, rejecting his notion: “Jun, this power is absolutely not a punishment!”

Himeya Jun froze, and then the Evoltruster in his hand erupted with light once more, transporting him back to the ruins where it all began.

“This light was entrusted to you,” Sera’s voice echoed in his ears. “Passed down through time, inherited by many. Those who received this light may have lost something precious, but they fought with everything they had.”

Himeya Jun stared at the Evoltruster in his hand: “And this light… chose me?!”

“Exactly! You were chosen by this light, making you its inheritor.”

Himeya Jun’s face was filled with self-reproach and pain: “But… do I deserve this? I failed to protect you…”

Before he could finish, Sera interrupted: “Jun, I loved your photos. They allowed me to see the brilliance of this world.”

“I’m so happy you showed me this world’s light,” Sera said joyfully, her figure gradually fading. “Meeting you made me truly, truly happy!”

“Thank you… Use this power to protect those important to you!” With that, she vanished from this world.

Himeya Jun slowly rose to his feet. His greatest regret had been failing to protect Sera. Now, this light had chosen him, granting him the strength to protect others.

Such tragedies would never happen again.

“This time, I’ll use everything I have to protect them!” The confusion in Himeya Jun’s eyes disappeared, replaced by unwavering determination.

“Protect those precious to me… and fulfill the mission this light has entrusted to me!”

The Evoltruster seemed to respond to his words, glowing brighter and erupting with crimson light, enveloping Himeya Jun.

Outside, the dark tendrils covering Nexus’ body shattered as the chest core reignited, dispelling the darkness.

The silver-white figure descended once more, but unlike before, the world remained shrouded in darkness, and his eyes lacked their usual brilliance. 】

.....

~Land of Light~

Everyone stood up in disbelief, staring at the scene before them.

“Am I dreaming?”

Hikari’s eyes widened in astonishment, even questioning the limits of science. In his memory, no Ultraman had ever risen after their light had faded.

“Himeya Jun… truly is an unimaginable man,”

Commander Zoffy said, equally moved. After all these years, he had never encountered a warrior with such unyielding faith!

Leo shared the same admiration. Though he too had once lost his life, he had been resurrected by the power of the king.

But this man… fought on sheer willpower, even after death had claimed him!

~Cosmic Prison~

“How… is this possible?”

Belial muttered, doubting whether his long imprisonment had left him out of touch with the times.

The light had clearly vanished—what reason was there for him to keep moving?!

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

Teppei Kuze frantically flipped through his computer’s data. Never before had there been a case of an Ultraman reigniting their chest core after it had gone dark!

His face lit up with excitement:

“This is nothing short of a miracle!!”

In this dark land of the dead, after losing the light… Nexus stood tall once more, bringing indescribable awe to those watching outside the video.

“He stood up!! That’s incredible.”

Everyone outside the video cheered, unable to imagine a hero more heroic than this!

【 Night Raiders delivered their final energy ray to Himeya Jun’s core, replenishing his energy! With their support, he regained the power of light!

With a wave of his hand, ripples of energy surged, transforming him into his crimson form once more.

Accompanied by Nexus’ triumphant return, the video suddenly played an electrifying BGM! 】

A man should grow strong for the sake of others!

【 Nexus and Dark Mephisto soared into the sky, their luminous and shadowy figures colliding fiercely!

“Hope, light, belongs to those who never give up! This power was given to me! If you don’t understand that, how can you possibly defeat me?” 】

Clenching his teeth, he stood firm until the very end!

【 The two clashed violently in midair. When Dark Mephisto attacked Sakuta on the ground, Nexus swiftly returned to shield her. 】

It doesn’t matter if you fall, as long as you rise again.

【 Nexus crossed his arms, gathering light energy in his hands!

Dark Mephisto retaliated, unleashing his dark power! 】

As long as you can persevere!

【 Nexus vs. Dark Mephisto, light versus darkness—their beams collided in the sky, forming a massive fireball.

The fireball illuminated the entire land of eternal night. Nexus turned to look at Taro Takahashi and Komon Kazuki below as if bidding a final farewell.

Then, Nexus’ crimson figure charged into the fireball, delivering a powerful punch like a meteor colliding with Dark Mephisto!

The fireball exploded, and amidst a blinding white light, the two figures vanished from this world. 】

He truly was a hero!

Chapter 94: It’s Just a Connection!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A warrior who lost his light, yet rose again through sheer willpower… and defeated the evil enemy.”

“Transcending the limits of life and death… truly inspiring to the heart.”

“So this is what it means to be a hero?! Yes, Himeya Jun is undoubtedly a true hero.”

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Men should grow strong for others!”

Upon hearing these words, Ultraman Leo’s tiger-like eyes welled up with tears.

He deeply understood this sentiment. His homeland had been destroyed, and he hadn’t been able to protect it from sinking into darkness!

But giving up was never an option. When faced with an unbeatable enemy, one must strive to become stronger. Falling down? So what? Getting back up—that’s what defines you!

Simply doing that makes someone a hero, but who can truly achieve it?!

At this moment, Hikari wished he could send all sorts of strange gadgets, powerful weapons, or even life-preserving equipment from his lab to help!

“Take whatever you need—if I don’t have it here, I’ll create it for you!”

Meanwhile, UltraSeven had traveled to King Star to seek out Commander Zoffy, hoping to locate Nexus’ world. He couldn’t bear to see such a young man, so devoted to humanity, continue to suffer like this.

Moreover, he’d long despised those Space Beasts. He wanted them to know what true justice felt like—a righteous beatdown!!

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

“Himeya-sama!!”

Watching Himeya Jun leave in the video, Komon Kazuki felt an indescribable pain in his heart.

Whenever they were plunged into darkness, Himeya Jun would appear, pulling them out of despair and saving them from the abyss. Now, all he could do was watch as Himeya disappeared, powerless to stop him.

A heavy silence enveloped the Night Raider headquarters… Grief and sorrow weighed heavily on their hearts as they raised their hands in a final salute to the hero who had vanished in the video.

Himeya Jun gazed at the faintly glowing Evoltruster in his hand, his expression complex:

“So you chose me not as a punishment.”

The anguish that had lingered on his face faded, replaced by a sense of relief. He then looked up at the vast blue sky, vowing to use this power to its fullest—to protect.

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“Himeya-sama…… Thank you.”

Daigo touched the firework prism in his chest, silently resolving to become stronger to protect others.

“Well, Team Member Horii!”

Captain Iruma Megumi thought for a moment before calling out to the rotund figure beside him:

“Could we develop technology similar to Night Raider’s? to provide energy for Ultraman?!”

Upon hearing this, Horii nodded in understanding and immediately dashed off to the lab. He wanted to prepare for the possibility of such a situation arising in their world…

~Projection of All Worlds~

Outside the video, everyone was profoundly shaken by Himeya Jun’s actions. Fighting for his life, carrying burdens far beyond his responsibility on his ordinary shoulders.

Even when faced with insurmountable odds and overwhelming enemies, he never backed down. In moments of despair, he rose again through sheer willpower.

Breaking through the darkness shrouding people’s hearts, he was a true man, worthy of being called a hero.

Hero ——

【 Watching Nexus’ disappearing figure, Komon Kazuki struggled to hide his grief. Suddenly, he was enveloped by a warm light.

The blinding brilliance forced him to shield his eyes. When he lowered his hand, he saw a familiar figure before him.

“Komon…”

The familiar voice rang in his ears. Komon Kazuki looked up, disbelief in his eyes: “Himeya-sama?!”

“Komon!” Himeya Jun gazed at him with utmost seriousness, as if entrusting something important: “It’s just a connection—it will be inherited and continue to shine!”

Komon Kazuki, confused, murmured: “Just a connection?...”

“When it reaches the next successor, it will shine once more!” Himeya Jun didn’t elaborate further, instead smiling sincerely.

This was the first—and last—time Komon Kazuki saw Himeya smile so freely. Gone were the days of sorrow and pain; it was as if all his suffering had vanished along with his life.

His smile carried ease and liberation. As Komon Kazuki turned away, the figure grew smaller and smaller, fading into the distance until it disappeared entirely.

Silent tears streamed down Komon Kazuki’s face.

Then, his voice echoed outside the frame: “After saying those words, Himeya Jun disappeared…”

Finally, the screen faded to black. The hero’s story had come to an end.】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Tearful farewell… Who would’ve thought Himeya Jun’s final scene would be meeting Komon one last time!”

“‘Just a connection—it will be passed on and continue to shine.’ Does this mean Komon Kazuki might become the new Nexus?”

“After all, the story was narrated from Komon Kazuki’s perspective. There must be significance to this ending!”

“But at least the true man, Himeya Jun, can finally rest…”

~Kamen Rider Build Worldline~

The self-proclaimed heroic rabbit felt awkward using the term “hero” after seeing Himeya Jun. Compared to him, he hadn’t earned the title yet.

However, he resolved to work harder to become a true hero. After all…

“A hero can’t run away from the battlefield!”

~Kamen Rider OOO Worldline~

The farewell between Himeya Jun and Komon Kazuki reminded him of Ankh’s parting words.

“The hand that grasps is no longer mine.”

Hino Eiji stared at the shattered red coin in his hand, gripping it tightly.

He vowed to find a way to revive Ankh!

~Projection of All Worlds~

The viewers outside the video felt immense respect. They couldn’t imagine themselves enduring what Himeya Jun had gone through.

Bearing all the injuries and dangers alone, fighting terrifying and powerful Space Beasts with his life, enduring every wound and pain on his own, shouldering all fatigue and responsibility in his heart.

Even as his body crumbled from constant battles, and despite being ostracized by the Memory Police, no one would ever forget his sacrifices.

Yet, at the moment danger approached, he still dragged his battered body to stand before the brightly lit city, protecting it.

This was what truly commanded respect—the spirit and willpower that brought out the light within him, shining brilliantly.

Fortunately, Himeya Jun, who had always viewed the light as punishment, finally found his reason to fight—and the meaning of the light—at the very end.

“It’s just a connection—it will be inherited and continue to shine!”

Chapter 95: The Top 4 – To the Shining Ones

Chapter Text

Top 5 has ended... But regardless of whether we look at the script or Himeya Jun’s final words, everyone feels there is more to come!

Did Himeya Jun die? Will Komon Kazuki become the new human host for Nexus? These two questions have been itching at the audience’s minds.

Though many were unsatisfied—after all, shouldn’t the story continue until Nexus’ ultimate conclusion? Why end it here?!

No matter how curious the audience was, it didn’t matter… because a new title card appeared in the video!

 

【 Top 4: To the Shining Ones!!】

 

Seeing the completely new video, the audience outside turned their attention back to the screen.

【 At TPC Victory Team headquarters, the group now gathered around a meteorite. They proceeded to cut it open.

To their astonishment, it wasn’t a natural meteorite—it had been manufactured. Inside, a strange circular device appeared before everyone’s eyes.

Before they could marvel, a white-haired figure in white robes emerged as a hologram from the device, thanks to a language translation machine, the Victory Team understood her words.

“Everyone, I am the spirit of Earth’s Guardian Corps Commander Yuzare. This time machine has come to Earth, which means Earth will soon undergo a catastrophic change.”

“The only ones who can protect Earth from this calamity are the titans of light hidden within the great pyramid. Those Titans of light were once Earth’s guardian deities.”

“They sealed their fighting bodies inside the massive pyramid, then reverted to light form and returned to their homeland!”

“My descendants, your current mission is to awaken the Titan of light! There is only one way to restore the Titan of light, and that is to let……”

Her voice trailed off before disappearing, leaving the Victory Team members staring at each other in confusion. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this a world similar to Nexus? Titans of light exist!”

“I hate when people leave their sentences unfinished! Can’t they just clearly explain how to restore the giant?”

“If they left their body behind… wouldn’t it be like a fighter jet? Just hop in and take control?”

“So, just like Nexus, there’s an entire group of them! And they even have a homeland!”

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“This is our world!!...”

Iruma Megumi stared in shock at the scene unfolding on the screen—it wasn’t something that had happened not long ago, was it?

Masami Horii excitedly said:

“Does this mean we might also see our future?!”

“Maybe we’ll even witness my ace pilot skills,”

Tetsuo Shinjoh added, lost in his fantasies.

As everyone indulged in imagining the future, Daigo began trembling uncontrollably.

It’s over for me! I’m definitely going to be exposed… While knowing the future through videos might seem like a good thing, once exposed, wouldn’t I face the same fate as Himeya-sama?!

【 Just as the prophecy foretold, the monsters Golza and Melba appeared! This made Captain Iruma Megumi believe in the prophecy, but he wondered: “Where is the Titan in the pyramid?”

Daigo confidently typed on his keyboard: “If we locate the pyramid, we’ll find it immediately!”

He then pinpointed its location deep in the mountains, and the Victory Team set out to search. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“If I’m not mistaken, the pyramid is a tomb, right?! Why do they build them everywhere?”

“If it were modern times, it would’ve been demolished as an illegal structure.”

“Well, pyramids are everywhere! Not just in Egypt, huh?”

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 6th singularity, Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot~

“The pyramid?!”

Sun King silently glanced at his feet… Could it be that future generations love building things randomly like this?

Fujimaru Ritsuka curiously looked at Mash. Wasn’t Galahad the same, passing his power to Mash and then not caring about anything else?

But what puzzled him more was why the pyramid was located deep in the mountains… If this were Japan’s mountains, I wouldn’t be surprised even if it appeared in Egypt.

 After driving the Victory Flyer to the destination, the team split into five groups to search for the pyramid from different directions.

At this time, Daigo was on a suspension bridge, scanning his surroundings, trying to locate the pyramid.

“Daigo… Daigo!”

Suddenly, a female voice called out from an unknown direction, repeatedly shouting his name!

Daigo paused, looking around to find the source of the voice. Then, he saw a faintly visible pyramid and fell into a brief silence. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Not only was he silent, but the audience outside the video was too.

“There really is a golden pyramid… Why hasn’t anyone discovered it after all these years?”

“For sure, this guy named Daigo must be extraordinary! Maybe he’s a being like Nexus!”

【 Approaching the pyramid, Daigo noticed it seemed to be made of light. He placed his hands into the pyramid and walked straight through.

Worried about Daigo’s safety, the other Victory Team members followed him inside. There, everyone saw three towering stone statues of giants standing within the pyramid! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This time there are three of them? That’s great—they won’t have to fight alone anymore.”

“Come join the righteous beatdown gang… Three against one isn’t bad!”

“But the key issue is, we still don’t know how to revive the Titans! What should we do now?”

【 Golza’s chest glowed with purple light, and a violet beam shot from his forehead toward the pyramid, destroying its outer shell and revealing the Titan’s silhouette inside.

Then, the other monster, Melba, arrived and joined Golza in smashing the stone statues. In moments, two of the statues were destroyed.

The final statue was pushed to the ground, causing a massive tremor.

“Stop——!!”

At that moment, Daigo couldn’t hold back any longer. He piloted the Victory Flyer and pressed the attack button, but since no weapons were equipped, only two smoke bombs were launched.

This drew the monsters’ attention. As Daigo tried to lure them away, Melba fired several beams from the sky, striking the tail of the Victory Flyer.

Vice-captain Seiichi Munakata shouted anxiously: “Jump out, Daigo! Jump out!”

“It’s malfunctioning!” Daigo tried several times but couldn’t eject. Flames erupted in the cockpit, filling it with thick smoke that made breathing difficult.

Hearing this, the Victory Team members widened their eyes, urgently calling out Daigo’s name.

At that moment, a white light enveloped Daigo, and he entered the fallen Titan statue that Golza had knocked down.

“BOOM——”

At the same time, Victory Flyer 1 crashed into the jungle, exploding with a deafening roar. The Victory Team turned away, unable to bear watching.

On the other side, Golza slowly approached the fallen Titan statue, raising one foot to destroy it completely.

Unbeknownst to him, the fallen statue began emitting a blinding white light from its forehead, then raised both hands to block the kick.

At this point, Golza’s face was filled with shock, unsure of what was happening.

But then, the Titan raised his hand, and a blue glowing timer appeared on his chest. With great force, he pushed Golza off his body.

He stood up from the ground and assumed a battle stance!! 】

.....

~Land of Light~

“Am I seeing this wrong? Or am I daydreaming? How did he do it? Directly transforming from a human into light and entering the statue…”

Commander Zoffy’s brothers began doubting their eyes. So it’s not just Ultraman choosing humans—humans can also choose Ultraman!

Even Ultraman Hikari was overwhelmed with disbelief, questioning reality itself. No matter how he looked at it, Daigo was an ordinary human!

How could a 1.8-meter-tall human transform into light? It didn’t make sense. Could the title “To the One Who Shines” mean that Daigo had become light?

~Ultraman Orb Worldline~

“Never expected it to be Senior Tiga!”

Gai Kurenai pulled out the Tiga card and continued slowly.

“If it’s Senior Tiga, I wonder what kind of power he’ll exhibit to protect Earth?”

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“I can explain…”

Facing the gazes of everyone, Daigo said weakly.

“You’re amazing, Daigo!”

Tetsuo Shinjoh angrily pounded his chest, then said complexly:

“And here I was worrying so much about you.”

Vice-captain Seiichi Munakata suddenly realized and exclaimed:

“No wonder you’re named Ultraman Tiga… You rejected my ‘Colossal Mountain Superpowerful Name,’ didn’t you?”

Unaware of everyone’s silent gazes, even if he weren’t Ultraman Tiga, he probably wouldn’t have accepted that name anyway.

Chapter 96: Why Not Just Call Him "Colossal Mountain Superpowerful"?!

Chapter Text

Director Souichiro Sawai, stared in disbelief as Daigo transformed into light.

This young man, who had saved him from alien hands not long ago during a transport mission, was now standing before him as Ultraman Tiga.

At that time, Souichiro Sawai had only given the young man a second chance to retake the exam, never expecting him to successfully join the Victory Team through sheer effort.

Such a young man deserved his full protection! He wouldn’t let him suffer the same fate as Himeya-sama. After exchanging glances with Chief Tetsuji Yoshioka, the latter immediately understood.

Being an old hand at this, one would sing the red face while the other sang the white face—it was something he was used to!

【 “Titan!! The Titan has revived!” Rena exclaimed in astonishment. What exactly happened just now to make the Titan recover so suddenly?

The revived Tiga leaped high into the air, delivering a powerful strike to Golza’s body. A series of fierce attacks forced Golza back several steps, roaring in pain—clearly, these blows were taking their toll.

On the other side, Melba tried to assist Golza but was kicked back by Tiga, who turned swiftly. This gave Golza a temporary regained his freedom.

In that brief moment of freedom, Golza gathered ultrasonic energy on his forehead, the purple light intensifying. It was this very beam that had destroyed the pyramid earlier.

Tiga, noticing this, rushed toward Golza, grabbing his mouth with one hand while attempting to push off Golza’s horn with the other.

However, Tiga’s combined form lacked sufficient strength, and he struggled against Golza for 30 seconds.

Seeing his brother being bullied, Melba screeched sharply, spreading his wings and diving toward Tiga!

“Bang——”

A burst of sparks erupted from Tiga’s body as he was knocked flying. By the time he looked up, Golza’s ultrasonic beam had fully charged and was heading straight for him.

Facing the incoming violet beam, Tiga flipped several times, dodging the attack. Just as he prepared to counter Golza again...

“Buzz——”

Several beams shot from Melba’s eyes, striking Tiga’s back. As Tiga turned around...

Melba swooped down, swinging his terrifying claws and smashing Tiga away. The advantage Tiga had built earlier seemed to vanish completely. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s too much to fight two at once! Besides, it’s his first time entering the Titan’s body—he probably hasn’t mastered it yet.”

“One’s on the ground, the other in the sky! If they coordinate well, it’ll be quite difficult to deal with.”

“But right now, the Victory Team’s planes don’t seem to have any combat weapons equipped… Maybe some smoke bombs could provide some interference?”

By this point, the audience outside the video had already devised strategies. Since there were no nearby cities or humans, why not retreat for now and train a little bit first?

~Land of Light~

“This is familiar!”

Ultraman Jack watched Tiga take on two enemies; his excitement was evident.

“Tiga’s got this in the bag!”

Fighting one-on-one was one thing, but taking on two opponents? Jack was confident Tiga would prevail—it was just how things worked.

---

~Ultraman X Worldline~

“It might be because it’s his first transformation; he’s not too proficient yet!”

Daichi Oozora suddenly recalled his own experience fusing with Ultraman Aix for the first time and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“That’s right!”

X chimed in, laughing.

“I remember you were scared of heights when you first transformed…!”

【 “Hmm——” But at this moment, Tiga let out a low growl, raising both hands. The crystal on his forehead flashed red, and his originally red-and-purple body turned entirely crimson!

Golza’s violet forehead light recharged, aiming at Tiga. Meanwhile, Melba fired several beams from his eyes.

Tiga raised a shield in front of him, blocking both Golza and Melba’s attacks.

Realizing their beam attacks were ineffective, Golza moved forward, preparing for close combat!

Seeing this, Tiga also braced himself and charged forward.

“Boom——”

Golza was sent flying as if struck by Tiga’s impact. In that collision, Golza, despite being stronger, was overpowered by Tiga.

But the battle wasn’t over yet. Tiga grabbed Golza’s body and suddenly exerted force, producing a series of bone-crunching sounds.

“Whoosh——” Melba, seeing this from above, immediately dove toward them. Tiga released Golza and countered, but missed.

With no other choice, Golza attempted to dig into the ground and escape.

Just as Tiga was about to stop him, Melba fired another series of beams from his eyes, striking Tiga’s body.

“Clang... Clang!!”

Annoyed by Melba’s repeated interference, Tiga ignored Golza, crossing his hands above his head. The crystal on his forehead flashed violet, and his body turned purple!

Tiga’s speed visibly increased. Before Melba could react, Tiga delivered a final leap, kicking him out of the sky.

Tiga crossed his hands in front of his chest, then stretched them left and right, and brought them together upwards, then placed his hands on his left waist to gather light blue energy.

An incredibly fast Zeperion Beam, blast struck Melba, tearing his body apart!

After dealing with Melba, Tiga turned back, only to find that Golza had disappeared. With that, Tiga flew off into the sky, vanishing without a trace. 】

....

~Land of Light~

“I didn’t expect this warrior to have multiple forms—he seems to have three different modes.”

 UltraSeven nodded thoughtfully.

He felt a sense of admiration for this warrior who, like Nexus, could change forms.

“The red mode increases power but reduces speed. The purple mode boosts speed but lowers strength.”

Hikari flipped through the data he’d observed.

For the Ultras of the Land of Light, their skin was fixed and unchangeable.

But to think someone could alter how they used energy, enhancing one aspect of their abilities based on the enemy they faced—it was indeed a convenient ability worth studying.

Perhaps it could even be applied to the Ultraman of the Land of Light…

~Kamen Rider Kuuga Worldline~

“This method of modifying forms to adapt to unknown lifeforms is somewhat similar to mine!”

Yusuke Godai smiled as he watched Tiga successfully defeat his enemies.

When facing unfamiliar foes, adapting one’s state was crucial for countering threats effectively.

【 After Tiga disappeared, the Victory Team fell into silence. Though the monsters had been defeated, Daigo had seemingly lost his life.

“Hai——”

Just as everyone mourned, a familiar voice called out from the ground. Looking down, they saw Daigo waving frantically!

Seeing Daigo alive, everyone was overjoyed, and then they all boarded and returned to the base.

Meanwhile, inside headquarters, the time capsule began to glow, and the spirit of Yuzare reappeared!

In a calm tone, she said: “There is only one way to restore the Titan—to let Daigo transform into light.”

“The Titan’s name is Ultraman Tiga.”

Inside the Base, Daigo seemed to hear her words and muttered to himself: “Ultraman Tiga?”

Then, Daigo reached into his pocket and pulled out the Sparklence, which bore a striking resemblance to the protective armor on Tiga’s chest!

Daigo fell silent, lost in thought.

The scene shifted to the Victory Team’s office, where everyone was brainstorming names for the Titan.

Various suggestions were made, each member proposing what they thought was the best name.

Vice Captain Munakata confidently suggested: “Why not call him ‘Titan Mountain Superpower King’?!”

Thankfully, Daigo quickly interjected with his own idea, confirming the name as Ultraman Tiga! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Haha... That’s hilarious... ‘Titan Mountain Superpower King’!!”

“Seeing Vice Captain Munakata so serious about such a name makes me laugh uncontrollably.”

“In reality, Vice Captain Munakata isn’t good at naming things...!”

~Ultraman Tiga World~

“Uh...”

Vice Captain Munakata’s face flushed with embarrassment. Even he now realized how ridiculous the name he’d come up with was.

Daigo, on the other hand, wore an expression of relief. Thankfully, he’d intervened—if the video had been broadcast across the universe with the name “Titan Mountain Superpower King,” he’d have died of embarrassment.

“Hahaha!”

“The Vice Captain’s naming skills are truly something else.”

The Victory Team members, reminded of that memory, burst into laughter once more.

“Alright——”

Captain Iruma Megumi suppressed his laughter and addressed the group:

“What we’ve seen so far is our past, but the video isn’t over yet... The next part will show us our future!”

“Everyone, stay alert! Knowing the future means we can prepare for monster attacks...!”

Chapter 97: Kyrieloid!! The Angel Descends?

Chapter Text

But jokes aside, the machinery from that timeline truly left the audience in awe!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“Is this really just a programmed machine?”

Doctor Roman couldn’t help but speculate!

It felt like a living being was communicating with Daigo across time. If it truly was a time capsule, how could it so accurately predict that Daigo would become light?

【 On this peaceful Earth, to dispel public fear of the sudden appearance of monsters and titans, GUTS Captain Iruma Megumi prepared to publicly discuss the matters of the titan and monsters through a live broadcast.

At the TV station, the female host, representing the public, asked Captain Iruma Megumi: “Captain, is this Ultraman a friend of humanity?”

“Is there a possibility that he might pose a threat to us humans?”

Facing the host’s questions, Captain Iruma Megumi smiled calmly and replied: “Ultraman Tiga possesses powers and methods beyond human comprehension.”

“As for where he came from, that’s something GUTS is currently investigating!”

“However...”

At this point, Captain Iruma’s expression turned serious as she firmly stated: “We firmly believe that Ultraman’s appearance is to protect humanity!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Well said!... At least it’s not like Nexus’s Night Raider! Clearly risking his life to save people, yet they attack Nexus!”

“Although they still don’t seem to know Daigo’s identity, at least he doesn’t have to worry about betrayal from his teammates...”

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

Himeya Jun, who had been feeling somewhat relieved after watching the video, now felt a pang of bitterness. Do such rational teammates really exist?

When he fights, not only does he have to guard against monster attacks, but also betrayal from his teammates...

At this moment, the Night Raider members felt somewhat awkward. Without comparison, there’s no harm. But now...

Nagi Saijyo suddenly realized their past actions were truly inhumane. She wanted to slap herself in the face for what they had done.

【 As the interview ended and Captain Iruma prepared to leave, something strange happened on screen.

“Sssss——”

Accompanied by a stream of lightning, the possessed female host flew into the air, revealing a grotesque expression. She stared at the live broadcast equipment and shouted maniacally:

“I tell you, Earth will soon be reborn! The holy flames will purify all filth! Hahahaha!”

“Kyrieloid will rule Earth! I’ll prove it to you now!”

After speaking, the female host’s body collapsed. Captain Iruma, with a grave expression, informed the GUTS team of the situation through the communication device.

After issuing orders, Captain Iruma left the TV station, only to see a building engulfed in flames!

This was a warning from the enemy! Now, Captain Iruma understood what the so-called “holy flames” meant... and what the enemy intended to prove!!

Back at GUTS HQ, Captain Iruma encountered a self-proclaimed Kyrieloid prophet!

She didn’t expect the other party to be so arrogant. The prophet warned that if GUTS didn’t show respect, the next area to be purified by the holy flames would be the K1 district!

After speaking, the Kyrieloid prophet vanished, leaving no trace. Even Daigo and Rena, who arrived shortly after, saw no one leaving the area. It was as if it were a ghost. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So arrogant, are they so sure of victory~?”

“But they do seem to have some skills. That ghostly appearance was quite convincing.”

~Gintama World~

“This... this is... That’s...! That thing— the semi-transparent thing...!”

Gintoki turned pale, pointing at the screen and stammering:

“It's okay, Gin-san!”

The glasses-wearing Shinpachi said helplessly, adjusting his glasses with a sigh.

“You’re not a kid anymore. Why are you still scared of ghosts?”

【 With the help of the city’s systems, Captain Iruma investigated the prophet who appeared at GUTS HQ.

The man’s name was Mitsuo Itahashi, and his records hadn’t been updated in three years because he had ceased all life activities three years ago. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“In other words, the person who spoke with Captain Iruma had been dead for three years. So who was it that spoke to her earlier?”

“It must be a ghost... After all, with monsters around, even the unscientific becomes scientific.”

Viewers outside the video who were afraid of ghosts began to tremble, then suddenly remembered the spirits that appeared earlier in the video.

Thinking about it, it didn’t seem so scary anymore.

【 Captain Iruma seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around, raising her gun. She stared at the creature before her and confirmed: “So you are a Kyrieloid!”

“Bang bang bang!”

Captain Iruma fired several shots but missed. She was then restrained by an invisible force, pinned against the wall.

Even while restrained, Captain Iruma remained defiant: “Why come after me?”

Seemingly confirming Captain Iruma was no longer a threat, the figure transformed back into Kudo Mitsuo and calmly replied: “Because you refuse to acknowledge that being’s existence!”

That being? As Captain Iruma guessed who it was, Kyrieloid suddenly spoke angrily: “We Kyrieloids arrived on Earth long before he did.”

“He came later, yet acts so arrogantly. We cannot forgive this! Do you understand?”

By now, Daigo had arrived and aimed his gun to rescue Captain Iruma!

But Kyrieloid calmly delivered a terrifying prophecy: “Let me give you one final prophecy.”

“This is the last prophecy you will hear while you are still alive.”

“The place where the holy flame will burn next is here!” After saying this, Kyrieloid vanished.

At this time, Tetsuo Shinjoh arrived in GUTS Wing 1, armed with ultrasonic weapons to suppress the flames.

“3”

Daigo followed Captain Iruma’s orders to evacuate the crowd. By the time the evacuation was nearly complete, time was almost up.

“2”

Daigo, weakened from Kyrieloid’s attack, struggled to run steadily. He quickly reached Captain Iruma.

“1”

As Shinjoh finished speaking, he pressed the firing button, launching an ultrasonic attack at the flames below.

At the last moment, Daigo pressed the Sparklence in his hand. With a flash of light, Ultraman Tiga’s massive form appeared in the city, gently placing Captain Iruma on the ground.

On the ground, Kyrieloid looked at Ultraman Tiga and said excitedly: “You plan to be Earth’s guardian deity, don’t you?”

“Don’t you find it ridiculous? With that massive form appearing like this.”

“The humans of Earth are still waiting for Kyrieloid to lead them.”

“Let me show you! Witness the power of Kyrieloid! Behold our wrath!”

As these words echoed, cracks appeared in the ground, and flames erupted. Kyrieloid’s body grew gigantic, revealing a humanoid figure with a grim expression and a glowing chest emblem! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So arrogant? You claim humans are waiting for Kyrieloid to lead them?”

“Did you ask humanity’s opinion? Who gave you the right to speak for them?”

“What a joke! Without humans, wouldn’t you have developed just fine?”

“You’re like a charlatan! You claim humans are waiting for your leadership, yet your flames destroy everything!”

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

“Humanity doesn’t need guidance or external intervention,”

UltraSeven said angrily.

He loved humanity and knew that only by relying on their own strength could they progress further.

~Madoka Magica World~

“The monsters in this world don’t seem as terrifying as Nexus’s world....”

Madoka sighed. After all, Nexus’s monsters were like tentacled horrors.

They made people feel sick just looking at them!

【 Though Kyrieloid spoke arrogantly, in battle, it wasn’t as terrifying as claimed. The two fought fiercely in the darkness!

Seizing an opportunity, Ultraman Tiga’s head flashed purple, and his body transformed into a purple form! He swiftly launched a barrage of attacks at Kyrieloid.

Finally, a powerful kick struck Kyrieloid’s head, knocking it out. As Ultraman Tiga prepared to finish it off, Kyrieloid fired a flame bullet, hitting him.

Kyrieloid then grabbed Ultraman Tiga and threw him, smashing through a building. His chest timer began blinking red!

Knowing time was short, Ultraman Tiga rolled away to dodge Kyrieloid’s flames and quickly fired a Zeperion Ray, freezing it.

Seizing the moment, Ultraman Tiga transformed back into composite form and fired a Zeperion Beam, shattering Kyrieloid into pieces! He then flew into the sky and disappeared!! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Huh... With all that arrogance, I thought they were powerful.”

“Is that all? Not much ability, All bark, no bite.”

“With such little skill, you want to lead humanity? Go take a bath and sleep early.”

The audience was already annoyed by Kyrieloid’s arrogance.

【 The video quickly shifted, showing Ultraman Tiga defeating various enemies.

From a dream-stealing demon to a flame-embracing monster, and even the return of Golza! 】

.....

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

“What?! Why didn’t it show us in great detail?”

Seiichi Munakata complained.

Clearly, these were future events they didn’t know about. Now, with the video skipping ahead, how are we supposed to prepare for what’s coming?

【 The scene shifted to a square crowded with people! A female reporter was interviewing passersby, asking if they had seen the angel.

Opinions varied. Some said they hadn’t seen it and came to check it out. Finally, an elderly woman swore she had seen it.

“The angel was glowing all over. I believe the angel is always by our side, protecting us.” 】

Chapter 98: The Old Enemy Falls? The Gate of Hell!

Chapter Text

~High School DxD World~

"A... Angel?!" Irina Shidou felt incomprehensible. Could it be that angels also exist in that world?

Thinking about it this way seems somewhat plausible. After all, that world has monsters and Ultraman; having an angel wouldn't be strange either!

I'm actually curious to see what kind of appearance the angel from that side has, and whether their execution is also for justice and order...

~Gabriel DropOut~

"Fufufu!... Didn't expect there would be angels in that world too!"

Satanichia Kurumizawa McDowell—a dimwitted demon who often thinks up petty schemes that inevitably backfire—covered her mouth with one hand, emitting a bizarre laugh that sounded more awkward than intimidating.

Then, striking what she clearly thought was a dramatic pose, she declared in her signature over-the-top, “middle school” manner:

"Let me, the great Satania, broaden my horizons a bit! Ha ha ha"

Indeed, angels are well-known to exist in many worlds, so many people are also inquisitive about the situation with the angels in the Tiga world.

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

"Oh! Does our world have angels?"

Horii, who believes in science, doesn't quite believe in the existence of so-called angels.

"It looks like this is the future! These things we haven't experienced yet."

Vice-Captain Munakata seriously stared at the screen. When he was about to say something, he noticed that the captain fell silent when the old woman appeared on the screen.

【 The moment Captain Megumi Iruma saw the old woman and her face turned a bit grim. She didn't say anything else and turned back to her office.

She then found a letter had arrived. When Iruma Megumi opened the email, she discovered a cartoon figure inside the envelope, saying, "Quickly save grandma!"

The sender of the letter was none other than her child, Tomoki Miura.

After the image changed, Iruma Megumi immediately went to Tomoki's place after receiving the letter! Tomoki seemed ready to tell Iruma Megumi something, but because grandma suddenly looked at him, he closed his mouth! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This grandma gives off a rather eerie vibe!"

"She seems like a fanatic, not listening to anyone's advice."

"So it seems that this so-called angel might not be as benevolent..."

【 In the end, Iruma Megumi had no choice but to leave after meeting her child, only to encounter Daigo and Rena.

But before the three could exchange much, Tomoki came out and informed Iruma Megumi that not only grandma but everyone else had become very strange. He then returned to his room.

Daigo and the others could only leave the place and continue talking near a nearby beach. Not far away, Daigo seemed to sense something from deep within, unconsciously turning his head to look behind him.

He then saw a mysterious person in black robes looking at him. Seeming to notice he had been discovered, the person turned and left.

Daigo felt an ominous aura from him. Without explaining the reason to the captain and Rena, he chased after him without saying a word.

At the same time, the figure of Mitsuo Itahashi from before appeared on the GUTS team's screen! He had clearly been destroyed by Tiga before... but he appeared again, surprising the GUTS team! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is that Kyrieloid resurrected? How did he do it?"

"Could someone be impersonating him? Doesn't seem like it..."

"Having failed once, he dares to appear again, surely he must be confident of victory!"

"So what does he want to do? Could it be that this so-called angel was also created by him?"

【 At this time, Mitsuo Itabashi was like a fanatical believer, saying obsessively: "The day of final judgment has finally come!"

"If the true demon is not eliminated! Humanity will face the fate of destruction!"

"A door is about to open, followed by the acceptance of the angel's judgment."

Accompanying his words, on the other side, the old lady facing the phone in the captain's house said something.

"Listen to me, I understand this matter best."

"The true demon is Ultraman Tiga, since the giant appeared, look at how Japan has changed."

As she spoke, the evening sunlight fell on her face, revealing such a dark and eerie expression, making the originally gentle old lady seem terrifying.

On the other side, accompanied by thunder, Mitsuo Itabashi continued: "The demon is Ultraman Tiga!!"

The people around him seemed to have lost their minds, constantly shouting "demon!!" 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"So that's how it is!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka finally woke up through a series of events.

"Huh?"

Mash now looked very puzzled at the senior, unclear why he understood.

"Ignore for now whether he is resurrected or not. But there's no doubt that Kyrieloid wants humanity to stand opposite Ultraman Tiga."

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded again as if confirming his guess.

"What a despicable little man...!"

Hearing the senior's analysis, Mash couldn't help but say such a sentence.

~High School DxD World~

"To borrow the name of an angel to do such things..." Irina Shidou showed an angry expression.

She wished he could go over and give him a fiery judgment, letting him know what a real angel is!

 On the other side, Daigo, who had chased after him, pulled out his gun in the tunnel and pointed it towards the mysterious person around him.

"What good will it do you if you shoot me?" Kyrieloid said with a very arrogant face: "Anyway, I'm already dead."

Daigo looked at her voice very serious: "Humanity is not as weak as you think."

But then he was knocked to the ground by another Kyrieloid who appeared behind him!

In the tunnel, Daigo lay on his back against the wall, the female Kyrieloid stepped on his chest with her foot, looking at him sarcastically: "Do you want to take the stance of humanity to resist the great Kyrieloid God?"

"You're too overestimating yourself! Quickly turn into Ultraman!"

Even being stepped on like this, facing such ridicule, Daigo's expression remained firm as he looked at the opponent and retorted: "Humanity is not weak!!"

Until nightfall, Iruma Megumi and Rena hurriedly ran over, seeing their heavily injured Daigo on the ground! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why didn't you transform into Tiga to resist?"

"Maybe he didn't want to rely on the Tiga's strength! After all, human affairs still need humans to solve!"

"Just as he said, I also believe that humanity is not that weak!!"

~Land of Light~

"Although relying too much on Ultraman is indeed not good."

Ultraman Jack shook his head helplessly, but the opponent was clearly not an ordinary person; being beaten like this, transforming to solve it wasn't better.

There can sometimes be a case where one word doesn't fit between oneself and others, leading to jumping off a building to force a transformation...

Suddenly becoming even more helpless!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

In fact, the members of the GUTS team are also very curious about what Daigo is thinking.

Facing everyone's doubts, although this is a matter of the future, Daigo can still be sure of his thoughts at that time.

"If things can be solved by humans, don't rely on Ultraman's power unless it's absolutely necessary!"

【 When they carried Daigo up, the sky suddenly became filled with thick clouds, and thunder roared, a gate full of darkness and unwillingness appeared in front of everyone.

Mitsuo Itahashi stretched out his hand and shouted to the surrounding crowd: "The angels have come down to welcome you, the door is about to open!"

The door in the sky slowly opened a crack, revealing a purple glow in the endless darkness, evil and unclear aura began to spread in all directions.

"Gate of Hell...!" Captain Iruma Megumi muttered after seeing it.

"Relying on our GUTS Team's strength alone won't defeat it. Even Tiga might not be able to defeat it!"

From always being calm, Captain Megumi Iruma felt the dark and unclear aura for the first time, feeling that this opponent might even be too strong for Tiga to handle.

"We must not be discouraged!" Daigo put his hands on the car window, encouraging everyone.

"Although Ultraman is very powerful, if humanity doesn't firmly believe in his strength, he won't be able to transform into light to fight."

Hearing this, Iruma Megumi and Rena's expressions changed slightly, looking at Daigo in surprise! Unclear why he would say such strange words.

Then, Captain Iruma Megumi seemed to think of something and fell into deep thought: "Light?!..."

But there wasn't time to think much, he ordered the GUTS Team to attack, determined to prevent the door from opening.

Rena looked at the injured Daigo with some worry: "Sorry! There's no time to treat your wounds, let's meet again after the mission ends."

Daigo smiled, indicating that she didn't need to worry: "You don't have to worry about me.."

Then Daigo nodded, smiled, watched the car drive further away, and then turned and started running.

Until he ran to the corner, a light suddenly appeared!

Transforming into the Ultraman Tiga, he turned around and fell above the Gate of Hell in the sky, intending to use his body to block the gate from opening!

The Kyrieloid who previously surrounded Daigo also came out of the tunnel, mockingly saying: "Dare to resist the God of Kyrieloid! Must accept severe punishment!"

After saying this, countless lights attacked Tiga, and then he fell from the sky to the ground

"You will taste pain in front of foolish humans, and then die miserably, hahahahaha!"

With these words ending, a man and a woman held hands tightly, as if praying for something, then their souls gradually merged into one.

Different from before, the second-generation Kyrieloid appeared with a smiling face, seemingly becoming even stronger. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"He's also fighting with injuries! Seems to have a bad premonition."

"But Daigo is not wrong, if we don't trust Ultraman, even if Ultraman is powerful, it's meaningless."

"He really resurrected... And looks even stronger."

【 Perhaps this time, the opponent came prepared; the second-generation Kyrieloid is much stronger than before.

In the combined form, Tiga merely exchanged a few blows and was defeated. The second-generation Kyrieloid threw him with both hands, smashing a high-rise building.

Before he could react, he was locked by Kyrieloid's neck. Fortunately, under the help of the GUTS Team, he escaped the restraint, then the red light on his forehead flashed, transforming into the powerful form.

Unexpectedly, the second generation Kyrieloid seemed to have thoroughly studied Tiga, similarly crossing his hands in front of his forehead, with green energy flashing.

His body also changed, appearing with abdominal armor and sharp wrist knives! His body became even stronger. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"How did this Kyrieloid get so much stronger... What kind of enhanced training did he undergo."

"He even learned to change forms!"

~Land of Light~

"What!"

UltraSeven's face showed difficulty, completely unable to sit still, he didn't expect that monster could also follow the transformation form.

This time it's not good, now Tiga's combat form has been thoroughly studied, it seems to be targeting normal enhancements! Knowing that the previous transformation form just dealt with it...

In addition, the human host was already covered in wounds before transforming, and there is one more unfavorable factor...

There might not be any other Ultras in that world to help, after all, only Tiga has appeared so far!

 【 Transforming into the powerful form, Tiga was still no match, being hit without any counterattack, seemingly being toyed with, continuously accepting attacks. 】

.....

~High School DxD World~

"Why can Kyrieloid also change forms, in terms of strength, the powerful form of Tiga is losing?"

Issei Hyoudou's face was full of confusion after a long time without moving.

He thought Tiga could make the fake angel fall apart.

"No, it's not losing, it's being targeted!"

Rias Gremory calmly continued.

"This Kyrieloid strengthened himself, but everything is targeted at Tiga. It can be said that this second generation was born to deal with Tiga..."

【 "Clang... Clang!"

Finally, after being slashed by Kyrieloid's wrist knife again, the energy lamp on his chest flashed again.

So, Tiga crossed his hands on his head, the purple light flashed, transforming into the aerial form and flying into the sky.

But unexpectedly, Kyrieloid similarly slid his hands, green light flashed, a pair of wings appeared behind him, similarly flew towards the sky.

Not only that, but he also flew faster than Tiga. Kyrieloid placed his hands in front of his chest, catching up with Tiga. A burst of sparks and white light burst out in the sky.

"Boom——"

Tiga's figure fell from the sky, causing huge dust and explosions!

And the transformed Kyrieloid, seeing Tiga motionless, came to the Gate of Hell, extending his hands, intending to accelerate the opening speed of the Gate of Hell.

"Creak......!!"

With the grating sound of the door opening, the Gate of Hell opened a crack, and countless darkness spewed out, tumbling on the ground.

Then it swallowed more than half of Tiga's body. Tiga still lay motionless on the ground, seemingly having lost all strength!

The Ultraman Tiga who had always protected humanity finally fell... 】

Chapter 99: The World of Famous Paintings! Light of Hope

Chapter Text

~Ultraman ***** Wordline, Dark Planet ~

Tiga fell... This Titan of light, who has been fighting for humanity all along,g finally fell. But those humans wearing angel wings decorations kept calling Tiga a demon.

The Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera sneered in disdain:

"It seems that no matter which world... Humans are equally foolish! Darkness is the eternal world."

"Just like this, completely devoured by darkness!"

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"How could this happen?"

Tohsaka Rin was somewhat disbelieving, then somewhat agitatedly.

"Those people would rather believe in an unknown alien than trust Tiga who has always protected them."

Emiya Shirou was silent for a moment before slowly speaking:

 "Perhaps they think that because Tiga appeared, it led to the continuous emergence of monsters."

But have they confused cause and effect? Isn't it because monsters frequently appear, and to guard against them, Tiga emerged?

After all, from the video just seen, Daigo was sure that humans were not weak and wanted to rely on human strength to fight. He wouldn't use Tiga's power unless absolutely necessary.

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

Perhaps Aihara Ryū could understand all this... For them, Ultraman and monsters fighting in the city inevitably caused destruction.

Maybe this is why some humans consider Ultraman as their enemy.

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

"Haruki..."

Looking somewhat silly, Zetta couldn't help but ask,

"Do humans think Ultraman shouldn't appear?"

Seeing the two videos made this 5000-year-old naive being somewhat confused... Nexus was attacked by humans, and Tiga was rejected and called a demon!

"How can this be? Zetta-san!"

Haruki shook his head decisively.

"Those humans are only saying such things because they're controlled by Kyrieloid! Isn't Zetta-san also protecting many people?"

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

"Didn't expect Daigo faced such a strong enemy this time!"

"Will we just watch as Daigo is devoured by darkness?"

Now the GUTS members are also very angry. Daigo is not only Ultraman Tiga but also a member of their GUTS team!

What kind of person is Daigo? They firmly believe he is not a demon!!

Rena shed tears sadly, silently thinking that Daigo carried so much on his back... Did he not have the obligation to fight?

But the next direction also makes everyone very curious. What kind of future will humans face after the so-called Gate of Hell opens? It should be said whether there is even a future at all.

【 Seeing Tiga gradually being devoured by darkness, Rena and Captain Iruma Megumi hurriedly got out of the car.

"Tiga! Tiga disappeared in the darkness." Rena showed great urgency. If even Tiga cannot win, no one can stop Kyrieloid!

"Darkness..." Captain Iruma Megumi muttered, then remembered what Daigo had said: "Light... We must use light! Use it all."

Thinking of this, Captain Iruma Megumi immediately took out the communicator and ordered the GUTS Team: "Command! Send light to Tiga! Send light to Tiga!"

Under the command, the Victory Flyer opened its lights, aiming at Tiga in the darkness.

"This light isn't enough!" Rena shouted anxiously and finally drove forward, shining the light on Tiga.

"This still isn't enough." Captain Iruma Megumi saw this scene and muttered, taking out the communicator: "Yazumi, connect this line to the TV station!"

As Yazumi quickly typed on the computer, Captain Iruma Megumi's image appeared on screens everywhere.

She looked at the screen in her hand and sincerely spoke to the citizens: "I am Captain Iruma Megumi of the Earth Peace Union Terrestrial Peaceable Consortium!"

The citizens gathered around, looking at Captain Iruma Megumi on the screen!

"Citizens, please wake up! In fact, those who call themselves angels! They are the real demons."

"Ultraman Tiga has always risked his life to protect us!"

"This time, Tiga is in danger, and we should give him strength! I beg you, give light to Tiga! Send light to Tiga!!"

After Captain Iruma Megumi finished speaking, she sighed, unsure if her words would have any effect, but she did everything she could. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I wonder if Captain Iruma Megumi's words can awaken those foolish humans."

"This captain is not bad, having ideas and daring to act."

"But even if they really send light to Tiga, will it work? After all, this is just physical light."

【 When she looked back at Tiga again, beams of light shone from behind her!

A very gentle BGM played as Captain Iruma Megumi turned to see several cars opening their lights towards Tiga!

With footsteps echoing, different young humans ran over, holding up their [Light].

"Tiga! Wake up!!"

"Tiga, stand up?"

"Tiga! Get up!!"

In their hands were phone flashlights, glow pens, or even fluorescent sticks, insignificant sources of light.

But these insignificant lights dispelled the darkness covering Tiga. In the crowd's shouts, his body twitched as if breathing again. 】

.....

~Land of Light~

"Even the smallest ray of light is enough to dispel the darkness shrouded in it."

UltraSeven nodded. It seems humans are not entirely foolish.

"This is the intention of humans... This is humans responding to the heart of Ultraman who protects them."

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

"Ultraman is not fighting alone!"

Aihara Ryū shouted excitedly:

"It's because of the heart of protecting humans! So... Stand up, Ultraman Tiga!!"

"The power of belief turns into courage! This powerful reading can turn the impossible into possible, this is Ultraman!"

Captain Shingo Sakomizu nodded.

~Ultraman ***** Wordline, Dark Planet ~

The Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera seemed to be talking to Father of Ultra through space:

"What can such small lights do? Before the endless darkness, even fireflies don't count."

In a sea of yellow light, Father of Ultra waved his cloak:

"Empera! Don't you understand? No matter how desperate, the light in a person's heart will never disappear!"

"The response of humans to Ultraman can bring strength to Ultraman!"

【 The Kyrieloids, who opened the gate of hell in the sky, also noticed the movement and turned to look at the ground.

Then the surrounding buildings suddenly lit up, shocking even the distant GUTS headquarters.

"Wow!!? The voltage in Area B suddenly rose sharply! Who could be doing this?"

Now, Captain Iruma Megumi's son Tomoki kept typing on the keyboard. On the computer screen, Tiga was struggling to stand up.

"If the voltage rises too high, it will be very dangerous." An AI voice warned.

"Does it matter?" Tomoki didn't care about that.

"We must save Tiga." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Are you sure this is just a child? He has such skills."

"It must be cheating, right? Don't tell me you learned it in Hawaii like a certain elementary school student."

"I seem to see a rising star of technology in the GUTS team in the future!"

"Although this is illegal, I have to say it's a job well done at this time!!"

【 Having received the light of mankind, Tiga slowly sat up, and there was even a picture of the Creation of Adam on the wall next to him, as if hinting at something.

At this moment, Tiga stood up. Although the chest timer was still flashing, in everyone's cheers, he seemed to feel an infinite strength! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This scene is truly a masterpiece! Nothing fits better than this!"

"Is it really the flashlight light that works? Or is it some unknown reason?"

"But can the re-standing Tiga defeat Kyrieloid? You must know that he is in an injured state now and hasn't recovered energy."

"The re-standing Tiga feels full of sacred light, as if a fallen god saved by humans."

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"This painting!! Isn't this the Creation of Adam?"

Da Vinci exclaimed in surprise and then seemed to find something else to say.

"But the posture of Tiga and the position of humans and gods in the painting are switched!"

The roles of God and man have been exchanged! At this point, Fujimaru Ritsuka seemed to understand.

Tiga has never been saving humanity, but walking alongside humanity! Tiga is not a god who defeats demons, but needs the guidance of human belief.

~Land of Light~

"Perhaps the power that made Tiga stand up again is not the so-called physical light, but the light of hope!"

Father of Ultra nodded; this really broadened his horizons.

The car lights and the small lights held by people are still insignificant.

But it is this [light] that carries everyone's [hope] for Tiga to stand up quickly.

For Ultraman Tiga, who has fallen into darkness and is gradually losing power, there is nothing that can give him more power.

This kind of light! Without a doubt, it is the light of hope from mankind!

Chapter 100: Together with the Flower!

Chapter Text

【 Seeing Tiga stand up again on the ground, the Kiriellians in the sky also landed, unwilling to be outdone.

“Cha—”

Tiga who stood up again clenched his fists towards his forehead. Only to see the glass on his forehead slightly flash, transforming from the purple aerial form back to the combined form.

Kyrieloid, seeing Tiga transform back to the combined form, slid his hands down, and a green light flashed. He also retracted his wings and assumed a fighting stance.

Under the city lights, the two began a completely new battle. Tiga, who was originally being beaten without any counterattack, now had a reversal in the situation!

Now, Tiga, whether in strength or speed, seemed to have been significantly enhanced. Now it's not a fight... It's more like Tiga is unilaterally beating up Kyrieloid.

After just a few moves, Kyrieloid was hit all over, paralyzed, and fell to the ground, unable to resist.

“Cha—”

Following an angry roar, Tiga then lifted the helpless Kyrieloid off the ground and threw him towards the "Hell Gate" in the sky!

“Boom —”

In the black clouds, the Hell Gate that was about to open was closed again by Kyrieloid's impact.

Tiga on the ground, seeing this good opportunity, naturally wouldn't let it go. He crossed his hands in front of his chest, then gathered energy with both hands, accompanied by a purple beam flashing.

Then he formed an L-shape with his hands! This is the Zeperion Beam! A dazzling white light shot out from his hand, destroying both the Hell Gate and Kyrieloid together!

“Boom —”

With dazzling flames and explosions, the Hell Gate and the second-generation Kyrieloid were destroyed.

Under the city lights, Tiga turned to look at the humans on the ground.

Now they are holding flashlights, picking them up with smiling faces, and cheering continuously! As if they are happy for him, protecting everyone once again from the evil aliens.

Tiga, looking at these humans giving him light, couldn't help but give a thumbs up (Ultraman's thumbs up), expressing his approval and gratitude to humanity.

“Cha—”

Then, he flew into the sky again, disappearing into the night amidst everyone's cheers. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Could this be the meaning of the title... 'To the One Who Shines' Indeed impressive, but it feels a bit lacking?"

"Ultraman Tiga seems like a god... Didn't even say a word to humanity!"

"Perhaps usually everyone just silently supports, didn't expect that with the captain's call, the humans fearlessly held lights to illuminate the Tiga!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

"The light carrying the tiny hopes of mankind dispelled the darkness in my heart."

Rohan Kishibe, who was full of excitement, quickly drew on the painting table!

"What a great story... As expected, the video gave me one great inspiration after another!"

~Bungou Stray Dogs World~

“Oh~ He was clearly defeated, but after reviving, he possessed the power to overwhelm the Kyrieloid?”

Osamu Dazai leaned back in his chair, a glint of intrigue in his eyes as he tapped his fingers together. His usual sardonic smile softened into genuine curiosity as he fell into deep speculation.

“What’s even stranger is that he was clearly being suppressed before, so how could he win so easily after standing up again… Did he gain some kind of power?”

“And when Tiga sat down, that painting hinted that Tiga drew his strength from humanity, didn’t it?”

A detective wearing a distinctive hat stepped forward—Ranpo Edogawa. With sharp eyes and a calm demeanor, he offered his analysis:

“Daigo transformed into light, which made Tiga revive.”

Dazai tilted his head slightly, his expression thoughtful.

“Then the light that made Tiga revive after being beaten is undoubtedly… light! But it’s probably not the kind of light you’d get from those flashlights.”

Edogawa adjusted his hat, his voice steady and confident.

“Although this explanation may seem somewhat idealistic, there’s no doubt that what truly made Tiga recover is undoubtedly the light born from humanity itself!”

Dazai chuckled softly, leaning forward with renewed interest.

“The light of humanity, huh? How poetic. But then again, isn’t that always the case? Humanity’s potential often shines brightest in moments of despair.”

He paused, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling as if picturing the scene.

“Still, it raises an interesting question: if humanity’s light can revive someone like Tiga, does that mean our collective hope and willpower are more powerful than we give them credit for?”

Edogawa crossed his arms, nodding slowly.

“It’s possible. After all, throughout history, countless stories have shown us that human resilience often surpasses logic or reason. Perhaps Tiga embodies that very concept—a beacon of hope fueled by humanity’s unwavering spirit.”

Dazai smirked, his tone shifting back to its usual playful sarcasm.

“Well, well, Ranpo, you’ve certainly outdone yourself with this deduction. Though I must admit, it’s almost too optimistic for my taste.”

Edogawa raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

“And yet, here you are, speculating about the ‘light of humanity’ with me. Admit it—you find it fascinating too.”

Dazai laughed lightly, waving a hand dismissively.

“Fascinating? Maybe. But let’s not forget, ideals like these often lead to disappointment in the real world. Still…”

He trailed off, his voice softening slightly.

“There’s something undeniably beautiful about the idea that humanity’s light can overcome even the darkest of foes.”

~Land of Light~

"The response of humanity to Ultraman brought Tiga back to life!"

UltraSeven declared, his voice filled with admiration as he gazed at the glowing images displayed on the screen. The collective energy of humanity—hope, courage, and belief—had reignited Tiga’s light when all seemed lost.

"In a sea of darkness, even a weak light can shine brightly!"

Another Ultra added, her tone reverent yet resolute.

"It's because you exist, we can fight alongside you against any strong enemy!"

Ace clenched his fists, his fiery determination burning brighter than ever.

They are very optimistic about the humans in the Tiga world... Only by believing in Ultraman can Ultraman unleash its true power. With their support, no matter how strong the enemy, they will surely win!

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

Seeing the final defeat of the enemy, everyone's worries eased, and the GUTS Team cheered. This is the victory of humanity and Ultraman!

"Great!! Finally won, and Daigo is fine."

Rena exclaimed, her voice brimming with relief as she placed a hand over her heart. The tension that had been gripping her throughout the fight finally eased, replaced by a wave of joy and gratitude.

“Thank goodness…”

She whispered softly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Luckily the captain thought quickly, knowing to send light to the other side!"

Vice-Captain Munakata’s voice echoed with admiration as he turned to glance at Captain Iruma, who stood nearby with a calm but proud smile.

"Good job!"

Shinjoh patted Daigo's shoulder, saying with relief.

"It's really great that you're okay! Just now I thought you were dead!"

Yazumi seemed to think of something and said to Iruma Megumi,

"But Captain! Didn't expect you to have such a smart child."

Seeing how accurately Tomoki's operation in the video scared him, how old is he? To be able to do this at his age, if I were at his age, I might still be playing mud!

Captain Iruma Megumi was also very happy to hear them praise her child, after all, which mother doesn't want to hear others praise her child.

But she also didn't know when Tomoki learned, it seems she has been too negligent in caring for her child.

Maybe, as Daigo said, Humanity is not fragile at all. The light gathered by these people, who were called weak by the Kyrieloid, beat him without any ability to fight back.

【 The video continued to play. After defeating Kyrieloid, Daigo went through many battles!

At this moment, in the GUTS headquarters, a screen in the meeting room showed an alien spaceship, then an image of a yellow flower appeared...

In the GUTS's meeting room, after many alien attacks on Earth, Captain Iruma Megumi frowned and said, "Is this Plasma, or is it a UFO?"

"Plasma reacts strongly, maybe it's nothing." Yazumi kept typing on the keyboard, looking at the data coming back, also showing a puzzled expression!

Captain Iruma Megumi felt that guessing here wasn't useful; better to check on site, so the GUTS sent Shinjoh, Rena, and Daigo to control the Victory Flyer to investigate the source of that strange Plasma reaction!

After the three arrived in a vast grassland, they took out equipment to scan the surroundings but found nothing.

Then, Rena seemed to discover something, crouching down slightly, looking at the yellow flower in front of her, with a puzzled face: "What kind of flower is this?"

Hearing the call, Daigo also looked back, then showed a very serious expression!

Finally, the voice of revelation sounded on the screen.

"Seeing these mysterious flowers instantly awakened the ancient memories sleeping in Daigo's DNA!"

Then the screen showed an ancient book, and an ancient building appeared, with fierce flames burning. Each flower became incredibly large in the sea of fire, constantly radiating.

Daigo became cautious, guessing, "The destruction of ancient civilizations is related to this kind of flower, so Plasma is...." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why? Can memories exist within DNA... I said a normal person can't become light? As expected, Daigo is a bit special."

"The destruction of ancient civilizations is related to a flower?! How is this possible?"

"But if it's true... Then the reappearance of these flowers... Doesn't it mean this era is also about to end."

【 Thinking of this, Daigo took the detector into the forest. Planning to analyze the actual situation? At this time, a little girl in a blue robe appeared behind Daigo. She reached out and covered Daigo Madoka's eyes.

"Guess who!" Her innocent voice came from behind.

Daigo turned around, only to see a little girl in a blue robe with a yellow flower on her head standing behind him.

Daigo pointed at the flower on her head, asking curiously, "What kind of flower is this?"

The little girl took the flower off her head and said the name of the flower: "Gijera!"

At this time, an image of a huge bud appeared in some ruins on the ground, with yellow lightning flashing continuously! As if something terrifying is awakening. 】

Chapter 101: Human Desire! The Roots Are Still Growing Deeper!

Chapter Text

~Ultraman Tiga World~

The GUTS team now gathered together with grave expressions.

"The Gijera flower? The cause of the ancient civilization's demise..."

Captain Iruma Megumi murmured, turning to Daigo to ask,

"Daigo, do you know anything more about this Gijera flower?"

Facing their expectant gazes, Daigo could only shake his head helplessly with a bitter smile.

【 As a flash of light appeared from underground roots, the Gijera flowers on the surface began releasing pollen into the atmosphere.

Investigating team members Rena and Shinjoh fell into a strange trance, casually tossing aside their detectors and creeping toward the flowers with blissful smiles.

"It begins!" The blue-robed girl seemed to sense something, staring strangely at Daigo. "Why don't you come to the dream world too?"

"Dream world?" Daigo, more confused than her, sensed danger and rushed toward Shinjoh and Rena!

He arrived to a bizarre scene - Shinjoh chasing butterflies in the grass with childlike joy, completely unresponsive to Daigo's calls. Rena kept praising the flower in her hands, utterly entranced.

"It's useless!" The blue-robed girl said dismissively. "Once in the dream world, no one wants to come back. Anyway, we're going to perish, so isn't it better to be comfortable?"

"Perish!" Daigo also saw her strangeness and demanded seriously: "Who are you?"

Then a voice-over sounded in the video!

As the narrator's voice explained: "Daigo brought Terra back to the base to save the Shinjoh and Rena and to solve the mystery of Gijera." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"How terrifying! It instantly corrupted disciplined GUTS members."

"So the dream world is where pollen victims go? Does that mean that people who inhale the pollen will go to the world they imagine?"

"But why is Daigo unaffected? Because he's an Ultraman?"

"If people prefer dreams over reality...that explains the ancient civilization's fall."

~Naruto World~

"Dream world?!" 

In the darkness, the old Madara Uchiha's face twisted with excitement.

"Just like Infinite Tsukuyomi! Hashirama, you're wrong - only dreams bring true peace!"

In his opinion, everything in dreams is so beautiful, with no more sadness and strife! No more partings of life and death; this is his way to achieve peace.

~Demon Slayer World~

Tanjirō's face darkened, recalling Lower Moon One, whom he had encountered on the Infinity Train before, whose Blood Demon Art made people fall into dreams.

In the dream, he saw his dead family, as if nothing had happened, living a normal and happy life; everything was so beautiful!

However, dreams are always illusory. Eventually, you have to face reality, even if reality is cruel, people must become strong!

~Ultraman Tiga World~

"It seems your training is not enough!"

Vice-Captain Munakata scoffed. Unlike him, who came from the Earth Defense Force, his will had already been tempered.

"As GUTS members, your will is so weak that you fall into dreams so easily."

Munakata's criticism made Shinjoh and Rena flush with shame. Since Daigo resisted, maybe they were just weak-willed.

【 At Headquarters, Horii and Yazumi were examining the flower Daigo brought.

"This is a new species that has never been seen on Earth! It's so rare!"

"Not new..." Terra suddenly interjected. "Gijera bloomed 30 million years ago, too."

Horii asked eagerly: "Terra, have you seen it before?"

Terra shook her head. "No, but father said they appear when civilizations are near extinction. Gijera flowers will definitely bloom on Earth. That's what my dad said."

"What does your father do?" Horii couldn't help but ask, trying to get more clues from it!.

"Seeks new habitable planets," Terra replied simply, making Daigo recall the time capsule's words.

The camera flashed back —Daigo looked at Yuzare, who was emitting a faint white light in front of him, and asked excitedly: "With such advanced technology, where did your people go?"

Yuzare looked at Daigo, her expression unchanged, and replied calmly, "Some perished, and some moved to other lands. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This kind of civilization can be destroyed... Did it encounter a meteorite hitting the Earth? Or an ice age?"

"That is to say, this Gijera flower has existed for more than 30 million years! What kind of species is this? It can live so long."

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"What! 30 million years ago!

 Doctor Roman was stunned.

Such technology from that era? Is this really a pre-program? TIt can accurately answer Daigo's questions after so many years...

Moreover, even civilizations with this kind of technology were destroyed. What catastrophe could destroy such an advanced civilization?

~Land of Light~

"30 million years ago?!"

Father of Ultra wondered if he misheard —he's only 160,000 years old!

He didn't expect that humans already existed at that time, and the technology at that time was not much different from now.

【 The scene pulled back to present —Daigo, who had finished his recollection, looked at Dina and knew that she was an ancient person who had visited Earth a long time ago...

"It's not good!" Yazumi suddenly screamed. "The vice-captain is...!"

On screen, even disciplined Munakata was doing mirror exercises, a Gijera flower in his room. 】

.....

~Ultraman Tiga World~

"Ahem..."

The previously critical Munakata now looked embarrassed. "

"Cough... This flower's effects exceed expectations. Even I couldn't resist."

Vice-captain Munakata coughed pretentiously to relieve the embarrassment.

Shinjoh and Rena stood straighter, as if saying that it was not that my will was not strong enough, but that the enemy was too terrifying.

【 Seeing even Munakata succumb, Captain Iruma paled: "The places where Gijera flowers are blooming are not only that field..."

At this time, the screen showed other places, but without exception, there were Gijera flowers everywhere, as if Gijera flowers were blooming in every corner of the world.

On the other side, after research by GUTS member Horii, it was found that Terra was not lying; this was indeed a creature from Earth.

"I told you!" Terra said smugly. "Gijera is a plant on Earth!"

Captain Iruma, realizing Terra knew secrets, asked gently: "If the pollen keeps spreading, what happens?"

"People die happily!" Terra said as a matter of course. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Painless extinction.... But weren't there Titans before? Didn't the Titans save humanity?"

"Could it be that humans destroyed themselves? Doesn't add up."

"Such a small flower destroying civilizations? Hard to believe."

The audience marveled at this tiny flower's apocalyptic power.

【 Then the screen turned, and the influence of the Gijerapollen had begun to spread to GUTS. Countless staff members were all intoxicated by it, with happy and joyful smiles on their faces.

Also, at this time, a man dressed similarly to Terra appeared at the GUTS headquarters!

Seeing the entranced humans, he sighed and walked forward.

At the GUTS headquarters, Captain Megumi Iruma, who had always been calm and composed, seemed to dream that she had turned into a butterfly.

She flapped her hands and muttered, "Fly, fly." No matter how Daigo called, there was no response.

The Chief and Horii, who were doing experiments, were also like this. One was lying on the sofa with a smile, as if he were living a retirement life in advance.

The other was holding experimental equipment, not knowing what he was doing, but they all had one thing in common: they were all happily addicted to it. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I really can't imagine that the always calm captain actually has such a girlish side."

"But this also means that... no one on Earth can resist the Gijera flower!"

"The civilization is doomed. They can't resist."

"Is this truly how the ancients fell?"

【 "How pitiful." Terra looked at Daigo and suddenly said, "Daigo, why not join the dream world? Alone..."

Before she could finish speaking, she lost her voice and fell on the table, just like a robot running out of power.

Daigo panicked and immediately stepped forward and kept calling. Also, at this time, the man wearing the same clothes as Terra appeared here.

"My name is Nook, I am this girl's father." Nook looked at the vigilant Daigo and slowly opened his mouth as Captain Iruma fluttered past like a butterfly.

Nook explained while checking Terra: "Her first planet visit excited her too much."

Then he lifted up his daughter and opened her head, revealing mechanical parts. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Wait...this feels wrong."

"How horrifying! Just opening her head?!"

"But if you look closely... this is a technologically modified person!! No wonder she is not affected by the Gijera flower!"

"So she is not a human, she seems more like a cyborg?"

【 Nook replaced a red liquid capsule in Terra's head, reviving her.

"What's that?" Daigo asked about the strange device.

"Gijera essence," Nook answered calmly.

"The flowers have two functions: creating happy dreams, and..." he gestured to Terra, "...preserving brain cell activity forever."

As he prepared to leave with Terra, saying Earth was doomed, Daigo exploded:

"Unreasonable!" Daigo became angry: "Who will destroy us humans?!"

Nook remained calm. "Humanity itself. Compared to 30 million years ago, humans haven't progressed at all."

A Titan flower appeared on the screen —the true Gijera.

"As long as it blooms, all humans will think that this world is paradise."

"So..." Nook looked at Daigo meaningfully, "Ultraman...loses his purpose."

"Is this how the Titans of light... left the Earth before?" Daigo wondered.

Nook explained the ancient fall: "For humans lost in happiness, the Titans of light became unnecessary."

"Then the last thing that descends will destroy everything! Terrible darkness, a huge nightmare demon."

Speaking of this, Nook's tone also became heavy, and then he looked at Gijera on the screen: "The flowers weaken at sunset," Nook added. "Their activity resumes at dawn."

Daigo had an idea: "Can't we uproot them at night?"

Nook smiled mockingly. "Some ancients tried. But Titans of light..."

Clearly recognizing Daigo, he said gravely: "Human desires run deeper than the roots of Gijera ." 】

Chapter 102: Confused Daigo! What Should I Believe In?

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Who exactly is this Nook?! This is the first time I've seen someone who can see through Daigo's identity...

But he's not wrong, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality! Once you've experienced happiness... even a fictional world might be hard to leave.

Perhaps he's lamenting because he sees that humanity is facing the same destruction as in his era... that humanity hasn't made any progress after so long!

~Fullmetal Alchemist World~

“Human desires are deeper than the roots of the Gijera...”

Edward slowly shook his head, his golden eyes fixed intently on the silver armor before him. His brother—his precious little brother—was trapped inside that cold, hollow shell.

It was a constant reminder of their mistake, of the price they had paid for tampering with forces beyond their understanding.

“No…” 

He muttered under his breath, clenching his automail fist tightly.

His voice grew softer, tinged with both frustration and sorrow as he continued.

“Human desires are like rocks rolling down a mountain; once they start, they can never be stopped. They keep pushing forward, no matter how destructive or reckless they become.”

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

"Humanity is destroying itself!"

Haruki revealed a complicated expression, deeply understanding this sentence...

With the combined efforts of Ultraman Ace and Ultraman Z, they successfully defeated the Killer Terrible-Monster Baraba, but the dimensional weapon left behind by Baraba remained on Earth!

The so-called Earth Defense Force conducted a lot of research on this, initially only using these studies to develop weapons, the so-called "D4!

It possesses the power to destroy and erase all space within a one-kilometer radius with one strike, but they were still not satisfied..

Subsequently, they set their sights on Ultraman Z, hoping to obtain the power of his light!... But they created an even more terrifying artificial Ultraman!

Now, except for Daigo, it seems that the people in that world have all indulged in the fictional world. Everyone guesses that Daigo will transform into Tiga without hesitation and save the world once again.

【 As they were talking, a green pistil shot out from the ground, with roots sprouting around it and tightly entwining it. Then its form changed, and a huge monster with a Titan flower bud appeared, but it didn't move.

On the other side, after saying this, Nook left with Terra. They already felt that this planet would head towards destruction as before.

As night fell, the narrator's voice sounded again!

"After the sun goes down, the Gijera's influence on humans weakens."

"Humans suddenly returned from the dream world to the real world, feeling very painful."

"So they gathered together, seeking the pollen of the Gijera together."

A group of people walked out from one end of the grassland. The people who returned to reality seemed to be in extreme pain, constantly calling out to Gijera, eager to get the pollen again, trying to enter that beautiful dream again!

In the streets, many people seemed to be half-dreaming and half-awake, moving lightly, constantly chanting Gijera! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why do they feel like they're poisoned... as if they're out of their minds?"

"Is that dream really that beautiful? Does returning to reality make you so painful?"

"Rather than poisoning, it's more like delusional!"

"No wonder Nook lamented... at least the previous generation had people trying to resist, but this generation doesn't even resist."

Warriors are lonely. If Daigo tries to stop them, the humans who wake up from the dream will probably not understand Daigo but instead treat Daigo as an enemy!

This time, the enemy is even more terrifying than the second generation of Kyrieloid.

~Ultraman Tiga Wordline~

Nook, who hasn't arrived on Earth yet, calmly looks at the screen. Humanity today is no different from the ultra-ancient times... but Daigo! What choice will you make?

Will you be a lone hero, as always, and move forward alone, or will you silently watch the destruction of the world like the Titans of light in the past?

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Humans..."

Doctor Roman took a sip of coffee and slowly opened his mouth.

"Now they only know how to enjoy the beauty of Gijera, but don't think about what the price will be?"

"There is no free lunch in the world, or rather, what is free is the most expensive! Don't think about what kind of terrible things will happen if you accept this beautiful dream world?"

At this moment, the people outside the video are thinking about what choice Daigo will make in this situation. After all, he is the only one who can stop the Gijera flower now!

However, do humans really want him to stop Gijera? This also means that he will stand on the opposite side of all mankind...

【 Because of the arrival of night, the influence of the Gijera flower has relatively weakened. At this moment, in the GUTS combat command room, everyone has temporarily woken up!

But even as the elite of GUTS, everyone looks like they are still reminiscing, more like they are in a half-dreaming state.

Looking at everyone like this, he knows that if he doesn't solve Gijera, there will be no way out anymore...

So Daigo said with an extremely excited expression: "Now it's just a flower bud, when the huge Gijera flower blooms, humans will never be able to stand up again."

"We must call on the world to destroy all the Gijera tonight!"

Daigo always firmly believes that humans are not so fragile and will not indulge in illusory dreams.

"I want to do that too!"

Daigo looked at Shinjoh, the co-crash prince, with surprise, but before he could be happy for long, he heard Shinjoh's weak words continue.

"I know, I know, Gijera is not a good thing, but I don't know why..."

Shinjoh didn't finish his words. Even Vice-Captain Munakata, who had been knocking on his head trying to wake himself up, sighed.

"Once you've been tempted by Gijera pollen, it's not that easy to quit."

"It's embarrassing, I really want to absorb Gijera's pollen again!"

Vice-Captain Munakata said what everyone was thinking: just like drugs, once you're addicted, there's basically no turning back!

Although they know this is wrong, they can't resist this temptation.

Even Rena didn't refute what the vice-captain said, but instead said with a subtle expression: "Maybe Gijera is a gift from the Earth to us."

"We don't need that kind of thing!" The only sober Daigo retorted:

"Everyone can say to the Earth in unison that we are very painful."

"But even if it's painful, we must realize a dream that is more beautiful than Gijera!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"That's right! What is a dream that can only be realized in illusion?"

"As a human being, face reality strongly, you bastard!"

"Those who think the dream world is beautiful are just a bunch of cowards who choose to escape reality."

【 But at this moment, Daigo's normalcy seems even more abnormal among a group of abnormal people.

Captain Iruma couldn't escape the temptation of Gijera and couldn't help but ask: "But what if humans choose Gijera?"

"Daigo, if humans are really facing a crisis of extinction now, do you have a way to save all mankind?" Horii also looked at Daigo and asked.

"For someone who is about to die, he doesn't need pain. Of course, he will choose Gijera."

Daigo looked at his originally strong teammates who had lost their previous strength and suddenly stood up and said in an agitated voice: "When did everyone become so withdrawn? Are humans so weak?"

The GUTS team did not refute this sentence, they were all silent, indeed as Daigo said, they still wanted to return to that dream world.

Director Sawai, who had been closing his eyes, couldn't help but ask a question, as if stating a fact calmly: "Gijera pollen has made most people experience a beautiful world that is happier than reality."

"If we attack Gijera, then the people of the world will be our enemies."

At this moment, the camera turns, and Daigo walks to the street. The people on the street seem to be walking corpses!

At this time, the narrator's voice sounded again!

"Just as Nook said, will humans be like they were 30 million years ago, indulging in the illusion caused by Gijera to humans? And unable to extricate themselves?"

"Could it be that humans really can't overcome fate? Daigo is very worried, wandering in the streets at night."

Along with Daigo's perspective, everyone saw a man find the Gijera flower and take it off, and put it in his clothes.

But he was seen by others and then fell into a fight! Then, more and more people came over and joined the scramble. The ugliness of human nature is vividly displayed here.

At this moment, the streets are in chaos. On the side, Daigo looked at this chaotic scene, his eyes filled with confusion.

Under the gentle BGM, Daigo came to the lake and couldn't help but mutter to himself: "What should I believe?" 】 

Chapter 103: Daigo!! Do what you think is right!

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"Why is Daigo hesitating?"

Magical Ruby was puzzled. Wouldn't it be solved by directly transforming into Ultraman Tiga and destroying the monster?

Miyu shook her head, indicating it wasn't that simple, and then explained,

"Just as that director said, if he attacks the Gijera Flower, then all of humanity will be his enemy!"

He is confused, not knowing whether to believe that the world in people's dreams is beautiful? Or believe Nook's words that the ancient civilization was destroyed by this?

And what he said before the battle with the second generation of Kyrieloid:

"If humans don't firmly believe in Ultraman... then he can't transform into light to fight!"

So if he transforms into Tiga now, he might be standing on the opposite side of the world!

Now, whether this world will be destroyed depends on the choice of humanity and Daigo's choice!

~Ultraman Max Wordline~

"Daigo... what are you still hesitating about?"

Kaito Touma was already impatient.

If it were him, he would have transformed and fought long ago! As the saying goes, a short pain is better than a long one.

Just as he had this thought, Ultraman Max spoke to him for the first time in his body:

"Kaito! You're wrong... Ultraman won't interfere with human choices. If you were Daigo, I wouldn't stop you from transforming!"

"What!! Why is that, Max?"

 Kaito looked incredibly shocked.

Ultraman Max didn't say much, just said one last sentence:

"This is humanity's choice... perhaps this is why the ancient Titans left Earth."

Now it doesn't matter who is right or wrong; now only Daigo, as a human, can stand up! He needs to muster great courage to deny all of humanity.

【 At this time, Daigo once again recalled the scene of talking with Yuzare!

Daigo looked at Yuzare with excitement and asked, "Since you have so many Titans, didn't they have a way to protect you?"

Yuzare looked at Daigo with an unchanged expression and calmly replied, "Those Ultramen will not interfere with human choices because they are all light." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"That's right... If Ultraman interferes with human choices, what's the difference between him and ruling the Earth?"

"That's true... but can't we make some exceptions? After all, the situation is so critical now."

~Land of Light~

"Not bad!"

Father of Ultra nodded, although the words were a bit cruel for the current situation.

"The Ultra's race will not interfere with human choices..."

UltraSeven deeply understands... and not only that, Ultras cannot participate in the war between humans and indigenous people. He was imprisoned by the Cosmic Court for interfering in the human and Nonmalt incident.

So what will you do now, Daigo?

【 "But you are different because you are both light and human." Speaking of this, Yuzare's tone seemed to have changed slightly.

Thinking of this, Daigo took a deep breath, and his eyes gradually became firm, as if he had made some determination.

"Daigo, do what you think is right!"

The next moment, Daigo took out the Sparklence from his clothes. He pressed the button, and a dazzling light lit up the darkness.

Ultraman Tiga's huge figure appeared in front of the Gijera Flower, and the humans constantly calling for Gijera on the grass not far away exclaimed in surprise.

"It's Tiga!"

"No, Tiga! Don't hurt Gijera!"

"That's our Gijera!" 】

In the ultra-ancient times, Titans would not interfere with human choices, so the Gijera Flower bloomed, causing people to choose their destruction.

In modern times, now that the Gijera Flower has bloomed again, a Titan with humanity, even if he is an enemy of humanity, will resist and finally awaken humanity, struggling from the edge of destruction.

It profoundly explains the image of Tiga Ultraman's coexistence of divinity and humanity! Divinity gives hope to mankind, and humanity encourages people to move towards hope. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Sure enough, he still stands on the opposite side of humanity... those humans simply can't understand what Tiga is fighting for?"

"Daigo, who is both light and human, can be said to have made a choice for humanity this time!"

"They don't need any world in dreams! He always firmly believes that humans are not fragile!"

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"Hua ha ha ha! Interesting..."

The Wise King Gilgamesh couldn't help laughing out loud!

He knows that what is standing there at this moment... is not so much part of Tiga as it is the only sober human! At this moment, the divinity on his body seems to fade... the color of humanity is reflected in him vividly.

~Land of Light~

"Daigo, who is both light and human..."

UltraSeven nodded.

In that case, then do what you think is right... What one person can do, but this also means that you are completely standing on the opposite side of humanity.

~Ultraman Max Wordline~

"Max... didn't you say that Ultraman won't interfere with human choices?"

Kaito asked, looking at the appearing Tiga.

"He is different! This is Daigo's choice... this is the choice of Daigo as a human!"

Max's voice sounded from within.

"But are you ready, Daigo?"

【 What Tiga heard upon arriving at the scene was humans begging him not to hurt Gijera, but this time, Tiga did not respond to humans!

Amidst the voices of opposition from the people, he gradually approached the flower bud, then raised his right hand high, and struck the flower bud with a hand knife, as sparks flew everywhere!

Gijera was also awakened and stretched out roots from the ground to knock Tiga back, but Tiga moved forward again, firmly grabbing the flower bud and constantly attacking it.

Sensing the coming of the threat, Gijera also began to wave the roots on its body, constantly whipping Tiga like a whip!

Outside a shining spaceship, Nook and Terra watched Tiga constantly attacking Gijera! An unknown color flashed in their eyes! It may also be for rejoicing in this era.

"The Ultraman of light who will interfere with human choices, Tiga, you are... the first!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Nook would say this because there were many Titans of light in ancient civilizations... but no one could stand up like him!"

"Because the people at that time abandoned the Titans of light... so they chose to leave."

"Perhaps Nook is also feeling fortunate at this time, after all, he doesn't have to experience the destruction of civilization again..."

~Ultraman Z Wordline~

"This is the true way for Ultraman to fight."

Jugglus Juggler took out the Dyna medal, looked at the medal, and said with an extremely complicated tone.

He once cut down the Tree of Life to stop the war... and also stood on the opposite side of everyone.

But everything he did was denied. Dyna, at that time, told him that this was not the way an Ultra Warrior should fight! Compared to Dyna! He agrees more with Tiga. That seemingly similar experience makes him feel more favorable.

【 Gijera, who was constantly attacked, seized the opportunity, grabbed Tiga's neck with vines, and then unfolded the flower bud, stretching out an organ similar to a mouth from inside.

Then it sprayed a large amount of yellow pollen from inside, and then grabbed Tiga's legs with vines and hung him upside down, constantly releasing electric current from inside to attack Tiga!

"Tiga looks so painful." The Victory Team, which arrived in the Victory Wing, did not launch an attack, and they were also hesitating at this time.

"Dad!"

The little boy on the ground grabbed his father's hand and said unbearably,

"Burn the Gijera Flower! Tiga is too pitiful."

Perhaps because children have not seen too much suffering in reality, they are more likely to come out of the world of dreams than adults.

At the same time, the members of the Victory Team finally made up their minds. The first to come out of the dream world was not the vice-captain, but Shinjoh.

"Okay, let me suffer too! Burn Gijera, let's all go to the new era."

Shinjoh also seemed to have made up his mind; the confusion and hesitation on his face disappeared, and his face was filled with incomparable firmness. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect the first to come out to be this Shinjoh who often crashes with Daigo."

"How much perseverance does this require! Unlike Daigo... he is just an ordinary human."

"I won't mock you for being a crash prince anymore... like a real man!"

It's great that Shinjo was able to wake up, which means that Daigo is no longer isolated and helpless.

【 Rena also stopped hesitating, smiled, and said seriously, "You're right, that's what we're fighting for!"

"Then support Tiga!" Vice-Captain Munakata also stopped hesitating and issued a combat order!

"Bang——"

Several lasers fired from the Victory Wing destroyed the vines that bound Tiga!

Seeing everyone making a choice, Tiga stopped hesitating, and even his body movements became much faster. He left the attack range with several backflips.

Then Tiga crossed his arms in front, and then spread them left and right to draw a purple light, and finally combined his hands into an L shape, and a white light shot towards the Gijera Flower.

"Boom——"

Accompanied by a violent explosion, Gijera was completely destroyed!

But its roots are constantly retracting into the ground! Seeing this, Vice-Captain Munakata immediately shouted anxiously, "Tiga! Pull out its roots!"

Tiga immediately lunged and grabbed its roots! Then a red light rose from his body, and the red current spread down the roots, directly destroying his nest below. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why didn't Tiga fire a light ray to destroy it when he first came out?"

"After all, Gijera was still sleeping when he first came out. If he fired a light ray directly at that time, he could definitely destroy it!"

"Perhaps Daigo was also waiting for humans to make a choice... he was just using himself to try to awaken the sleeping humans"

"It is always humans themselves who can save humanity... if humans had not woken up at the last moment, I am afraid that Daigo would not have released the light even if he died in battle..."

"After all, if humans don't wake up, even if they are saved, they will repeat the same mistakes..."

【 The sun slowly rose, Nook and Terra gradually turned into light and disappeared, and at the same time, their voices sounded

"Thank you, Tiga."

"Thank you!"

Daigo looked at the two who were gradually dissipating, and for the first time said something as Tiga, apologizing to the two: "I'm sorry, I don't want to kill you too."

Because they base their existence solely on the essence of Gijera, they are doomed to die.

"It's okay, Tiga!" They didn't care about this, they had lived long enough.  

Nook smiled on his face: "Thanks to you, we know what true life is."

"True life?"

"Work hard to live a short life, and leave the results to future generations to inherit. Humans are so amazing to grow slowly and repeatedly." With this sentence falling, Nook and Terra waved their hands and completely disappeared from Tiga's eyes!

At this moment, the members of the Victory Team who had returned also couldn't help but sigh. Captain Iruma Megumi looked at everyone and said with admiration.

"I really admire Tiga. He clearly knew that the whole world was against him, but he still went all out to save us."

"No!"

At this moment, Daigo interrupted everyone's words. No one understood the meaning better than him: "In the end, it was humans who made the choice!" 】

Three thousand years ago, humans lost the Titans of light and headed for destruction because of the Gijera Flower!

Now, they have broken this predicament and did not repeat the same mistakes as in the past, but instead chose another path to a new future.

Chapter 104: Super Ancient Monster

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The fact that Daigo ultimately said that humans made the final choice... feels particularly convincing."

"After all, no one understands the meaning behind those words better than him."

"But given Daigo's personality, he must be in great pain in the end... after all, he didn't expect it to take Nook's life! But he had no choice."

~Kamen Rider Build~

"Hahahaha! As expected, Humans are indeed interesting."

Evolt couldn't help but burst into laughter.

To be able to overcome the temptation of Gijera and actively destroy it, even though humans seem incredibly fragile, it's unexpected that they can be so decisive when they really have to make a choice.

Indeed, humans are a truly interesting species! He's decided! He won't destroy Earth anymore!! He wants to continue observing!

~Land of Light~

Living a short life to the fullest and leaving the results for future generations to inherit, humans grow slowly in this repetitive manner; this is the humanity he deeply loves!

Ultraseven likes humans like this; as expected, humans possess infinite possibilities! Seeing humans decisively choose to destroy Gijera in the end, he couldn't help but reveal a gratified smile.

Human courage is, amidst a blissful world filled with lies and a painful reality burying the truth, still bravely choosing the truth.

Daigo, as both human and Ultraman, went against the wishes of the bewitched humans and chose his true heart. This is the greatest aspect of humanity, abandoning happiness for self-redemption!

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"Although that Nook verbally said that the people who tried to eliminate Gijera three million years ago were pitiful, he still told Daigo the weakness of Gijera."

"Perhaps, deep down in his heart, he still held some expectations!"

Yuka Ohta, who loves dissecting alien creatures, also said with deep feeling...

Nook verbally said he wanted to leave this Earth, but he still watched Tiga fight until the very end, and even his final farewell words carried a hint of relief and release.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Unlike the attack of powerful monsters, Gijera itself isn't particularly strong in the strictest sense!"

"But Humans who have given up on the future are even harder for Ultraman to save!"

Da Vinci said, looking at Daigo on the screen, who humbly said that humans saved him.

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded; he also felt that Da Vinci's words made a lot of sense, and then said:

 "So in the end, humans made their own choice, choosing a future that they created with their own hands, even if it would bring pain!"

"This is also the powerful aspect of the human heart - even if they are deceived by beautiful things, they still have a spirit that doesn't give up!"

【 After defeating Gijera, the video continued to flash through several battle scenes, one of which even showed an Ultraman similar to Tiga fighting another.

Until the night Daigo was on duty at the GUTS headquarters, that memory, as if engraved in his DNA, appeared again in the form of a dream.

Kaiju reappeared, surrounded by raging fires, people running in the streets, constantly screaming in panic, as if begging for help.

Then, as if darkness swallowed everything, it turned into a pitch-black void.

“!!” In the dimly lit conference room, Daigo was startled awake by this terrifying dream. His face was covered in sweat, and he was filled with terror and unease.

“Darkness of destruction?”

Then he looked up and saw a figure standing at the door. Seeing Daigo in a panic, they took two steps forward with concern and said, "Daigo?!"

Rena was holding two cups of coffee in her hands. It was the first time she had seen Daigo so uneasy, and she said worriedly, "What's wrong with you?"

“No, it's nothing!” Daigo shook his head, forcing a smile at the corner of his mouth, his eyes constantly darting around.

Rena held back the tears in her eyes, put down the coffee in her hand, and looked at Daigo like this, wanting to say something: "I wanted to say... I...!"

Looking at Daigo's constantly darting eyes, Rena ultimately didn't say anything, then pursed her lips and walked out. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why is everything engraved in DNA? Daigo's dream is very likely to come true... Will the world be swallowed by darkness?"

"This is the terrible nightmare Nook was talking about! A disaster that destroys everything."

"It's really making me anxious... what are these two doing?"

"One wants to say but doesn't dare to... one wants to listen but doesn't dare to, are they playing 'I want to make you anxious'?"

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

Although the dream Daigo had is of great concern to the GUTS team at the moment, the fact that the video can be played means that this dream is unusual.

But there isn't much known at the moment, it's better to wait until the video is completely played before thinking of countermeasures! So they are now looking at Daigo and Rena with ambiguous eyes!

Anyone who isn't blind can tell that these two definitely have an unusual relationship.

Receiving the gazes of everyone, Daigo and Rena looked at each other, then turned their heads away in embarrassment.

Rena also feels that her future interactions with Daigo are strange... Could it be that they will really be together in the future?

【 “Beep beep——!” The GUTS headquarters suddenly received a communication, interrupting his thoughts, and he quickly pressed the answer button.

“Ocean Patrol calling GUTS! An abnormal uplift has occurred on the seabed off the coast of New Zealand.”

Receiving the communication, Daigo didn't dare to be careless and quickly woke up the other members of GUTS!

Vice-Captain Munakata hurriedly came in and asked, "What exactly happened? Is it so serious that you called us up in the middle of the night?"

“Output the image!” Rena quickly ran to the console, tapped the keyboard a few times, and projected the image sent by the patrol team onto the big screen.

From the image, it was clearly an ancient ruin, making everyone marvel!

It was also at this time that Rena came to the conference room. Horii looked at Rena in surprise, not expecting her to ignore Daigo and walk directly to the captain.

So Horii directly pulled Daigo behind and talked, pointing his finger at Rena, wondering if they had had some kind of conflict. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Hahaha, Horii's little finger pointing is really too expressive."

"As expected, anyone with eyes can see that they are definitely together, their relationship is definitely unusual."

"Maybe Rena guessed something? But I can't figure out why she's ignoring Daigo."

【 Rena looked at the data sent by the Ocean Patrol very seriously and said to everyone, "The exact era is not yet clear, but it can be determined that it was built three million years ago."

“It's like hell.” Captain Iruma looked at the remains all over the ruins, as well as the huge buildings.

“Tzz——”

A terrifying bird call suddenly came from the screen, accompanied by a red light, followed by a pair of blood-red eyes! It should be known that this is the seabed of New Zealand, yet there is the sound of birds!

Then the monster rushed out of the sea and flew towards the sky. After Rena operated for a while, she finally determined its target.

“Damn it, that thing is about to land in Australia!”

“Unit 1, move out first!” Rena walked out of the conference room without looking back.

The vanguard monster Zoigar came to Sydney and spat out several fireballs from its mouth, constantly destroying the city! Then it spat out several lasers, wreaking havoc.

Rena was already piloting the GUTS Wing, firing several lasers to attract its attention. At this time, Daigo also arrived at the scene piloting the GUTS Wing.

The experienced Vice-Captain Munakata saw Zoiger's terrifying speed and then issued an order: "Don't try to win with speed, Daigo, go around."

“Roger!” Daigo piloted the GUTS Wing to the other side, surrounding the monster Zoiger with Rena!

“Rena's starting!”

Daigo called out, but Rena didn't respond but the two still fired lasers at Zoiger with great tacit understanding.

But because the monster Zoiger's acceleration was too fast, the two attacks missed, and Zoiger ascended rapidly! Seeing this, Rena also quickly pulled up the GUTS Wing.

“Beep, beep——” The constantly rising Rena caused the cockpit to constantly emit alarms! Even her whole body was in pain from this terrifying pressure... But Rena didn't stop her actions.

“Rena, you can't do it!” Although Daigo didn't understand what was wrong with Rena, he was worried about her and also pulled up his plane to chase after her, following behind.

The monster Zoiger turned back in the air at an even faster speed, spitting out fireballs to attack Rena!

Rena relied on her skillful operating techniques to dodge the fireballs attacking from the front, but Daigo, who was following behind, didn't have time to react!

“Bang——!”

The tail of the GUTS Wing was hit by a fireball, and sparks flew, and accompanied by an explosion, the GUTS Wing piloted by Daigo emitted flames and thick smoke.

“Damn it!” The GUTS Wing piloted by Daigo gradually fell downwards, so he reached out and took out the Sparklence, intending to transform into Tiga to defeat the monster!

“Daigo!! Are you okay?” Rena's call came from the communication, which made Daigo hesitate for a moment, and ultimately, he didn't press the Sparklence but instead chose to press the parachute button.

Seeing that Daigo was okay, the members of GUTS breathed a sigh of relief. Horii looked at Captain Iruma and said, "Daigo has successfully parachuted, but this Rena is really too reckless!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What's going on? Rena isn't like her usual self at all, this is too reckless."

"Could she be controlled? But her concern for Daigo at the end was genuine, it doesn't seem like it..."

"And from the beginning until now, I've felt that Rena has has been acting strangely..."

【 Daigo successfully parachuted! The monster Zoiger also disappeared. Captain Iruma breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of the conference room.

Then she saw a mysterious person, whom she didn't remember seeing, and with GUTS's experience of multiple alien invasions, she immediately chased after them: "Stop right there!! Did you hear me?! I said Stop!"

Until she came to the end of the road, this mysterious person, who had been facing away from Captain Iruma since the beginning, slowly turned around at this moment!

But it surprised everyone outside the video, because this person was actually identical to Captain Iruma!!!

“What!” Iruma couldn't hide her shock. 】

Chapter 105: I also want to turn into light!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Another Ghost? A clone or a mimic?"

"Seems like she's no ordinary person, to think that even the entire GUTS team couldn't detect her presence... If that's the case, isn't it dangerous for Captain Iruma to chase after her alone?"

At this moment, the people outside the video had already guessed about Rena's strange behavior, but they were even more curious about who this person who suddenly appeared and looked exactly like the Captain was.

Was it an enemy or a friend? And what was their purpose in appearing here at this time?

【 Captain Megumi Iruma looked solemnly at the person in front of her, who looked exactly like her, and asked, "Who are you?"

"Zoiger has already revived!" The mysterious person didn't directly answer her question, but instead said to herself, "The evil demon bird that burns the earth brings boundless darkness and will completely devour this land."

"Boundless darkness?" Captain Megumi Iruma repeated blankly.

The evil demon bird... could it be the monster that came out of the ruins?! So its name is Zoiger, the demon bird that burns the earth, capable of bringing boundless darkness...

The mysterious person seemed to have experienced that boundless darkness, and with lingering fear, continued and said, "The messenger who brings terror, destruction, and sadness that turns everything into nothing!"

At this moment, Captain Megumi Iruma had already recognized the identity of the mysterious person. Without a doubt, the other party was from the ultra-ancient civilization... Yuzare!

Thinking of this, Megumi Iruma asked, "Is this a thing of the distant past? Or a prophecy of the future? Commander of the Earth Defense Force?"

She was very curious whether what Yuzare was talking about was something that happened in the distant past or something that would happen in the near future!

"I'm just a program!" Yuzare, whose identity had been exposed, also reverted to her white-haired appearance, turned her head to look at Megumi Iruma, and continued, "There's no way to predict the future."

"But!" Megumi Iruma looked at Yuzare and asked her last question, "Didn't you perish with your race?"

Yuzare didn't say anything more, her expression seemed very sad... Undoubtedly, Captain Megumi Iruma's last sentence struck the most painful part of her heart. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Uh... such advanced conversation skills, she hitting people's sore spots right away."

"I feel like if the Captain hadn't said that last sentence that hit her sore spot, she might have been able to get more information out of her."

"The darkness that destroys everything? But that was after the Gijera flower, without the Titans of light, so it was destroyed!"

"But it's different now! With Ultraman Tiga, the monster should be able to be dealt with."

The people outside this video were speechless at Yuzare, who kept saying she was a program... Who would believe you if you said you were a program?

~Ultraman Gaia Worldline~

"How advanced was the technology of the ultra-ancient civilization?"

Gamu Takayama asked, full of doubts.

To be able to predict from 30 million years ago to the present... and be able to accurately converse with people! What's even more bizarre is that it seems to possess human emotions.

Rather than a program, it's more like a living person!

But! Even the ultra-ancient civilization with such advanced technology still couldn't escape the darkness that turned everything into nothing... Even the entire race perished together.

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

At this moment, Hikari, as a scientist, couldn't suppress his curiosity!

Is this a technological creation? Or is it really someone from 30 million years ago?

How could she accurately appear in this era? Even emotions such as sadness showed when she talked to Captain Megumi Iruma, which was definitely not something a program could possess!

All of this was too attractive to his curiosity.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"That monster is just a vanguard! So that means there's an even more terrifying existence behind that monster?"

Miyu touched her chin and slowly guessed.

And since it's said to be a vanguard, then maybe there's more than one! There's also the existence that could destroy an entire civilization, and it probably hasn't appeared yet.

【 “The darkness of destruction... is about to revive.” Megumi Iruma had an ominous premonition as she watched Yuzare disappear.

After returning to GUTS, Daigo took the initiative to approach Rena, and regarding her strange behavior today, he also expressed his inner thoughts: "Why have you been avoiding me today? Did I do something wrong?"

"I..." Rena's eyes were filled with tears, and she choked back as she turned her head, wanting to say something, but she still couldn't say it, and then she trotted out. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I'm afraid Rena has already guessed Daigo's identity at this time..."

"Given her relationship with Daigo, she might be angry that he's been hiding it from her? So she doesn't know how to speak up now!"

【 The people who returned to the GUTS conference room formulated a new plan, intending to send someone to investigate the ultra-ancient ruins to see if they could find the reason for the appearance of the monster Zoiger.

Daigo, who returned to rest at GUTS, gradually closed his eyes and then dreamed again of the signs of the destruction of the ultra-ancient civilization.

"This won't happen. Could it be that destruction is inevitable?" In a piece of darkness, Daigo excitedly asked his question.

"Why do you have to show me this situation, Yuzare!?"

But this time, Yuzare didn't appear, only her voice came: "Daigo, who is both light and human, the answer is in your own heart!!"

Daigo, who woke up from his dream, received a summons from the Captain and the Director: "Zoiger has appeared!"

So Daigo ran out quickly, and with Rena's strange expression, he also boarded the Victory Wing!

On the other side, the members Horii and Shinjoh boarded the Blue Tornado and set off from the seabed! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Looking at Rena's strange expression, it's as if you're saying that if I get on this plane, it's bound to crash!"

"After all, she has already guessed that Daigo is Tiga, so it's not surprising that she's showing this expression!"

【 Vice-Captain Munakata and Yazumi's Victory Wing 2 were also unable to aim because Zoiger's flying speed was too fast, and at this time, the White Swan next to them quickly passed by.

The Victory Snow White, equipped with the Maxima Overdrive, caught up with Zoiger at an extremely fast speed! Rena dodged Zoiger's fireballs with her superb skills!

Then their attack successfully hit Zoiger!

Zoiger, after being attacked, intended to fly upwards again, trying to avoid pursuit as before?

But, regardless of everything, Rena also raised the Victory Snow White!

"Rena!" Seeing that Snow White was about to fly out of the atmosphere, Daigo also shouted anxiously: "Snow White doesn't have the equipment to fly out of the atmosphere! Rena?"

But Rena in front seemed not to hear, and continued to pursue constantly, seeing the Snow White flying higher and higher, even Captain Megumi Iruma at the GUTS base was anxiously giving orders...

"Rena, return immediately!"

But Rena at this moment was still deaf to it, muttering: "A little higher..."

"What's wrong with you?" Daigo also didn't understand: "Say something!"

As Snow White flew out of the atmosphere, the communication in their ears was also cut off, preventing others from hearing their conversation, and then Rena spoke!

At this time, Rena's eyes were filled with tears, and her voice choked as she said, "Why? Why didn't you tell me? Why do you have to bear it alone?"

At this moment, (the BGM TAKEMEHIGHER) sounded.

Faced with Rena's question, Daigo's eyes were still constantly dodging, without answering.

"Could it be that Ultraman has the obligation to bear the responsibility of protecting the Earth alone?"

The slightly crying voice came from the front, disrupting Daigo's heart at this time!

"You say, don't you think it's too unreasonable?"

At this moment, Daigo finally understood why Rena had become so strange...

"If I could..." Rena showed a complicated expression at this time: "I also want to become light, become light, and fly higher."

Daigo heard that this was what Rena was thinking... He said with utmost seriousness: "This is not an obligation, because I am Daigo, I am just doing what I can do!"

"I, I can't turn back now." Rena, with tears in her eyes, slightly turned her head, and said to Daigo behind her with inexplicable emotions: "So, you transform."

Daigo took out the Sparklence and said to Rena in front of him with utmost seriousness: "You can also become light, Rena, you can too!"

Accompanied by the passionate song, a dazzling white light rose from Snow White, and Rena silently closed her eyes! Ultraman Tiga's figure appeared next to Snow White and directly picked up Snow White!

A purple light flashed on Ultraman Tiga's head, and he transformed into his Sky Type, carrying Snow White to fly higher! Fly faster.

Then, Rena, who slowly opened her eyes, looked up at Tiga, and Tiga also turned his gaze to Rena! "Thank you!" 】

Chapter 106: The Darkness Falls!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What Rena said about wanting to become light probably means she doesn't want Daigo to bear it alone..."

"And Rena probably feels the pressure on Daigo is about to crush him! She wants to stand up and share the burden... but she resents why he's unwilling to tell her and let her help bear the pressure!"

"But Daigo probably doesn't dare to tell anyone! What if he ends up like Himeya Jun, captured and subjected to human experiments? That would be a disaster."

"What I admire most about Daigo is his self-awareness... he has always considered himself human! He simply did what a human could do."

"And this music is so fitting! It feels like it was created for this moment! Taking you to fly higher!"

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"Wow... amazing! And is this a confession?"

Nakashima Yoko's face was full of longing, wishing Haruki could say the same to her.

Watching Daigo transform into Tiga and chase Zoiger with Rena, she couldn't help but sigh. What could be more romantic than becoming an Ultraman with the person you love and fighting monsters together?

Then Yoko looked at Haruki, who she had just found out was Ultraman Z, but he was leaving for space tomorrow. Do Ultraman have to leave Earth after their identities are exposed?

~Land of Light~

"This reminds me of the young man I met in space back then!"

Ultraman Zoffy nodded, feeling nostalgic.

"He believed that one day, humanity would be able to reach the vast universe on their own!"

Ultraman Taro also felt deeply and said to his brothers,

"Brothers! Have you noticed? Daigo has always adhered to one theme! He is a human! He simply did what a human could do."

This aligns with their principle—not to rely too much on the power of Ultraman... otherwise, humanity will not grow.

【 Transforming into his Sky Type, Tiga held the Snow White aircraft and turned into a beam of white light, swiftly chasing after Zoiger. As they got closer, Rena decisively pressed the attack button on the Snow White!

"Bang——"

The blue laser hit Zoiger's wings, and the terrible power knocked off Zoiger's wings!

Losing a wing, Zoiger let out a painful wail and could no longer maintain flight, falling heavily from the sky to the ground!

At this time, Tiga also fell from the sky to the ground, gently placed Snow White in his arms on the ground, and nodded to Rena.

After Zoiger fell to the ground, stood up, let out a few strange screams, and then spit out a few fireballs from his mouth to attack Tiga.

"Boom——"

Because Snow White was behind him, Tiga didn't dodge and could only face away, clenching his fists with both hands, protecting Snow White with his body! The fireballs ruthlessly attacked Tiga, splashing several sparks!

After enduring the attack, Tiga looked back and saw a surprising scene!

Zoiger put his hand on the only remaining wing. As he exerted force on his hand, he kept wailing in pain, and with green blood spurting out, Zoiger slammed the pulled-off wing heavily on the ground! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Ouch—"

"That looks so painful! Why would it mutilate itself like that??"

"Probably pulling off the remaining wing is to avoid affecting his balance, maybe he also plans to have a life-and-death duel with Tiga."

"As the saying goes, break a wing to survive! Zoiger also plans to fight with his back to the water... Although he is a monster, you have to admit, it's got guts."

 Zoiger, who pulled off his wings, ran quickly towards Tiga, then jumped behind Tiga with both feet, and kicked Tiga away.

Zoiger on the ground has a terrifying speed no less than that in the sky, and his claws constantly attack Tiga at an extremely fast speed.

Tiga, who was beaten without the power to fight back, was even strangled by Zoiger's hands, and the indicator light on his chest began to turn red and kept flashing.

"Daigo—" Rena, on the Snow White, showed a worried expression and quickly called out Daigo's name!

"Cha—"

Tiga crossed his hands on his head, and as the crystal on his forehead radiated red light, he transformed into his Power Type, then directly picked up Zoiger and threw him away with a shoulder throw.

Taking advantage of Zoiger's just standing up, Tiga jumped up and hammered Zoiger's head with his heel, knocking him dizzy!

Then, with the power of the Power Type, he kept attacking Zoiger!

Zoiger, who was beaten and retreated, fired fireballs from his mouth! What Zoiger didn't expect was that the previously unfavorable fireballs were caught by Tiga with both hands!

Then Tiga threw the fireballs back! Throwing them on Zoiger's mouth! It made Zoiger wail in pain, and his hands kept patting his mouth, hoping to relieve the pain. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Sure enough, the Power Type is the best! The Sky Type was beaten without the power to fight back in two or three hits..."

"Is it just me, How do I feel that the Power Type's speed is faster than the Sky Type..."

【 Taking advantage of Zoiger's inability to continue releasing energy bombs, he quickly and unilaterally beat Zoiger a few times and kicked him away.

Then Tiga raised a blazing fireball in front of his chest, which is the Power Type's ultimate move - Deracium Beam Torrent!

The powerful power directly shattered Zoiger, and then Tiga did not fly into the sky as usual, but radiated light all over his body and directly turned back into Daigo on the spot!

As the gentle BGM sounded! On a grassland, Rena looked at Daigo's back in front of her, slowly approaching with a hesitant look.

Then Daigo also turned around and looked at Rena gently, then smiled, seeing Rena seemed to be saying something... So he took the helmet and walked to Rena's side.

Rena held back the tears in her eyes and said with a smile and a crying voice: "Welcome back..."

"I'm back!" Daigo looked at Rena like this and also smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Then the two approached each other, and the camera zoomed out very subtly, and the helmets in their hands fell directly on the ground. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It's really going to romanticize me to death... I didn't expect there to be dog food!"

"Is this really something I can watch without paying? But as my math teacher said, Details, pay attention to details!!"

"Did they kiss? They definitely kissed... Why is this shot so vague! Be bolder, let us see the details."

"Lovers finally get married, I was getting so anxious watching this!"

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

"Wow——"

"Daigo, you sly dog! You managed to win over the ace pilot of the GUTS team..."

"Have you considered when to get married? I will definitely give you a big gift then."

At this moment, everyone in the GUTS team all wore knowing smiles as they teased Daigo! No wonder Rena was always worried about Daigo, it turned out that there were early signs.

As for Rena, as the person involved, she was blushing and hiding her face on the table. Although she had a good impression, the two of them were far from reaching the kind of relationship in the future video.

Peeking at Daigo from the table, she saw him grinning goofily.

But soon, their smiles faded as the terrifying darkness mentioned in the video was about to arrive.

【 "Beep—" As the sound in the communicator sounded! Daigo immediately turned on the communicator and then saw Captain Megumi Iruma saying with a serious face, "Return to base immediately, Zoiger is attacking."

At this moment, Daigo and Rena both widened their eyes and said in disbelief: "How is that possible? Didn't it just die?"

Then, Zoiger's cry sounded again, which made Daigo and Rena look up, and they saw two Zoigers streaking across the sky!

"Blue Tornado is not answering!"

Captain Megumi Iruma's expression was grave, and she continued in a deep voice: "Right now, all over the world, they are being attacked by Zoiger."

Then the camera turned slightly, and black mist began to emerge continuously on the sea in New Zealand earlier... A darkness that seemed to devour everything was enveloping the Earth as if something terrifying had awakened. 

.....

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

"How are we supposed to fight this? So many monsters appeared at the same time!"

Vice-Captain Shingo Sakomizu also wore a grim expression.

And the time that Ultraman can be active is only about three minutes... Not to mention the problem of physical strength, if each Zoiger has the strength similar to the one just defeated, then it is basically impossible to fight...

Just their terrifying speed alone makes it impossible for human fighters to catch up! And this is just the vanguard... something even more terrifying is coming.

 ~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

"No wonder it's called the Vanguard Monster! This is not just one... but a whole army!"

"This is terrible! Just one Zoiger is already tired of dealing with! Now Zoigers have appeared all over the world... Even if Tiga is more powerful, he can't solve it!"

At this moment, the Ultra Brothers all looked worried. This wasn't just about one or two monsters— the appearance all over the world means that Daigo can't solve it in time at all!

And from the last scene, the darkness that seems to be no less than the Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera had awakened! Tiga, in his current state, probably isn't a match.

Is this the terrible nightmare mentioned in the prophecy... the darkness that destroys everything?.

Chapter 107: I don't understand what it means to be unable to win.

Chapter Text

【 Daigo and Rena, upon receiving the message, immediately boarded the Victory Snow White and headed back to headquarters.

At this moment, over the ocean off the coast of New Zealand, accompanied by blue lightning, endless black mist began to spread, enveloping the sky in darkness. The sun had long since disappeared.

In Snow White, Rena and Daigo felt a deep unease in their hearts as they looked at the encroaching darkness.

"Do you think we can win?" Rena turned to Daigo, her voice filled with worry.

At this moment, she also felt that some kind of terrifying existence was awakening, but Daigo remained silent, not answering. Rena seemed to understand something and continued.

"If... our fate is destined to end in destruction!"

"What kind of fate is that!" Daigo interrupted Rena before she could finish, as he firmly believed that humanity would prevail!

"We must change it!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Such a strong sense of oppression! Just moments ago, the sky was clear... and now it's completely shrouded in darkness."

"What kind of existence has awakened? Could it be the true reason the ancient civilization perished?"

"I must say, the sense of oppression is extremely strong!"

【 At the same time, on the ocean off the coast of New Zealand, blue lightning continuously struck the surface, and the entire seabed trembled! The seawater churned, and the previously discovered ultra-ancient ruins rose from the seabed to the surface.

The Blue Tornado, which had lost contact nearby, was also affected by the tremors. Shinjoh was struggling to control the joystick...

"What the hell is happening?" Shinjoh struggled to control the Blue Tornado, trying to avoid a crash, and said with effort.

Horii, who was beside him, looked at the red eyes that appeared on the screen, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "What is that big dark shadow?"

"Headquarters! Headquarters!!"

Horii, realizing that something was wrong, tried to contact the Victory Team, but discovered that they had lost contact with headquarters sometime ago.

Inside the Victory Team headquarters, Vice-Captain Munakata was still trying to make contact, "Blue Tornado! Answer quickly!"

"Horii!! Shinjoh!!" But no matter how Vice-Captain Munakata called out, he received no response.

At this time, Captain Megumi Iruma, also with a furrowed brow, turned to look at Munakata, "What exactly is happening under the sea?"

Vice-Captain Munakata shook his head, he wasn't very clear either. Before they could speculate, A panicked voice came from the side.

"Zoiger is attacking the capital's center!"

The scene shifted to the city where Zoiger was attacking. Amidst the sounds of people fleeing, countless buildings were instantly destroyed.

"All transportation systems have been shut down. Evacuate to the underground shelters immediately."

Zoiger wreaked havoc in the city. At this moment, humanity seemed exceptionally small and helpless, and darkness enveloped the city!

A child fleeing looked at Zoiger destroying the city in the sky and didn't give up hope, saying with utmost seriousness, "Ultraman Tiga! Will definitely take care of it."

And it wasn't just Japan, destruction was happening all over the world. As the scene shifted, everything was engulfed in flames, but without exception, Zoiger were flying through them.

People in other countries had also tried to fight back, but neither their power nor their speed could keep up with Zoiger. Everything they touched was destroyed.

The apocalypse had arrived, and an atmosphere of despair and oppression filled the entire screen. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"This is terrible! There's no way they can win like this..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the scenes on the screen, and even through the screen, he could feel the arrival of the end of the world.

He thought it was no big deal that the evil demon bird that would burn the earth, as predicted before, was defeated by Tiga.

Unexpectedly, there was more than one, more like an entire race, all mobilized. A single Zoiger could hold back Tiga... Now that so many have appeared, even Daigo would be struggling to cope.

"Since so many monsters are appearing at once... could there be other Ultramans returning?"

Besides that, Mash Kyrielight couldn't think of any way to get through this crisis... After all, wasn't it said that there were many Ultraman in the ultra-ancient civilization?

But they had left. Maybe they would return to help humanity through this crisis?

Fujimaru Ritsuka shook his head. If there were other Ultraman, they would have appeared by now.

And the title of this review is "To the Shining Ones". Does that mean that humanity will overcome the difficulties on their own? If that's the case, it fits the title quite well.

~Ultraman ***** Wordline, Dark Planet ~

Emperor of the Universe, The Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera, was also surprised to see these black mists!

"Such dark power that is no less than mine... Who is it? I have never heard of it!"

He could feel immense dark power emanating from the fog! Though he didn't know who it was, it didn't stop him from hating Tiga... Those who claim to be the light, let them all be destroyed in darkness!

No matter how you look at it, this world, as the prophecy says, will be enveloped in darkness and is about to end!

【 "Daigo! Look at the base!" Rena and Daigo had already arrived near the base in the Snow White.

The darkness enveloping the sky began to engulf the base. Daigo couldn't hide his surprise, "Black mist?!"

At this moment, Yazumi at the Victory Team headquarters also discovered that the base was being invaded, but his face was filled with disbelief, "Nothing is being destroyed? The security defense system hasn't even been activated."

"And there's no reaction to mass. Impossible... This is too strange!" Everything that was happening now was beyond Yazumi's imagination, making it impossible for him to calm down. 】

.....

~Land of Light~

"No mass reaction?! It even invaded without the base's defense system working..."

Hikari was also encountering this kind of formless, indescribable thing for the first time... All of humanity's attacks were swallowed by the black mist!

Because it has no mass, ordinary attacks and physical force cannot stop it!

Moreover, from the video, humans die quickly after being trapped in the black mist, and it is electrified, which can disrupt the normal operation of machinery and block radio waves!

As he observed, he couldn't help but be shocked! Wouldn't this cut off even the most basic communication for humans?!

Without communication... It's like humanity has directly lost its ability to resist! Because there's no way to organize an effective attack.

【 The overwhelming black mist gradually eroded the Victory Team headquarters. Rena and Daigo returned to the base and informed everyone that the black mist had invaded the base!

At this moment, the video kept flashing scenes of destroyed cities, and people in underground shelters were filled with quarrels... An atmosphere of oppression was constantly gathering. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This moment really feels like the end of the world... The cities have been destroyed, and the atmosphere is really oppressive!"

"But there's no way... The black mist alone has left everyone helpless."

"I'm really curious how they get out of this predicament? Or will this era be destroyed as the prophecy says!"

【 For the sake of the big picture, Director Sawai had no choice but to issue a retreat order, moving all members to the Artdessei.

In the seabed off the coast of New Zealand, Shinjoh and Horii kept calling out, looking weak due to a lack of oxygen.

"Headquarters, headquarters!"

"Oh, you're really stubborn." Horii looked at Shinjoh, who kept shouting to headquarters, with some helplessness in his tone.

"Didn't I tell you? That black mist has blocked all radio signals."

"You're so patient!" Even so, Shinjoh said anxiously, "You know, we can't contact the outside world, and we can't surface!"

"We're running out of oxygen. I'm starting to hate the sea." Horii said, looking around the cockpit before his eyes landed on a wedding photo.

But the ensuing tremor made him shout anxiously, "Shinjoh!! This guy is finally starting to move."

Above the ocean off the coast of New Zealand, blue lightning flashed continuously, and a monster with a huge volume appeared on the ultra-ancient ruins in the New Zealand ocean! It kept making strange noises.

It had a huge spiral shell on its body, with dense black holes on the surface and scarlet eyes shining! The eyes were below the mouth! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Watching the appearance of this monster, for some reason, the people outside the video suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness, as if this enemy was simply not something they could defeat.

Its appearance also seemed to be announcing that this era, like the ultra-ancient civilization, could not escape the fate of destruction!

【 "This is... the ruler of darkness... He is going to engulf the world in darkness."

At this moment, Captain Megumi Iruma also understood that this was the last enemy that Yuzare had spoken of, the monster that destroyed the ultra-ancient civilization!

"This guy! This guy is the one who released the black mist." Daigo looked at the monster on the screen very seriously.

Gatanothor seemed to realize that he was being watched, and a strange cry caused all the instruments at the Victory Team headquarters to be destroyed, and sparks kept flashing inside the base! The previous screen was only a piece of darkness.

The black mist had spread to the conference room, and everyone finally decided to evacuate, but only Daigo remained in place. Rena shouted anxiously when she saw this, "Daigo!"

"Daigo!" Captain Megumi Iruma also shouted anxiously.

Director Sawai thought something had happened and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Daigo looked at the spreading black mist and finally seemed to make a decision: "I... I want to go alone!"

Seeing this, Captain Megumi Iruma had no choice but to ask Director Sawai and the others to evacuate first, then looked at Daigo and said with emotion.

"When I first saw Ultraman, I thought I had met God."

"I thought he could guide humanity on the right path, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Later, I realized."

"Ultraman is both light and human."

Rena looked at the Captain in surprise. She didn't expect that the Captain also knew Daigo's identity.

Captain Megumi Iruma looked at Daigo and said equally seriously, "So Daigo, you have no obligation to face an enemy that you can't win at all. You should understand, right?"

The monster that appeared at this moment, even Captain Megumi Iruma, believed that this was not something that Tiga could defeat!

Under the gentle BGM, Daigo turned around, looking at the captain. Behind him, sparks illuminated his face as he smiled: "I don't understand what it means to be unable to win."

"Yes!" Captain Megumi Iruma realized something at this moment, and a smile also appeared on her face.

"Since when did I stop believing in fate? We must win, as a humans!"

"What..." Rena couldn't believe it. Wasn't the Captain asking Daigo to fight alone? How could he defeat the ruler of darkness by himself?

Daigo nodded at the Captain, and then Megumi Iruma pulled Rena out!

But Rena wanted to stay here and fight with Daigo. She shouted anxiously with a sob, "Daigo!!"

"Rena!" Daigo knew what Rena was thinking, but she had more important things to do at this moment! So he said seriously, "It's your job to rescue everyone from the base."

Then he took out the Sparklence in front of them!

"No problem, right?" Captain Megumi Iruma pulled Rena, who had tears in her eyes, "You must win! Ultraman Tiga!"

In Rena's heart-wrenching cry, she was taken out by Captain Megumi Iruma!

Under the shroud of the black mist, Daigo held the Sparklence up, and a light flashed in the black mist, but! The light of one person cannot dispel the black mist. 】

Chapter 108: Transform back into an old stone statue!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"That's the Dark Lord! It's so much bigger than regular monsters!"

"I can feel a terrifying aura from it even through the screen..."

"The captain's last words were so cool... So you have to win, Daigo, as a human!"

~Land of Light~

"Good! No matter how terrible the enemy, never give up easily!"

"Remember, humans possess endless possibilities. They can protect the Earth with their own strength!"

Ultraman always remembered when he faced the space monster Zetton on Earth. Even though he fell, humans ultimately used their own power to defeat an enemy that even Ultraman could not defeat.

Ultraman Taro nodded in agreement. Indeed, Ultraman is not a god! It is humans themselves who can save humanity.

But! knowing there's no chance of victory, yet charging into the darkness without hesitation—Daigo, who is both light and human... You must win!

~Ultraman Geed Worldline~

"We can't just sit around and wait for things to happen! Please do your best, Senior Tiga!"

Even Captain Megumi tried to stop Daigo, saying that as a human, he didn't need to face an unbeatable opponent!

Riku Asakura also knew that Senior Tiga's chances of winning were slim this time, but! If even he gave up, who else would save this world?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World~

"The hymn of humanity is the hymn of courage! The greatness of humanity lies in their noble stance when facing fear!"

Rudol von Stroheim said excitedly, adjusting his hat!

That's why Daigo's humanity shines so brightly at this moment, whether as a human or an Ultraman! In my eyes, he is so great.

~Ultraman Nexus Worldline~

"Daigo... I once thought the light chose me to punish myself! But now... I've learned the meaning of fighting from you!"

Jun Himeya learned a lot from Daigo. Daigo also wondered why the light chose him. And what was he fighting for?

But Daigo always believed that he was just doing what a person could do, and he found the answer in the constant battles.

To protect those he wants to protect! That's the answer Daigo found in battle... So, Daigo, with such conviction, you will surely become stronger!

【 Daigo, after transforming into Tiga, flew from the GUTS base towards the Pacific Ocean, eliminating all the Zoigers he encountered along the way. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Has Tiga become stronger? Or are the Zoiger he encountered not that powerful? He cleaned up all the Zoiger he encountered along the way in no time."

"It should be that Daigo has become stronger. He has no more confusion and his will has reached an unprecedented peak."

"So the strength he is displaying at this moment is much stronger than ever before."

【 Just as Daigo transformed into Tiga and left, Rena and the captain Iruma also boarded the Artdessei. However, the dark fog had already spread to the tail, leaving no time to think!

Vice-Captain Munakata quickly asked Rena to operate the control stick! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Um... Vice-Captain, can you pay attention to Daigo? You've forgotten about him?"

"No wonder he didn't realize Daigo was Tiga, he's really used to forgetting things, isn't he!"

【 Rena sat in the driver's seat and made adjustments, then said to Captain Iruma, who came up behind her, in a rather complicated tone.

"So, Captain, you knew all along!"

Captain Megumi said calmly, "I believe in power."

Rena was stunned, not understanding why she suddenly said this. Then, she heard the captain continue excitedly.

"Not just Tiga's power... Rena, we must also believe in our own strength."

Rena nodded to show that she understood. Then, the Artdessei's power system was ready. "Artdessei, launch!"

In the darkness, the Artdessei flew out like Noah's Ark, carrying everyone. At the same time, everyone saw the GUTS base completely swallowed by darkness!

Chief Director Tetsuji Yoshioka looked at the GUTS base sadly. It was the result of his decades of hard work, but now he had to give it up.. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Just looking at it feels so significant. The Artdessei really does resemble Noah's Ark now!"

"It feels like there's nowhere else to go except here. Everything is shrouded in darkness."

"It's understandable to be busy just now... but now that things have stabilized, hasn't anyone noticed that Daigo is missing?"

【 On the other side, Daigo had defeated all the Zoiger and arrived in front of Gatanothor, striking a fighting pose.】

At this time, Gatanothor let out a terrifying cry when he saw Tiga's arrival.

"Chia!"

Looking at the huge Gatanothor, Tiga stood on the ruins and took a few steps back, raising his hand to fire a blue energy blast as a test, hitting Gatanothor.

"Boom—"

Gatanothor sparked, but he didn't suffer any damage. There wasn't even a scratch.

Seeing this, Tiga was obviously stunned. Although it was just a test! But he didn't expect to be unable to cause even a scratch. The enemy was much more terrifying than he had imagined.

Realizing the energy blast was useless, Tiga quickly stepped forward, using his hands and feet to constantly attack Gatanothor.

"Sha—"

But it was still useless. Instead, the black mist spewing out from Gatanothor enveloped Tiga. Accompanied by a few flashes of red light, Tiga let out a painful cry.

The next moment, a crab-like claw rose from the seabed and knocked Tiga away. Just as Tiga stood up again, a tentacle attacked him from the seabed!

Then another tentacle attacked Tiga's leg, knocking him down into the sea again. The tentacles alone suppressed Tiga, leaving him with no power to fight back... This was pure power suppression. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"He can't win... There's no way he can win. He should retreat and think of another plan."

"The size difference, the attacks being ineffective... This sense of helplessness is too strong."

"Gatanothor is not so much fighting Tiga... as he is playing with Tiga, just like he's having fun."

~Land of Light~

"No... The power gap is too vast! The attacks are completely ineffective."

Ultraman, as a professor, could see it at a glance... Although Tiga was much stronger than before at this moment, there was still a big gap compared to Gatanothor.

Not to mention the size! Just the defense alone is not something that ordinary attacks can break through, not to mention the elusive tentacles in the seabed that need to be guarded against.

"Not only that!"

UltraSeven nodded solemnly."

The black mist is also everywhere, and it can cause very effective damage to Ultraman. They are all unfavorable factors."

【 On the other side, the Artdessei successfully arrived at a nearby island. Yazumi was constantly operating on the Artdessei, and then came his excited cry: "Success! The terrestrial wave simulation communication system can still work. I'm inputting the image now!"

At this moment, the image of Tiga fighting Gatanothor appeared on the Artdessei's screen. People in other shelters also saw this image!

But the difference in strength was too great. Just after breaking free from the attack of the tentacles, he was firmly locked by another tentacle.

"Tiga, do your best!"

"Tiga, do your best!"

In the shelter, the children kept cheering for Tiga, even though the adults didn't believe he could win. They believed Tiga wouldn't lose.

The children's pure voices made the adults full of despair look over!

Perhaps hearing the children's shouts, Tiga crossed his hands and transformed into the Power Type. Then he grabbed the tentacles with both hands.

"Sha!"

He broke the tentacles with force, then quickly stepped forward, and a punch with all his strength hit Gatanothor, bursting out huge sparks.

Every attack of Tiga in Power Type can bring up sparks! But for Gatanothor, it is still painless.

Then a huge claw rose from the seabed again, wanting to rush towards Tiga. Tiga turned around and shot it down with a light bullet.

Before he could be happy, another crab-like claw wrapped around Tiga. A tentacle stretched out from the seabed again and threw Tiga out again.

Seeing that physical attacks were also useless, Tiga came out of the sea, stood firm, and released the ultimate move of the Power Type. He gathered his arms from left to right and upwards, and a red fireball formed in front of his chest.

Then he threw it towards Gatanothor —Deracium Beam Torrent!

"Bang—"

An explosion sounded, but! The previously invincible trick only stirred up a spark when it hit Gatanothor.

Seeing that this trick was useless, Tiga gathered his arms from left to right and upwards, and the timer on his chest flashed red.

Then Tiga formed an L shape with his arms and fired a light —Power Type Zeperion Beam.

The orange light hit Gatanothor firmly.

But even if Tiga tried his best, Gatanothor still didn't suffer any damage. There wasn't even a wound on his huge body.

The timer on Tiga's chest flashed even more. The two lights just now had exhausted all his strength. He didn't expect it to have any effect on Gatanothor at all. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"This is way too tanky!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka gasped.

The two ultimate moves of the Power Type, not to mention destroying Gatanothor, couldn't even cause damage! What a terrifying enemy!

The situation is not good. Daigo's light is already flashing red. There is no hope of victory at all. How desperate must Daigo be at this time?

It has to be said that Gatanothor brought a strong sense of despair to the people outside the video... The powerlessness that seems to have no effect, no matter what you do, is indeed full of oppression and despair.

Is this the strength of Gatanothor, who destroyed the ultra-ancient civilization?

【 "Ding Dong! Ding Dong——" Tiga looked at the timer flashing on his chest, but he didn't retreat, clenched his fists again, and kept punching and kicking Gatanothor.

He has no way out. Behind Tiga is the safety of all mankind. If even Tiga escapes, mankind will no longer have the confidence to overcome this disaster!

So at this moment, even Daigo, who is already at a loss, can only keep attacking, even though he knows that fist and foot attacks are ineffective against Gatanothor.

Just as Daigo was attacking, the black mist attacked again, and bursts of fire burst out from his body again. Tiga cried out in pain again!

"Ding Dong Ding Dong!!!"

The indicator light on his chest flashed more and more rapidly, also indicating that his physical strength was about to be exhausted.

But at this moment, his hands were firmly tied by the tentacles that Gatanothor stretched out from the sea. Tiga, who had exhausted his physical strength, couldn't break free even in Power Type.

"Zizi——"

Gatanothor, who tied up Tiga, emitted a dark purple light from his body and penetrated Tiga's body.

"Daigo!"

Seeing this scene, Rena couldn't hide Daigo's identity and let out a desperate cry.

"He won't lose." Captain Megumi was also a little unbelievable, her voice trembling slightly. "Tiga won't lose."

"Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong——"

The timer on his chest flashed faster and faster, but even so, he still braced himself and struck a fighting pose.

Then, starting from Tiga's outstretched hand, he gradually turned into a stone statue, just like when he was first discovered!

"Bang!"

Then Gatanothor stretched out a tentacle and attacked Tiga, who had turned into a stone statue. With a burst of sparks, Tiga fell into the deep sea, constantly sinking into the sea until he fell to the bottom of the sea.

Accompanied by sad BGM, the invincible Tiga turned into a stone statue and sank into the sea... 】

At this moment, both the people in the video and the people outside the video felt an unprecedented despair.

Tiga lost... The miracle did not appear. This is not a temporary defeat, but a complete loss in every sense... He failed to defeat Gatanothor, and the world is still shrouded in darkness.

Chapter 109: Method to save the Ultraman Tiga!

Chapter Text

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

At this moment, all the Ultra Brothers showed regretful expressions...

Ace, who is best at using light, naturally understood Daigo's thoughts at that time:

"Actually, when Tiga released his last two ultimate moves, plus the consumption of cleaning up Zoiger! At that time, he had almost exhausted his energy, and he already knew that this was a battle that could not be won."

UltraSeven also couldn't help but sigh:

 "But even so, Daigo didn't give up fighting until the last moment before turning into a stone statue..."

"The fighting posture he showed until the end! It is the best proof that he is unwilling to give in-!!"

"If only we could do something... Even if we can't go there, even if we just transmit energy to Tiga!"

At this time, the Ultra Brothers were in low spirits, protecting humans, and even more so to protect the earth, facing the Dark Lord alone!

Even if he lost... this spirit of fighting to the last moment is enough for the Land of Light to admire.

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"How could this be?!"

 Haruki Natsukawa clenched his fists in disbelief:

 "Tiga-senpai's strength had obviously increased a lot in the end, but I didn't expect him to still lose to Gatanothor."

Jugglus Juggler on the side didn't find anything strange, took a sip of coffee, and sighed:

"That's the Dark Lord, Gatanothor!"

The black mist produced when it just revived was enough to envelop the entire earth, and the horror of this black mist has just been witnessed in the video.

Not only can it cause damage to Ultraman, but even more bizarrely, physical methods cannot stop the spread of the black mist at all.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Is this the darkness that destroyed a civilization?"

Leonardo Da Vinci couldn't help but gasp as he watched Tiga's defeat!

She saw Tiga's power in her eyes, and he solved all kinds of enemies like a guardian deity of mankind!

But it is precisely because she is clear about Tiga's power that she can highlight the horror of Gatanothor... it can't be said to be a battle at all, but a one-sided crush.

Even the genius Da Vinci felt helpless at this moment. When Tiga fell, she also felt that there was no hope in this world...

~Ultraman Tiga Worldline~

At this moment, Ultraman Tiga's world is full of panic and anxiety!

"If that kind of darkness awakens, wouldn't we be dead! Once caught by the black mist, we can't escape..."

"Even if we are lucky enough to survive, what can we do? All parts of the world are full of Zoiger, destroying everything on the ground!"

"And can Tiga really stop this global disaster by himself? And even now Tiga has lost!"

"There is no future... Perhaps Gijera is really a gift from the earth to mankind! At least we can die in a happy world."

At this moment, they were shrouded in unease and fear, as if they already knew the end of the world, but they couldn't do anything and could only wait quietly for destruction.

Keigo Masaki couldn't help but sigh at this moment... it was exactly the same as in his dream!

Could it be that humans can only be destroyed by darkness like the ultra-ancient civilization?

At this moment, in the TPC Victory Team, Shinjoh put a hand on Daigo's shoulder:

"It's okay, Daigo! We will definitely save you... don't give up easily."

"That's right, Daigo!"

Vice-Captain Munakata nodded in agreement.

"You are not fighting alone! We are behind you!"

Daigo felt a warmth in his heart when he felt the caring eyes of everyone. Yes! Even if Tiga fails... I still have trustworthy teammates.

Just as Daigo was feeling the concern of everyone, Shinjoh turned his head and suddenly said to the captain:

"Captain! Remember to improve the Blue Tornado, add a few more oxygen cylinders!"

Hearing Shinjoh say this, remembering Shinjoh's performance on the Blue Tornado in the video, everyone couldn't help but laugh. The originally oppressive atmosphere suddenly eased a lot.

【 In the cockpit of the Artdessei, everyone was stunned when they heard Rena's hoarse shout, and then Yuzumi was a little lost: "So Daigo is Tiga!"

People in the shelter showed regretful expressions on their faces after seeing Tiga's failure, and depression and despair shrouded their hearts!

The children watching Ultraman Tiga's battle in the shelter gathered together: "Ultraman Tiga was defeated..."

The adults lowered their heads in despair: "It's all over..."

Captain Megumi Iruma's son, Tomoki, clenched his fists: "I don't believe it."

At this time, Captain Hayate was piloting a plane back to Earth from the moon. He was filled with anger when he saw the Earth shrouded in black mist and destroyed everywhere: "Damn it, what's going on?"

As Captain Hayate piloted the fighter plane through city after city, what was displayed in front of him was an endless darkness, with ruins of cities everywhere, like a doomsday scene.

In the United States, a child holding an Ultraman Tiga doll called out Tiga's name: "Tiga!!"

In the cold Arctic, a blonde girl with blue eyes held Tiga's card and prayed silently for Tiga. Her father came to her side and took the card from her hand: "Kaitlyn, Ultraman Tiga is dead."

"He's not dead!!" The little girl snatched back the card: "Ultraman Tiga is not dead!!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This scene made everyone outside the video feel touched and sad. When the adults gave up hope, only the children had not given up hope, firmly believing that Tiga would not lose...

"Alas... Tiga's situation is similar to Nexus, but it feels a little different!"

"Nexus can replenish energy when it runs out of energy by the Night Raiders firing some kind of ray to replenish it."

"But now Daigo has been turned into a stone statue... and it's not clear whether he's still alive... and now without any means of communication, it's impossible to organize an effective rescue."

【 But even so, the Victory Team did not give up hope and continued to try to save their teammate Tiga... no, it should be said Daigo!

In order to save Daigo, the Victory Team is thinking about countermeasures at this moment, and Yuzumi also said his guess:

"Through the Maxima Overdrive developed by Dr. Yao, irradiating the stone statue of Ultraman with light energy may be useful."

"Can it work by irradiating it with physical photons?" Dr. Yao couldn't believe that physical light alone could work, and then questioned:

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, right?"

But Rena, who was worried about Daigo, couldn't care so much at this moment, it's better to try first: "We have to do everything we can! Otherwise... Daigo, he..."

At this moment, an ethereal voice sounded in Rena's mind: "You're right, you must never give up." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Who is talking? Is there another Titans of light? Directly transmitting the voice from the brain."

"It seems that he is also an extraordinary person... and this should be telepathy."

【 "There is someone who knows how to use light to transform a stone statue into Ultraman. It's just a pity..." Yazumi thought of someone, maybe he could save Daigo!

Vice-Captain Munakata quickly understood who Yazumi was talking about when he heard this: "Are you referring to Keigo Masaki?"

At this moment, Keigo Masaki, who was being talked about, was in the TPC prison, looking at the darkness in the sky from the window.

"It's exactly the same as in the dream...!!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"He can also do the same prophetic dream as Daigo."

"It seems that he and Daigo have something in common to some extent."

"It's no wonder Yazumi said that he might have a way to save Daigo!"

【 Captain Hayate is piloting a fighter plane in the sky, but a voice suddenly sounds in his mind: "Can I ride your plane?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm communicating directly with your head. Please take me to a place."

Kirino is communicating with telepathy. In this case, where communication is cut off, his ability to transmit information and play a very important role. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This ability is a bit perverted... I just don't know if it can see through other people's thoughts."

"But it's good, in the case of communication failure, there is no better means of communication than this."

"And it seems that the range is very wide, I just don't know where the maximum limit is?"

【 At this moment, in the TPC prison, Mayumi Shinjoh found Keigo Masaki, hoping to use his power to save Tiga!

"In a world shrouded in darkness... someone is needed to guide them with light." Keigo Masaki said, looking at the darkness outside.

But Mayumi said without hesitation: "This person can never be you!"

Keigo Masaki didn't care about this, laughed a few times, and turned around: "That's right, you're right."

On the other side, Rena stood on the beach looking at the darkness in the distance, the sea breeze blowing her short hair: "Daigo... are you still alive? Do you know, I have so much to say to you..."

In Tiga's color timer, Daigo was trapped by a rhombus-shaped crystal, and opened his eyes as if he heard the call: "Rena...!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Great! Daigo is not dead yet, which means there is still hope."

"But what's going on? Is he trapped by the crystal?"

"Rather than being trapped, it's more like Tiga created the crystal to protect Daigo!"

【 But this crystal, like a small cage here, trapped Daigo's body, and even simple reaching out seemed difficult to do.

And when Daigo woke up, countless mocking voices sounded in his ears.

The Kyrieloid, who had been defeated, pointed at Daigo and mocked: "If it weren't for you, we Kyrieloids would have rescued the foolish humans long before the Dark Lord revived!"

Daigo frowned after hearing this: "You mean, obeying you will be fine?"

"It's too late. The God of the Kyrieloid has abandoned this earth."

"I told you before, don't think about being the guardian of this planet; you don't deserve it at all!" 】

.....

~Ultraman ***** Wordline, Dark Planet ~

The Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera, couldn't help frowning. They lost to Tiga one after another, but they were talking nonsense here.

He originally thought how powerful this Kyrieloid was, but he just ran away, and he never saw the god of the Kyrieloid, he said from beginning to end...

Could it be that he knew about Gatanothor's awakening and continued to run away?

He also said that the god of the Kyrieloid had abandoned this planet... This is the first time I have seen someone say running away so fresh and refined.

Even Belial in the Cosmic Prison showed a contemptuous look. He had never seen such a thick-skinned alien.

At this moment, everyone outside the video knew that Daigo was still alive and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, but the Victory Team in the video didn't know it yet!

What means will they use to save Daigo? How can Daigo break free from the crystal's predicament and become light again to fight... At this moment, everyone outside the video is looking forward to it...

Chapter 110: Recapture the Light!

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, guided by Makio Kirino's telepathic communication, he arrived at the Victory Team's current location. Captain Hayate took his helmet and entered the Artdessei's command room: "Hello everyone!"

Seeing the newcomer, Megumi Iruma stood up, somewhat excited: "Hayate?!"

Hayate continued to smile at the Victory Team: "Warriors who have fallen to the bottom."

Hearing this, Director Tetsuji Yoshioka said angrily: "How can you say that?"

Hayate ignored him and asked about the current situation of the Victory Team. When he learned that Shinjoh and Horii were on the Blue Tornado, he looked around, puzzled.

"Then... what about Daigo?"

Hearing this, Rena and Captain Iruma looked at the Tiga statue on the screen and said in a deep voice: "That... is Daigo."

Hearing this news, Hayate was visibly stunned, with a surprised expression: "He's Tiga?!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Crying...! I didn't expect Captain Hayate to be the most concerned about Daigo..."

"Even Hayate knows to look for Daigo. Can the Victory Team pay more attention usually! Didn't they notice that Daigo is usually missing?"

"And it was the same when they got on the Artdessei just now. None of the Victory Team members asked where Daigo went!"

【 With communications cut off, Vice-Captain Munakata was very curious about how Hayate found this place: "How did you find this place?"

Honestly, Hayate himself wasn't obvious and shrugged helplessly: "A strange guy brought me here. I brought him along."

So Hayate went to the door and called for them to come in. Then, Masaki Keigo and Dr. Tango walked in, led by TPC members.

Seeing the newcomers, Dr. Yao immediately stepped forward because the matter was of great importance: "I ask you, that machine you made in the Kumamoto cave!"

Masaki Keigo glanced at Dr. Yao and said calmly: "The 'Light' genetic factor converter?"

Dr. Yao nodded, his tone very serious, only saying: "To know its principle, we need to revive Tiga, who has turned into a statue."

"And we have an energy supply device!"

"Energy supply device?" Dr. Tango was visibly stunned. He had been working at TPC for so many years and was a little confused: "Do we have that?"

"Of course we do!" Dr. Yao stomped on the Maxima Overdrive under his feet. This was the culmination of his life's work, and he was somewhat proud: "It's right under our feet!" 】

.....

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"So, it's similar to Nexus-senpai, using the light genetic factor converter to replenish energy to Tiga?!"

Yuka said thoughtfully.

Hearing this, Haruki looked over, grabbing Yuka's shoulders excitedly:

"Really? Yuka-senpai! Then it's possible that Tiga-senpai can be revived!"

But before he could get too happy, Yuka added:

"But this plan is too risky... And now Tiga's statue is in the deep sea, and Gatanothor is nearby! You can imagine how difficult it is to rescue him under Gatanothor's nose..."

"Ossu~"

Haruki nodded, seemingly understanding, but now there was no choice but to take a gamble.

As long as there was a glimmer of hope, they couldn't give up easily. If it were him, he would do it, too...

【 The scene changed. At this moment, in the dark ocean, not far from Tiga's statue, the suffocating brothers Shinjoh and Horii reappeared on the screen.

Now, there wasn't enough oxygen, and both of them collapsed in their chairs, sweating profusely!

"Is this darkness really going to destroy humanity?" Shinjoh said weakly, feeling the increasingly thin air.

Hearing Shinjoh's words, Horii also said with some emotion:

"Actually, everyone has a dark side, but the important thing is that, besides darkness, we also have a bright side in our hearts."

"Eh~ That's a famous quote!" Shinjoh was a little surprised that he could say such eloquent words: "Where did you copy it from?"

Horii looked at Shinjoh with disdain: "Did I need to copy that?" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Although it's a bit of a mood killer in this desperate atmosphere, I still have to say, I'm dying of laughter at these two unfortunate brothers."

"It seems like they've been trapped here for a long time, right? It's amazing that they can hold on, from the appearance of Zoiger until now."

"The feeling of suffocation is really uncomfortable. If they can get out alive, I bet they'll say, please add more oxygen tanks to the Blue Tornado."

【 "Don't give up; it's not time to despair yet."

Just then, a voice appeared in their minds. Shinjoh even wondered if he was hallucinating because of oxygen deprivation: "An angel?!"

"Idiot!" Horii scolded Shinjoh, he was definitely not hallucinating: "Who are you?"

Makio Kirino's calm voice sounded again from their minds: "Just think of me as someone who received light in their heart from Daigo."

"Listen, something will be sent to you soon. After you receive it, operate it well!!"

At this moment, both Horii and Shinjoh were very dazed and asked with some doubt: "What is it that you want us to operate?"

Makio Kirino continued calmly: "It might be a device to transmit light to Tiga, who has turned into a statue." 】

......

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"This Makio Kirino seems to be a rare talent!"

Doctor Roman nodded in praise.

"To be able to gather people together in such a short period of time and fully utilize their abilities."

Da Vinci also nodded in agreement. While the Victory Team was thinking about countermeasures, he had already notified Captain Hayate to pick up Masaki Keigo!

In the current situation, his contribution is undoubtedly the greatest. Such a proactive person is a rare talent anywhere.

【 Inside the Artdessei, Dr. Yao looked at the modified light genetic factor converter and couldn't help but admire Keigo Masaki: "Your talent is truly amazing."

"Can I go with you?" Keigo Masaki looked at his masterpiece and wanted to go in person, no matter what.

"I've only conducted the light genetic factor conversion experiment once. I want to adjust it myself this time!"

Megumi Iruma denied his idea, looking at Keigo Masaki: "But this device doesn't have space to carry anyone else."

"Captain! I'm sorry, please listen to me." Dr. Tango stood up somewhat timidly: "I know, there's no room for me to speak here at all. Masaki-sensei's past, he was indeed wrong, but now, he's also worried about the future of humanity."

"So... I think... !"

Before he could finish speaking, Rena interrupted him. At this moment, she couldn't care so much: "Okay! We'll go together!"

"We can only do our best now, can't we?"

There was no time to consider other consequences. The longer the time dragged on, the lower the chances of Daigo's survival. Now they could only make a decision as soon as possible, and there was no worse situation than now.

Right now, they could only do their best.

Megumi Iruma took a deep breath, looked at the Director-General, and gave the order to everyone: "Director-General, then we're leaving."

Then the Victory Team launched a plan to save Tiga! Even Captain Iruma, who usually sits in the conference room, personally went into action.

Soon, the Victory Team members had already arrived above the Pacific Ocean in their fighters. Not far away was the Dark Lord - Gatanothor!

"I've already seen it!" Rena manipulated the fighter, trying to maintain stable flight: "That is the Dark Lord!"

Nori also promptly notifies Masaki Keigo: "Masaki-sensei, we're almost there."

At this moment, Masaki Keigo, who was inside the light genetic factor converter, squatted in the narrow instrument and responded with difficulty. As the captain said, there was no place to carry anyone at all.

So, Captain Hayate and Captain Iruma were responsible for attracting Gatanothor's attention!

Perhaps because their attacks were too annoying, Gatanothor summoned a Zoiger to chase after the captains, but with the tacit cooperation of Captain Hayate and Captain Iruma, they shot down the Zoiger! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is this Zoiger too weak? Clearly, the Snow White, which was previously known for its speed, couldn't catch up."

"As expected, once anything is mass-produced, it all becomes fodder!"

"But speaking of which, the two captains' cooperation is really tacit... It can only be said that a captain is worthy of being a captain."

【 On the other side, Rena took the opportunity to pilot the GUTS Wing 2, hovering above the ruins. Nori operated the button: "Max Energy Box, ready to drop!"

On the GUTS Wing 2, the light genetic factor converter was ready to be dropped into the ocean as the hatch opened.

Vice-Captain Munakata looked at the light genetic factor converter being dropped and could only place his hopes on Masaki Keigo: "Masaki! I'm counting on you."

Inside, Masaki Keigo quickly picked up a respirator, but the constantly rolling seawater made the instrument shake constantly and also made Masaki Keigo's face turn ugly.

At this moment, Shinjoh and Horii, who were at the bottom of the sea, saw a device really falling in front of them, and immediately cheered up.

"It's here! Something's here." Horii was a little surprised, he didn't expect what they said before to be true.

Shinjoh sat up even more: "So this isn't a dream!"

"There's a man named Masaki in that machine, he'll operate it manually."

"You guys adjust the angle of the Blue Tornado so that the light emitted from the energy box shines on Tiga."

On the surface of the sea, after Makio Kirino finished explaining, he looked at the city not far away and was a little sad: "Daigo, only you can't hear my voice."

"But I believe you're still alive, you must become light again!"

The light will be passed on. Makio Kirino, who received light from Daigo's heart, this time! It's his turn to help Ultraman Tiga regain his light. 

......

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"Makio Kirino used his abilities in the shortest possible time to assemble a team to rescue Tiga after Tiga was defeated!"

Yuka showed an excited smile, but she still really wanted to study Makio Kirino! Is this really a human? To actually possess superpowers.

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

"This is the bond between humans and Ultraman!" 

Mirai smiled.

Ultraman has always been saving humans... Now, Ultraman Tiga has fallen! Now it's humanity's turn to stand up and pass the light back to Tiga...

"Do your best! Daigo-san, you must regain the light again!"

【 A mechanical suction cup extended from above the Blue Tornado, and Horii shook his hands nervously.

Shinjoh looked at Horii and carefully reminded him: "You must grab it!"

"Leave it to me!" Horii, taking a breath, gripped the control stick and operated it carefully.

As the magnetic suction cup successfully attached to the energy box, the Blue Tornado also began to move forward under Shinjoh's control.

"I see Tiga's statue!" Shinjoh opened his mouth to remind Horii next to him.

Horii glanced in that direction, then put his eyes on the screen, constantly calibrating the position.

"Shinjoh, lean a little more to the right!"

As the green crosshair on the screen aligned, Horii immediately said: "Okay! Hold this angle; don't move."

At this moment, Masaki Keigo, who was inside the light genetic factor converter, looked at the waveform displayed on the screen and excitedly took off his oxygen mask: "That's it!"

Looking at the waveforms gradually overlapping on the screen, he couldn't hold back his excitement any longer: "That's the waveform!"

"You must wake up!" Masaki Keigo then constantly operated his fingers on the keyboard and suddenly pressed the Enter key: "Tiga!!"

Accompanied by passionate BGM, dazzling and brilliant light shone out from the energy box, illuminating the already petrified Color Timer!

"We did it!" Horii and Shinjoh excitedly bumped fists.

This dazzling light directly penetrated the ocean and appeared on the surface of the sea.

Rena looked at the light and couldn't help but pray: "Daigo, wake up quickly! Rely on the light we gave you."

Daigo, who was trapped inside the crystal, also gradually woke up! 】

.....

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

Seeing the joint efforts of humans and the actions to save Ultraman, they couldn't help but nod.

UltraSeven couldn't help but directly praise:

"Even in such a desperate environment, they didn't give up hope."

Ultraman is not a god, no matter how hard they try, there are lives that cannot be saved, but! Humans possess the power to turn the impossible into possible.

In the past, Ultraman has also been defeated by strong enemies; however... humans resolved the crisis that Ultraman was in.

Whether it's Ultraman or humans, as long as there are partners! No matter how strong the enemy is, they can fight them and overcome them!

"That's right! Grasp the light again, Daigo!"

Ultraman Hikari couldn't help but clench his fists nervously, silently cheering for him!

Humans have both a bright and dark side, and now I can already believe that as long as we work hard to the end, humans will definitely be able to create a bright future.

【 But such obvious light could be seen by Gatanothor as long as he wasn't blind, and then he became violent, constantly dancing on the surface of the sea.

"Crap!" Vice Captain Munakata immediately shouted anxiously: "The Dark Lord has begun to attack!"

As Gatanothor continued to dance, the entire ocean began to become turbulent, and at this moment, the Blue Tornado below could no longer maintain its stability.

Masaki Keigo, looking at the light, unable to aim, couldn't help but grit his teeth and let out a shout: "Light!"

Under this fierce turbulence, Shinjoh also tried to stabilize the Blue Tornado and re-aim the light at Tiga!

Inside Tiga's body, Daigo also tried to reach out from the crystal to grasp this last ray of light.

But in the end, due to the turbulence, the light genetic factor converter fell out of the Dolphin's control and fell to the bottom of the sea.

"What's wrong?!" Daigo, who was almost able to grasp the light again, showed a surprised expression.

"The light has disappeared..." Rena on the GUTS Wing 2 also widened her eyes and shouted anxiously.

The light disappeared into the ocean... Tiga's statue was once again swallowed by darkness! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It was so close! If they had just persisted a little longer, they would have succeeded!"

"Although I really don't want to say this... but even if Tiga was successfully revived, he still wouldn't be a match for Gatanothor."

"In other words, even if he was revived, he would still not escape the fate of destruction."

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"Damn it... It was so close! Daigo-senpai could have been revived again!"

Haruki showed a regretful expression; the hope that had been ignited with great difficulty now seemed even more despairing due to the failure of the rescue operation.

"It can't be helped,"

Yuka said somewhat helplessly.

"After all, if you want to give Tiga light again... that light will always escape Gatanothor's eyes! After all, Gatanothor isn't blind! Wouldn't it be strange to see such obvious light appearing under his feet?"

Now that the Victory Team's rescue has failed, it seems that there is nothing that can be done at this time, and even the last hope has been shattered.

The hearts of the people outside the video sank again; they had just seen a glimmer of hope, but they still couldn't escape doom! Were the people of this world really going to perish in darkness like 30 million years ago?

Chapter 111: The Arrival of the Shining Ones!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Whether adults or children inside the shelter were all gathered around the radio, anxiously listening to the results of the rescue operation!…

Facing everyone's expectations, what came from inside was a message of despair…

"The rescue operation, it seems, has failed. In this case, we can only walk the path of destruction, everyone… Farewell!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone revealed dejected expressions. It was completely over. The Victory Team couldn't save Tiga! This world was beyond saving, and they prepared to silently wait for the darkness to engulf them…

Just as everyone was giving up hope, Tomoki, sitting in the corner of the shelter, clenched his fist and suddenly stood up: "Tiga!"

Tomoki's voice made the originally lifeless eyes of the crowd look over, and also made all the children in the shelter raise their heads!

Unlike the adults who had given up hope, the children still believed that Tiga would not lose! Not just Tomoki… the other children also stood up and shouted: "Tiga!!"

The Azure planet is our unchanging guardian~

At this moment, all over the world! A burst of golden light erupted from the bodies of children who refused to give up hope.

We expect you to be Ultraman forever—

A series of dazzling golden lights rose from the ground, breaking through the darkness… At this moment! Countless children transformed into light and gathered over the Pacific Ocean.

The Earth gradually awakens~

The children raised their arms, and one by one, they all turned into light, broke through the darkness's blockade, crossed space, broke through the Pacific Ocean, and continuously merged into the color timer on Tiga's chest, which had turned into stone!

A ray of dawn breaks the silence of the night~

Rena, who was on the GUTS Wing 2, murmured as she looked at the dazzling light: "Light, so much light!!"

A fervent heart beats, praying for peace to descend~

As the golden light merged, Daigo, trapped inside the crystal, couldn't help but look up!

Together, we pursue a future filled with thorns and dangers~

From that golden light, Daigo saw children of different regions and different skin colors running towards him, genuinely smiling and shouting: "Tiga!"

"Tiga…!"

Look at that azure planet, our eternal guardian~

Daigo looked at all of this in shock, and then he suddenly realized: "This is… this is the real light!"

This is the light of hope from the children; the pure children responded to Tiga with their most sincere wishes! Turning into dazzling light… This is the most radiant light of humanity!

This time, he would not give up this opportunity. In the children's calls, Daigo reached out and grabbed this brilliant golden light!

The dazzling light directly broke through the Pacific Ocean, appearing so dazzling in the darkness, and then the light gradually depicted Tiga's figure!

Tiga, formed by the light of hope, stood on the Pacific Ocean, and his body became even larger than before. This time, Tiga, glittering with light all over his body, was a full 120 meters tall. Just standing there, the light on his body seemed to break through the darkness!

The GUTS Team members kept cheering, just because Tiga was standing there again, their hearts seemed to be filled with hope again.

Rena even burst into tears of joy: "Daigo!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What a dazzling light! Is this the meaning of the title? I finally understand what it means to be someone who shines with glory!"

"The resurrected Tiga seems to have become even more powerful!"

"This song is really appropriate! That's right, this azure planet is our last guardian, go Tiga!… Break through the darkness's blockade!"

"Even if the future is confused, full of thorns and dangers, as long as we are full of hope, human beings can also rely on their own strength to become light."

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

At this moment, the Ultramen of the Land of Light were all shocked by this scene… Even those who were born in the Land of Light felt that this light was extremely dazzling!

"What a dazzling light! Is this the light of humanity? It's even more dazzling than the Plasma Spark Tower."

Father of Ultra couldn't help but praise.

UltraSeven exclaimed:

"When humans chose to help Tiga eliminate Gijera! It was destined not to follow the prophecy and head towards the destruction of 30 million years ago. At this moment! The light of humanity has been manifested. In order to protect this blue planet! Everyone is a hero."

Ultraman was also full of surprises:

"At this moment, everyone is light! Human beings can actually rely on their own strength to become light!"

~Ultraman ***** Wordline, Dark Planet ~

The Lord of Darkness, Alien Empera, reached out and covered his eyes:

"What a hateful light…!"

He felt even more shocked in his heart. How could they achieve this level of light…?

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Light… what a dazzling light."

Fujimaru Ritsuka widened his eyes and said blankly.

So Tiga is not a savior… but the light of human beings themselves is pushing Tiga.

Everyone is light! As long as we don't dim the hope in our hearts, the darkness of this world can be broken!

~Boardtop World, Disboard~

Shiro and Sora looked at each other and shouted excitedly:

"Go!! Tiga…!!"

In this most extreme despair, only the children firmly believe that there will be a tomorrow… It is precisely because of their existence that Tiga will fight with strength to protect them.

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"Zett-san!"

Haruki widened his eyes, his whole body filled with excitement. He believed that this scene would definitely be the most shocking scene he had ever seen!

"Tiga-senpai has stood up again under the light of humanity!"

"Yes! Haruki…"

Even Zetta, who is only 1/3 of a full-fledged Ultraman, knew the power contained in that light!

He had never seen such a warm, dazzling, yet hopeful light!

~Ultraman Mebius Worldline~

"Perhaps this is the true meaning of what Daigo said when he fought Kyrieloid II!"

If everyone doesn't believe in Tiga, then he can't turn into light and continue fighting.

Captain Sakomizu remembered Daigo's words. Looking at it now, it seems to have a deeper meaning!

The final battle between the light of hope, filled with the children's wishes, and the darkness that envelops the world is about to begin!

Everyone is looking forward to this battle of the century. Will light dispel darkness, or will darkness be able to swallow this world?

【 Tiga, resurrected with the light of children's hope, gathered his hands and placed them on the color timer, then emitted a burst of light, and then threw a punch!

A golden spiral of light hit Gatanothor's body, causing huge sparks.

"Boom—"

The body that could not be shaken by Tiga's attacks was directly knocked away by this blow! 】

.....

~Land of Light~

At this moment, the Ultras of the Land of Light were dumbfounded. They thought that the strength of the resurrected Tiga should not be much different from Gatanothor's, but they did not expect that he would be blown away with just one blow.

"This increase in strength is too terrifying! Just now, even the light rays couldn't move Gatanothor half a step."

"Now, just one punch blows him away… Is this the power of human light?"

But the next scene shocked everyone outside the video even more, and they even thought they were dreaming.

【 Then Tiga turned around again and kicked twice, and a golden rotating light flew out of his feet, hitting Gatanothor without any ability to fight back.

"I am Tiga!"

"I am Tiga!!"

The children in Tiga's body said that they were Tiga, and Tomoki smiled and said, "We have become Tiga!"

In this light, Rena also appeared here, and said blankly: "Me too! I am also inside Tiga…"

Tiga opened his hands and crossed them, drawing a purple light in front of his chest.

The children in the body also made such a gesture!

Then the hands are unfolded and gradually converge into an L shape!—Glitter Zeperion Beam!!!

The light ray, gathering the pure hope of the children, pierced through the darkness and shattered Gatanothor's shell with an indomitable momentum.

Then Tiga's hands crossed on his chest, and dazzling golden brilliance gathered at this moment—Timer Flash Special!

The terrifying power eliminated Gatanothor's existence itself, along with the darkness, from this earth… no, it should be said from the universe!

Glitter Tiga, glittering with golden light, stood on the hill of Luluye Ruins. The Dark Lord has disappeared! The destruction said in the prophecy no longer exists!

The black mist that enveloped the sky also dissipated with the disappearance of Gatanothor, and the sky once again showed an endless blue sky. Daigo also understood at this time… his work as Tiga was over!

Then, Glitter Tiga's figure gradually turned into sparkling particles and scattered! Those lights will return to the original place of each child who turned into light. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is?… Directly killed! The resurrected Tiga is too strong."

"This ultimate skill is so terrifying… it actually directly eliminates darkness."

"Perhaps Gatanothor didn't even realize what happened… Tiga, who was obviously killed by himself before, suddenly resurrected and then eliminated himself with a series of combos."

~Land of Light, Inter Galactic Defense Force~

Seeing this scene, UltraSeven couldn't help but sigh:

"Turning the impossible into the possible, perhaps this is the greatness of human beings."

He, who loves human beings deeply, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Tiga successfully eliminate Gatanothor.

Strong! It's really too strong… This is the only thought in his mind. Human beings can actually turn into light on their own! I have to say that human beings are really amazing creatures!

~Ultraman Z Worldline~

"That's great! Daigo-senpai…"

Haruki also understands that Daigo-san, or rather, Tiga-senpai's power alone, cannot defeat the ruler of darkness!

But this time, human beings did not repeat the same mistakes. It was not Tiga who defeated Gatanothor, but human beings themselves who defeated Gatanothor—the light of hope of human beings!

【 Daigo, who had turned back into a human, stood on the spacious deck of the Artdessei, and the Victory Team members also ran out of the cockpit.

"Daigo!"

Looking at Daigo, who was standing in front and looking at the ocean, they smiled, waved their hands excitedly, and ran over.

Hearing the call, Daigo turned around and smiled. The sea breeze blew his hair away, but he was still so handsome!

"Daigo!" Rena ran to the front and slowly stopped, a little unbelievably.

Then she suddenly hugged Daigo, and the Victory Team members behind also understood and silently did not move forward, but gave the time to the young people in front.

"Rena! I heard your voice." Daigo hugged Rena and smiled.

Rena didn't speak but just hugged tighter!

Then the two let go of the hug, and Daigo took out the Sparklence that had turned into stone from his arms and put it in Rena's hand!

Rena looked blankly at the Sparklence in her hand, which gradually turned into dust and dissipated in her hand as the wind blew. Her voice was a little choked as she said, "You can't… transform into Ultraman Tiga anymore?"

Daigo didn't answer her question, but smiled and said seriously: "Actually, everyone can rely on their own strength to become light… You have also become one, haven't you?"

At this time, Shinjoh took this opportunity to walk over without saying a word, looked at everyone and said loudly: "Let's all take a photo to commemorate it!"

Then he handed the camera to Onuma, and Onuma also showed a happy smile, looking at everyone: "Okay, I'm going to take it! Say cheese!"

"Cheese!"

Everyone put out peace signs and showed very happy smiles. It was completely over. 】

Although the Sparklence has dissipated, hope will not dissipate with the wind. This power of hope will always accompany us in our lives!.

Notes:

Translator Note: Finally, the Ultraman Inventory is done. Their names are really confusing when translating to English sometimes, especially their fighter jets.... Anyway, the next one is also a big series that I didn't watch. Good luck to me again. I hope there are no too complicated names or terminology.. Like Za Warud—... oopss spoiler :)

Chapter 112: Top 3: Horses in Steel Ball Run, the Story of Returning to Zero from Negative Numbers!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After defeating the Dark Lord Gatanothor, everyone wore happy smiles, and the final moment of the video froze on the smiling faces of the crowd, the picture gradually dimming. Thus! The end of a glorious person. 】

.....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"This is really Great."

Josuke Higashikata also shows a happy smile. The GUTS Team didn't sacrifice anyone, and everyone worked together to defeat the Dark Lord Gatanothor. There couldn't be a better ending than this.

He deeply regretted the departure of Jun Himeya in the last video, wishing he could use his Stand, Crazy Diamond, to heal his battered body.

He was even prepared for Daigo to perish together with Gatanothor, but thankfully, he came back alive!

And seeing so many children turning into light and rushing towards Tiga made him really hyped! Now he's really looking forward to what kind of video will come next... He feels like he's getting more and more addicted to watching it.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Daigo's last sentence, 'Everyone can become light'... Perhaps that's why he can become Tiga."

Fujimaru Ritsuka showed a knowing smile when he heard Daigo say this, and then said with some emotion:

"From the beginning to the end of the video, Daigo has always believed that humans can become light with their own power!"

This is also the reason why he likes Daigo so much! Even though Daigo possesses the power of Tiga, he has never been arrogant and has always regarded himself as a human being.

Even though he transforms into Tiga and saves many people, he only thinks that he is just doing what a person should do.

Mash nodded in agreement, smiling:

"Yes, Senpai! And there is no better ending than this!"

Although she didn't expect Tiga, who was resurrected after accepting the light of the people, to have such terrifying power, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Daigo and Rena hugging each other at the end!

"This also shows that the light that humans burst out in despair is enough to tear through the darkness."

Doctor Romani, holding a cup of coffee, also joined the conversation with a smile.

"Humanity will never be easily defeated!"

As the picture gradually disappeared, many viewers slowly came back to their senses, so this was all real! Humans really defeated the darkness...

Humans who once relied on Tiga to protect them miraculously transformed into light and helped Tiga in return. Perhaps this is the two-way choice between humans and Ultraman!

Just like what Nook said at the beginning, "Humans grow repeatedly like this, it's really amazing!"

Daigo, who is both light and human, constantly grows in repeated hesitation! Although he was once confused, Daigo still transformed into Tiga again and again in order to protect what is important in his heart!

In the end, people did not disappoint Tiga's intentions. When Tiga lost his light, the children's pure hope turned into light, giving Tiga new power!

~Ultraman Wordline~

Mefilas, one of the Dark Four Heavenly Kings, pondered for a while, feeling that he couldn't be careless when dealing with Mebius...

Humans actually have such magical power, relying on this power to defeat Emperor Nebula, who is not inferior to the Dark Emperor!

It seems that we still have to outsmart him! We must first establish the relationship between Ultraman and humans.

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this time, some people also discovered a more critical problem.

"Just now, the video also showed that the black mist can not only cause damage to Ultraman."

"Then why didn't the black mist that enveloped the world eliminate humans? This is easy for Gatanothor, right?"

"And since he can turn Tiga back into a statue? Then why not completely shatter him? Instead of simply knocking him down into the deep sea..."

No one could guess the answer to this question. Did he want humans to see his heroic posture of defeating Tiga? So he didn't eliminate humans! And did he want to collect Tiga after turning him back into a statue?

Then they laughed at their own guesses, impossible... how could it be possible? That is the dignified ruler of darkness, Gatanothor! How could he have such a simple idea?

Just then, the screen that had gone dark reappeared with a title.

 

【 Top 3: Steel Ball Run—Moving from Negative to Zero! 】

 

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

"Another incomprehensible title... When will there be an easy-to-understand one!"

Joseph Joestar couldn't figure it out even with his clever brain... Steel Ball Run? Is it about horse racing?

But what's so good about horse racing? It's better to have some exciting battles!

And moving from negative to zero... What's the meaning of this? Joseph Joestar frowned and kept turning his brain to think.

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Senpai!"

Mash also noticed the change in the video at this time and tugged at Fujimaru Ritsuka:

"Look, there's a new title on the video."

"Huh?"

Hearing Mash's words, Fujimaru Ritsuka also shifted his gaze over and was instantly stunned.

What the hell is this title? Can't it be as simple as the previous two videos, Divine Realm of the Round Table? Looking at the screen with suspicion...

【 Although the picture is still dark at this time, a young man's voice is calmly narrating.

"This story... tells the story of me turning from negative to zero!"

"Participating in this competition, my dead soul has been revived."

"If I give up the Corpse parts, I think my heart will die again."

Then, the voice became impassioned and even more determined than ever.

"I want to master the power of rotation! I must master it!"

"I'm still negative now, I want to move towards zero... I just want to turn myself from negative to zero!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Competition? It's about horse racing, this is a horse racing video! I'm getting excited listening to it."

"But what about the corpse parts mentioned inside? What corpse parts is so important?"

"A story from negative to zero! Interesting... Let's see what can make you say that?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Gyro..."

Johnny stopped his horse when he heard this and called out to Gyro Zeppeli in front!

The voice coming from the video was undoubtedly his voice, and what he said was exactly what he was thinking. He didn't expect that he could also be on a video one day...

Gyro Zeppeli showed a mouthful of gold teeth. Hearing Johnny's call, he naturally understood what it meant.

Horse racing, the Corpse Parts, and the so-called power of rotation... Isn't it talking about their world?

At this moment, Funny Valentine, the President of the United States, on the other side, frowned slightly!

Corpse Parts... Is it talking about their world? If it's true, then the secret of the Corpse Parts will be revealed to the public...

But even if he is anxious, it is useless because the video has already started playing.

Notes:

Ohh shit here we go again.. Those names and terms...

Chapter 113: The Secret of the Rotating Iron Ball! Don't Hold Any Hopes for Me!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 The scene begins with a capitalist named Steel organizing a race across North America called the Steel Ball Run.

The so-called Steel Ball Run is actually a horse race across the entirety of North America! On September 25, 1890, all contestants departed from San Diego on the west coast of the United States, traversed six thousand kilometers, and ultimately arrived in New York. The first to arrive will take home a grand prize of fifty million dollars.

Therefore, contestants may carry weapons such as firearms for self-defense in case they encounter wild animals or misfortune. The only restriction is that they cannot change horses along the way! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I see! But what's the difference between this and a regular horse race... it's just that the course is much longer than usual."

"But if you can carry firearms and ammunition, then isn't the most dangerous thing on the road not the wild beasts but the opponents!"

"A journey of over 6,000 kilometers is not easy! Not being able to change horses along the way means the distance you can run in a day is limited. Food and lodging need to be taken care of yourself. Those without wilderness survival experience are simply courting death!"

【 In the video, a cowboy with a mouth full of gold teeth and two iron balls hanging from his waist suddenly appears. He is Gyro Zeppeli!

With two days left before the race, Zeppeli finally submits the required twelve-hundred-dollar membership fee. A man approaches him and, driven by curiosity, reaches out towards the iron balls on his waist!

Just as he is about to touch them, Zeppeli suddenly strikes, his finger lightly touching the man's hand. With just a touch, the man's legs go weak, and he kneels on the ground, unable to stand up at all! 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Whoa~"

Johnny Joestar reveals a look of interest, then falls into thought... This world is not simple either, there is definitely an extraordinary power.

"Just a touch, and it completely throws someone off balance? Or is this the power of rotation mentioned in the voiceover at the beginning of the video? But the voice is clearly different from the beginning. Could it be a story told from his perspective?

【 The man who was arrested by the sheriff was not convinced. He took out the gun from his waist and aimed it at Zeppeli, but the latter didn't care at all. He silently placed his hands on the iron balls on his waist, intending to have a cowboy duel.

This scene is watched by a young man sitting in a wheelchair.

Just as the man is about to shoot, Zeppeli hits him with the iron ball. No one in the audience saw when he made his move.

The iron ball spins wildly on the man's body, then Zeppeli flicks his hand, and it returns to his holster, while the part of the thief's body that was attacked has been twisted into a vortex.

Seeing this, Zeppeli calmly says, "I'm not a very gentle person! Put down the gun and go see a doctor."

"You lowlife bastard!—" Enduring the pain, the thief's face was ferocious, and he did not listen to Zeppeli's advice! He raised his gun again.

Then, a bizarre scene occurs: the thief's gun-wielding hand turns around and points at himself. With the sound of a gunshot, he is completely still. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I knew it, This is definitely not an ordinary horse race! It still possesses extraordinary power."

"He solved the opponent by relying solely on rotation? Or do the iron balls on his waist have some special function?"

"But if it's just like this, then there's nothing special..."

【 As the onlookers disperse, Johnny Joestar, sitting in his wheelchair, looks at Gyro Zeppeli with a face full of surprise! Only he sees the mystery in it, so he turns his wheelchair and chases after him.

Then he reaches out towards Gyro Zeppeli's iron ball, saying with excitement, "Let me see it again, please!"

Startled by the sudden appearance of Johnny, Gyro Zeppeli immediately reminds him anxiously, "Hey! Could you not touch it? It's still spinning!"

The moment he touches it, Johnny's whole body feels as if it's been electrocuted, and his legs, which have been paralyzed for many years, can suddenly move! He stands up directly from the wheelchair.

Seeing this, Zeppeli is not angry, just glances at him, then leaves this place. But Johnny's heart beats wildly as if it has come alive, and he is unable to calm down for a long time. 】

.....

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Um..."

Even the genius Da Vinci couldn't figure out what's going on at this moment.

Can just rotation make a paralyzed person stand up? If that's the case, then why doesn't the iron ball have any effect on him when it's on his waist?

"Could it be that the ability doesn't work on him?" 

Too many questions filled Da Vinci's mind, making her full of curiosity, wishing she could solve these mysteries on the spot.

【 "Please... please wait a moment!" Johnny Joestar thrust his arms forward, his voice cracking as he tried to rein in the galloping figure ahead. His wheelchair squeaked against the uneven terrain, each jolt sending fresh waves of frustration coursing through him.

"Wait a minute!"

But no matter how he shouts, Gyro Zeppeli on horseback doesn't react. In desperation, Johnny blocks in front of the horse's hooves.

Gyro Zeppeli has a gloomy face, he naturally knows the reason why the wheelchair boy stopped him so early!

"Don't have any strange expectations!"

"The reason you can stand up is purely accidental, it's just a physical reflex."

After saying that, he ignores him, but Johnny Joestar chases after him again to figure out the reason, reaching out again. This time, however, Gyro Zeppeli lightly touches him with his finger, and his whole body hangs on the beam, unable to break free no matter how he struggles.

"I have to praise you first! This iron ball rotation is indeed my weapon!"

"Your upper body is quite strong! However, it can't cure disabled people like you!"

Johnny's right hand is still firmly hanging on the beam. Seeing Zeppeli about to leave! He can only shout anxiously with tears in his eyes, "I will definitely find you! I will reveal the true face of your rotation."

"Find me?" Gyro Zeppeli reveals a contemptuous smile: "I'm going to participate in the competition... I will leave this beach tomorrow."

"You can't even ride a horse; how can you catch up with me?"

Johnny struggles for a long time and finally falls from the beam. Looking at Zeppeli's figure in the distance, he secretly makes up his mind: "Riding a horse?... As long as I can ride a horse, right?"

"Then I'll ride one more time for you to see... I'm definitely participating in this competition!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This Johnny Joestar's voice is the voice mentioned at the beginning, which means this video is telling his story!"

"But he's disabled, I'm afraid he can't even get on a horse... and he doesn't have the conditions for wilderness survival! Going to participate in the competition is a dead end."

"But the disabled boy's heart has been ignited with hope once again, it seems he will not give up no matter what."

【 The next day, Gyro Zeppeli is packing his luggage, throwing away everything he doesn't need, but the pink teddy bear toy... um~ this must be brought. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"As expected, he's a tough guy! A tough guy should have a pink doll."

"Scissors? Throw them away! Toothbrush and toilet paper? Throw them away! The pink teddy bear must be kept!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Gyro! Your hobby has been exposed."

Johnny holds back his laughter; after all, he also wants to get the secret of rotation from the video.

Gyro Zeppeli doesn't care; he just smiles helplessly.

 "I didn't expect it to be something from that time, cheer up Johnny! This might give me some insight into our future."

【 When he finishes packing and walks out of the tent with the saddle, a wheelchair on the side of the road attracts his attention.

Looking up, the paralyzed Johnny has been struggling all night, covered in bruises, trying to get on the horse to participate in the competition!

Johnny is spitting blood at this moment, and his feet have also been pierced by the fence. Even the onlookers are shocked into a cold sweat. As they speak! The old horse even steps directly on Johnny.

Gyro Zeppeli turns around and leaves indifferently. In his opinion, Johnny will not succeed if he continues to struggle like this.

"In other words, if he succeeds in getting on the horse, it also means he has surpassed the limits of humanity."

At the starting point of the competition, everyone is excited. Until there are five minutes left before the start, an old horse dragging Johnny, covered in blood, arrives at the starting line.

He pulls on the reins! Letting the old horse drag him to the starting point of the race! That strange iron ball made his legs stand up, although only for a moment; it gave him infinite hope.

No matter what, he must figure out the secret of that iron ball. 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"I have to say, this Johnny Joestar's will is indeed admirable."

Josuke Higashikata can't help but praise him. If he were on the scene, he would definitely use Crazy Diamond to heal himself. He doesn't have to force himself so much.

"Johnny Joestar? Is he from our family?"

Old Joseph says slowly.

Even though he is old, he can't help but think about whether there is some strange relationship in this. In addition, the person next to him, named Gyro Zeppeli, reminds him of an old friend.

So at this moment, he is particularly concerned about the video; that paralyzed boy may have some connection with the Joestar family!

【 Looking at Johnny's embarrassed appearance, Gyro Zeppeli suddenly praises him: "You didn't choose the wrong horse."

"You have already found the answer to the secret of the iron ball. If you really want to ride that horse, you just need to be good at using that answer."

After saying that, Zeppeli grins and returns to the starting point of the race.

Johnny Joestar suddenly realizes: "The answer?! Could it be rotation?"

With two minutes left before the start of the race, Johnny, covered in bruises and paralyzed on the ground, reaches out his right hand towards the old horse.

"My horse... please lick my cheek again..."

Then, taking advantage of the moment when the old horse raises its head, Johnny twists his upper body! Using the force to leap into the air, this time he finally succeeds, and he rides on the saddle! 】

Notes:

Author Note: I've talked about the beginning, then it's Teeth 1-4, telling the story of Johnny's growth! I feel like I'm playing a single-player game...

Chapter 114: Lesson 2: Don't Let the Muscles Notice!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"This kind of perseverance... I don't know if I should call him stubborn or what. Don't even mention one night! If it were him, he probably would have given up already."

Guido Mista couldn't help but admire him. If it were him, he would only persist three times at most! Because something bad would definitely happen on the fourth time.

Giorno Giovanna nodded, then continued with a calm expression,

"Not only is his perseverance commendable, but the most important thing is! When Johnny looked at Gyro Zeppeli, dragging his leg that wasn't pierced by the bullet, the belief in his eyes seemed to ignite a black fire that would never be extinguished!"

Moving from negative numbers towards zero? Although it was just the first successful step! But this step was more important than any other time.

~One Piece World~

Zoro was covered in sweat, constantly wielding a huge barbell, but his eyes would occasionally glance at the screen.

"Calamity will always come one after another. That's the way of the world. Do you think someone will come to save you just because you explain it? If you die, it just proves that you are only a man of that level."

"But without a doubt, Johnny Guy is a true man who lives towards death. Once he locks onto a target, he never gives up. As long as he doesn't die, he will firmly move forward!"

Luffy loved this kind of man with perseverance the most. Seeing Johnny finally manage to get on his horse before the start of the race, he was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes!

But upon hearing what Zoro said, Luffy immediately became unhappy, pouting and turning his head to say.

"Stupid Zoro! How can you say that!"

【 "Boom!" Just then, the fireworks signal exploded directly! The reins in the hands of more than three thousand people were instantly raised, and the horses also raised their heads and neighed, starting to sprint!

At the same time, the organizer, Steven Steel, began to introduce the specific rules of the race.

There are a total of nine checkpoints. The first person to pass each checkpoint in the shortest time will receive a bonus and a time bonus.

The time bonus is one hour, which can be deducted from the final total time! 】

......

~Detective Conan World~

"In other words, the first person to reach the final destination is not necessarily the champion. It depends on who has the shortest time after the time bonus is deducted!"

Seeing the rules, Conan couldn't help but start speculating again.

"If you overdraw your stamina at the beginning, the final result will be a complete collapse."

Just as he was thinking this, a figure rushed out of the dust, it was Gyro Zeppeli!

【 "GO GO ZEPPELI"

Gyro Zeppeli took the lead, then revealed a gold tooth under the sun.

Finally, to grab the first place, everyone used their various means. Urmd Avdul even used a camel to ram into Gyro Zeppeli constantly!

"Bye-bye ~" Diego Brando grinned, overtaking them both in the moment of their struggle.

"This can't go on..." Gyro Zeppeli seemed to think of something. Then, he held the reins with one hand and reached for the iron ball on his waist with the other.

"Bang—" But the iron ball didn't hit Diego, but hit the rock, shattering the rock into pieces.

Johnny, who was following behind Gyro Zeppeli, looked surprised:

"Gyro... is his ball skill that bad?"

Gyro, who possesses such superb spin skills! Johnny didn't believe he would miss.

"Ah—"

Just then, in a blind spot, Urmd Avdul rushed into a patch of cacti, while Gyro perfectly avoided the cactus field, and then conveniently took back the iron ball!

It turned out that Gyro used his iron ball not to hit Diego, but to check the field of vision!

Urmd Avdul, who had been ramming into Gyro Zeppeli, didn't have time to react at all and rushed directly into the cactus pile! Screaming in pain! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people in some ordinary daily life worlds outside the video couldn't help but gasp, this speed plus cacti... just watching it made them feel pain.

"Ssss—"

【 Just as Gyro Zeppeli and Diego were starting to compete fiercely again, a man named Pocoloco overslept and started last!

But he directly surpassed most people after a series of incredibly lucky events, and finally even surpassed Gyro Zeppeli to become the temporary first. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What the—! What kind of luck is this! Is it really that coincidental?"

"Is he blessed by the goddess of luck? Once or twice is fine... but how many times has this been! With this kind of luck, maybe he can really win the championship."

"Overslept and directly reversed to become first, novels wouldn't dare to write it like this."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 8: JoJolion Worldline~

Toru even guessed whether this man might be his natural enemy. Then he shook his head and laughed at his ridiculous idea.

"No one can withstand the torrent of disaster, even a saint... walking unerringly on the right path, bad things still happen occasionally and cannot be avoided, that is disaster."

【 Then they arrived at the downhill section where accidents were most likely to occur! Even he had to slow down! Seeing Gyro Zeppeli getting closer and closer, he couldn't help but feel anxious!

What to do? Should I continue to accelerate?

Just as he was hesitating, a voice rang out next to him.

"There are cows there... Jump over there."

A stand similar to a puppet suddenly appeared at the fence next to him. It poked its head out, looking at Pocoloco with a grin.

Pocoloco initially thought he was hallucinating. But when the stand ran to his side, he was sure that he was not hallucinating!

Then he followed the guy's instructions and jumped to a position that everyone couldn't understand, but just then, a cow's corpse appeared under Pocoloco's horse!

Like riding a skateboard, Pocoloco flew towards the downhill section. 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

They finally woke up, initially thinking it was an ordinary horse race! But now it seems that it is more than that.

"A stand... that's a stand, no doubt."

Old man Joseph rubbed his eyes, confirming that he had not seen it wrong.

So stands already existed so long ago! Looking at it this way, it might be their world.

Josuke Higashikata, next to him, was also shocked:

"If it's a stand! Then his ability is luck? Then isn't this guy invincible? It's impossible for anyone to defeat him."

Just when everyone thought Pocoloco would continue to maintain this state and take first place, there was a new change.

【 As soon as the long downhill track ended, they immediately entered the final stage of the first track. Pocoloco was in first place, Gyro was in second, and Johnny was closely following in third.

Pocoloco's riding skills were not superb. On the straight track, he was quickly caught up by Gyro Zeppeli!

Just as he was about to get first place, there was a bang next to him, gravel splashed, and Sandman descended from the sky! Sandman temporarily took first place by relying on human legs to walk roads that horses could not pass! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"He actually relied on his legs!?... Without superpowers, he just caught up with his human body!"

The people in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure World were full of surprise. They have stands with various strange abilities, it is true.

But the body is actually an ordinary human, there is nothing special.

【 "Spin! Iron Ball!" On the final sprint section, Gyro Zeppeli took out the iron ball from his pocket and instantly smashed it on his body, and a strong spin force burst out!

The cloak that was originally just a cloak turned directly into a sail! Taking advantage of the wind, he took the lead and won first place in the first stage.

Before he could be happy for long, because he almost hit Sandman when he threw the spin iron ball on the rock wall before, he was judged to have violated the rules and dropped directly to outside 20th place.

At this moment, Sandman became first, Diego second. Pocoloco third, and Johnny fifth!

It was not easy to get first place, which made Gyro Zeppeli very unhappy, so he made trouble at the evening banquet.

The champagne corks on the field were all splashing everywhere, and many people were hit, but Johnny just tilted his head slightly and reached out to catch the flying cork!

Johnny, who had found Gyro Zeppeli again, was about to say something when he heard Gyro Zeppeli speak first.

"After venting, my anger has subsided."

"Hey, Johnny Joestar, do you want to join me in the second stage of the race?"

Johnny, who had always wanted to figure out the secret, couldn't wait, glanced at his legs that still couldn't move, and clenched his fists:

"Of course! I haven't defeated you yet and figured out the secret of your spin!"

Gyro Zeppeli couldn't help but look at him with admiration when he saw that he could still get fifth place with his disabled legs, and then started teaching: "Spin Lesson 2 is, don't let the muscles notice!"

"Just like being caught, the muscles of the human body will feel the effect of external force, and thus produce a reaction to get rid of it, this is the instinctual defense reflex of living things."

Hearing this, Johnny was obviously stunned and then asked puzzledly,

"So, how do you solve this problem?"

"Listen carefully~ If you hold your arm with your hand, the muscles of your arm will receive feedback from the external force."

"But if the external force only stays on the skin... then the muscles will not feel this force."

Saying that, Zeppeli has placed the spinning iron ball in his hand on his arm: "If you want, try it. The champagne cork in your hand has already started to spin!"

Johnny took a closer look and was immediately surprised. The cork in his hand was indeed spinning constantly, and then he let go. Touched the horse's body!

Where it touched, vortex-like marks appeared again, and the horse's premise moved involuntarily, and Johnny also somersaulted off the horse in the process of the horse bowing!

This is the dismounting technique that Gyro Zeppeli taught him, and after seeing that Johnny really understood, he spoke again.

"The next stage is a desert off-road race that is more than 1,200 kilometers long. This will be an extremely difficult section, so..."

"Let's team up? Johnny Joestar, let's win the championship in the second stage together!" Gyro Zeppeli stretched out his hand to Johnny.

Johnny was stunned for a moment, then firmly grasped the other's hand with a firm look in his eyes.

"Yes!" 】

So far, the "Iron Paralysis Combination" has officially reached a cooperation!

Notes:

(Translator-kun: Hear me out. I don't know if the author misplaced some characters. While editing, I noticed that certain characters appeared to exist in a different world than originally intended. I’ve made every effort to reconcile these discrepancies and restore consistency. If any errors remain, I kindly ask for your understanding—and let me know if there are still any errors.)

Chapter 115: The Tooth Substitute Appears!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Is this really something that can be done with rotation?"

Old Joseph, though somewhat senile now, wasn't completely foolish. He didn't expect such a technique to exist in the world.

If it were Ripple, it could achieve this level, but could it be that rotation and Ripple have a strange connection?

Then, he suddenly realized something! No wonder some people in that world had such similar names. It wasn't just an image of this world in the past or future! It was more like a parallel world!

He turns his head and shares his thoughts with Jotaro Kujo and Josuke Higashikata!

"So, that means... Dio corresponds to Diego in that parallel world?!"

Jotaro Kujo analyzed calmly.

This made the old man unable to help but compare. If that's the case, do Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli correspond to me and Caesar Zeppeli?!

To verify his guess, he needed to obtain more clues. For now, he could only continue watching with his thoughts.

【 The second stage of the race is about to begin, starting from the church, crossing the Arizona desert, and reaching Monument Valley.

The entire course is over 1,200 kilometers and is expected to be completed in twelve to eighteen days. Like the first stage, the first place will receive $10,000, a one-hour time bonus, and ranking points.

As a long-distance race, the route and rest times are all decided by the contestants themselves. 】

......

~Detective Conan World~

Conan touched his chin, a light flashing in his glasses.

"Over 1,200 kilometers of desert... This means the race isn't just about reaching the first place."

"It's a race to find water! In the desert, a lack of water means death, so it's best to head towards the nearest water source at the beginning, rather than choosing the shortest route."

【 Not only did he think so, but Johnny, holding a map, also understood that the core of this "Steel Ball Run" race was survival.

"Each of us contestants has a map marking water sources. We just need to head towards those places, making sure the water sources don't have any accidents along the way."

Johnny carefully looked at the map in his hand, analyzed it, and then pointed in a direction, "We just need to go in that direction!"

Gyro nodded, indicating he understood.

But when the race started, Gyro immediately stood out from the crowd, running to the front, and most importantly, going in the opposite direction of the nearest water source that Johnny had mentioned!

This left Johnny dumbfounded...

"This guy must be crazy... This is a 1,200km race!"

"H-How infuriating... What is this guy thinking?"

But since they were a team, Johnny could only bite the bullet and chase after him.

After running for six hours, they stopped to rest and reorganize on a relatively flat road.

Johnny looked around with the map, then looked at Gyro suspiciously, "Are you sure this is the way?"

"This mountain in front of us doesn't seem to be marked on the map!"

"Isn't it?" Gyro took the map from Johnny and looked at it carefully for a long time, then realized he was holding it upside down. Then he turned the map around!

Gyro calmly handed the map back to Johnny and said, "No problem, this is the way... probably!"

"Huh?!" Johnny's expression changed drastically, and then he couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Did you just whisper 'probably'? What do you mean by 'probably'?! Are you familiar with this desert at all?"

Gyro walked ahead, somewhat guiltily. "Familiar? Aren't deserts all the same? Don't worry! Just keep walking... and we should be able to find water." 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is hilarious... I always thought Gyro Zeppeli was a relatively steady person, but I didn't expect him to have this side."

"This must be infuriating for Johnny. If he hadn't added 'probably' at the end of his sentence... I would have thought he was full of confidence."

~One Piece World~

"Moss-head! I didn't expect there to be someone like you."

Sanji couldn't help but burst into laughter when he saw this. He didn't expect the mature and steady Gyro to get lost.

【 Just as the two were arguing, Mrs. Robinson, who had caught up from behind, ambushed them with a cactus, but Gyro Zeppeli wasn't someone to be trifled with! After dealing with Robinson by pricking him with cactus needles as payback.

Gyro and Johnny encountered enemies again while camping at night: the Steel Ball Run trio, who had killed three people at the start of the second stage!

They entered the Devil's Palm area that Mountain Tim could not enter, thus gaining Stand abilities.

They could control iron, attracting people to each other until they stuck together and exploded! 】

.....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Controlling iron?!"

Risotto Nero, the leader of the assassination team "La Squadra Esecuzioni", couldn't help but be surprised when he saw this scene.

Could there be Stand users with similar abilities in the world? But his ability doesn't seem to reach my level! If it were him, he could directly separate all the iron in the human body.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Mariah in Egypt was also filled with surprise at this moment! Because she could control magnetism, just like one of the Steel Ball Run trio in the video.

What exactly was going on? Wasn't it said that Stands were a symbol of one's spirit? How could there be the same abilities in the world?

【 One of them disguised himself as Johnny, then exposed himself in front of Mountain Tim, making Mountain Tim mistakenly believe he was the murderer and chase after Johnny and Gyro.

So the three met in the canyon, and the huge attraction force tightly collided the three together! At this moment, all three were seriously injured!

As the only one of the seriously injured three who could still move his hand, Johnny struggled to pick up a bullet on the ground, trying to use the power of rotation to evade the enemy.

But before he could gather his strength, his hand was stepped on by one of the Steel Ball Run trio! At this moment, the fingernails on Johnny's hand began to rotate continuously.

"My hand... my fingernails... What's going on, Gyro?!" Johnny was frightened and shouted at Gyro in panic.

Gyro, unable to move, spat out a mouthful of blood and then said with confusion, "Could that be... a Stand?!"

Then Johnny launched the rotating fingernails! He solved the Steel Ball Run trio and barely survived! 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"What's going on? This is undoubtedly a Stand ability. But why didn't I see the Stand?"

Old Joseph was also confused at this time.

Launching fingernails is clearly a Stand ability, but the Stand didn't appear, which is a bit unreasonable!

"The ability is to launch fingernails?! Isn't that a bit ordinary..."

Josuke Higashikata, living in modern society, felt that this ability wasn't very strong. After all, he felt that launching fingernails wasn't as useful as a gun.

【 Six days had passed in the second stage of the race, and they were now being chased by a terrifying enemy whose Stand ability was even more terrifying!

As long as they touched with their body! Everything would turn into a bomb! And the number of bombs was unlimited, it could be said to be the Plus version of Killer Queen!

Faced with this heaven-defying Stand ability, Gyro and Johnny had been forced into a desperate situation, but fortunately, they came up with a solution at the critical moment, using Johnny's rotating fingernails as a relay station for Gyro's steel balls, and they solved the opponent without any danger. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"These two combinations are good! Ordinary abilities can actually defeat that terrifying Stand."

"If it were me, I would have been waiting to die, one launching fingernails and one throwing steel balls, but the other side turns everything they touch into bombs... How can you fight that?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

At this moment, everyone's eyes became solemn. Without a doubt! This was the same ability as the murderer they had been looking for recently.

They were able to turn everything they touched into bombs! If this murderer had the same ability as in the video, then it would be difficult.

"Being able to turn everything they touch into bombs... and it seems to be unlimited! I'm afraid we have to make the worst plan,"

Jotaro Kujo said in a deep voice.

On the other side, an ordinary office worker was already biting his fingernails!

"There's actually a Stand with the same ability as my Killer Queen! Even more powerful!"

【 At this moment, the second stage of the race was coming to an end, and the two had basically secured the victory. They could see the finish line directly with binoculars here, and they could reach Monument Valley in at most one to two hours, and the other opponents had been left far behind.

But at this time, birds flew across the sky, and Johnny immediately looked up, thinking it was an enemy attack, and then realized it was a false alarm!

But when Johnny turned to look at Gyro, he found that he was gone! Only his horse was still there.

Johnny quickly stopped his horse, and there was only a steel ball spinning nonstop on the ground where he had just passed.

"Hey, Gyro! Answer me quickly! Where are you?"

Just as he was shouting, he glanced back and found that even Gyro's horse was gone! At this moment, Johnny was a little flustered: "Without a doubt, this is an attack from the enemy!"

But before he could react, two deep cuts were made on his face!

"Ah——!!" Johnny immediately launched fingernails continuously into the sky, and the enemy's attack stopped!

Gaining this moment of respite, Johnny began to think!

"Isn't Gyro their assassination target? Why me too..."

"If the enemy is in the sky! Where can he hide? There's no hot air balloon in the sky..."

Thinking of this, Johnny only felt a void under him; his horse also disappeared, and he fell to the ground.

Johnny was completely confused at this moment, and before he could think more, a feather floated next to him.

Then a hook shot out from the feather and hooked onto her face, and he was dragged away by a huge force like a hooked fish... 】

.......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It hurts! It hurts... I can't watch this kind of pain with my weak psychological endurance."

"A hook? What kind of weird Stand ability is this again? My face is hooked through, it hurts just to see it."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Risotto Nero in the assassination team continued to be calm:

"Is the supporting Stand ability similar to Beach Boy?!"

【 "Ah——" Johnny decisively cut continuously with his fingernails, but no matter how he cut! The steel cable behind the hook was not damaged at all.

There was no way; he could only cut open his cheeks to escape, but his luggage was pulled into the feather.

Johnny launched rotating fingernails to attack the ground, creating a huge smoke, and even used the rotation of the fingernails to move into the stone cave, and began to guess the other party's purpose.

"If it's for the game, there's no need to take their lives, and the other party deliberately hooked away their luggage!"

"Luggage?" Thinking of this, Johnny suddenly realized: "The other party must be looking for something! But what do they have worth robbing?"

Thinking of this and looking at his left hand, he wondered if all this was related to the visions he had seen before.

Just now! His left hand was torn apart, and a human hand emerged from it, but he didn't feel any pain. He thought it was an illusion, and he didn't know when this dry hand was attached to his body.

Now it seems that the dry hand is undoubtedly the enemy's target.

Just as Johnny was thinking, a beetle crawled into the cave, and Johnny said a very classic sentence on the spot!

"It's full here! If you want to make an appointment, wait slowly." With a light flick, he flicked the beetle out.

But he felt a sting in his hand, and a hook stretched out from the beetle's body and pierced through his arm, dragging him out.

Johnny, spitting blood, understood the other party's Stand ability: "The enemy's Stand ability is bait! Even living insects can be used as bait by him."

Johnny grabbed the rock cave tightly, and if he was dragged out, it would be over. At this time, several beetles came out next to him, and a hook stretched out from them again. Hooked through his chin.

The Saint's Corpse, hidden in the left hand, was gradually stripped away, and a pink and strange thing appeared above the left arm. 

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

Old Joseph smiled knowingly:

 "Has it finally come out? Johnny's Stand! It turns out to be such a small thing."

"It doesn't look like a power type... Is it a long-range manipulation type?"

Jotaro Kujo looked at the other party's small appearance, as if he could smash him to pieces with one punch.

It should be long-range; after all, he can launch fingernails, but! It doesn't feel like there's much use for a long-range Stand to come out, and such a small body can't 'ORA' others up close.

【 "Wh-what is this!!" Johnny was stunned in place, looking at this little pink thing, and just as he was stunned, the little thing had climbed to his ear and said slightly.

"Move your feet."

Johnny looked like he was kidding me. You want me, a person who has been paralyzed for many years, to move my feet?

As Johnny was surprised, the little thing had moved to his feet, and after a whisper, his toenails also began to rotate.

The rotating fingernails shot through the rock cave and hit the other party's body, and the enemy hurriedly leaned back and then escaped the risk of being headshot.

Then this pink thing returned to his left hand again, leaving behind a string of incomprehensible words, and at this time Gyro's steel ball also rotated to his side, seeming to tell him the enemy's location.

The enemy is attacking them through the water basin!

And Gyro, who was caught, took advantage of the chaos just now and threw the steel ball into the water basin, telling Johnny the direction of the enemy!

At this moment, Johnny was hidden, and the enemy couldn't find Johnny's location, so he put Johnny's horse back, but the hook followed behind the horse.

The horse sniffed around, as if looking for its owner, and then slowly walked in the direction Johnny was hiding.

At this time, Johnny felt something liquid dripping on his head, and then a fire was thrown down from above! At this moment, the nearby area turned into a sea of fire.

Suddenly, a burning figure rushed out, and the enemy immediately hooked it, but found that the feel was wrong.

It turned out that what was hooked was just a human figure carved out of dead wood by Johnny just now with fingernails that were as sharp as blades and constantly rotating.

At the moment when the enemy hooked the dead wood, Johnny also stood up from the sand pile with a firm look in his eyes, and his eyes officially burned with a dark flame: "Tusk! From now on, I will call your ability Tusk..."

Fingernails as sharp as blades were constantly rotating, like the fangs of a beast, and then shot towards the feathers in the sky! Passing through the water basin and directly piercing through the enemy's head. 】

Notes:

Author Note: Stand Tusk officially appeared! It won't be so verbose after that, unimportant things will be skipped directly!.

Chapter 116: Mandom! Turn back the clock!

Chapter Text

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

In a dimly lit room, DIO scoffed disdainfully at the Stand that appeared beside Johnny Joestar.

"I thought someone with the Joestar name would have some impressive abilities... Turns out, even your Stand ability is so weak."

He had imagined that this Johnny Joestar, who made it into the video, would possess some terrifying power! But this was it...?

It was laughable; after all, his "Za Warudo" was the strongest.

【 With great effort, the paralyzed Johnny finally climbed the embankment and saw Gyro Zeppeli, who was hanging. Fortunately, he was still breathing and had a heartbeat.

Seeing him hanging, Johnny immediately went to release him, unaware that the enemy's iron hook was still hooked to Gyro's arm.

Johnny thought the enemy was dead and was completely unprepared! The hook pierced through Gyro's body and snagged his wrist! The bamboo-tube kid, whose head was half-shaven, was still alive.

Gyro was his bait! That was the real reason he kept Gyro alive. Then the iron hook tightened, and the enemy wanted to pull him into Gyro's body!

While retracting the hook, the enemy yelled at Johnny,

"Hand over the corpse! Unless you want to see Gyro torn to pieces."

"My mission is just to retrieve the corpse! If you hand it over now, I'll let you go."

Johnny's arm was about to be pulled into Gyro's body, and the pain awakened Gyro!

"Hand over the corpse!"

"Corpse?!" Gyro, just waking up, was confused and weakly said, "Johnny... what is he talking about?"

Johnny's eyes were filled with tears, and he kept saying, "I... I don't want to give it to him!"

"This corpse's left hand made his legs move again! It gave him a goal to live for." 】

.......

~Type-Moon World in the ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Senpai! Is Johnny really going to hand it over? If he doesn't, Gyro will die."

Mash frowned slightly. She had a feeling that Johnny wouldn't hand it over. As he said, the left hand of the corpse made his paralyzed legs move again, giving him a goal to live for.

And Gyro, to him, was just a temporary partner! And his goal was clear: to understand the secret of the Steel Ball's rotation.

Now that he had learned the Spin, would he give up Gyro's life to protect the corpse?

Fou, fou!

Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't answer this question. Johnny gave the impression that he joined the race because of his paralyzed legs, and his tearful appearance made it hard to make a decision!

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"Once you've seen hope, you won't give it up so easily!"

Mechamaru understood this feeling. To restore his healthy body, he even cooperated with curses. Johnny, having finally seen the hope of his legs recovering, probably wouldn't give it up easily.

【 At the last moment, Johnny made up his mind! With tears in his eyes, he gave up the left hand of the corpse! The Stand, Tusk, which he had just acquired, disappeared the moment he handed it over.

But the bamboo-tube kid, after retrieving the corpse, didn't plan to let them go. The iron hook continued to tighten on Gyro.

"What do I do? My ability is gone. My nails won't spin anymore!" Johnny cried, panicking!

Hearing this, Gyro suddenly said, "The nails... are still spinning!"

It turned out that Gyro had already spun the corpse's nail!

The bamboo-tube kid on the other side also noticed the anomaly, but he couldn't dodge at such close range. His body was pierced, and he fell from the embankment. 】

.......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Whose corpse is this? Just a left hand can awaken abilities!"

"What I didn't expect was that Johnny chose his friend over hope and gave up hope."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

President Funny Valentine's expression darkened, and he said in a deep voice.

"Now that the secret of the saint corpse has been revealed, more people will join the fight!

To achieve his goals, he wouldn't give up so easily. If necessary, he would have to step in himself.

Johnny Joestar was relieved. Fortunately, he didn't give up Gyro for the saint corpse!

"As expected, the Joestars are gentlemen through and through!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"It seems the corpse's effect is similar to the arrow, possessing the power to awaken Stands?"

"If that's the case, do the other parts of the corpse have other functions?"

Kujo Jotaro's mind raced. If that were the case, Gyro and Johnny would face more dangerous battles...

【 After defeating the enemy, Johnny and Gyro finally realized the unusual nature of the race. Johnny said he would find the rest of the corpse in the next stage.

After all, just the left hand of the corpse made his legs move a little. If he collected all the parts, he might really be able to stand up again!

While they were fighting the enemy, the other racers caught up, and the second stage of the race entered the final sprint.

Gyro could have taken first place, but he was distracted by the information about Johnny's corpse during the sprint, and he only got fourth place.

Then, the third stage began. In this stage, they defeated Dr. Ferdinand without any major incidents and obtained the Saint's right eye, but Diego took the left eye!

Diego retained some of Dr. Ferdinand's Stand, Scary Monsters, with the power of the corpse!

During the sprint in the third stage, Diego and Gyro competed, but Johnny crossed the finish line first! He thought he was first, but he found that a man named Hot Pants had arrived an hour earlier! 】

.......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"That's dinosaur transformation! Diego's speed, strength, and perception have been greatly enhanced."

"This race has really become a battle between superpowered beings."

"Can ordinary people really win against them? It's just a bunch of cheaters..."

"And what about Sandman? You can see him at the end of every stage! Did he really cross America on his own two legs?"

【 Then the fourth stage began, a total of 1250 kilometers. Because of a cow, they became acquainted with Hot Pants, the first-place finisher of the previous stage. Then they got lost in a forest.

No matter where they went, they always returned to a wooden house. Since they had determined it was the enemy's ability, they didn't have time to think. The three decided to join forces and make a plan to eliminate the enemy.

At this moment, the mysterious white-haired man was burying the corpse of Oakhill. Gyro and Johnny rode over and eagerly questioned him!

"Who are you?... State your purpose."

The mysterious white-haired man slowly put down the shovel and calmly said, "If you want to talk to me... it has to be one at a time."

But Gyro was already impatient. They had spent too much time here, so he said irritably, "Whatever you want to do is none of our business. Just answer my question."

The mysterious man's expression didn't change. He continued calmly, "Then duel me... and I'll answer you, but you can't win!"

"The one on your left has a chance... so I'll only duel him!" 】

.......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What is the white-haired man's ability? Is he confident or what?"

"Since he can make everyone return to the same spot like they're in a maze, is his ability an illusion?"

"Since he's sure Gyro can't win, why does he want to duel Johnny instead?... Does he have a death wish..."

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Hah?! What kind of superpower ability he had and acts this high-and-mighty?!"

Misaka Mikoto crossed her arms, her brow furrowed as she stared at the screen displaying Stand abilities.

Kuroko, standing nearby, adjusted her headband thoughtfully.

"Onee-sama, objectively speaking, these superpower do resemble esper powers… but this level of arrogance? It’s almost offensive."

And she wasn’t wrong. To the espers of Academy City, Stands were just another type of superpower—nothing special.

~Detective Conan World~

"No! His ability is definitely not an illusion! If it were an illusion, he wouldn't keep proposing one-on-one duels..."

Conan racked his brains, but he couldn't figure it out. But the fact that he could make everyone return to the same spot as if they were in a maze.... Which meant the other party was using an ability! But what kind of ability could do that?

【 The three were stunned. What did he mean by that? The mysterious white-haired man ignored the surprised faces and continued calmly, "This is also for your own good."

"The one on your left has a ruthless streak of not hesitating to use any means at critical moments! I would call it a dark determination!"

Then he turned his gaze to Gyro: "And you don't... You only take action when I attack. That idea of self-defense is ingrained in your heart. You're just a responder." 】

.......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Old Joseph was surprised! Why did the white-haired man's words make Gyro seem more like a gentleman?

The one with the Joestar name seemed more like a thug... A ruthless streak of not hesitating to use any means at critical moments?!

Impossible! Our Joestar family is gentlemen through and through!

In a dimly lit room in Egypt, DIO smiled,

 "Darkdetermination? In that case, I admire you more than Gyro Zeppeli... Johnny Joestar!"

In his opinion, holding onto the idea of self-defense in the final battle was just courting death!

At critical moments, he didn't mind using any means to achieve victory.

【 Gyro was instantly filled with anger at these words. Who was he looking down on? He grabbed a Steel Ball from his waist and threw it.

The mysterious white-haired man drew his gun, but the Steel Ball had already hit his heart! Then, a strange scene occurred.

The Steel Ball that Gyro threw returned to his waist... and the white-haired mysterious man was unharmed.

Gyro was sweating profusely, his eyes wide with disbelief!

"What was that just now?... How is that possible! My Steel Ball went astray?"

"Does that mean I can't hit him even if I throw a Spin-infused Steel Ball? I'm not confident I can hit his vitals!"

Looking at the surprised expressions of the others, the mysterious white-haired man casually gave them a wave of thoughtful explanation!

"My name is Ringo Roadagain, and my Stand is called Mandom!" 】

.......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"What's going on? Isn't stand battles a battle of information? Why is this man revealing his Stand?"

Hirose Koichi couldn't suppress the shock in his eyes. In his opinion, once a Stand user's ability was known, it would be easily targeted.

Like Mr. Jotaro's invincible Star Platinum, knowing his terrifying ability, no one would choose to fight him head-on.

"Maybe that's what you call confidence! Yare yare daze—"

Jotaro pressed down on his hat. Although he felt like everyone in the world knew his Stand, he wouldn't reveal his Stand's ability to the enemy...

【 While speaking, Ringo's Stand emerged from his body and perched on his shoulder! Then, he revealed his Stand's ability.

"I can rewind time... not too long, not too short, just six seconds!"

That's why they kept returning to the wooden house. Before they made a mark and reached the next mark, he would rewind time whenever they were about to turn! Their direction and position returned to six seconds ago!... But they didn't notice! 】

.......

~Projection of All Worlds~

After hearing his ability, the people outside the video were stunned, followed by an uproar.

"It's a time-based ability! This guy is invincible."

"At first, I thought his ability was just a simple illusion to trap everyone... I never expected this ability..."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"How is it possible?! Besides me, DIO, there's someone else who can manipulate time."

DIO is no longer as calm as before. He didn't expect that someone else's Stand ability could manipulate time.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

In Italy, a certain pink-haired gangster was equally incredulous!

"Impossible! The Emperor is me, Diavolo!"

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"It's a time-based ability!!! That's too unfair..."

Shokuhou Misaki's eyes were filled with stars. Even among the 230 million people in Academy City, she had never heard of a time-based ability!

And rewinding time by six seconds? It wasn't very long, but it wasn't very short, either... But it was enough to change a lot of things.

~Type-Moon World, Grand Carnival Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Such a terrifying ability exists?!"

Even the genius Da Vinci had never heard of a Servant's Noble Phantasm that could do such a thing.

"Senpai..."

Mash tugged at Fujimaru Ritsuka's clothes, then asked puzzledly,

"Although this ability is strong, isn't it too arrogant to say it directly?!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka was also confused. It was the first time she had seen someone actively tell their opponent their ability!

But she was also very curious about what a time-based ability would be like in battle.

Chapter 117: What I want is recognition!

Chapter Text

【 "A fair duel to the death can help a person's character grow..."

"Murderous actions stemming from a dark will can elevate my immature self to a more sacred realm."

"This is a man's world."

"This is my training. So, are you willing to duel with me?"

Ringo's purpose was pure, seemingly not for the corpse parts, but simply seeking a so-called growth through duels with the two. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Although I hate to say it, facing an opponent who uses iron balls and another who shoots fingernails... your ability is to rewind time, can you really gain growth even if you win?"

"But since he told them about his Stand ability, it's probably for the sake of fairness, after all, time-based abilities are too broken."

"Whenever something unfavorable happens to him, he can directly rewind time... and the opponent won't even notice! They'll just continue acting according to their previous thoughts."

"That's the horror of time rewind."

【 Just then, Hot Pants instantly chopped down with his right hand, which he had sprayed with mist and positioned on the rafters, severing Ringo's right hand, causing the pistol to fall to the ground!

Ringo fell sideways, reaching for the pistol with his left hand.

Johnny wouldn't miss this opportunity, launching several nail bullets, but at this moment, Ringo had reached his target!

He lunged not to pick up the gun but to touch his watch! Just like that, time was rewound six seconds, back to when Hot Pants hadn't ambushed him!

This time, Ringo dodged the ambush, and looking at Johnny and the others' surprised expressions, he said once again: "Accept or not?" 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"This is going to be tough... if it were Star Platinum, which also possesses time abilities, it might be able to sense the changes in time."

Jotaro knew that if the opponent hadn't revealed his Stand ability, this duel would have been even more difficult.

Their minds rewind along with time, which means the enemy always knows what they're going to do next!

Unless they can defeat him before he has a chance to use his ability!

【 Seeing that this duel was unavoidable, Johnny focused his mind and instantly entered a battle stance, while the opponent also gripped his gun, ready to fire.

In the blink of an eye, both of them acted simultaneously, bullets and spinning fingernails flying out together. Ringo dodged to the side, aiming, and the fingernails all hit his shoulder and arm, while the bullet he fired accurately struck Johnny's forehead, resulting in a headshot.

Seeing the situation was bad, Hot Pants decisively acted, shooting the spray gun at Ringo, but the spray couldn't be as fast as a bullet. Ringo turned around and shot, instantly taking Hot Pants down, who collapsed, bleeding and unconscious.

It was only a bit late that Gyro remembered to throw his iron ball, aiming straight for the opponent's face, but Ringo fired again, directly hitting Gyro in the chest.

The iron ball approached, and Ringo slightly tilted his head, dodging the fatal blow. The ball passed through his ear, instantly breaking the pillar outside the house, causing the house to collapse on the spot. Ringo actually managed to take out three people with only minor injuries! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This series of actions instantly made everyone outside the video gasp.

"Could Johnny, the protagonist of this countdown, have died just like that?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Sss— He took out three people in a short moment! Is it over just like that?"

Polnareff watched all this with cold sweat; it all happened too fast for him to react.

"It's not over yet! Johnny was headshot and might not be saved... but Gyro and Hot Pants are still alive, just injured."

Young Jotaro reached out and pressed down on his black hat.

The situation was not optimistic. If they didn't force him to rewind time, then Johnny might really die like that...Then he looked at the fallen people, but was there really a way to force him to rewind time?

【 Seeing that Gyro was conscious, Ringo walked over with his gun, saying as he walked: "You're just a responder, you can't win against me. You only thought of attacking me with the iron ball after your friend was taken down. This level is not enough to kill me!"

"My gun only had one bullet left to kill Johnny! As for you, go wherever you want..." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Perhaps as Ringo said, Gyro is just a responder, only launching a counterattack in self-defense after his friends were injured."

"Perhaps that's why the opponent didn't want to duel with him, with that kind of mindset, you can't defeat your opponent in a fair one-on-one duel..."

"If you want to win against the opponent, then Gyro has to change!"

【 After saying that, Ringo dragged Johnny's feet and walked towards the house. His purpose in doing all this was just training, and the person who brought him here was actually President Valentine. So he would take the corpse parts in Johnny's left hand again and send them to the President.

"Ooooh—"

As the door was heavily closed, Gyro also squatted on the spot, roaring in anger with blood flowing from his mouth. The iron ball he had thrown earlier spun back.

Through estimation, Gyro roughly understood the distance just now. The Colt 184 used by Ringo had a very short effective range, and he and Johnny were so far away that Johnny might not be dead yet. The bullet beyond the range should be stuck in his skull, there's still hope!! 】

.....

~Detective Conan World~

Conan looked at Gyro with some surprise, he didn't expect Gyro, who was looked down upon by Ringo, to be so quick-witted.

In this situation, he could still calmly analyze the current situation and make a judgment, which was not something ordinary people could do.

Uh, then Conan showed dead fish eyes and suddenly remembered Gyro's miraculous iron ball, which didn't seem like something ordinary people could do at all...

【 Gyro barely stood up and only took one step when his father's voice suddenly sounded in his ear: "Son! You don't want to go into that house, do you?"

"He has already promised to let you leave the forest. Do you really need to risk your life again to save that Johnny Joestar? And you can't win against him at all."

"What is your motive? Is it that sentimental feeling of wanting to save your friend?"

"Being emotional will create gaps in your heart, and it will also destroy our family, destroy the techniques passed down by our ancestors."

His father's words sounded softly in his ear, then became more and more stern!

"Now you immediately leave. Whether that young man is guilty or not should not be judged with emotion; immediately withdraw from the competition. This is an order."

After hearing this, Gyro said sternly, "Father, you say I'm just being emotional. No, what I want is recognition from the heart."

The true identity of the corpse parts collected by Johnny, none of that matters... I put my self-recognition before everything else, otherwise, I will not be able to move forward anywhere, nor will I be able to find my future."

"I have already seen victory!"

Gyro's right eye changed color again, and after saying that! Gyro threw his iron ball towards the house with all his might. In high-speed rotation, the iron ball actually turned into a human shape; it was the shape of a Stand, it was Gyro Zeppeli's Stand, but unfortunately, the shape only lasted for a moment before turning back into an iron ball! 】

Chapter 118: Welcome to... the world of men

Chapter Text

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"That was a Stand?!! Although it was only for a moment, that was undoubtedly a Stand. Did Gyro also awaken a Stand?"

Old Joseph pondered. A Stand is the symbol of one's spirit! Without a doubt, Gyro Zeppeli had just grown.

Gyro Zeppeli successfully rediscovered himself. The meaning of this journey was not in vain. Before, Johnny gave up the Saint's Left Hand to save Gyro!

Now it's Gyro's turn to take a step forward and save Johnny!

"But what is his Stand ability? Is it still related to the Steel Balls?"

Polnareff speculated that this might be the key ability to defeat the opponent, but can a Stand ability really be used when the Stand only appeared for a moment?

Although it only appeared for a moment, the audience outside the video could see it very clearly. Now they are also looking forward to what Gyro's Stand ability is.

【 With the help of the Saint's Left Eye, Gyro clearly saw the situation inside the house from the perspective. Ringo had already searched Johnny for the map, the map marked with the specific location of the Saint's Corpse.】

And Johnny, who was lying on the ground, was indeed still alive. Now that things have come to this, there is no turning back. Ringo must not leave here alive today.

Gyro poured all his energy and roared, throwing the other Steel Ball out. The Steel Ball penetrated the wooden planks and accurately hit Ringo's head.

But at the same time, Ringo also touched his watch, and time was directly rewound to six seconds ago.

"You're still here? I thought you had already left... But I still advise you to leave! You are not my opponent."

Ringo was very surprised at this time. He thought Gyro had run away long ago, but as long as he keeps activating the ability to rewind time, no matter how many times Gyro attacks, he can easily resolve them. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"As expected, if he can't be killed with one blow, he will rewind time."

"But how can he defeat the opponent by just throwing Steel Balls?"

"You can't possibly defeat a time-based boss by throwing a Steel Ball, right? Impossible, absolutely impossible."

"If he didn't have a sure chance of winning, Gyro shouldn't have attacked rashly. Perhaps he has already thought of a countermeasure at this time, but in any case, it is a fierce battle for Gyro."

【 Faced with Ringo's persuasion, Gyro didn't care but pointed at him with a certain expression: "I know! You can rewind time by six seconds by twisting your watch."

"And the Steel Ball I just threw was actually to scan your body."

"You have an old injury on your left clavicle. As long as I hit there, your entire left half will be paralyzed and unable to move. Not only that! Your left heart will also stop beating due to the paralysis."

Speaking of this, Gyro has already stepped into the house! The two faced each other like Western cowboys in a formal duel. At such a close distance, neither of them will miss!

The Steel Ball and the bullet hit each other almost at the same time. Gyro was shot in the throat and spat out blood.

And Ringo was hit in the left shoulder. As Gyro said, the left half of his body was paralyzed! His heart stopped suddenly!

At the critical moment, he aimed his gun at his wrist, and the bullet grazed the button on the watch! He successfully activated his Stand again, and time returned to when the two were facing each other again. 】

......

~Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"As expected, it still doesn't work..."

Mashu saw that Gyro had finally discovered the enemy's weakness and defeated the enemy, and she was about to cheer happily.

But she didn't expect that the other party would have such a method to reverse time again, and she immediately became dejected...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Shirou was thinking about what he would think if he were Gyro, but:

"It's really difficult to deal with such an opponent..."

No matter what countermeasures you think of, as long as you can't defeat the opponent with one blow, you will be reversed by the other side. The method can only succeed once.

Just like just now, after the time is reversed, he will cover his weakness with his hand to avoid the same result as last time.

What can Gyro rely on to win against such an opponent?

【 This time, Ringo roared angrily: "Come on! Do you want to do it again?... You are just a responder."

"You... are not qualified to define me!"

The two took action again. Learning from the previous lesson, this time Ringo covered his left shoulder with his hand, but his muzzle also deviated a lot and hit Gyro's shoulder.

Ringo pointed his gun at Gyro again, but before he could shoot the bullet, he suddenly spat out blood and fell down, collapsing on the ground.

A piece of wood was inserted into the old injury on his left clavicle.

It turned out that this time, Gyro used the Steel Ball to hit the wood in the air and inserted it into his shoulder! This time, the killer move was not the Steel Ball but the wood in the air.

Gyro has completed his transformation. As for finishing him off, he is not interested. He has gained self-recognition, and it is meaningless to take more lives.

Ringo, who was spitting blood, continued: "That's why I said you are a responder!"

"If you want to truly embark on the road to victory, you must find your masculine wildness and continue to participate in the competition. Continue to find your path of glory."

"I pray that you can find it... Thank you!"

After speaking, Ringo raised his gun again, and in a flash of lightning, Gyro threw the Steel Ball again and completely ended his life.

Amidst the blood mist, the setting sun shone into the wooden house. Ringo murmured: "Welcome to... the world of men!"

Gyro was speechless. He picked up the spray and treated Johnny and Hot Pants's wounds. While Hot Pants was not awake, the two set off again.

This time, the opponent is the strongest they have encountered since the start of the competition. Subsequent enemies will only be more perverted. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing that Gyro actually successfully defeated the opponent, everyone was shocked. They never thought that just a technique of using Steel Balls could defeat the opponent.

"Is this the world of men? It's really cruel!"

"If Ringo hadn't revealed his Stand ability... I'm afraid Gyro and the others wouldn't have guessed it no matter how they guessed! Because there is no trace to follow."

"I didn't expect that the spray was so perverted... it can even be used."

~One Punch Man World~

"So ordinary people can also do this?"

In the eyes of Mumen Rider, Gyro, who throws Steel Balls, is an ordinary person, but he can defeat Ringo, who is a psychic, which makes him extremely yearned for and admired.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Dio sneered and said,

"Actually telling the other party his ability, what an incurable idiot."

The battle of Stand users is a battle of information! I didn't expect that a time-based Stand like mine would lose to an ordinary person.

As expected, only my "Za Warudo's" is the strongest!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

At this moment, Giorno Giovanna is also guessing whether there is a time-based Stand in his world.

After all, there are all kinds of abilities, and all kinds of strange abilities are emerging one after another, and this possibility cannot be ruled out.

But their primary goal is to defeat the boss first! Fortunately, this video contains a variety of Stand abilities, which also enrich their combat knowledge! It will be much easier to guess the opponent's ability at that time...

Chapter 119: Lesson 4, express respect!!

Chapter Text

【 On the other side, Steven Steel's wife, Lucy, discovered through lip-reading that President Funny Valentine intended to gather all Stand users to seize the Saint's Corpse and to kill Steel when he was no longer of use.

So Lucy stole the coordinates of the Saint's Spine, transmitted by Ringo, from the President, and obtained the Saint's Spine. Even more fortunately, she encountered Gyro and Johnny!

Lucy told them the truth, saying she could hand over the Saint's Spine to them, but begged for their protection.

However, they were caught red-handed by the Blackmore, who caught up with them later. After a fierce battle, they barely defeated him by using the high temperature of the spinning Steel Balls to evaporate the water shield.

Later, they discovered that this man had long been dead, only surviving in the rain by using his Catch the Rainbow ability...

Meanwhile, the Fourth Stage also reached its end, and this time, Gyro only got third place!

Then, in the next stage, Gyro and Johnny split up and even gave Lucy the Saint's Left Eye, allowing Lucy to continue to lurk by the President's side! To find an opportunity to steal the Saint's Heart. 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Isn't this a bit too much for a 14-year-old girl... after all, she's just an ordinary person."

"But this is also the best choice, after all, following them will only lead to more Stand user attacks."

"And they still have to participate in the race to find other parts of the Corpse. Bringing her along would only be a burden."

"But you could also say that Gyro has placed a bet on Lucy, even entrusting her with the Saint's Left Eye!"

"I wonder what kind of miracle will be triggered after the so-called Saint's Corpse is completely gathered?"

【 The Fifth Stage is already halfway through. When they arrived at a cornfield, they were attacked by the enemy's Stand.

At this moment, they were attacked by a group of monsters resembling small dinosaurs. They would be torn to pieces with just a slight touch.

Flying and running, one followed closely behind them. Ahead was the Mississippi River, and the two brothers were nowhere to escape. Gyro's Steel Balls had been destroyed, and Johnny's fingernails were useless.

With no other choice, the two let their horses cross the river first, while they simply rolled into the mud. The monsters also caught up from behind...

The two were now covered in mud from head to toe. This attack method, which could only be triggered by touch, was deciphered by them. Before they could even rejoice... Johnny's tongue suddenly caught fire.

Johnny's face changed drastically: "Now... my... mouth!"

Gyro just wanted to help, but when he reached out, he found that his fingers were also on fire.

Gyro was now sweating profusely, his eyes fixed on the enemy's figure in the cornfield: "This guy's attack isn't just slashing; it also includes burning!"

"It's completely over!" Johnny seemed to have given up, filled with despair.

Gyro looked at Johnny like this and was immediately furious: "Stop yelling over there! What do you think of the Steel Balls that have been passed down by our Zeppeli family for 250 years?"

"The little tricks you know now are just the tip of the iceberg."

Speaking of this, Gyro's expression suddenly froze, his eyes turned to Johnny: "Express respect! Johnny..."

"Then step towards a new stage of Spin."

"Lesson 4!"

As he spoke, the two were surrounded by those fire-breathing pterodactyls, and their horses had already entered the water, swimming towards the opposite bank without any worries.

Gyro looked serious, he continued: "Johnny... from now on, you can only say 'I can't do it' 4 times!"

"The essence of Steel Ball Spin is infinity, My ancestors attempted to apply infinity to the Steel Ball!"

Speaking of this, Gyro picked up a branch and drew a rectangle on the ground! With a length-to-width ratio of 16:9... This is the Golden Rectangle.

"The Golden Rectangle also has a characteristic: if you add a side and draw a square inside it, the remaining small rectangle next to it will still be a Golden Rectangle. Draw another square inside it, and the remaining part will still not change."

"After drawing continuously, connect the endpoints of the formal squares, and you can draw an infinitely shrinking vortex; this is the Golden Spin."

"Your Nail Bullets are because they don't operate according to the Golden Ratio; that's why you feel the limit. Try to make your fingernails spin in the trajectory of the Golden Rectangle. If you can do it, you will gain infinite extension power." 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is Lesson 4, express respect! But can you learn it by expressing respect?"

"If it was really that simple, wouldn't many people be able to learn this Steel Ball Spin?!"

The people outside the video secretly took a few spherical objects and started practicing... After a while, they threw the balls in their hands out.

Then they all cursed out loud... What the hell is this? It's impossible to do.

~Detective Conan World~

Conan stared with dead fish eyes, indicating that you are kidding me... I understand the meaning of every word, but can humans really do it when they are put together?

"Do you think everyone's eyes are rulers, that they can measure the position of the Golden Ratio and accurately throw it out according to the route? Even if you measure with a ruler, you have to slowly draw to draw the Golden Ratio!"

But after this time, Johnny can take another step forward! Is this the so-called moving from negative to zero that was mentioned at the beginning of the video?!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

At this time, Joseph Joestar looked at Caesar Zeppeli next to him with complicated eyes.

"Don't hide it... you said it's a technique passed down by your Zeppeli family for 250 years! Take it out and cooperate with Ripple to deal with the Pillar Men with more certainty..."

Caesar ignored Joseph's teasing, he had never heard that his family had such a technique...

【 What are you talking about when the fire is already burning your eyebrows? Johnny shouted anxiously: "I can't do it... It's too difficult; someone like me can't do it at all."

Even at the critical moment of life and death, Gyro just looked at Johnny calmly: "You just said 'I can't do it'!"

Due to the excessive movement, the enemy's fire attack also touched Johnny again. This time, it burned directly from inside the blood vessels. His neck was burned through on the spot. Johnny screamed in pain, but Gyro still looked unhurried.

"As long as you say 'I can't do it' three more times, I'll give you this belt buckle! It's also cast according to the Golden Ratio. As long as you use Spin according to the trajectory engraved on it, your Nail Bullets can also obtain infinite Spin."

Johnny was anxious: "You have this kind of thing on you; why didn't you show it to me from the beginning? If you delay any longer, I'll be dead; give it to me quickly!"

Gyro's expression instantly became serious: "No! You must say 'I can't do it' three more times before I can give it to you." 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Why insist on this kind of thing when the fire is already burning your eyebrows? Hurry up and give it to Johnny! Let's survive first..."

The clever Narancia really didn't understand why he insisted on this inexplicable stubbornness at this time.

At this time, why not directly teach Johnny and then defeat the enemy?

"You're wrong... Narancia!"

Giorno, with a donut hairstyle, shook his head.

"There must be a reason for Gyro to do this! And if he gives it directly to Johnny, he won't grow."

"Years of paralysis have made him lack confidence... When Gyro is around, he will subconsciously rely on him, just like now, he says he can't do it before he has even tried!"

"If you don't completely push Johnny to the brink! He won't grow."

To be honest, he didn't understand whether Johnny could learn this infinite Spin. What kind of changes will occur after learning it?

【 Johnny attacked the pterodactyls in the sky with Nail Bullets, and then the two jumped into the river, which avoided being burned to death.

Johnny had just tried the Golden Spin in the attack, but when he stretched out his hand, it was still the same as before. The two had just escaped danger, and Johnny shouted at Gyro again.

"I can't do it... You've been practicing since you were a child, and you've only learned it after so many years. How could I possibly use it? I can't do it... Is that enough times now?"

Gyro was still not in a hurry: "It only counts as one time just now. I'll give it to you after you say 'I can't do it' two more times."

Johnny's blood pressure almost soared when he heard this: "Big brother! This is not the time to play games!"

As he spoke, the enemy seemed to have expected it; a large group of green monsters emitted a piercing sound, already waiting for them on the opposite bank.

At this time, through the battle just now, Johnny had guessed the enemy's Stand ability, not the so-called cutting and burning... but sound!! 】

.......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Sound? Isn't this the same as my previous Echoes Act 2 ability?"

Koichi didn't expect that there would be the same ability! And it seems to be an enhanced version of Echoes Act 2.

【 At this moment, the cutting sound from the green monsters on the opposite bank had already been transmitted across the river.

"There's no time." When Gyro saw this, he immediately shouted at Johnny: "Attack in any direction! The enemy must be nearby."

But Johnny said, "Give me your belt buckle first! Let me see how to use infinite Spin!"

Gyro went up and punched him directly, indicating that it was not okay.

He would never give it to him unless he said it four times! This is the rule passed down by the Zeppeli family for generations!

"Once we break the rules, we will definitely lose."

"I've already made it very clear, this is Lesson 4, express respect!"

Johnny tried to shoot Nail Bullets again, and the power of this time had been improved, but it was still completely unrelated to the Golden Spin that Gyro said!

Johnny shouted anxiously again: "It's not working... this kind of power! I can't do it!" 】

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The power of this time has been slightly improved... but if you don't find the enemy's hiding place, you will still be exhausted sooner or later."

"There's one more time left... as long as he says it one more time, Gyro will be able to give him the belt buckle with the Golden Ratio."

"And with a reference object... maybe it will be much simpler."

"But the situation is getting more and more critical now, even with a reference object, it is impossible to succeed in a short time, right?"

What is the meaning of Lesson 4, express respect, that Gyro insists on with his life?

Chapter 120: Tusk 2 Take the Stage! Brand New Ability

Chapter Text

 

【 The enemy's attack was already upon him. Gyro could only use the rotational force in the water with both hands, turning the enemy's cutting sound into a water sphere and barely escaping the disaster!

At this moment, Gyro finally understood the horror, cold sweat streaming down his face: "The sounds you hear aren't everything…"

"In other words, just like what you see with your own eyes doesn't represent everything…"

"So that's how it is… This enemy is too terrifying! Everything just now was just a feint! The sound waves are amplified at the points where they intersect!"

"The amplified sounds are all invisible attacks, attacks they can't withstand."

After saying that, Gyro completely fainted. It turned out that just now, his hands and feet had been cut off, floating on the surface of the water! A large amount of blood dyed the river red.

"Ah—Gyro!" Johnny could only shed tears again in frustration, shouting anxiously. 

.....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Damn it… If they had something like Crazy Diamond, this’d be fixed in seconds. But right now… there’s no Stand here that can heal wounds."

At this moment, Josuke Higashikata also realized the key point, which was that they had no one who could heal their wounds.

Hot Pants—the only one who might have been able to help—was missing. And now, Gyro lay bleeding out, his limbs severed. At this rate, blood loss would kill him before they could even fight back.

Enemies closed in from all sides.

Could this be the end of Gyro's journey?

"Why now? Why are you still insisting? Quickly give the buckle to Johnny…"

【 At this time, he also noticed Sandman on the shore, anxiously seeking help from him.

"Sandman!! Quickly help me find Hot Pants!"

If they didn't find Hot Pants to heal him soon, Gyro would really die here, but no matter how much he shouted, the other party turned a deaf ear, washing his dagger on the shore!

However, he was the one who launched the attack in the first place. His goal was to find the three Saints' Corpse parts on their bodies. How could he possibly help them?

Then he hid back into the cornfield, and those harmful attacks once again swept towards the two from the river.

Johnny, now in despair, grabbed Gyro and cried loudly: "Waaaa… If you had given me the buckle to use from the start, we wouldn't have ended up like this."

"You suddenly threw out such a big pile of words! How could I possibly learn it? I can't do it at all!"

Suddenly, Johnny felt a shock in his heart. This was the fourth time he had said, "I can't do it."

He had already met the requirements Gyro had mentioned, and then suddenly calmed down and fell into thought.

"No… What exactly is the Zeppeli family trying to say?"

"Gyro's ancestors and those world-renowned artists, why did they know the Golden Ratio?"

"Logically speaking, there should also be true Golden Rectangles in nature. You can't master the Golden Spin without capturing the Golden Ratio with your own eyes."

"Perhaps that's what the Zeppeli family's rules are expressing."

In other words, to achieve the Golden Spin, you must be free and use what you see with your own eyes as the standard. At this moment, Johnny finally understood everything.

On the battlefield, several butterflies fluttered by, their vibrating wings appearing as Golden Rectangles in Johnny's eyes. Not only that! Even the trees and grass by the roadside all turned into Golden Rectangles in his eyes.

Without exception, they were all the best references for releasing the Golden Spin. It was time to break out of the nightmare and fight his way out! At this moment, his fingernails were spinning at high speed.

His Stand, Tusk, also had a miraculous change, appearing in a new form. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is this having a ruler in his eyes? He can see everything as a Golden Rectangle."

"Is this cheating? He can actually see everything in the world as a Golden Rectangle and use it as a reference."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"A Stand is a symbol of mental ability, which means that Johnny's spirit has grown, and that's why his Stand has evolved into a new form."

Dio didn't expect that this kid named Johnny Joestar could grow again. But after growing, will his Stand have other abilities?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"It seems to be the same type as my Echoes… It can evolve and enter a new stage!"

At this moment, Koichi was also looking forward to what kind of abilities Johnny's Stand would have after evolving.

After all, when his own Stand evolved to the third stage, he could control gravity! It was completely different from his previous ability to control sound.

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

At this moment, Da Vinci was squinting at the coffee cup in Doctor Roman's hand and only sighed after staring at Doctor Roman uncomfortably.

"My eyes are sore from staring, but I can't see any Golden Rectangles…"

It's really easier said than done. Just how talented is that crybaby, Johnny Joestar? In just a few words, he caught up with the realm that Gyro had been practicing since he was a child.

At this moment, some people outside the video silently rubbed their eyes, and there were quite a few people who secretly tried to see the Golden Rectangle like Da Vinci.

But without exception, they didn't see anything except making their eyes sore…

【 After using the Golden Spin, to Johnny's surprise, the nail bullets didn't shoot straight out as usual. The spinning fingernails were rotating around his fingers.

Then, he decisively fired the nail bullets. The wide river instantly set off monstrous waves! Sandman's attack was also directly resolved.

The fingernails that could instantly grow back before didn't grow back quickly again, which meant that he only had ten bullets! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The power has increased too much after using the Golden Spin!"

"But there are gains and losses. He gained powerful power but lost unlimited bullets! Unlike before, when he could fire infinitely, now he only has ten chances!"

"It can be said that success or failure depends on this! Next, we can only pray that Hot Pnats is nearby… Otherwise, even if Johnny defeats Sandman! Gyro will still die!"

【 The fingernails fired using the Golden Spin cannot be regenerated instantly. Johnny now has only two fingernails left. The small dinosaurs that help Sandman carry the sound have now been killed.

Before Johnny could attack, Sandman jumped up and pounced on him. If he took a punch head-on, Johnny's body would be shattered into pieces in an instant!

Seeing the opponent getting closer and closer, Johnny put his palms together and directly shot out the bomb. Sandman had no choice but to stop his attack and take out his dagger to defend himself.

Under the obstruction of the sound waves, the nail bullet was bounced away again and hit the sand next to it, but the spin didn't stop. As soon as Sandman's feet landed, the bullet hole chased after him.

Sandman lost his balance and barely dodged the attack by climbing on the sound waves. The enemy didn't land for a long time, and the bullet hole of the bomb gradually shrunk in the memory until it disappeared. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect that after this evolution, not only did the power increase, but it also has the function of tracking enemies."

"This also means that even if the attack is bounced away, as long as the power of the spin doesn't stop, the nail bullet will continue to track the enemy."

"Now there is only one nail bullet left. If he can't defeat Sandman this time… then it's completely over."

【 "You should only have one nail bullet left…"

Sandman also saw Johnny's weakness at this time. If this tracking nail bullet could be used infinitely, then Johnny would have started shooting wildly long ago.

The entire tracking process only lasts for less than eight seconds. As long as he can withstand Johnny's next attack, the victory of this battle will be in his pocket.

While speaking, Johnny's last bullet had already burst out. Sandman was just about to resist the spinning nail, but it deviated from Sandman and flew behind him!

"Did he miss?!"

Sandman looked at this scene in disbelief. No, he missed on purpose!

Why?

While Sandman hesitated, the claw hit a butterfly in the air, leaving a bullet hole in its wings. As the butterfly gradually fell, the bullet hole rotated and transferred to Sandman's body. And the butterfly that was initially hit flew back into the sky unscathed! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect my pattern to be small… It's not just a tracking function! It can even transfer bullet holes."

"This is simply impossible to defend against! If you don't know the Stand ability, it's easy to succeed in a sneak attack."

"I didn't expect that the evolution of the Stand could produce so many ingenious abilities! But does this mean that Johnny's Stand can continue to evolve? Or has it reached the limit of evolution?"

【 Sandman let out a painful groan. The bullet hole moved from his back all the way to his chest, heading straight for his heart. Sandman hurriedly covered it with his hand, protecting his heart, but his right hand was directly twisted into minced meat by the spinning bullet hole!

Enduring the severe pain, Sandman also began to declare victory: "I guessed right. Your bullet hole only lasts for a few seconds. The last attack has been used up, die, Johnny, I'm sure to win."

Unexpectedly, Johnny showed a firm look, without the crying appearance he had before, and calmly replied: "You're wrong, we are the ones who win, not you."

Johnny's ten Golden Spins have all been used up, and the opponent has only lost one right hand, but Johnny's methods are not only fingernails.

He also has an iron plate that Gyro left him. During the battle just now, he used the high-speed spinning fingernails to grind out an iron ball.

At this moment, the iron ball is spinning at high speed in his hand. At such a close distance, he will surely die! In a flash of lightning, the two shot at the same time again.

Before Sandman's fist could touch Johnny, his throat was pierced by the iron ball, and the Stand behind him was directly blown out of his head.

The victor of this duel is—Johnny Joestar!! 】

Chapter 121: In the Wet Snow

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect Johnny to play with iron balls... I really didn't. I thought he could only shoot nails."

"But it makes sense. Since he can use the Golden Spin to basically reach the same level as Gyro, it's not surprising that he can use iron balls!"

"Although they defeated Sandman, Gyro will still die from blood loss if he doesn't get treatment."

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"Huh?! That’s not fair! We’re hearing the exact same instructions, so how come Johnny can do it and I can’t?!"

Illyasviel von Einzbern puffed out her cheeks in frustration, dropping the two tennis balls she’d been clutching. She had listened carefully—just like Johnny—memorized every word, even visualized the movements perfectly.

But when she tried to replicate the Spin technique…

Her fingers twitched. Her muscles refused to cooperate.

Her mind understood. Her body betrayed her.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"I wonder if Gyro can get help in time. His current situation is already very dangerous."

Touma Kamijou sighed slightly. He also tried the so-called Golden Spin to increase his long-range methods. After all, they explained the principle, so there's no reason he couldn't do it!

But he realized he was thinking too much... He should just wash up and go to bed. This is simply not something humans can do.

【 “Gy...Gyro...Gyro!!” Johnny shouted exhaustedly at the unconscious Gyro. Could it be that he once sent away his own brother? Is it Gyro's turn now?

Just as he was thinking this, he heard the sound of hooves. It turned out that the top-tier healer, Hot Pants, saw their horses and came here.

Without waiting for Johnny to say anything, Hot Pants flipped over and pinned Johnny to the ground, taking the Saint's Corpse from his pocket.

At this time, Johnny couldn't resist even if he wanted to, but fortunately, Hot Pants had a conscience and healed Johnny's injuries and Gyro's severed limbs.

As soon as they woke up, they went straight to the finish line, taking fourth and fifth place in this stage, respectively.

........

The sixth stage begins. As they pass through higher dimensions, the temperature gets lower and lower. Now they have arrived on a snowfield!

Fortunately, when Hot Pants took the Saint's Corpse, she left Johnny a small piece of bone, which allowed Johnny to keep his Stand. He occasionally used it to hunt.

After learning the Golden Spin, Johnny also developed various uses, such as peeling potatoes, eating noodles with his fingernails, and even brushing his teeth! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect that Hot Pants was fortunate not to have been killed at the Ringo house, otherwise even if Gyro was still alive, he would probably be disabled."

"Although the Saint's Corpse was taken away, fortunately, she had a conscience and left Johnny a bone, otherwise Johnny wouldn't even be able to keep his Stand."

"This Johnny really wants to make me laugh... He actually uses the hard-earned Golden Spin to peel potatoes and even brush his teeth."

"After all, his legs are paralyzed, so he will always develop various uses to make things easier for himself."

【 Gyro lay on the snow and heard horses approaching in the distance through the rotation of his iron balls, and it sounded like about 11 people.

So the two of them didn't stay any longer and decided to look for the Saint's ears, and then they came to a wetland!

While speaking, Gyro's iron ball accidentally fell into a puddle. He reached out to pick it up but found that the iron ball had disappeared out of thin air. At this moment, a girl in pink appeared not far away.

The disappeared iron ball also appeared in her hand, but the little girl didn't stop and ran away, so Gyro immediately chased after her on horseback.

“That direction is... it seems to be exactly the direction of the Corpse...!”

Johnny thought of this and directly asked Gyro.

“What do you think? Should I give her a nail bullet? I can hit her from this distance.” 】

.......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 1: Phantom Blood Worldline~

"Is this the dark determination that Ringo was talking about? He's planning to kill a little girl with a nail bullet at the slightest disagreement."

Jonathan Joestar gasped slightly. Is this really a righteous character? He feels more like a villain than a villain...

~Cautious Hero World~

"Good! For safety's sake, he should give her a few nail bullets! After all, if there's no one around, she might be an enemy."

Ryuguuin Seiya nodded and agreed with Johnny's suggestion, but it wasn't cautious enough. He should try a few more shots.

The people outside the video were speechless at Johnny's idea. Isn't he a bit too villainous? You have to remember that you are a good guy.

【 But when Gyro heard this, he was slightly stunned. He didn't expect Johnny to be so ruthless, but he didn't want the little girl's life; he just wanted to get his iron ball back.

So the two of them could only chase after her on horseback. Just as they were about to catch up, the little girl climbed into a tree hole in a big tree!

Looking at this map, Johnny is very sure that the Saint's left ear is under the tree, and the Saint's right arm is not far away.

Then Gyro climbed into the tree hole and asked the little girl where his iron ball went.

When the little girl heard this, she took out two stones from somewhere, one golden and one shiny. Then she asked Gyro.

“You're not talking about the one that fell into the puddle, are you... Did you drop this one on the left or this one on the right?”

Gyro immediately became angry and grabbed the little girl.

“I don’t have time to play house with you. Quick, quickly take out my iron ball.” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Why does this process feel a little familiar?"

"Isn't this the fairy tale of the golden axe and the silver axe?"

~One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes World~

At this moment, the River God's expression was angry, and then he clenched his fists and said.

"I didn't expect that there would be someone robbing my business... a puddle, huh?"

Then the River God thought to himself, It seems that his business scope should be expanded even more. It can't be limited to rivers, and all wells and lakes should be included in the business scope.

【 The little girl's expression remained unchanged, and she took out the iron ball from a wooden box and put the three things into Gyro's hand: "You are really honest, so I'll give you all three."

Gyro ignored her and searched everywhere for the Saint's Corpse. Then he discovered! No matter what you throw out of the tree hole into the puddle, the little girl will ask if you dropped it, just like the River God.

As long as you answer honestly, you can get a fortune.

Then Gyro threw all the toilet paper and watches in his hand into it. As Gyro guessed, the little girl took out a large amount of cash and valuable, famous watches.

Then Gyro had a flash of inspiration and cut off the ears of the rabbit he hunted and threw them into the puddle. Sure enough, the little girl took out the rabbit's ears, and... the Saint's ears!

This ancient tree that has lived for thousands of years is actually one of the Devil's Palms. According to legend, the fairy of the golden axe and silver axe lives here, guarding the Saint's Corpse.

After a set of operations, Johnny got the Saint's ears, and Gyro got the right arm. The two brothers also made a lot of money along the way. Now they must leave quickly. If they delay for too long, they will have to fight the eleven pursuers. They are about to get on their horses.

But the girl suddenly stopped the two of them and finally said: "Everything you just took from here must be used up before sunset today."

“Use it up? What do you mean?” Johnny was about to ask, but Gyro urged him to leave, but he ignored him.

The girl didn't hide anything and directly told Johnny: "The money, gold, diamonds, and other valuables you just got, as well as the Saint's Corpse you finally got, must all be used up today."

“If you don't use it up before sunset, come and line up to become the fruit of the tree.”

The little girl pointed to the tree trunk above her head. Johnny looked up and was shocked. It turned out that it was densely packed with people!

If you don't use it up before sunset, you will become immortal like her and become a spirit-like existence. As long as one person is turned into fruit, the person at the very front will be freed.

“Now, my mom and dad are already in first place. As long as you finish and can’t use up all this money, I can leave this place with my mom and dad.”

After the little girl had finished speaking, Johnny was shocked to find that his fingers were starting to turn into wood. It seemed that she wasn't lying. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"As expected, there is no free lunch in the world... You have to give something to get something."

"Money can be spent very easily, but what about the Saint's Corpse?"

"If he can't find a village before sunset, I'm afraid he won't even be able to spend the money in his hands, and he'll just wait to be devoured and become a spirit."

This moment also sounded the alarm for the people outside the video. As expected, the free stuff is the most expensive.

~One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes World~

At this time, the River God also received a call from the Goddess Nuwa.

"River God! What did you do? I've been getting a lot of complaints since early this morning... saying that there are safety risks and stuff."

At this time, the River God wanted to cry but had no tears. His reputation was ruined... Now, let alone wanting to expand his business! He's about to lose his job.

Notes:

Translator-kun: Don't be mad at me about the River God tales... I don't know about the River God. If it's really in the dialogue in the Jojo or the Author, insert it...

Chapter 122: The End of the Wet Snow

Chapter Text

【 They now have $500 million, and they need to spend it all before sunset. Making money might be difficult, but spending it isn't easy.

Just as they were heading towards the town, they encountered a farmer and intended to buy some land from him with the money, but they were refused!

The farmer thought it was counterfeit money and refused to make the deal. Helpless, the two could only secretly use as much as they could. So Gyro put his valuable watch on the farmer's wrist, saying it was a gift.

"This... my feet are... !"

Just as Gyro was about to leave, his hands and feet turned into roots. Johnny instantly understood that this was because Gyro had broken the rules. Wealth could only be spent, not given away! Giving the watch to someone was the same as giving it away.

Seeing Gyro about to turn completely into a tree, Johnny immediately stepped forward and snatched the watch back. Gyro slowly returned to normal and turned to leave.

Arriving in town, the two went to buy a building, spending most of the money they had. At this moment, they had $25 million left!

Before they could rejoice, they discovered that the building's shops would deposit rent every day at 5 pm! Before sunset today, they had to spend all the newly acquired money.

With only an hour left, they went to a casino to spend the money as quickly as possible... Gyro inadvertently saw through the opponent's cheating. Knowing he would lose, he still wanted to gamble, which didn't align with the principle of spending all the money! So, this plan failed.

Later, assassins sent by President Funny Valentine arrived at the casino. Their ability was duplication, so Gyro and Johnny engaged in a 2v11 battle!

In the end, Gyro relied on using money to bribe other assassins in the casino to defeat the enemies. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This move is really amazing! It not only defeated the enemy but also spent the money in hand, it's simply killing two birds with one stone."

"I used to only know that making money was difficult, but I never thought that spending money would be so difficult."

"Now there's not much time left, the money might be spent, but what about the Saint's Corpse? How can this thing be spent?"

At this moment, the people outside the video silently glanced at their wallets and then sighed almost imperceptibly. They hadn't earned any money, but others were worried about how to spend it. It's really infuriating to compare people.

【 Johnny looked at his watch. There were only a few minutes left until sunset, and they had stopped turning into trees. The two of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Although dealing with the assassins had injured them a bit, this time was enough for them to recover. It was getting late! The President's pursuers could arrive at any time, so the two decided to leave the city.

Just when they thought things had come to an end, as soon as they took a step, Gyro's entire body turned into tree roots embedded in the wall, and the Saint's right arm was stripped from his body.

The two then realized the key to everything, but they forgot that the Saint's right arm and the Saint's ears were also obtained from the puddle! They also had to use them up before sunset.

For some reason? Only Gyro Zeppeli received the backlash, while Johnny was completely unaffected.

At this moment, holding the Saint's Corpse! Johnny was once again faced with a huge choice. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Just like Ringo said, Johnny has a dark determination, and he will choose unscrupulous means to achieve his goals at critical moments, which also means that he will choose to keep the Saint's Corpse."

"In addition, he has already given up an opportunity for Gyro once before, and saved Gyro's life many times. The favor of teaching him Spin has also been repaid."

"The rest can only depend on his own thoughts, perhaps this is the price of obtaining the Saint's Corpse!"

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Shirou sighed softly, facing a choice again, whether to choose a friend or choose hope! No matter what he chooses, his heart must be full of suffering at this moment.

"Now there are only a few minutes left until sunset... he doesn't even have time to think about it!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Dio chuckled; compared to Gyro, he appreciated Johnny's dark determination to use unscrupulous means at critical moments!

Just like when he met the little girl before, Johnny planned to eliminate her with a nail bullet, otherwise, they wouldn't have encountered these things now.

"Is there even a need to think about it? Johnny Joestar is a thorough egoist!"

On the other side, Jotaro Kujo was waiting for Johnny's choice... no matter what he chose, it would be wrong for Johnny Joestar!

But because they are all wrong, it is better to choose a decision that he will not regret.

【 Johnny couldn't help but shed tears again at this moment, hugging the Saint's Corpse with both hands, crying and saying:

"This is my only hope to live... I even bet my life to get these! Now you want me to turn everything into nothing?"

"I... I don't want to!"

"This way, I don't even understand why I participated in this race! Why did I travel all the way to this damn place! What's more, he doesn't even know how to use the Saint's Corpse!"

"I don't want to give them away, no matter what!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Sure enough, without a doubt, his heart is suffering again at this moment! But he will never give up the Saint's Corpse!"

"And what he said makes sense, he doesn't even know how to use the Saint's Corpse!"

"He had already given up hope once before, but now he is being forced to a dead end again!"

"But why is it that only Johnny Joestar has not received any backlash! It's more like he is deliberately made to endure this ordeal."

【 Johnny repeatedly confirmed that he had not received any harm, and Gyro also used all his strength to reach out to Johnny.

"Jo... Johnny! Quickly put... the Corpse!"

Unexpectedly, Johnny turned around, tightly hugging the Corpse in his chest! He closed his eyes tightly and kept saying in a crying voice.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Gyro!"

Gyro's body was completely dragged into the wall at this moment! Completely disappeared into the wind and snow. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this moment, the people outside the video had mixed opinions on Johnny's actions!

"Does his last turn live up to Gyro's teachings to him? Does it live up to Gyro's trust in him?"

"What's there to be sorry about? The favor of Gyro's teachings has already been repaid. You must know why Johnny participated in this race... it's only natural to make such a choice!"

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"This time, he didn't choose Gyro, but chose the hope he depends on to survive..."

Miyu shook her head. After all, the meaning of Johnny participating in this race was to be able to move his legs! And the Saint's Corpse is the key!

This can't be blamed on Johnny. This is just a choice that normal people would make, but for some reason, Miyu still felt inexplicably unwilling in her heart...

【 Brothers who have gone through life and death together and a Corpse with mysterious powers, Johnny Joestar ultimately chose the latter. Gyro completely turned into wood and was hung on that ancient tree.

The little girl was also liberated, but found that her parents were also liberated from the tree! 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Didn't it say that the guardian who turned into the ancient tree had to wait for the next person to turn into wood to be liberated?"

"How did the little girl's parents get liberated and walk out of the tree?"

"What exactly is going on? Didn't Johnny Joestar choose to give up on Gyro?"

【 Gyro, who had turned into a tree fruit, gradually shrunk on the ancient tree, and the roots gradually appeared on the previous wall. Gyro slowly appeared from the roots of the tree and returned to this side.

"Ugh..."

Gyro looked up and found that Johnny was crying in the heavy snow at that moment. The assassin who had been chasing him appeared not far away with the Corpse.

"~Are you planning to take my life here? Take advantage of me getting on my horse and strike me from behind!"

The scarred assassin didn't trust that Johnny would be so kind as to give him the Corpse.

Johnny just cried and shouted loudly: "Get out!"

"Take the two Corpses... go back to President Valentine's side! In the future, no matter where, as long as I see you again... we will definitely take your life."

"Our deal ends here!"

After hearing this, the assassin also got on his horse and left behind a wine bottle as he left. Looking at the gradually receding Saint's Corpse, Johnny could only cry with tears and snot.

"Ugh... ah——"

Gyro looked at the crying Johnny with a calm face and said calmly: "You gave the Corpse... to that enemy?"

Johnny slowly raised his head, looking at Gyro Zeppeli with tears streaming down his face: "No... the Corpse must be used up. He used the Corpse to exchange for half a bottle of unfinished wine with that assassin..."

Gyro was silent and didn't say much. This reminded him of when he and his father were performing surgery on a pregnant woman in the hospital before; his father asked him to face the dilemma of whether to save the mother or the child! He gave him the choice!

How similar this time was to that time, but this time it was Johnny who made the choice... his painful appearance was just like the father who chose to "save the mother" in front of the operating room!

At this moment, everyone on the little girl's side was liberated. Because of this, the little girl couldn't help but sigh: "Those who dare to give up everything... are the ones who can truly get everything in the end."

"Those two are qualified!"

As the sun gradually set, the two people in the snow were still standing in place.

Johnny stopped crying and turned to look at Gyro. He asked: "Gyro... want to drink something? We have to finish this bottle of wine."

Gyro, who was standing in the snow, was shivering from the cold, and slowly squatted down: "Drinking something is fine... at least it can warm us up."

Then he slowly took out two cups from his pocket and said to Johnny, "Before the horses come, do you want to have one?"

Johnny was a little depressed at this moment: "Why are we toasting? We have lost everything..."

"Then, how about toasting the tennis ball that bounces back from the bottom?" Gyro poured himself a glass of wine and then poured a glass for Johnny as well.

Johnny took the glass in confusion: "What does this mean?"

Gyro thought for a while: "Since this reason doesn't work, then let's toast to the next Corpse!"

Johnny exhaled white air, and a smile gradually appeared on his face. "Okay! Then let's toast to the next Corpse... for the next Corpse and the finish line, cheers!!"

In the blizzard, the two clinked glasses and drank them all in one gulp! 

.....

After so much trouble, they had walked through the gates of hell several times, but at this moment, they had nothing in their hands, and the fruits of victory were once again given to others...

But the hearts of the two of them had not been extinguished at this moment! The real contest has only just begun...

Chapter 123: There's still confusion in my heart... No need to stimulate it

Chapter Text

Johnny's ultimate ideal pursuit was to seize the Corpse Parts so he could stand again. Originally, he could have left Gyro entangled in the branches of a tree for hundreds of years, not caring whether he lived or died, and run away with the Corpse Parts.

But in the end, he chose to exchange the Saint's Corpse Parts for the red wine to save Gyro's life, giving up the Corpse Parts.

He exchanged the Corpse Parts for Gyro... Gyro naturally knew the significance of the Corpse Parts to Johnny, and he also knew that Johnny was as conflicted as he had been.

Therefore, he was filled with gratitude and joy for Johnny's choice. In the end, the two drank the bottle of wine exchanged for the Corpse Parts in the snow, and their friendship was sublimated!

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Doctor Roman leaned back in his chair, took a sip of the coffee in his hand, and sighed with a strange expression.

"Johnny is a very magical person. He loves to cry! Every time, he fights while crying, moves forward while crying, and makes choices while crying..."

"But after crying, he has to continue moving forward. His tears record his growth. Every cry makes him stronger, allowing him to continuously move forward from a negative starting point!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Perhaps it was when Johnny saved Gyro with the Corpse Parts that Gyro truly accepted Johnny from the bottom of his heart... That's why he raised his glass to the next Corpse Part instead of the stage champion!"

"From the moment he met Gyro... Johnny's dead heart was rekindled with hope!"

Bucciarati looked at Giorno. When we met in Naples, my dead heart was also revived!

This choice was too painful for Johnny. No matter how he deceived himself, he understood that Gyro was the one who gave him hope.

The snow fell harder and harder. After such a difficult battle, all they got was half a bottle of red wine. Their hearts were filled with complex emotions, with so much to say, yet not knowing where to start.

They could only entrust all their unspoken words to the wine!

 Before drinking in the snow, Johnny accidentally imprinted the map on the snow. He also remembered the location of the next Corpse Part. After losing all the Corpse Parts, the two embarked on the journey again.

The two relied on the last cliff suspension bridge, using the Spin to secure first place in the sixth stage.

Then the seventh stage began, this time traveling over 1300 kilometers to Philadelphia on the American East Coast. Twelve days passed in the blink of an eye, and the two arrived outside Gettysburg, 145 kilometers from Philadelphia!

The two, who were planning to rest, noticed Hot Pants passing by quickly. Gyro and Johnny exchanged glances and chased after her.

Arriving in the city, Gyro found the discarded teddy bear. Just as he picked it up, he found the bear burrowing into his arm.

On the other side, the dinner knife Johnny had thrown away also burrowed into his arm.

Seeing this bizarre scene, Gyro's expression changed drastically: "This... is this guy the enemy?"

Before Gyro could figure out what was going on, the teddy bear had completely entered his body, and a voice appeared behind him.

"Will you abandon certain things to move forward, or will you return to the past?... Gyro Zeppeli!"

Gyro turned around and launched a Spin-infused Steel Ball attack, directly shattering the robotic-like Stand!

Gyro reached out to recall the Steel Ball but found more than a dozen Steel Balls rolling out of the nearby trash pile. Upon closer inspection of the marks, each one was indeed his own.

On the other side, Hot Pants, unable to abandon the past, had his mind sealed. Hot Pants cried, "No one can escape the past they discarded... But Johnny! You still have time."

"Quickly wash off the dagger with water! Before your heart surrenders!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hot Pants was compressed by an invisible barrier and disappeared before their eyes. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The abilities are getting weirder and weirder! These abilities have risen to the conceptual level..."

"This time it's the inescapable past... Once you pick it up again, you can't move forward."

"What kind of Stand ability is this?! This time it's an attack from the heart!"

"An attack from the heart is impossible to defend against... You can only rely on your personal will to choose to move forward or backward. It's up to them."

"But Hot Pants disappeared. Where did she disappear to? Will she be forever mired in guilt over the past?"

【 Realizing something was wrong, Johnny was about to leave when a white mouse appeared beside him. It was the white mouse he had released, causing his brother's death... He then killed the mouse with a Tusk.

His body, like Hot Pants's, was gradually entangled by an invisible barrier. Based on Hot Pants's last information! Johnny used all his strength to crawl towards the saddle to get water to break this ability.

Before he could reach the water bottle, the mouse he had just killed with Tusk reappeared before his eyes. Seeing the mouse getting closer and closer, Johnny pushed off the ground with one hand and leaped into the air!

Then he raised his hand and fired a Tusk, but this time he didn't expect the mouse to dodge it and burrow directly into Johnny's body.

The plastic-like barrier on Johnny's body grew larger again! It began to spread throughout his body, but Johnny's expression was extremely calm at this moment.

"That Tusk! Its target wasn't the mouse, but the water bottle on the saddle."

The water bottle had been pierced, and clear water fell from above, and the various items that had burrowed into his body fell out, and the white mouse also left his body.

Moreover, his Tusk wasn't just for that, because he had noticed the well not far away. Clear spring water gushed out of the bullet hole. As long as he had this water, he could save Gyro.

The enemy hiding in the dark, seeing Johnny's performance, was certain that the Saint's Corpse was inside him!

Johnny pulled over his backpack, ate the herb that rapidly grew his nails, and fired another Tusk at the mouse not far away.

But this time, the mouse dodged into the house! Johnny didn't know whether to pursue it or not.

Just then, a deep voice sounded in his ear.

"Johnny Joestar... If you have doubts, don't fire!"

Johnny turned his head slightly and saw a middle-aged man wearing a crown of thorns behind him. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is that the Saint? The Corpse Part recovered from Hot Pants is inside Johnny... But I didn't expect it to be alive."

"It's been so many years since he died, but he can not only awaken Stand abilities in those who have the qualifications, but also allow Johnny, who is paralyzed from the waist down, to move again, and even talk to people. It can only be said that he is worthy of being a Saint."

At this moment, some worlds with relevant legends have no difficulty guessing the true identity of the Saint's Corpse; after all, even the image has appeared.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Is the identity of the Saint's Corpse, is Jesus?"

Old Joseph used a question mark, but his tone was beyond doubt. But with the identity exposed, I wonder if the Corpse Part in this world will have the same effect?

He was worried that Dio would try to find the Saint's Corpse, and if it really had the same abilities, it would be difficult...

"Don't worry!"

Jotaro Kujo, with an invincible look, pressed down his hat and said in a deep voice.

"If the Saint's Corpse in our world really had such miraculous abilities, it would have been snatched away long ago! It's impossible that there wouldn't be any news."

But the most serious thing is Christianity! At this moment, some believers have completely gone crazy...

Chapter 124: The North-South War One

Chapter Text

【 On the other side, the small bear that Gyro had shoved into his arm had actually unfolded into a barrier, covering half of his body.

Gyro shouted loudly, calling for Johnny to come and support him, but there was no response from outside.

The enemy's true form also revealed itself directly, saying to Gyro as he walked, "Fair... It's better to be fair. Revealing one's weaknesses to the enemy, this kind of fairness will transform into spiritual power, allowing the Stand to exert its maximum power!"

"Gyro Zeppeli... my weakness is water, believe it or not. As long as you wash yourself with clean water, you can be liberated from the sins you abandoned in the past."

"By the way, Johnny next door already knows this information!" 】

......

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Do these guys have a disease where they'll die if they don't explain? Who would have thought of a way to break free from this kind of ability without it being explained..."

Da Vinci's mouth twitched upon hearing this. Such a strong ability! He actually revealed his own weakness. She really didn't know whether to call him confident or stupid!

Based on her many years of experience, this guy —is definitely going to die from being too talkative...

On the other side, Fujimaru Ritsuka was somewhat relieved. After all, the friendship between Gyro and Johnny, who had supported each other to this point, had deeply moved him. He didn't want them to die here!

But...

"Although we know the enemy's weakness, everyone has a hidden past, whether it's sadness or pain. Who can abandon their past?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"The past..."

The elderly Joseph Joestar revealed a bitter smile, shook his head, and thought of Caesar. This matter had been weighing on his heart, unable to be relieved.

If he had gone with Caesar back then, Caesar wouldn't have died... If this Stand's ability had hit him, he probably would have been trapped in the past as well.

"No wonder he generously revealed his Stand ability... It really is an invincible Stand ability!"

【 Seeing the enemy being so arrogant, Gyro picked up an Iron Ball to hit him, but unexpectedly, the Iron Ball was directly sucked into his palm and then began to drill upwards along his arm!

Memories about this Iron Ball suddenly surfaced in Gyro's mind!

Years ago, Gyro was supervising the execution of a criminal under his father's supervision, but he was nervous and made a mistake, causing the criminal to suffer double the pain.

 Afterwards, he threw away the Iron Ball he used at the time, but he didn't expect it to appear here now...

A layer of barrier similar to plastic film already covered Gyro's body. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The audience watching the video couldn't help but gasp. They had to admit that although this enemy was arrogant, his Stand ability was indeed terrifying and very easy to kill at first sight!

"Past things reappear. Everyone can't help but pick them up and check them out... But once you pick them up, you can't escape this Stand's attack!"

"This is the past that Gyro can't abandon. He was hit by this Stand ability because of the regret in his heart!"

"This Stand ability is more like giving the attacker a sense of guilt, making the person who attacks relive their most unwanted past, rather than making people remember the past!"

【 On Johnny's side, the figure of the Saint appeared behind him and continued, "Don't fire if you have doubts... In this way, a brand new door will open for you."

After speaking, the Saint's figure disappeared. Johnny was stunned. He felt that person's breath and body temperature! It wasn't an illusion. It really was a person...

And the white rat reappeared, scurrying back and forth among the trash, and then directly burrowed into a boot. Johnny quickly came to his senses, grabbed the mouth of the shoe, and the bullet holes were also rolled into it, directly strangling the white rat. Blood flowed out along the bullet holes...

Johnny breathed a sigh of relief and put down the boot. Just as he was about to leave, the boot actually spoke. Johnny turned around to look!

His deceased brother actually poked his head out of the boot. His brother's seven orifices were bleeding, and he kept saying, "It's all your fault! If you had listened to Dad and drowned the rat, I wouldn't have died!"

"Brother... I was killed by you!"

The phantom of his brother directly strangled Johnny's throat. Johnny was also in tears, his whole body frozen there, and finally, he melted into his body.

The boot just now was actually the pair his brother wore before he died. The initial cause of his fight with his father and his decision to leave home was also these boots.

This matter had been weighing on his heart, and the guilt made him unable to attack. 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This Stand ability is really digging into other people's pain..."

"Who doesn't have a past full of regrets, their hearts bound by guilt because of past sins."

"If it's based on guilt, then if you didn't feel guilty in the first place, wouldn't you have been hit by this Stand?"

"In other words, if you firmly believe that you didn't do anything wrong, you can defeat this Stand!"

 The dead white rat reappeared and ran into the house. Johnny, in tears, took the kettle and chased after it.

Johnny finally saw Gyro, whose body was trapped in the house!

When Gyro saw Johnny crawling over, he immediately shouted, "The enemy's main body is here! Kill the main body!"

But before Johnny could attack, a pile of clutter suddenly appeared around him, all of which was full of the past that he couldn't abandon.

As long as he touched it slightly, he would be completely subdued by the enemy like Hot Pants and Gyro. In the conflict, Johnny's head touched the clover. Johnny quickly picked up the kettle and poured it on his head, which lifted the negative effects before the ability was activated.

Unexpectedly, a hand stretched out from the broken glass on the ground and grabbed his wrist on the spot.

Johnny looked along the arm and saw that it was actually his old man!! His old man pulled his hand and slowly crawled out of the mirror, constantly chanting:

"God has made a mistake about which child to take away!"

It was this sentence... that instantly broke Johnny's defense back then, causing him to completely break with his father. Seeing this scene again, Johnny's tears flowed down, and his body began to tremble!

He could only constantly tell himself in his heart that these were all illusions. At this time, the figure of the Saint appeared again!

"Johnny Joestar... Don't fire if you have doubts, you must grow! The door to a new path will open for you!"

Johnny turned to look at that person, who disappeared into thin air again! Knowing that the old man in front of him was the enemy's illusion, he still couldn't bear it.

He raised his hand and fired a nail bullet, only hitting the other party's ear. The old man fell to the ground, covering his wound.

The appearance, smell, and even the way of breathing of the illusion in front of him were exactly the same as his real father's.

Johnny's heart finally began to waver. Could this really be his old man? Seeing the other party getting closer and closer, Johnny was about to collapse, so he could only cry and shout:

"It wasn't me who abandoned you, but you who took the initiative to abandon me. You didn't even bother to watch my game..."

"You didn't come to see me when I was shot and hospitalized, and I was also moving forward..."

"Don't come near me anymore!" 

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect there to be such a father... To actually say that God made a mistake about which child to take away, doesn't that mean that it doesn't matter if Johnny dies?"

"This sentence is equivalent to erasing the meaning of his existence for a child... I have to say that this father is too biased."

"Is there any reason why the Saint's figure appears behind Johnny again and again?"

Compared to physical injuries, mental trauma is the most difficult to heal! The regrets and remorse that Johnny has carried since childhood are constantly washing over his heart.

But the one who caused him the most harm was his old man...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

At this moment, President Funny Valentine also began to ponder...

"Did that Saint choose Johnny Joestar?! Or is it just because the Corpse Parts are on his body that he appears?"

But in any case, Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli are both targets worthy of close attention!

Chapter 125: Tusk 3 takes the stage! Johnny evolves again

Chapter Text

【 Just as Johnny was about to break down, Gyro, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly spoke.

"Good job, Johnny... I already know the location of the main body... He's stopped now, he's right behind you!"

Through the ripple of the rotating steel ball, he had already heard the location of the enemy's main body. That guy, in order to deliver a fatal blow to Johnny, had already quietly circled around to Johnny's side along the garbage heap!

Upon hearing this, Johnny immediately stopped crying and reminiscing and raised his hand to fire a Golden Spin. As the wooden board was pierced, the enemy also wailed and jumped out of the garbage heap.

The father, who was pouncing towards him, also stopped mid-air. Johnny succeeded. Before the enemy could recover, Johnny decisively fired a second shot.

This time, the nail bullet directly pierced the opponent's throat, and blood gushed out like a fountain. The phantom of that father also fell to the ground and turned into dust.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this moment, the people outside the video couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"The attack from the heart was really terrifying, but fortunately, the enemy died of arrogance."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Serves him right for being so arrogant, actually revealing his ability... Sure enough, villains die from talking too much."

Dio, on the other side, couldn't help but turn away.

How many times had he said that the battle of Stand Users was a battle of information... Did they all have a disease where they would die if they didn't reveal their abilities?

But what happened in the next scene surprised even him!

【 Just when he thought the battle was over, the dying enemy suddenly said, "Well done, Johnny Joestar... My last attack is now complete."

"Humans will abandon the past and continue to move forward, and you killing me is abandoning me. You finally killed me. All my sins will now be borne by you. I have finally been cleansed."

After saying this, the guy collapsed into the garbage heap, spitting blood. Johnny also became nervous.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What does this guy mean? The last attack is already complete?! But isn't he already dead?"

"After a Stand User dies, shouldn't their Stand ability be dispelled as well... So where did he get his last attack from?"

"Or maybe he's not actually dead... The one just now was just a phantom."

The enemy's last words made everyone outside the video speculate. What did this mean?

As the enemy's vital signs completely disappeared, a new figure slowly emerged behind Johnny. The enemy who had just been killed had actually been resurrected.

Johnny raised his hand to fire a nail bullet, but just as he was about to fire, several hands stretched out from the side and grabbed his arm!

Unbeknownst to him, the room was already filled with dozens of miserably dead souls. All of these people had been killed by the guy in front of him.

Johnny killed him, so all the sins he had committed were transferred to Johnny. These vengeful souls would also seek Johnny's life, dragging him into hell.

......

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"What exactly is going on? Senpai... Wasn't the enemy already taken care of?"

Mash nervously tugged at Fujimaru Ritsuka's clothes. She didn't understand how the enemy had done it.

All my sins from now on will be borne by you.

Thinking of the enemy's last words, Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. He knew that this enemy was much more terrifying than he had imagined.

"I'm afraid he himself has turned into Johnny's sins, so he reappeared as a phantom!"

"His Stand ability! It didn't end because of his death. On the contrary, the real terror has just begun."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Carne's lips curled into a knowing smirk as he muttered,

"Heh... it's not so different from my Stand, Notorious B.I.G."

His Stand also only exerted its greatest power after death.

The people outside the video were also stunned by this operation. They never thought that one could transfer their own sins to others, to be borne by them.

And what kind of terrifying Stand was this!! Was this guy invincible? Even after the main body died, the Stand's ability could still be activated.

【 Countless vengeful souls instantly surrounded Johnny, and Johnny's body began to fall apart as they tore at him.

At this moment, Johnny no longer has the power to fight back. Faced with the piercing pain, he could only constantly let out helpless wails, using his last strength. Johnny raised his finger and aimed it at the enemy, but just as he was about to fire, Jesus' voice rang out in his ear again!

"Johnny Joestar... If you have doubts in your heart, do not fire; otherwise, a new path will never open for you."

"I understand! I won't be confused anymore... I just realized it."

Johnny suddenly realized that perhaps the target he should have shot at was not the enemy from the beginning.

He slightly rotated his wrist and then directly shot a nail bullet through his own head. He actually committed suicide.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I still don’t get it—none of this makes sense. What was Johnny thinking…? Unless his Stand’s true power only activates after death?"

"What the hell is happening? Johnny might be emotional, but he’s not weak enough to just give up like that..."

"Perhaps it's also possible that he couldn't bear the pain of being torn apart, so he ended his own life."

"If all the sin rests on Johnny, does that mean his death erases everything?"

The spectators watching the footage were utterly baffled by what they had just witnessed...

【 Johnny's upper body also began to twist and deform under the influence of the Golden Spin. The vengeful souls took the opportunity to exert their strength, tearing Johnny into pieces in one breath.

While being dismembered, the Saint Corpse's legs also fell to the ground!

"Finally got it. I finally got the Saint Corpse."

Axl RO was shouting with incomparable excitement! The Saint Corpse's legs were already in his hands. Now, he just needed to take a small piece of bone from Johnny's lumbar spine to complete the mission and return to report.

But the upper half of Johnny's corpse had suddenly disappeared!

Not only that, but the two legs that had been torn off also began to twitch and spasm, and a constantly rotating black hole appeared in his waist.

Above the black hole, Johnny's new Stand was suspended in mid-air. At this moment, his Stand, Tusk, had grown hands and feet, similar to a human form.

"Chumimi~in!"

His Stand, Tusk, had once again completed its evolution!

While Axl RO was stunned, Johnny's hand actually reached out from the black hole and fired a nail bullet, piercing through his chin.

"Wh... What..."

In Axl RO's terrified gaze, Johnny also slowly appeared from the black hole .... At this moment, his eyes were firm, and there was no trace of confusion in them!

Even Gyro, next to him, was shocked: "Johnny's body was clearly torn apart by the vengeful spirits! And he actually hit himself with a nail bullet just now..."

"The Golden Rectangle's rotation is a trajectory leading to infinity. Theoretically speaking, a bomb with infinite rotation hitting one's own body will be drawn into that infinitely small, infinitely close to zero point."

"As far as Johnny's Stand ability is concerned, in the dozen seconds before the bullet hole disappears, if the rotation trajectory completely conforms to the golden ratio, then his body will be infinitely drawn into the bullet hole."

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This time the ability is actually similar to space, it's grown again... Johnny Joestar!"

"From an ordinary nail bullet to now being able to shrink his body into a bullet hole! Each evolution gives people a different surprise."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"His Stand evolution should have completely evolved, right! After all, my Echoes also ended its growth after evolving to the third stage."

Koichi thought so. If it could continue to evolve even now, then it would be too terrifying.

~Bleach World~

"Johnny Joestar has taken another step forward! This is the growth gained from the journey from negative to zero."

Aizen watched Johnny's growth with interest. He was somewhat looking forward to what step Johnny could take. Or did he have no limit, and could he continue to grow forever?

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"I didn't expect that the ability gained from this evolution is getting more and more terrifying... Hitting himself allows him to hide himself in the bullet hole!"

"But if he hits the enemy, I wonder if it will also distort the enemy's body! If it does, wouldn't that mean it's a one-hit kill."

Da Vinci stroked her chin and kept guessing.

In the end, she still turned her gaze to the screen. She wanted to see what method the newly evolved Johnny would use to defeat such an enemy!

Johnny fired three more shots, pressing down on several vengeful souls on his body, and they were also knocked down on the spot. Two enemies suddenly flashed out and grabbed Johnny's hand again!

To catch the bandits, first catch the king. Johnny no longer counterattacked this time but instead moved his arm along the broken iron frame on the side, going upwards, looking down from above! Axl RO, who was hiding in the crowd, was completely exposed.

As the next bomb was fired, Axl RO was blown away on the spot, collapsing in the corner. The next second, his pierced chin and forehead were all restored to their original state!

Looking at Johnny's surprised expression, Axl RO said unhurriedly:

"Congratulations, Johnny, your Stand has evolved to a new realm. But please think carefully about why these vengeful spirits appeared here!"

"You have already shouldered all the sins I committed in the past. You killed me, abandoned everything, abandoned me, so I was able to be resurrected!"

"The current me is my existence in your sins. No matter what tricks you evolve, you can't kill me."

Saying that, Axl RO also took out a small piece of bone. When he captured Johnny just now, the vengeful souls had taken advantage of his inattention and extracted the Holy Corpse's spine from his waist. This battle has already been decided.

Now, the Saint Corpse, except for the head, has been completely collected by him. If he escaped, it would be completely over.

Chapter 126: President Funny Valentine!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Isn't this just invincible? It's practically an immortal body."

"It's indeed a monstrous Stand ability. It transfers one's sins to the opponent, and even if killed, one can become the opponent's discarded past... constantly transforming into a physical form and entangling them."

"This Stand ability is truly invincible in a one-on-one fight. It can't be killed, so is there really no way to deal with it!"

~Type-Moon World, ******* Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"I thought Johnny Joestar's newly evolved Stand, Tusk, would defeat him with that last attack! I didn't expect such a maneuver..."

This is tricky. Fujimaru Ritsuka originally thought it was over after blowing a hole in the opponent's head, but he didn't expect such a reversal.

If he isn't defeated, they will be consumed by the past! Moreover, the Stand's ability can continue to activate even after death. How can Johnny Joestar escape this predicament against such an opponent...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Being bound by the past is just a sign of a weak heart, Johnny Joestar! To be entangled by such an opponent, I overestimated you..."

This Stand, Civil War, is nothing more than that. Dio has already seen the weakness of this Stand. As long as one has no guilt about the past, one won't be trapped by it...

In other words, as long as one firmly believes that all one's past thoughts and actions are correct, one won't be trapped by the past...

【 The Saint's Corpse is gradually merging into Axl RO's body, and all the sins he committed have been purified in that room!

He is now immaculate, and he has earned the right to possess the Corpse. Axl RO was too busy rejoicing to notice Johnny's bullet hole closing in on him.

By the time he noticed, Johnny had already grabbed the Corpse's hand. Axl RO drew his bayonet and turned to stab, but there was no one behind the door.

"Johnny Joestar, what can you do by grabbing the Corpse? The spirits will tear you to pieces!"

Before he could finish speaking, a cracking sound suddenly came from the shadows. Johnny broke the Corpse's bones. Axl RO then realized that Johnny was planning to go all out. If he couldn't have it, he would destroy the Corpse here.

"You bastard! Stop it!"

"Do you even know who this Corpse belongs to? Are you still going to do this?!"

Axl RO waved his bayonet wildly, cursing incessantly, and could only watch as the Corpse was gradually dragged into the bullet hole.

Once the Corpse is dragged into the bullet hole, it will be torn apart by the Spin.

"Johnny! Stop!"

Gyro, who was lying on the ground, also shouted anxiously, "Even if we fail, we can't destroy it! Just give it to the enemy first!"

But then Gyro in the room also felt uneasy, because Johnny's eyes were exactly the same as when he fought Ringo, that was the dark determination Ringo spoke of, the eyes of a killer!

Johnny has decided to abandon everything, including his own humanity.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is the dark determination! The kind of spirit that loses everything and resorts to any means at a crucial moment."

"This is Johnny's resolve as a negative number! He is still moving towards zero from the negative!"

"If I can't have it, neither can you... Are you sure this isn't a villain?"

"It can only be said that he is worthy of being Johnny. Although he usually cries and sheds tears, he is never ambiguous at a critical moment! He can be ruthless."

At this moment, the determination in Johnny's eyes made everyone outside the video admire him.

It should be known that the Saint's Corpse is the hope he has been holding onto for a long time! Unlike being taken away, this is destroying the Corpse...

【 Axl RO outside the door was now mentally broken, calling him dirty, ignorant, despicable, a waste, and all the swear words he could think of.

Seeing that Johnny still refused to give up, Axl RO directly stabbed the bayonet into the bullet hole. His arm was also splattered with blood and was twisted off by the Spin on the spot. The severed hand directly pierced through to Johnny's side, and the bayonet pierced through Johnny's neck on the spot.

"I won, go to hell!!"

Axl RO regained the Corpse at the cost of one arm and killed Johnny!

"Johnny!"

Seeing Johnny gradually breathing his last, Gyro also let out a desperate roar.

But to everyone's surprise, another Johnny Joestar crawled out of the garbage pile next to him!

"I'm the one who won, I'm the winner! You killed me with a dagger; that's your sin."

"The sins you transferred to me just now have all returned to you. Your Stand ability is still activated, so that I can revive. I have been purified."

The newly revived Johnny said with an extremely calm expression. As he spoke, the spirits also began to turn around and crawl towards Axl RO. The entire battle situation was now under Johnny's control!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This series of reversals left everyone dumbfounded! Now, they dare not make conclusions casually. The intelligence of the people in this world is too terrifying.

They can easily reverse the current situation.

~Detective Conan World~

"That's so beautiful!!"

Conan admired Johnny's ability to quickly come up with countermeasures in this critical moment.

The enemy's Stand ability is indeed terrifying, and it seems unsolvable! But he didn't expect to use the opponent's Stand ability.

Using the opponent's Stand ability to be reborn and purify all his sins, the situation has now reversed again.

But won't this repeat itself over and over again? If Johnny kills Axl RO again, the sins will be transferred to him, and Axl will revive again.

The purified Johnny looked at Axl RO and said in an unquestionable tone:

"Put the Corpse obediently at the door! Then get out of here."

"Otherwise, even if you move outside, I have a way to kill you. Victory... belongs to us!"

Seeing that his good situation was overturned, Axl RO was now filled with anger and pointed a bayonet at Johnny and cursed: "As long as you kill me once... the sins will entangle you again! And I will be purified again."

As he said this, a gunshot suddenly came from outside the door. The bullet directly pierced through his neck. Faced with this sudden change, everyone stood there in a daze.

"You are... why... why is this?" Axl RO, who was lying on the ground, looked terrified! The person who shot him was his employer, President Funny Valentine!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect the mastermind to take action. This also means that the sins will be entangled with President Funny Valentine!"

"But why would he take action? And as an employer, he has no reason to take action!"

"Or could it be that Funny Valentine's Stand ability can solve the current situation?!"

At this moment, everyone was puzzled by Funny Valentine's operation. No matter how they thought about it, he had no reason to take action, and how would he solve the sins entangled with him now?

【 The President's sudden appearance shot down his subordinate. Axl RO was just about to attack Johnny. The President dared to shoot at this time because he was protecting others, which was a reasonable act of self-defense!

Therefore, the Civil War, which uses people's inner sense of guilt, will not be activated as a result.

Seeing Gyro and Johnny, President Funny Valentine squatted down and directly explained his purpose: "The purpose of organizing this competition is to collect the nine scattered parts of the Saint's Corpse."

"Axl RO will not die immediately. That shot just now avoided the vital points! Hold on for a while... I want you to use Civil War's ability to trap Gyro and Johnny here."

After speaking, the President disappeared into the darkness with the Corpse.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This schemer is on another level! One shot, three outcomes—he grabs the Corpse parts, locks Gyro and Johnny down, and lets Axl RO bleed out, erasing any loose ends!"

"Now that’s a calculated strike... He waited for the perfect moment, swooping in when both sides were weakened."

"And he didn’t even tip his hand—no Stand reveal, just a plain gunshot. Hell, we don’t even know if he has a Stand!"

"Is Johnny really just going to stand by and let the Saint Corpse be snatched away... again?"

Everyone was amazed by Funny Valentine's operation. With just one shot, he completely reversed the scales of victory!

Directly becoming the winner of this Corpse part competition!.

Chapter 127: Saint's Head!

Notes:

Regarding the RAW/Link for my current novel project: please do not ask me for it. I will not respond to such inquiries. If you don't see any Raw/Link about a certain novel.

I understand you might be curious, but the source materials for my current projects are primarily from platforms like Faloo or Fanqie, where chapters must be purchased individually. It's unlikely that those asking for RAW links intend to buy these paid chapters; more often, it's to find them on web novel scraper sites. I want no part in that. If you want the RAW/Link, please find it yourself.

Rest assured, every chapter I translate here is paid for directly by me. Your voluntary support on Patreon has also been a significant help in covering the costs of these chapters I really appreciate it.

I'm gonna give you folks some example, For example, my project, Inventory of The Famous Scene: Starting from Emiya ( 综漫盘点名场面:从卫宫巨侠开始 )

My Source Materials: https://b.faloo.com/1372942.html

On Faloo, you can typically read for free up to chapter 60; beyond that, every chapter (from 61 onward) requires a purchase. Since launching this Patreon, I've already purchased over 400 chapters of this series—yes, over 400! My intention is to translate this novel all the way to its latest chapter, which currently stands at 1184 chapters. I'll continue purchasing more paid chapters once I've worked through the 400+ I've already bought. And keep in mind, this is just for one of my projects; I have four others.

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, Axl RO had already lost too much blood and died. The barriers around Gyro and Hot Pants also disappeared, returning to their original state.

Thus, the President had obtained all the Saint's Corpse parts below the head. The Saint's head had yet to appear; the left eye was in Diego's hands, leaving only the Saint's right eye missing.

This place is one hundred and forty-five kilometers away from Philadelphia. The two brothers tidied up and embarked on the race again.

A few days later, the two galloped into Philadelphia. This was the former capital of the United States. The two were a total of forty-five minutes behind the leader, only managing to secure sixth and seventh place.

After crossing the finish line, the two showed signs of fatigue. The battle with Axl RO had consumed too much of their mental strength. Now, all the remains they possessed had been taken away. Not even the small piece of bone around Johnny's waist remained. The two brothers could no longer obtain any clues.

The last piece of the remains, the Saint's head, was beyond their reach. With only a few hundred kilometers left to New York, the time left for them was running out.

......

~Dragon Ball Z World~

"Without the Corpse parts... there's no way to know the location of the next piece, and now there's only a little distance left in the final stage..."

Bulma understood this pain. It was like finally collecting all seven Dragon Balls only to have them stolen at the crucial moment, a feeling that was truly maddening...

But it wasn't like there was no chance at all. Although there wasn't much left, Gyro had left a backup plan, entrusting Lucy with the Saint's right eye to steal the Saint's Corpse!

【 In the government mansion of Philadelphia, the President was engrossed in playing the violin. Lucy, disguised as the President's wife, stood obediently to the side. Just then, the Saint's right eye, hidden on Lucy's body, jumped out as if it had grown legs. The sound of the eyeball hitting the ground attracted the President's attention.

The eyeball, after rolling out, kept rolling and finally stopped after hitting the door of the storage room.

The President wasn't stupid. He immediately grabbed Lucy and asked,

"What's that sound? What are you looking at?!! Something just fell...!"

After speaking, the President pushed Lucy away. Lucy's heart was filled with despair. Unexpectedly, when the President turned around, he didn't see anything.

The eyeball that had rolled into the corner had disappeared!

Subsequently, Lucy, disguised as the President's wife, stabs Funny Valentine in the neck when he tries to make advances, revealing her original appearance.

"Oh... you...!" The President still didn't understand why Lucy Steel was here.

Blood flowed nonstop. The President rolled off the dining table and fell to the ground, crawling towards the door with all his might, only to lose his breath halfway... The chair he had grabbed at the end fell on top of him.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Damn it!! The resourceful President was killed by a young girl just like that!!"

"This is like a hero going to attack the Demon King, only to find that the Demon King has been killed by a skeleton soldier next to him, making it unbelievable."

"No! We shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly... After all, there have been twists and turns before... Maybe there's another turning point."

Everyone was stunned by this operation. It was hard to imagine that the President, who had just been acting like a mastermind, would be defeated by an unknown girl!

Lucy was also terrified. When she came back to her senses, she found only bloodstains under the chair.

The President was nowhere to be seen. Lucy looked around frantically, but couldn't find the President's body. Trembling, she lifted the chair, and the President suddenly emerged from the ground while the chair disappeared into the ground!

The President, who reappeared, had his wounds gone, and his originally obese appearance had become angular! Seeing this, Lucy immediately found a place to hide. Soon, the President woke up! 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Resurrection?! What strange ability is this now!"

"Not only that, the wounds on his body disappeared, and even his appearance changed!!"

"And even the chair disappeared into the ground. I'm afraid the ability is not just resurrection."

"Then I'm afraid Lucy is doomed. After all, she's just an ordinary person, and she can't protect the Saint's right eye."

After all, they had seen all kinds of bizarre Stand abilities. After all, even time could be reversed before... Now, a resurrection didn't seem so surprising.

【 As the President got closer and closer, Lucy, hiding in the fireplace, suddenly saw light. Then Lucy pulled open the cabinet door.

The dark room was instantly illuminated, and the eyeball, along with the other parts of the Saint's remains, were hidden inside. In the dazzling light, Lucy seemed to see the Saint wearing a crown of thorns!

Reaching out to touch it, angel wings suddenly appeared on it. Before she could react, the angel pulled her into the fireplace.

The President broke into the room at this moment. In an instant, the light in the room disappeared, and he only saw Lucy shivering in the corner.

Then the President suddenly noticed that in that short moment, Lucy had suddenly become pregnant! Her entire belly was at least eight or nine months big.

Moreover, it hadn't even been a minute. The President reached out to touch it but found that a human face vaguely appeared on Lucy's belly.

"~Lucy... Steel...! The shape under your skin is!!!..."

"The last part of the Saint's remains... Is the Saint's head in your belly?!"

The President's face changed drastically, and he quickly retracted his outstretched hand. Thereupon, the President imprisoned Lucy, waiting for her to give birth to the head in her belly!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"To be able to make a young girl pregnant to eight or nine months in an instant! Is it really going to be born?"

"The Saint's Corpse are indeed worthy of being a Saint... But whether it's proper or not is unknown."

~Kamen Rider W Wordline~

"Legend has it that Maria received the angel's revelation, announcing that she would give birth to God's son! And Christianity therefore regards Saint Jesus as the savior and the son of God, and his birth is considered a miracle of God."

Philip showed a very interested expression at this moment, holding a book in his hand, flipping through the information in the Earth Library in his mind.

"The birth of Jesus will save mankind from sin and provide mankind with the opportunity for rebirth and redemption!"

Philip closed the book in his hand, and Shotaro, on the other side, fell into speculation after hearing this.

Could this Saint come to the world again in this way? Possessing his remains will improve abilities!

Then does this mean that Lucy Steel is actually a Stand user at this moment?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Johnny... those Corpse are probably not as simple as we thought..."

Gyro also put away his smile and showed a solemn expression. There must be secrets they haven't discovered yet! Otherwise, the President wouldn't go to so much trouble to collect the Saint's remains.

"But I must get the Saint's Corpse!"

Johnny also knew that this trip wouldn't be easy! But he wouldn't give up easily; this was his only hope.

"Then let's work together! Mozzarella!"

Gyro looked at Johnny like this and showed a golden tooth! After all, he learned from the video that the future Johnny had given up the Saint's Corpse that he regarded as life several times to save him!

In that case! He wouldn't be afraid either...

Chapter 128: The President Has the Power to Replace Him!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After Gyro and Johnny arrived in Philadelphia to seize the last part of the Saint's Corpse, Diego and Wekapipo teamed up, and Gyro and Johnny started a three-way melee with the President.

As it began, Johnny was ambushed and shot several times while hiding in the sewer. Wekapipo was also completely eliminated by the President's ability, and the President obtained the last Saint's Corpse!

However, Wekapipo did not sacrifice in vain. The President's Stand ability has been completely seen through by Diego!

Diego squatted down at this time, observing the surroundings. The manhole cover to the other world was lifted, and this side was also lifted in the same way, and the edge of the manhole cover was also stained with blood.

"It seems that the worlds are interconnected. What you do over there will also affect the results here!"

The doorway where the President fell was also stained with blood. Diego touched the flag on the ground, and he confirmed the President's Stand ability!

"President Valentine's ability... should be to freely enter and exit various parallel worlds, and there is more than one adjacent world."

"Whenever he is attacked, he will pull his unscathed self from other parallel worlds to replace his injured self in this world so that he will always remain in full health." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Another Stand with buggy abilities... Isn't this equivalent to infinite lives?"

"But there should be some preconditions for the ability to activate, otherwise, who can defeat him with such an ability?! He just switches bodies and revives with full health after being injured!"

The audience outside the video fell silent for a moment after learning about the President's abilities... They originally thought it was just an ordinary horse race, but the abilities that appeared were more perverted than the last!

How could Gyro and Johnny fight such an opponent? One throws steel balls, and the other plays with fingernails! The opponent can play with parallel time and space.

~Katekyo Hitman Reborn! World~

"Interesting... I didn't expect the ability that appeared this time to be similar to mine."

Byakuran was also a little surprised that there was someone other than him who could peep into parallel worlds.

But the difference is that his ability is to share knowledge and memories with all versions of himself in all parallel universes at the same time.

He also used this ability and the Mare Rings he obtained to rule all parallel worlds.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"He can replace himself from parallel worlds?!"

Shirou Emiya suddenly wondered if this ability could pull him over from a parallel world.

If possible, he would also like to talk to that 'Great Hero' Shirou Emiya from the parallel world...

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Da Vinci twitched at the corner of her mouth at this moment. She originally thought it was just an ordinary world, but she didn't expect the abilities to be more bizarre than the last... and the IQs were ridiculously high!

"If I went over there, I'm afraid I would only be cannon fodder."

Don't look at the fact that the people in that world are just ordinary people!

But their abilities are too perverted! If she went over there, she probably wouldn't even know how she died.

【 "However, the Corpse Parts don't seem to exist in the adjacent worlds..."

"During the battle just now, a huge diamond fell from the President's body from a parallel world. That's probably the Corpse Part from the parallel world."

"In other words, there is only one Saint's Corpse. Everyone and everything will exist in other parallel worlds."

"Only this Saint's Corpse is special and possesses the Corpse Part. The world they are in is the foundation of everything. The President cannot change this rule, so his weakness must be hidden within it." 】

......

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Sure enough, the Saint's Corpse is unique! Otherwise, it would be too terrifying if it existed in every world!"

Polnareff quietly breathed a sigh of relief after learning that the Saint's Corpse only existed in that world. Otherwise, it would be too terrifying if Dio from this world obtained it.

Jotaro frowned, watching Diego on the screen briefly exchange blows with the President in the parallel world, and already guessed the other party's abilities. This terrifying combat IQ also made him raise his vigilance against Dio in his world.

【 Thinking of this, Diego's fighting spirit ignited again. He had already envisioned several ways to deal with the President.

"It doesn't matter if the Corpse Part is taken away. As long as I'm still alive, there will definitely be a chance to turn the tables. It was your biggest mistake that Valentine didn't kill me now! The wind of victory that will help me move forward has already begun to blow behind me, Diego!"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I wonder what countermeasures he has thought of to defeat the President who seems to have an immortal body!"

"I always feel a strange charm about him. Looking at his figure makes people unconsciously believe in him..."

"The President has now obtained all the Saint's Corpse Parts. I wonder what kind of miracle will be triggered after collecting them all!"

Most people still didn't believe in the countermeasures Diego said he had thought of... However, at this time, everyone was more concerned about what kind of abilities would exist after collecting all the Saint's Corpse Parts.

【 Using the spin of the Steel Ball, Gyro found Johnny hidden in the sewer! Then he used the remaining zombie horse to heal Johnny's wounds. Then Johnny also told him everything he saw.

"I saw the President travel to another world! Then he brought Wekapipo and Diego from another world to shoot him!"

"The condition for the President's ability to activate is to sandwich! And once people from the two worlds meet, annihilation will be triggered. That's how Wekapipo died!"

Johnny became more and more excited as he spoke.

Gyro looked at Johnny, who was getting more and more excited, and could only comfort him to calm down: "I believe you! Although I didn't understand much, compared to these! Where is the Saint's left eye now?"

Speaking of this, Johnny's eyes dimmed: "The left eye... was snatched away by the President!"

Gyro was not surprised by this result. He calmly looked at Johnny and continued: "Our greatest luck is that we saved our lives! The President must have collected all the Corpse Parts."

"That's why he's too lazy to care about us! He went straight back to the mansion. We can't do anything anymore... Johnny! Don't you think that giving up is also a kind of courage?"

"You've been so badly injured that you can't continue fighting."

Hearing the word "give up", Johnny stood up angrily, grabbed Gyro's collar, and said with an extremely excited expression, tears streaming down his face.

"Gyro! Do you know? My legs can move!! Just now, my legs moved!"

"Look carefully... look carefully... watch closely!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Johnny trembled and then stood up little by little. The newly stitched wounds on his body were torn open again. Blood kept seeping out, drop by drop.

"Look carefully... my legs... are already!!"

Before he could finish speaking, Johnny's body lost balance again and fell back to the ground, while Gyro just stood aside silently and watched.

"Damn it, why did I stop in this place when I was only one step away?"

Speaking of this, Johnny reached out and covered his wound, tears and blood constantly falling, and roared with a trembling voice!

"Whether it's life or death, which side is justice and which side is evil... it doesn't matter to me!!"

"And that Corpse Part, whether it's a saint or not, I don't care at all. I'm still in the negative! I just want to move forward. I just want to get the Corpse Part and turn my negative into zero!" 】

Notes:

Author Note: The Philadelphia shooting was skipped because I really didn’t know how to write it.

Chapter 129: Saint Corpse All Gathered Enough!!

Chapter Text

【 Gyro still didn't speak, his gaze calmly watching Johnny, seemingly pondering something... Johnny Joestar's sorrowful words continued to echo.

“If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have been told about the Corpse Parts in the first place! Just one step, just a small step away!” 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sigh~ Perhaps as Gyro said, giving up is also a kind of courage; at least they've preserved their lives!”

“The Corpse Parts have all been taken by the President, they are completely helpless!...”

Watching the despairing and collapsing Johnny, the others didn't know what to say... after all, they had witnessed his growth, and seeing him go from hope to despair was the most heartbreaking.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

“If that world had a Crazy Diamond-like ability like mine, Johnny wouldn't have to suffer so much.”

The kind-hearted Josuke Higashikata couldn't help but sigh. If he were in that world, he could fix Johnny with Crazy Diamond, and there would be no need to pursue the Corpse Parts.

It's not hard to understand Johnny's collapse. The enemy is the President of a country, his residence will be heavily guarded, and now all the Corpse Parts have been taken by the President, it will be difficult to retrieve them again.

Even if they infiltrate, they have no way to defeat the President's Stand ability...

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

“If I had never seen the light, I could have endured the darkness! Doesn't this perfectly describe Johnny Joestar...”

Miyu knew that Johnny, who had become accustomed to his paralyzed life, had his hopes rekindled by the Corpse Parts!

His legs, paralyzed for many years, were able to move again because of the Saint's Corpse... Having experienced hope again, Johnny would not give up easily.

【 Watching the despairing Johnny, Gyro said something seemingly unrelated: “Before the eleventh century, people could only ride horses by straddling them, letting their feet dangle. Don't you find it strange?”

“Riding like that is both strenuous and unstable, so why didn't so many sages around the world think of using their feet to brace themselves on the horse, until stirrups were officially discovered a thousand years ago.”

“Johnny, do you know why?” Gyro Zeppeli walked to the side, touching the stirrups and continuing.

“That's because stirrups are not just for fixing the feet and relieving pressure on the buttocks. Their greatest function is to absorb the power of the mount through the lower body, using it to enhance the power of the techniques.”

“The horse's power is transmitted from the rider's waist, through the back to the shoulders, and finally released by the arms. This weapon technique, which relies on borrowing power, is the fighting essence of medieval knights.”

Saying this, Gyro mounted his horse and directly took out the Steel Balls from his waist, continuing to tell Johnny about the Zeppeli family's inherited skill - the Cavalry Spin!

“Listen carefully: the Steel Balls are not weapons that are driven solely by the wrist. Learn infinite serrations from nature, starting the force from the ground, and mobilizing the rotational force of the whole body through the waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers, only then can you deliver an unparalleled blow.”

“And our Zeppeli family has the technique of borrowing power from the stirrups. You don't want to give up, right? If you can learn it, maybe you'll still have a chance to fight.”

Hearing that there was still hope, Johnny's emotions gradually stabilized, and he looked at Gyro: “What kind of Spin is this? How is this power used? What will happen after using it?”

Faced with the question, Gyro replied bluntly: “I don't know... This so-called Cavalry Spin is just a legend, after all, our family is just executioners, not riders, and we haven't studied this technique.”

After hearing this, Johnny directly replied, “Our Joestar family has been riders for generations.”

“I know! That's why I'm telling you this.” Gyro looked at Johnny. he had heard about the Johnny family. “Perhaps only a skilled rider can use the legendary Spin.”

After hearing this, the black fire ignited in Johnny's eyes again, and he supported his body, asking Gyro to heal him quickly, no matter how much he could heal.

Even if he had to go into battle injured, he would continue to pursue the President and find the place where the Saint's Corpse was hidden. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This means that the Spin can be taken a step further! I wonder what will happen if Johnny learns it...”

“The legendary divine skill, the Cavalry Spin, may have a different effect, otherwise, it wouldn't have been foreshadowed until now! Perhaps this is the key to defeating the President.”

“This time it can be said that Gyro is fighting for Johnny, after all, they no longer have the Corpse Parts, and the President has stopped chasing them... Gyro doesn't need to pursue the Saint's Corpse at this moment.”

“But their friendship prompts them to fight for each other, and Gyro will continue to pursue the President's traces to seize the Saint's Corpse for Johnny.”

【 The scene changed, and Lucy, who possessed the Saint's Corpse, successfully escaped from the government residence according to the guiding voice from within her body, but when she arrived at a ship near her destination, she discovered that what was guiding her was not the Saint at all. That voice was from the President, who possessed the Saint's eyes from the beginning.

Once Lucy gets on this ship, Gyro, Johnny, and others will have no chance to rescue her. Lucy could only write her name and the name of the ship on the hem of her skirt, tear it off, and throw it to the shore, hoping that Gyro and Johnny could happen to pick it up. Use this to continue pursuing the President and rescue her!

On the other side, Diego and Hot Pants once again joined forces, using the scent of Lucy on Hot Pants's Meat Spray. Diego found the strip of cloth left by Lucy and then rode his horse in the direction left by the strip of cloth. Quickly chasing after!

Johnny and Gyro, who were also observing them not far away, also discovered Diego's figure. Seeing him speeding forward, it was obvious that he had discovered the President's location.

“The President can travel through parallel worlds, so the scent Diego smelled must be Lucy's, and the Saint's Corpse is also in that direction.”

“No matter which side they are from! It's our turn to pursue!”

Gyro and Johnny, who had been chased all the way, calmed their minds. Now it was finally their turn to start chasing, and then they rode their horses and chased after them.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

This made everyone sigh even more. The duo, who had been chased all the time, never thought that they would have a day to start chasing others.

But there is no other way now. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Faced with President Valentine, who has heaven-defying abilities, they must unite all forces to have a chance of winning.

After getting the note left by Lucy, they sent people to ride along the banks of the Delaware River and quickly caught up with the blue Hawaii on which the President was riding!

“Are we going to sneak into the cabin now?” Hot Pants turned his head and asked Diego.

“No! I dare to bet with you.” Diego looked at the stretcher next to him, his words full of confidence: “The President and Lucy have already left the ship and left by train!”

“A stretcher for a patient is thrown by the railroad tracks. And Mr. Steel was shot and unconscious before; this stretcher must have been used to carry him. The President must be in a hurry to leave by train, so he just threw it here!”

The train had just started, not far away, and the speed was still very slow, so they could easily catch up by riding. The two didn't say much and decisively started chasing.

While advancing, Hot Pants took out his binoculars to observe. At this moment, he just happened to see the President inside the train car. This guy was standing at the connection of the carriages, not knowing what he was doing. Then, two people rolled off the train. Those people were Diego and Hot Pants, who were chasing the President!

Hot Pants was dumbfounded at the time, but Diego, who had experience, immediately reminded him with cold sweat!

“You must not touch yourself. Once you meet yourself, you will both annihilate and turn into ashes!”

At this moment, Lucy, who was sitting on the train, was also in increasingly high physical condition. The fetus in her womb was already reacting, and large beads of sweat were constantly seeping from her forehead.

Lucy also wanted to get up and pour a glass of water to drink. But after the water was poured into the glass, it actually split in half from the middle.

This is the power given by God. Moses, as God's messenger, used this power to split the Red Sea in half.

Lucy felt her big belly slowly cave downward, and she reached out to touch her palm, but it was blown to pieces by a golden light on the spot. Her fingers shattered, and her flesh collapsed all over the ground.

And what was even more bizarre was still behind. With such a serious injury, Lucy couldn't feel a trace of pain. The blown-away part was replaced by blackened limbs.

Before she could sort out her thoughts, that power moved all the way up her arm, directly shattering her head, and the damaged part, like her palm just now, was instantly filled with this blackened flesh. The magical phenomenon at that moment had completely exceeded Lucy's cognition.

Her pregnant belly was completely deflated at this moment. In the golden light, Lucy's entire body began to disintegrate, turning into that black and dry appearance. She had become the Saint's Corpse. inch

Chapter 130: The President Dies?!

Chapter Text

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"What's going on? Is the Saint about to descend upon the world in this way?"

At this moment, Johnny Joestar, covered in cold sweat, watched Lucy gradually transform into the Saint's Corpse! He wanted to seize the Saint's Corpse to stand again, but he didn't want to be devoured by it!

"..."

In contrast to Johnny's panic, Gyro calmly watched everything!

It was still unclear what kind of miracles the Saint's Corpse could trigger, and what kind of power that golden light carried was still unknown!

But intuition told him that the golden light definitely possessed extraordinary abilities! If the President were to obtain it, he would become even more difficult to deal with...

Lucy's body was gradually being occupied by the Saint's Corpse, a somewhat horrifying scene! But it didn't seem entirely unacceptable.

After all, even a single piece of the Saint's Corpse already possessed wondrous abilities, so it wasn't impossible that gathering all of them would trigger such a miracle...

But now, it should be the final battle! Would the complete Saint's Corpse revive the Saint? Or would it bring about a new evolution? Everyone watched with anticipation.

【 Diego, knowing the President's ability, directly abandoned his horse and ran towards the train, throwing his money to use the law that parallel world objects annihilate upon contact, easily injuring his parallel world self and Hot Pants, and jumping onto the train.

Hot Pants then remembered what Diego had just said, that people from parallel worlds don't know they will annihilate upon contact, so he told her to abandon her horse to prevent what just happened.

Hot Pants, following Diego's instructions, abandoned her horse and ran to chase the President's train. But Hot Pants Number Two from the parallel world picked up her mount and sped along, catching up from behind.

Seeing her parallel world self getting closer and closer, Hot Pants was covered in cold sweat, reaching out and running quickly towards Diego on the train, shouting loudly, "You told me not to ride a horse... See, she's catching up to us!"

"I want them to catch up." Diego reached out and pulled Hot Pants onto the train, replying.

After speaking, he looked back at Diego Number Two from the parallel world, who also climbed onto the train at this moment. Taking advantage of their close proximity, Diego unexpectedly slammed the door panel over, and the two of them disappeared into the door seam.

"Those two fell out of the door seam at the connection between the carriages, so the gap in this door is the entrance and exit for them!"

"I know the President's weakness!"

Arriving inside the carriage, the two immediately saw the President, Lucy, and Mr. Steel inside.

Diego then asserted, "Today, right here, the President will die! The Corpse is unique to the base world and cannot be taken to parallel worlds."

"The President will definitely defend the Corpses; he will never hide in other worlds like before. This persistence is his greatest weakness."

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

The confidence in Diego's words infected the audience outside the video, giving them the thought that he could really defeat the President!

"Maybe there really is hope to defeat the President; Diego has figured out Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap's ability."

"It's hard to imagine figuring out the opponent's ability after only one encounter! These people's combat intelligence is too terrifying."

"But the carriage is full of gaps, so the battlefield is probably more favorable to the President, but the dinosaurified Diego has extraordinary reaction and perception! Maybe he can counterattack before the opponent activates his ability."

The direction the train is traveling is basically the same as the race's route, and the President is heading straight for New York by train. This long-lasting battle for the Corpse will usher in the final showdown on this stretch of road.

【 The dinosaurified Diego is as fast as a ghost, and the President can only barely defend against him with his Stand! In the blink of an eye, the two have thrown dozens of punches! Then, the two take a step back.

The President's chin has a deep wound dug out by Diego, and blood spurts out as soon as he stabilizes.

At this moment, Diego's face is full of mockery, "Smash you into the wall? Or attack with both hands from the left and right?"

"Don't be silly... I won't do any of that. I will never let you get caught!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed out again. This time, the President jumped back and came directly behind the door, pulling the handle to try to trap him.

But before he could act, a hand stretched out from the keyhole, holding the door firmly!

"You can't hide in the door seam either!" Hot Pants, who was guarding behind, was waiting for this moment.

The President failed in one plan and jumped up, intending to go to the gap between the sofa and the wall! But Diego reacted in time and kicked the sofa away with one foot ....

Who wanted to use this force? Raising his hand like a knife, he stabbed towards the President. This move was unavoidable, and then the President chose to give up defense, summoned D4C, and grabbed Diego's neck.

Even if Diego pierced his neck, the President could use the moment he pressed down to go to a parallel world.

Seeing this, Diego gave up attacking the opponent's neck and chose to attack both arms, and then the President fell alone, his hands also cut off, but a curtain floated over to where he fell.

"Crap!..." Diego was covered in cold sweat; it would be terrible if he went to a parallel world.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Hot Pants shot again and picked up the fallen curtain, and Diego seized the opportunity! Directly slashed the President's throat with a palm!

"Ugh..." The President let out a scream, and blood splattered out.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Won... won?!"

This series of operations was simply unbelievable; every moment felt extremely dangerous.

Once the President was trapped and allowed to go to a parallel world, all previous efforts would be in vain, but unexpectedly, Diego and Hot Pants cooperated to forcibly prevent the opportunity to activate the ability.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Hoo~ Well done!"

Dio nodded to his parallel world self's operation!

That's right, D4C's ability is indeed terrifying, but only when trapped... Once he can't activate his ability, the President's Stand is just a slightly stronger blank slate.

Without being able to be trapped, he can't go to a parallel world to change bodies and can only wait quietly for death to come. This also means that the battle is over!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

At this moment, the President's face became extremely gloomy, his heart full of anger. He didn't care that the future him died at Diego's hands; after all, he already knew the future, and it wouldn't happen again.

He was angry that his abilities and weaknesses had been revealed, and it wouldn't be so easy to seize the Corpse next time...

Unlike the angry President, Gyro and Johnny, on the other side, breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the unknown is the most terrifying.

Now that they know the opponent's ability and weaknesses, they won't be so nervous if they really fight later...

Chapter 131: He's One Move Behind!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 "Suc... Success!!!" Hot Pants couldn't help but shout with joy. No matter how heaven-defying her ability was, she was just a blank slate now.

Just as they were excited, the kettle on the windowsill was knocked over, and all the clear water inside poured onto the President. His body instantly turned into nothingness upon contact with the water!

"Water..." Diego also made a surprised expression, then pondered in confusion!

"Water... do water and the ground count as a 'sandwich'?" Diego reached out to block, but it was too late. The President had already escaped to a parallel world.

Hot Pants, who didn't fully understand the President's ability, was just full of doubts, not understanding why Diego suddenly became so horrified!

"That was already a fatal wound! It's useless for him to run." Hot Pants was sure she wasn't seeing things.

Seeing that Hot Pants didn't know the opponent's ability, Diego had no choice but to briefly explain, "Theoretically speaking, there are infinitely many parallel worlds outside the base world, and the President's Stand ability originates from the product of the base world."

"As long as you don't kill him on the spot in the base world, the President can infinitely activate his ability to exchange for another unscathed version of himself."

"All 'sandwiches' can be used as entrances and exits to the world. Now we must stay away from curtains, doors, and anything that can 'sandwich'!"

"What a pity! Just a little bit more and we could have completely defeated the President, but who would have thought that water and the ground could count as a 'sandwich'…!"

"After going to a parallel world, the President replaced his body and became unscathed again, but he will definitely be more cautious."

"If we fight again, it will be disadvantageous for Diego and the others. Now they are in the open, and the President is in the dark! If they don't react quickly, they could be instantly killed by the suddenly appearing President."

"But Diego, with his dinosaur ability, might be okay, but Hot Pants is in danger… Gyro and Johnny haven't caught up yet, either. If they joined forces, they would have definitely won just now."

The President escaped to a parallel world again, which meant that all previous attacks were in vain, and now the situation seemed to have reversed. Now it was Diego and Hot Pants who were in danger…

After Diego finished speaking, the two immediately returned to a defensive stance. Lucy, on the side, was so nervous that she didn't dare to breathe loudly. Diego had absolute confidence in his speed, and as soon as the President dared to show his face, he would immediately kill him.

The three quietly waited for the President's next appearance. After a while, the drawer behind Hot Pants suddenly popped open, hitting her waist directly.

The President also stuck a hand out of the drawer. Hot Pants, who had fallen, leaned against the wall, and a gap formed between her body and the wall.

"Hot Pants!!… Get away from the wall." Diego immediately warned, but it was too late.

A second President had already emerged from Hot Pants's body. Before she could react, President Number Two punched her down, and immediately after, President Number Three emerged from the drawer!

The President continuously crossed over, pulling all three versions of himself from parallel worlds to this side. A two-on-one instantly became a three-on-two, and Hot Pants had already been beaten to low health!

"As expected, this ability is just cheating… As long as you can't kill him, he can revive with full health at any time, and he can also pull people over from parallel worlds." 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Isn't this equivalent to having infinite clones? He can just casually pull over a version of himself from a parallel world."

"And we have to be wary of him suddenly appearing from the cracks! Now only Diego has the strength to fight, and Hot Pants has been seriously injured."

"Now the current situation has completely reversed, turning into a one-on-three! Could it be that Gyro and Johnny will catch up at this time and turn it into a three-on-three?"

【 "Wryyyyy—!" Diego roared loudly and continued to attack while shouting at the fallen Hot Pants!

"It's about to begin, Hot Pants!… Are you ready?"

The three Presidents fought together, and amid the encirclement! D4C also jumped out three at the same time to attack Diego. No matter how fast he was, it was difficult to withstand the three-person siege. Diego could only fight and retreat until he leaned against Hot Pants's side.

"Do it! I teamed up with you so hard just for this moment."

Meat Spray spewed out from the fallen Hot Pants, and the President's hand blade also slashed down in the air at this time, but before it could hit, the President retracted his hand because Diego was gone. Instead, there were four Presidents on the scene.

"Beautiful!"

Unexpectedly, at the critical moment, he could use Hot Pants's Meat Spray ability to disguise himself as the President. Even the President himself probably couldn't react to that for a moment.

It must be said that Hot Pants' Meat Spray ability is really useful. It can not only heal but also perfectly disguise itself as someone else!

The four Presidents looked at each other, unable to react for a moment, wondering which one was fake, but Diego, disguised as the President, used the terrifying speed of a dinosaur to strike and eliminate two Presidents.

Diego and the President returned to a one-on-one situation again. The President, who had already suffered once, didn't want to fight Diego one-on-one.

So he turned around and ran, but Diego, who was extremely swift, wouldn't let him succeed. He easily caught up with a stride and then cut open the President's shoulder with a hand blade.

Diego's prediction of the President's weakness had all come true by this point, and the scene had been completely controlled by Diego Brando.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the President could only smash through the car window and escape, but before he could land, Diego followed closely behind, jumping out of the window together, and all the falling broken glass was pushed away by Diego!

"Want to use glass to pin yourself down? Don't dream, you have no chance."

With that said, Diego stabbed the President's throat with a palm. With a horizontal slash, the President's neck was torn open on the spot, leaving only some skin on the back of the neck still connected!

This terrifying wound that almost severed his head was the dividing line for Diego to end his past life, and all suffering would end here.

Then, with one strike, Diego ripped open the President's stomach from top to bottom, and this wound was the starting line for Diego to go on to a new life.

The President's eyes were already scattered, clinging to the speeding train. The President squeezed out the last bit of strength from his already collapsing body and flicked his legs to Diego's waist.

At the same time, his shawl-like long hair was also rolled into the rolling wheels!

The previous second, Diego was still immersed in the joy of victory. In the next moment, he and the President were both rolled under the train. The long train did not slow down at all.

As all the carriages passed, the President was gone. The gap between the wheels and the rails allowed him to use his Stand again and again to complete the crossing!

On the rails, Diego, with his face full of blood, was still saying the words he hadn't finished just now, "I, Diego, am the final winner…!"

"The President was… dismembered by me! Funny Valentine died on the spot… I won!"

But he didn't notice that his body below the waist had been separated from him in the crush just now.

The train gradually moved away, and Diego also fell into eternal sleep, unable to continue moving forward. He had been left here forever….】

Notes:

Translator-kun: I’m not sure whether Diego is more of an anti-hero or an antagonist... Anyway, in the manuscript, I decided to change "Dio" to Diego. Yeah, I know he's commonly referred to as "Dio," but some people may not know, including me... until I got to this chapter.

Chapter 132: Julius Caesar Zeppeli!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Watching Diego, whose body was split in two yet still proclaiming his victory, the others didn't know what to think and silently sighed.

"What a pity... he clearly pushed the President Valentine to the brink again! Just a little bit more, and it would have all been worth it."

"But being able to push the President Valentine to the brink twice just with his dinosaur transformation ability is already quite impressive."

"I have to say, the President Valentine's Stand ability is really messed up.... No matter how severe the injury, as long as he goes to a parallel universe, he can replace his body and return to the base world unscathed."

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"I didn't expect he could pull multiple versions of himself from parallel worlds... and they even have the same Stand ability!"

Doctor Roman looked at the information he had just researched on the screen, falling into deep thought. Does this mean he can pull countless versions of himself from parallel universes? Or is there a limit to the number that can be pulled?

"The President Valentine can arbitrarily pull versions of himself from parallel universes into the base universe... will this affect the parallel universes?"

Da Vinci, standing beside him, also frowned slightly. In fact, Singularities could be considered parallel universes to them, but what happens in the Singularities affects their present.

It seems their understanding of parallel universes is still too shallow!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

President Valentine's face turned extremely gloomy, and he slammed his wine glass down.

"It seems this Diego needs to be dealt with as soon as possible! Don't even think about interfering with me! I was the first to pick up the napkin."

He hated Diego to the bone for pushing him to the brink twice! If he doesn't deal with that terrifying reaction speed and battle intelligence early, it will become a disaster sooner or later.

【 The train sped past, and Diego's body was instantly crushed into two pieces. President Valentine, who should have died on the spot, activated his ability at the critical moment, escaping death once again!

Gyro and Johnny, who were following closely behind, also witnessed this scene. Diego was dead, and President Valentine had disappeared. The current situation is becoming increasingly unfavorable for them.

If President Valentine successfully activates the hidden power within the Corpse Parts, everyone involved in the Corpse Parts race will definitely be killed to silence them!

Thinking of this, Johnny asked one last time, "Gyro! What are you going to do? If you want to give up, this is your last chance."

"If you quit now and go back to the race, you might still make it in time."

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It seems Johnny doesn't want Gyro to risk his life with him to compete for the Corpse Parts, and there's still time to quit now."

"Even Diego failed, so the next battle is likely to be extremely dangerous! Johnny doesn't want to involve Gyro; after all, Gyro has no reason to compete for the Saint's Corpse..."

Looking at Johnny's serious expression, Gyro pondered for a long time, and then said something irrelevant again: "Say, let's share each other's secrets. You and I should both have at least one secret we're hiding from each other, so let's reveal them to each other now."

"I'll go first. My real name isn't actually Gyro. Gyro is more of a nickname than a given name. Listen carefully, I'll only say it once, my real name is Julius Caesar Zeppeli, that's the name my father gave me, even my younger brothers don't know my real name. Don't tell anyone. now it's your turn!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone who was still feeling sentimental was amused by Gyro's magical thought process. He always answers off-topic, and he doesn't know where he's going with the topic.

Then everyone else joined in, one by one.

"Pfft... Okay, Julius Caesar Zeppeli! We will definitely not tell anyone! Although everyone knows now."

"Now it's more like sharing last words than sharing secrets, and it's also to relax their tense hearts."

"After all, the final battle is next, and neither of them has confidence in what the outcome will be..."

【 Johnny's jaw almost dropped when he heard this, and he stared at Gyro in disbelief: "Isn't that the same name as that Roman Emperor Caesar?"

"Could this be the hottest headline gossip of the year?!"

"Your old man must have something wrong with his brain to give you that kind of name."

Gyro grinned, pointing at Johnny with his finger: "It's your turn to speak, and don't mention that name again!... Speaking of which, is Johnny Joestar really your real name?"

"Yeah! How else would people call me JoJo?... If you're talking about secrets, I do have one, but I think you'll take several steps back when I say it."

Speaking of this, Johnny suddenly became hesitant, and his whole person suddenly became shy, as if he had an unspeakable secret to tell.

"Ahem... my preferences are a bit different... I get inexplicably excited when I see mosquito bites swelling up on women's thighs!"

Speaking of this, Johnny's face turned red to the roots of his neck, and he pointed at Gyro, who had taken a few steps back, and said, "D-Don't tell anyone... and you did step back!"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Um... how should I put it? Your fetish is indeed quite unique, pfft! We are professionals, we won't laugh at you!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Although sexual freedom is a thing, you can't be a pervert!"

Yoshikage Kira felt that he might have something in common with him; after all, he couldn't help but get a little bit excited when he saw Mona Lisa's hands!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Gyro! It's all your fault, you bastard. Why did you have to share secrets for no reason? I'm too embarrassed to face anyone now."

At this time, Johnny covered his face with his hands, and his face flushed! It's all over. Now everyone knows about his unique fetish, and he's completely lost face.

Hearing Johnny's accusation, Gyro couldn't help but take a step back and said speechlessly:

"I didn't expect your secret to be so unique."

He also knew that he must have wanted to relieve Johnny's anxiety at that time, so he planned to share secrets, but he didn't expect to bring out such explosive gossip!

【 Gyro looked disgusted; he wouldn't say it, he would be ashamed to say such a thing, and then looked at the train in the distance again, wondering whether to retreat bravely.

Withdrawing from this death game that has nothing to do with him, although he didn't say it clearly, Gyro's answer is self-evident, Pure.

The two spurred their horses forward and set off again. This time, they must rescue Lucy, kill President Valentine, and leave him without a single piece of armor.

This race allowed him to meet a friend he could entrust his life to! The two also relied on each other to get here, one chasing after the other.

Now, the original intention of competing for the Corpse Parts is no longer important; Gyro just wants to accompany his brother to the end! Accompany him to the end of this journey to the unknown death.

Chapter 133: D4C Love Train! Completely new capabilities

Chapter Text

【 Several minutes have passed since Diego's final battle with President Velentine, and Hot Pants is left alone in the carriage. Lucy's body has also undergone bizarre changes!

At this moment, the tables and chairs in the carriage are constantly gathering towards her, and even the carriage door is slowly moving towards her! The entire carriage is shrinking.

In a panic, Hot Pants sees President Valentine, unharmed, pushing open the door and walking in, then looking at Hot Pants!

"A brand new ability!... Do you think this is my subordinate's ability?"

Hot Pants doesn't understand what the President means until the President points a finger: "I'm talking about your right hand!"

Hot Pants quickly looks and discovers that spiders and flies have burrowed into her hand, and her fingernails are moving upwards along her fingers.

Realizing the danger, Hot Pants immediately jumps out the window, intending to escape the train. The President doesn't chase but says, "Some kind of power is moving!"

Before he finishes speaking, Hot Pants is stuck in the window, the once large and wide window becoming incredibly narrow.

The President glances at Hot Pants: "What kind of changes are happening in this place at this moment? I'm gradually getting the answer."

D4C and Diego have grown leaps and bounds in the recent battle! And awakened a brand new ability!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The already outrageous ability has now undergone a brand new evolution! The already slim chance of winning has disappeared."

"Based on what we've seen, does this new awakened ability involve object shrinkage and relocation?"

"Or is this a miracle caused by the Saint's Corpse! But in any case, this means that Johnny and the others will face President Valentine with a brand new ability."

"The situation has become even more dangerous... After all, Gyro and Johnny don't know that the President Valentine has changed at this moment."

【 On the other side, watching the train the President is riding, Gyro and Johnny spur their horses from behind. Since the start of the 510 race! Johnny has, for the first time, taken his legs off the saddle and put them in the stirrups!

As soon as he stretches his legs, the spurs on his boots start spinning at high speed. This strange and familiar feeling makes Johnny shudder, and the direction of the spin on his hands changes at this moment!

While Johnny is lost in thought, Gyro suddenly raises a crucial question: "If the President is taking the Corpse to the finish line alone, who is driving the train?"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Besides the President, there should be another person on it driving the train. If so, is that person a Stand user? After boarding the train, will we have to face two enemies?"

"It has to be said that Gyro is very cautious! He can think of so much! Unlike Johnny, who just shoots a Nail Bullet when he doesn't know what to do!"

"Is the change happening to Johnny at this moment the Cavalry Spin? After all, it was said before that it can only be performed with stirrups."

"And Johnny had never tried putting his feet in the stirrups before because his legs were paralyzed! Maybe this strange change is the so-called—Cavalry Spin!"

【 At the same time, Johnny also notices something: the "Beware of Bears" sign behind them seems to have appeared again. They've run a long way since they last saw the sign. If it's a new sign, why haven't they seen it ahead?

Then the two realize that what's been chasing them isn't a sign at all! It's the entire continent. Everything behind them! Mountains, rivers, forests, etc., are actually following closely behind them.

On the other side, Hot Pants is also being impaled in the head by the shrinking window. Gyro and Johnny have ridden their horses to the outside of the carriage, just a little bit more! Hot Pants ultimately fails to meet up with the two and dies here.

Following Diego, Hot Pants also dies at the hands of President Valentine, and the carriage she was in continues to shrink, cutlery, tables, chairs, and even the doors and windows of the entire carriage.

Everything is now moving towards Lucy!

There seems to be an invisible barrier in the air around Lucy, and the President's body can freely enter the gaps in this barrier.

Outside the window, the entire world seems to be moving towards this side; mountains, streams, grass, trees, and houses are all being drawn into the gap.

President Velentine finally understands that this strange gap is actually the product of space folding, and this phenomenon is not caused by the Corpse; it's his own Stand ability! D4C has broken through to a new level.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Holy crap!! Is this really something a person can do? The entire continent is constantly shrinking."

"I thought they were running into a ghost wall! But I didn't expect the entire continent to be chasing them under the influence of the President's ability."

It must be said that this scene refreshes everyone's vision. If it's folding space, can it shrink the Earth?

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Is the ability evolved this time, is 'space'?"

Misaka Mikoto is incredibly surprised by this strange ability.

She has seen space abilities, but she hasn't seen such a terrifying ability to fold the space of an entire continent...

And that golden barrier not only allows the President to sandwich and activate his ability anytime, anywhere! And it seems to have extraordinary effects...

~Fairy Tail World~

"I really envy the Stands in there... They don't have to consume much to activate their abilities!"

Lucy can't help but complain.

After all, in her opinion, folding the space of the continent would consume a lot of magic if used with magic.

But the other party easily did something she couldn't even imagine! But this also means that Gyro and Johnny's battle will be even more thrilling.

【 Arriving at the train, the two decide to split up. Gyro sneaks into the President's position from inside the train, and Johnny chases the train on horseback, attracting the President's attention outside the train.

President Valentine, who is in the carriage, suddenly hears the sound of hooves outside the window, looks out the window, sees Johnny charging a Nail Bullet, and directly picks up Lucy, blocking her in front of him!

Seeing the opponent with a hostage in hand, Johnny doesn't waver in the slightest. He shoots the Nail Bullet at Lucy without saying a word!

Even President Valentine can't help but lament: "What a terrible guy... Attacking Lucy!"

Four Nail Bullets pass through the window and hit Lucy, but the damage to the Golden Spin is more than just hitting. The bullet holes go straight through the President along Lucy's body. The President dodges left and right, but no matter how he runs, the bullet holes keep chasing him endlessly, seeing that there's no way to avoid it.

President Valentine picks up a newspaper and slaps it on it, sending the Nail Bullet to a parallel world!

President Valentine, who thought he had sent the Nail Bullet to a parallel world, suddenly feels a pain in his hand and suddenly gets up!

The Golden Spin is an infinite spin like a black hole; its gap can't hold these bullet holes at all!

His getting up allows Johnny outside the window to see that the Nail Bullet is activated again, and President Valentine's hand is pierced on the spot, as several bullet holes gradually gather. President Valentine's hands are also frozen together, his hand has been crippled.

Suddenly, a golden light emerges from Lucy's body again; this light passes through President Valentine's hands, folding the space in it into a gap.

The damage Johnny dealt to his hand also slips away directly from that glowing gap and instead kills two farmers outside the window.

"This is...!"

Johnny and President Valentine are both incredibly shocked, then President Valentine reacts first.

"The wounds on my hands are all gone... You are a goddess! Lucy!"

"The Saint's Corpse has chosen him, Funny Valentine. This power is bestowed upon him by the Saint's Corpse!"

"The various things that are constantly gathering here are actually things that the Corpse recognizes as beneficial. Conversely, things that are harmful to him will be rejected by this power."

"The bullet holes just now were harmful to him. So this power sent the bullet holes elsewhere, and those two farmers bore the damage instead. With this power, no matter what tricks the opponent comes up with, it's impossible to cause even the slightest harm to him!" 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect the Saint's Corpse to have such a terrifying effect!!"

This terrifying ability overturns everyone's previous guesses and silences everyone! Indeed, as he said, with such an ability, he is invincible.

With such an ability, no one can harm him!

~A Certain Magical Index World~

Academy City

"Holy crap!! It can actually transfer misfortune!"

At this moment, Kamijou Touma shows an envious look.

If he had this ability, he would also say goodbye to his unfortunate life! Then he looks at his right hand.

He just doesn't know if his right hand can also negate this ability... (Bro, your right hand can negate that ability. That's how OP 'Imagine Breaker'.)

~Bleach World~

Even the always calm Aizen is moved at this moment, transferring everything that is unfavorable to him! Conversely, things that are beneficial to him come closer.

"I'm getting more and more curious about Stands.... I didn't expect such a magical ability to exist in a seemingly ordinary world!"

It can be said that with this ability, he is already invincible; after all, all unfavorable things will be rejected.. How can Gyro and Johnny fight? It can be said that they are just waiting to die!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Dio is also silent at this moment, although he is full of confidence in his Stand, "Za Warudo".

But if he encounters this kind of ability, he doesn't know if it will still trigger after time stops.

It's a pity that there is no Saint's Corpse in this world. If there were, what kind of ability would my Stand be able to evolve?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 8: JoJolion Worldline~

"Although the worlds are different, I didn't expect someone to have such a similar ability to mine."

Toru looks at President Valentine, who can transfer misfortune, and suddenly feels that it is somewhat similar to his ability.

Although it is slightly inferior compared to his ability, it is already invincible enough!

Faced with such a terrifying Stand ability, the people outside the video have no expectations. It can transfer all unfavorable factors... This also means that the President cannot be harmed at all!.

Chapter 134: Cavalry Circles

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, Johnny, outside the car window, was completely stunned. Six nail bullets hit the President squarely, but how did he disappear in the blink of an eye?

Gyro, who was gradually approaching from the front of the car, also noticed something was wrong. The small wound from the fish bite had moved from his fingertip to his arm!

"The wound is moving up my arm!" Gyro's face showed horror. Everything happening before his eyes was beyond his imagination. He even suspected that the President's subordinates were here! This is undoubtedly a Stand attack.

Before Gyro could figure out the situation, his neck began to bleed on the spot. If this small wound had been on his finger, it wouldn't have been a problem, but now that it has moved to the carotid artery, it's a different story.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect even wounds would move in a direction favorable to the President! This also means that even the smallest wound could become fatal."

"If the wound can only move on the surface of the body, that's fine! What if the wound can move to the heart? That would be troublesome."

The audience watching the video was amazed by this phenomenon. The President's new ability was much more terrifying than they had imagined!

【 At this moment, the President was still immersed in joy. The only ones left to compete with him for the Corpse Parts were Johnny and Gyro. As long as he took care of these two, he could rest assured and use the power of the Corpse Parts to create his glorious era.

The President leaped out of the car to attack Johnny's vital points. Johnny was also dumbfounded. How did the President float over along the golden light?!

Before he could figure it out, D4C's fist reached his face. Johnny raised his hand to counterattack, aiming at the President's head and firing nail bullets in rapid succession. But the nail-bullets, which should have hit, passed through the President and flew to the other side.

Vaguely, Johnny seemed to see the Eiffel Tower through the gap. His nails had been sent to another country through the spatial rift! Several workers died on the spot under the nail-bullet attack.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Damn it!! I suddenly feel a chill on my head... Isn't this the same as randomly taking someone's life?"

"If Johnny continues to attack, the nail bullets will be randomly transferred by the President to somewhere else, taking the lives of innocent people. In that case, he can't even attack."

~Bungo Stray Dogs World~

"It seems that unfavorable factors are transferred to others! I wonder if this transfer is random or if you can choose the target yourself?"

The attack launched from New York, USA, was transferred by the President to Paris, where several passers-by took the hit... It seems there are no distance restrictions.

Osamu Dazai shook his head. He had to admit that the President, with this ability, could indeed be called invincible. He had never seen such a troublesome ability since the video started playing.

The audience watching the video inexplicably felt frightened. Since his ability is to travel through parallel worlds! Then I wonder if these nail bullets will suddenly transfer to their bodies...

"In some distant corner... misfortune has befallen some people!" In the gap of golden light, the President gradually understood his ability.

"Valentine is now in the spatial rift! He is constantly approaching me along the rift!"

At this point, Johnny finally understood. The rift the President was in was not in the same world as him. No matter how he shot, his nail bullets could not hit the President.

Thinking of this, Johnny turned his horse and ran. But the forest behind him was constantly approaching Johnny under the influence of this power. If this continued, Johnny and his horse would be caught in between.

"Not good!" Johnny, sweating profusely, lay on the horse and ran forward at full speed.

"Is this a gift from the Corpse Parts? Is this the ability shown by the President after obtaining the whole Corpse?!"

Johnny was stunned for a moment, and the President had already appeared behind him along the golden spatial rift. D4C launched another attack.

Just as Johnny was about to die on the spot, D4C's hand stopped in mid-air. Blocking him was Gyro's Spin.

Johnny also seized the opportunity to counterattack, but the President shrank back into the spatial rift again. The damage from Johnny's nail bullet was transferred elsewhere again, just like before.

He saw again in the distance in an eastern country, two children died tragically because of the power. 】

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"No way! If Johnny attacks again, someone will die because of it."

"It seems that this power is randomly transferred to other people, and the existence of spatial rifts also means that the President can run to parallel worlds anytime, anywhere."

"The situation is becoming more and more unfavorable, and it can be said that there is nothing we can do! Without solving the spatial rift, we can't cause any damage at all."

But Johnny's nail bullets can't solve this problem, and even if Gyro's Spin is superb, it's just an iron ball! It's equally no threat to the President!

【 "Some are lucky, and some are destined to be unlucky. In this way, the two add up to zero, and the world will maintain balance."

"And he who is in happiness will no longer encounter any misfortune. All energy unfavorable to him will be sent elsewhere, and others will bear it for him!"

The President, hiding in the spatial rift, looked at the two and, on a whim, explained.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Does this mean that unlucky people shouldn't live?"

"Again, why do those people in that world keep explaining their ability mid-fight?! Is there a disease that you get if you don't explain your ability to your opponent?"

"If I got isekai’d there and got a Stand, I’d keep my damn mouth shut. Instant invincibility—just add mystery ."

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"So this transfer is not randomit will only transfer to more unfortunate people."

Touma Kamijou stretched out his hands and silently covered his face. If the President were in this world, he was sure that the misfortune transferred by the President would not be random...

But would only transfer to him! Because there is no one more unfortunate than him in this world.

(That's because you're pretty OP in your verse, without that imagine breaker to keep you in check. Who knows what power you hold, that imagine breaker sealed away. )

【 After speaking, the President launched another attack, but this time, the target was Gyro. Gyro was also quick-witted and took out an iron ball to block, but his palm was still slightly scratched. The President looked like he had already succeeded. Gyro's small wound, as expected, moved along his arm all the way to his vital point, just like the small wound from the fish bite.

The President turned his head and rushed towards Johnny. In the blink of an eye, the President had rushed to Johnny's front. D4C launched both palms together, aiming straight at his throat.

Johnny dodged to the side, and the nail bullets were fired at the same time.

However, this time, the target was not the President, but the train the President was riding in. Several nail bullets hit the hooks at the connection point! The car and the front of the train separated.

The President also missed because of the sudden speed difference, and the speed of the car became slower and slower. The rift where the President was gradually moved away from the two.

Johnny escaped death again with this attack, but Gyro, next to him, was not so lucky. The small wound was still moving up!

"Damn it!! That wound is still moving up... I'm done!"

At this time, the wound had moved to his heart. Gyro was also spitting out blood, and then he fell directly from the horse!

Seeing Gyro's painful appearance, Johnny panicked again. The memory of releasing the rat, killing his brother, and accidentally injuring his father flooded into his mind again.

Johnny gasped heavily, his eyes filled with tears, and said to Gyro tremblingly: "I... have crossed the entire continent!"

"I thought... I had overcome and grown! But when I looked up, I still saw defeat!"

"Gyro... I can't do it! We can't win against the President at all! He finally... has taken possession of the entire Corpse Parts."

Speaking of this, Johnny looked at the train in front of him, and his hands began to tremble: "We have no way to defeat the President anymore because that guy is justice."

"We have become the evil side instead!"

Seeing Johnny so embarrassed, Gyro endured the pain, spitting blood and struggling to support his body: "I said, Johnny... do you remember the Cavalry Spin I told you about before? That mysterious technique that even my father and I have never used!"

"Remember...! Of course, I remember." Johnny, with tears in his eyes, was lying on the ground at this moment.

"But how can I possibly do it? And even if I do, it's useless. You've also seen that the President is immune to all damage. No matter how we attack him, he can transfer the damage elsewhere. We can no longer hurt him even a hair!"

Although blood was still dripping from the corner of his mouth, Gyro had regained his brilliance at this moment, "Yes, Johnny, I also felt an unprecedented despair. But that was only until just now!"

Johnny looked at Gyro again, and Gyro also bent down and picked up the iron ball he had just used. There was actually a strand of the President's hair wrapped around the iron ball!!

From just now, Gyro has been trying to borrow momentum from the horse and then use the Spin!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this scene, the audience outside the video was all extremely surprised! There was actually a strand of the President's hair wrapped around the iron ball. What does this mean? This means that the President is not invincible; he hurt the President

"Break that one sided fight Johnny!!"

"What exactly is going on? The President didn't transfer the misfortune to other places!!"

"Or is it that he can't transfer it at all? It seems that the so-called Cavalry Spin may be the key to victory."

"But why can he hurt the President? What is the principle behind this?"

"Gyro is indeed Johnny's mentor in life! Every time Johnny is in despair, he will stand up again and give the other party confidence."

But in any case, Gyro did hit the President! This also means that they are not helpless; they already have the means to fight the President.

【 Speaking of this, Johnny had regained his spirits and looked at Gyro again: "Gyro! What do you want to say? What kind of Spin did you just use?"】

"I don't know..." Gyro looked ahead and then replied to him. "The only thing I know now is that the President's hair was torn off. Now there is only this one result, and as for the reason, I don't know!"

The detached car had completely stopped at this time. The two turned their horses and looked at the other side together! Here we go again....

Chapter 135: Early Danger, Johnny!

Chapter Text

Zeppeli borrowed strength from his horse, and the iron ball he unleashed actually injured the President in the dimensional crevice. This so-called Cavalry Spin has never been witnessed by anyone!

【 Looking at the battlefield not far away, Zeppeli looked at the iron ball in his hand and boldly hypothesized, "If the core of the Spin is the Golden Ratio, then if we can make the horse run in a Golden Rectangle, can we activate the ability?"

"Then the running posture of the steed must be a Golden Rectangle. We must let the steed relax in a posture that feels good to itself, naturally galloping on the grass."

"It's like the horse itself expressing gratitude for being born on this land. This is the Golden Rectangle created by the steed. If we can do this, then the two of us will definitely win. His hair has been pulled out, which is proof that the attack is effective."

The two of them on horseback were only a few dozen meters away from the train car at this time. The President in the car clearly saw their actions!

"They are both still on horseback... why?"

"Why aren't they running away? In the previous exchange, they should have recognized the situation. The Corpse Parts are already mine, and they can't take them away. They should feel despair."

Filled with bewilderment, the President left the train car, and the three of them met eyes. The final showdown was about to begin!

"He's shown himself... Let's go, Johnny!" Zeppeli, on horseback, stared at the President. "Only one chance. We must attack when the horse's posture is in a Golden Rectangle!"

The two of them tightened their reins and quickly charged towards the President, who slowly stepped out of the train car. As D4C slowly appeared, his body once again emitted golden light.

After a distortion, the President once again drilled into the crevice and disappeared from their sight. This time, he placed the crevice under the railroad tracks, and the railroad ties popped up with crackling sounds!

Then, he rushed towards them along the railroad track, hugging the ground. The two of them had no way to attack him.

Seeing the President getting closer and closer, Johnny and Zeppeli separated to the left and right and jumped off the railroad track. Amidst the sound of explosions, the railroad ties flew everywhere, and the President ran down the slope, heading straight for Johnny along the grass.

"He's running towards me! He plans to take care of me first!"

Just as he was about to catch up, Johnny turned around and fired two Nail Bullets. Zeppeli, on the side, shouted, "Not yet, Johnny!!... Don't activate the Nail Bullets yet!"

"The rectangular running posture hasn't formed yet! We must wait until our steed runs out of the perfect Golden Rectangle before borrowing its power to attack."

"We can't deliver a perfect strike in the current state!"

But the enemy was getting closer and closer. Johnny panicked and, ignoring Zeppeli's advice, fired another Nail Bullet. This Nail Bullet, like before, was sent to the other side of the world by the Love Train, and an innocent civilian died tragically. Space was constantly being folded, and the surrounding forests were moving closer to the train.

......

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"This won't work... There's no chance at all."

Ritsuka Fujimaru frowned; he quite liked the friendship between Zeppeli and Johnny and didn't want them to die here.

Mash, standing next to him, looked at the President chasing Johnny and said worriedly,

"Could it be that the President has discovered their purpose?"

In her opinion, the President had discovered something, and that's why he was chasing Johnny so relentlessly! But that shouldn't be the case, right? If he really discovered it, shouldn't he have taken care of Zeppeli, who was just hit?!

Ritsuka Fujimaru shook his head and voiced his guess.

"He probably hasn't discovered it! After all, in his opinion, Zeppeli was seriously injured in the previous battle and doesn't pose much of a threat to him. That's why he wants to take care of Johnny first!"

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"How is it possible to make a horse run in a Golden Rectangle?"

Mikoto Misaka, in Academy City, said that she believed in science and that this was simply impossible.

"That's right, that's right!"

Kuroko Shirai hugged Mikoto Misaka.

"Big sister is right! And is it really possible that borrowing power from the horse will have different effects?"

In fact, in the eyes of the audience outside the video, borrowing power from the horse would only increase the strength a little. Could it really trigger different miracles?

【 Space was constantly being folded, and the surrounding forests were moving closer to the train. If he continued forward, Johnny would definitely be thrown off his horse by the constantly shrinking gaps between the trees.

If he turned back, he would be attacked by the President. Hesitating, Johnny's horse actually formed a Golden Rectangle! The hooves, the body, the head, and even the stirrups that Johnny was stepping on had all reached the Golden Ratio.

Zeppeli, in the distance, immediately shouted at Johnny, "Now's the time!"

"At this moment! Your steed is in the Golden Rectangle. The horse's posture has formed a perfect Golden Spin!"

Hearing Zeppeli's shout, Johnny exerted strength in his feet, borrowing the momentum of the horse's gallop, and once again spun up the Golden Spin Nail Bullet! This strike will be an unprecedented critical hit!

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is it finally coming!! Success or failure depends on this strike. If it can really cause damage to the President like Zeppeli did just now, then they'll win."

"And the President isn't defending right now. He still thinks that Johnny's Nail Bullets can't affect him at all, so now is the best time."

"Once they miss this opportunity, perhaps the President will be on guard later, and it will be even more difficult to defeat him."

Countless viewers from all over the world were looking forward to seeing what kind of effect this strike would have. Would it continue to be transferred out? Or would it kill the President on the spot?

【 Just as the moment of the final showdown arrived, just as Johnny was about to activate the Nail Bullet, suddenly the trees in front of Johnny shrank by several meters, and his head directly hit a branch!

His head directly hit a branch. This perfect Cavalry Spin was also interrupted. By the time Johnny recovered, the President had already rushed in front of him. Johnny hastily attacked, but the President took the lead and chopped off his wrist with a palm.

Johnny's face was filled with surprise. Before Johnny could land, the President grabbed his throat and slammed him heavily into the grass. D4C's left palm became a knife, aiming directly at Johnny's head.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Damn it!! Could this also be a miracle caused by the Corpse Parts? It actually interrupted the charge!"

"You have to know that it was so hard for the horse to run in this Golden Rectangle posture. I'm afraid there won't be such a good opportunity next time."

"Now Johnny's hand has been broken, and there's no Hot Pants's meat spray to recover it! This also means that the Nail Bullets have been directly reduced by 5!"

Seeing this great opportunity being interfered with by a sudden tree branch, the audience also felt sorry... And now it was Johnny's turn to be in danger. The President was already going straight for the vital point!

【 At the critical moment, Zeppeli once again attacked, sending a spinning iron ball straight at the President.

The President's D4C is the only Stand that possesses the ability to travel through parallel universes. If he doesn't activate his ability, no one else can travel.

But besides D4C, there is another thing in nature that can travel between dimensions, and that is gravity. Once there is a lack of gravitational pull, the President, who is moving between dimensions, will disintegrate and dissipate into various dimensions because he cannot maintain his human form.

If there is really a power that can defeat the President who travels back and forth, then this power must be gravity!

If gravity can be artificially created and used to attack the President, then any dimensional barrier should be easily penetrated.

This is also the ability that Zeppeli envisioned to unleash after the Cavalry Spin is successful.

Zeppeli's spinning iron ball was noticed by the President in time, and he decisively stopped and hid in the crevice. Zeppeli's iron ball attack was also sent elsewhere by the crevice.

After dodging this attack, the President reappeared and aimed at Johnny again. If this palm landed, Johnny would definitely die. It was obviously too late to save him again. Zeppeli could only watch in despair!

"Johnny!!!!!"

Just as the hand knife was about to fall, a white mouse suddenly ran out of the grass. The President was startled, and D4C's hand stopped in mid-air!

"What is it? Is it a mouse?... Did the white mouse just come to this area along with the surface?"

Thinking of this, the white mouse had already burrowed into the grass and disappeared. The President came back to his senses and attacked again, but found that he couldn't reach Johnny!

The glowing crevice he was in was emitted by Lucy. This light was constantly contracting backwards, which meant that Lucy was moving, Lucy was gradually moving away from him!

The President's face was full of surprise at this time, "What's going on? Lucy isn't breathing anymore..."

"She should have completely assimilated with the Saint and turned into a Corpse Part! How is it possible for her to move?"

But whether he believed it or not, this was a fact that was happening. Zeppeli was also extremely surprised. He rode his horse to the front of the train car before he could see the situation clearly. It was Steven Steel.

It turned out that Mr. Steel had woken up. He was now holding Lucy and struggling to move his feet in the opposite direction to the President! The golden crevice was also constantly moving backward with Lucy's movement!

The President, in the golden crevice, was also forced to move away from Johnny, which saved Johnny's life!

The President was now full of anger. He was only one step away from taking Johnny Joestar's life, but he was stopped! So he hurriedly pulled away and went straight for Mr. Steel.

Mr. Steel, who had been shot several times, was unable to continue running away. Looking at Zeppeli on the side, Mr. Steel spat out blood and said to him.

"Please... take Lucy and run away! Before she completely turns into a Corpse Part... I can feel that Lucy is still alive!"

Lucy's body gradually returned to its original state and began to breathe again as she moved away from the President. Time was running out, and Zeppeli had no time to hesitate.

Zeppeli looked at Johnny on the ground, then looked at the approaching President, and then resolutely ran towards Lucy!

Chapter 136: Gyro vs Presiden

Chapter Text

【 In a flash of lightning, Gyro took a small step ahead, pulling Lucy onto the horse. D4C's fist struck from behind, and Gyro quickly ducked, barely dodging it. Then, Gyro's steed galloped forward with all its might, instantly covering more than ten meters!

Seeing the excellent situation ruined, the President gritted his teeth in anger! He reached out and grabbed Steel, who was still in place, then gently lifted him up and pinched his neck.

"Who do you think you are? You really think you're Lucy's father? Your foolish actions have hindered the future and happiness of our country."

"Now that the goddess has been born, the system devised by those fools can never maintain prosperity and stability. A superpower must take up the first napkin! Only then can a new order be established!"

"And the beginning of all this must have the assistance of the goddess, but you are obstructing it for your own selfish desires."

Saying this, the President threw Steel to the ground: "Even so, I will forgive your mistake. Because before getting on the train, I promised Lucy that I would never take your life. I'll settle this account with you slowly later!"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect the President to be quite principled! It seems his starting point is good, after all, it's for his country."

"Now there's another person on Gyro's horse! The battle will only be more difficult."

The people outside the video more or less disagreed with the President's reasons for fighting for the Corpse! Instead of thinking about how to make the people of a country happy, he wants to use the Corpse to achieve this grand vision!

But doing so also means transferring all the misfortunes of this country to other people in the world! This will only cause more innocent people to die...

【 The President also looked at Gyro again. Under the influence of the Corpse, everything around him was constantly approaching him. This, of course, included the ocean.

Gyro was running east. At this speed, he would soon see the Atlantic Ocean, attracted by the Corpse!

The President was not in a hurry to chase him because he knew he would run into a dead end.

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Holy crap!! This is too outrageous. Even the Atlantic Ocean has been attracted. How exaggerated is this Corpse?"

"How does this Saint Corpse possess such powerful power!! It takes so much strength to move even the Atlantic Ocean?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Yare yare daze~ It was already outrageous enough to move the continent, but now even the Atlantic Ocean has been pulled over."

Even Jotaro couldn't help but show surprise in his eyes! As a marine biologist with a Ph.D., he even considered whether this would cause crustal movement.

And is this miracle temporary or permanent? If it's permanent, then it's troublesome, and the world map will have to be rewritten.

【 At the same time, Johnny, on the other side, was not optimistic either. His left hand was cut off, and the huge wound, like Gyro's bite by a fish, began to move up his arm. Such a terrifying wound, placed anywhere on the torso, would be fatal.

Seeing the wound heading straight for his heart, Johnny decisively fired two nail bullets at his chest. Under the rotation of Tusk ACT3, the wound was also taken away from his body! It ran to a tree beside him, and as the tree trunk exploded, Johnny finally escaped danger.

.....

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Fortunately, Johnny's Stand evolved to Tusk ACT3 and has the ability to move in the bullet holes! Otherwise, he would have definitely died just now."

Bucciarati pondered, but he still couldn't think of a way to defeat the President! Just the gaps in space alone made him invincible.

Giorno was a little puzzled. Was the tree branch breaking Johnny's Cavalry Spin just a coincidence? Or was there some irresistible factor?

Looking up, Gyro had already rushed out a hundred meters, and the President also dived into the gap, following closely behind.

"Gyro... he saved my life with the Steel Ball! But he left the Steel Ball behind. Now, he only has one ball left, and his combat power is halved. I must catch up with the ball now!"

Johnny reached out and picked up the Steel Ball that had just fallen to the side, but the scene in front of him stunned him.

The Steel Ball that Stopped the President and Saved His Life. There was actually an ear stuck to it.

Johnny was full of surprise at this moment! His eyes were full of incomprehension: "What's going on?... What the hell is stuck to the Steel Ball? This is!!"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Didn't the President even feel it? He didn't feel pain even when his ear was torn off... Or is he completely unable to feel pain!!"

"The first time, he just got his hair caught! Now the second time, he even tore off the President's ear! Gyro is also gradually becoming proficient in the Cavalry Spin..."

"Maybe the third time, he can completely end the President's life, after all, he really broke through the space gap and hit the President!"

Although this legendary Cavalry Spin is only a glimpse of the door, it can already break through the space gap! At this moment, everyone is even more looking forward to what the effect of a real Cavalry Spin will be.

【 Johnny was also puzzled at this moment. Could this be the true power of the Cavalry Spin? As the Love Train continued to activate, the ocean was gradually pulled over. Gyro will face a dead end if he doesn't go far!

Thinking of this, Johnny also braced himself, picked up his broken limb and Gyro's ball, and chased after him on horseback!

Gyro galloped on horseback, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the seaside, but the amazing thing was that the attracted seawater could only reach around Lucy. Even if they ran into the sea, they wouldn't get even a drop of water on their bodies, and Lucy's breathing and body shape were gradually recovering.

The farther away from the President, the weaker the Corpse's effect on Lucy. As long as they run all the way into the sea, the President will not be able to catch up.

But Gyro never thought of running away. He turned his head to look at the President, who was gradually chasing after him: "I decided to have a complete showdown with Valentine near the seaside!"

"D4C's ability to travel through time and space. I still don't fully understand what's going on, but I know that the President must come out of that gap to attack them."

"Now on the ocean! When the President activates his ability to run to the same location in a parallel world, he will dive into the sea without the Corpse."

"If there is a risk of drowning, the President's ability will be greatly restricted. Taking a step back, even if there is this glowing gap in the parallel world for him to hide in, his activity will be restricted to this small road!"

.....

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect Gyro to be able to think of such a brilliant countermeasure with only a half-knowledge of the President's ability."

"Sure enough, the IQ of the Stand users in that world is beyond the comparison of ordinary people when they fight."

~Bleach World~

"Not Bad..."

Even Aizen couldn't help but praise,

"Since you can't stop the other party from activating their ability, then limit the range of their ability to activate as much as possible."

Gyro's calmness and composure really exceeded his imagination. As he said, if President Valentine were to travel to the same location in a parallel world.

Then, he will inevitably be in an ocean, which means that the time he can attack will be greatly reduced due to the possibility of suffocation.

And when the President attacks, it is also Gyro's best time to counterattack! He only has one Steel Ball left now, and success or failure depends on this one move.

Chapter 137: Ball Breaker!!

Chapter Text

【 Gyro and Lucy sprinted all the way, plunging into the Atlantic Ocean. The turbulent seawater was split in two by the light emanating from Lucy. The pursuing President Valentine also stepped on the golden light, heading straight for Gyro in the middle of the ocean.

This narrow path was their final dueling ground. With severely limited space, Gyro's skill accuracy would increase dramatically. At this moment, the President felt a hint of doubt in his heart!

"From the beginning... there's something about Gyro Zeppeli that I find puzzling!"

"After the previous exchanges, Gyro should be aware of the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap's ability. No matter how many times he attacks, the damage from the Steel Balls will be redirected elsewhere. So why is he turning back to fight? Shouldn't he be running for his life?"

"Also, why is he still on horseback? In previous life-or-death battles, he would dismount to fight..."

"Gyro Zeppeli... he and Steel are completely different types of people! Every action Gyro takes is supported by a theoretical basis, and his confidence stems from his own skills and heritage. Could it be that Gyro is secretly plotting something?"

Walking in the golden light, the President was filled with doubt. The two faced each other in silence, with only the continuous sound of waves filling the air.

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This is bad! If the President realizes that the other side can hurt him, he will become even more cautious!"

"And the President, based on the brief exchange just now, has seen that Gyro is different from usual. If he attacks the horse, he won't be able to use the Cavalry Spin!"

"Fortunately, the President only suspects something at the moment. He hasn't realized that he's already injured, which means there's still a chance."

The two's silent confrontation also gave everyone an extraordinary sense of tension, just like a Western cowboy duel. Gyro now only had one Steel Ball left! And only one chance.

【 Seeing Gyro remain still, the President stepped completely out of the gap. The sea breeze howled, blowing his long hair. Suddenly, the President felt a coolness on his cheek!

Suddenly, a look of horror appeared on his face. He now realized that his left ear was gone: "When... did this happen?! Could it have been from just now?!"

Looking at Gyro on horseback, the President's relaxed expression completely disappeared, and his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Could it be that his Steel Balls can penetrate the dimensional wall?"

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Too bad, he's been found out. Now that the President is on guard, he probably won't avoid attacks like before."

"Speaking of which, does the President have such a long reaction time? He only feels it now that his ear is gone."

"Now both sides are wary of each other's abilities, so they probably won't act rashly. Every step from now on will be crucial! One wrong step and the whole game will be lost."

【 Gyro decided to strike first! He turned around and launched a charge. He and the President were dozens of meters apart, enough distance for his horse to run and gather momentum.

The rotational power filled his body. Gyro held a ball in one hand and urged his horse with the other, charging straight at the President.

Seeing this scene, the President finally understood the reason. Gyro's attack just now must have borrowed the power of his mount. Now, he had to take down the horse beneath him.

The President, now on guard, no longer relied on the protection of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap! Seeing Gyro getting closer and closer, the President plunged directly into the waves, using the gap between the seawater and the land to travel to another parallel world!

Seeing that the target had disappeared, Gyro had no choice but to stop his horse and stand by to observe. The sea surged, stirring up layers of white waves. Every wave that crashed on the shore was a corridor for the President to travel through at will.

"There are no Saint's Corpse parts in the parallel world, and there won't be this open space in the middle of the sea. If the President stays in it for a long time, he will definitely drown. He will definitely attack immediately."

Suddenly, Johnny's anxious shout came from behind Gyro:

"Gyro!! Watch out for the President, he already knows the secret of the Spin!"

Taking advantage of Gyro's distraction, the President emerged from under the seawater, and there were two Presidents! He had brought his parallel-world self with him.

【 ..... 】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Seeing two Presidents appear, Shirou Emiya muttered,

"Damn it!!"

"What's wrong?"

Rin Tohsaka was a little puzzled. It was just pulling out another President. After all, even pulling out three or four had been defeated by Diego before, so this time, it shouldn't be a problem.

Finally, Shirou Emiya explained,

"The key isn't how many Presidents he pulls out! The key is that Gyro only has one Steel Ball left now. Which means if this attack can't hit the base world's President, it's completely over."

Most of the people outside the screen also thought of this. It has to be said that the President's move was indeed good! Now it depended on whether Gyro could distinguish which was the base world's President!

【 Even Gyro, who was usually calm, panicked for a moment, "There's only one Steel Ball, it has to hit in one shot. Which one is the real President of the base world?"

"Which one is the real one? If I don't determine the target, my mount will be attacked..."

At the critical moment! Johnny immediately shouted anxiously, "Ear!! The President of the base world has an injured ear!"】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Johnny's shout made everyone outside the video suddenly wake up!

That's right! The President of the base world had an injured ear; as long as they observed carefully, they could determine which was the real President!

~Bungo Stray Dogs World~

"That's true..."

Osamu Dazai first agreed, then shook his head.

"But that's under normal circumstances! Don't forget. The President can go to parallel worlds to replace his body. Maybe he's already replaced his body on purpose to trick Gyro into attacking first."

【 The next second, the two Presidents jumped out of the water together, rushing towards Gyro from the left and right. As the President got closer and closer, Lucy behind Gyro once again transformed into the Corpse Part, crackling on her face, splitting open a gap, and the golden light of folded space-time shot out from it...

"Ear..."

Gyro carefully observed his surroundings at this moment and finally found that the one on the left did indeed only have one ear left. Gyro was about to attack, but a trace of doubt flashed in his mind again!

"The President can freely travel to parallel worlds and replace his body. The ear can't be used as a basis for judgment at all!"

"The one who has Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and can use the Love Train is the real one! The light emanating from Lucy's body is the President's path!"

"There's another President behind me!! That's the real one!"

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"These people playing mind games are all dirty... a reversal after a reversal! If I were Gyro, I'm afraid I would have died on the spot."

"I didn't expect the President to be so smart! Actually, the first two were fake, and the real body was hiding behind to seize the opportunity."

"But fortunately, Gyro discovered that the golden light erupting from Lucy's Corpse Part was his path of movement! Now the President is doomed."

【 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap had just emerged from the gap in space when Gyro's Steel Ball came head-on. With the reinforcement of the Love Train, this attack should have been transferred elsewhere, sent somewhere in the world, but the Love Train showed no signs of activating at all.

"What?!"

The President looked at the Steel Ball that had not been transferred, filled with horror! Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap's hand was shattered by the Steel Ball on the spot!

Seeing that the situation was not good, the President immediately pulled Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap:

"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!! Immediately hide in the space-time gap!"

Unexpectedly, the Steel Ball pierced through the barrier of space-time and directly hit his head. This was the true power of the Cavalry Spin!

Gyro's Stand, Ball Breaker, awakened at this moment, chasing after the President into the gap! Looking at the green thing in front of him, the President was already sweating profusely!

"How is this possible!... Besides Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, is there any other power that can travel through dimensional barriers?"

Before the President could recover, his body changed. The part that had just been grazed by the Steel Ball was losing hair. The entire left half of his body began to age rapidly, instantly turning him into an eighty or ninety-year-old, and even his teeth began to fall out.

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Although it was expected, seeing it with their own eyes still made everyone completely quiet.

"I'm not dreaming, am I! It actually... broke through the defense of the dimensional wall!! Successfully hit the President, is this really something that can be done with skill alone?"

"And that's a Stand!! Gyro didn't expect to finally awaken his Stand at this critical moment! How did he do it?"

"And it looks like the ability is aging! In just a short moment, he's already turned into an eighty or ninety-year-old!"

"Is this the true power of the Cavalry Spin? It not only broke through the defense of the dimensional wall but also allowed the user to awaken his Stand!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

The people in other worlds didn't understand how Gyro's Stand was born, but Dio knew very well.

A smirk curled his lips as the wine in his glass swirled like fate itself.

"Stands are the ultimate manifestation of one’s will—when a mortal’s pitiful ‘technique’ claws its way to the apex, the soul answers with power. How… amusing."

He crushed the glass, crimson droplets freezing midair.

"Though none shall ever reach my perfection."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Prosciutto, looking at the aging President, also understood that Gyro's suddenly appearing Stand, Ball Breaker, actually had the same ability as aging.

"Is it my turn to have the same ability as my Stand, Grateful Dead? What a chaotic world."

He won this time! The President didn't have time to replace his body in a parallel world at this moment. After a while, he would completely die of old age!

The President, whose body was aging rapidly, covered his body and gasped for breath: "What exactly is going on? This is the Steel Ball Spin that transcends the dimensional wall!"

Even half of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap's head was blown off! Gyro's Steel Ball returned to his hand, and the President broke away from the gap and fell to the ground.

"Success!! The Golden Spin was successful!"

Johnny, in the distance, shouted excitedly upon seeing this.

Although the main body fell to the ground, there were still two Presidents behind him. Gyro casually threw the Steel Ball with his left hand, and it directly hit one of them in the face, using the rotational power to control the muscles.

This was Gyro's old trick. The President, who was hit directly, pointed the gun at his teammate!

As soon as the gunshot rang, One Ear fell to the ground in response. The Steel Ball rotated slightly, and the President's gun turned around again, pointing at his own temple!

In the huge waves, the two Presidents turned over and fell into the water one after another, sinking to the bottom of the ocean. The winner of this battle was Gyro... Gyro Zeppeli.

Gyro actually relied on his own strength to personally penetrate the guy of God. Johnny, in the distance, also began to shout and celebrate the hard-won victory!

"We won... we won!! We finally won!"

So, did the President's main body die?

Gyro Zeppeli looked in that direction and found that the fallen Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap actually sat up, and the fallen President showed a strange smile, constantly saying something in his mouth.

"One move! Who is the one who is one move short?"

Then he also sat up, looking at Gyro Zeppeli in the distance, "Anyway, it's not me!!"】

【 ..... 】

Chapter 138: Lesson 5! A long detour is the shortest shortcut

Chapter Text

 

~Projection of All Worlds~

Why hasn't the President been eliminated yet? And what exactly does that last sentence mean?... Looking at the President's eerie smile, the crowd, who were originally happy, felt a chill for no reason.

"A miscalculation?!... Did the President do something at the end? But the President didn't go to a parallel universe to replace his body!"

"And even if we can't completely defeat the President now, at least Gyro already has a way to break through the President's defense! And Johnny is also nearby, we just need to do it one more time."

"Damn it! My head hurts... If I keep watching, I feel like I'm going to grow a brain. I still don't understand what this so-called miscalculation is about?"

~Bungo Stray Dogs World~

"A miscalculation?!"

Ranpo, who had been squinting, also opened his eyes, looking at the confident President who slowly stood up.

"But no matter how I look at it, I didn't see the President do anything in that instant?"

The dimensional wall can't transfer the Steel Ball of the Cavalry Spin... The only thing the President can do is escape to an alternate reality! Is there still a detail we haven't discovered that can affect the situation?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Old Joseph, equally confused, turned his gaze to Jotaro:

"Jotaro!! Did your Star Platinum see any details?!"

Jotaro retracted Star Platinum into his body and shook his head! Even Star Platinum, with its extremely high precision, didn't see any details.

Gyro's attack did indeed hit the President, and we didn't see the President do anything...

At that moment, Jotaro had a bad feeling; his intuition told him that what the President had said was true...

【 As the President chanted, he stood up again. Gyro's abdomen was now bleeding, the first shot fired by the parallel President, Gyro, failed to dodge!!

A ray of sunlight shone down from above the President's head, illuminating only the sealed ground beneath his feet. Lucy's body was still bursting, constantly making crackling sounds!

Seeing this scene, Johnny was shocked, "Half of her body is aging... but she still stood up?!"

Without time to think, Johnny continued to rush forward, now only ten meters away from Gyro. he had a premonition! Before he could get close, this battle would be completely over!

The President and Gyro had both prepared their final blow!

【 ..... 】

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"This battle! No matter the outcome, Gyro will surely die..."

Upon hearing Giorno say such discouraging words, Abbacchio grabbed his collar,

"You newbie! What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean Gyro is doomed?"

Bucciarati glanced to the side and then slowly said,

"Stop it... Abbacchio! Giorno is right!"

"Have you forgotten?... The other function of the Saint's Corpse."

Everyone was suddenly shocked! Just like when Johnny's hand was cut off, the wound would move to other places. Perhaps Gyro was only injured in the abdomen now, not a fatal wound.

But what about when the wound moves?! Once it moves to the heart, Gyro Zeppeli will surely die.

【 At this moment, the President stepped forward in the golden light, and the gunshot wound on Gyro's waist began to move upwards as before, heading straight for his heart. The President said as he advanced.

"That wound will kill you. Before that, you can enter the light shot by Lucy, as long as you enter it, others will bear all the disadvantages on your body."

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Gyro... won't do that! If it were Johnny, who possesses a dark determination, he might really do as the President said, enter the light and have others bear it!"

"Gyro Zeppeli is Johnny's guide and his life mentor. Gyro has a noble spirit and would never choose to transfer his misfortune to others."

Regardless of whether what the President said is true, everyone who has been watching Gyro and Johnny grow up understands what kind of person Gyro Zeppeli is!

Gyro has whimsical words and deeds! He is very knowledgeable in theory and mostly acts accordingly. He adheres to principles and always insists on following the path he believes in without compromise!

【 Gyro didn't reply, his eyes full of disdain and contempt, the wound bleeding as it continued to move toward his heart. Gyro suddenly turned to look at Johnny!

"Johnny!!! It's time for Lesson 5... That's right... I remember it clearly!"

"Next is Lesson 5!"

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone was familiar with Gyro's words, but they didn't expect there to be a Lesson 5!! And what will this fifth lesson be about?

Lesson 1: Don't have any strange expectations of me

Lesson 2: Don't let your muscles notice

Lesson 3: Believe in the Spin. Just believe

Lesson 4: Express respect. Express respect, and then move towards a new stage of the Spin

Lesson 5: ???

And with each lesson, Johnny's spirit will grow significantly, evolving into new powers! I wonder what kind of growth the so-called Lesson 5 will bring to Johnny.

Faced with Johnny's incomprehension, Gyro gripped the Steel Ball in his hand and continued, "In this race, I always try to find the shortest shortcut."

"But in fact, the shortest route is to take a detour; taking a detour is the shortest shortcut. On this journey across the continent, I have always followed this principle!"

"Johnny, thanks to your companionship, I have been able to persevere until now."

Johnny was dumbfounded. Lesson 5? Why say it at this juncture?

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Taking a detour is the shortest shortcut! This is Lesson 5!"

"Rather than a lesson, it's more like Gyro Zeppeli's last words to Johnny..."

"But this so-called Lesson 5 can probably only be understood by Johnny, who has adventured with Gyro, what it means, right?"

Indeed, Gyro has always taken shortcuts in this Steel Ball Run race. But in reality, these so-called shortcuts may be "detours".

Although these roads are the shortest in distance, huge risks and challenges accompany them, and a slight carelessness will directly disqualify them from the race and cause them to lose the entire game.

So these roads, although read as shortcuts, are written as detours that require courage, decisiveness, and wisdom...

【 Before Johnny could recover, Gyro had already spurred his horse towards Valentine! The Golden Spin also rose from the ground, reaching the Steel Ball in Gyro's hand.

The waves surged endlessly. In the blink of an eye, there was only one horse's length between the two. The President slipped into the gap, moving along the golden light!

Gyro's Stand, Ball Breaker, also appeared on the Steel Ball. The President had arrived behind Gyro, and D4C couldn't wait to strike with a palm in the air.

But Gyro's Steel Ball was thrown backwards, reaching the President's face first, the small green Stand once again penetrated the barriers of time and space, even the President couldn't help but exclaim!

"This terrifying energy!! Is this the infinite rotation of the Steel Ball?!"

"Is this the truth of nature? Or the forgotten wisdom of mankind? I never thought that there would be a technology in this world that could traverse dimensional walls."

"But it ends here! Gyro Zeppeli... this is your limit!"

As he spoke, the President's expression suddenly became serious, "From the moment you touched the Steel Ball, you already noticed it, right?"

D4C struck Gyro's vitals with a backhand blow; the horse continued to gallop forward, and the two separated.

The President, hit by Gyro's Stand ability, looked back and couldn't help but be amazed.

"Terrifying! Your ability is truly terrifying."

"But ah! The goddess favors me, I Valentine!... am the one who is one step ahead!!"

"D4C Love Train will transfer unfortunate things elsewhere. The reason why the first Cavalry Spin didn't completely defeat me is because the Steel Ball passed through that gap."

"Although it was only for a brief moment, a part of the Steel Ball was erased by that gap and transferred elsewhere. So, from just now, Gyro Zeppeli... your ball has been shaved into an ellipse."

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The Steel Ball has been shaved into an ellipse, which also means that from just now, Gyro has been completely unable to unleash the perfect Cavalry Spin!"

"If the first one hadn't passed through that gap... or if he had a second Steel Ball! Then the President's dimensional barrier would have been completely destroyed."

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Fujimaru Ritsuka finally woke up, he now understood why the President was so confident in standing up again, it turned out that he knew from the beginning that Gyro Zeppeli... could no longer unleash that attack just now!

"Gyro understood it the moment he touched the Steel Ball, so he was saying those last farewell-like words to Johnny."

There was no way now. D4C's attack just now was undoubtedly fatal, and even if D4C hadn't attacked, Gyro would still die because the gunshot wound on his body would transfer to his heart!

Although he didn't want to admit it, it was indeed as the President said; the goddess of victory was already on his side.

【 The President's hair had fallen out due to Ball Breaker's ability. Looking at Gyro's embarrassed appearance, the President also showed joy.

"You made Lucy ride your horse... and forced me to this point! But that's why your Steel Ball was shaved into an ellipse."

The attack just now was fatal. Gyro reached out to cover the wound, looking back at Lucy. Was this journey right or wrong? It didn't matter anymore.

In the light, the Steel Ball rotated back towards Gyro's hand, but before he could catch it! Gyro had already fallen off his horse...

The waves were still surging, and Johnny couldn't believe the scene before him, recalling his first encounter with Gyro here... the various past events flashed through Johnny's mind like a revolving lantern.

His growth along the way seemed inseparable from Gyro's figure! He seemed to return to the conversation after the storm battle.

"Gyro... why doesn't your horse carry women?"

Gyro shielded the sun with one hand, looking towards Johnny's horse's back. "My horse's back is carrying the goddess of victory! If I let another woman sit on it, she will be jealous."

【 ..... 】

Chapter 139: Tusk 4 Appears!! Perfect Cavalry Spin

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

The departure of Gyro Zeppeli inevitably filled everyone's hearts with sorrow. This final battle was ultimately a move short, losing to the President.

"Perhaps, as he said, Gyro's horseback carried Lucy, and the goddess of victory was jealous…"

"It's such a pity… It was just a little bit more! It's truly frustrating!"

"But right now, the one in the most pain is probably John~ny…"

Gyro, as both a mentor and a friend, could be said to be Johnny's only friend. You must know that once, for Gyro! Johnny was even willing to give up the Saint's Corpse, which held his hope…

Now, Gyro's departure is undoubtedly a major blow to Johnny. The viewers watching the video were helpless and could only watch the painful Johnny in the video, unable to help but sigh…

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"The reason Gyro Zeppeli didn't jump into Lucy's light to transfer the damage and protect himself is because Gyro Zeppeli possesses the Golden Spirit!! It is precisely because he possesses the Golden Spirit that he wouldn't allow himself to do that!"

Old Joseph wiped away his tears. This scene reminded him of an old friend! A friend who once possessed the same noble spirit…

"Yes! It is precisely because of this noble spirit that we are able to live until now, and this spirit will continue to be passed down."

Jotaro nodded, continuing to focus his gaze on the screen.

From here on out, it's up to you, Johnny Joestar.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

Caesar Zeppeli tore off his headband, saying with a sorrowful heart.

"Although I don't know who you are. But you have not disgraced the name of Zeppeli!"

"This is the Zeppeli family, filled with glory!!! This is the Zeppeli spirit passed down through generations! It is the spirit of humanity!"

Although everyone was filled with sadness, the video had not ended yet. How would Johnny, now alone, defeat the President?

......

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I'm afraid there's no chance anymore. Johnny has lost one hand, which means the Nail Bullets have been directly reduced by half!"

"Moreover, now that the President has learned from his mistakes, he will probably attack Johnny's horse at the first opportunity, and Johnny's legs are paralyzed… Without a horse, he will not be able to move at all, nor will he be able to perform the Cavalry Spin!"

Now, everyone hopes that Johnny can escape the President and then avenge Gyro after learning the perfect Cavalry Spin.

【 “Ugh…!… Ugh…” Thinking of this, Johnny was already in so much pain that he couldn't breathe. Helpless, he could only tightly hug the remaining Steel Ball in his arms.

Gyro was both a mentor and a friend to Johnny, and also the last ray of light in his life. Gyro's death completely shattered his last bit of hope.

At this moment, the President was walking towards Johnny, saying, "Johnny Joestar… Now it's your turn!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the President picked up the handgun that had fallen on the ground and fired several shots at Gyro's corpse. The waves surged over, and Gyro's corpse was swallowed up.

Johnny, on the side, was crying and breathing heavily. This unprecedented sense of despair had made him almost forget how to breathe.

Seeing Johnny in this state, the President, bathed in golden light, leisurely continued to walk towards Johnny. Johnny roared and fired a Nail Bullet at the President!

But the moment it hit, it was transferred elsewhere as usual. Johnny even saw an African boy die instantly as a result.

【 .... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"If he doesn't use the Cavalry Spin… his attacks will continue to be transferred by the President, and another innocent person will suffer in his place."

Gyro Zeppeli's death had already broken Johnny. Seeing this scene, everyone could only sigh, unable to see any hope of defeating the President…

This will only waste Nail Bullets, causing more innocent people to suffer for nothing!

【 “Run!” In a panic, Johnny forcefully gripped the reins in his hand.

“I have to make the horse run… I need to borrow the power of the mount!”

Seeing the President approaching from behind, Johnny controlled the horse to retreat a few steps, then turned around and fired a few Nail Bullets. The President didn't even bother to look.

The bullet holes were directly teleported to other places, and two more innocent civilians at a train station in a certain country suffered in their place.

Johnny pulled the horse around, jumping up and down, dodging the President's attacks while gathering strength. He finally managed to charge up one shot, but the President dodged to his blind spot.

When Johnny saw him again, the President had already used the gap between the water and the ground to travel to a parallel world.

Johnny hurriedly attacked, but his movements were already deformed, and it could only be transferred to other places like before!

Then suddenly, the President attacked from the side. The Nail Bullet had not yet been charged, and D4C's hand blade had already struck, hitting the horse's throat directly.

This old horse, which had accompanied Johnny Joestar across most of the map, also fell into the waves, bleeding.

【 .... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone shook their heads, unable to bear to watch anymore. Now there was absolutely no chance… The prerequisite for the Cavalry Spin was to have a horse to borrow strength from! Now, even the only horse had been dealt with.

There was only one Nail Bullet left in his hand… Without being able to perform the Cavalry Spin, it could only be transferred for nothing and would not be of any use at all!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Although Shirou Emiya, at this time, did not believe that there could be any turnaround,

"It's already very good to be able to do this much!"

Rin Tohsaka, next to him, was slightly stunned, as if what he said made sense. After all, the opponent could play with parallel worlds! Moreover, Johnny and Gyro played with nails and steel balls, respectively.

In this way, it seemed that losing was not unjustified…

~Jujutsu Kaisen World Future Timeline~

"It seems that it can only end here…"

Satoru Gojo, with his Six Eyes, put his blindfold back on.

The pre-requisite for victory had already been dealt with by the President! This battle had already been decided.

【 At this moment, the President became extremely arrogant and even walked directly in front of Johnny and spoke.

“Johnny Joestar… You only have one Nail Bullet left! I'll give you this one chance.”

“Shoot it out, you will become the last sacrifice. The trial will also end with your bloody failure.”

The last Nail Bullet on Johnny's finger had already begun to spin at high speed. He kept thinking about what Lesson 5 meant.

At that critical moment, Gyro would never say meaningless words. The shortest shortcut is to take the long way around.

“The shortest shortcut…!!”

The President had already taken another step forward at this time. “Come on! Johnny Joestar… I'll let you fire the Nail Bullet first!”

As soon as he said that, the President saw the high-speed spinning Steel Ball in Johnny's hand. What Johnny was charging was not a nail, but Gyro's Steel Ball.

In the afterglow, the small ball spun faster and faster in Johnny's hand, and then he aimed and shot it at the horse on the side!

This technique of controlling muscles was the first lesson that Gyro taught him in Lesson 1. This Steel Ball that could not be returned also became the key to victory.

“Gyro… really… really! I really took a long way around!”

“I really took a long detour!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the horse, under the influence of the rotational force, kicked its legs fiercely, directly kicking Johnny into the air.

The Cavalry Spin does not necessarily have to be performed on horseback. Gyro had already foreseen his defeat before his second attack and also predicted that the President would attack Johnny's mount first.

And the true meaning of the Lesson was like this. Johnny had used the power of the horse's hooves to perform a perfect Golden Spin, and his Stand, Tusk, had also completed its final evolution at this moment.

His Stand, Tusk, also turned into a human, wearing pink armor, possessing hands and feet, and then appeared from Johnny's body.

Gyro was still sinking continuously, and blood had already stained the seawater red. Thousands of words were entrusted to Johnny's heart, but in the end, only one sentence was spoken.

“Thank you… Thank you so much! Really… Thank you so much!!”

Letting the horse kick himself, thereby borrowing strength to attack, this move really exceeded the President's expectations. Seeing the momentum of Johnny's attack, it was extraordinary, and the President did not dare to be careless and immediately hid in the light of the Love Train.

The Nail Bullet had already left his hand, and D4C successfully dodged back at the last moment. But the power of this Nail Bullet had far exceeded the President's imagination!

Golden light flowed, with a momentum of destroying the heavens and the earth. The President's face was instantly cut with streaks, and fresh blood spurted out from within!

“Chyu… Chimimiii!!!”

The barrier of dimensions could not stop Johnny's attack at all.

These damages could not be transferred elsewhere by the Love Train either. Tusk ACT4 was tightly attached to the light wall, exerting force with both hands, and actually tore a crack in space!!

【 ..... 】

Chapter 140: Tusk's Terrifying Ability!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Watching Johnny successfully execute the perfect Cavalry Spin, and his Stand, Tusk, evolve once again, everyone couldn't help but sigh, it really was as Gyro had said… it really was a big detour!

Originally, they had completely lost hope after the horse was knocked down by the President, but who would have thought that the key to defeating the President was? Would actually be circling back to the starting point… that initial technique—Lesson 1, don't let the muscles notice!

This technique was what Gyro taught Johnny when they first met! So this was the true meaning of Gyro's final Lesson 5: the longest way around is the shortest shortcut!

The debut of Johnny's Tusk ACT4 also stunned everyone. Originally just a small figure, it had become incredibly imposing.

"Gyro is truly an eternal god… he must have foreseen this final blow! And he also believed that Johnny would definitely understand the true meaning of Lesson 5…"

" “Chumimi…” with such a cute face, saying such adorable words, yet doing the most brutal things… tearing open the dimensional wall with his bare hands!"

"Is this for real… I must still be dreaming!! Isn't Johnny's Tusk a long-range Stand? Why does it feel like it wants to engage in close combat after evolving!!"

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Seeing this scene, Doctor Roman felt a slight Toothache.

"Tearing open the dimensional wall with his bare hands… to what extent has Johnny's Stand evolved? Could it really evolve infinitely?"

The dimensional wall… the barrier between the base world and parallel worlds, just thinking about it makes you realize how sturdy it is!

And the most terrifying thing should be that Spin! Just adding the power of the horse was enough to achieve such a terrifying effect.

"That way! The President won't be able to escape at all! Even if the President escapes to a parallel world, as long as we kill him completely before he replaces his body, they can win!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka also began to show an excited smile. The dimensional wall can no longer stop Johnny! Now it depends on whether this final nail bullet can completely kill the President!

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"I didn't expect there to be such an operation… but is that world really unscientific?"

Shirai Kuroko felt her worldview collapsing.

The Golden Rectangle wasn't unfamiliar to them, but to achieve the Golden Rectangle shape in every movement, even in every part of the body, would be harder than ascending to heaven.

"This is guts!!"

Sogiita Gunha excitedly waved his fists around.

Johnny was paralyzed in both legs and had lost an arm! Under such circumstances, being able to fire a perfect Cavalry Spin that directly tore open the dimensional wall was really to his liking!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

In a dark room somewhere in Egypt, Dio, although also quite shocked by Johnny Joestar's Tusk ACT4, didn't think that he could win just like that.

"Fool… even if it can tear the dimensional wall after evolving, if this final nail bullet fails to kill the President, he will go to a parallel world to replace his body! Everything done before will be in vain."

There were quite a few people with similar thoughts to Dio, but more were looking forward to what kind of abilities Johnny would bring! After all, every time Johnny grew, his Stand, Tusk, would have new abilities appear!

With Tusk ACT2, the attack power was greatly increased, and the bullet holes left behind could continue to pursue for eight seconds!

Tusk ACT3 gained spatial abilities, allowing him to teleport himself into the bullet holes, and anyone other than himself who touched them would be torn apart.

So what about Tusk ACT4? Is it just that growing hands and feet and increasing strength can tear open the dimensional wall? With doubts, everyone continued to watch.

【 Looking at the dimensional wall torn open by Tusk ACT4, the President finally realized: "Gyro Zeppeli's Ball Breaker was not a complete form at all… Gyro could tear space with just an elliptical ball."

"The power of this Tusk ACT4 has already surpassed Gyro! This is the true Perfect Rotation!"

Thinking of this, the only thing the President could think of was to escape from here! So he tried to activate D4C to send himself to a parallel world!

But… how could Johnny let him get his way?

“Chumimi…!!” Tusk ACT4 used both hands to forcefully tear open the barrier of the dimension, and its entire body came in front of D4C!

“Ora! Ora!! Ora!! Ora!! Ora!!!…”

Amidst a chorus of Oras, countless fists were constantly hitting D4C and the President, and D4C even had an eye knocked out.

Having no choice, the President could only endure the damage, took off his coat, and then relied on the gap between the coat and the ground to escape to a parallel world.

After crossing over to the parallel world, the President found himself in a dirt pit, and the President was still falling.

“Where is it… Quick… find it!! D4C, quickly find it!!” Johnny Joestar's attack just now was fatal enough; he must find the other him here as soon as possible to complete the replacement.

Seeing that he was about to die here, D4C found the target at the last moment and completed the replacement, and the memories of the base world were also transferred to the new body along with D4C. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"So that's how he completes body replacements… as long as he finds himself in a parallel world and transfers D4C over, he can complete the replacement! What a perverted ability."

"This is bad… I didn't expect that he would still cross over to a parallel world and complete the body replacement at the last moment."

"Everything before was in vain! And the injuries on his body are completely gone now, and Johnny has no more nail bullets… as long as the President returns to the base world, it's completely over…"

【 The success or failure of the parallel world will not affect the ending of the base world; the President must return to the base world to completely end Johnny Joestar!

“I will never forgive you… I will split your corpse into more pieces than the Saint's Corpse Parts!!”

“Insignificant brat!! You don’t even know how much value the Saint’s Corpse Parts hold!”

After the President angrily finished speaking, he planned to turn around and return to the base world to settle the score with Johnny! But as soon as he turned around and picked up the coat on the ground! A bizarre scene happened!!

The President's upper body turned around, but his feet were still in place and didn't move. Looking back, he found that D4C behind him was cut into thin slices like ham!

“This is…!!?”

The President's newly replaced body also twisted and turned into the same shape. Before he could figure out the situation! His body uncontrollably fell into the deep pit again.

Seeing himself sinking deeper and deeper, the President quickly ordered D4C to dig gaps to escape, but at this time, D4C couldn't even use a trace of strength!

“This is… I’m being dragged back to the bottom of the hole??!”

In the blink of an eye, he fell to the bottom of the pit, and the scene in front of him had already exceeded the President's understanding!

“When I was hit by Gyro before, I also encountered the situation of my body aging… now there is an invisible force constantly pulling me back to the bottom of the hole!”

“My body is also constantly rotating on its own! It’s as if every cell is constantly rotating!” 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The scene in front of them not only exceeded the President's understanding, but also exceeded the imagination of the crowd outside the video. What exactly is going on!!

"What's going on?! Could this be the true ability of Tusk ACT4… the objects that are hit start to rotate non-stop!!"

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Even the knowledgeable people in Chaldea couldn't figure out what was going on!

Da Vinci kept thinking about the scene that had just happened in her mind, and then asked in surprise, "

What's going on? Didn't the President already replace his body just now… logically speaking, the damage he received should have been replaced as well!"

"That's right…"

Doctor Roman's eyes darkened slightly, and countless possibilities flashed through his mind,

"But based on the current situation, it seems that the President is still suffering from the effects of Tusk ACT4's ability!!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Although we haven't figured out the true power of Tusk ACT4 yet, I don't know how long this ability will last…"

Jotaro was also constantly thinking about how the President would escape from Tusk ACT4's ability… could it be by constantly replacing his body until he completely canceled out this Spin?

But he can't even move now, I'm afraid this method can't be achieved….

Chapter 141: The Storm of Wild Horses is Over!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The surrounding soil also gradually collapsed, and the President took advantage of the gaps between the soil to escape to parallel worlds again!

His physical body was also replaced at the last moment!

After completing the replacement, as soon as the President took a step, the new physical body once again encountered the previous situation, and his body began to twist continuously again! He fell into the deep pit again.

"D4C, could it be you...!"

Only now did the President finally understand Johnny Joestar's true ability: "The damage inflicted by Johnny Joestar has always been attached to D4C!!!"

"This is completely different from Gyro's Steel Ball effect... How long will the effect of this attack last!!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Hearing what the President said, everyone finally understood why the President kept replacing bodies but still suffered the effects of the Tusk ACT4.

The physical body in the base world can be constantly replaced, but there is only one D4C in the base world! The damage of Tusk ACT4 is attached to D4C, so no matter how the President replaces his body, he will still be pulled back into the deep pit as before, with his body constantly rotating.

"I didn't expect the damage caused by Tusk ACT4 to exceed the limitations of space. I wonder how long this rotational power will last?"

This question was also on the minds of the people outside the video. If the duration is permanent, wouldn't that mean Johnny Joestar has already won this battle?!

However, they were soon amused by their own ridiculous thoughts... This is just a product of the spinning nails; how could it exist permanently in the world? Isn't that as absurd as a perpetual motion machine?

【 At this moment, the President in the deep pit is constantly struggling, but no matter how he replaces his body, the wounds on D4C will cause his body to collapse again.

The President still believes that as long as he replaces enough bodies and lasts long enough, this power will be completely exhausted.

So the President began to constantly travel to parallel worlds, constantly replacing his body! In the blink of an eye, he had already traveled through dozens of parallel worlds.

But every time he crossed over, he would still be the same as before. As long as he took a step forward, his body would be dragged back into the deep pit by that force and eventually buried alive. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It seems that the duration is really infinite... This also means that anyone hit by Tusk ACT4 is bound to die."

"From another perspective, wouldn't countless parallel world Johnny Joestars be equivalent to lying down and winning? The President, who was fighting well, suddenly had his body replaced by the base world and continued to suffer damage."

"Doesn't this mean that the President has to constantly replace his body to avoid death, and then repeat this process... I feel inexplicably familiar..."

Diavolo, who had died again, said that he was familiar with this operation!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Seeing this situation, Abbacchio asked Bucciarati in confusion,

"Since he can travel through parallel universes, why doesn't he pull over the Johnny from a parallel universe and use the annihilation effect of two identical beings to get rid of Johnny?"

"Not to mention the difficulty the President has even taking a step now, and the distance to the parallel world, Johnny is also a bit far."

Bucciarati shook his head, looking at the screen and continuing.

"Most importantly, this infinite rotation doesn't seem to be a Stand ability! But a technique passed down through generations of the Zeppeli family... Even if we get rid of Johnny, I'm afraid we can't stop this effect."

"It will only continue to rotate infinitely!"

【 Then, after traveling through a few more parallel worlds, the President finally got what he wanted! It was a carriage.

The President leaped up and jumped onto the carriage, and couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "This is great! I succeeded. The distance is gradually increasing, and I have successfully escaped that hellhole."

"In this way, I will never return to the original place, and the rotational power on my body will also...!"

Before he could finish speaking, the President was twisted into a ham again by the rotational power, and the carriage he was riding was also torn to pieces by this rotational power.

He was once again dragged back into the pit, and only now did he finally understand: "This... is a lie, right?!"

"This rotation... Could it be... infinite? How is that possible?!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The reason why infinite rotation is called 'infinite' is because his body will not change in any way, no matter how many thousands of times he crosses over, and will be twisted by this force...

Ever since he was hit by Tusk ACT4's Chumimii punch, he has had nowhere to escape.

"There really is infinite rotation?? I understand! I'm going to study perpetual motion machines!!"

"Good heavens, you're guaranteed to die if you get hit! I didn't expect this Stand that shouts 'Chumimii' to have such a brutal and terrifying power!"

【 Once again returning to the pit, the President's mentality has collapsed, and the calmness from before is no longer on his face. "I've had enough of this darkness."

"How many more times do I have to be dragged back into the pit? Am I going to be buried alive indefinitely?!"

Suddenly, the President took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and his collapsed spirit also rekindled his fighting spirit in selfishness.

"It's not over yet... There is still a way to break the situation. That is to withstand the damage and get rid of the Johnny Joestar in the base world!"

Due to the President's departure, Lucy, who was attached to the horse's back, gradually returned to normal. On the other side, Johnny was still guarding the edge of the pit, and Tusk ACT4 still appeared behind him. He believed that the President would return to this side again.

The handkerchief left by his father rekindled the President's fighting spirit, and Johnny, who was guarding the entrance of the cave, also regrew five nails! As long as the President showed his head, Johnny would give him a fatal blow.

At this time, Lucy had returned to her original state and walked towards Johnny. Johnny looked back, "Don't come over! It's not over yet..."

The two waited here, and the President really drilled out of that trench coat. Johnny got up to fight, but he didn't expect the President to admit defeat directly.

"Stop!... Enough, your infinite rotation has already defeated me... You are the ultimate winner."

Seeing Johnny not saying anything, the President continued to say quickly:

"Next, I want to propose a deal!"

"Gyro Zeppeli from other dimensions must still be alive! With my ability... There is definitely a way to bring Gyro Zeppeli back to this place."

Hearing this, even Johnny Joestar, who possessed a dark determination, began to hesitate, and tears once again uncontrollably flowed from his eyes. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It's a choice again... How many choices has Johnny Joestar experienced along the way? Each one makes him suffer."

"But after each choice, Johnny Joestar will grow; after all, this is his journey from negative numbers to zero!"

"This time, it should still be a choice for Gyro Zeppeli... After all, he was willing to give up the corpse to save Gyro's life before, what's the difference this time?!"

Seeing Johnny Joestar facing a painful choice again, the people outside the video just watched silently. As the beginning said, he is still a negative number without Gyro's spirit!

But even so, he is still moving towards zero, growing with each experience! He is constantly approaching zero...

【 "Ugh... Ah...!!" Johnny looked back at the sea where Gyro fell, and then looked back at his mortal enemy. In sobs, he continued to load his nail bullets!

Seeing this, the President quickly shouted: "Calm down! Johnny Joestar... listen to me first."

"I said I have lost to you! Only I can save Gyro Zeppeli!!"

Johnny was still crying, tears kept flowing, and he shouted loudly at the President, "Stop... Stop talking nonsense!"

"It's come to this, what nonsense are you still talking about here? Shut up!"

Just as Johnny was about to activate his nail bullets, Lucy suddenly showed an abnormality again, and the Saint's Corpse fell out of her body.

Johnny was distracted, and the President continued to say: "The Gyro Zeppeli in this world has disappeared, even if I pull the Gyro Zeppeli from a parallel world over, you don't have to worry about annihilation happening!"

"Come on, Johnny! Stop your infinite rotation!"

"If you want to solve this infinite rotation, use reverse rotation nails to attack my D4C again; the two energies will cancel each other out and stop this infinite rotation."

"Then I will bring Gyro Zeppeli back!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"So this is the way to solve infinite rotation? It's really obvious."

"But can the President's words be trusted? And even if the Gyro Zeppeli from a parallel world is pulled back... is he still the same as before?!"

"Most importantly, if the Gyro Zeppeli from a parallel world is brought over, it also means that another parallel world version of yourself will have to endure the pain of losing Gyro."

Johnny, who possesses a dark determination, may really believe what the President said. Gyro Zeppeli is a good brother who is both a teacher and a friend to him, and also the existence who gave him hope and light!

【 With blood and tears, Johnny was already crying terribly,

"Are you saying... You can bring Gyro Zeppeli back here unharmed?"

The President said solemnly: "Yes! I guarantee it."

"My actions are not out of selfishness, not to obtain power or control someone to fight for the corpse. I have a patriotic heart."

"Everything I do is to make my country better. You have also seen with your own eyes that the place shrouded by that corpse will only gather beautiful and happy things."

"Misfortune and harm will fly far away, and others will bear it on their behalf. This is an indisputable fact of human society. It is impossible for everyone to be happy; there must be ugliness with beauty. Positive and negative yin and yang are always in a state of balance!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Since it is impossible for everyone to be happy... then why should others innocently bear your so-called misfortune?!"

【 "If the Saint's Corpse falls into the hands of those little people, then they will definitely use it to satisfy their own selfish desires, and countless hardships will befall this country. I must not let this happen, because my mission as President is to ensure the safety of this world and this country."

After listening to the President's speech, Johnny couldn't help but be moved.

Funny Valentine's ideals and beliefs are extremely lofty, but at this moment, the point Johnny is most worried about is, what if the President goes back on his word?

"I want to see Gyro... but you must first prove that you are a good person!!"

Faced with Johnny's question, the President seemed to have expected it, and he threw the meat spray he got in the parallel world at Johnny Joestar!

Seeing this, Johnny couldn't help but say: "Maybe you are on the right path... at least you are more like a righteous person than me!"

Johnny gasped for breath and continued to say to the President. "I believe you... President Valentine! As you said, the path you choose is the correct path."

The President's face showed joy, and the handkerchief in his hand was also clenched tighter, but suddenly, Johnny picked up a pistol and threw it at him, and said to him.

"This gun is the gun that just shot Gyro, there are no bullets left... I want you to pick it up. This is my last request!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Eh?!"

Rin Tohsaka let out a confused sound from her soul at Johnny Joestar's operation.

"Although there are no bullets, why does Johnny believe him as long as the President picks up the gun?"

Faced with Rin Tohsaka's doubts, Shirou Emiya said his guess!

"Maybe he wants to use the annihilation effect to test it... After all, the President can't move half a step now. If he wants to launch an attack, he can only rely on a pistol."

"If he picks up the gun in a parallel world, as long as the President gets close to this gun, it will trigger the annihilation effect! Then he can see if he is sincerely cooperating!"

【 Johnny, who was running out of strength, gasped for breath, his eyes continuing to look at the President!

"If you want peaceful negotiations, you shouldn't bring a gun from a parallel world, right? Pick it up quickly, President Valentine! Let's put a period to all of this."

The President's face showed embarrassment, and Johnny also saw the situation, only to see the President move forward and then say!

"My heart and actions are all just, and what I do is all justice!!"

President Valentine never intended to let Johnny go from the beginning, and Gyro could not be resurrected by him.

When the same item in a parallel world collides, it will also annihilate.

Seeing Johnny's request to pick up the gun, the President also knew that the negotiations could no longer continue.

In the sunset, the two looked at each other without saying a word. The President pretended to pick up the empty gun, but suddenly lifted his trench coat while bending over, and took out another gun that was already hidden behind his waist!

Because the distance was too close, the gun on the ground was directly attracted by the gun in the President's hand like a magnet, and the muzzle of the gun also dropped a few points because of this.

The pistol and nail bullets were fired at the same time, the bullet shot into Johnny's stomach, and the rotating nail bullets directly pierced the President's neck, and the damage of Tusk ACT4's infinite rotation also broke out again at this time.

D4C's fist, which was raised in mid-air, was also cut into thin slices on the spot

The carotid arteries have been severed, but the President still doesn't want to give up, and the body that was about to fall also stood up again under his terrifying willpower!

With blood spurting from his mouth and nose, the President raised his gun again and kept pulling the trigger at Johnny. Johnny flashed to the side, and three nail bullets were fired, all three of which accurately hit the President's heart.

Johnny was seriously injured, and he couldn't squeeze out a trace of strength at this time. It was also at this time that Johnny suddenly heard someone calling his name, and when he looked up, he found that it was actually Gyro...

In a golden light, Gyro's figure kept flying upwards, saying to Johnny below:

"Johnny... It's come to this, so let it be! I have to take a step first, my real name... must not be told to others, we have agreed, see you again, take care!"

After saying that, Gyro turned into green smoke and slowly dissipated in the sunset!

Johnny looked at the dissipating Gyro and kept shouting painfully, "I'm sorry... I really wanted to believe him! I really wanted to believe the President!"

"Goodbye... Gyro!!"

"Ugh... Ugh!!!"

The battle is finally over, and Johnny's heart-wrenching cry resounded throughout the wasteland! But this time, there was no Gyro to comfort him...

The scene changed, on the dock, Johnny dragged a long wooden box onto the ship, and his legs were able to move.

The customs also asked him unceremoniously, What's inside?

Johnny didn't avoid it at all: "It's a corpse... It's my brother's corpse!"

"The horse behind is the mount he rode before he died! I want to send him back to his hometown."

Facing the breeze, Johnny slowly closed his eyes. After this long journey, he was no longer a negative number!

And what was healed was not only his legs... The fear of the past and the confusion about the future! It was completely washed away in the battles and redemption.

Whenever Johnny wanted to give up, it was Gyro who brought him back on track, allowing him to finally understand the true meaning of rotation! And the true meaning of life.

Johnny boarded the ship with his Saint's Corpse, "Let's go home... Gyro." 】

【 ..... 】

Notes:

Translator-kun: This chapter was a bit long, 2.8k words, almost 3k. To finish this segment, enjoy it.

Chapter 142: Johnny's Final End

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

This horse race, which everyone originally thought was ordinary, left an indelible mark on everyone's hearts! For some reason, when the time for farewell truly arrived, a myriad of emotions stirred within them!

"Tears... Waaah! After this long journey, Johnny has finally obtained the Holy Corpse parts that belong only to him..."

"Gyro never blamed Johnny's choices, even in their final farewell... If that's the case, then so be it. How many people can possess the same spirit as him?"

"This battle, which shouldn't have belonged to him, he still participated in for Johnny's sake! Even in death, he continued to guide Johnny's growth!"

Gyro's spirit was always like a light in the pitch-black wilderness, leading Johnny to keep moving forward.

~Gabriel DropOut World~

"I wonder if there's a heaven in that world?"

Gabriel, not yet fallen, put her hands together, striking a prayerful pose.

"I hope Mr. Gyro can go to heaven and enjoy peace."

In the video, Gyro Zeppeli, after his death, slowly rose upwards into a golden cloud, bidding farewell to Johnny, which made Gabriel believe that someone like Mr. Gyro could definitely go to heaven.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

"Passing away surrounded by companions.... "

The words Grandpa spoke before his death echoed in Yuji's ears! At this moment, he finally understood the true meaning of those words...

'No one knows which side the tennis ball that bounces from the bottom will land on.' Gyro's words seemed to have profound meaning. Johnny, forced into a desperate situation, wasn't he like a tennis ball that had hit rock bottom and bounced back up again!

Although he always tells boring jokes, it's undeniable that he was an excellent teacher.

~Type-Moon World, Magical Girl Illya Worldline~

"I didn't expect the final result to be Gyro's death?!"

Illya felt a little sad, continuing, "

Johnny, who was left behind, must be so sad?! They supported each other all the way and finally made it here! But now..."

Watching Johnny constantly and painfully saying sorry to Gyro when he finally defeated the President, she inexplicably felt a pang of heartache!

Johnny also wanted to believe what the President said; he also wanted Gyro to be resurrected! But Johnny also knew that someone like the President would never let them go, nor did he have any intention of resurrecting Gyro!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Gyro...!! Waaah...!"

At this moment, Johnny's tears fell uncontrollably again. He didn't expect that the Corpse Parts he wanted to seize would actually kill Gyro...

"Hey... Johnny!!"

Unlike the crying Johnny, Gyro Zeppeli looked at his death on the screen with an incredibly calm expression.

"The final result... we won, didn't we?"

Hearing Gyro's words, Johnny turned his head to look at Gyro, his voice choked with emotion,

"But... Gyro! This isn't the result I wanted! I wanted the Saint's Corpse Parts... but I didn't want you to die."

Then Johnny seemed to make a decision, taking a deep breath to calm his emotions,

"Let's give up... I don't want to fight for the Saint's Corpse Parts anymore!"

"Johnny! Have you forgotten something?"

Gyro's expression remained unchanged, continuing calmly,

"The essence of Lesson 5... the perfect Cavalry Spin, we already know it! Can we still lose to the President now?"

As he spoke, Gyro suddenly tightened his grip on the Steel Ball, the Spin power brewing in his hand, urging his horse forward. In Johnny's eyes, Gyro and the horse's every part formed a perfect Golden Rectangle.

As Gyro swung the Steel Ball towards the tree in front, Ball Breaker emerged from his body again. This strike completely flattened the area in front of him, then he retracted the Steel Ball and looked at Johnny!

"Since my Ball Breaker has already appeared, then it won't be difficult for your Tusk ACT4 to appear again!"

"We already know the President's ability, and we have a way to break it! This time, who wins is still uncertain!"

"Johnny, go! go! go!"

Gyro, running in front, had already made the choice for him before Johnny could answer. Johnny wiped away the tears in his eyes and spurred his horse to catch up.

So the two embarked on a new journey; this time, they would not lose again.

Gyro and Johnny rode their horses, then suddenly stopped, discovering a key problem...

"Johnny... it seems this video isn't over yet!"

At this moment, everyone outside the video also noticed something unusual!

"Why hasn't the next countdown started yet? Is there some new twist?"

"Could it be that the President isn't dead yet?!! The Saint's Corpse Parts battle isn't over yet? Logically speaking, the next countdown should have started by now."

Just as everyone was discussing the unusual situation, they found that the originally darkened screen continued to play.

【 After the Steel Ball Run race, Johnny met Norisuke Higashikata's daughter, Rina Higashikata. The two quickly fell in love, got married, and lived a life of bliss on the ranch. Johnny also became a nationally certified and famous jockey after that. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"So it's describing the development after the battle, scared me, I thought the President had come back to life..."

"But it's not bad that Johnny has such a good ending, a happy and fulfilling family life, living a life of bliss."

Everyone who was worried also breathed a sigh of relief, revealing an auntie smile. They didn't expect Johnny, who loves to cry, to actually be able to find a wife; it really exceeded their expectations.

【 But after a few years, Rina contracted a strange disease. At first, it was just memory loss, but in the later stages, her entire appearance changed.

There were origami-like creases on her face!

Johnny visited famous doctors everywhere, but couldn't find a cure. Seeing that his wife's days were numbered, Johnny decided to send her back to Japan, so that his wife could return to her roots and end her life in her hometown. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Johnny has had enough suffering, I didn't expect him to not even be able to protect his wife in the end."

"Does this goddess of misfortune have to push Johnny to the brink? There's always a despairing misfortune descending on him."

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"What's going on?"

Doctor Roman was confused, but he absolutely didn't believe it was a coincidence! There must be some secret they haven't discovered yet influencing all of this.

"...And I searched the previous records... I've never found such a strange disease! Rather than a disease, it's more like a curse."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"I... got married?! And have a son?!"

Johnny stared blankly at everything. He couldn't believe that someone like him would actually have a family.

Watching his future self beg the Saint's Corpse Parts to transfer the disease from his wife, but it was transferred to his son, tears couldn't help but burst out again.

"Why... is it like this?!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 8: JoJolion Worldline~

Looking at the result Johnny got after begging the Saint's Corpse Parts, Wonder of U, still said in a deep voice.

"I said long ago, even if a saint walks unerringly on the right path, bad things will still happen occasionally, and cannot be avoided, that is calamity!"

"The most likely time for a traveler to have an accident is the moment he is about to return home!"

【 “Aaaaaah…!!” Johnny collapsed on the spot, then cried and picked up the child, galloping towards the shrine.

From the moment he stole the Corpse Parts, he was already prepared to lose everything. But he still didn't expect that his son would be a victim of this.

If the price of saving his family is that someone must die. Then Johnny would rather that person be himself!

“The Saint's Corpse Parts can’t be used anymore, otherwise innocent people will suffer.”

Looking at the child in his arms, Johnny actually showed a gratified expression, “George Joestar… It’s enough for me to see you at the last moment.”

Because family is happiness that nothing can replace, at least running so far is to prevent his wife from seeing his next actions.

In the darkness, Johnny had already silently built up the Golden Spin bomb, piercing through his son's head, and after a spin, it pierced through him!

The symptoms of the child's disease were also sent to Johnny himself by the infinitely spinning bullet holes. As the father and son fell off the horse, the child returned to normal!

While his consciousness had not completely disappeared, Johnny used the Spin power to mobilize the mountains and rocks, and let the boulder flatten his head, in order to prevent his wife from seeing the corpse, knowing that he had transferred the virus to himself, and therefore blaming himself.

But no one noticed that the ginkgo leaves under him also showed abnormalities under the influence of the Spin power and the shadow of the Saint's Corpse Parts!

His wife then arrived, and the American government's pursuers also arrived one after another. Seeing that Johnny was dead, these people did not make things difficult for the mother and son, and took the Corpse Parts back to the United States!

The story of Johnny Joestar also ends here! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect it to be such an ending... without a doubt he is a good father and also a good husband!"

"Even after a few years, Johnny is still the same crying person... but he is no longer the boy with a dark will."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Since he can use the Golden Spin to transfer the pain to himself, according to Johnny's character, he should have just found someone to bear it."

Koichi said to everyone, stating his understanding.

Jotaro Kujo looked at the distant sky, not knowing what he was thinking, and slowly said,

"That boy with a dark Determination finally grew into a man with a golden spirit."

Humans are really too small, no matter how strong they are, even if they have the strongest spear-like Stand, Tusk ACT4, there will be times when they cannot choose.

Only now did everyone understand that Johnny Joestar grew from negative to zero, and now he has surpassed zero and completely become positive!

The boy with a dark determination has grown to a height that is difficult for everyone to reach!

Johnny Joestar finally went to heaven and met Gyro...

Chapter 143: TOP2: The Ultimate Evolution of Stand-ins

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect the story to end like this... but it makes sense! There aren't that many fairy-tale-like happy endings in the world."

"Everything in the event has already been priced by fate. If you want to pray for the power of the Saint's Corpse to help you, it also means you have to pay the price that matches that wish."

Gyro and Johnny's short race across America was more magnificent than their entire lives before! Their joint departure still brought regret to everyone.

While everyone was feeling sentimental, a brand new countdown quietly appeared on the screen, with a line of text appearing first, as always.

 

【 Top 2: The Ultimate Evolution of Stands - Requiem!

 

"Is it the Steel Ball Run world from before?! After all, if we're talking about Stands, it should be."

"No matter which world it is, if we're talking about Stands, we should be able to see those bizarre ability battles again."

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"I didn't expect it to be the world of Stand users again. Is it the same world view as the previous countdowns of the Divine Realm of the Round Table and the Absolute Demonic Front?"

This title also caught Da Vinci's attention. After all, it wasn't the first time that the countdown videos had featured the same worldview twice.

But each time, it brought different shocks.

After all, the previous Tusk ACT4 ability was already amazing enough. Could this ultimate evolution of Stands be even more special than Tusk ACT4?

Then Da Vinci showed a longing expression,

"Stands... I really want to have a Stand too!"

The various magical Stand abilities in the previous Steel Ball Run countdown really interested her. But she should watch this video first, maybe she can get some more Stand information...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

The group of Jotaro, who had embarked on a journey to defeat DIO, had arrived in Cairo, Egypt, ready to beat up the hundred-year-old man...

Originally, they planned to focus their main energy on the final battle with DIO and didn't plan to watch the video; after all, they didn't have time to pay attention to what was happening in other worlds.

But this title was about Stands... and it even insisted on the evolution of Stands, which forced them to stop their advance.

"Is it similar to Tusk Act 1 to Tusk Act 4, constantly evolving?"

Jotaro Kujo showed a solemn expression. He didn't need to think to know that DIO was definitely exploring this so-called ultimate evolution of Stands...

"But isn't this only for Stand users with high growth potential, relatively weak willpower, and spirits that haven't reached their peak... like Johnny!"

Old Joseph, although his physical fitness was not as good as in his youth, his mind was more mature and stable, thinking more deeply.

"If it's just like this, there's no need to make a separate countdown! There must be something unusual."

Perhaps there is a way to make Stands evolve to the ultimate in this countdown!... If that's the case, then we must understand it clearly and absolutely not let DIO take it away!

In other timelines, the people who noticed the update prompt also stopped what they were doing and clicked on the video!

(Translator-kun: Lol, I totally forgot it's not the same as another inventory, it has a system-like interface, not like sky curtain...)

After all, they didn't expect the seemingly ordinary horse race to be so magnificent, exciting, and full of strange abilities. Now they dare not underestimate the gold content of being able to appear on the countdown video!

【 As the text disappeared, what first appeared in front of everyone was a majestic and spectacular ancient Roman Colosseum.

We see Bucciarati, wearing a white open-chested outfit, appearing in the camera. He looked like a dying man, his face pale, his body weak, and even standing was very difficult. With the support of another pink-haired boy, he walked into the Colosseum with difficulty. 】

【 ..... 】

~A Certain Magical Index World~

"The Roman Colosseum? Does this story take place in ancient times?"

Misaka Mikoto, who usually had nothing to do, frowned slightly and then denied her guess.

"No, it should be modern, the street lights have already appeared on the side of the street!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency Worldline~

"Do you know these two people...? And from the scene, it seems to be happening in Italy?"

The young Joseph, who had traveled around the world, recognized the location of the story at a glance.

【 The Colosseum under the night was dark and full of silence. The pink-haired boy supported Bucciarati into the Colosseum!

Then Bucciarati said gently, as if he was entrusting his last words: "Trish, there's a house on the outskirts of Naples. It's a bit small, but I have one there."

"After everything is over, if you really have nowhere to go, you can live there!"

"Although you have experienced a lot of cruel things, you should be able to enjoy a new life there." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Trish?! Isn't that a girl's name? But it seems that the man who is speaking can't see?!"

After listening to the words, the people outside the video, although they didn't know Bucciarati's identity, heard the tenderness in the words!

But some viewers who knew Bucciarati's identity were completely stunned.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"What's going on?!"

In a dimly lit room, the angry Diavolo couldn't help but summon his Stand, King Crimson, and smash the table!

"If this goes on, the identity I have painstakingly concealed will be completely exposed to the world!!"

The anger in his eyes was like a beast full of violence, but at this moment, he was helpless.

On the other side, Narancia and others, who had just embarked on a journey of resistance, were also full of doubts.

"So this countdown is about us, but Bucciarati! Why are you calling a strange boy Trish... although they have the same pink hair!"

Narancia looked at Trish in front of him, constantly comparing her with the pink-haired boy in the video!

Giorno Giovanna was sweating coldly. At this moment, he had a guess about the identity of the pink-haired boy,

"Bucciarati... perhaps his eyes are already blind in the future! But, that boy... I'm afraid he is the father of Trish we have been looking for! The boss!!"

"!!!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone also looked at the screen, realizing that what was being played now was the final destination of their journey of resistance.

【 In the dimly lit Roman Colosseum, Bucciarati and the pink-haired Doppio slowly walked to the edge of the steps, about to climb the stairs.

At this moment, a rebuke came from above the Colosseum!

"Don't move! Stand there and don't move!"

"If you dare to take another step on the stairs, I will immediately cancel the previous agreement!"

A figure slowly appeared from the shadows above the Colosseum, with silver hair and a broom head, and a much more vicissitudinous face, now slumped in a wheelchair! 】

【 ..... 】

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"What's going on!!!"

The Joseph group was shocked at this moment. Why did Polnareff appear in this future video?

The most shocked at this moment was Polnareff, who couldn't believe the miserable appearance of himself in the future.

"Are my legs broken? When did they break? Could it be the injury I suffered during the battle with DIO?"

"Calm down... Polnareff!"

Avdol pressed his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

Jotaro also frowned at this moment. Why did Polnareff end up in such a tragic situation of being paraplegic in the more distant future?

Could it really be the injury he suffered during the battle with DIO?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

"Josuke... you come with me to Italy!"

Jotaro hadn't been so angry for a long time, but at this moment, the anger in his heart was constantly spreading.

"Okay... okay! Mr. Jotaro!"

Josuke, who was startled, responded!

Judging from the video, it should be something that happened in the last few years. The top priority is to use Josuke's ability to heal Polnareff's injuries first!

"If I find out who did it! I will definitely let him taste the iron fist of Star Platinum!"

Chapter 144: Poru —Nare—Fu!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 "My name is Bruno Bucciarati. I came here because you said you possessed the potential to defeat the boss, and I believed you!"

Sensing the hostility in Polnareff's words, Bucciarati quickly explained his reason for coming. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

These few words allowed everyone to understand the basic situation:

Polnareff seemed to have summoned Bucciarati to the Colosseum to entrust him with some power that could defeat a boss.

【 Even so, Polnareff remained wary. "I know! But who is that person with you? My information doesn't include anyone like that."

Out of caution towards the boss, he didn't trust the pink-haired boy who had come with Bucciarati, demanding that he summon his Stand to prove his identity and maintain a distance.

"What's wrong? Just show me your Stand from there, like pulling up a skirt, slowly summon your Stand!"】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"He seems like a seasoned Stand user, his familiarity is almost heartbreaking. I have to say, he's really cautious."

"What a strange analogy? Summoning a Stand like pulling up a skirt…"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"You've become much more mature and steadier… Polnareff!"

Avdol patted him on the shoulder, unable to resist praising him.

Making the other party summon their Stand not only maintained a safe distance but also verified their identity!

Even if that pink-haired kid was an enemy, they couldn't possibly breach the range of several meters in an instant! This method was indeed very sound.

It seems the future Polnareff has become much more mature… unlike now, when he would rush headfirst into the enemy!

"Really… no, not really!"

Hearing the praise, Polnareff immediately forgot his miserable future self and scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

【 At this moment, the scene suddenly focused on a Stand Arrow in front of Polnareff, and the pink-haired boy showed a surprised expression!

"That arrow! There's no mistake! It's the thing from that time!!"

Polnareff suddenly sensed a chilling murderous intent, like a sharp knife piercing his heart. He realized that the person in front of him was the one he had been pursuing.

Then, he entered a flashback! The scene changed to a cliff, with raging seawater below. Polnareff's voice narrated slowly.

"I made two mistakes… One mistake was underestimating how much this criminal organization had developed!"

"The second mistake! And the biggest mistake was that his Stand ability was evil! Far beyond my imagination."

Polnareff summoned his Stand, Silver Chariot, to attack, but Diavolo's figure vanished and reappeared behind him.

A tall, pink Stand with a face on its head raised its arm and swung down violently.

"The moment you see King Crimson's ability… that person! Has already disappeared from this world!"

King Crimson shattered Silver Chariot's eyes with a palm strike, then punched again, breaking Polnareff's right hand and both legs!

Polnareff spat out a mouthful of blood and fell heavily off the cliff. "Is there no hope…!"

Then the flashback ended! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"It seems like a power-type Stand! And its speed is also very fast, I didn't even see how it moved behind him?"

"Is it really that simple? If that's all there was to it, Polnareff wouldn't have said Diavolo's Stand was beyond his imagination."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"So that's how you got your injuries! I will never forgive him!"

Even in just a few dozen days of travel, they had formed deep friendships! They would not let anyone who harmed Polnareff get away with it.

"But does this mean… we've already defeated Dio in the future?!"

Polnareff looked at the concerned eyes of the others, feeling moved and also realizing a crucial point. Since he had lived in the future, did that mean Dio had already been defeated by them?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

At this moment, Jotaro's face was grim as he clenched his fist. Seeing Polnareff beaten like that filled him with anger! But at least he knew who was responsible!

"You're next! Diavolo…"

【 The scene shifted back to reality, and the binoculars Polnareff had been using to observe the situation had fallen to the ground at some point.

"Could it be…!!" Polnareff, horrified, seemed to have realized something.

On the other side, Giorno, with his golden donut hairstyle, looked back at the stairs. Just a moment ago, he had been climbing the stairs, but when he came to his senses, he found himself already standing on the stairs.

Giorno, facing a great enemy, broke out in cold sweat, his expression grave, and said anxiously.

"Just now, time skipped! Just like in Venice! We climbed the stairs without even realizing it!"

"It's too late, that man in the Colosseum is already within his range!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people outside the video were shocked! Time… skipped?! The Stand's abilities in that world were truly beyond their imagination.

"Another Stand ability that manipulates time!! Does time skipping fast-forward time?"

"So in the flashback just now, that moment of disappearance was actually skipped time, like a few frames of footage were missing."

"Now we even have time skipping, will there also be abilities like time stop or time acceleration?! Stands are truly full of amazing abilities."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

At this moment, Dio, who was in Cairo, Egypt, also had a gloomy face.

He never expected that someone else could control time! The previous one could reverse time…

Now there was another ability to delete time and skip it. It seemed this world was truly extraordinary! It seemed he needed to speed up his plans!

Then Dio took out the notebook with the 14 secret words written on it! As expected, only making himself feel secure… was eternal.

【 Thud, thud, thud!! Heavy footsteps echoed on the cold stone steps. Polnareff, sweating, looked back.

Then he maneuvered his wheelchair to the edge of the steps and saw that the previously unremarkable pink-haired boy was now ascending the steps, exuding a suffocatingly powerful pressure.

"This is a trial, I believe, this is a trial to overcome the past…"

The pink-haired boy took off his sweater as he walked up the steps! The cold words from his mouth were chilling.

"Only by overcoming that childish past can a person grow. Wouldn't you agree? Jean Pierre Polnareff"

The moment he stepped past the pillar, his entire body and spirit underwent a tremendous change! The original boy was gone, and emerging from behind the pillar was clearly a middle-aged man in his forties!

"You bastard… you're Diavolo!!"

Almost the instant he saw the other party's true face, Polnareff recognized his true identity and realized that he could not possibly be the boss's opponent!

Polnareff bit his finger, watching the blood fall to determine whether he had used his ability! The next moment, the amount of blood falling suddenly increased.

Polnareff realized that the other side had erased time. "Right there! Silver Chariot!"

Silver Chariot circled Polnareff and attacked, cutting a wound on the boss's arm! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Smart!! He actually used the amount of blood dripping to determine the moment time was erased."

Indeed, this was a good method. Using the change in the amount of blood in an instant could determine whether the other party had used their ability! But perhaps this was only for prevention.

Polnareff was still no match for Diavolo!

【 Also realizing this, Polnareff decisively used Silver Chariot to lift the wheelchair and throw it, trying to create distance.

But Diavolo would not let him have his way.

"You are already within my range. I will never let you escape this time!"

"King Crimson!"

As Diavolo shouted his Stand's true name, the screen suddenly flashed, and the entire screen entered a bizarre state!

In this scene, Polnareff seemed to be moving forward according to a set program; only Diavolo and King Crimson could move normally in this space without being disturbed!

He came to the front of Polnareff's trajectory and then waved his hand, splashing the blood in Polnareff's eyes!

"In this way, when time flows again, you will not be able to see the amount of blood drops."

"At this moment, I will transcend my childish past, die! Time flows again…"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw the Stand Arrow had pierced through the Silver Chariot!

Then Silver Chariot climbed upwards as if out of control! Seeing this scene, Diavolo began to change his expression.

"Impossible… what did you do? Could it be that the arrow's purpose is not only to awaken a person's Stand ability?"

"Don't even think about escaping…!!" King Crimson pierced Polnareff's chest with a hand blade!

Polnareff spat out a large amount of blood, then fell from the wheelchair to the ground, lying in a pool of blood, but at the last moment, he still placed his last hope in the arrow.

"That arrow is hope… only those who fully master that arrow can defeat Diavolo…!"

Silver Chariot, pierced by the arrow, gradually turned into a puddle of liquid.

Polnareff lay on the cold ground, his gradually dissipating eyes faintly flashing with the journey he had taken with his companions to Egypt!

Then his eyes gradually lost their light. For a long time. 】

【 ..... 】

Notes:

Translator-kun: Oh boy, looks like Stardust Crusaders team will detour from going to Egypt to Italy first and find Diavolo before Dio...

Chapter 145: Silver Chariot Requiem!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Seeing this scene before their eyes, Old Joseph and the others couldn't contain their emotions, filled with grief and indignation:

"Poru-Nare-Fu!!!!"

Although they had only known each other for a little over a month, they had forged a deep friendship. Polnareff's sacrifice caught them off guard.

"Um... I'm still here..."

Polnareff awkwardly disrupted the atmosphere.

An inexplicable awkwardness filled the air... Jotaro and the others realized that this was something that would happen in the future.

Now that they knew, it meant they could change it.

Then Joseph Joestar clapped his hands, reassuring everyone,

"Fortunately, we intercepted this information in advance. As long as we defeat DIO, we will go together to nip Diavolo's threat in the bud!"

~Projection of All Worlds~

This ability to control time was easily reminiscent of Ringo's Mandom from the previous video! However, unlike Ringo's rewinding time,

Diavolo's ability seemed to be able to jump directly to another point in time within a certain period, deleting the intermediate part like skipping frames in a movie, and it seemed that only he could move when the ability was activated.

"That arrow seems to be the key to Stand evolution. Polnareff said before his death that he placed his hope on the arrow!"

"Didn't Silver Chariot pierce itself with the arrow just now?! What will it become?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"I didn't expect I would die there...!"

Polnareff's face showed a look of unwillingness. He hadn't entrusted the secret of the arrow to Bucciarati and the others!

He also knew that after the video was exposed, Diavolo and the others would do everything they could to track him down, damn it!... If he could contact Jotaro, the situation wouldn't be so passive.

He hoped Jotaro would see this video and come to Italy, so he would have a chance to contact Jotaro!

At the same time, on the other side, the Hitman team! Everyone was panting heavily, not knowing whether it was from fear or excitement.

"Finally found you... The existence I've been searching for so hard, so that's what it is! Boss."

The leader of La Squadra Esecuzioni Risotto's face was gloomy. No wonder no one knew your true face!

But now! Boss... no, it should be Diavolo, your secret has been completely exposed.

Two years... before, we were like puppies! Tightly bound by the collar of fear!

But now I'm excited... your secret, your abilities, including your appearance, have been completely exposed!

Wash your neck! Next, it's your turn to be afraid, are you ready to face our assassination?!...

【 Polnareff fell into a pool of blood, his eyes losing their light, but at the critical moment before his death, he pierced the Stand-activating Arrow into Silver Chariot's body.

Accompanied by a dazzling white light, an unexpected change occurred. Silver Chariot, originally an armored humanoid, dissolved into a mass resembling mercury.

Then, it gradually gathered to form a new figure, entirely black, with a clear arrow mark on its neck!

Diavolo looked at this unknown new Stand in panic, then looked at his hands in horror, "Why did the arrow fall from my hand?"

Before he could figure out what was going on, he himself began to lose consciousness, collapsing to the ground. Even Giorno and the others in the Colosseum, and even people further away, fell into a coma and collapsed to the ground. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This sudden change directly subverted the audience's understanding of Stands. Everyone watching the video was filled with confusion!

"What's going on? Isn't it said that Stands are the embodiment of a person's spirit... why can Silver Chariot still act after Polnareff dies!!"

"How can a Stand be alive after a person dies? Or is this the power of the Arrow?!"

"After Silver Chariot was pierced by the Arrow, even its appearance changed! And it seems to have awakened a new ability. Is this the ultimate evolution of the Stand mentioned in the video title?"

~A Certain Magical Index World~.

"So that's the secret of that Arrow!"

Misaka Mikoto looked enlightened.

"Being pierced by the arrow again has an effect similar to increasing the level of ability!"

I wonder if the Arrow can also evolve the level of superpowers?! To reach that legendary Level 6...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Although the future version of himself was dead, Polnareff was still full of curiosity,

"I wonder what kind of ability my Silver Chariot has obtained?!"

After all, his Silver Chariot was a blank slate Stand. Now that he had finally obtained an ability, he couldn't help but look forward to it.

Could it be the ability to make people fall asleep?

"It's not clear yet... it shouldn't be as simple as making people fall asleep!"

Kakyoin looked at the screen. He had never heard of a Stand ability that could be activated after death!

At this moment, he was also curious about what kind of existence Silver Chariot was now.

On the other side, DIO was also full of doubts. He knew Polnareff's Stand was nothing special. Even he had never seen a Stand that could be activated after death!

DIO refocused his gaze on the screen,

"I wonder if this Arrow can evolve my 'Za Warudo' to a new level!"

The ability to continue activating after death was indeed beyond everyone's imagination!

【 Then the scene showed the outside, and it was found that everyone, whether driving or walking, had fallen asleep without exception.

After an unknown amount of time, Bucciarati's team, gathered in the Colosseum, woke up and looked at each other, all with confused expressions.

But then they found that they had exchanged bodies with each other, "This is a Stand attack!! I can be sure this is not Boss's King Crimson."

"Damn it! Did the boss send a new assassin from the Hitman team again?"

"No, Narancia! The boss has personally come near the Colosseum; he shouldn't rely on his subordinates anymore." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I didn't expect it to be more than just a coma, it can even exchange spirits with each other!!"

"It's just simply exchanging each other's spirits without actually harming the body... is it really that simple?"

At this moment, the people outside the video had previous experience and didn't think that the evolved Silver Chariot's ability was that simple! There must be something deeper that they haven't discovered yet.

【 Giorno was about to investigate this strange phenomenon, but the turtle on the pillar next to him caught his attention.

"It hurts~"

"In the end, the enemy is only Diavolo! Did you hear that?!"

"I'm Polnareff... the one who was supposed to meet you at the Colosseum."

Giorno then realized that Polnareff, who had just been killed, was still alive by possessing the body of a turtle.

Then Polnareff explained everything he knew. The Arrow can stimulate the Stand abilities of talented people! If you pierce the Stand with the arrow again, it can continue to evolve.

He also told everyone Diavolo's secret! He is an extremely rare dual soul!

That's why he has been able to perfectly hide his identity for so many years. Controlling such a large organization from behind the scenes! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Is Polnareff alive or dead now... after all, he no longer has a physical body! Only the existence of the soul, relying on the turtle."

"I didn't expect there to be a dual soul in the world. At first, I thought he was just a multiple personality. No wonder Diavolo's appearance changed when he went up the stairs."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Bucciarati... why isn't Abbacchio in there?!"

Naranccia's words startled everyone who was originally immersed in the excitement of learning the boss's true face!

That's right, why is Abbacchio missing in the video?! Could it be that the future Abbacchio has already died in battle?!!

【 After Silver Chariot activated its ability, Bucciarati, who was possessing Diavolo's body after the large-scale body exchange, rushed to the Colosseum and reunited with his partners...

When Giorno and the others first saw him, they almost attacked, but when Bucciarati summoned his Stand, Sticky Fingers, Giorno and the others immediately realized that it was him!

Looking at the people gathered together, Polnareff began to explain the situation in front of him to Bucciarati, "The one lying on the ground is my Stand! It's out of control because of the power of the Arrow."

"It has become Silver Chariot Requiem! The soul exchange is what that guy did."

So everyone looked not far away. At this time, Bucciarati's body was lying motionless on the cold ground. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Wait, if Diavolo is in Bucciarati's body... then isn't Diavolo in Bucciarati's body?"

"But we can't be sure! After all, Polnareff said before that Diavolo is a dual soul, so it can't be ruled out that there is another soul inside!"

That being said, according to the previous law of soul exchange, it will only exchange nearby souls, so it is very likely that Diavolo himself is possessing this body at this time!!

【 Seeing Bucciarati's body still in a coma in the distance, regardless of whether the soul inside is the boss or not, Giorno and the others plan to ignore him first and let Six Bullets monitor him first!

They already know how to use the Arrow. As long as they control the Arrow, they can end all this!

Then, just as Bucciarati was manipulating Sticky Fingers to try to seize the Arrow from Silver Chariot's hand, he suddenly discovered that Sticky Fingers was about to attack him for some reason!

"What is this...?!"

Sticky Fingers grabbed his own neck from his arm and continued to attack him! Giorno, in the distance, immediately shouted anxiously.

"Pick up the arrow quickly! Silver Chariot is rushing in!!"

Mista quickly fired several shots, repelling Silver Chariot, but then even his Stand, Sex Pistols, betrayed him and attacked him.

"What's going on...!!"

Mista was completely confused by the scene in front of him, but the continuous Stand out of control had made them afraid to attack at will.

They could only watch helplessly as Silver Chariot picked up the arrow on the ground and walked out of the Colosseum.

Polnareff was also full of surprise at this moment, and said somewhat uncertainly: "Maybe he is completely out of control! This is also the first time I have experienced Silver Chariot's Stand ability!!"

"The completely out-of-control Silver Chariot inherited my inner will! It has become a guardian Stand!"

"No matter who wants to touch this arrow, he will use the other party's Stand to attack the body." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Hearing the explanation, everyone understood the horror of Silver Chariot Requiem. The arrow has the power to dominate the spirit, and this is one of them!

"This is really completely troublesome! It has formed a contradictory collection. If you use a Stand to seize it, the Stand will be controlled by Silver Chariot and attack itself!"

"Does the arrow also mean that it is equal to the saint's remains in this world?!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Boss Diavolo stared at the picture playing on the screen with his eyes wide open, and slammed his fist on the table in front of him, and his whole body became furious.

"Damn it!! Not only the name, but even the dual personality thing is exposed? It actually exposed my biggest secret!"

Now his true identity and appearance, as well as his Stand ability, have been completely exposed and announced! He now has no secrets at all.

Next, he will probably face not only the betrayal of Bucciarati's team, but also a group of restless subordinates who can't wait to kill him and take over.

But there is still a chance! As long as I get the arrow and let King Crimson evolve again, then I will not be afraid of anything else...

Diavolo, who was immersed in fantasy, did not know that Jotaro Kujo was already on his way to Italy with Josuke Higashikata...!

Notes:

Translator-kun: yare yare daze...

Chapter 146: Na—ran—cia!!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Polnareff, whose soul was residing in the turtle, sighed. His Silver Chariot was completely out of control now, no longer under his command.

"Is that true!... Then what should we do? Our Stand powers have been strengthened because we exchanged bodies."

Narancia's words were filled with panic. Everything happening before his eyes far exceeded his imagination. At this moment, the camera gradually rose. Outside the Colosseum, it wasn't just people exchanging bodies; even people and animals had swapped bodies.

Some people had swapped bodies with dogs... and adults who had swapped with babies. In short, the scene gradually began to become very chaotic.

The scene shifted. Six Bullets NO.7, who was responsible for monitoring, discovered that Bucciarati's body, lying in the center of the Colosseum, had awakened. Immediately, Giorno and the others became wary, preparing for battle.

"Mista!... Shoot quickly." Bucciarati, who had exchanged bodies with Diavolo, looked at the stunned Mista and continued to shout anxiously, "What are you standing there for? Shoot him quickly!"

Mista hesitated slightly: "But... but that body belongs to Bucciarati."

Just as Mista was at a loss, Giorno dispelled his concerns: "If you're worried about the injuries after sniping, my Gold Experience can completely heal them!"

"In any case... make him unable to move first!!"

After hearing Giorno's words, facing Bucciarati's body, which was suspected to contain the Boss's soul, the confusion in Mista's eyes disappeared. He fired several shots without hesitation!

The three bullets he fired all avoided vital points, severely injuring him, at least making him unable to move for a short time!

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

When they witnessed Bucciarati using the Boss's body and mixing in with the team, there was a strange sense of humor, and the audience in front of the screen couldn't help but laugh!

"There's absolutely no sense of incongruity, but it just looks a bit messed up..."

"I didn't expect Giorno's Stand ability could actually heal, but Mista's decisive shooting is also a testament to his trust in his companion's ability!"

"But Mista also didn't forget to keep a hand, avoiding vital points! This also leaves time for treatment when Bucciarati switches back to his body."

【 Narancia, using Giorno's body, used his Stand, Aerosmith, to detect the surrounding carbon dioxide. "There are no other reactions besides us; no one is coming to save him."

Then he breathed a sigh of relief. With the Boss dead, no one could stop them from getting the Arrow again, and everything was over!

"We succeeded! After this, as long as we get the Arrow back, everything will be over!"

"When I return to my hometown of Naples, I'm going to go to school! I also want to eat a piping-hot slice of pizza! Authentic Margherita pizza baked over an oak wood fire!, I'll get some porcini mushrooms on it, too! "

"And... if I can see Fugo again, even if he still calls me an idiot, that would be nice too." The screen flashed with memories of spending time with Fugo, and also flashed with Abbacchio's figure...

"Although Abbacchio is no longer here..."

Narancia, using Giorno's body, shouted out everything he wanted to say in one breath. Finally, he looked up and suppressed the sadness in his heart. It was a pity that Abbacchio would never see this scene. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this, everyone felt a bad premonition. Those who had seen the previous video knew that the biggest taboo in a Stand user battle was celebrating halfway through!

~Gabriel DropOut World~

"This is bad... This behavior, like a manga protagonist, seems to be setting up some sort of flag!"

Gabriel was very familiar with this scene. In the many manga she had read, protagonists would say things like 'After this battle, I'll go back to my hometown and get married' during a fight, setting up flags! In the end, they would always be killed by the villain.

In Gabriel's view, Narancia's current behavior was exactly like what she had seen in manga.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"As expected... I died?"

Although Abbacchio had expected it, hearing the fact of his death firsthand was inevitably a little sad, but! He didn't regret his actions against the Boss.

Because only where Bucciarati was could he feel at ease.

"Narancia...!"

At this moment, Fugo, walking on an unknown street on the other side, looked up at the screen with a complicated expression. He didn't expect to see himself in Narancia's recollection.

But this is good too... This kind of ending is already very good, Narancia!

【 Bucciarati, using Diavolo's body, continued to speak to Mista, "Just in case! Shoot his legs two more times."

After hearing this, Mista immediately shouted for Trish to give him bullets, because they had swapped bodies, the bullets were now on Trish.

Just as Trish took out the bullets and was about to hand them to Mista, she found that in the next instant, the bullets in her hand were no longer there!

The camera suddenly seemed to be missing a few frames, and it entered fast-forward. Mista's palm was piled high with the bullets Trish had handed him.

But precisely, they did not doubt what had happened in those few seconds just now! Without anyone noticing, the Boss had erased several more seconds of time just now!

At this moment, everyone was filled with shock, "Just now it flew!! Several more seconds were erased."

Bucciarati, using Diavolo's body, looked at the center of the Colosseum with a face full of disbelief, "This is impossible!! I didn't see him release King Crimson! Nor did I see him retract his Stand."

"Why would he erase time?! From the position where he fell... he didn't move a single step!!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Not only that, but even the people outside the video had the same doubts. What was the meaning of the Boss erasing time at this moment?

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Neither did I see him launch an attack, nor did I see any movement from the body in the center of the Colosseum!"

Regarding this question, Doctor Roman guessed in his heart. Perhaps the soul inside Bucciarati's body in the center of the Colosseum was not the Boss at all!

They had been guarding against the wrong person from the beginning, but if that was the case... where could the real Boss have been swapped to?

After all, Narancia's Aerosmith had previously detected the surrounding carbon dioxide and hadn't found any new people nearby.

【 "Narancia... is anyone else approaching?" Bucciarati, still not finding any abnormality, turned his head to ask, but didn't find Narancia's figure!

"Narancia?!..."

It was then that everyone realized that Narancia, using Giorno's body, had disappeared. They then saw blood flowing down the wall. When they looked up in alarm, they saw a scene that no one could accept!

Narancia, using Giorno's body, was completely embedded in the railing, having completely lost his life signs! Everyone's brains seemed unable to accept this image, entering a state of shock!

Polnareff also couldn't understand how this happened: "Impossible, how could this happen?"

Without time for sadness, Bucciarati, who had come back to his senses, gritted his teeth and said, "Quick, be on guard... Mista!!"

In the midst of darkness, the atmosphere began to become oppressive, and even the background music began to turn mournful.

"Na—ran—cia!!!" 】

【 ..... 】

Notes:

Translator-kun: Na—ran—cia!!, this is the top 10 famous scene, right? not top 10 tear-jerking scene right?!

Chapter 147: Actually, I figured it out too, I just didn't want to say it.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


~Projection of All Worlds~

Although as early as Narancia set the FLAG of returning to his hometown if he won this battle, the viewers watching the video had already faintly smelled a hint of ominousness.

But they didn't expect that within just a few minutes of the inventory video starting, two members of the team had already died, and what was even more despairing was that they still hadn't figured out where Diavolo had launched his attack from.

However, this was also a real battle; in battle, you wouldn't necessarily survive just because you were the protagonist.

After all, Johnny and Gyro from before were a good example, weren't they?

"How exactly did Diavolo launch his attack? The soul lying in the body in the center of the Colosseum isn't Diavolo, is it?!"

"After all, Polnareff said before that Diavolo has two souls in one body, so it's not impossible that Diavolo's soul is currently hidden among them!"

"And the reason Diavolo dealt with Narancia first is probably because Narancia's Stand has anti-detection capabilities!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"!!!"

The members of Bucciarati's team watching the video couldn't react in time at all.

"What in the world is going on?!"

Giorno was also sweating coldly at this moment; he couldn't figure out where the attack had come from either!

"Based on previous observations, King Crimson's range should only be 2~3m, right?! How was this done?"

"It's okay, Narancia... I won't let this future happen."

Bucciarati could only force himself to calm down at this moment, patting Narancia's shoulder to comfort him.

Despite his words, the sorrow in Bucciarati's eyes and the tension in his clenched fist were unmistakably noticed by Giorno.

【 The Group rescued Narancia, who was using Giorno's body, from the railing.

"Quickly heal him!! Quickly pull the iron railing out of the wound!!"

Giorno didn't dare to delay either, summoning his Stand, Gold Experience, and began healing the wound in a burst of golden light.

"Success...!!"

Mista looked at Giorno's body in the golden light, gradually opening its eyes, and was instantly excited.

"He's woken up!! Narancia, that's great!"

"You're mistaken... Mista."

Giorno, who had slowly opened his eyes, said sadly, "This is already an empty shell."

"The penetrating wound on his body has been completely healed by my Gold Experience!"

Then tears gradually welled up in Giorno's eyes, "But he's no longer here... his soul has departed."

"No matter what I do, it's too late... even my soul had to return to my own body."

Then Giorno's soul returned to his body, and Narancia's body completely fell down!

The camera gradually pulled back, Fugo walked on the street, saw the shadow of a plane pass by on the ground, and as if sensing something, looked up.

He only saw the small plane constantly flying into the distance, passing by Abbacchio's peaceful resting place, then flying towards the sky, gradually flying into the high sea of clouds.

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Gold Experience can heal wounds, but it's helpless against a soul that has already departed."

"I didn't expect the little plane to finally soar freely in the sea of clouds..."

"Although Giorno has super strong healing abilities, his companions are still leaving one by one!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Narancia... so you came back to see me at the last moment!"

Fugo, watching this scene outside the video, couldn't help but burst into tears, clenching his fists tightly.

"Boss... although I'm very afraid of you, but!!"

Saying this, Fugo reached out to wipe away the tears in his eyes, his gaze gradually firming as he looked at the screen!

"Narancia is my only student, I, Fugo! Although he's not smart, and a little bit stupid! And I've always scolded him severely... even so!"

"After the battle, he still wanted to return to his hometown and go back to school! Boss... I won't let you off! Even if it costs me my life."

【 Facing the sacrifice of their companion, Giorno and the others could only reluctantly accept this reality. Before they could even grieve, the boss's goal was the Arrow. Now they had to pursue the Silver Chariot to prevent the Arrow from falling into Diavolo's hands!

"I'll leave you here for now," Giorno leaned against the wall with one hand, looking at Narancia on the ground, "No one will ever harm you again."

Then he slowly stood up, his eyes filled with determination, "But I will definitely bring you back to your hometown later."

After saying that, Giorno chased after Silver Chariot. As he left, he also activated his ability, and flowers appeared on Narancia's body, wrapping him up. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"I thought Giorno's ability was just simple healing, but I didn't expect it could also summon plants."

"I have to say Giorno is really gentle, but now there's no time to grieve; they can only continue chasing Silver Chariot. If the Arrow falls into the boss's hands, Narancia's death will be in vain."

【 The passersby in the Colosseum had all woken up at this moment, and Giorno and the others had already caught up with Silver Chariot!

Because of their previous experience, the group didn't dare to attack casually. Bucciarati walked up to the Silver Chariot and observed it carefully.

"He's aimless, without any emotion. He doesn't look at my face at all, nor does he look in the direction he's going."

"To say he's a living creature seems correct! But to say he's a piece of black plastic also seems possible."

Saying this, Bucciarati extended his foot to block the way, and Silver Chariot seemed unaware as it fell to the ground! 】

【 ..... 】

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

"A Stand... is a symbol of mental ability, but its master is already dead, yet it survived by the power of the Arrow..."

Miyu looked at Silver Chariot and expressed her opinion, then gradually understood everything.

Because it had lost its master's control, it was aimless. Its only thought was the wish left by Polnareff before his death: to protect the Arrow!!

So as long as you didn't attack the Arrow, Silver Chariot wouldn't react to anything.

But the next scene in the video completely overturned everyone's previous understanding of Silver Chariot's ability!

【 After Bucciarati tripped the Silver Chariot, the Stand Arrow also fell to the ground. Giorno just reached out slightly, and his Gold Experience on the ground uncontrollably walked out and stopped him.

Then Giorno picked up a stone and threw it over, but it was bounced back by the Stand Arrow before it even got close. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Now there's no way to get close at all! Not just Stands, even using objects can't touch that Arrow!"

"But how did Polnareff touch that Arrow before?! Is there some unknown trick to it..."

【 Polnareff, whose soul had been swapped into the turtle, tried to bite the Arrow with his mouth, and found that he wasn't bounced back. But the Silver Chariot in the distance immediately ran towards him.

Mista was about to pull out his gun to stop Silver Chariot, but found that the magazine of his revolver had suddenly dropped. Fortunately, he had another gun as a backup, which stopped Silver Chariot at the critical moment!

【But then the Arrow was taken back by Silver Chariot, and it continued to walk forward aimlessly holding the Arrow...

【At this time, Polnareff suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, "Silver Chariot's ability, and something I didn't know about its aftermath, I'm starting to understand."

【"Silver Chariot stops attacking because the starting time has arrived!"

【"Because my physical body has started to change!"

As soon as these words fell, a hideous claw and head grew out of the turtle's body again! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This scene, so contrary to common sense, made everyone completely understand Silver Chariot's true ability!

Its ability to swap mental states into other people's bodies was the ability to replace the creatures in this world with other creatures!

Soul swapping was just the surface, just the beginning! As long as the time came, it could transform creatures into other creatures. This was the terrifying part of Silver Chariot!

If Silver Chariot were allowed to run wild any longer, the entire Earth could turn into a group of never-before-seen species! Humanity would also cease to exist.

"This world took 4.5 billion years... to create the history of living creatures! Silver Chariot can actually convert all creatures into other creatures in just a few hours!"

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"How is that possible... This evolution from one concept to another actually only took a short day."

Da Vinci was sweating coldly, unable to believe the scene she was seeing.

Do you know how long it took for humans to evolve to this point? But Silver Chariot's ability actually shortened this evolution directly to one day!!

"This simply doesn't make sense..."

Doctor Roman felt his worldview shatter, but then he became relieved.

After all, the Stand abilities in that world were bizarre and varied; some could control time, and some could even break through dimensional walls.

Now, adding an ability that could evolve the entire planet wasn't so strange anymore, was it...

【 As Polnareff was speaking, the people around them also began to change, with new eyes and mouths growing out of their faces again. That scene, like something out of Cthulhu, sent chills down one's spine.

The scene shifted, the camera suddenly focusing on the ferocious-looking King Crimson, who was secretly gloating at this moment, "So that's it, that's the true horror of Silver Chariot!"

"But, thanks to these guys, I've discovered it, I'm about to get the answer! I already know what method to use! To snatch that Arrow from Silver Chariot's hands!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What?! He already knows the answer?! Why can't I understand the secret of Silver Chariot?!"

"Is this the difference in intelligence compared to that world? I didn't discover anything!"

"Suddenly I understand, after all, with the previous video as a foundation, the intelligence level of that world can be understood as being sky-high. After all, Stand users are all geniuses when they fight..."

"Actually, I figured it out too, I just didn't want to say it."

Although the people outside the video were still completely confused at this moment, it didn't prevent them from pretending to have figured it out themselves, at least so others wouldn't look down on them.

【 Facing the sudden change, the group decided to find a way to seize the Arrow as quickly as possible; otherwise, even they themselves would turn into other creatures soon!

"Stand still! Mista!" Giorno squatted on the ground and found the magazine that had broken off earlier, realizing it wasn't metal fatigue! It was broken off intentionally.

He guessed that the boss was currently lurking inside one of them! He then planned to use his Stand, Gold Experience, to check the number of souls inside their bodies to determine who Diavolo was inside.

Giorno used Polnareff's blood drop timing method. Even if Diavolo used Time Erase, the change in the number of blood drops could determine the amount of time erased! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This young man is capable! He can think of so much at such a critical moment. This time, it can be said that he has completely cornered the boss."

"That's right, if the boss isn't identified, even if they get the Arrow, they'll be attacked by him just like Narancia before!"

"But doing this means the initiative is no longer with the boss! This time, no matter what, the boss can't hide anymore!"

As expected... cornered, Diavolo had to show himself and launch his final counterattack. The moment King Crimson appeared, it broke one of Gold Experience's arms, and blood splattered onto King Crimson's fist!

【 "It's Mista! Mista is possessed!" Trish immediately shouted anxiously, preparing to attack.

"No! Trish, you're the one who's possessed! The moment the boss appeared, he moved your body closer to us!" Bucciarati observed more clearly from a distance, then spoke up to remind them, summoning Sticky Fingers and rapidly punching towards the boss!

However, by borrowing the moment his daughter Trish summoned her Stand, and then firmly grabbing her neck, Diavolo also gained control of her body!

"My daughter... I was waiting for this moment when you would release your Stand!!"

Then Diavolo completely ignored Bucciarati and Mista's attacks, erasing time while sprinting towards the Silver Chariot!

"The secret of Silver Chariot is that shadow! Why can't anyone touch that Arrow?"

"As soon as I move, Silver Chariot's shadow will ignore the position of the sun! It will move in the opposite direction from me."

"The secret of Silver Chariot is this: this guy is the shadow of a person's inner self! So attacking it is like attacking yourself."

"As long as there is a shadow, there must be light! The light is behind one's own spirit."

Then King Crimson punched and shattered the sphere behind him, reflecting the light, and snatched the Stand Arrow first! 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Upon hearing the explanation, everyone was silent, speechless.

How did you figure out so much in such a short time? And just by listening to your explanation, I still haven't figured out what's going on.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Uh... Why, even though the boss explained it, I still don't understand the secret of the Silver Chariot!"

Narancia covered his head with his hands, indicating that he didn't completely understand the information revealed in the video!

Bucciarati's gaze also became serious. This is good, at least he knows that the boss's combat intelligence is not weak, and he must be even more cautious in the future.

In just a few minutes, things changed so quickly that everyone couldn't keep up. Could it be that Diavolo was really going to get the Arrow like this?

【 Before he could celebrate too early, the blood Giorno had left on his hand turned into ants under the influence of Gold Experience, biting off the arrowhead! It slipped from his hand!

Mista seized the opportunity to fire several shots, but they were bounced away by King Crimson. Just as he was about to pick up the Arrow again!

The Arrow was inexplicably bounced up!

"Spice Girl!!"

Trish, who was thought to be unconscious, had already secretly activated her Stand ability, softening the bullets and making King Crimson mistakenly believe he had bounced them away!

Seeing the Arrow starting to fly towards Mista, Diavolo, having no other option, turned his gaze towards Spice Girl!

Seeing the Arrow about to be within reach, but being interrupted, Diavolo became completely enraged. He mercilessly punched through Trish's abdomen, using the impact to leap into the air!

"So-called fear, without a doubt, all comes from the past. You've really pissed me off!"

"This way, whether it's the past or the heads of these guys, I can fly over them!"

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Trish's soul gradually flew out of Mista's body, her life hanging by a thread at this moment.

Bucciarati's eyes were splitting with rage at the sight, and he immediately shouted loudly.

"Trish——!!!" 】

【 .... 】

Notes:

Translator note: From this chapter onward, whenever the world of Illya appears, I will be referring to it as "Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline" instead of the previous "Magical Girl Illya Worldline".

Chapter 148: Say hello to everyone for me, Giorno.

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Watching this roller-coaster-like reversal of events, everyone was on the edge of their seats, not daring to look away for a second. Then, when they saw with their own eyes Diavolo punch straight through his own daughter, everyone was stunned.

"Is Trish really Diavolo's biological daughter? It feels like she's not even as important as a random passerby... But I have to say, he's truly ruthless!"

"To think he'd move using this method! You know he's currently possessing Mista's body! Doesn't that mean he has to suffer the same damage now?"

"I can't believe Trish is going to die just a few minutes into the opening?! It feels like this video kills people faster than killing chickens."

What confused everyone the most was whether this was scientifically accurate. Could you punch yourself and send yourself flying?! Newton must be crying in the toilet!

Just as everyone was feeling confused, they were once again left speechless by Bucciarati's strange phrasing. Wasn't his sentence breaking a bit weird...

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Now even Trish is going to die?!"

Bucciarati didn't know what to think. Watching his teammates die one by one, his heart was filled with torment at this moment.

And was this last hope of turning the tables going to be taken away by the Boss as well? His mood plummeted to the bottom, and he couldn't think of any way to turn things around.

Could it be that they really couldn't defeat Diavolo in the end?!

【 Trish, enduring the damage from this punch, drifted towards the direction of the arrow. Bucciarati, not far away, watched the gradually separating soul with astonishment: "Her... soul... is gradually flying away!!"

Mista reached out to touch, but was helpless, only able to watch with his own eyes, "Trish's soul is gradually disappearing into the air."

King Crimson, who had flown into the air using this push, clasped his hands together, gripping the arrow tightly, his tone filled with excitement.

"The arrow has finally fallen into my hands! The power of the arrow, this gift from fate! With this, my King Crimson will be brought to the peak of the world."

But the next scene completely dumbfounded him. The arrow, which had already pierced King Crimson, went straight through his palm and fell downwards.

King Crimson immediately reached out to grab the falling arrow again, his hideous face filled with confusion: "It... it didn't pierce through... Wh... where did something go wrong?"

"No! I didn't grab the arrow at all! My... my King Crimson's hand has become transparent."

He desperately tried to grab the arrow, but found that his soul and Stand had somehow become illusory, as if about to return somewhere.

The arrow continued to fall downwards. No matter how many times he reached out to catch it, it passed through his palm until the Stand arrow completely fell onto the ground. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

They had originally thought that after the arrow pierced King Crimson, a new ability would appear, but they didn't expect it to just fall downwards.

"What's going on? Didn't he just get the arrow?"

"Is it because he doesn't have a physical body and is just a soul that he can't touch the arrow?"

"Or does the Stand arrow have a consciousness similar to the Saint's Corpse? That's why it didn't choose Diavolo..."

Even Diavolo in the video was somewhat at a loss due to this sudden change. He himself didn't know what was going on.

【 "This is...!" King Crimson looked around, only to find that the bodies whose souls had been swapped were gradually returning to normal, and their respective souls had returned to their own bodies.

"Could it be..." King Crimson seemed to realize something and suddenly turned his head to find Silver Chariot Requiem collapsed there.

Bucciarati's soul, emitting blue light, also gradually peeled away from Diavolo's body, but at this moment, he still said calmly: "Boss, did you only predict the movements of the arrow and bullets?"

"You couldn't predict my actions at all, could you? So, as long as I completely destroy the thing behind me... the ability of the out-of-control Stand, Silver Chariot Requiem, will be eliminated."

As Bucciarati spoke, more and more zippers appeared on the ball of light behind him, as if it was about to be completely destroyed in the next moment!

"Stop it... Bucciarati!!" The unexpected change made Diavolo somewhat panicked, letting out a hysterical roar, and even playing the sympathy card!

"Look at me seriously! Who is worthy of owning this arrow? Which king in this world is worthy of owning this arrow?" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Looking at you, I have to say you really aren't worthy... King Crimson looks way too ugly."

"However, I must admit that when he assumed that pose, King Crimson appeared rather comical."

"You'd think Bucciarati wouldn't agree to your request, right? And you can still say that after what happened. You just killed Narancia not long ago!"

The audience also didn't expect Diavolo to be so shameless. Not long ago, he killed Narancia and Polnareff... Now Trish was also beaten to the point of near death, and he still had the nerve to ask others to give him the arrow!

【 "People who are incapable are not qualified to own this arrow!!" King Crimson roared angrily and rushed towards the arrow on the ground. Just as he was about to touch it!

Bucciarati's Stand, Sticky Fingers, suddenly pulled down the zipper on the ball of light, and the ball of light instantly shattered into pieces. "All swapped souls will return to their original state!"

Then, at the last moment, Silver Chariot Requiem was completely destroyed, and their respective souls returned to their bodies. Trish's soul, which had been floating upwards, also returned to her body.

But! Suddenly, a golden-yellow smoke cloud symbolizing the soul rose, and Bucciarati's figure in the golden cloud gradually flew upwards. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"That's not right!... Why isn't Bucciarati returning directly to his own body?"

"And Mista specifically avoided the vital points when he attacked! Logically, the body in the Colosseum shouldn't be dead."

"Why did Bucciarati die? Shouldn't he have returned to his body? His body is clearly still in the Colosseum!"

This sudden scene was not unfamiliar to everyone. When Giorno died earlier, the scene was similar to this.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Doctor...!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka turned her head in confusion and asked Doctor Romani in the distance,

"Didn't Silver Chariot Requiem's ability disappear?! Logically, shouldn't he have returned to his body?"

Doctor Romani was also somewhat confused and could only offer his guess,

"Perhaps the body in the center of the Colosseum has already died?! That's why Bucciarati...!"

【 Under the sunlight, Bucciarati's soul was saying its final farewell to Giorno, "Giorno... I'll leave the rest to you."

Giorno's eyes widened, filled with reluctance and sadness, and he subconsciously reached out to try and keep him, "Bu... Bucciarati! Your... your body... the body you left in the Colosseum has already..."

『 At this moment, a line of text appeared beside the video, thoughtfully explaining his situation.

Bucciarati's body had already died earlier. The reason he was alive until now was only because of the life force maintained by Giorno's Gold Experience. 』

"Giorno... I have been resurrected! From the moment I met you in my hometown of Naples, from the moment I betrayed the organization, my gradually dying heart had already been resurrected."

The clouds gradually dispersed, and the sun reappeared in the sky. Bucciarati smiled faintly with relief, his body flying progressively upwards in the golden clouds, saying his final farewell to his companions.

"You don't need to worry. Say hello to everyone for me, Giorno. I'm just returning to where I should have gone long ago. Everything is just returning to its original state."

Accompanied by a sorrowful and poignant elegy, Bucciarati's soul ascended on the golden-yellow smoke cloud, surrounded and embraced by angels and wreaths, forming an absolute world-famous painting of the Son of God ascending to heaven!

After the golden clouds passed, Giorno received the last gift Bucciarati gave him! The Stand arrow appeared in his hand.

Giorno gripped the Stand arrow tightly, without saying a word, but the will and determination burning in his eyes was his final answer to Bucciarati. 】

 

Chapter 149: Its name is Gold Experience Requiem!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Bucciarati's sacrifice was truly somewhat beyond the expectations of the video audience. They had thought the subject of this inventory was Bucciarati...

But being gradually led towards heaven, surrounded by angels, also precisely demonstrated that Bucciarati must be a gentle and kind person.

Bucciarati possessed the purest and most beautiful golden soul, allowing angels to clear the way for him, and his weary soul finally found its exclusive peace.

Such a gentle person was not treated gently; his companions left one by one, and even in his final moments, he was still thinking of Giorno!

Only now did everyone understand why, when Silver Chariot Requiem died, everyone's souls should have returned to their own bodies, but Bucciarati could only walk towards heaven!

It turned out that from the moment they departed from Venice, he was already half-dead, relying solely on his strong willpower to persevere until now.

Bucciarati had already done his best.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"So... heaven really exists!"

Misaka Mikoto felt a strange sense of emotion in her heart as she watched Bucciarati ascend, surrounded by angels.

That sacred scene was deeply imprinted in her eyes. Angel Bucciarati had finally returned to heaven.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

"That dead heart has been revived..."

Miyu murmured, repeating the phrase.

What had Bucciarati gone through to make the heart of such a gentle person once die? The so-called revival of a dead heart probably meant finding his original resolve!

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

"You will die surrounded by people!..."

For some reason, the words of his grandfather flashed through Itadori Yuuji's mind again at this moment!

Grandpa, although I didn't achieve it, I have seen angels... A disciple guided by the Son of God has returned to heaven.

~Gabriel DropOut World~

"I wonder if the heaven in that world is connected to this one?"

Gabriel packed her luggage and also took off the dark halo on her head to wipe it.

Then the originally dark halo became bright again.

Gabriel planned to go back to heaven to check the household registry to see if there was a being named Bucciarati. If there was, she planned to get to know him.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Fate is a sleeping slave... it cannot be changed."

The sculptor recalled the scene sculpted by the Rolling Stones in its final moments. Everything died just as the Rolling Stones had sculpted.

"If you don't resist and just accept the Rolling Stones, everything will end peacefully... We are all slaves of fate."

"The shape that has already appeared, as expected, cannot be changed. Mista... Because you destroyed the shape of the Rolling Stones before, the path you will embark on will be a path of suffering."

At the same time, the Bucciarati team, on the other side, watching this, could no longer restrain their emotions and tightly grabbed Bucciarati!

"Bucciarati... You... Are you really as the video says?! You are... now...!"

Abbacchio stammered, somewhat disbelievingly.

Bucciarati's existence was salvation for everyone. Abbacchio would rather die himself than see him leave!

"....."

Bucciarati remained silent, not answering Abbacchio's question.

But sometimes silence is the best answer. Everyone clearly couldn't accept this fact, but they were powerless to change it.

【 "It turned out to be like this..." Diavolo, back in his body, stared blankly at his hands, instantly filled with rage. "In my hands... In my hands, I couldn't hold that arrow!"

"I, Diavolo, will not be defeated by such a trivial matter. I should retreat now. I should first distance myself from that arrow, hide, and wait for an opportunity to counterattack..."

"Retreating temporarily now is not a defeat at all! I still have the ability to return to the peak."

Just as Diavolo was about to escape, Trish in the distance slowly spoke, "Don't let that guy escape... Giorno!"

"Once that guy escapes, he will definitely hide. I can feel it... That guy just took a step back." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Truly a filial father and son... Just now Diavolo punched through her abdomen, and now it's her turn to backstab him!"

"But Diavolo is really thick-skinned. If escaping like this doesn't count as defeat, then what does count as defeat?"

"However, if I really let him escape, I'm afraid Giorno's days afterward would be spent constantly on edge, after all, King Crimson's time erasure is truly difficult to deal with."

【 Diavolo stood up, his eyes wide, looking at the figure in front of him. In the pale blue smoke, Giorno received Bucciarati's final entrustment! What he held in his hand was none other than the Stand Arrow!

Mista immediately became excited: "After Silver Chariot Requiem, the one qualified to control the arrow is Giorno!!"

Seeing this, Diavolo quickly rushed towards Giorno, but it was still one step too late. Giorno summoned Gold Experience, then raised the Stand Arrow in his hand and pierced it into his own Stand!

"Great! The one who evolved through that arrow is Giorno's Gold Experience!" Even Trish, next to him, started to get excited.

Accompanied by a dazzling golden light, Giorno did not evolve like Silver Chariot Requiem. Instead, he directly shattered his Stand, Gold Experience!

A large hole appeared in Gold Experience's chest, and the Stand Arrow also dropped from his hand, falling onto the ground. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This sudden turn of events stunned everyone. What was going on?! Why didn't the Stand Arrow make Giorno's Stand evolve, but instead stab a large hole in it!!

"Does the Stand Arrow really have a will? Does it choose the person qualified to wield it on its own?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Hey, hey, Giorno... What in the world is going on?"

Mista was completely panicked at this moment. In the future, his companions were leaving one by one! Now, even Giorno was going to die?

"I don't know either... After all, this is the future!"

Giorno himself was very confused by the scene in front of him. Do I really not have the qualifications to possess the Stand Arrow...

Watching the video up to this point, Diavolo couldn't help but let out a joyful laugh. Fate was on his side! Giorno was just a rookie kid, how could he be qualified to possess the Stand Arrow...

Indeed, the Emperor is I, Diavolo! With this, after obtaining the Stand Arrow, my King Crimson will undergo a brand new evolution!

【 The scene just now was the future Diavolo saw through Epitaph. Reality was also just as he had seen. Seeing Giorno with a hole pierced through his chest and bleeding, Diavolo couldn't help but laugh maniacally!

"Polnareff, who has flown off to who knows where, once said that the arrow chooses the person qualified to wield it on its own." Diavolo had already circled around behind Giorno at this point.

Then King Crimson raised his fist, full of mockery: "You have been rejected by the arrow!"

"Die!" King Crimson punched Gold Experience's face, shattering it. "The Emperor is I, Diavolo!!"

Amidst Trish and Mista's exclamations, the armor on Gold Experience's face was shattered, breaking into pieces on the ground. Giorno's eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground.

But from the shattered armor, a brand new eye emerged from the gap, peering outside from the broken part.

The Stand Arrow on the ground seemed to have a will of its own, directly drilling into Gold Experience's arm!

At this moment, Diavolo looked as if he was doubting life, his tone filled with disbelief: "Logically, I should have seen his brains splattered by now! But what came out from inside wasn't brains. This... How is this possible!!"

Seeing that things were not good, Diavolo's King Crimson immediately attacked Gold Experience like a rain of punches. After the rapid strikes, what remained on the ground was a body resembling a cicada's shed shell.

The two commentators, Trish and Mista, who had been watching this scene from a distance, immediately began their commentary: "Giorno was not rejected by the arrow!"

"Not only that! The Stand Arrow belongs to Giorno forever! The boss will never have any chance to obtain that arrow again!"

Then, as Trish and the others looked up, Giorno was not dead. Instead, he was flying in mid-air! His golden hair fluttered in the wind, and he pulled at the collar of his chest with one hand! Beside him was his brand new Stand, posing coolly with him.

Its name is Gold Experience Requiem!

At this moment, Diavolo stood there dumbfounded. "Was what I just saw real?! I saw something that shouldn't have happened."

"What should be in front of me right now... should be Giorno's corpse with his head blown open!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Looking at the newly appeared Stand, everyone was slightly stunned at first, and then they immediately realized.

"How did he fly up? Is the new ability just flight??! If that's the case, it's too perfunctory."

"I have to say, the appearance of the evolved Stand looks much cooler than before, and it gives off a sense of pressure."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

Giorno stared blankly at his brand-new Stand on the screen.

"Is this Gold Experience Requiem? What kind of new ability will it have to defeat the boss?"

"I know!"

Narancia said, looking as if he had guessed the ability, then spoke to Giorno with immense confidence!

"Your brand new ability is—flight!! That's definitely it."

After hearing Narancia's words, everyone was slightly taken aback, and then they suddenly felt that what he said made a lot of sense, after all, the previous Gold Experience did not have the ability to fly!

But if it really is just a flight, then how can he defeat the boss!!! It must be said that Narancia's words dragged Bucciarati and the others' intelligence down to the same level. Commonly known as intelligence reduction...

【 Gold Experience Requiem, flying in mid-air, merely pointed lightly at a stone floating in front of him. The small stone instantly turned into a golden light and directly pierced through Diavolo's palm!

"Boom——"

Then, its momentum undiminished, it directly shattered the building behind him. The splashing stones even directly turned into venomous scorpions that stung Diavolo's hand!

"What!!"

King Crimson immediately used a hand chop to cut off the layer of skin that had been stung by the scorpions! Then he stomped on the scorpions along with the skin. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"The speed is so fast you can't even see it... And just now, Gold Experience Requiem didn't seem to be serious."

"To what extent has Giorno reached now? A Stand is a symbol of the spirit. At this moment, he has a firm will, and his Stand will also be strengthened."

Giorno's attack truly exceeded everyone's imagination. A small stone that was merely touched had such terrifying, destructive power.

Whether it was speed or power! Even the time it took to activate the ability was greatly shortened. The newly evolved Gold Experience Requiem caused King Crimson to suffer a great loss in just an instant.

Is this the terrifying power of the Stand Arrow?! I believe that after this video is broadcast, many people will start fighting over the Stand Arrow...

【 "What remains will only be the truth of this world. And actions derived from sincerity, from the truth, will never be destroyed."

In Giorno's sorrowful eyes, one could see his unbreakable will as he continued to speak.

"Although my companions are gone, their actions and will have not been destroyed! They are the ones who placed this arrow in my hands."

"And are your actions derived from truth, or from superficial evil? We will soon find out."

"Can you truly not be destroyed, Boss?"

Diavolo covered his injured right hand, blood continuously dripping from the wound, his eyes filled with terror!

"I didn't see... I couldn't see the moment that guy attacked."

"But the attack just now... I had predicted it. That Gold Experience Requiem's attack is indeed very powerful. But it only strengthened its power! And that's all."

"Although it posed a threat, I can still predict!! It's not something I can't overcome." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Unexpectedly, even Diavolo personally admitted that he didn't detect the attack just now and only barely dodged it by relying on his prediction ability."

"But in that case, it's hard to understand where Diavolo gets the confidence to dodge Gold Experience Requiem's attack. Could it be that the Stand Arrow's ability is really just a power boost, as he said?"

"Gold Experience Requiem's true ability might not have been used yet. After all, the previous Silver Chariot Requiem also had multiple abilities, which weren't discovered at first."

Everyone speculated about Gold Experience Requiem's ability. They didn't think that the Stand Arrow, which possessed mysterious power, simply enhanced strength! There must be a deeper level of power that hasn't been discovered yet...

Chapter 150: Gold Experience Requiem ability!

Chapter Text


【 Facing Giorno's composure and calmness, Diavolo was furious. He pointed a finger at Giorno in the sky, "Don't get carried away! Acting like you know everything, Giorno Giovanna!"

"I won't leave you a single moment to regret... Die!"

As he spoke, Giorno slowly descended from the sky. Mista, who was lying on the ground, also reloaded his magazine and fired several shots at Diavolo.

"King Crimson!! Erase the time of everyone... except for me!!"

With a flash of the screen, the ground instantly cracked open. At this moment, they seemed to enter the universe, surrounded by complete darkness!

"I predicted the actions of this trash!"

In this space where time was erased, King Crimson slightly tilted his head to dodge the bullets Mista shot from behind. Then he raised his hand and swung his arm, splashing blood onto the eyes of Giorno and Gold Experience Requiem!

"With this, I have completely sealed Gold Experience's attack!! When time returns, your eyes will no longer be able to see me, Diavolo!" 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Now, everyone had a clearer understanding of King Crimson's ability. Not only could he predict the future, but he could also move freely in the space where time was erased, with only himself able to act.

"Blinding with blood?! Why does he like using this move so much? It was the same operation when he dealt with Polnareff before, wasn't it?"

"Fortunately, King Crimson can only move in erased time and cannot attack; otherwise, he would truly be invincible."

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"Blinding with blood?! Seems like a good choice!"

Dio, who also had a time-based Stand, suddenly seemed to have a particular fondness for this move for some reason.

"It would be even more perfect if there were a move from behind."

He felt that if it were him, he would definitely go around behind and catch him off guard.

【 At this moment, King Crimson's ability Epitaph activated again. He saw himself punching through Giorno's chest!

"Great! I won, I was one step faster than him in an instant. In the predicted scene, I completely pierced this guy's heart." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people watching the video recalled what Diavolo had said before, that the predicted scenes would come true! This meant that the final outcome might be just as he said, King Crimson was one step faster than Giorno...

"This is bad, I didn't expect that even Gold Experience, after evolving with the Stand Arrow, would still not be his opponent!"

Just as everyone thought the next scene would unfold according to Epitaph's prediction, the next moment stunned everyone's eyes.

【 After seeing the result predicted by Epitaph, King Crimson confidently punched towards Giorno, but just as he was about to hit, he was inexplicably unable to move.

Then a strange scene occurred. Under his disbelieving gaze, he saw a bee quietly flying back from beside him.

And not only that, the blood he had previously splashed onto Giorno's eyes all flew back into his palm. The bullets Mista had fired flew back into his pistol, moving backward from the front.

The surrounding cracked and shattered floor tiles also returned to their original positions, and everything returned to how it was as if nothing had happened.

Even at the moment, King Crimson punched Giorno's cheek, everything returned to its original state, including his own punch. So at this moment, in the time-erased space, countless afterimages appeared, countless Diavolos appeared.

"Wha... Wha!... Wha!"

Diavolo turned his head in disbelief, and the countless selves inside also turned their heads in a very bizarre way! Was this the ability Gold Experience displayed after evolving? 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"What is this?! Is it time reversal? But it seems only time reversal could do this! I get it, Gold Experience Requiem's ability is time reversal!"

At this moment, the viewers outside the video unanimously believed that the ability of Giorno's Stand after evolving was a time reversal; otherwise, how could they explain the scene happening before their eyes?

"Diavolo turning his head in this scene feels inexplicably bizarre... Is this also caused by time reversal?"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"It seems like a Stand of the same type as my ability, Waste of Time!!"

Even Diavolo outside the video at this moment couldn't hide the shock in his eyes. This was the first time he had seen such a strange scene happen in the time-erased space.

One must know that in that space, people other than him could not perceive or act at all, let alone activate abilities.

【 This scene indeed scared Diavolo. He seemed a little flustered, "What... What did I see? Am I dreaming? Or is it making me see illusions?"

"Only I, Diavolo, should be able to act in the erased time!!"

Then, under Diavolo's disbelieving gaze, Gold Experience Requiem beside Giorno seemed to have self-awareness and spoke, right in the time-erased space where only he could act!!

"This is Requiem. What you see is indeed real, but you can never reach the reality that will actually happen."

"No matter what ability you have, as long as you are in front of me, it is absolutely impossible for it to be realized!"

"This is - Gold Experience Requiem! Even Giorno Giovanna, who controls me, doesn't know this!"

Under Diavolo's terrified gaze, time seemed to flow backward, returning to the moment before he was about to activate time erasure. 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Forever unable to reach reality?!! How could there be such a terrifying ability in this world? Doesn't that mean King Crimson can't even activate his ability?

No wonder it said that any ability is a blank slate in front of him. Gold Experience after evolving with the Stand Arrow is indeed terrifyingly strong. Not only does it have self-awareness, but its ability is also heaven-defying.

"This can be said to be for all Stand users... No, it should be said that no matter what kind of ability the opponent has, they are a blank slate in front of him."

"I originally thought Tusk Act 4 being able to break through the dimensional wall to attack was already outrageous enough, but I didn't expect there to be a Stand even more abnormal than Tusk Act 4."

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

Kamijou Touma silently looked at his right hand,

"The ability feels a bit similar..."

However, the difference was that he had to touch the ability to make it disappear, while Gold Experience Requiem directly prevented the opponent from even activating their ability.

(Translator-kun: Nahh... it really is similar to the 'Imagine Breaker' of yours, it just needed to touch someone because it just extended the power of IB. The real function of IB is to seal you're OP, you Demon King.)

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"The Arrow... I must seize the Arrow!"

Seeing Giorno's Stand evolve and possess such powerful abilities, Dio could no longer suppress his urge to snatch it at this moment.

As long as I seize the Arrow, my 'Za Warudo' will enter a whole new realm.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"That's great!!"

Bucciarati also showed a slight smile at the sight,

"With this ability, we can definitely defeat the boss!"

In the future, they will lose too many companions. Now they finally saw hope! He believed Giorno could definitely do it.

"Bucciarati... What does 'forever unable to reach reality' mean?"

Narancia was still confused at the moment, not yet understanding Gold Experience Requiem's ability.

Seeing this, Bucciarati didn't explain further; he just threw him a calculator.

"Narancia... Keep pressing the zero button on the calculator, and you'll know his ability."

"Zero, zero, zero... Zero!!"

Narancia quickly pressed the zero button on the calculator, and then suddenly understood Gold Experience Requiem's ability...

【 Diavolo suddenly realized with a start, only to find that he had been standing in place from the very beginning, doing nothing.

"What... What am I saying... I... I didn't take any action from the start?!!"

The scene Diavolo saw in Epitaph flashed through his mind, "My... My prediction is this is the reality that will definitely happen next!"

"My invincible King Crimson should be moving towards victory!"

Diavolo let out a hysterical roar. Then, in his widened pupils, Gold Experience Requiem's fist rapidly expanded and mercilessly struck his face.

"Muda Muda Muda... Muda Muda—!!!"

Accompanied by Gold Experience Requiem's powerful and frantic roars, countless fists were thrown at a speed invisible to the naked eye!

"Muda—!" Then a heavy punch completely sent Diavolo flying. The boss, in mid-air, sprayed blood from all over his body, his eyes rolled back, and he fell into the river. 】

【 ..... 】

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Impossible, I actually lost to Giorno, this newcomer? How is that possible!!!"

Diavolo, outside the video, watched the future scene in the video and began to doubt his life, clenching his fists unwillingly!

If it were true, wouldn't it mean that the organization he had controlled for over 20 years was overthrown by a kid in less than ten days?!!

Moreover, as the video was broadcast, some people within the organization were also starting to stir. With the exposure of his face and true name, the enemies the organization had accumulated before might also start seeking revenge...

Unlike Diavolo, whose face turned ugly, Bucciarati and the others, after witnessing the final victory in the video, felt a mix of emotions for a moment.

Along the way in the future, they had sacrificed too much... Just at the beginning of the video, three companions, Abbacchio, Polnareff, and Narancia, lost their lives!

Even in the end, even the Bucciarati they admired sacrificed their life.

Although they defeated the boss in the future, the price seemed too heavy, too heavy for them to accept! Letting Diavolo die just like that seemed too easy for him.

Chapter 151: Diavolo's Magical Adventure!

Chapter Text


~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"A Stand with its own consciousness? Giorno Giovanna... just what kind of person are you?!"

DIO's expression was incredibly grim at this moment. Since he could intrude into the time erasure space.

This also meant that he was very likely able to act within the time-stop space as well, and this Gold Experience Requiem was very strong. Even DIO felt that if it were a head-on battle, his 'Za Warudo' would probably not be a match for Gold Experience Requiem.

However, this was an image of the future! If he were to obtain the Stand Arrow and evolve 'Za Warudo' into Requiem, what kind of astonishing performance would it have?!

At this moment, Jotaro and his group, who had just stepped into Cairo, Egypt, were all incredibly shocked by Giorno's Gold Experience Requiem!

"This... what kind of powerful Stand ability is this!!"

Even Joseph Joestar was thinking at this time, was this thing really a Stand? After watching the video and seeing all sorts of different Stands, he began to reflect on why his Hermit Purple was so different...

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

At this moment, Illya pulled Miyu and shouted loudly,

"Miyu... Miyu!! Did you see it? That Giorno's Gold Experience! It actually talked!"

"Silver Chariot Requiem clearly doesn't talk! But Giorno's Stand can!!"

Miyu remained silent under Illya's pulling. Requiem itself represented the evolution of a Stand, and she felt it was only natural that it could talk.

Moreover, in her opinion, if Polnareff could control Silver Chariot Requiem, it might not be impossible to defeat King Crimson!

"Although Diavolo suffered such an attack from Gold Experience Requiem and was severely injured, falling into the river, it's not necessarily impossible for him to escape!"

From Miyu's personal feelings, she did not wish for Diavolo to escape...

【 Seeing this scene, Mista couldn't contain his inner joy and spoke, "That's amazing!! We finally defeated him!"

Then Mista slowly stood up, walked over to Giorno's side, and looked at Giorno very happily, saying, "Your Gold Experience has evolved with the power of the arrow!"

"Although I didn't see anything clearly, and I don't know what you did."

"Anyway! We finally defeated the Boss!!"

However, compared to the excited Mista, Trish rushed to the riverbank immediately, carefully observing the water surface and saying very seriously, "But wait a minute! He hasn't floated up at all!"

"Right? Where is he? Where is that guy? Where is his corpse?!"

And Mista also suddenly realized that something was wrong and quickly came over to search for Diavolo's whereabouts together!

"Damn it! Where is he!"

Just as the two were anxiously searching for Diavolo's whereabouts, Giorno seemed to realize something and looked at Gold Experience Requiem, who was acting as if nothing had happened!

"Where is that guy?"

Trish shouted at the calm and silent Giorno beside her, "Hurry up and look!! Giorno!"

At this moment, something floated past the river surface, and then the camera shifted forward, finally stopping at a sewer entrance.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the river and grabbed a stone on the steps, preventing it from drifting in an unknown direction with the river. Then the camera gradually approached!

And this person was Diavolo. Even after suffering the continuous attacks of Gold Experience Requiem, he still did not die!

At this moment, Diavolo was in a very, very bad state. Blood was spreading from his mouth, nose, and body. In the water, he felt incredibly fortunate!

"I barely escaped... I'm... still alive... I barely saved my life..."】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This life is too hard, isn't it? He actually managed to save his life like this!"

"Giorno's personality is still too gentle. It seems he doesn't plan to continue pursuing Diavolo!"

"Now Mista and Trish seem to have become a commentary duo... they can't participate in such a battle at all."

Watching the tenacious Diavolo, who was like a cockroach, a strange feeling of blockage filled their hearts. How could this guy be so tenacious? He still wasn't dead, which made the audience very surprised. This life was too hard, wasn't it?

【 "However... what happened, 【Prediction】... clearly showed the scene of my victory!" Diavolo, still feeling lingering fear at this moment, couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

"However... what is that Gold Experience Requiem?!"

Although filled with doubt and confusion, Diavolo still grabbed the stone with both hands and forcibly propped up his body to climb out of the river onto the bank!

"Anyway... I need to escape from this drainage outlet... I still have a little energy left to escape..."

Diavolo, who had barely climbed onto the bank, was now gasping for breath.

"Hahaha..."

Diavolo then couldn't help but laugh. In the dark drainage pipe, Diavolo, who thought escape was in sight, began to get excited, "Climbed... climbed up... I... I'm so lucky!!"

Diavolo continued to slowly crawl forward. Just then, a light appeared! Then, a relatively short figure, holding a coat, ran over with a frantic gait!

"Splish!——"

Accompanied by the sound of a sharp object piercing flesh, Diavolo subconsciously covered his wound at this moment, revealing a very shocked expression. As he looked up!

A delirious madman was holding a bloody, sharp knife in his hand, his expression somewhat frantic and drooling from his mouth: "You... you idiot!"

"Did you think you could secretly steal my... my coat?! You wish!! Hahaha"

"You still want to fight me? What do you want? Want to fight, don't underestimate me! Idiot!"

Diavolo looked to the side. Two people were sitting there, gathered around a fire barrel, with syringes nearby...

"!!!"

Seeing the drugs at this moment, Diavolo seemed to widen his eyes slightly.

This was the drug his gang organization was making... but he never expected it would eventually come back to bite him.

Then Diavolo reached for his chest, felt the pain, and then looked at his bloody hand, falling to the ground and letting out a painful wail: "Ugh ah ah ah!"

"How is that possible!! How could... this is impossible."

Diavolo's blood flowed unstoppably from his wound. Already at his limit, he couldn't stop the bleeding, and he couldn't even summon King Crimson.

On the other side, the passerby, who seemed to have injected something, was still constantly waving the sharp knife in his hand, completely frantic:

"You won't steal my coat!! Come on! If you have the guts, come on!"

Diavolo, the BOSS who controlled the Passione organization for over 20 years, was now covering his wound, his eyes wide, his voice filled with panic, "Quick... someone, I can't believe I'm in a place like this... I... I am Diavolo, yet I'm being... I'm losing consciousness...!!"

Unable to move at all, Diavolo could only cover his wound and painfully watch the staggering madman walking towards him.

The other party was still muttering something about 【I won't give it to you】, then swung the sharp knife in his hand and attacked him.

"Ugh ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!!"】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people watching this scene never expected that King Crimson, who possessed the ability to erase time, would die at the hands of a passerby!

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"However, this can be considered getting what he deserved."

Shokuhou Misaki felt that Diavolo deserved to die and got his just deserts. Instead of dying at the hands of Giorno and the others, he died at the hands of an unknown passerby!

The organization Diavolo created relied on drugs for profit. This passerby was clearly someone whose mental state was confused due to drug use!

A grand behind-the-scenes BOSS, actually taken down by the very thing he profited from, this was truly laughable.

~Detective Conan World~

"I can't believe this Diavolo was in the drug business" !!

Even Ran, who was usually kind-hearted, was filled with anger.

With a forceful punch! She dented the table. Kogoro Mouri and Conan, next to her, both broke out in cold sweat and spoke up to comfort her.

"Don't be angry... Ran! He has already received the punishment he deserved."

At this moment, Conan and Uncle Mouri exchanged glances, then Conan reached out and pulled her clothes, saying in a very sweet voice,

"That's right, Ran-neechan!"

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

DIO looked at Diavolo with contempt! A Stand user with a time-based ability was actually killed by a mentally deranged passerby.

He was completely disgracing the face of time-based Stands!

【 Along with a wail from Diavolo, a rather dazzling light appeared in everyone's eyes! When he opened his eyes again, he only saw the white light from the lamp above!

"Where is this..."

Then Diavolo's eyes began to look around, and then he was immediately filled with confusion: "Why am I lying in bed?"

"I remember falling into the river, and then at the entrance of the drainage outlet, I was..."

Just then, the sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts.

"Um..."

A woman dressed as a doctor walked over. She was holding a notepad, and her tone was calm: "Today is the 25th, 11:20 AM, file number NO.68, under my responsibility, Dr. Monica Ultello."

"Adult male, estimated age between 30 and 40 years old, identity unknown. Based on the state of the skin, the time of death is within 48 to 54 hours. A forensic autopsy will now be performed." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This scene made many people feel quite strange. What was going on? Was Diavolo dead or alive?

He was clearly killed by the mentally deranged passerby just a second ago, wasn't he? Why did the female doctor say he was dead? Wasn't he still talking and seeing things?

"This seems a bit eerie... Is the current Diavolo dead or alive? How did he end up in this place?"

"And he has consciousness now, but only his eyes can move. The female doctor who just came in said this was a dead person?!"

【 Not only the people watching the video, but even Diavolo in the video was very confused and angry: "Woman, what are you talking about, you bastard!"

Facing Diavolo's words, the female doctor seemed not to hear him. She calmly turned on the hospital light and stated the previous analysis results:

"Although the body was found near the river mouth, he did not inhale much water. The direct cause of death cannot be drowning."

Diavolo looked at the female doctor and questioned: "Where is this?! Why am I lying here!! Hey!! I'm asking you! Woman!"

The female doctor seemed unable to hear his words at this moment. The next moment, as the white sheet was lifted, Diavolo also saw a series of dissection tools. Seeing this, his pupils shrank sharply, and he desperately tried to control his body.

But at this moment, Diavolo realized that his body couldn't move at all. He said in great shock: "I can't move... My... my fingers! My body can't move at all. What is going on?"

At this moment, Diavolo was like a fish on a cutting board, allowing the doctor to dissect him without any ability to resist.

The female doctor picked up the dissection knife again. She looked at Diavolo expressionlessly, then raised the knife in her hand and sliced it across Diavolo's body.

Blood slowly flowed out again from the wound on Diavolo that the female doctor had cut.

Diavolo also let out a painful wail: "Ah ah ah ah!! Why can't my body move? And... and this pain..." 】

【 ..... 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The audience outside the video was somewhat frightened. Although Diavolo's body couldn't move at this moment, he could indeed feel the pain. This was equivalent to dissecting Diavolo alive!

No matter who saw this scene, they would be very, very surprised and confused, because what was going on? Was Diavolo in an illusion at this moment?

Or was this also the ability of Gold Experience Requiem?! After all, before this, they only saw that the Gold Experience Requiem had its own consciousness and could move freely within the time erasure space!

But it didn't show any other extraordinary abilities? Even Silver Chariot, which had no abilities, gained such terrifying abilities after evolving!

Gold Experience Requiem only used the ability to make the opponent forever unable to reach reality to prevent the opponent from activating their Stand...

Or did this ability have other effects?!

Chapter 152: You can't come over here——!!!

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, Diavolo could guarantee that no one understood the pain of being dissected alive better than he did. Now there was only one thought in his mind… Pain!! Extremely painful!

However, the female doctor seemed to treat him like an ordinary corpse; her expression didn't change at all, and her face was very calm!

"It can be confirmed that the cause of death was a sharp instrument trauma, the wound channel reaching the liver. Since it wasn't a probing wound, suicide can be ruled out."

She kept stating the results of her observations and analysis, then the female doctor put the blood-stained scalpel aside and continued: "To be cautious, I will now cut open the stomach to investigate the residual contents."

"Puchi——" There was another sound of a sharp instrument cutting through flesh, but at this moment, Diavolo was already somewhat numb from the torment. He stopped thinking… Besides pain, he couldn't feel anything else now!

At this point, the female doctor seemed to have taken something out of his body and let out a sigh of admiration: "It's a healthy liver, the color is beautiful." 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Gulp…!!"

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but swallow a mouthful, then quietly pulled Mash away from Doctor Roman!

So the profession of a doctor… was apparently a truly terrifying one to be in?! It was already good enough if ordinary people weren't disgusted or afraid when facing a corpse, but who knew the female doctor inside could calmly take out Diavolo's internal organs without changing her expression!

She even said it was a beautiful liver!!… Look at what kind of perverted remark this is.

"….."

Doctor Roman looked at the two who were getting further and further away from him with a subtle gaze and sighed helplessly… His reputation was being damaged!

"It's okay! I believe you're also a pervert!"

Da Vinci patted Doctor Roman's shoulder and said incredibly dark words with a cheerful smile.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

Touma Kamijou, lying in a hospital bed, suddenly touched his stomach and asked the doctor with a Gekota face next to him with some uncertainty:

"Doctor…"

"You didn't take out my internal organs and say something like 'beautiful' while I was unconscious… and then put them back, did you?"

"....."

The Heaven Canceller showed a smile that was both uncomfortable and courteous, his eyes fixed on Touma Kamijou with the unmistakable look one reserves for an idiot.

Only then did he understand the importance of his reputation!

~Detective Conan World~

"Whoa!! This… This is too scary!!"

Ran, squatted down, covering her head with her hands, closing her eyes in fear. Although she often saw people die when following Conan for some reason, she had seen quite a few corpses!

But seeing it with her own eyes, Ran was still a little scared, after all, Diavolo's current state was a bit too tragic!

~Oregairu World~

Some relatively everyday worlds closed their eyes.

Hachiman Hikigaya, the Great Teacher, even directly reached out and covered Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes! Was this a scene they should be watching?!!

But Diavolo's tragedy wouldn't end just because they covered their eyes… and the video continued to play!

【 "!!" Suddenly, Diavolo's pupils shrank sharply, for at this moment, the female doctor put down the scalpel in her hand and picked up a saw instead.

The next second, Diavolo let out a piercing scream, "Ugh ah ah ah ah!!"

Then, the next second, Diavolo suddenly appeared, screaming on the street. He stood there dumbfounded, because he had no idea how he had arrived on this unknown street! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Now everyone was confused… What exactly was going on?! Was Diavolo dead or not?!

"It's happening again! This is definitely caused by an ability. Everything that happened after Diavolo fell into the river is too bizarre."

"Golden Experience Requiem mentioned 'truth' before… Could it be that everything we're seeing isn't real?! And it's an illusion!!"

The more everyone thought about it, the more reasonable the guess about the illusion seemed. Otherwise, there was no way to explain how Diavolo suddenly experienced several deaths!!

【 Diavolo, having come back to his senses, was still somewhat shaken, breathing heavily, looking at his hands with disbelief and saying: "Is… Is it a dream?! Was I 【 dreaming 】 just now? But… it… It's happening again! Where is this?!"

Diavolo looked around, observing the vehicles coming and going, and found that the original morning had turned into night, appearing exceptionally puzzled: "What time is it now? And where am I?"

"I remember I was in the Tiber River in Rome… And that feeling!… What was that unimaginable pain I felt in the morgue just now…!"

Just imagining the scene from before, that bone-chilling pain seemed to strike again. Diavolo was breathing heavily!

At this moment, an old man walking his dog nearby, seeing Diavolo squatting on the ground looking somewhat off, kindly spoke up: "Hello, sir, are you alright?"

"You've been squatting there for a while, are you not feeling well?"

Diavolo had just turned his head, and before he could speak, the small dog the old man was walking suddenly barked wildly!

"Woof, woof, woof, woof——!!!"

At this moment, Diavolo, whose senses were highly focused, was clearly startled. He stood up reflexively, then he tripped and fell heavily backwards.

The headlights of a car shone on Diavolo's face. He turned his head and saw a small car speeding towards him!

"What is going on?"

It was obvious that this series of events had completely confused Diavolo. His words were full of confusion and unwillingness: "Ever since just now, weird things have been happening constantly. Just… just because of such a trivial matter, I'm going to lose my life! Is this!!"

Diavolo seemed to have suddenly realized. This series of coincidences and consecutive deaths had made him understand! Looking at the car about to hit him, he shouted:

"That ability of Golden Experience Requiem!!"

Then the scene shifted, Trish was still looking at the river, she shouted loudly: "Quickly find that guy! I can still sense him! He's still alive!"

As Diavolo's daughter, she could sense Diavolo's presence, and it was precisely because of this that she could confidently say that Diavolo was still alive!

"Until his life and death are confirmed, I really can't rest assured."

Along with Trish's words, Giorno, who had summoned Golden Experience Requiem at this moment, spoke with absolute certainty: "No, there's no need to look for him."

"Huh?" Trish was very confused, and Mista, next to her, also looked at Giorno, not understanding why he didn't plan to search.

Giorno looked at the river, and with a premonition in his heart, he calmly explained to the two: "It's all over. Although I haven't fully grasped the ability of Golden Experience Requiem myself."

"`~But for some reason, I'm already certain of this result. The boss can't go anywhere anymore."

"Especially 'truth', that's a place he can never reach. Not even the truth of death, he can never reach it."

"Infinite loop…"

Along with Giorno's words, the scene shifted again. At this moment, Diavolo appeared in a strange place again. A little girl holding a doll looked at Diavolo, not far away, and asked with some confusion: "Uncle, are you squatting here because your stomach hurts?"

"!!!" Even just the words of concern from a harmless little girl still scared Diavolo into a panic.

Trish still hadn't understood Giorno's meaning at this moment: "But… but he's still alive."

"Endlessness is the end. Giorno looked at Mista and Trish and said with great certainty: This is Golden Experience Requiem."

Looking at the little girl holding the doll, Diavolo had completely broken down at this moment: "How… How many more times do I have to die?"

"When will the next death be… And where will it attack from?"

Seeing Diavolo's face filled with fear and dripping with cold sweat, the little girl put her hand to her mouth and walked towards Diavolo worriedly.

"Don't… Don't come over!" Seeing the little girl start walking towards him (good), Diavolo looked very scared like a young girl, "Don't come over!"

"No… Don't…!!"

But the little girl seemed not to have heard Diavolo's words and continued walking forward.

Seeing this scene, Diavolo's mental defenses completely collapsed. He pointed at the little girl and shouted loudly: "Don't come over——!!!!" 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Diavolo's current state, through Giorno's explanation on the screen, everyone finally understood the true horror of Golden Experience Requiem!

They also understood what kind of situation Diavolo was in. Similarly, the ability of Golden Experience Requiem made people feel both envious and fearful!

Everyone didn't know when Diavolo was hit by this kind of rule-like ability. Was it when he fell into the river?! Or was Diavolo already hit in the time-skip space?!

Diavolo was both lucky and unlucky. He was lucky because he would never die! Similarly, he was unlucky because he would forever repeat the process of dying! But he could never reach the truth of death!

Forever and ever… forever continuing, an infinite loop is the end. It's over now, everything is over!

Chapter 153: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Ending

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

"Don't come any closer!!"

Illya struck the same pose as Diavolo, but to outsiders, it just looked cute no matter how they saw it.

She then returned to a serious expression and turned her head to the Magical Ruby beside her, saying,

"Perhaps while we're talking, Diavolo has already died several times over by now!"

At this moment, Magical Ruby also felt extremely surprised. The power currently displayed by Gold Experience Requiem alone seemed to have touched upon the realm of magic!!

Now, Gold Experience Requiem could be said to have written invincibility all over its face.

Diavolo was, in a sense, already immortal at this moment, because he couldn't even die. According to the rules of Gold Experience Requiem, Diavolo was now given the truth of being unable to reach death!

This meant that he wasn't even allowed to die, and would keep repeating the process of death.

~Boardtop World, Disboard~

"Gold Experience Requiem's ability is indeed very strong, but it can't bring back the lives of Bucciarati and Narancia, who have already passed away."

Stephanie said with some helplessness.

Sometimes, it was just that powerless. Even with the strongest power, one couldn't resurrect those who had already passed away.

On the other side, Sora suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but blurt out,

"If I remember correctly, Mista and Trish still don't know that Bucciarati has died, right?"

Shiro heard this and looked at Mista and Trish, who were currently immersed in joy. She wondered how sad and heartbroken they would be when they learned the truth...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Good… Very good! Continue to amuse me, zasshu!"

Gilgamesh, still lounging in Emiya’s household, couldn’t help but applaud at the spectacle. To the King of Heroes, nothing was more entertaining than witnessing the ridiculous expressions and antics of the self-proclaimed "Emperor," Diavolo.

"I wish I had a Stand…"

Emiya Shirou’s imagination ran wild—visions of himself wielding a Stand flashed through his mind. Not only would it be useful in battle, but it could also assist with cooking.

After all, some Stands were humanoid. Would it really be too much to ask for one to help with the dishes?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Kars, who had been drifting endlessly through the void of space, was roused from his eternal solitude by the video playing before him—at least it gave him something to do. He had been silently observing, lurking in the cosmic darkness.

Witnessing Diavolo’s torment, Kars felt an odd flicker of kinship.

"So… you’ve stopped thinking as well? Ah, no—you can’t even stop thinking!"

Though Kars could only mock Diavolo internally from his lonely exile, the sight of someone suffering even more than him brought a twisted sense of relief. After all, he never imagined there’d be a fate worse than his own.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"KUSO!!"

Diavolo's rage erupted uncontrollably, his face twisting in fury as he smashed his fists into the ground, crater after crater forming beneath his blows.

"The arrow...!!"

Taking a shuddering breath, Diavolo forced himself to steady his frenzied mind.

"Only the Arrow...! I can't—I won't let Giorno Giovanna get his hands on it!!"

Diavolo shuddered at the thought of his future ending shown in the video!

Constantly repeating the process of death, and each death method was different.

Next, he planned to snatch the arrow from Polnareff! Then he would make that Giorno Giovanna experience the pain of being dissected alive.

"Giorno Giovanna!! You just wait! The instant I, Diavolo get the arrow will be your death."

Yet, in his blind fury, he remained unaware—a man whose very existence screamed "invincible," alongside Josuke Higashikata, was already en route to Italy... having seen everything.

【 Although Mista didn't quite understand Giorno's words, he was still a little excited after knowing that Diavolo couldn't possibly be alive.

Blood flowed from Mista's mouth, and he looked at Giorno: "We finally succeeded!"

Trish also eagerly confirmed to Giorno: "The ones who won are us, right?"

"..." Giorno didn't speak, sweat beaded on his face. He didn't know how to speak.

"Hey! Let's go!" Mista suddenly thought of something, his tone becoming urgent: "Let's hurry back to the Colosseum. Although Bucciarati's soul has recovered, his body was injured."

When they swapped bodies earlier, Mista had shot Bucciarati's body three times. Although he avoided vital points, he was still a little worried about Bucciarati's condition at this moment! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"When Bucciarati allowed Mista to attack his body earlier, it was because he knew his body was failing, but Mista didn't know!!"

"If he returns to the Colosseum now and sees Bucciarati's corpse, will he think it was all his fault?"

"How sad Mista would be if he saw Bucciarati's corpse in the Colosseum! After all, he always respected Bucciarati greatly!"

The viewers of the video also understood that Giorno's silence was for no other reason than thinking about how to tell them the cruel truth that Bucciarati was dead.

【 "He's waiting in the Colosseum now, surely worried about our safety." Hearing Mista's words, Trish also ran towards the Colosseum at a quick pace.

She was also a little worried.

But at this moment, Giorno stood still, quietly looking at the river, not knowing what he was thinking about.

"Giorno, hurry up!" Mista looked at Giorno, who was still standing there, and said anxiously: "Let's hurry back to the Colosseum! After healing Bucciarati, we'll go back to our hometown together!"

"Yeah... let's go... I'll be right there...!" Giorno's tone was slightly heavy, and then he turned his head. His expression at this moment was very complex.

Mista and Trish exchanged glances, feeling that Giorno's state was a little strange, but they didn't say much, thinking it was just injuries from the recent battle.

They then continued running towards the Colosseum.

Giorno also started walking at this moment, heading towards the Colosseum. After walking a few steps, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Giorno, this is enough..."

Bucciarati's gentle voice rang in his ears again, seemingly comforting Giorno: "You don't need to worry, this is fine. The fact that we were able to get this far means we have already achieved complete victory."

"Fate is a sleeping slave. We have personally freed this slave named fate. This is already our victory!"

Giorno raised his head at this moment. In this instant, he saw Bucciarati, Narancia, Abbacchio, and others appearing in the sea of clouds in the sky.

"Clang——"

The sharp metallic clatter snapped him out of his thoughts, jolting him back to reality.

Giorno looked down, then reached out and picked up the Arrow that had fallen on the ground!

At this moment, the video displayed the data panel of Gold Experience Requiem!】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

That series of unknowns could be said to have dropped everyone's jaws!

What kind of divine panel was this?! All six attributes were unknown? Or infinite?!

"What kind of panel is this? It's already heaven-defying, but even the basic attributes are unpredictable!"

"Perhaps this also indirectly shows that Gold Experience, which evolved after getting the Arrow, has surpassed the existence of a Stand! Perhaps this is the ultimate evolution of a Stand mentioned in the opening title!"

"But I have to say, Bucciarati is truly gentle. Even at this moment, he spoke out to comfort Giorno!"

Especially the last sentence, 'fate is a sleeping slave', and now we have liberated it with our own hands! This also deeply touched everyone.

Even if fate is predetermined by the heavens and cannot be changed, we still have to resist. Even if fate will not change because of our resistance!

But the act of resisting itself is already our victory!

【 Mista kept urging Giorno, who was lagging behind, "Hurry up, if you don't catch up, who else can heal Bucciarati's injuries?"

At this moment, Trish suddenly looked at her heel. She seemed to have felt something strange just now: "It feels like something suddenly ran to my feet...!"

Mista followed her gaze and then suddenly noticed a stone by Trish's leg, which made Mista panic. Then, when he reacted, he found that Trish had disappeared before his eyes.

Mista looked around and asked in confusion: "Trish?!..."

But he heard no response. Then Mista's voice became somewhat panicked, as if Trish's disappearance this time would lead to her death, and he began to call out repeatedly.

"Trish!! Where are you?! Trish...!!"

"Hey, Giorno, did you see Trish?" Seeing that his search was fruitless, Mista anxiously asked Giorno!

"You scared me!" Giorno looked at the anxious Mista, thinking something had happened, and pointed forward: "Trish is over there, Mista."

"Huh?" Mista was slightly startled, then looked in the direction Giorno was pointing.

It was a stone pillar!

Trish's voice came from the stone pillar, "Mista, Giorno, I'm here. I wasn't tripped by this stone pillar, but by this shadow!"

Along with Trish's voice, the turtle with the key on its back slowly crawled out.

Polnareff's voice rang out again. He looked at Giorno and Mista and said, "Don't leave me behind. If I'm forgotten by you, I don't know how many days it will take to reach the Colosseum."

Mista looked at the turtle and was very surprised: "You... aren't you Polnareff?"

Giorno also seemed a little surprised. He had thought the other party was already dead: "Mr. Polnareff?"

At this moment, Polnareff's soul appeared on the key on the turtle's back. He looked at everyone and explained the current situation with a smile.

"My body is already dead, but at the moment my soul was about to be extracted, I was still able to remain in this turtle's Stand."

"Although I can't leave the key on the turtle's back, I've decided to temporarily live in the turtle as a ghost!"】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"This can also be said to have directly replaced the turtle's soul... Although movement is inconvenient, it can be considered living for the time being."

Everyone was very surprised by the reappearance of Polnareff. They had originally thought that when Silver Chariot Requiem's ability ended, his soul and body would die together.

Unexpectedly, he survived in this way. But everyone thought of the key problem: would he have to live as a turtle for the rest of his life?!

【 Although Mista felt a little amazed by Polnareff's experience, he didn't think too much about it and helped Trish up: "Although I'm happy to see you safe and sound, things aren't over yet."

"We need to go to the Colosseum to heal Bucciarati's injuries!"

Hearing Mista's words, Polnareff was instead a little confused: "Bucciarati? His soul isn't already..."

Polnareff glanced at Giorno, who had walked behind him, and didn't finish his sentence. Looking at Giorno's eyes, he then slightly closed his eyes. He understood in his heart!

Giorno took the Arrow and picked up the turtle.

"What do you plan to do with this Arrow?" Polnareff asked, as the terrifying power of the Arrow was vivid in his memory.

Now that Diavolo had been defeated, the Arrow no longer had a reason to exist! Otherwise, if the Arrow were to fall into the hands of an evil person, it would become a disaster.

Giorno looked at the Arrow, his tone very serious and solemn: "Since I have inherited the will of my deceased companions, I must keep moving forward. I will not destroy this Arrow."

Seeing the determination in Giorno's eyes, Polnareff also felt relieved and lowered his head: "Let's keep this Arrow inside the turtle. This is fine, Giorno!"

"Because this is... this is the responsibility that those who survived should bear."

"Let's go to the Colosseum." Some things, even if you don't want to admit them, you still have to face them.

Then the scene shifted. In a room, a man in a suit knelt before Giorno and kissed the back of his hand to express his submission!

The serious-faced Mista saw this scene and pushed open the window. A gust of wind blew in from outside. On a nearby table, Polnareff, who had transformed into a turtle, lay there quietly watching. Besides him, there was also Bucciarati's zipper, Narancia's flower, and Abbacchio's wine.

Giorno was wearing a brand-new suit at this moment. This 15-year-old boy, in just 9 days, defeated Diavolo and replaced him, becoming the new boss of the Passione organization.

In the end, he fulfilled his dream and became a Gang-Star!! 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 154: Rolling Stones!! Fate?!

Chapter Text

Giorno, at 15, overthrew Diavolo in just nine days and became the new boss of Passione, while Dio, at 15, was still telling people next to him not to play with Jojo...

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"We've won, but why don't I feel any happiness?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka sighed heavily as he watched the scene in the video.

Even the usually optimistic Mista had lost his smile in the end, after all, the cost of victory was too great... beyond their imagination.

But at the same time, he felt a little regret. Bucciarati, Narancia, and Abbachio, they wouldn't be able to gather together and laugh happily again...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Fate is a sleeping slave..."

Watching the scene in the video, Red A [Emiya] repeated Bucciarati's words, with a complex expression on his face.

This was because at this moment, he thought of the Big Hero Emiya, who fought through the Holy Grail War overnight for his sister.

If the young man named Emiya Shirou, who wanted to become a hero of justice, was a destined fate, then wasn't the Big Hero Emiya also trying to save this sleeping slave?

~Demon Slayer World~

Looking at Bucciarati, who was still comforting Giorno at the end. Kamado Tanjiro felt his throat tighten with emotion.:

"Why… Why is it that kind people…never treated gently by the world?"

Just like how the world had taken so many good people from him—his family, Sabito, and even Urokodaki-sensei's past students. But precisely because of this, I must become stronger, strong enough to protect the people around me.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Didn't the Arrow already completely fuse with Gold Experience Requiem? How did it fall back to the ground again?"

Shokuhou Misaki's face showed a look of astonishment as she watched the scene in the video.

"And what did Bucciarati mean? Could it be that the deaths of Bucciarati and the others were already destined from the start?"

Fate! These two words were simply a fallacy in the technologically advanced Academy City. How could there be a fate that was destined to die from the beginning?

If that were the case, then everything Bucciarati and the others did was walking on the track designed by fate. Wouldn't that make it meaningless?

But then again, why isn't this ranking over yet? At this moment, the scene in the video shifted, and it continued to play.

【 In a Western restaurant, Mista said while stuffing beef into his mouth,

"Everyone, everyone! Listen to me first!"

"Last night, I kept thinking, if human meat can be eaten, would it be delicious or not?"

As soon as these words came out, Narancia and Fugo, who were eating, felt uncomfortable!

Then, after a series of inexplicable words from Mista, he seemed to have concluded, and said with a slightly excited tone: "Cows, pigs, and chickens!

The more expensive the grass they eat, the more delicious their meat, so my conclusion is that humans are carnivores, so human meat must be very unpalatable!"

Hearing this, Abbachio leaned back in his chair somewhat lazily, and replied absentmindedly: "I see, that's quite convincing."

Getting Abbachio's affirmation, Mista became even more excited, waving the fork in his hand, and continued: "Novels often describe human meat as delicious, those are indeed lies!"

Mista's remarks obviously scared Narancia, who said somewhat fearfully:

"But... but I don't eat much meat, I eat more vegetables and fruits instead..."

"Narancia, don't just agree with his nonsense!" Fugo was a little helpless. How could anyone believe such remarks? 】

【 。。。。。】

~Boardtop World, Disboard~

"This should be the scene before defeating Diavolo, right?! After all, Narancia and Abbachio are still alive now..."

Sora stated his guess while watching the scene in the video.

But he couldn't quite understand why it suddenly started playing things from before. Logically, shouldn't this ranking have ended?

Shiro was equally puzzled and asked with some doubt:

"Didn't see Giorno... Is it before he joined? Or is Giorno just not here temporarily?"

~Tokyo Ghoul World~

"I see, I didn't expect there to be such a theory."

Kamishiro Rize was clearly stunned for a moment as she watched the scene in the video. Could it be that vegetarians are really more delicious?

【 Then Bucciarati walked in and met a man who seemed a little nervous, but he asked to talk to Bucciarati alone.

Bucciarati glanced at Mista and the others behind him and refused the man's suggestion without any hesitation: "If you still want to continue talking, they trust me very much, and I feel the same way. I really can't say the words to make them leave when they're only halfway through their meal."

The man fell silent, and then, as if he had made a decision, he told the whole story: "This happened a few months ago. I learned from my wife that my daughter had a boyfriend. I heard he was a young sculptor who had just started out. Putting that aside, even though this man is much older than my daughter, he never came to greet us parents, which made me very angry. Not long after that..."

"My daughter fell directly from the roof of the apartment to the courtyard, holding a strangely shaped stone sculpted by that man..."

Speaking of this, the man couldn't contain his inner sadness and knelt on the ground, crying profusely.

Bucciarati couldn't help but stand up from the sofa, and then helped the man up from the ground.

The man also opened the briefcase he had been holding, revealing a large amount of paper money stuffed inside: "Please let that man get the retribution he deserves!"

Bucciarati refused him without even thinking, frowning slightly: "Although I sympathize with you, I cannot accept your request. Do you think we are the kind of killers who specialize in resolving personal grudges?"

Seeing this, the man immediately knelt down and pleaded again: "You are deeply trusted by everyone in this town, I just want a fair judgment!" 】

【 。。。。。】

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"When was this?"

Giorno thought the video was over and was thinking about how to deal with Diavolo, but when he looked up, he saw this scene.

"Giorno, that was before you joined."

Mista also had a complicated expression:

"Thinking about what happened back then now feels a little strange."

"Fortunately, Bucciarati isn't someone who's easily swayed by money. If it were me, I wouldn't care about anything, I'd take the money, but I wouldn't do the job, because this is the mafia!!"

~Detective Conan World~

"He's clearly a member of the mafia, yet he's more trusted by these people than the police. How did Bucciarati do it?"

Conan was speechless.

"The police in that world are too useless, not even as good as ours... Uh!!"

Speaking of this, Conan paused as if he had thought of something. It seemed that the police in his world weren't much better...

The other people watching the video outside were also speechless. Why would a florist go to the mafia to seek fair judgment?!!

【 Bucciarati seemed to see through the florist's thoughts, "Fair judgment? Florist, you just said you wanted to talk to me alone. You said that because you knew you would be making a rather dangerous request, didn't you?"

That being said, Bucciarati still saw something unusual in it, so he didn't refuse his plea, "You've been running around for this for half a year, and not a single official was moved by these words. I find it hard to believe. I'll first try to pry open your daughter's boyfriend's mouth, and only after confirming that the man is guilty will I accept this money."

Bucciarati, who had returned to sit on the sofa, said to the florist under the sunlight shining through the window: "How does that sound?!"

The florist couldn't help but excitedly rush to Bucciarati and hug his leg, saying with immense gratitude: "Bucciarati-san!..."

Bucciarati's gaze fell on Mista, who was still eating nearby: "Mista, I want to entrust this matter to you!"

"Okay!" Hearing this, Mista almost didn't hesitate at all and immediately stood up from his seat.

But just as the words fell, his face couldn't help but change, and he suddenly turned his head to look at a stone that had appeared on his chair at some point!

“This stone! What is it?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou desu yo World~

~Little Garden~

"Something that can approach Bucciarati, Mista, and others without them noticing, it must be a Stand without a doubt."

Shiroyasha frowned slightly, looking at the stone that suddenly appeared on the screen, deep in thought.

"This stone looks a bit strange... Mista was sitting on the chair just a moment ago, and as soon as he stood up, this stone appeared on the chair. Is it teleportation?!"

And the florist just said that when his daughter died, she was holding a strangely shaped stone! Could it be this stone that suddenly appeared?

【 Mista, who was also feeling confused, carefully reached out and touched the stone that had appeared on the seat at some point.

Mista felt like he was electrocuted, and then noticed a line of text on his finger - Please kill me!

However, when he raised his hand to look closely, there was nothing on his finger, as if the scene just now was just his illusion.

Abbachio looked at the stunned Mista and pointed to the stone behind him:

"Be careful when you stand up, don't let the chair hit the thing behind you."

This made Mista a little confused, and he even wondered if he had accidentally bumped into it.

Then Fugo's words interrupted his thoughts, "Mista, Bucciarati said he can drive you part of the way."

"Oh... okay!" Although Mista felt confused, he didn't pay attention. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

"Uh... Isn't Abbachio being a little too careless? How could such a big stone have fallen onto the chair by being bumped?!"

Miyu felt a little speechless. This stone is indeed strange; it can even engrave the words "Please kill me" on Mista.

The last one to do this was the Saint's Corpse, drawing information about the next Corpse on Johnny...

"But this happened before, so even if it's targeting Mista, nothing will happen, right?"

Illya seemed less worried.

Doesn't this just show that this Stand didn't cause them any harm?

【 Then, on the way driven by Fugo, Mista saw the precious stone on the side of the road as if it had been following them all along! It kept flashing by the side of the road. 】

【 。。。。。】

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Illusion?! Absolutely not an illusion! It shouldn't be a coincidence either! That stone is targeting Mista and the others."

Shokuhou Misaki also saw the unusualness in it. Although she hasn't found out what kind of ability the stone has, it gives people a sense of unease.

"And what did that sentence, 'Please kill me' mean earlier? Will killing it cause some kind of consequence?"

~Projection of All Worlds~

The people watching the video at this moment were also puzzled. Why did the stone follow Mista closely but not activate its ability? It just kept following him closely.

【 The scene shifts, and Mista arrives at the first floor of the apartment where the florist's daughter's boyfriend, the sculptor, lives.

Mista pressed the elevator button, and then recalled the information he had learned earlier, "That man's room is on the 7th floor, right? Above that is the roof. The man's name is Scolippi... Hmm?"

Mista thought of this, then walked to the window next to the elevator and looked at the scenery outside. "This is the courtyard? The florist's daughter jumped from the roof and fell near here..."

"Ding--"

Along with the sound, the elevator door slowly opened. Mista, who turned his head, suddenly changed his expression drastically, because at this moment, a stone had appeared in the elevator!

Mista didn't hesitate this time and directly pulled out his pistol, shooting at the stone sphere, instantly shattering it.

But as the smoke cleared, the shape of Bucciarati was carved on the stone!

Mista was sweating profusely and looked incredulous: "This is a Stand! This case is related to a Stand user! And, what is this stone?! The shape of this stone is Bucciarati!" 】

Chapter 155: Rolling Stones Ends!!

Chapter Text


~Projection of All Worlds~

This sudden scene made everyone freeze. Was his goal, not Mista at all, but Bucciarati?! If that's the case, then why did this stone appear here?!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"How is this possible!!"

Giorno's face changed drastically as he looked at Bucciarati's likeness carved on the stone.

The shape of the stone now looked like Bucciarati had a hole in his chest, with blood flowing out...

This state! Wasn't it exactly like when Bucciarati was in Venice and was pierced through the chest by the Boss, Diavolo, using his time erasure ability?!

"Could it be that this stone really has the ability to predict?! And everything we've experienced is just on the track already set by fate?!!"

【 Then Mista raised his gun and looked at the man suspected to be the Stand user hiding behind the elevator door opposite the stone, and without hesitation, shot through his palm.

"Ah...!!" The pain of his palm being shot through made the man squat down, covering his wound and screaming!

"Don't you dare make any rash moves!" Even so, Mista didn't dare to be careless in the slightest, still staring intently at the man and propping the elevator door open with his foot!

"Although I'm ordered not to kill you, since I already know you're a Stand user, I can't guarantee I won't put another hole between your eyebrows!"

Then Mista delivered a fierce knee strike to the man's stomach, closed the elevator door, and then pressed the muzzle against the man's head.

"Alright, I'll ask one question at a time, in order. Are you part of the mafia? Which organization do you belong to!? Although this information can be checked later."

The sculptor still answered Mista's question, "No... no, I'm just an ordinary sculptor. Although not very famous, I can still make a living."

Mista pressed the pistol against the man's head harder. "Next question, why did you follow me all the way from the restaurant 'Seven Ten'!? Also, how do you know Bucciarati?"

The sculptor answered Mista's question as if explaining, "This... this question might not be what you want to hear, but that stone doesn't act according to my will. It's been like that since I was a child. I can't control this ability on my own. That stone wasn't following you, it was following him... following Bucciarati."

Speaking of this, the sculptor's voice became somewhat agitated. "Let me see him! He should have come to this apartment building with you, too, right?"

"Bang—" Faced with the man's request, Mista shot without hesitation, piercing the man's other palm with a bullet, while also showing a cold expression. "You underestimate me too much, don't you? You killed the florist's daughter, didn't you? What is your purpose... hmm?"

Mista said this, but found that the stone had suddenly disappeared. Then, without hesitation, he pressed the pistol against the man's cheek!

"What did you do?! I warned you not to make any rash moves!"

"That stone has run away..." The sculptor took a deep breath to calm himself down, then slowly said, "Michelangelo, who shone brightly at the peak of history, said that when I sculpt marble, I have no conception in my mind, because the stone itself has already defined the shape it should be sculpted into."

"And my hand is just taking out what has already formed from the stone!"

"Michelangelo believed that ultimate beauty is not a shape conceived and sculpted deliberately, but is already contained within the stone in the form of fate!"

"He is an artist who can see through fate in sculpting. That shape of Bucciarati was not sculpted by me, nor was it carved by your bullets. It is the shape of fate."

"The stone statue has a large hole in its chest and is bleeding, right?"

"Although I don't know if it will be in a few days or a few months, Bucciarati will die in that form in the near future..." As he said this, in Mista's extremely grim expression, the man's eyes lit up slightly: "We are all slaves of fate. This is my ability, the meaning of the Rolling Stones." 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Is this the prediction of Bucciarati's wound being pierced by King Crimson in Venice?! Does such a thing as fate really exist?"

At this moment, Shirou Emiya looked at the screen and finally understood everything. Rolling Stones carves the shape of fate, and the person carved will die in that form in the near future...

It could also be said that this stone in front of him predicts Bucciarati's death scene!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7: Steel Ball Run Worldline~

"Gyro!"

Looking at the video screen, Johnny called out to Gyro Zeppeli in front of him.

"That sculptor is wearing a crown of thorns... and his hands are also pierced... This guy... could it be...!!"

Hearing this, Gyro pressed down his hat, adding to Johnny's unfinished words:

"The Son of God, Jesus... that Saint!"

Adding to that, the Rolling Stones can carve fate; the identity of that sculptor seems to have an extraordinary meaning.

Bucciarati was killed by King Crimson in Venice. Afterward, he was only supported by the life force given by Gold Experience...

It seems that Bucciarati's method of death was already decided by fate from the beginning, and his death method seems to have remained unchanged until the end.

Is fate really unchangeable? Bucciarati's death in Venice was indeed as the Rolling Stones predicted.

~Naruto Shippuden World, Past Timeline~

"Art is an EXPLOSION!!"

As soon as he heard art, Deidara got agitated again. Why doesn't everyone understand that an explosion is the true art?

However, being able to turn fate into art and sculpt it into shape does have a bit of an artist's feel to it.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"We are all slaves of fate..."

Even Mikoto Misaka, who lives in the age of science, is starting to believe in something called fate at this moment.

After Giorno defeated Diavolo, Bucciarati seemed to have said something similar... Is there some connection between them?

【 As the man's words fell, Mista changed his posture, pressing the pistol against the man's neck, and said in a low voice, "As soon as you die, your Stand will also disappear. Do you understand?"

Despite Mista's threat, the sculptor's expression didn't change at all. He looked directly at Mista and said, "As long as he touches my Rolling Stones, he can die without pain. I wanted to see him to hear his last words."

"Okay, it seems you really like using your brains to plaster the wall, huh?"

Mista raised his pistol, poured out three bullets from it, and then said to the man with a grim face, "Then watch carefully. I'll leave three bullets. This is how so-called fate is used!"

But the next scene stunned him. Perhaps, fate said, the sculptor had not yet reached the time of death. Mista fired three shots, all misses!

And when he couldn't help but fire another shot, he found that the bullet in the pistol had inexplicably misfired!

"I won't die yet..." The man lying on the ground said as if explaining, "Because the stone hasn't carved my death state yet." 】

【 。。。。。】

Type-Moon ~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"Just because this guy's death state hasn't been carved out, he won't die no matter what?"

Ritsuka Fujimaru was clearly stunned for a moment.

He had originally believed that humans could definitely defeat the arrangements of fate, but at this moment, he felt the terror of the existence called fate for the first time!

A revolver with only three bullets left, like Russian roulette, fired three shots in an empty row, and on the fourth shot, there was a misfire! This clearly cannot be explained by just good luck.

It was as if a ruthless force was preventing Mista from killing the sculptor... This force, according to the sculptor, is fate!

At this moment, facing the power of fate at the rule level, Ritsuka Fujimaru felt a sense of powerlessness...

【 And just then, the elevator reached the seventh floor. Mista also contacted Fugo by phone and learned that Bucciarati had also come to this apartment with him.

Mista also quickly ran to the windowsill in front, leaning over the railing to look down, and immediately saw the courtyard of the apartment.

As if thinking of something, Mista fired three shots into the sky. "Bullets, quickly find Bucciarati!"

Immediately afterward, he also turned around without hesitation and ran back into the elevator. After pressing the elevator button, he directly dragged up the man who had fainted on the ground!

"Hey! Wake up! You damn sculptor! How can I stop that stone?! Get up! Answer me! You bastard!?"

Due to the urgency in his heart, Mista suddenly lifted the man up and pressed him against the elevator car wall again, questioning, "What should I do? How can I stop that stone from going to Bucciarati?"

He let go of the other person's collar with both hands and slowly sat down on the ground. "Please tell me! I absolutely cannot let Bucciarati touch that stone! Absolutely not!"

As if finally regaining consciousness, the man said weakly to Mista, "Don't resist the stone. The easiest way to be free is to accept it... But no one has succeeded so far. Either destroy that stone or change the shape it shows, perhaps..." 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Can this really change fate?!"

Shirou Emiya was a little doubtful.

After all, the sculptor couldn't be killed by Mista several times because the stone hadn't carved out the shape of his death... Does this also mean that fate is fundamentally unchangeable?

"And, is there really still time to find Rolling Stones or Bucciarati?!"

Rin Tohsaka also had doubts.

Because, according to the sculptor, once Bucciarati touches the Rolling Stones, it means Bucciarati accepts fate and will die!

Now it depends on whether Mista can really change fate!

【 NO.1, flying rapidly around the apartment building on a bullet, found Bucciarati: "No, this is bad! The stone! That stone is also in the stairwell! That stone is right in front of Bucciarati!"

Mista was frantically pressing the elevator button at this moment, wanting the elevator to stop as quickly as possible, while also saying to NO.1 in a hurry, "Stop him! NO.1! Tell Bucciarati! Tell him not to touch that stone no matter what!"

But at this moment, the bullet NO.1 was riding no longer had thrust, and almost at the same time, Bucciarati, seeing the stone, slowly reached out his hand...

"Bucciarati!" Mista suddenly had an idea. He directly shot upwards toward the elevator ceiling, and then the bullets rode the bullets out. Before Bucciarati's hand touched the stone, they fiercely knocked the stone away.

However, the stone that was knocked down the stairs by the bullets began to gradually ooze liquid, leaving three bullet holes. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this scene, everyone felt a chill. This shape was undoubtedly the same as the scene of death in the Colosseum.

Those three bullets corresponded to the bullets Mista shot in the Colosseum!

This means that the fate of death has not changed at all.

Instead, it is still moving towards the predetermined fate, as if all this is the arrangement of fate.

~Detective Conan World~

"Fate... can it really not be changed?!"

Conan, who lives in the age of science, originally scoffed at topics like fate...

But now he has to believe that everything seems to be moving according to the arrangement of fate!

He hasn't forgotten that in the Colosseum in Rome, after Bucciarati's soul was swapped with Tobio, one of Diavolo's split personalities, his body was shot three times by Mista!

Bucciarati still died as the Rolling Stones predicted! The ending of death did not change, but the process of death was even more painful.

【 At this moment, the stone under the stairs seemed to turn into a living creature, quickly jumping up and directly pouncing on Bucciarati.

"Sticky Fingers!" Bucciarati didn't hesitate at all and directly summoned his Stand, Sticky Fingers, and punched this strange stone.

The pistols nearby were extremely anxious. NO.7 shouted anxiously,

"Bucciarati! You can't attack it! Once you touch it, you're finished!"

Just as Sticky Fingers' fist was about to land on the Rolling Stones, accompanied by three gunshots, the Rolling Stones were directly knocked away and fell to the ground.

"You absolutely cannot touch that stone. As soon as you touch it, you will die!" Mista said, quickly moving towards Bucciarati, "Run down! Bucciarati!"

The Rolling Stones jumped towards Bucciarati again. Seeing this, Mista directly jumped and pressed it under him, and continued to say to Bucciarati, "Run down quickly! Get out of this apartment, the farther the better!"

Mista's face suddenly changed drastically, because the Rolling Stones, which was pressed under him, had clearly begun to gradually sink down until it disappeared before their eyes.

Mista nervously observed the surroundings, and then, as if he had discovered something, his eyes widened forcefully, and he shouted somewhat brokenly, "It's... It's over! It's above you! Bucciarati!"

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Bucciarati used Sticky Fingers' ability to open a zipper, and then he drilled out.

The next moment, the Rolling Stones squeezed out of the gap opened by the zipper and fell directly towards Bucciarati.

And just then, Mista jumped down from above and grabbed Rolling Stones, a smile appearing on his face. "As long as I can destroy this stone, as long as I can change the shape of this stone..."

"Mista!!" Bucciarati shouted anxiously.

Just as Mista was about to land on the ground, a car sped over quickly, instantly catching Mista, and then, as the Rolling Stones shattered upon hitting the ground, it crashed into the wall of the apartment building in front.

"Damn it... that bastard sculptor said... he really wasn't wrong... as long as my appearance hasn't been carved out by the stone, it means my death is not yet here... right?" Mista, spitting blood, lay motionless on the car roof.

Meanwhile, inside the apartment building, looking at the backs of the few people leaving, his face showed a complicated expression: "You said it's all over? If you don't resist and just accept the Rolling Stones, everything will end peacefully..."

In the powder of the Rolling Stones smashed by Mista on the ground below the apartment building, three heads gradually appeared as the wind blew past: Bucciarati, Narancia, and Abbachio.

"We are all slaves of fate. The shape that has already appeared is indeed unchangeable. Although I don't know who they are, they will embark on a path of hardship later, and several more people will die because of it, but..."

The sculptor said this and looked up at the tall apartment building. "Are they all that kind of people? Willing to jump from such a high building to destroy this stone, just to save their companion named Bucciarati? Perhaps there is some meaning in the path of hardship they are about to embark on..."

"Although I cannot pray for their safety, I sincerely hope they are all sleeping slaves, and after awakening, these sleeping slaves can carve out a path of profound meaning..." 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 156: A Battle Between Brothers!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

"So, the fate of Bucciarati and the other two was decided at that moment!"

Doctor Roman stared at the scene in the video, his mind flashing with various thoughts.

He couldn't understand why, even though Mista had smashed the Rolling Stones, it had reformed into the heads of Bucciarati, Narancia, and Abbacchio at this moment.

Based on the previous scenes, the people who died during the process of defeating Diavolo were indeed Bucciarati, Narancia, and Abbacchio...

So, did that count as changing fate? After all, the Rolling Stones had only carved Bucciarati before!

"But Bucciarati's fate was indeed changed!"

Da Vinci showed a complex expression. Perhaps if Bucciarati had chosen to accept fate there, only he would have died.

But Diavolo might not have been defeated, and more people would have suffered as a result. So, Bucciarati and the others chose to resist fate at this moment and walked down the path of suffering together!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

"OMG!! Polnareff really turned into a turtle..."

Old Joseph was full of disbelief. He didn't see any other twists until the end of this ranking video, so didn't that mean the future Polnareff would turn into a turtle!!

Kakyoin Noriaki, standing nearby, couldn't help but show a strange expression, then reached out and patted Polnareff's shoulder to comfort him.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

"Hmph... So our deaths were set in stone from the very beginning?"

In a certain restaurant, Abbacchio swirled his wine glass nonchalantly before taking a slow sip, his demeanor suggesting he couldn't care less about his own demise.

Beside him, Narancia was devouring an authentic Margherita pizza, sauce smearing his face as he spoke through mouthfuls:

"But we already know, so that means fate has changed. We definitely won't die now."

Giorno's fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Bucciarati... What's our next move?"

Giorno was now a little worried about Diavolo's movements. He believed Diavolo must have also seen his future outcome, and given his personality, he might strike first and attack them.

Without hesitation, Bucciarati pushed back his chair and stood.

"Simple. We track down the Boss's hideout."

His eyes hardened with resolve.

"Then we end him."

He had just received a message from someone named Jotaro, and the other party had already found Polnareff. Jotaro was now planning to meet with their team and then plan to ORA ORA with Diavolo...

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Now I finally understand why Mista was so panicked when he saw the stone after defeating Diavolo."

Shokuhou Misaki recalled Mista's panicked shouting of Trish's name earlier, realizing it was because he was worried about the existence of the Rolling Stones...

Looking back now, it was indeed a shock. If it were really the Rolling Stones, Trish's life would have ended there, too!

~Detective Conan World~

"Fate is a sleeping slave, it seems that saying is quite true."

Conan had now completely accepted the idea of fate.

He felt as if he was being entangled by some bad fate; otherwise, how could he explain that someone died wherever he went? And as if fate was destined, the autographs Ran got were always the last, out-of-print autographs of the deceased.

。。。。。

A few days later, a brand new video quietly appeared on the screen, but it was discovered by people who had been paying attention to the video's changes.

 

【 TOP 1: Natsu vs. Zeref! A Battle Between Brothers! 】

 

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

The Grand Magic Games had just concluded, and the victorious team was enjoying the royal celebration ball after defeating Future Rogue. Suddenly, a shocked voice cut through the festivities from a corner of the hall:

"No way...!! Everyone, look! The new video is about our world!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone put down the drinks in their hands and looked at the newly appearing video with serious expressions, but the title alone made everyone freeze!

"Zeref? The legendary Black Mage? But history says he died centuries ago!"

"Shouldn't we focus on the 'Battle Between Brothers' part? Are Natsu and Zeref actually siblings? That timeline makes no sense!"

At this time, there were constant sounds of conversation at the ball, and their eyes also looked towards Natsu, but at this moment, Natsu was also completely bewildered.

"Whaaat?! Brothers? I was raised alone by Igneel the Fire Dragon since I was little."

Natsu felt that the brother in the title should be referring to someone else, and he had only met Zeref once before on Tenrou Island...

Meanwhile, a petite girl with golden hair and distinctive elf-like ears stared intensely at the screen. Guild Master Mavis's eyes clouded with emotion as she whispered,

"Zeref..."

Far away in Tartaros, Mard Geer trembled with religious fervor. The demon created by Zeref clenched his fists in devotion:

"I shall realize your wish, my creator! I will grant you true death!"

Everything was proceeding exactly as planned. Soon... very soon, his master's eternal suffering would end.

【 As the text disappeared, a scene appeared in the video. Under a clear blue sky, a black-haired young man wearing a black robe and a white cape was sitting cross-legged in a forest.

"You were indeed watching the Grand Magic Games."

Fairy Tail's First Master, Mavis, appeared behind him, floating in mid-air.

"Although I can't hear your voice, nor see your figure. But I know clearly in my heart, you are there, Mavis." Zeref's gentle voice sounded, saying without turning his head.

Mavis slowly floated down from the sky, her dark green eyes staring at the figure in front of her.

"Seven years ago, you were by my side, not far away."

Zeref, who said he couldn't hear or see Mavis's figure, seemed to follow suit with a tacit understanding, saying the same thing: "Seven years ago, you were also by my side, not far away." 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This scene made everyone watching freeze. Can't hear the voice, can't see the figure?! Then how did you know what Mavis said, and how could you talk without any hindrance?

"Is that Mavis a ghost? Or is Zeref disabled? Can't hear or see..."

"But this Zeref doesn't look like a bad guy at all, even his voice sounds so gentle."

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

"Zeref... is that young man Zeref!!?"

"Why is he here?! And he watched the Grand Magic Games?! Doesn't that mean he's nearby right now?"

"And who is that girl floating behind Zeref?"

At this moment, everyone at the ball began to look serious. After all, just knowing that Zeref was alive was already incredibly surprising, but they didn't expect the being who created countless demons to be nearby.

"Does the First Master know Zeref?"

Lucy looked at the two of them talking as if they had a tacit understanding.

She felt their relationship was not that simple.

And seven years ago, wasn't that on Tenrou Island? That means they had already sensed each other's presence seven years ago.

【 "Are you still looking for your burial place?" Mavis, who had landed on the ground, asked.

Zeref closed his eyes, the gentle breeze slowly blew, and his voice still sounded gentle, "In the past few hundred years, I have repeatedly watched the end of eras."

Then he opened his eyes and looked in Mavis's direction, "The struggles between people, hatred, evil hearts! Every time a new era comes, I always hope to purify all of this."

"I don't know how many times it's been, people always repeat the same mistakes, constantly making the same errors."

Mavis's expression didn't change, "Even so, people can still live. Aren't you going to wait any longer?"

"The existence called humans has long since become extinct." Zeref, who slowly stood up from the ground, answered Mavis's question, "Yes, since this world is still rejecting me to this day, I have no choice but to deny this world."

Zeref lowered his head, making it impossible to see his face. The breeze continued to blow his white robe, "This is the gift I want to give to everyone, the harmony, and rebirth of the world."

Along with Zeref's gentle voice, an aura of death began to sweep around. The originally green flowers, grass, and forest all withered as if they had lost all life.

His surroundings were filled with deathly silence, and this deathly aura was constantly spreading outwards. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Rebirth of the world?! Great, just what we needed - another global annihilation enthusiast."

He wants to remake the world? Just how many of these world-ending maniacs are out there?

"Another 'rebirth the world' scheme? Don't we have enough apocalyptic lunatics already?

"First, Velber 02 , now this? Don't humans and gods ever learn?

"Don't tell me another fool wants to play at being a god?"

Watching the young man on the screen, who was clearly smiling so gently, yet whose aura seemed capable of instantly killing everything around him, constantly spreading in all directions. At this moment, it was as if only he existed between heaven and earth.

Some of the audience watching the video silently swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Was this another rule-based ability?

~Mob Psycho 100 World~

"Is this really something psychic powers can do?! To instantly strip away the life around him!"

Reigen Arataka looked at his disciple. It seemed he hadn't seen him use his full power yet. He wondered if he could withstand it.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

"What's going on? Isn't this the authority of the God of Death?"

Ereshkigal, watching the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees gradually wither, was a little confused.

As the ruler of the Underworld, she understood that being able to arbitrarily strip away life like this was equivalent to the authority of a God of Death?! And was he really a mortal?! To be able to live for hundreds of years...

Although Bedivere had also wandered for over 1500 years before, that was because of the Holy Sword's blessing. What was going on with this young man in front of her?

~Kamen Rider Decade World~

"Hah... 'Rejected by the world,' huh?"

Tsukasa Kadoya lowered his camera with a wry smile, staring at the latest failed shot - just another blurry mess in his collection. The universe's way of giving him the middle finger, as usual.

"Guess that makes two of us."

He twirled the camera strap around his finger, that trademark smirk never quite reaching his eyes. The weight of his journey as the Destroyer of Worlds hung between the words, bitter and ironic. Even his photographs refused to acknowledge his place in reality.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the people in this world had a clear understanding of Zeref's terrifying nature. The ability to arbitrarily strip away life alone was something they couldn't resist!

"Natsu! Are you really going to fight him in the future?"

Lucy now understood that the video was probably showing something that would happen in the future.

Looking at Lucy's slightly worried eyes, Natsu struck a strong pose and said with a laugh,

"It's okay! I don't care who Zeref is! I'll beat him!"

"Salamander, don't forget about me."

Gajeel said indistinctly while chewing on his knife and fork.

"Yeah, Natsu! Don't forget about us, we're Fairy Tail!"

The other members of the guild responded one after another!

Gray, standing nearby, also had a gloomy face. Remembering Deliora, he couldn't help but clench his fists,

"Zeref...!!"

【 Seeing this scene, Mavis showed an expression of unwillingness, "So, war is about to begin."

"No, this is a one-sided annihilation!" The originally gentle face disappeared, replaced by eyes filled with killing intent and terror, "I won't let anyone survive!"

Seeing this scene, Mavis also made up her mind, "Fairy Tail will definitely stop you, and the one who will perish in the end is you..."

Then the camera zoomed out, and the originally green mountain peaks became desolate and barren, filled with desolation and decay everywhere. Zeref's voice became gentle again, "Natsu... the time for the final battle is approaching." 】

【 。。。。。】

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

"We're doomed! Completely, absolutely doomed!"

Lucy clutched her head, her voice shrill with panic as Zeref’s ominous final words echoed in her mind.

Erza also showed a solemn expression,

"To think our greatest threat would be Zeref himself..."

As the video played, panic spread far beyond their guild - across all of Fiore and neighboring kingdoms. What began as shocked murmurs in taverns quickly turned to military mobilization.

If Zeref's threat proved true, this wouldn't be some localized conflict, but an existential war where humanity itself stood on the brink of annihilation.

Meanwhile, on the distant continent of Alakitasia...

Tears welled in August's eyes as he watched the screen. Those figures were unmistakably his parents. The Magic King lifted his gaze skyward - what role could a child play when his own parents remained oblivious to his existence? A heavy sigh escaped him... Now he faced the cruelest choice of all: having to pick sides between warring parents.

Invel Yura, the Winter General of the Spriggan 12, adjusted his glasses with a gloved hand, his voice icy and measured:

"If His Majesty intends war, we must make immediate preparations."

Irene Belserion twirled her staff, her pink locks swaying as a chilling smile spread across her face.

"Has it finally begun?! This world will usher in a rebirth."

【 The scene shifted, and a small blue cat with wings was seen flying in mid-air with a young man with cherry blossom-colored hair!

"There are so many of them!" Happy couldn't help but say.

"Yeah, like a black carpet. Let's go! Happy!!"

Natsu's hands were wrapped in flames! Led by Happy, he charged towards the army with flames wrapped around his hands, knocking back soldier after soldier with just two blows!

"Happy! Let me down."

Happy was stunned for a moment when he heard this, "Do you want to fight this huge army?"

"Yeah!" Natsu's entire body fell like a meteor, "Force Zeref out!!"

Natsu, who had just landed, turned his head and unleashed a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist towards the army in front of him. The next moment, towering flames filled the entire screen! Causing a series of explosions.

Then Natsu rushed out of the smoke, moving freely through the army as if he were in a no-man's land!

The soldiers held their staffs and fired magic cannonballs, but Natsu casually waved his hand and deflected them behind him, where they exploded. It was clear from the sight that the power of these magic cannonballs was definitely not small.

"He deflected them?!?" The magic soldiers were filled with surprise.

"Ignore him, keep shooting! There's only one opponent."

As the words fell, cannonballs attacked Natsu one after another. Even with his nimble movements, Natsu couldn't dodge all of them and could only cross his arms in front of him! Countless cannonballs hit his body.

"Natsu...!!" Happy in the sky showed a worried look.

"No problem!" As if he heard Happy's call, Natsu took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I want to protect everyone, so I will fight."

"Fire Dragon King's... Roar!!!"

A deep red flame directly sprayed from his mouth. Wherever it went, the ground cracked inch by inch, and a giant crater appeared before everyone's eyes. He directly split the tens of thousands of troops in half.

On the ground, there were still traces left by the stones that gradually melted due to the terrifying temperature, and the ground became like lava.

The surviving magic soldiers stared blankly at this scene, "The terrain... the terrain has changed!!"

"Mon... monster!!! How many people were killed?"

"993." Accompanied by a gentle voice, pitch-black magic suddenly appeared in front, wrapped in white light!

Then Zeref's figure appeared before Natsu, "There are still nine hundred ninety-nine thousand and twenty-seven people left."

Natsu looked at Zeref seriously, "You came out earlier than I expected."

Zeref smiled at the figure in front of him and said softly, "Because I wanted to see you early, Natsu!"

Natsu pulled at the bandage wrapped around his right hand with his left, "But let's say goodbye here... Zeref!!" 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

Author note: Although Fairy Tail's power levels collapsed in the later stages, it was still my favorite anime back then! (After all, it's just a ranking video; the ranking is not in any particular order.

Chapter 157: Flame Dragon King Mode!!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

Hearing Zeref's words, everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they understood. It turned out that the young man was facing an army of millions!

Moreover, the power of those magic soldiers' attacks did not seem weak.

They didn't expect that the young man named Natsu would be so brave!

"Holy crap!! Just the number alone is terrifying enough, I didn't expect Natsu to actually have the courage to challenge a million-strong army alone!"

"I have to say, I'm hyped!!"

~One Piece World~

Ace stared blankly at Natsu's ever-changing flames on the screen, starting to doubt whether the Devil Fruit he ate was fake.

"He's the one who ate the Mera Mera no Mi, right... Just that one punch he swung at the army when he landed is already much stronger than my Fire Fist."

However, it was also because he watched the video that he understood his shortcomings. It was also fire, but his temperature was far lower than Natsu's! He could directly change the terrain with the temperature of his flames, burning the ground into magma, which he couldn't do yet.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

~Academy City~

"Sister-sama... Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar, its power is already much stronger than the Railgun!"

Shirai Kuroko stared blankly at the destruction caused by Natsu's move. Whether it was range or power, it had already far surpassed Misaka Mikoto, one of the top figures in Academy City...

"But no matter what, Sister-sama will always be number one in my heart."

Shirai Kuroko said this while hugging Misaka Mikoto and rubbing against her constantly.

"Don't just lean on me!"

Misaka Mikoto pushed away Kuroko, who was hugging her, in annoyance. She still admired Natsu for daring to face a million-strong army alone for his companions.

On the other side, Sogiita Gunha was completely hyped up. He took a horse stance and swung a punch forward, shouting excitedly,

"Go, Natsu! This is Guts!!"

~Bungo Stray Dogs World~

At this moment, Nakajima Atsushi, who had not yet joined the Armed Detective Agency, was still wandering around, watching the screen alone, and then showed a look of longing.

"When can I have companions for whom I can lay down my life?"

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

"A war against millions?! Just what kind of future is this?"

"And judging by Natsu's appearance, this must've happened within two years! What kind of development could have led to the current situation?"

At this moment, everyone still at the banquet turned their attention to Natsu. The flames he wielded in the projection—their sheer power and heat dwarfed anything he'd shown during the Grand Magic Games.

"That... was just a roar? You could've told me it was a Dragon Slayer Secret Art and I'd believe you!"

Seeing the power in the video, Sting Eucliffe of Sabertooth's pupils contracted. Although he knew there was a gap in strength between him and Natsu-bro, he didn't expect the gap to be so large.

On the other side, Erza punched Natsu's head.

"Are you an idiot?! Facing a million-strong army, you just charged in like that?!"

Elfman Strauss immediately gave him a thumbs-up,

"Now THAT'S a man's way of fighting! HAHA!"

Natsu popped back up, rubbing his head with one hand while clashing his fists together, flames dancing in his eyes.,

"Shishishi! Although I still don't know what's going on, it turns out I'm so strong in the future, future me's awesome!"

Amidst the uproar, Makarov and Mavis stood apart—their silence heavy. The guild master's beard twitched as he looked at Zeref, who reappeared.

Makarov said in a deep voice,

"So he finally made his move... This war? Zeref's goal must be you! First!"

"..."

Mavis was silent. As expected, he came for Fairy Heart, Lumen Histoire... Zeref would burn the world to claim that infinite magic.

【 "Invel, tell everyone to retreat a few kilometers to the west." Zeref lowered his head and instructed the person behind him. He also planned to fight Natsu next!

Then the dense army began to gradually retreat.

Natsu untied the bandage on his right hand and looked up at the sky, saying, "Happy, you should also stay away."

"Aye!" Happy responded and flew high into the sky, sensing something from Natsu's actions, "Natsu is going to use that move directly!" 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The audience from other worlds who didn't understand looked at the two and, by coincidence, instructed the people behind them to move away, realizing that the upcoming battle would be very intense!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

"Natsu-bro!!"

Sting Eucliffe saw the scene in the video and asked Natsu in the distance in confusion,

"Do you still have some hidden moves you haven't used?"

"Yeah, I do, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with bandages, does it?"

Natsu didn't remember having any moves related to bandages! The only thing he hid during the Grand Magic Games was the Lightning Flame Dragon Mode...

【 "We won't hand over the First to you." Natsu looked at Zeref and said in a deep voice, continuing to untie the bandage on his right hand.

"It's all because you couldn't destroy me that things turned out this way."

Zeref's voice to Natsu was still gentle.

But Natsu didn't understand what he was saying at all, "What are you talking about? I don't understand at all! And I'm not interested in understanding."

As the bandage was removed, a dragon-like tattoo appeared on his right arm, and his right hand turned grayish-black, with red and black flames burning fiercely on it.

Even Zeref, who was dozens of meters away, showed a look of shock.

Even he felt the terrifying heat, "What is this magic power? ...This heat!"

"Take this!" Natsu smiled slightly, flames erupted from under his feet, and in the next instant, a fist wrapped in red and black flames hit Zeref.

This unexpected blow directly stunned Zeref. Before he could land, another fiery punch followed, and Zeref was sent flying again, the ground also tearing apart.

Zeref came back to his senses and stabilized himself in the air, pointing with one hand, a black magic light ball attacked Natsu!

Natsu saw this and didn't show any intention of dodging. When the black magic reached Natsu, the flames on his body were like fuel, bursting out with terrifying temperature and instantly burning it to ashes!

Even Zeref, who had lived for hundreds of years, was somewhat disbelieving, "He burned the magic to ashes...?!"

【 。。。。。】

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

First Master, Mavis, also looked stunned,

"He can actually burn Zeref's magic to ashes... How terrifying a temperature is needed to do that?! And that magic power..."

Although Natsu had tried to burn Sting Eucliffe's magic mark during the Grand Magic Games, this time he was burning Zeref's magic...

Moreover, the magic power that could make even Zeref surprised was definitely extraordinary.

How did Natsu do it?

Looking at what Natsu said, Makarov confirmed his guess; he was indeed coming for the First, but even if he had to risk his old life, he would protect the First!

At the same time, Zeref in a certain forest stared blankly at the figure on the screen, saying gently,

"Natsu... I really want to see you again!"

But then he covered his head with his hands, the aura of death swept around again, stripping away all life in the vicinity, and then Zeref, who gradually calmed down, looked at everything around him.

"Natsu... You still can't defeat me now...."

Just as Zeref was stunned, Natsu instantly appeared in front of him and punched him in the abdomen, and a monstrous flame appeared behind him.

"Roar~"

Along with the sound of a dragon's roar, the red and black flames directly dyed the sky red. The huge impact force made Zeref hit the ground and tumble continuously!

Then he punched Zeref again and again, and the flames on his right hand continued to gather!

"He can win! Natsu can win!" Happy in the sky, he clenched his fists excitedly, watching the scene.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

"Am I dreaming? That Zeref... is actually being unilaterally beaten!!"

"Did Zeref not use his full power? Or is he holding back now?"

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the people stared blankly at Natsu, who seemed to be unilaterally beating Zeref, their eyes filled with disbelief.

After all, the demons created by Zeref alone were like natural disasters, making them completely unstoppable. Seeing Zeref being beaten was simply unbelievable to them, like a fantasy.

【 But at this moment, Zeref's right hand erupted in a white light, hitting Natsu's face, directly peeling off a layer of skin from his cheek, revealing a deep wound.

Accompanied by the stirring BGM, Natsu and Zeref turned into two streaks of light, one red and one white, constantly fighting in the air. As the two fought, the ground began to shatter, and the collided mountains also collapsed with a roar.

"You really surprised me, what is this power?" After the two fighters separated, Zeref asked with some excitement in his tone.

"It's the power Igneel gave me, the last power left in my body." Natsu looked at Zeref in front of him and slowly said.

"I spent ten months to release this power."

"Once this magic power is used, it will not recover. This is Igneel's obsession."

As he spoke, monstrous flames ignited on Natsu's body, dyeing the sky red. Igneel's figure even appeared in the flames, and his roar could be heard as if in a dream.

"Power of the dead! I see, in that case, perhaps it can truly destroy the immortal." Zeref stared blankly at Natsu, his tone becoming more and more excited.

"Fire Dragon King Mode!!" Natsu's eyes narrowed, and he waved his right hand, the flames spinning like a tornado.

Then the flames on his body exploded like ignited dynamite, black light entwining the flames. The earth began to burn; whether it was mountains or rocks, they were all burning fiercely at this moment, and the entire screen was dyed red.

"The Earth is burning, how amazing!" Zeref looked around with an exclamation!

"This is the end! Zeref...!!" The flames began to gather continuously towards Natsu's right hand. This next blow would be his full power!

To this, Zeref showed no fear, but instead revealed a smile, his tone filled with excitement and relief, "I didn't expect my wish to be fulfilled at this time."

"Thank you, Igneel... Anna... Layla! Mavis..." Tears fell from his face onto the ground, then Zeref slowly turned his head to look at Natsu, his eyes filled with tenderness, "And... my dearest brother... Natsu!" 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 158: Natsu's identity revealed! The strongest devil E.N.D!

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“"An immortal, you say?!”

Gilgamesh was surprised by this statement. After watching so many inventory videos, this was the third instance of true immortality he'd witnessed. Though that Diavolo guy had his own twisted version of immortality.

Moreover, what truly captured his attention was the mage's tone in his final moments. Here was a man who yearned for death yet found none capable of granting it. When Natsu's flames surged toward him, he hadn't resisted-no, he'd welcomed them.

That fleeting hope of annihilation had sparked something akin to relief in his cursed existence. So, Zeref didn't plan to defend himself?

“What a bumpy fate. It turns out that the boy named Natsu is actually his younger brother. I'm afraid he didn't use his full strength before.”

Merlin looked at the last moment, all the gentleness in Zeref's eyes was given to Natsu...

And it seems that Natsu probably doesn't know that the one he is about to defeat is his older brother.

~Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas World~

“Igneel's obsession?!”

Elder Hakurei looked at the screen, his thoughts drifting back hundreds of years. Wasn't he also burdened by two hundred years of obsession?

Twin Gods... Our brothers will definitely defeat you in this Holy War.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“What kind of flame is this? It's even better than mine.”

Jogo looked at the flame that dyed the screen red and found it unbelievable.

The terrifying temperature that seemed to burn everything through the screen was beyond his imagination, and the phantom that appeared behind him was a dragon? Fire Dragon King Mode?!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, everyone was completely blown up. That Salamander, Natsu, was actually the younger brother of the legendary Black Mage Zeref!!

“Zeref himself admitted it, and that legendary Black Mage actually cried...!!”

“That's not the point. The most important thing is that in the future, Natsu can fight Zeref to a standstill, and even has the power to defeat him!!”

At this moment, Natsu quieted down, the smile gone from his face, his eyes fixed on his right hand,

“Igneel?! The obsession of the dead?! And what about Zeref's last words, 'my dearest brother'?!”

There was too much information, and his head was about to explode.

Although he still didn't understand the last one, he knew that the future Igneel was dead...

He didn't know what kind of mood he should be in at this moment, sadness? Anger? Where did Igneel go?!

Just as Natsu was at a loss, Lucy hugged him, whispering softly,

“It's okay... Natsu!!”

Although the name Anna seemed familiar, now was not the time to think about these things. As the video played, he would definitely figure out these secrets...

Gray also couldn't help but take a deep breath,

“Hey, hey! How strong is this guy going to become in the future?”

At this moment, on another continent, the Magic King August couldn't help but clench the staff in his hand. He also wanted to have his father's love, and the most important thing was:

“I didn't expect that I actually have an uncle?! Natsu...”

【 An attack containing Igneel's obsession, with the power to destroy the world, struck Zeref, stirring up thick yellow sand and smoke.

Winter General Invel looked at the thick fog in front of him, with cold sweat on his face. Natsu's strength had indeed exceeded his imagination! Natsu, who had unleashed this attack, was also panting heavily, his eyes fixed on the front.

The dragon-shaped tattoo on his arm began to burn, turning into red starlight that gradually dissipated. Then Natsu couldn't support his body and knelt on the ground, his breathing becoming more and more rapid.

“Natsu!!” Happy in the sky shouted worriedly.

Natsu, kneeling on the ground, straightened up, “I'm fine, I can still withstand one more attack!!”

As the smoke cleared, Zeref, dressed in black with a white robe wrapped around him, stood there covered in injuries. Then he smiled happily, “You have indeed become stronger... Natsu!”

“Perhaps you can really stop me, I have always thought so. But it was a little too late, I chose to destroy this world before I disappeared.”

“Your next attack may very well destroy me, an immortal. It all depends on your strength, so I want to tell you something important while I'm still alive.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It seems that the consumption of that attack was probably not small. Even Natsu, a Dragon Slayer Mage, is almost unable to support it and can only release it twice.”

“Perhaps Zeref is really craving death... He didn't dodge that attack at all just now, and seeing the possibility that Natsu could really kill him made him somewhat happy?!”

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the people of the Fairy Tail world became highly nervous. Especially the dark guilds.

After all, the words spoken before death must be extremely important. Could Zeref be talking about the legendary forbidden magic that can resurrect people?!

Or is it possible to obtain the secret of his immortality? After all, everyone used to think that Zeref was already dead, but they didn't expect him to be an immortal.

【 “I am Zeref Dragneel, your brother! 400 years ago... You were born into a warm family, with a father and a mother.” As Zeref spoke, the picture flashed by.

Natsu and Happy were shocked when they heard this. They hadn't been born 400 years ago, and brother?! What nonsense was he talking about?

“Our parents were burned to death by dragon flames, and my brother Natsu also died at that time.”

As he spoke, the picture changed. In a warm room, although the surroundings were a bit dilapidated, and they lived in poverty, it was still full of happiness.

The father with equally cherry-pink hair laughed heartily as the two brothers played, one with black hair and the other with cherry-pink hair!

Then the picture changed again.

Everywhere was burned by flames. Zeref, who had gone out to fetch water, saw the collapsed building, his father and mother covered in black and lifeless. Even his only brother lay in the ruins, ending his short life... 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this time, the people outside the screen recognized that it was indeed the young Zeref and Natsu, but at this moment, they were full of doubts.

If that was really Natsu, wasn't he already dead? So what was going on with the current one?!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

Zeref in the forest lowered his eyes after seeing this scene. The following events were something he could not accept or face.

Inside a cave, the black dragon Acnologia slowly opened his eyes,

“All dragons, I will definitely eliminate them all.”

【 Natsu didn't believe what he said, “What are you talking about?!”

Zeref didn't care and continued to talk to himself, “I have been constantly researching to resurrect you...”

Then the picture returned to the past. At this time, Zeref was constantly researching in the magic academy, tirelessly flipping through magic books.

After an unknown period of time, finally one day...

The child-like Zeref, with big dark circles under his eyes, told his mentor his idea, “R-System! As long as it absorbs 2.7 billion magic power, it can resurrect the dead.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Upon seeing this situation, Doctor Romani couldn't help but sigh. Zeref didn't seem as evil as he had imagined. Everything he did seemed to be just to resurrect his family...

“I have to say, Zeref is truly a genius! It shouldn't have been long ago, right? At this age, he actually researched a method that can bring people back to life.”

Even Da Vinci, who called herself a genius, felt inferior!

When she was his age, she was probably still playing in the mud and making small inventions, but he was already able to independently develop such a powerful method.

“But does resurrection really exist?”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was a little worried. Although it was a different world, would this infringe upon the authority of the God of Death...

~Demon Slayer World~

Kamado Tanjiro was a little moved. Zeref, based on what is currently shown, is undoubtedly a qualified older brother. In order to resurrect his dead younger brother, he studied tirelessly day and night...

Tanjiro, who also had a warm family, understood Zeref's feelings. Being left behind was the most painful thing, and he could only pin his hopes on the resurrection of his younger brother to continue living.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Is this really that Zeref?!”

Ultear stared blankly at all of this:

“And the R-System... So that's how it was born! Can it really have the ability to resurrect people?”

Natsu stared blankly at the video. If everything that was said was true, then he would have died more than 400 years ago. What kind of existence was he now?

Gray, who was the first to notice that something was wrong with Natsu, asked with concern,

“Are you okay, Natsu...”

“Huh?!”

Natsu trembled all over as if his tail had been stepped on, feeling a chill:

“When did you become so disgusting, you droopy-eyed guy!”

Lucy looked at the two fighting again and stopped her steps to comfort Natsu, covering her forehead helplessly:

“Really, I was worried for nothing.”

【 However, this research was also denied by the mentor and was forced to end. In the following time, he used his brilliant mind to research the Eclipse Gate!

“As long as the Eclipse Gate can be opened... I can travel back to the past and save them.”

But it was also at this time that the young Zeref covered his head with both hands, and a deathly aura erupted from his body, stripping away all life in the magic academy.

“Because I kept researching forbidden life, I triggered the curse of the god Ankhseram, and since then I have become immortal... I have become a cursed monster.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing Zeref, who had paid so much to save his younger brother, everyone felt inexplicably sad...

Although the reason for the trigger is still unknown, being cursed by a god and occasionally erupting with the ability to strip away others' lives is perhaps the reason why Zeref hoped that someone could kill him.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“So immortality was a curse from a god?”

Gilgamesh hated the so-called gods, who were nothing more than afraid that human power could reach them.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the people of the world all felt that they were wrong. The legendary Zeref was a heinous villain who attempted to plunge the world into chaos!

However, from the current perspective, the things Zeref created, whether it was the R-System or the Eclipse Gate, were originally not malicious.

However, due to the improper use by later generations, they caused harm.

Princess Hisui of the Fiore Kingdom felt inexplicably awkward at this moment.

She actually wanted to use the Eclipse Gate to go back to the past and destroy Zeref... But the problem is, it seems like he didn't do anything?!

【 The picture changed again. He had become a young man, wearing a black robe and a white cloak wrapped around him, and his voice was no longer gentle: “Finally finished, touching the taboo of the magic world, constructing life!!”

Then he began to modify the creatures, and the creatures in front of him also began to change into monsters, with sharp claws and fangs, and their entire bodies exuded a fierce aura.

This was the birth of demons!

However, even powerful demons were no match for him. With just a gentle wave of his hand, all the demons were instantly riddled with holes.

“However, these demons are not enough to kill me.”

Then he came to a dark room. His younger brother Natsu was sleeping inside a protective shield, and the surrounding instruments were constantly supplying magic elements.

Zeref, who was lying outside the protective shield, looked at Natsu, who was gradually breathing, with joy.

“Then, the strongest demon, E.N.D., was born.”

As his words fell, Natsu inside the protective shield also opened his eyes, his eyes filled with confusion, looking around!

The picture returned to reality.

Zeref looked at Natsu gently, “My continuous research resulted in... I successfully constructed the demon of Zeref's book, a life form called Etherious, and that is you, Natsu!”

“Etherious Natsu Dragneel! E.N.D.!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Fullmetal Alchemist World~

“I didn't expect him to actually reach this point, constructing life!!”

“This is a violation of the laws of nature and social ethics, he has touched upon a taboo.”

At this moment, the people in other worlds watching the screen were filled with complicated feelings. In order to resurrect his family, he was cursed by a god and became immortal.

Even so, he never stopped his research. The long-cherished wish of resurrecting his family seemed to be the driving force for his life, but now he wants his younger brother, whom he finally resurrected, to completely end his life...

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

Everyone instantly quieted down. After an unknown period of time, it completely exploded. The biggest secret had been exposed by Zeref: Natsu was the strongest demon, E.N.D., who would destroy everything!!

Natsu, upon hearing this news, widened his eyes, his body trembling slightly.

“I... I am a demon?! Zeref is really my brother!!”

Natsu saw all the efforts Zeref made to resurrect him. He knew that he could no longer attack Zeref now...

“Impossible!!”

Gray's pupils shrank, and he took a few steps back, his eyes filled with disbelief:

“Natsu is actually E.N.D.!!”

Unlike this side, Mard Geer of Tartaros was completely excited at this moment. He held the Book of E.N.D. in his hand and became extremely agitated!

“The strongest demon, E.N.D., has already been resurrected. Next, as long as he awakens the power and strength of a demon! He can fulfill his long-cherished wish and defeat Lord Zeref!”

This was also the only purpose for which they were created by Zeref. Next, the demon Mard Geer's purpose was very simple: they had to find Natsu, the true master of Tartaros.

Chapter 159: Inner Zeref

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After hearing Zeref's words, Natsu and Happy were both incredibly shocked. Happy even cried out anxiously, “Na...Natsu, don't believe what he says.”

“I'm Zeref's dead brother or END?!” Natsu's voice was clearly panicked, though he still refused to believe it. “That's too much information, I'm going to explode!”

Natsu then put his hands on his hips and gave his reason for not being END: “Besides, Igneel said he couldn't defeat END. If I were END, he should have been able to easily crush me.”

Zeref calmly refuted his reason: “He couldn't defeat him, not because of physical power difference, but because love had formed. That's why he~ couldn't defeat him!”

Natsu was clearly stunned for a moment, then he clenched his right fist tightly and still loudly denied, “END is a demon who established Tartaros! It's not me... Besides, I'm a good person!!”

Zeref's tone was still calm and gentle: “The one who established Tartaros was Mard Geer Tartaros. He used this book he accidentally found, claiming it was END's will, to command the demons.”

As he spoke, Zeref extended his hand, and a book with “END” written on its cover appeared in his hand. He then casually threw it on the ground.

Natsu shouted angrily, “So I told you I'm not some END!!”

Seeing the stubborn Natsu, Zeref stopped talking and directly shot a magic beam from his hand, piercing the “END” book on the ground!

“Ah...!”

At the same time, Natsu on the other side felt as if his chest had been pierced as well, letting out a painful scream. Then his whole body trembled, and he unconsciously clutched his chest with his right hand, kneeling on the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this scene, the people from other worlds became even more certain of their guess: the battle between Zeref and Natsu was completely one-sided, with Zeref holding back!

Putting aside his strength, if Zeref, with the Book of END in hand, wished, he could have taken Natsu's life at any moment!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“The damage dealt to the book is reflected back to Natsu, so Natsu's life is currently a book?!”

Doctor Roman was amazed by this.

Undoubtedly, Zeref was the most genius young man he had seen since watching the ranking videos. Whether it was when he was young and developed the R-System by himself, or the Eclipse Gate that could travel through time...

The last life composition alone was enough to make countless people look up to him. He actually went to such lengths just to revive his brother!

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

Gilgamesh stood outside the palace, arms crossed:

“In other words, the current Natsu is not human at all. As he said, he is the strongest demon he created... and also his brother.”

No wonder he was cursed by God. This kind of forbidden magic has overturned the natural cycle of life and death. But I must say, this king also wants to possess this kind of magic to revive his friend...

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the faces of the Fairy Tail members suddenly became grim. Whether Natsu was the so-called END or not, they would definitely protect Natsu... Natsu was their companion and also a member of Fairy Tail; there was no doubt about that.

The key to the problem now was that the book that seemed to control Natsu's life was in Mard Geer's hands. This situation was a bit difficult to handle! They didn't know what the other party's attitude towards Natsu would be after watching the video.

And those who hated demons, now knowing Natsu's identity, didn't know if they would take any radical actions? Some people were even stirring up trouble at the banquet.

Seeing this, the other guild members unconsciously protected Natsu.

“Natsu!!”

Happy cried loudly and flew to Natsu's head, as if he were about to disappear in the next second.

Natsu grabbed Happy from his head:

“Don't underestimate me, Happy. I'm Natsu Dragneel, a member of Fairy Tail!”

Sting and Rogue from SaberTusk also stepped forward:

“Don't forget about us!”

Ichiya from Blue Pegasus and Lyon and Jura from Lamia Scale also showed their stance without showing weakness, standing on the side of the Fairy Tail guild!

First Master, Mavis couldn't help but sigh at Makarov:

“A guild should be fertile soil where dreams take root. To move forward on your own path, that is a Fairy Tail mage! Third Master, you have built Fairy Tail into a wonderful guild.”

Makarov, who was praised by the First Master, looked like a child who was so happy he didn't know what to do. He said shyly and awkwardly,

“First Master, you are too kind. I just treat them like my children.”

【 “Shut up!!” Natsu rushed towards Zeref, his voice a little hoarse. “How could I believe your nonsense?”

Zeref still stood in place as Natsu rushed towards him, showing no intention of dodging. He continued to speak unhurriedly.

“You are a demon from the Book of Zeref. If you kill me... You will also die.”

Saying this, Zeref looked at Natsu with tears in his eyes.

“So what?!” Natsu's right hand was already wrapped in black and red flames, coming closer. The attack infused with Igneel's will was already ready to be unleashed.

“I won't hesitate, I've already decided! I'm here precisely to defeat you.”

Happy cried and rushed down towards Natsu: “Natsu!!”

Looking at Natsu like this, Zeref couldn't help but shed tears, “This will be the last chance to stop me!”

Just as Zeref calmly accepted death, Natsu's attack, containing Igneel's will, missed because Happy pulled him back.

Happy's hands were already charred and smoking as he pulled Natsu's collar and flew up, tears dripping down his face, his voice choked: “I don't want this! Natsu... I don't want Natsu to leave my side.”

The dragon mark on his right hand was almost completely gone. Natsu shouted anxiously: “Let go of me, Happy! Igneel's power is about to disappear! If I miss this chance, I'll never be able to defeat Zeref again!”

Happy, with teary eyes, grabbed Natsu's collar and flew higher. “Natsu is my friend, isn't he? Aren't I important to Natsu?”

Zeref stood in place until he saw the figure in the sky gradually disappear.

Tears flowed from his eyes, and he made his final farewell: “There's nothing left to stop me. Farewell... Natsu!”

Then a faint light emitted from his body, and all the injuries he had sustained during the battle disappeared. His eyes were no longer gentle, and his whole demeanor became chilling:

“I no longer have any hesitation!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this scene, everyone sighed helplessly. If Zeref died, Natsu would also die, which is why Zeref was crying...

Because it was Natsu, Zeref stood in place and gave him a chance, but this time Natsu still couldn't kill him, so Zeref no longer had hope and decided to solve it in his own way.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“What a pity... I'm afraid as Zeref said, there won't be a second chance.”

Miyu sighed at this scene.

The previous battle couldn't even be called a battle. Zeref had no intention of resisting at all. It was just a brother's love for his younger brother. He could accept his own death and looked forward to Natsu being able to end his life.

However, Natsu, who was given hope, failed to end his life, and his last bit of gentleness was completely buried in his heart as a result... In the next battle, Zeref wouldn't be holding back like this anymore.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Indeed! Zeref was holding back all along...”

Shokuhou Misaki couldn't help but exclaim as she watched the last scene.

Although Zeref looked battered and bruised, she didn't expect that with just a slight flash of his body, all the wounds would disappear instantly!

This recovery speed was simply unbelievable. If his clothes weren't still torn, no one would have noticed that he had just experienced a fierce battle.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this moment, the members of the Fairy Tail guild were silent. They also didn't expect that defeating Zeref would require such a heavy price. If Zeref died, Natsu would also die...

Erza couldn't help but walk up to Natsu again and hit him hard on the head with a punch, saying sternly:

“Why were you thinking of dying with Zeref?!! Don't you trust your companions like us?!”

“When you faced that million-strong army alone, you probably weren't planning on coming back alive, Natsu!!”

Leaving aside the fact that Natsu would die if Zeref died, just the fact that he dared to face Zeref's million-strong army alone probably meant he wasn't planning on coming back alive.

“Ouch...”

Natsu rubbed his head in pain.

“What are you doing, Erza? I promise this won't happen again.”

【 The scene changed, and in the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu and Zeref stood opposite each other. Zeref's face was downcast: “I tried my best, too! I tried to grasp happiness.”

“But with this body, falling in love with someone will kill them. It's simply not allowed! I can't have a family, nor can I have happiness.”

As he spoke, the scene flashed through the plants and trees swallowed by death, the fish in the water, the birds in the sky, none were spared.

Zeref sat alone in the forest, accompanied by black and white, full of loneliness and death! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Falling in love with someone will kill them?! Everyone was stunned when they heard this. What kind of malicious god would cast such a vicious curse?

Not only that, but he was also given an immortal life, destined to wander the world alone forever. No wonder Zeref longed for death... hoping that Natsu could kill him!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Zeref is actually a kind-hearted person.”

Emiya Shirou finally understood at this moment why Zeref always appeared in the forest in the video.

Perhaps he was also afraid that he would strip everyone of their lives in the city due to the curse, which is why he wandered alone in the wilderness.

~Detective Conan World~

“Is this the curse caused by researching the taboo of life and death? Isn't this too cruel?”

Ran, who was already kind-hearted, felt a little sad. So Zeref had been wandering alone like this for over 400 years, but because of the kindness in his heart, he had never been to the city; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But to thus deprive a person of the right to love and happiness, that so-called god is really too hateful...

Notes:

Translator-kun: Don't worry, Ran, you also got that little Shinigami, wherever he goes, death follows

Chapter 160: Divine Power!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

That’s not what family is!” Hearing Zeref’s words, Natsu lowered his face and walked forward, grabbing his collar.

【 “That’s not what family is!” Hearing Zeref’s words, Natsu lowered his face and walked forward, grabbing his collar.

He stared at him fiercely, his voice filled with anger and disappointment,

“It’s not about allowing or not allowing! You have to create your own happiness, that’s what family is!”

“If you say you don’t have family, then the only bond we have left ends here, brother!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Brother?! Hearing this address, everyone felt a sense of relief. Did this mean Natsu had acknowledged his identity, and the two brothers were finally reunited?

“I'm in Tears… Since Natsu has acknowledged his identity, will the brothers not have to kill each other? I really can’t bear to see Zeref’s resurrected brother fighting each other again!”

~Naruto World~

“Zeref, since you went through so much hardship to resurrect your brother Natsu, why are you still fighting him?”

Sasuke was filled with confusion.

Isn’t Natsu your most beloved brother? Why did the two brothers end up in such a situation, even to the point of severing their affection?

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Brother?!”

Natsu saw the scene that was previously shown on the screen. Although he said he didn't believe it, deep down he still acknowledged Zeref's identity...

Makarov, who valued family affection, held his staff with a slight tremor. A small smile touched his lips.

“They'll grow into fine mages, The future rests safely in their hands.”

【 Looking at Natsu like this, Zeref’s face was gloomy, his eyes unseen. Then he waved his hand and slapped away Natsu’s hand on his collar.

“Slap~”

Zeref’s voice trembled slightly, “How unexpected, so there was still something between us?”

Flames reignited on Natsu’s body.

“This is emotion!”

Zeref’s body was also covered in black magic, his eyes devoid of light. “Yes, Natsu, no… E.N.D.!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I didn't expect that Zeref would be the first to let go... From his final address, it seems he no longer sees Natsu as his brother and is holding back!”

“This time, he's really planning to solve it his way, even if Natsu stands in his way, he won't hesitate anymore.”

“But, can Zeref's deep affection for Natsu really be severed just like that?”

Regarding their battle, neither side's victory was what people from other worlds wished to see, but this battle between brothers had already begun.

【 Natsu’s right hand was engulfed in flames, and he punched Zeref back several meters. Zeref was now somewhat frenzied.

“Good… Come again! E.N.D.!”

“Destroy me… Destroy me, destroy me!” Zeref spoke as if his mind was unclear, dark purple magic swirling around him!

“Talk like a human, big brother!!”

Then the two continued to exchange blows, flames, and dark magic, constantly colliding in the guild. As the two separated, Natsu gasped for breath, looking at the figure in front of him.

“Is it over? E.N.D.!” Zeref’s face was gloomy, as if he had lost interest. “You’ve disappointed me greatly, I thought you could definitely destroy me.”

As he finished speaking, Zeref extended his left hand, and a torrent of dark magic struck Natsu’s body, and something similar to blood, red and black, attached itself to him!

Zeref continued, “It’s alright, I can return to normal. As long as I have Mavis’s power, I can become the person I was before.”

“With Neo Eclipse, it’s not about going to the past or the future. It’s about letting me start over, resetting time.”

“I want to go back to when I wasn’t immortal. No one will be hurt, and you can become human again.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Has Zeref completely lost his mind? He lacks his usual gentleness and calmness, giving off a feeling of frenzy.”

“If it were someone else, I would doubt if resetting time is really possible, but if it’s Zeref, I believe he can do it.”

“After all, Zeref is a scientific genius. It seems there’s nothing he can’t research.”

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

So this is Zeref's design... A return to the past, to before all tragedies began.

Artoria saw another self in Zeref.

The wish she wanted to make in this Holy Grail War was also to go back to the past and change the tragic future.

Yet now she understood the cruel truth: such temporal reversal wouldn't mend her world, but spawn another.

A branching reality where her suffering simply passed to another. The realization struck deeper after witnessing Bedivere's timeless devotion in the Camelot singularity - some scars were meant to be borne, not erased.

Her desire for the Grail's light dimmed further in that moment.

【 The scene shifts, Lucy is holding the Book of E.N.D., and she exchanges glances with Gray and Happy beside her, then opens the Book of E.N.D.!

Just by opening the cover, a dazzling red light shot up into the sky, and countless red and black ancient magical characters flew out of the book and floated in the sky.

Lucy and the others stared at all of this, their hearts filled with surprise.

“That’s a lot!”

“The characters are flying out… Is all of this Natsu’s information?”

【 。。。。。】

Even those outside the screen were seeing this for the first time and were somewhat stunned, their eyes filled with unconcealed astonishment!

Type-Moon ~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

“It’s… It’s amazing! To be able to record all of Natsu’s life information in a book.”

Doctor Roman continuously operated on the computer screen, planning to see if this world could decipher the text within.

Moreover, those characters seemed to have a life of their own, able to fly out of the book on their own. He wondered what kind of impact it would have on Natsu if even a single character were changed?

Zeref is truly a genius. He is already having trouble containing his curiosity. If it weren’t for the screen separating them, he wouldn’t be able to resist trying it out himself.

~Bleach World~

Aizen greatly desired to exchange insights with Zeref.

Zeref could be said to have created a new species by himself!

If combined with his research, perhaps the development of the Hogyoku could be accelerated, breaking the boundaries of Shinigami and becoming an existence of another dimension.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

The members of Fairy Tail felt a sense of relief seeing the Book of E.N.D. in Lucy’s hands. At least they had the initiative now.

“Awesome, Lucy! I didn’t expect you to have such a trick up your sleeve.”

“Exactly, exactly, as expected of a Fairy Tail mage!”

Facing everyone’s praise, Lucy was a little embarrassed. She was also thinking about the purpose of her future self opening the Book of E.N.D.

Her intuition told her that the Book of E.N.D. would be the key...

【 Zeref looked at the bound Natsu. “You can’t stop me with just that.”

“I’ll stop you!” Mavis also arrived at the guild entrance at this time.

Looking at Mavis slowly walking towards him, Zeref instead smiled.

“With this, the preparation conditions for Neo Eclipse are all met.”

“Argh!!!”

At this moment, flames erupted from Natsu’s body, and in Zeref and Mavis’s surprised eyes, he burned away the magical restraints on him.

“Step back, First Master!” Red and black flames continuously erupted from his body, and dragon scales grew on Natsu’s face. He took a step forward.

“I’m just getting fired up!!”

Zeref smiled at the sight.

“Dragon power, but that won’t work. Unless you also have the ability to dragonize like Acnologia.”

“I won’t become like Acnologia.” Golden flames burned fiercely according to Natsu’s will, and the intense heat seemed to reach the audience in front of the screen.

“Because this is Igneel’s will! I’ll use this flame to defeat you.”

Golden flames continuously gathered into a sphere in Natsu’s hand. Zeref’s right hand also condensed magic, and just as their attacks were about to collide.

Mavis stood between the two, stopping the battle, wanting to persuade Zeref!

“Your magic is mine…” But at this moment, Zeref couldn’t listen to any words. With a flash of golden light, Mavis’s magic was continuously absorbed by Zeref!

This was also his purpose for coming to the Fairy Tail guild: to get Mavis’s magic! Seeing her personally deliver herself, how could Zeref miss this great opportunity?

“Stop it!!” Natsu immediately rushed forward, intending to attack.

But as a golden light flashed in Zeref’s eyes, Natsu was directly blasted away!

Mavis, who had all her magic absorbed by Zeref, fell to the ground. Natsu, who had climbed back up, anxiously rushed forward.

“First Master!! Wake up, First Master!”

“I have nothing left to regret.” Zeref’s face was gloomy.

“She didn’t die, but all her magic was absorbed by me.”

“The time has come, this is Fairy Heart!!”

As Zeref held his hands level, white light erupted from the ground, and surging magic continuously gathered on his body. The entire ground began to vibrate intensely, and a shockwave spread out from him in all directions! It was as if some incredible existence had awakened.

After the golden light, as the smoke cleared, Natsu looked at everything before him in shock.

Zeref’s entire body underwent a dramatic change, becoming a vast expanse of white. Six wings formed by magical light floated behind him, and the magic erupting from his body made one feel despair. He was like a god.

“Infinite magic, power of a god that surpasses time!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

This week, may I updated late because of bad weather

Chapter 161: Natsu is dead?!

Chapter Text

Is this first guild master here to make a fool of us? She's cute, but she can't be this brainless

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is this first guild master here to make a fool of us? She's cute, but she can't be this brainless to just give herself away!!”

“She says she's here to stop him, but in reality, she's delivering herself on a silver platter, packaging herself up and bringing herself right to his doorstep!”

“And delivering herself is one thing, but what about the means you were going to use to stop Zeref?! Use them already!!”

The people watching the video didn't know what to say. Knowing full well that the other party's goal was her, Mavis still acted like a naive, sweet girl and delivered herself right to him.

Without doing anything, she let the other party absorb all of her magic power, and even let Zeref obtain the Fairy Heart, which was said to have infinite magic power...

And it seemed that Zeref had undergone a brand new evolution because of this. Both his power and magical power emitted a strange aura!

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

Dio felt inexplicably speechless. Leaving aside the time manipulators who appeared before, now there was Zeref, who could transcend time. He suddenly felt that his time-stopping ability was nothing special.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

Doctor Roman felt like his brain was about to explode.

“Fairy Heart? Infinite magic power... Holy Grail?!”

Isn't this equivalent to obtaining the Holy Grail?! Infinite magic power coupled with Zeref's knowledge of hundreds of years, given his genius level, he might really be able to reset time!

~Bleach World~

“The Fairy Heart seems similar to the Hogyoku... But this also proves that my direction of evolution is not wrong.”

Aizen stared at the screen and said in a deep voice.

Having obtained the Fairy Heart, Zeref had undoubtedly evolved and reached an unprecedented height, completely in a different dimension from Natsu's strength!

Then, with the power of the Hogyoku, he could also break the boundaries of Soul Reapers and become an existence that defied common sense. After watching the video for so long, he finally got some useful information.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Infinite magic power...”

The entire continent was in an uproar. In the world of magic, there was nothing more attractive than this existence. Everyone secretly began to investigate the first guild master of Fairy Tail!

But the information they got was that Mavis had already died a long time ago. What was the situation with the Mavis who appeared in the future?

Warrod Sequen, the Ten Wizard Saints with broccoli-like hair, was already in tears:

“Mavis... resurrected?”

And it seemed that it was in the near future. He didn't know if this old body could live until then to see Mavis again!

On the other side, Makarov couldn't help but comment slightly,

“First Master, your safety is paramount... How can you personally appear on the battlefield? Just believe in Natsu!”

“Oh...”

Mavis, who was called out, pouted, her eyes full of tears! But she also didn't know what her future self was thinking, or why she did this.

【 Not far from the guild, Lucy and the others, who were blown away by the shockwave, slowly got up. Gray covered his head with one hand and asked in confusion, “It hurts... What was that just now?”

“It seems to have come from the guild.” Happy looked into the distance, then looked at Lucy in confusion: “Strange, Lucy... where are the scattered words?”

She had clearly opened the Book of END just now, so why had all the words floating out disappeared?

Lucy also looked at the Book of END strangely, “They all seem to have gone back into the book!”

“It's a super high-level living link magic. I guess this book is connected to Natsu through a living link.”

Then Lucy's tone was a little uncertain: “If... if it can be rewritten!”

Gray was a little unbelievable: “You said rewrite?! But the amount is so large! Just opening one page has such a huge amount of information.”

“And that's already the compressed amount.”

“I don't think I need to rewrite all of it.” Lucy became more and more certain of her guess. “There must be a page that can save Natsu!”

Then she opened the book again. A large amount of red and black ancient text, in a spiral form, kept floating around the few people. Lucy and the others stared intently at the rapidly flying text, hoping to find the key to saving Natsu! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Every time I watch it, I can't help but admire Zeref's genius! Just one page... That huge amount of information is actually compressed.”

“Super high-level living link magic, if you change this, can you change the fate of Zeref and Natsu dying together?”

“But the words are constantly swirling in the air at such a fast speed, can Lucy really find the key to the problem? I'm already dizzy from watching.”

【 “First Master, I can't do it anymore!” Natsu, whose face was covered with dragon scales from using Dragon Force, slowly put down Mavis, his eyes fixed on Zeref, “I can only destroy him.”

Zeref seemed to have heard a joke, his tone full of disdain: “Destroy?! You want to destroy me?”

“It's precisely because you can't do it that I can only resort to this.” Looking at Natsu, who was charging at him, Zeref had no intention of dodging.

“Fire Dragon King's... Iron Fist!”

Natsu's right hand, wrapped in golden flames, heavily struck Zeref's face. Flames and white light constantly intertwined, and then the screen rose, only to see huge flames outside the guild piercing through the guild, and the lake water stirred up waves! A part of the lake water was even directly evaporated by the temperature of the headquarters.

As the ground stopped vibrating and the smoke dissipated, the entire wall of the guild, along with Zeref, disappeared. Natsu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the Dragon Force on his body also retreated. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even without the power of Igneel's obsession, Natsu is still terrifyingly strong. The temperature of those flames feels hot even through the screen.”

“Although this attack is terrifyingly strong, Zeref had no intention of dodging just now, which also means that this attack might not cause him any damage at all.”

【 On the damaged wall, as the wooden boards fell, Natsu looked at the guild he had destroyed, full of apology, “Sorry, old man.”

“I destroyed the guild again, and I even took Zeref with me...”

Speaking of this, Natsu seemed to have sensed something. He turned his head to look, only to see a strange ripple flowing through, and the sawdust and ruins on the ground also began to vibrate and slowly float up.

Then they turned into white light and gathered on the damaged wall. Even the originally damaged floor was restored to its original state.

“It's back to normal...” Natsu stared blankly at all of this, only to see streaks of white light, like floating white paper, constantly gathering in front, forming Zeref again!

Zeref patiently explained to the shocked Natsu: “This is the power of the Fairy Heart. Time and space all belong to me. Infinite magic power without end.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This was time reversing?! The people watching the video thought to themselves. They were no longer surprised by time abilities and even felt incredibly familiar with them.

What surprised them the most now was what Zeref said, that time and space all belonged to him?! Coupled with infinite magic power, wouldn't that make him invincible?

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“Although I don't want to admit it, Natsu's ability to use flames is very strong.”

Jogo looked at the attack in the video and couldn't help but sigh.

But even so, he didn't think Natsu would have a chance to defeat Zeref... The gap between the two now was not just a power gap, but it was as if they were in different dimensions, unreachable.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

At this time, Ultear, who had exhausted all her magic power in the future Rogue event and made the world rewind one minute, could no longer hide the shock in her heart.

On her extremely aged face, there was a look of disbelief:

“Infinite magic power plus the abilities of time and space... Time will really be reset by him.”

If she had had infinite magic power back then, she wouldn't have spent her whole life just to make the world rewind one minute.

Gray, on the other side, was also surprised:

“Natsu has really become this strong!”

At first, he thought Natsu was only able to contend with Zeref by relying on Igneel's obsession! But he didn't expect this attack to truly exceed his imagination, and it was also Natsu's own power.

Erza's face became even more solemn. Although Natsu was strong, she knew that for a Dragon Slayer, using Dragon Force meant using all of their trump cards!

But even so, he still couldn't hurt Zeref in the slightest. His stamina also seemed to be almost exhausted. What should Natsu do next to defeat the other party?!

【 “It can be said to be the pinnacle of all magic in the world, a power comparable to the end of the world.” Zeref said, his right hand wrapped in black magic power, as profound and mysterious as the universe.

As Zeref punched out, the black magic power mercilessly pierced through Natsu's chest, and then he pulled his hand out.

“Ah...”

Natsu could only let out a painful wail, spitting blood and slowly falling down.

Zeref stopped his forward steps, his tone showing no emotion: “One last thing I forgot to say, you don't need to apologize to Makarov.”

“Because... he's already dead. I hope you can reunite in heaven.”

“Farewell... Natsu!”

Natsu, who was slowly falling, spat out blood, and tears also flowed from his eyes, until his eyes rolled back and he fell heavily to the ground.

A large amount of blood flowed from his chest, staining the floor. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How could this be?!... Zeref finally resurrected Natsu, but then he ended his life with his own hands. Wasn't all the effort before in vain?”

“Perhaps it's because Zeref said before that he would reset time, so he no longer cares about everything that is happening now.”

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“The old man... is dead?!”

“Master...!!”

“Even Natsu in the end...”

The successive news had broken everyone's defenses. They simply couldn't accept such a fact. At this moment, everyone's hearts were full of sadness and anger!

Laxus looked at the final scene in the video, his voice trembling as he murmured,

“Ol... old man!...”

“How... could...?”

Erza's eyes widened. also couldn't accept such an ending.

In the future, just a few years away,

“Even... Natsu... is!! Where were we at that time?...”

Where were we in the future?! Why didn't we protect the old man? Why didn't we fight Zeref with Natsu?! Otherwise, maybe Natsu wouldn't have died.

“Natsu...Woohhh...I don't want you...to leave!”

The one who couldn't accept it the most was Happy. At this moment, he hugged Natsu and cried uncontrollably. For Happy, Natsu was his most precious companion, and also his second parent!

He was picked up by Natsu when he was still an egg and hatched with Lisanna. He has never left Natsu's side until now... Thinking that Natsu would die in the future, tears flowed continuously.

Lucy was also very sad. She didn't know what she was thinking in the future.

When she came to her senses, she had already hugged Natsu from behind...

“It's okay, Lucy... Happy!”

Natsu didn't turn back, but feeling the wetness on his back, he comforted them softly,

“After all, this is the future, we can change it.”

Natsu had already expected his own death. After all, no matter which side won in his battle with Zeref, he couldn't escape the fate of death...

What he couldn't accept the most was that the old man was dead!

Since Natsu was being hugged by Lucy, everyone didn't want to disturb them and could only gather around Makarov and cry bitterly, each of them wishing they could show their filial piety right then and there.

“If you really have a conscience, break fewer cities when you're on missions so I can enjoy my old age. Otherwise, my heart can't handle those expensive compensation bills.”

Makarov felt relieved, and at the same time, didn't forget to give a reminder.

As for his own death, he could accept it. After all, he was already old and didn't have many years left to live.

【 Zeref continued to walk slowly forward, “This world has ended, a new world is about to begin.”

Zeref stopped before the guild gate, looking at the door in front of him.

“Let the gate of Fairy Tail become the entrance to the new world!”

“Connect the time rift with the guild gate.”

As Zeref extended his hand, the gate of the Fairy Tail guild erupted in dazzling white light, then calmed down, emitting scattered starlight!

“When I pass through this gate, this world will collapse and disappear, and my new world will begin.”

“I will retain my original memories and live my life over again.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Since Natsu was unable to end his life, this is Zeref's way of ending his endless life, starting everything in the world over again.”

“The world will collapse because this world cannot accept his existence, so he also chose to abandon this world and return to before the curse, to start his life anew.”

【 On the other side, the words scattered from the Book of END also stopped rotating as Natsu's life gradually faded. Some red and black words suddenly began to explode like firecrackers.

“The words are disappearing.” Happy suddenly had this ominous premonition in his heart.

Lucy's pupils also trembled constantly as she watched all of this, then she seemed to have thought of something and picked up the Book of END, “A part of the body... a certain part has been severely damaged!!”

Without time to think further, Lucy directly picked up the quill pen and stood up. Seeing this, Gray thought she had found a way to solve the living link magic: “Have you found the part to rewrite?”

“No!” Lucy shook her head, then stopped the quill pen in her hand at the place where the words disappeared, “Not yet, but I'll rewrite the words that just disappeared first.”

“You said rewrite?!” Happy's face was covered in cold sweat, and his face showed confusion, “But it was so sudden, I don't even know what the disappeared words were.”

“Don't worry, I remember all of them.” Lucy became completely serious, her eyes filled with unspeakable determination. 】

【 。。。。。】

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

Misaka Mikoto was stunned by Lucy's actions. Could it be that this Lucy is also a genius?! She said she had already memorized such a huge amount of text!!

You know, the words just now were not fixed. She actually memorized them with just a glance among the constantly flying words. She was undoubtedly a genius with an eidetic memory!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“If Natsu's life is composed of the words in the book, then perhaps Lucy has become the key.”

Mavis said thoughtfully. If she could fill in the missing parts, perhaps Natsu could be resurrected again.

But she still felt a little uneasy. The words of the strongest demon, E.N.D., were not that easy to write! She didn't know if Lucy could succeed...

The other guild members didn't think so much. Seeing that there was still hope, they suppressed the sadness of the old man's future death and cheered for Lucy!

“Go, Lucy, you are the only one who can save Natsu now!!”

“Lucy, you are the guild's hero now!”

Levy, as someone in the guild who had a deep understanding of ancient texts, didn't dare to say that she had memorized all the words just now. Then she quietly looked at Lucy, who was hugging Natsu, and silently complained, Is this the power of love?!

Gray looked at himself in the screen and felt frustrated. Why was he just standing around doing nothing here?! He was completely useless here. He didn't understand ancient texts, so it would be more practical to go and fight Zeref with Natsu.

“Go for it, future me.”

Lucy, who was hugging Natsu, subconsciously tightened her grip. After all, whether or not she could save Natsu depended on whether she could completely fill in the missing parts of the words...

Chapter 162: Belief in Power!! Defeated Zeref

Chapter Text

【 “Thank you, world…” Just as the White Mage Zeref was about to cross the door, as if sensing something, he paused slightly and suddenly stopped!】

Behind him, Natsu, who was already dead, knelt up amidst raging flames, then slowly stood up and softly said, “The old man always told us, when we walk out that door, we must swear to come back, swear to live.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“He really revived. Could it be that Lucy has successfully filled in the missing words?”

“Well done, Lucy!!!”

The members of Fairy Tail were all cheering for Lucy! Then, they smiled in unison.

Makarov secretly wiped away tears as he looked at the revived Natsu, then stared at Natsu and shouted loudly,

“If you remember that sentence, then stop breaking the guild door every time you come back!! You bastard.”

【 The scene shifts to Lucy. The originally missing black and red words were filled in by Lucy, emitting a golden light.

“Amazing…” Gray was filled with surprise as he looked at Lucy, who had actually succeeded in completing the missing parts.

Happy even cheered directly, “Great, the words are back to normal.”

But Lucy, who had completed the words, froze there, tears flowing from her eyes, her arm trembling slightly. Accompanied by the sound of her heartbeat, red demonic flames spread from her arm to her face, eroding her body.

“Ah…” Lucy let out a painful scream, her whole body emitting high heat, her right hand turning crimson, and the quill pen falling from her hand!

“Lucy, pull yourself together.” Gray ran over to support her body, but just as he reached out to touch her, he felt a terrifying temperature, “So hot!!”

“It’s so hot… I feel something inside my body!!” Lucy held her arms, her body trembling constantly, sweat dripping from her face, and a flame-like tattoo wrapped around half of her body, causing her whole body to emit high heat.

“Demonic flames…” Gray had already understood at this point.

Lucy braced herself, covering her eyes with difficulty, and said with difficulty, “But this can be a clue, as long as we follow this magic power, we can save Natsu!”

Happy looked at Lucy with some worry, “Maybe it can rewrite the demon inside Natsu… but Lucy will…!”

Gray saw this and immediately squatted beside Lucy, constantly releasing ice magic from his right hand to cool Lucy down, which made her feel much better. Happy also shivered from the sudden cold!

“Let’s save Natsu together!” Gray looked at Lucy seriously, constantly emitting cold air from his hands!

Lucy nodded, and with her right hand, which had been eroded crimson by the demonic flames, she picked up the quill pen from the ground, raised it slightly while trembling, closed her eyes, and began to rewrite again. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I really envy their camaraderie. Enduring the pain of the flames, they still constantly try to rewrite Natsu’s fate.”

“But I didn’t expect Lucy to actually succeed. Natsu’s wounds disappeared, and he was truly resurrected.”

Everyone who watched this was filled with emotion.

They didn’t expect the people inside to be willing to sacrifice their lives for Natsu, not abandoning him because of his identity as a demon. Perhaps this is the bond of friendship…

【 “The wounds are gone?!” White Mage Zeref was also slightly surprised at this moment, then he realized, “That’s right! Where is the Book of END? Did someone rewrite it?”

“But humans cannot use demonic script, even if they can, that person will sooner or later be eroded and fall into darkness.”

Looking at Natsu stumbling to his feet, White Mage Zeref’s eyes were filled with only coldness, “Although your resurrection is a miracle, there won’t be a second time.”

“The life of the rewriter cannot hold on.” 】

【 。。。。。】

Type-Moon ~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~Chaldea~

After seeing Zeref’s explanation, Da Vinci finally understood how much pain Lucy had endured to rewrite the words!

“She will actually be eroded and fall into darkness and even lose her life… Before, I thought it was just a backlash from the demonic flames in the book.”

But is this really good? According to Natsu’s personality, even if Natsu survives, what will he think and do once he knows that Lucy died to save him… It is the survivor who suffers the most in the world.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Demonic script?! No wonder I couldn’t understand it.”

“But how did Lucy understand the words inside? And she can write…!”

After hearing Zeref’s words, everyone at the banquet was incredibly surprised. They had never heard that Lucy had this skill!

Looking at Lucy, who was enduring pain to save him, Natsu didn’t know what to say, and could only stammer out a random sentence.

“Lucy… don’t do this again… It’s too risky.”

Lucy was happy that her future self could help Natsu:

“Natsu… you have to believe in me, believe in your companions! We will definitely save you.”

【 “Remember, what are we fighting for!” Natsu gritted his teeth, clenched his fist tightly, and stepped forward with his right foot. This belief was re-ignited into raging flames on his body.

“Everything is for Fairy Tail! This belief is our last strength! And the strongest strength.”

Natsu’s flames of belief were easily blocked by White Zeref’s outstretched hand, and his other hand also wrapped around black magic power and attacked forward at will.

Natsu could only jump back to avoid it, and then a roar was again easily blocked by White Zeref at will!

Natsu’s flames would constantly increase with his emotions, and the two gradually fought back and forth, with red and black flames and blue and black light constantly intertwined.

Until the two gritted their teeth and collided head to head!

“How long are you going to hinder me?” White Zeref was a little impatient, but he was punched in the face by Natsu!

“Until we get back to the days when everyone laughed together.”

White Zeref condensed dark magic power in his right hand and punched back, saying sternly, “Am I not about to create such a world?”

Natsu was knocked back a few steps by this blow, slowly steadied himself, gritted his teeth and denied, “No, you only thought about yourself.”

“What you plan to do will negate this world.” After Natsu finished speaking, the Fairy Tail guild mark on his arm began to emit light, and raging flames erupted from his body.

“Burn, everything about me. Turn the power of the guild into flames.” Natsu roared up to the sky, and the entire screen turned crimson, filled with scorching flames.

“Ah!!!”

White Zeref saw this and slightly tilted his head, his pupils shrinking slightly, then slowly stretched out his hands, “My curse, anger, sorrow, turn all darkness into my power.”

As White Zeref walked forward, countless black magic flames gathered on him, then erupted, turning into endless power, and he said sternly, “Dark Explosion Array!!! Disappear! Natsu!”

“Fire Dragon King’s Crushing Fist!!!” Natsu roared, and his right hand wrapped in flames swung out violently, “This is the end! Zeref!”

The black flames and red flames fiercely contended with each other as the two collided with their fists, and then from the moment they touched, a dazzling white light rushed out of the guild! Forming a towering beam of light that even the guild members far away could see.

The unconscious First Master Mavis was also awakened by this fierce collision and looked over.

“Ah!!” With Natsu’s roar, the flames of the two were deadlocked, neither side gaining an advantage.

Suddenly, White Zeref’s pupils shrank. He felt the temperature coming from his hand and said in disbelief, “So hot!!”

“It’s being burned… my magic… my time is being burned.”

Natsu’s right hand also began to gradually turn black, as if it had been swallowed by his own flames!

Zeref saw this change, looked at Natsu’s desperate eyes, and stood there stunned: “Burning his own soul… this is Natsu’s flame! The guild’s flame…”

Then White Zeref was completely swallowed by Natsu’s flames, “Holy flames?!… No, it’s flames filled with violent emotions.”

He was sent flying out, rolled a few times, and then fell heavily on the ground, recovering from the White Zeref state to his previous state.

“My body can’t move… Is this…?!” Speaking of this, he couldn’t help but mock himself: “I can’t die, I will definitely recover soon.”

Natsu’s right hand could no longer see any intact skin; his entire right arm was pitch black as if it had suffered severe burns.

He spoke softly to Mavis, who was slowly standing up behind him, “You can take it from here! First, I’m tired, I really want to see Happy and the others!”

“Goodbye, big brother!” Natsu stretched out his left hand to say goodbye and then walked out of the guild. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even if Zeref gave up this feeling in the end, Natsu still recognized him as his brother.”

“Actually, in the end, this was just a brother who went down the wrong path, and in the end was woken up by his younger brother!”

“But did he really win like this? Isn’t Zeref immortal? Perhaps he will really recover soon as he said.”

“But this is also the best ending. Zeref was defeated but not killed, so Natsu won’t die either! It’s a win-win situation.”

The people watching the video were deeply moved by Natsu’s final address to Zeref.

Zeref wanted to cut off their feelings, but Natsu did not deny their relationship in the end.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“Can I do that too?!”

Jogo was completely stunned after watching this. He didn’t expect flames to be able to reach such a level! Not only magic but even time was completely burned away.

What surprised him the most was that he could burn his own soul to increase the power of his flames.

~Akame ga Kill! World~

Esdeath sat on a high chair, crossing her legs, and supporting her face with one hand,

“My Mahapadma can freeze time and space for a short period of time, I’m afraid even this won’t be able to do anything to Natsu...”

She was no stranger to flame abilities, but she had never seen anyone who could achieve the extreme, just like she had taken ice to the extreme, able to freeze time and space.

It was a pity that such an existence was not in her world, otherwise she couldn’t help but want to challenge him.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Is Natsu’s hand okay?!”

Illya was a little worried that Natsu’s hand might be completely crippled? After all, according to Zeref, he burned his own soul.

“I don’t know, but this is the best ending.”

Miyu shook her head, looking at Natsu’s final farewell. She also missed her brother a little, I couldn’t say goodbye to him properly in the end.

Magical Ruby suddenly spoke:

“Zeref craves death… but this time he still couldn’t be killed, and the method he chose was also stopped by Natsu!”

“Because of the curse, will he have to continue to live alone in a desolate place forever in the future?”

Miyu was also a little sad:

“If that’s the case, it’s too pitiful.”

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

Magic King August was a little disbelieving:

“Your Majesty actually lost…”

In his eyes, he had never thought that Zeref would lose. Fortunately, his father and mother were still alive in the end!

At this moment, the demons of Tartaros were even more excited, looking at the Book of END in Mard Geer’s hand, feeling full of hope.

“Finally… As expected of the strongest demon END…! With him here, our long-cherished wish will also be fulfilled.”

Although they didn’t kill Zeref in the end, they also saw the opportunity to achieve their long-cherished wish. There was no doubt that Natsu was the key for them.

They must hurry and welcome back the true Guild Master of Tartaros, END Natsu!

On the other side, the guild members who saw Zeref fall to the ground in the end were first silent and then erupted with unprecedented cheers.

“Yoho!! Great job, Natsu…”

“I didn’t expect Natsu to actually defeat that Black Mage; this is simply a miracle.”

The other members of the guild hugged each other in pairs, celebrating this hard-won victory.

Looking at the cheering crowd, First Master Mavis felt a little sad in her heart. She looked at Zeref, who had fallen on the screen and tried to hold back the tears in her eyes.

Zeref…

Mavis murmured,

“In terms of strength alone, there is indeed an insurmountable gap; however, if there is a power that can overcome this gap, then that is… that is the power of .....”

“This is also the reason why you lost to Natsu… Zeref..”

Speaking of this, tears unconsciously flowed from Mavis’s eyes.

Chapter 163: Natsu Disappears...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Mavis, whose magic power was completely drained, stumbled towards Zeref, who had returned to his original form.

“My body can't move at all. Did I lose? You were amazing, Natsu... but you were too naive.”

Saying this, Zeref's slightly closed eyes continued to speak gently:

“No matter how many times I revive, my intelligence will heal in a few minutes.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is the sorrow of eternal life, forever wandering alone in the world, unable to have family, even less happiness...”

“Wandering alone in the world for over 400 years, because of the curse, he could only hide alone in the desolate mountains! The centuries of solitude are also the reason for his heading towards the extreme.”

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Seeing this, Illya felt an inexplicable sadness and sorrow in her heart. Zeref was inherently gentle and kind, undoubtedly an unparalleled genius mage, but sometimes even geniuses couldn't do everything.

“Alas... what a tragic life.”

Miyu also understood everything that had happened. When he called Natsu E.N.D., his spirit might have already collapsed. Because of the “Curse of Contradiction,” when Zeref realized the preciousness of life, the curse would take the lives of others.

So the only thing Zeref could do was treat everything with indifference, not getting emotional about anything, otherwise he would harm them.

This is also why Zeref didn't dare to care for his brother. If he cared for Natsu, the curse would take Natsu's life...

Zeref's greatest hope was for Natsu to defeat him and give him release.

Because if he wasn't eliminated, he might collapse and destroy the world, but if Natsu couldn't defeat him, then Natsu could only withdraw and the world would start anew.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Natsu, Mavis... why did you do this? And still couldn't eliminate me.”

Tears flowed from Zeref's eyes,

“But you finally called me brother, I'm so happy, I really want to see you again...”

Before he finished speaking, because of the curse, death hunting began to spread from his body, and everything around him was once again stripped of life.

【 “Zeref...” Mavis's eyes revealed complex emotions, “You hurt my companions and caused them pain. I absolutely cannot forgive you for this. I want to eliminate you from this world immediately.”

Zeref was slightly startled, looked at Mavis, first smiled slightly, then his eyes dimmed again, and he said softly: “It wouldn't be bad to die by your hand, but I...”

Mavis knelt beside him, her eyes lowered, and she said softly: “You can have a good sleep now.”

“ If only I could do that.” Zeref's voice trembled, and tears flowed from his eyes.

He couldn't even do that.

“At that time, you fell in love with me... The evidence is that the Curse of Contradiction took my life.” At this moment, the scene showed Zeref and Mavis embracing and kissing.

“But, I, who should have been burdened with the same curse, couldn't take your life.”

“It must be that somewhere deep inside, I still didn't trust you. My love wasn't enough.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Mavis's words could be said to have stunned everyone watching the video.

The same curse?! Zeref once loved Mavis?!

“Is this really something I can watch without paying? And there's more. Why doesn't it keep playing? I love to see the process.”

“Zeref, you're really something. Mavis looks like a loli from her appearance, and she definitely wasn't an adult when she died.”

~Detective Conan World~

“How could this happen? Two people who loved each other had their lives taken by love because of it. Isn't this too cruel for Zeref?”

Ran covered her mouth with her hand, tears welling up in her eyes.

She put herself in their shoes, causing the death of the person she loved because of herself. Thinking about it was painful and torturous...

What a hateful god, if it weren't for your so-called curse, the two of them wouldn't be unable to love each other.

Conan was deep in thought. Two people with the same curse meant that Mavis was also immortal...

But she could be taken by the curse, so what about the other way around? Could Zeref's life be taken by the curse on Mavis? If so, perhaps this was the only way to give Zeref release!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Yes... Zeref, maybe it was because my love wasn't enough that I couldn't kill you!”

Then Mavis blushed, her whole body like a steam engine, seemingly crashing.

Why did the video show that scene!!

However, the only fortunate thing was that people outside the guild couldn't see Mavis as a ghost, while the people in the guild were very gossipy. They didn't expect the First Master and Zeref to have such a relationship.

“Love~ got a thing going~”

Happy covered his mouth and rolled his tongue, his eyes full of mischief.

Lucy saw this and grabbed Happy:

“You heartless cat! If you keep talking, the First Master is going to cry.”

Looking at Happy, the First Master was already teary-eyed because everyone was teasing her, and even Makarov was getting anxious. He shouted:

“You brats, who made the First Master cry? Hurry up and comfort her!!”

Sting and Rogue of Sabertooth exchanged glances, seeing the clear foolishness in each other's eyes,

“What... are they doing?”

From their perspective, the members of Fairy Tail looked like they had gone mad, constantly whispering gently to a patch of air as if coaxing a little girl...

【 “No, you don't need to feel guilty about this... No one has ever loved me.” Zeref said softly, his face lowered. “I also found that your feelings for me weren't love, but pity.”

Hearing this, Mavis clenched her fists and retorted sharply: “It's not pity, it's a contradiction!”

“Because I met you, I learned how to use magic. Because I met you, I was able to save Magnolia. Because of you, Fairy Tail was born.”

“You have always been my aspiration, but... You used me and hurt my companions. You tried to destroy Fairy Tail.”

“I hate you so much, yet I love you so much. Only I can understand. That's why thinking creates contradictions.”

Speaking of this, Mavis clasped her hands tightly to her chest, her voice choked with tears: “As long as I truly love you, I can kill you. My plan was supposed to be like this.”

Tears kept streaming down Mavis's face, and she began to cry loudly: “But actually... actually I don't want you to die. I want to be with you forever.”

“The answer is being loved...” As Mavis spoke, Zeref also began to let go, a smile reappearing on his face, “Thank you, Mavis, I'm sorry...”

Because of the curse, Mavis could only cry loudly, constantly hitting Zeref, “Die... I don't love you, I don't love you at all. I hate you, you are the enemy of the guild, so... don't die...”

Saying this, Mavis fell into Zeref's arms, then kissed Zeref with tears in her eyes. Golden petals began to fall from the sky.

Zeref's voice began to choke, tears welling up in his eyes: “I am happy... Thanks to you, I seem to be able to sleep forever.”

A golden light burst from the two of them, and countless colorful petals began to fall from the sky. Zeref made his final farewell with tears in his eyes: “I wish I could have talked to you more... and made up with Natsu...!”

In the golden light, Mavis held Zeref's hand, “Take me with you... Zeref!”

“Oh no... this way the curse will take you too...” Zeref's voice seemed to carry happiness, but tears flowed from his eyes.

“Is that so... Is this death? A power that even the immortal cannot defeat, that is love... It is the only magic.”

Then the two of them, in the golden light, because they loved each other, the curse on both of them simultaneously took each other's lives. The two of them embraced and left this world with the colorful petals! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This touching scene made everyone outside the video cry. Even though they loved each other, they could only let the curse take each other's lives!

“Why... Waaah... Why can't two people who love each other so much be together... Waaah!”

“Waaah... I feel like I'm starting to believe in love again! I didn't expect the story to end with the two of them embracing.”

“Zeref also let go at the end, he also wanted to make up with Natsu, but there was no chance... He finally achieved his long-cherished wish and ended his life. The only regret was that he took Mavis's life with him.”

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This is so touching! Isn't this better than any romance movie?”

Mikoto Misaka secretly wiped away her tears. There was no love more beautiful than this!

“Zeref is dead, Natsu will also die because of this...”

The abyss of magic, the beginning of everything! That is the only magic, love... Love can bring about miracles, and sometimes bring sorrow. Two people burdened with the Curse of Contradiction falling in love led to the final contradiction.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“Mavis...”

Zeref in the forest felt a sense of relief when he saw this. He didn't expect to be released in the end.

He suddenly remembered what Gyro Zeppeli said in the previous videos, “I really went in a big circle... I didn't expect the way to solve an immortal person to be love.”

How ironic, because of the curse of God Ankhseram, the two of them got together, and because of the curse of God Ankhseram, I ended my life with Mavis.

“First Master...”

Makarov sighed as he looked at the silent Mavis. He couldn't interfere with the grievances of the previous generation, nor would he.

This was all the choice of the First Master Mavis herself. She deeply loved Zeref, and even at the end, she chose to leave this world with Zeref.

At this moment, the members of Fairy Tail fell silent. They didn't expect the ending of the story to be like this. Then Lucy seemed to think of something,

“What about Natsu?! What happened to the future Natsu?!”

Hearing this, everyone was startled. Yes! If Zeref died, Natsu would also die with him. Seeing that the video seemed not to be over yet, they immediately looked back up.

【 This time, the scene shifted to the other side, where Lucy's Book of E.N.D. began to emit light, and the red and black letters flying in the sky all returned to the book.

“We did everything we could.” Lucy breathed slightly, her eyes looking at the Book of E.N.D. on the ground, “I wrote all our memories into the book.”

“Natsu... The Natsu we know is not a demon at all.” Saying this, she pressed her hand on the book and clenched it slightly.

Then Lucy was severely eroded because she rewrote the Book of E.N.D., her entire right hand turned crimson, and her whole body began to sway and fall to the side.

Gray saw this and supported Lucy, “Although I already had a bad feeling.”

As Gray closed his eyes slightly, the Ice Devil Slayer Magic activated, his hairstyle changed, and black markings appeared on his face.

“It's at times like this that I need to use Ice Devil Slayer Magic to help you remove it.” Purple light emitted from his hand, and the red markings on Lucy's body gradually disappeared under the power of this magic. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

Silver, the Devil Slayer of Absolute Zero from Tartaros, saw this scene, and his mind seemed to have crashed for a moment, his eyes seemed to regain some clarity:

“So that's it... That brat has grown to this extent.”

Gray, on the other side, was very confused at this moment. Ice Devil Slayer Magic?! When did I learn this magic?

Mira suddenly realized why Natsu and Gray always fought?! According to the content of the video, it all made perfect sense now.

【 Lucy also regained consciousness at this time, looking at the Book of E.N.D. on the ground that began to emit green light and gradually disappear, “This means... Zeref has been defeated.”

Happy lowered his head: “When this book disappears, Natsu will also...”

Lucy reached out and hugged Happy, crying slightly, the person and the cat comforting each other...

“Da da da...”

At this moment, the sound of slippers echoed in their ears. Lucy and Gray were slightly startled, then looked up. In the white light, a familiar figure was slowly walking towards them.

“Yo!” Natsu stopped, smiled, and greeted everyone. “It's over!”

“You're so dirty, Happy, your snot is all over me,” Natsu said with a look of disgust as he touched Happy's head.

Happy cried with joy, his voice choked with tears. “It's not dirty. How can tears of emotion be dirty?”

Gray and Lucy looked at this scene, and they all smiled happily, as if everything had returned to the way it was before. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“That's great, Natsu didn't die with Zeref, Lucy really succeeded in rewriting the ending of the story!”

“It's so touching... Their friendship and bond truly surpassed ordinary people's imagination.”

Everyone watching this heartwarming scene also couldn't help but smile happily. Compared to Jeno and Johnny, this seemed to be a happy ending.

【 “Perhaps, the First Master also left.” Natsu stroked Happy's head, suddenly speaking.

Natsu turned his head to look at the place where the First Master disappeared, and continued: “But we don't need to feel sad. Although I can't say for sure, this is probably what the First Master wanted...”

“So,” Natsu smiled brightly, “let's go back to the guild with our heads held high and smiling.”

Gray and Lucy walked in front and turned back to Natsu and said: “The guild is right ahead.”

Lucy looked up at the sky, and sighed: “It's finally over... I want to rest well at home for a while.”

“I have to finish the books I haven't finished reading, and the manuscripts I haven't finished writing.”

“As for me...” Gray glanced at Lucy, the image of Juvia flashing in his mind, and scratched his head awkwardly: “I have to apologize to Juvia.”

“Let's go on an adventure after everything is settled.” Lucy smiled slightly at the embarrassed Gray and then envisioned the future.

“This time it's an adventure to find Aquarius...”

Happy was happy after hearing this: “I like fish the most.”

Gray couldn't help but retort: “That's a half-fish person!!”

“It's a mermaid...” Lucy muttered, then looked at Happy, “Did you say you had something you wanted to do after this battle ended?!”

Happy, floating in mid-air, raised his hand slightly and covered his mouth, then turned his head and looked somewhat maliciously: “Yes! Should I announce it? Natsu!”

“Natsu?!...”

Getting no response, Gray and Lucy also turned back to look and saw a straight street. Everything around was incredibly quiet, and no sound could be heard. It was as if Natsu had never appeared.

Gray and Lucy's eyes lost their light, as if they realized something and stood rooted to the spot.

Happy floated in the air with a choked voice: “Strange... Natsu, where are you?!”

“Hey!” Gray looked around, his voice trembling, “Don't make this kind of joke!”

“Why...” Lucy's entire body trembled, she clenched her hands tightly, and tears kept flowing from her eyes!

“I clearly rewrote it... Why!!” Lucy completely broke down and knelt on the ground, crying out towards the sky.

“Natsu!!”

But there was still no response. On this empty street, it was frighteningly quiet... It was as if Natsu had also disappeared with Zeref... 】

Notes:

Translator-kun: Fairy Tail really makes me cry again.... some people hate this because "power of friendship, no one really died, yada, yada" even so, Fairy Tail was one of my Favorite anime. Anyway, Vol 1 is almost finished hope you guys still read for the Vol. 2; that list looks pretty good, looking forward to it.

Chapter 164: Dragon Cry

Chapter Text

How... how could this happen? Didn't Lucy say she rewrote the Book of E.N.D.?

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How... how could this happen? Didn't Lucy say she rewrote the Book of E.N.D.? Why did Natsu still disappear with Zeref in the end?”

“Ugh... it smells like a knife... It was already enough that Zeref and Mavis died in each other's arms just now, but I didn't expect to be stabbed again in the end.”

Everyone from other worlds was stunned by this sudden scene... They thought it was a happy ending, but they didn't expect something like this to happen at the very end.

~Overlord World~

Ainz Ooal Gown's eyes glowed red as he began his usual intellectual battle with the air,

“To be able to make Natsu disappear without a sound, it's simply too terrifying.”

Yes, in Ainz's opinion, Natsu didn't die, but suddenly disappeared!

Natsu didn't die immediately after Zeref's death, which proved that Lucy really did successfully rewrite the Book of E.N.D., and perhaps there are unknown existences near them.

And the magic in that world is too powerful! White Zeref can use magic to reset the entire world... and that Natsu is even more outrageous, being able to burn away even time magic.

Now that I've suddenly come to this unknown world, it seems I need to be more cautious, maybe there are such existences outside, with my current appearance, I might be eliminated by them if I'm not careful.

~KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World~

“It's okay! With this goddess here, I can revive Natsu in minutes.”

In the adventurer's guild, Aqua looked at the heartbroken Lucy at the end and couldn't bear it, so she patted her chest and spoke with confidence.

Kazuma stared at Aqua with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot,

“Then, may I ask, Lady Aqua, how will you revive him?!”

“That goes without saying, of course it's...”

Aqua seemed to get stuck here, then fell silent and went to the side to sulk.

“Ugh... Mr. Natsu!”

Megumin still couldn't bear to see Natsu disappear at the end, she still wanted to see Mr. Natsu's magic! The flames that seemed even cooler than explosion magic really attracted her.

“Lucy endured so much pain to rewrite the Book of E.N.D., but in the end, Natsu still left her...”

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

Grand Magic Games, King's Invitation Party, watching Lucy break down and cry at the end of the screen, the originally noisy and lively party was now completely silent.

Laxus was somewhat incredulous:

“Why... wasn't that Book of E.N.D. rewritten by Lucy? And they just touched Natsu, which proves it wasn't an illusion.”

“But why did he still disappear in the end?”

“How could this be?!!”

Wendy's eyes widened, she also couldn't understand, wasn't Natsu-nii just standing in front of Lucy and the others moments ago?!

Just a short while ago, they were still dreaming of the future, but looking back, they couldn't find that familiar figure, nor could they hear that familiar voice again.

Natsu didn't find it strange that he had disappeared, instead, he looked at Lucy, who was looking down with a low expression, and saw her body trembling slightly.

Looking at the strange Lucy, Natsu asked confusedly,

“Are you okay? You look really strange, Lucy...”

“I... I couldn't...”

Lucy seemed to be muttering something in a low voice.

“What are you saying?!”

Natsu didn't hear clearly.

“I'm really useless, in the end, I still couldn't save you, after all, I was always protected by you before!”

Lucy's voice trembled slightly, her head lowered, and tears fell to the ground...

Natsu directly reached out and placed his hand on her head, revealing a cheerful smile.

“It's okay! Lucy, didn't you already do everything you could?! You rewrote that book, right? Then I can't possibly die there.”

Lucy heard the trust in his words, raised her head, and looked at Natsu's smiling face, feeling a strange sense of reassurance in her heart, and could only say softly,

“Yeah!! It'll be okay.”

“Natsu, you have a good group of friends!...”

On the other side, in a certain forest, Zeref looked at the last scene and knew that Natsu hadn't died.

“That Lucy actually rewrote my book... truly an amazing genius.”

Zeref, who had studied magic for many years and even created demons, knew the Book of E.N.D. better than anyone and understood what consequences humans would have to bear for rewriting a demon's book.

~Projection of All Worlds~

The audience watching the video also noticed at this time that the screen, which had been dimmed, lit up again, and people from other worlds thought that a brand new video had been uploaded to the ranking, and immediately looked over!

【 Under a starry sky, a castle suddenly erupted in a white light, and a tall giant dragon rose from it.

It had huge crystals on its back, long crystals on its elbows, incredibly sharp claws, and huge crystal horns on its head. At this moment, as if enraged by something, it roared to the sky.

“I will never forgive you!!”

After roaring, the crystal dragon quickly climbed towards a nearby tall tower!

On the ground, Natsu, wrapped in bandages and wearing orange clothes, said to Lucy behind him with a low expression: “Happy is in your hands.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Natsu?! So it's still that world from before, then is the current scene before or after Zeref?!”

“If it's after, that would be great, that means Natsu didn't die at that time.”

“And this is a giant dragon?! Is that Natsu's opponent this time?!”

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

The Fairy Tail members were all slightly stunned when they saw the giant dragon, then showed solemn expressions, thinking back to the dragon attack they had just experienced! That terrifying power seemed to be still in front of them.

Laxus slightly clenched his fist,

“A dragon?! Although I don't want to admit it, none of the six Dragon Slayers before managed to defeat a dragon.”

“It seems this is also the future.”

Wendy also understood that this was something they had not yet experienced.

In a certain cave, the black dragon Acnologia was just a little confused,

“This dragon seems a bit familiar, but it doesn't matter; all dragons will be eliminated by me.”

Then he flew into the sky, beginning to search for the dragon's hiding place...

【 Then the scene shows a bearded man holding a staff and running up inside the tower when suddenly a giant crystal claw extends from the wall.

A huge dragon face poked out of the hole made by the giant claw, its voice full of anger, “Hand over the staff! Zash!!”

The man named Zash was not flustered, then he jumped, and the red light emitted from his eyes enveloped the giant dragon.

“Ah...”

The giant dragon seemed to be gradually being invaded by will, letting out painful roars, and the entire giant dragon's body also fell from the tower.

Natsu, who was desperately climbing below the tower, had already climbed halfway up and was slightly stunned when he saw the falling giant dragon.

The giant dragon fell near him and flapped its wings to stabilize itself, then adjusted its posture, its eyes glowing red! It condensed magic in its mouth, and then a rainbow-colored light beam shot out from its mouth, spraying toward Natsu, raising a huge cloud of smoke. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Naruto World~

“Does he also have a pupil technique similar to the Sharingan?”

Sasuke fell into deep thought as he watched Zash's eyes flash red and control the giant dragon.

This seemed similar to controlling a Tailed Beast with the Sharingan, but was this giant dragon really so easily controlled?

~KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!~

“It appeared! The giant dragon is necessary for adventures in a magical world!”

Kazuma looked at the giant dragon inside with longing, he had also thought of being a dragon knight when he transmigrated to another world.

Unfortunately, his teammates were all idiots and perverts. He looked at his team and sighed helplessly.

【 As the smoke cleared, Natsu grabbed the broken wall with one hand, then flipped into the tower, then a series of explosions occurred, Natsu was also blown out, and then was caught by Happy!

“I'll send you up!”

Zash, at the top of the tower, used the power of the staff to unfold one magic circle after another in the sky, amidst a golden torrent of magic power. Zash was laughing maniacally: “Wahahahaha... I feel it, the power of the magic circles has spread throughout the island. Disappear! Fiore...”

Before he could finish speaking, the staff emitted purple light, and its power began to go berserk, then directly swallowed him whole, and the crystal giant dragon also regained consciousness as a result, quickly climbing towards the top of the tower.

With Happy's help, Natsu had already reached the top of the tower, and before he could make a move, the giant dragon rushed out from the side, biting Natsu's arm and flying downwards.

“That staff is mine, hand it over!”

“I won't give it to you.”

Natsu shot flames from his hand, using the high temperature to make the giant dragon loosen its mouth, Happy was shaken off, and he himself fell onto the top of the tower!

The crystal giant dragon still wouldn't give up, and directly bit off the top of the tower along with the staff, Natsu directly ran down from the top of the tower at a 90-degree angle.

“It is precisely because of the existence of you, Dragon Slayers, that the dragon race has weakened.”

“This time I'll let you see the dragon's wrath.”

The crystal giant dragon flew in front of Natsu, the giant horns on its head emitting red light, and opened its bloody mouth!

Natsu also roared, his whole body erupting in flames and colliding with the crystal giant dragon, followed by a series of fiery explosions!

“Boom——!!”

The entire tall tower was directly cut in half, falling towards the buildings below, and Lucy, not far away, was also enveloped in the huge cloud of smoke!

“Cough, cough...”

Lucy reached out and fanned away the smoke in front of her eyes, then was suddenly startled, as if she had seen something incredible.

Happy on the ground also woke up, looked up, his pupils shrank, shook his head, and shed tears:

“Na... Natsu!!”

On the giant crystal horns of the giant dragon, Natsu's body was directly frozen through, and blood also flowed down from it. Natsu spat out a mouthful of blood, his body convulsing above.

The crystal giant dragon raised its head and thrust forcefully, and Natsu fell off its feet, falling heavily from the air onto the ground.

Then the giant dragon extended its tongue and swallowed the staff on the ground, still saying: “Dragon Cry!! Now give me all your complete power.”

As the giant dragon roared, its entire body began to emit white light, and the magic circles in the sky also began to turn completely red, starting to attack the ground below.

The crystal giant dragon's body also changed from its original blue to completely red, “The war between dragons and Dragon Slayers ends here, the era of dragons will begin now.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Why is Natsu being stabbed again!! There's no Book of E.N.D. to replenish the text now.”

“Are Natsu and Lucy a couple? Why does it feel like she's in every scene?”

Everyone from other worlds was also very curious about Lucy. The last time Natsu was pierced by Zeref was because she modified the Book of E.N.D., which changed the outcome.

~One-Punch Man World~

“It's not a fatal injury, he should be fine,”

Saitama said casually as he lay on the tatami mat, he now treated the ranking videos as television.

With his eyesight, he clearly saw that this blow did not hit a vital point, but the giant dragon seemed a bit stronger than before!

【 “Help him, Your Majesty.” Sonia looked at the giant dragon-like this and only felt sadness, tears flowing from her eyes. She blocked the giant dragon with her hands: “Your Majesty was clearly a gentle king before, but now Your Majesty's soul has dimmed and fallen into darkness.”

On the other side, as Lucy kept calling out, tears dripped onto Natsu's face, and he recalled the past events in the guild in his mind, finally settling on Lucy's happy smile.

Natsu opened his eyes and saw Lucy and Happy's crying faces, and slowly sat up.

“You're still alive! You, the guy who exists to eliminate dragons.”

The crystal giant dragon reached out and casually slapped away Sonia, who was blocking him.

“I don't exist to eliminate dragons.”

Natsu walked step by step to the giant dragon, his right hand clenched forcefully, as if in response to his emotions, the flames became incredibly hot, “But to protect my friends.”

“It's precisely because of this that I'm fighting here.”

The burning flames also completely erupted with Natsu's shout, burning fiercely on his body.

He quickly punched the giant dragon's face twice and sent it flying back.

“You bastard!!”

The crystal giant dragon roared angrily and flew into the air, the giant horns on its head flashing red light.

As he swung his arms, countless colored light beams shot out from the crystals on his back, hitting the rushing Natsu like raindrops, causing bursts of explosions on the ground.

The crystal giant dragon took this opportunity to gather power in its mouth, and a colorful roar spat out a surging torrent of magic power, hitting the ground heavily!

“Rumble——”

The entire castle was completely reduced to ashes, the camera zoomed out, and a fiery explosion was seen at the top of the mountain, raising a huge cloud of smoke, and the entire ground began to shake!

“Hateful humans.”

After this attack, everything around became a blazing sea of fire, and the crystal giant dragon was also panting slightly.

“Hmm?!”

The crystal giant dragon looked forward with a little surprise and saw a figure appearing in that sea of fire.

At this moment, the unique BGM of Fairy Tail sounded.

In the blazing fire, Natsu's back appeared with dragon wings, his left arm in front became a dragon claw, and the dense dragon scales were chilling.

As the huge dragon wings unfolded, Natsu seemed a little small, Natsu's left foot had also turned into a dragon leg, and Natsu also raised his head in this blazing fire.

His eyes were full of anger, and the surrounding flames became incredibly surging with his emotions. On his left face, a face similar to a dragon's appeared faintly.

“You are... a dragon!!”

The crystal giant dragon seemed even more incredulous!

The half-dragon Natsu did not answer his question and roared to the sky,

“Ah——”

With him as the center, the surrounding ground was lifted by his roar, and in the next instant, Natsu's fist wrapped in flames hit its jaw, sending the giant dragon flying into the sky.

Natsu revealed teeth as sharp as a giant dragon's, turning into flames and attacking the giant dragon's body at an invisible speed!

The giant dragon, which was completely unable to fight back, now realized his identity,

“I know...”

“I finally know what your true identity is!!”

The crystal giant dragon flying in the air stared at the figure in front: “You are not human, you are the existence that destroys everything... Demon E... N.D!!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 165: Dragon Cry End!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

I didn't expect this giant dragon to have such good taste. It can even identify Natsu's identity like this,


~Projection of All Worlds~

“I didn't expect this giant dragon to have such good taste. It can even identify Natsu's identity like this, but what's going on with Natsu now?”

Looking at Natsu, whose left half of his body was completely dragonized in the raging flames… the people watching the video were surprised and also somewhat confused.

He's dragonized now?! The Dragon Force that appeared when he fought Zeref only showed dragon scales on his face. Is this a further advancement of Dragon Force?! Or is he returning to his original form as the demon END?

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

Doctor Roman felt like his hair was about to fall out. How could a person transform into a dragon?!

Doctor Roman was stunned when he thought of this,

“Uh… Natsu doesn't seem to be human in the first place. Why does everything suddenly feel reasonable?”

Da Vinci frowned and speculated,

“This should be after the Zeref incident… Natsu didn't have this ability when he fought Zeref.”

But she also felt very contradictory. This giant dragon's combat power was indeed very strong, but if the time was after the Zeref incident, Natsu wouldn't be in such a tough fight…

Could it be that Natsu became weaker?! This explanation suddenly popped into her mind! But when he was half-dragonized, he felt much stronger than before, which was where she felt very contradictory.

“The most crucial question now is, is this dragonization reversible?”

~Nanatsu no Taizai World~

Escanor looked at the half-dragonized Natsu and kept saying,

“After half-dragonization, whether it's speed, strength, or the power of flames, they have all been greatly increased.”

It has some similarities with my Sunshine. What amazes me the most is this music; it just makes my blood boil, and I feel like nothing is unbeatable.

~Inuyasha World~

“Natsu is definitely a half-demon!!”

Inuyasha said with the air of an experienced person.

In his opinion, since there are dragons in that world, it means that Natsu is very likely the child of a dragon and a human. As for what Zeref said before, it was too complicated for him, and he didn't listen very carefully…

Kagome tapped his head,

“You idiot! Natsu was Zeref's brother before, how could he be a half-demon!”

But it really looks somewhat similar to when a demon transforms into its original form.

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

For some reason? The people of Fairy Tail felt inexplicably excited when they heard the passionate music as if the blood in their whole bodies was boiling.

“So cool… This is dragonization!! Don't you think Natsu looks so cool like this!”

“Hearing this music, I feel like I can beat ten Natsu's!! Go, Natsu, quickly finish it off!”

“Natsu is very strong; a mere giant dragon is no problem for Natsu, he can definitely win.”

Seeing Natsu safe and sound, everyone returned to their usual liveliness and noise.

No one cared about Natsu's identity, whether he was the demon END! Or Zeref's brother… In Fairy Tail, they were family.

“It's great that Natsu is okay!”

Lucy smiled and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Aye!!”

Happy raised his arms and flew happily in mid-air.

Gray didn't know when he took off his clothes, only wearing a pair of pants, clenching his fists, and said angrily,

“Damn it… How is it you, this droopy-eyed guy, who's stealing the show again? Where did I go?”

“Isn't that obvious!”

Natsu headbutted Gray's head, revealing a smug smile,

“After all, I'm stronger than you, and I look so cool like that.”

Makarov looked at the laughing and talking crowd, and a smile also appeared on his face.

This was their guild - 【Fairy Tail

What Natsu didn't know was that Igneel inside his body was dumbfounded by his big dragon face:

“There is a drawback for people who learn Dragon Slayer Magic. After a long time, they will become dragons, just like Acnologia.”

“But… I, who entered Natsu's body using the Soul Dragon technique, didn't I already suppress the dragonization and produce antibodies?”

“Even if I leave now, according to reason, Natsu won't dragonize anymore.”

This was also the place where he felt very confused.

On the other side, the Black Dragon Acnologia's expression didn't change:

“All dragons should be annihilated…”

【 The half-dragonized Natsu interrupted the Crystal Dragon's words. At this moment, he was flying in mid-air, gritting his teeth and saying,

“I… it doesn't matter what I am.”

Natsu's right hand burned with colorful flames, his eyes containing the fearlessness of abandoning everything, and he said sternly,

“Everything I have is for my companions.”

The Crystal Giant Dragon looked at the fiercely approaching Natsu and didn't dare to be careless. The red magic circle in the sky attacking the ground turned its direction and attacked itself.

After the Crystal Giant Dragon absorbed this magic power, its entire dragon body emitted white light, flapped its wings, and rushed towards Natsu!

“For my companions, I can abandon my flesh and blood, my body, and give everything…”

As Natsu roared like a beast, his will containing all lost emotions, his right hand's colorful flames, and the Crystal Giant Dragon emitting white light, heavily collided…

“Ah——!!”

Natsu's roar echoed throughout the sky, attacking downwards like a meteor. The colorful flames and the giant horns collided.

In the next moment, the double horns on the head of the giant dragon emitting white light began to shatter directly!

“Rumble——”

In that white light, the giant dragon let out a scream, and then there was an explosion in the air, the air was vibrating, and then the Crystal Giant Dragon fell heavily to the ground from the sky.

With a series of fire explosions, it swept across the entire island and the screen, raising thick smoke!

As the smoke dissipated, what appeared before their eyes was the huge body of the Crystal Giant Dragon lying on the ground, with its tongue hanging out, completely losing consciousness.

The scepter Dragon Cry, which he had swallowed before, also fell to the ground. Sonya slowly walked forward, picked up the scepter, and glanced at the fallen giant dragon, her eyes showing complex emotions.

Then she forcefully smashed the scepter onto the broken crystal, and the entire scepter also shattered with a bang, and the magic circle in the sky disappeared with the shattering of the scepter.

The sun in the sky also rose again, and the dawn sunlight shone on Lucy.

Then she saw Natsu propping up a stone in the ruins and standing up again, smiling happily, “Tsu!!”

Natsu's eyes were wide open at this moment, somewhat frightened and unsettled, looking at his hands, breathing heavily, and then looking at Lucy who was running over!

Natsu looked at Lucy seriously: “Lucy, I… what do I look like?”

Lucy's eyes were tearful, and she tilted her head slightly, revealing a smile:

“Natsu is Natsu, do you even need to ask?”

After hearing this sentence, Natsu could no longer support his body and fell into Lucy's arms. As the camera zoomed out, in the dawn sunlight, Lucy held Natsu in her arms and gently stroked his head.

Then the video darkened. Thus, Dragon Cry ended…】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I'm betting on being single for the next 20 years, but the relationship between Lucy and Natsu is definitely not ordinary. They will definitely get married and have children in the future!”

“Looking at how concerned she is about Natsu, it has already surpassed the limits of ordinary friendship. Could it be more than friends, but not yet lovers?”

Looking at Lucy and Natsu embracing at the end, everyone showed expressions of being touched. However, they had to admit that the strength of the dragon seemed to be just so-so.

~Overlord World~

“This is really strange magic.”

Beneath the wide black robe, Ainz Ooal Gown, a skeleton, revealed his scarlet eyes.

“His flames can actually increase in power based on personal will and emotion.”

Ainz Ooal Gown stroked his chin, feeling somewhat surprised. In his opinion, increasing the power of magic was nothing more than increasing the output of magic power, or using some special items to conquer himself.

It seemed that he would have to try it later to see if the power of magic would increase with personal emotions...

Demiurge didn't think so. He politely placed one hand over his chest and bowed to the Bone King.

“No matter how special his magic is, or how strong its power is, it will never be a match for Lord Ainz!”

Ainz Ooal Gown shook his head and said in a deep voice,

“Continue to strengthen the surrounding defenses!”

He was a little afraid that there were beings similar to Zeref or dragons in this world...

~One Piece World~

“How can I achieve the same colorful flames as Natsu?”

No matter how Ace manipulated his flames, apart from increasing the temperature a bit, the color of the flames didn't change.

Seeing that the attempt was fruitless, Ace pressed his hat with one hand.

“I have to say that state was really cool!”

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“He became confused about his state at the end, and even a little scared!”

Miyu looked at Natsu, who was still a little scared after returning to his original state and sighed slightly. He was probably afraid that he would turn into the demon END...

Illya suddenly realized,

“So that's why Natsu asked Lucy at the end, what did he look like?”

In Lucy's eyes, Natsu was always Natsu, not a demon or a dragon... He was just a living, ordinary human!

~Fairy Tail World, Earthland~

“I can only say that it's worthy of Natsu! He's really strong, even a dragon can be defeated.”

“Although the half-dragon transformation was cool, I still like Natsu's normal appearance now. It's great that he can return to his original state!”

Seeing that the video finally ended, the members of the Fairy Tail returned to their usual hustle and bustle and began to celebrate Natsu and Lucy!

“Waka ka!! As expected of me.”

Natsu was holding his arms out flat, showing off his muscles, and spitting out a puff of flames into the sky, full of pride.

“Could it be... no way!!”

Lucy covered her flushed cheeks with both hands and secretly glanced at Natsu! Looking at the intimate way she and Natsu were in the future, could it be that Natsu and I...

No... no way?! Lucy's face turned red, and she shook her head desperately, trying to deny the scene in her mind!

“He really defeated a dragon.”

Makarov was slightly surprised. You know, in the recent event, Future Rogue, none of the Dragon Slayers were able to truly defeat a dragon.

Looking at Natsu's young appearance in the video, it didn't seem like much time had passed, yet his strength had improved so quickly, and he had actually done it.

Makarov kept thinking. With the exposure of the video, the secret of Fairy Heart would definitely attract the greed of many people.

It seemed that he had to prepare in advance, even if he had to risk his old bones, he had to protect Fairy Tail.

Notes:

Translator-kun: Finally, Vol 1 is over. The next Vol will be pretty good. Anyway, the protagonist is just a tool for transition; forget about him, let's just treat him as a transition in the setting.

Chapter 166: The Kabukicho Four Devas Arc' Gintama begins!!

Notes:

Translator-kin: Yey! New Volume, New List. I hope everyone will like the new List. Since this will be the new volume, I would like to try another format. Let me know if this one is good or if the old format is much better....

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Several days passed like this, and a new video began. Unlike before, this one started with an opening sequence.

~Projection of All Worlds~

Several days passed like this, and a new video began. Unlike before, this one started with an opening sequence.

。。。。。

【 As the words "Gintama: Kabukicho Four Devas Arc!" appeared on the screen, a stirring piece of music followed... HEY! HEY! 】

【 As the music played, the scene unfolded. Under a gloomy sky, Gintoki stood in a graveyard, holding his wooden sword, his eyes slightly downcast, his expression somewhat melancholic. The rain continued to fall incessantly. 】

You got your heads in the clouds, you aren’t trying to listen.

You’re deliberately ignoring my signs.

“We’re the same, we can understand each other perfectly”, that’s a mere delusion .

You don't even notice me standing here, do you?

【 Shinpachi and Kagura stood in front of the Yorozuya, also feeling dejected, their expressions somewhat troubled as they looked at the rain. 】

【 Tama the robot stood in the rain, letting it soak her, while Sadaharu also stood in the rain, his eyes seemingly looking at something. 】

All alone and in the crowd.

I feel empty as I stare at the sky.

This conversation is a game of catchball with myself.

My loneliness starts to grow.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

This music sounds somewhat exciting?! So, everyone in other worlds silently followed the melody and started tapping their feet.

~Puella Magi Madoka Magica World~

“But the atmosphere seems a bit depressing, with the rainy day and no one smiling.”

Madoka listened to the music, feeling the oppressive atmosphere within it.

But... don't tell me this white pet is a dog. What kind of dog is this big?

~K-On! World~

“This music is so catchy! Could it be a world about music?!”

Mio Akiyama closed her eyes slightly and listened attentively, not looking at the screen.

“Right, right!!”

Ritsu nodded excitedly, listening to the drums, wishing she could play along herself.

I don't know who wrote the lyrics and composed the music, but it's truly amazing! It's definitely a catchy song! It's just not very suitable for a female voice to sing, as a female voice wouldn't be able to convey that kind of power.

~Gintama World~

“Hey, hey! What's going on?! Author-san, I didn't hear anything about being on new list at this time.”

Gintoki, who had somehow changed into a suit, slicked back his hair, and held a rose in his hand, sat on the Yorozuya's sofa, looking like a big star.

“Yeah, I didn't even have time to prepare.”

Shinpachi also changed into a fashionable outfit, but said he was unprepared, seemingly unaware of anything.

Meanwhile, Kagura was already excitedly preparing to call her daddy and tell him she was on TV!

。。。。。

【 As the rain from the sky gradually moved down, Jirōchō and Gintoki faced each other in the rain! 】

HEY! HEY! Answer me!

Is there anybody there?

No matter how much I search, I don’t get an answer back.

Hey!! Hey!! I’m the only one who gets to decide

【 The two gradually approached each other. Gintoki and Jirōchō smiled slightly at each other in the rain, then both shouted and reached for the swords at their waists, charging at each other. 】

No matter if I cry, or smile, or hate, or love, I'll live on

Hey!! Hey!! Samurai Heart (Some like it hot!)

【 。。。。。】

~Rurouni Kenshin World~

“This seems to be a story about samurai?!”

Kenshin listened to the lyrics, which seemed to describe samurai.

However, the line “No matter if I cry, or smile, or hate, or love, I'll live on...” is truly wonderful.

~Gintama World~

“Hey, hey! Why is it only this idiotic curly-haired guy? What about our Shinsengumi?! Show us the atmosphere, you damn Sorachi Gorilla!”

Tōshirō Hijikata lit a cigarette, took a puff, and cursed under his breath.

The gorilla next to him... no, Isao Kondō also excitedly slapped the table:

“Exactly! Why the Four Devas?! This isn't a (censored) gourmet show.”

Sōgō, who was lying on the ground, changed his position and continued to lie down:

“Usually, shouldn't there be 'five' Four Devas? I think the Boss might be the fifth.”

“And Hijikata-san, this doesn't seem to be Sorachi Gorilla's fault. We seem to have changed sets now, it should be the damn fickle one who's to blame!”

。。。。。

On the other side, Kotaruo Katsura was currently squatting on the roof of the Yorozuya with Elizabeth, holding up a sign:

“I'm currently on standby at the Yorozuya!”

It was clear that he was very dissatisfied with not appearing in the opening sequence and was still trying hard to find an opportunity to appear.

。。。。。

【 After the music, the video officially began. The scene shifted to a tavern. 】

【 “You ask me who the strongest man in Kabukicho is? Are you from the countryside?” The owner held a bottle of sake and looked at the person in the cloak in front of him with some doubt. 】

【 “Don't ask around, this city is not on the same level. All kinds of scoundrels, skilled warriors, and down-and-out samurai are gathered here.” 】

【 “First of all, there are four monsters that are not on the same level as others: the Demon God Saigō! The Great Hero Jirōchō! The Peacock Princess Kada! The Empress Otose...” 】

【 The mysterious person in the cloak left the tavern, thinking about what the owner had just said. 】

【 “Otose's faction?! That's just a kind old woman, but if anyone dares to cause trouble there, someone won't just stand by and watch.” 】

【 The mysterious person walked down the street, looking at the silver-haired figure ahead, and as the two brushed past each other, he instantly drew his sword and struck! 】

【 “The super strong monster who single-handedly contends with the three major forces, with a head of silver hair... the Ogre!” 】

【 After a flash of sword light, Gintoki's hand was still on his wooden sword, seemingly not having drawn it! But the mysterious person's sword was broken in two. 】

【 Gintoki, who was called the Ogre, raised his head, displaying a dead-fish eye. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Speaking of which, what is his wooden sword made of? It can cut a real sword.”

“The Four Devas usually have five, that saying is indeed true... But what kind of Ogre looks so harmless?! Those dead-fish eyes don't have any killing intent at all.”

Everyone looked left and right, but they couldn't see any sign of an Ogre in this silver-haired guy?! Instead, those eyes had the aura of a useless middle age man.

~My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected World~

“Um, is he your brother?”

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at those familiar dead-fish eyes, the kind of eyes that only a salted fish that had been dead for many years could possess.

Hachiman Hikigaya naturally knew what she meant, but he didn't want to say anything:

“...”

He didn't want to have dead-fish eyes, it was natural, there was nothing he could do about it, okay?!

~Gintama World~

“Yosh! We can arrest this damn curly-haired guy, on the charge of kidnapping a delinquent girl!”

Tōshirō Hijikata's mouth was almost split to his ears.

“Yamazaki! Go to the Yorozuya and arrest all of them...”

But Tōshirō Hijikata didn't hear a response for a long time, until Sōgō next to him spoke,

“Yamazaki already slipped away.”

“And bringing the Boss back will only waste the Shinsengumi's food.”

They weren't unaware of the Yorozuya's lack of integrity. They would do anything for money, and freeloading was a given.

On the other side of the Yorozuya, a scene of righteousness overcoming family was unfolding.

Kagura suddenly put on a motherly act, crying and reaching for the phone nearby:

“Okasan doesn't remember teaching you to join the yakuza! You're even being a delinquent, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested.”

“Shinpachi, don't stop me!”

A vein popped on Gintoki's forehead, who was she calling a delinquent?!

When I was in the yakuza, you weren't even born yet.

Shinpachi hugged Gintoki and wouldn't let go. He wasn't afraid of Kagura getting hurt, but he was afraid of the furniture getting broken and not having money to buy new ones!

Notes:

Translator-kun: if you're asking what song was used, it was ED17's "Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!)" by SPYAIR

Chapter 167: You are clearly a dead man!

Chapter Text

And so, the next day arrived. Shinpachi, hands in his pockets, headed towards the Yorozuya.

【 And so, the next day arrived. Shinpachi, hands in his pockets, headed towards the Yorozuya. “So cold, so cold! It's freezing in the morning.” 】

【 As Shinpachi climbed the stairs, he paused, noticing a little girl sleeping, curled up by the Yorozuya's entrance. A snot bubble was even bubbling from her nose. “Who is this?! Drunk?” 】

【 “Ano~ Sumimasen! You'll catch a cold sleeping here, and your snot bubble is frozen.” The kind-hearted Shinpachi squatted down, politely trying to wake her up. 】

【 “No! Someone's trying to steal my spot!” As the girl's frozen snot bubble hit the ground, she woke up and immediately thrust a sword forward. Luckily, Shinpachi's dodge points were maxed out, and the strike only shattered the wall. 】

【 The girl stood up, drawing the long sword from her waist, and looked down at Shinpachi. Her red eyes had no highlights, and she spoke in a rather cute tone, saying the most ruthless words: “Which gang are you from?! If you dare touch a single finger of my big brother, I'll make you bloom a bright red flower.” 】

【 Just as the girl was about to swing, she was stopped by Kagura, who kicked open the door, having been woken up. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hey, hey, hey, how cold is this weather?! Why did even the snot bubble freeze... And since it's so cold, she's dressed quite lightly.”

“In such cold weather, did that Sakata Gintoki just let this girl sleep at his doorstep all night...”

Initially, everyone thought Gin-san was a bit too harsh, letting a little girl sleep at his doorstep.

“Ssss!!”

It wasn't until they saw the girl's eyes without highlights that everyone silently took a cold breath.

They took back their previous statement; Gin-san letting her sleep at the door was simply foresight... Otherwise, she might have lost her head if she accidentally fell asleep. Haven't you seen how tall Jō-san's grave grass is now, two meters high?

~Gintama World~

“Ah!”

Hijikata Toushirou sighed, looking at the long sword in the girl's hand. He exuded a low pressure, looking ready to cut someone down at any disagreement.

“Do they all think the Shinsengumi doesn't exist? The sword ban is crying, you bastards.”

They were all so blatant, simply not putting the Shinsengumi in their eyes.

Kondou Isao quickly reached out and pressed down on the slightly agitated Hijikata Toushirou,

“Well, well, look at it this way, Toushi! After all, who remembers the sword ban setting now?”

“So our Shinsengumi has too few scenes, we can only appear in these words.”

Hijikata Toushirou could only sit back down cross-legged since Mr. Kondou had spoken.

“But speaking of which, this glasses frame's reaction speed is quite fast, he does have some skills.”

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, and Shinpachi and the others arrive at Otose's tavern downstairs. Tsubaki Heiko slightly squats, extending her left hand and striking a chivalrous pose: “I am the little sister who has joined the Yorozuya this time, Tsubaki Heiko, Boss Otose! Please take care of me.” 】

【 Then, she turned to Shinpachi and began to apologize: “I'm really sorry about just now, I didn't know you were Big Brother's first subordinate and I offended you.” 】

【 “I'll settle this now, by cutting off my little finger! Yohoho...” Tsubaki Heiko placed the sword on her little finger! 】

【 “Hey, what are you doing?” Just then, Gin-san's face showed a character, his expression grim as he grabbed the little braid on Tsubaki Heiko's head and lifted her up. 】

【 “I'm not a yakuza, and I don't plan on taking in subordinates. I told you to go back quickly, you dumb Tsubaki Heiko!” 】

Note: Tsubaki Heiko is a pun; the pronunciation is similar to rogue or hoodlum.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is an old-school yakuza greeting pose... Even I, who's in the underworld, think you're too dark. Cutting off a finger at the drop of a hat.”

“Holy crap, Gin-san's arm strength is amazing! Easily lifting a person, and the key is he's using his left hand.”

Everyone silently swallowed their saliva. How can she say such ruthless words in such a cute tone! And those obviously messed-up eyes, is this a yandere?!

~Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun World~

“I see! Yakuza and yandere... This is a good inspiration, don't you think, Chiyo?!”

Nozaki looked at this scene, lost in thought. Although he drew shoujo manga, yandere seemed like a good idea too!

“Chiyo?!”

Nozaki found no one was responding to him. When he turned back, he saw Sakura Chiyo trembling in fear, looking at him with some worry.

Being stared at with such eyes by Chiyo, Nozaki silently withdrew his earlier thought. It seemed a bit too bloody, not suitable for shoujo manga.

~One-Punch Man World~

Looking at the scene where Gin-san grabbed Tsubaki Heiko by her braid and lifted her up... Saitama at this moment wanted to dive into the screen headfirst, his eyes bloodshot, staring intensely at the screen.

He wasn't curious about how Gin-san lifted the person; after all, in their world, it could be done easily.

What he cared about was Tsubaki Heiko's amazing hair follicles! This strong hair made him feel sour... Why don't I have such strong hair?

。。。。。

【 Shinpachi was also curious and asked Otose if she knew the girl's background. 】

【 Otose crossed her hands over her chest and told them what she knew, “I've heard of her. The Ueki family, who often have disputes with Jirouchou, has a woman who can take on a thousand in a fight, her name is 'Killer Heiko'!” 】

【 Upon hearing the news, Gin-san and Shinpachi were full of disbelief, sweat slightly dripping from their foreheads, looking at the giggling Tsubaki Heiko: “Huh?! Killer? This silly-looking guy?” 】

【 “This dumb girl is a yakuza assassin?!” 】

【 “It's nothing great.” Tsubaki Heiko lowered her head shyly, her body twisting slightly. “I'm just good at decorating with flowers, you know? The worse the person, the more beautiful the flower that blooms.” 】

【 “The more you cut, the more beautiful the flowers that bloom.” 】

【 As Tsubaki Heiko spoke of cutting people as simply as arranging flowers, Shinpachi was scared. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“As expected of someone with no highlights, help... I'm starting to get scared of this girl.”

“They're not praising you! Why are you shy, hey! And the more you cut, the more beautiful the flowers that bloom, she's talking about brains, right...”

Some relatively everyday worlds were scared by this terrorist-like statement.

So this is the yakuza?! Killing is as easy as drinking water.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts to the street. Tsubaki Heiko has her sword on her shoulder, wearing sunglasses, looking like a standard subordinate. “Hey, hey! Big Brother coming through!” 】

【 On the other side, Kagura is also imitating her, wearing the same sunglasses and looking fierce. “Who said you could look? Commoners, huh?!” 】

【 Shinpachi and Gin-san, following behind, have dark circles under their eyes and are sweating coldly. “Not good, not good. We've been latched onto by a troublesome kid. She's going to turn Kabuki-chou into a flower garden. That means a sea of blood!” 】

【 “She's determined to ask Gin-san for help to get revenge on Jirouchou.” 】

【 Gin-san looks at Tsubaki Heiko in front, who's even barking at passing dogs, and tries to stay calm: “It's... It's okay! Although she's called 'Killer', she's still a girl. How could she do something so exaggerated to take the boss's life?” 】

【 Just as Gin-san finished speaking, Tsubaki Heiko arrived at a flower shop, lifted her sunglasses, and spoke cheerfully: “Grandma, do you know what protection money is?” 】

【 “Ah,” Kagura also peeked out from the side, pretending to be fierce. 】

【 This move directly caused all the shops to pull down their shutters and avoid them. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How can she ask for protection money in such a cheerful tone? Anyone who didn't know would think she came to say hello to Grandma...”

“She doesn't even spare the passing dogs...”

Seeing this scene, everyone covered their faces. They were learning bad things instead of good ones. Those who didn't know Kagura's true nature thought she was learning bad habits from Tsubaki Heiko.

~Gintama World~

A certain bald man with a receding hairline on a certain planet is about to explode with anger. He's fighting the Amanto from other planets with more force:

“Kagura, wait for Daddy, definitely don't turn bad!! The yakuza is too early for you.”

He shouldn't have believed that silver-haired curly head. Look what he's done to the child?! How well-behaved and cute Kagura was before, and now she's starting to mix with the yakuza.

Meanwhile, the Yorozuya family on Earth is sitting stiffly in the living room, sweating profusely.

“Gin... Gin-san, can I stay here tonight? Even if it's just the living room.”

Shinpachi trembled as he uttered this sentence. He didn't dare go home now; he was afraid of being bagged if he went out.

“It... it should... be okay! After all, collecting protection money is in the future, and everyone in Kabuki-chou is kind-hearted, so nothing will happen.”

Gin-san pretended to be calm, but his stuttering tone betrayed him.

“Kind-hearted?! Are you referring to those burly men outside with mean faces who are surrounding us...”

Shinpachi pointed to the hoodlums outside the Yorozuya who were constantly shouting. Saying they were kind-hearted, doesn't your conscience hurt, Gin-san!!

And Zura, why are you, a wanted criminal, also joining in the fun outside?!

Zura was laughing heartily outside,

“Hahaha, Gin-san, have you finally decided to become our general again!”

。。。。。

【 Gin-san quickly pulled Tsubaki Heiko over and tried to teach her. Then, at Kagura's suggestion, they went to a cake shop to see if she could learn what normal girls were like. 】

【 Upon arriving at the cake shop, Tsubaki Heiko seemed a little nervous. Meanwhile, Gin-san and Kagura were wolfing down the cakes. 】

【 “Come on, don't just stand there, eat quickly. Eat quickly. If you don't eat, I'll eat it.” 】

【 To ease her awkward atmosphere, Shinpachi extended his fork, poked a little bit of the cake in front of Tsubaki Heiko, and ate it himself. 】

【 However, Tsubaki Heiko stared blankly at the cake in front of her. Not only was she not moved by Shinpachi, but she also took the cake to the counter: “The cake was bitten by a cockroach. It's too dirty, I can't eat it anymore.” 】

【 “Are you calling me a cockroach?! You bastard!” Shinpachi's face showed a character, angrily grabbing the little braid on Tsubaki Heiko's forehead. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, although Shinpachi is very caring and has high emotional intelligence, I still want to laugh.”

“Shinpachi is too miserable. If he were a normal otaku, he probably wouldn't be able to step out of his room again after being treated like this by a girl.”

What a good 'bitten by a cockroach'... Shinpachi was trying to take care of you!

~Gintama World~

Shinpachi is completely gloomy now, silently walking to the corner and starting to shut himself off,

“I'm a cockroach... Hehe, yes! I'm just a cockroach.”

“Shinpachi, cheer up!! How can you be a cockroach?! Isn't your soul radiating light?”

Gin-san couldn't stand it anymore and quickly tried to comfort him.

Looking at Shinpachi raising his head and gradually recovering his spirit, Gin-san looked into his eyes and smiled cheerfully,

“How could you be a cockroach, you're clearly a glasses frame, aren't you?! Yeah!”.

。。。。。

Chapter 168: Don't panic when something happens, first find a time machine!

Chapter Text

【 After they finished the cake, Kagura pointed towards the dried goods store next to them again: “Hey, there's a cute dried goods store there, let's go take a look.” 】

【 Shinpachi could no longer hold back his tsukkomi spirit: “Seriously, you've only picked places you wanted to go to since earlier, right? Why is a dried goods store a girly place?” 】

【 “Big brother!” Tsubaki Hirako, who was at the dried goods store, was just about to call out to Gintoki when she bumped into a bald, fat man with a scar on his face. “Ah, sumimasen!” 】

【 “Ah!!” The bald man quickly lay on the ground, clutching his shoulder and screaming nonstop. His subordinates immediately surrounded him. 】

【 “Big brother! What's wrong?!” 】

【 “It's broken! That bump just now broke my bone.” The bald big brother seemed to be in great pain, rolling around on the ground and shouting in agony. 】

【 Seeing this scene, Gintoki and Shinpachi's faces darkened. “The real deal is here!!” 】

【 “Tsk... nothing we can do.” Gintoki seemed to have made up his mind and started walking towards the bald man and his group. 】

【 Shinpachi quickly reached out and said, “Gin-san, you can't use violence.” 】

【 “I know, I'll politely resolve it the adult way.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn't that faking an injury for compensation?! Do the yakuza use this trick too?”

“Look at them, facing the fake injury calmly, and even using the adult way to politely resolve it.”

Everyone nodded. It seemed this curly-haired guy was quite reliable after all. Although he looked a bit flustered at first, he was still calm and composed.

He wasn't blinded by anger but used a reliable adult method. Kagura should learn more from him; that's the kind of role model a child should have.

~Doraemon World~

“Nobita, this is when you should seriously learn how adults handle these things? You'll need it when you encounter these things in the future.”

Doraemon pulled Nobita's sleeve, wanting him to quickly watch carefully.

Nobita also felt that Doraemon made sense, so he watched carefully. After all, Gian had often used this trick to cheat him out of money, so maybe he could learn something from this to deal with Gian.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“This is what a reliable adult is.”

Kugisaki Nobara looked at the jumping Gojo Satoru next to her and silently covered her face. One had silver hair, one had white hair. Why was the difference in their way of handling things so big?

“Mhm mhm!”

Fushiguro Megumi and Itadori Yuuji nodded in agreement. What she said was reasonable.

~Detective Conan World~

“What else is there to say?! The evidence is conclusive, just call the police.”

Conan felt bored, there wasn't even anything to deduce.

Could it be that they wanted to reason with the yakuza?! If they could be reasoned with, they wouldn't be yakuza.

~Gintama World~

Seeing this scene, Shinpachi stiffly turned his head and stared at Gintoki:

“Gulp... Gin-san, I can trust you, right? Are you sure you'll resolve it in a polite way?!”

“Probably... right?!”

Gintoki said uncertainly. Although this was the future, didn't he know what kind of person he was? If his legs weren't weak right now, he would want to run away.

。。。。。

【 Gintoki walked behind the bald man and put his hand on his shoulder. “Um, what's wrong with my companion?” 】

【 “Who are you?!” The bald man turned his head to look at him, and then Gintoki suddenly spun 360 degrees and was sent flying out with a scream. 】

【 “B... Big brother! What's wrong?” Tsubaki Hirako quickly ran over, looking at Gintoki, who had suddenly fallen to the ground and was screaming. 】

【 “It's... broken!” Gintoki spat out a mouthful of blood and lay on his back on the ground, looking very painful. “That pat on my shoulder just now broke all my bones.” 】

【 Shinpachi's face changed drastically. “Aren't you the same?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter, what a reliable adult, this spray of blood is much stronger than the other side, as expected, it's professional.”

“So this is an adult's polite way of resolving things... as expected, it's polite, using magic to defeat magic, faking an injury against faking an injury. I didn't expect this one to be even more impressive.”

Everyone from other worlds couldn't stop laughing when they saw this.

This faking of injury was amazing, especially the spray of blood, which was the essence. They could only say, as expected of you!

~Doraemon World~

“Nobita, don't look, you absolutely must not learn this.”

Doraemon quickly jumped in front of Nobita, trying to block his view.

What kind of reliable adult is this?! Isn't he the same? It's too easy to lead children astray, especially Nobita, absolutely don't learn this!

But it was already too late, Nobita had firmly imprinted this scene in his mind. He planned to do the same when Gian faked an injury against him.

~Gintama World~

“Isn't this faking an injury?! Don't forget you're the protagonist of Jump! It's because you keep leading children astray like this that we can't get on prime time.”

Shinpachi pressed Gintoki's head onto the table, making a deep dent in it, and repeated it several times.

“So, you adults are all like this.”

Kagura watched this scene with an expressionless face, not forgetting to dig her nose.

。。。。。

Meanwhile, Zura, who was still on standby on the roof of the Yorozuya, was greatly shocked and looked at this scene with disbelief. Being a one-track mind, he thought this was real.

“Bakayaro! This bald guy is so strong, he actually shattered all of Gintoki's bones with one pat.”

The somewhat naive Zura was planning to go back to his base and find someone to recruit the bald guy to join the Joui Patriots! After all, it would be a shame for such a strong force to be left out.

。。。。。

【 “I patted your shoulder? You patted yourself, didn't you?” The bald man was also furious. He was the only one who could fake an injury. When was it someone else's turn to fake an injury? 】

【 Tsubaki Hirako helped up Gintoki, who was still bleeding from his mouth, and looked at the bald man: “Um, how do you plan to settle this?” 】

【 Kagura was still holding the seaweed at the dried goods store and turned her head to this side to stop them: “No, Hirako, calm down!” 】

【 The old woman took out some change: “Here's your change, thank you for your patronage.” 】

【 “Ah!!” Kagura reached out to take it, then covered her left hand and screamed, and her whole body suddenly flew out and fell onto the dried goods! 】

【 Shinpachi also started to complain when he saw this: “Why are you broken too??” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It's over... now the child has also gone bad, like father, like daughter.”

“Good heavens, don't learn everything from this unreliable adult!! Please, learn something good.”

It was the same when she learned from the yakuza, and now she's picking up faking injuries so quickly... So is it really that easy to go bad? Then you're really exceptionally talented, Kagura.

~Gintama World~

“Kondo-san, there's no need to consider, right?! Quickly call people to arrest them, this Yorozuya is clearly faking injury! The whole family is.”

Hijikata Toushirou's hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly, and he started to feel a little sorry for the bald man. Why did he have to provoke the Yorozuya group for no reason?

They are a bunch of rotten mud; not only can they not be helped up, but they will also stick to you and can't be washed off.

“Danna, as expected of Danna!”

Sougo, who also had a somewhat mischievous personality, nodded in agreement. This way of handling things was indeed worthy of him.

。。。。。

【 Gintoki started to play peacemaker weakly: “Um... you broke one hand. Both of us have comminuted fractures all over our bodies. Let's call it even, what do you think?” 】

【 The bald man wasn't stupid. He pointed at Kagura and said, “You broke yourselves! The kid here has nothing to do with us!” 】

【 The bald man wanted to take Tsubaki Hirako away, but she resisted. Then the bald man threw a punch, planning to teach Tsubaki Hirako a lesson. Just then, Gintoki reached out and grabbed his wrist. 】

【 “Comminuted fractures all over the body, huh?” The bald man looked at Gintoki, who was grabbing his hand, with a cold sweat on his face... 】

【 “What's wrong with your hand? This is... a big problem.” Gintoki directly threw him out, smashing him onto the shelf next to them. 】

【 Shinpachi quickly said, “W... What are you doing?! Why did you explode first?” 】

【 Gintoki looked at Shinpachi a little sheepishly, “I was already bowing down, he was just too much. I just flicked him lightly, didn't I?” 】

【 Tsubaki Hirako: “In that case, we have to fight Jirochou no matter what. Let's decorate them with bright red flowers together!” 】

【 Then the scene started to get chaotic, and the bald man's subordinates were all knocked down by Gintoki casually. 】

【 “Stop... calm down.” Gintoki frantically fumbled with the cash register on the counter, trying to get his head in. “Anyway, calm down, find Doraemon.” 】

【 “In that case... concrete!” Then Kagura somehow got a bucket of concrete. 】

【 Shinpachi could no longer hold back and quickly complained, “What are you trying to do!!” 】

【 Just then, the man with the stitch in the face who came to buy dog food saw Gintoki and Kagura stuffing the bald man into the concrete bucket... 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Speaking of which... You guys are the yakuza, aren't you! If you don't agree, you just stuff people into concrete.”

“ Hahaha, anyway, calm down first, then look for a time machine, pfft... Hahahaha!”

Everyone couldn't hide the smiles on their faces. You actually listened to Kagura and stuffed people into concrete! And why do it on the street?! You guys are completely unashamed, publicly committing a crime on the street, aren't you?

Now it's completely unexplainable. You've been caught red-handed, witnessed by the opposing boss himself disposing of a body.

~Doraemon World~

“Doraemon, have you been there too?”

Nobita was full of confusion; otherwise, how would they know Doraemon?

Even Doraemon himself was very confused. Had he been to that era sometime and forgotten?!

Although he couldn't figure it out, Doraemon still wanted to say:

“The time machine is not for you to do this! You idiots.”

~Gintama World~

“It's over, we'll be spending the rest of our lives in prison!”

Shinpachi seemed to have already seen himself in a prison uniform. Stuffing people into cement was a direct public crime.

“Calm... calm down! Shinpachi.”

Gintoki pulled open the drawer in front of him, trying to stuff his head in.

“Anyway... find the time machine first!!”

。。。。。

Chapter 169: Chapter 169: About to be dumped at Tokyo Bay....

Chapter Text

【 Then Gintoki, Shinpachi, and the others were chased by yakuza thugs until evening fell, and Gintoki and Doromizu Pirako hid in a concrete trash can to escape. 】

【 In the alley, Doromizu Pirako pushed open the lid of the trash can above her head. “Looks like they've gone far away, Big Brother! This is getting interesting.” 】

【 “What's interesting about it? I'm going to say the same old thing.” Gintoki felt that everything was terrible, and threw away the trash can lid on his head. “Even if you get revenge, no one will be happy! I think your dead companions would rather you live as a normal girl than be full of hatred.” 】

【 Listening to Gintoki's words, it was Doromizu Pirako's turn to be full of confusion. “Big Brother, you've been talking about revenge since just now, what do you mean?” 】

【 Gintoki turned his head to look at Doromizu Pirako: “Uh, wasn't your whole family killed by Jirochou? So you're going to get revenge for them...” 】

【 Doromizu Pirako looked like she completely didn't understand what Gintoki was saying. “What are you talking about? My family was indeed destroyed by Jirochou, but everyone is alive and well.” 】

【 Gintoki was confused: “Huh?! But didn't you say it turned into a flower garden?” 】

【 “Everyone washed their hands of it and changed careers to become farmers, called the Red Garden. It's very beautiful! But it was too boring, so I ran out.” 】

【 Gintoki's face darkened when he heard this explanation, and he started to complain, “Huh?! Your metaphor is too easy to misunderstand!” 】

【 “What are you talking about? You bastard! We thought you had a dark past. We were trying to care about you and indirectly stop you from getting revenge, that was our effort!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Being chased is the same old thing?!... How skilled are you, Gintoki! What did you do to make being chased a habit?”

“I didn't expect that sentence to be literal, but anyone would misunderstand that way of speaking!”

Everyone didn't expect the Yorozuya family to be quite reasonable.

Shinpachi used his high emotional intelligence to distract Doromizu Pirako... Although the latter didn't appreciate it and even mocked him as a cockroach.

Although it was a misunderstanding, Gintoki was also indirectly trying to stop Doromizu Pirako from getting revenge in his own way. Uh... it seems only Kagura was still playing along.

~Gintama World~

“If a flower garden means that, don't say it in such a misleading way, hey!”

Shinpachi flipped the table and complained mercilessly, then turned to look at Gintoki.

“And Gin-san, your lecture failed. It failed before part B even started.”

“...”

Gintoki suddenly felt speechless. If it failed, it failed. Gin-san isn't omnipotent.

Also, why did they change careers from yakuza to farmers? What did these people go through?

。。。。。

【 Gintoki reached out and covered his face. They had been busy for most of the day out of kindness, and it turned out to be a misunderstanding. “Then why did you come here?” 】

【 “As I said, it's to decorate Jirochou and this city with flowers. That's the literal meaning.” Doromizu Pirako had a yandere-like expression, which was indeed a bit scary. “To make the flowers that the famous Jirochou lost bloom again, I need the strongest man in Kabukicho who can rival Jirochou. Big Brother, I need your strength.” 】

【 “Since we've cleared things up, it's time to say goodbye.” Gintoki didn't want to mess around with this little girl. Just as he was about to get out of the trash can, he and the trash can were flipped over, and he couldn't get out no matter how much he struggled. 】

【 Only then did Gintoki see that the concrete on his lower body had started to solidify, so his face darkened. 】

【 “Big Brother! The brotherhood of the yakuza is not so easy to shake off.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, I don't know about the brotherhood of the yakuza... But I at least know that solidified concrete is indeed not so easy to shake off, haha!”

“Now they're probably going to be dumped in Tokyo Bay. Why would anyone pour concrete into a trash can?”

What a scene of fraternal affection! Gintoki was completely tricked, but now everyone wants to know how they got out of the solidified concrete!

。。。。。

【 On the other side, in the meeting hall of Kabukicho, the Four Heavenly Kings of Kabukicho, except for Jirochou, were all gathered here. 】

【 At this time, a middle-aged host with a receding hairline said the topic of the meeting with some fear: “The topic this time is... garbage sorting...” 】

【 The three of them had gloomy faces and spoke in unison, “Garbage, disappear!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss! What a heavy topic... Hahaha, I can't help but laugh when I see them seriously discussing garbage sorting.”

Everyone didn't expect the Four Heavenly Kings of Kabukicho, who were just mentioned, to gather together for garbage sorting. It can be down-to-earth, but it can't be in the underworld.

But... is this Saigou a man or a woman?! He's dressed like a woman, his body is rougher than a man's, and he has a beard.

。。。。。

【 Until Jirochou arrived, the meeting hall started a free-for-all fight between several groups, and after being stopped by their respective bosses, Peacock Princess Kada stated her proposal. 】

【 “From now on! Anyone under the Four Heavenly Kings is strictly forbidden to fight privately in Kabukicho. If any force violates this rule... the remaining three forces will unite. They will be beaten until only one person is left.” 】

【 Otose leaned against the door and lit a cigarette. “We can't even fight. This city is becoming boring.” 】

【 “Do you think you can take my life, Jirochou, just by forming gangs?” Although he said that, Jirochou finally agreed to the proposal. “Who's afraid of whom? It's about who can endure, right? Be sure not to mess up in front of me.” 】

【 As he said this, the scene showed Gintoki and Doromizu Pirako being carried to the beach along with the trash can, and it was clear that they were going to be dumped into the sea. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, it's like saying it out loud, they've already messed up!”

This is more than just messing up, it's like farting in your pants - two splits!

~Gintama World~

“Gin-san... you're going to be dumped in Tokyo Bay!”

Shinpachi's face was covered in cold sweat. Since Gin-san was dumped in Tokyo Bay, would he also be chopped into mincemeat and fed to dogs?

“Where's the Shinsengumi! Where's the gorilla? Why isn't that gorilla coming out to manage things?! Someone's burying a body.”

Gintoki's voice changed as he spoke, walking back and forth in the Yorozuya.

“Achoo~”

And in the Shinsengumi headquarters, a certain gorilla suddenly sneezed. Kondo Isao then rubbed his nose,

“Who's speaking ill of me? Could it be Otae-san thinking of me?!”

Hijikata Toushiro looked at Kondo Isao helplessly.

“Kondo-san! This is not the time to be a stalker. Speaking of which, how chaotic is Kabukicho?”

It doesn't matter if this silver-haired curly-haired man dies or not, but someone is actually doing something like dumping a body in Tokyo Bay...

。。。。。

【 “Looks like I can finally settle the score with you.” The man with the three-seven split hair reached out and touched his hair, looking at Gintoki. “I told you before, I always settle my accounts. If you owe me three, I'll take back seven.” 】

【 Gintoki showed his signature dead fish eyes. “The three-seven split is outdated these days. Why not shave your head and become a fashionable monk?” 】

【 “Also, I have no hostility towards the inside. I was instigated by this silly girl.” 】

【 The three-seven split ignored Gintoki and looked at Doromizu Pirako instead. “You didn't explain it clearly to Big Brother, Pirako! What exactly are the crimson flowers?” 】

【 “Pira... Pirako! Th-that...” Gintoki turned his head stiffly. “Could it be that you are...!” 】

【 Doromizu Pirako lowered her face and took out a dagger, inserting it into the concrete. “Abandoning his wife and child, even his wife's hometown was destroyed by a business rival. As a result, he ran to this place and fought meaninglessly with transvestites and old women.” 】

【 Cracks appeared directly in the concrete, and then it shattered. Doromizu Pirako walked out of the concrete, leaving Gintoki still in the concrete with a stunned expression. 】

【 Under the moonlight, there was no light in Doromizu Pirako's eyes. “I want to see Jirochou from back then again, let him take over the world again, and let my dad bloom with beautiful flowers again.” 】

【 “What is this child saying? I don't understand. Eh... Eh?!!” Gintoki was still clearly stunned. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Gintoki sold out very quickly, saying that he was instigated by this silly girl. Or is this the tradition of the Yorozuya?!”

“He was clearly tricked. This child is Jirochou's daughter! They and the three-seven split are clearly in cahoots.”

“It's a world where only Gintoki gets hurt... Gin-san was calculated, Gin-san! The purpose is to make you fight Jirochou.”

Everyone from other worlds looked at the three-seven split, speechless. It's fine if his hair is a three-seven split, but his behavior is also a three-seven split. How much do you like three-seven?!

Compared to this, everyone was more curious about what brand of concrete this was?! The quality is so poor, one knife down, it cracked accurately, and the key is that it doesn't stick to the skin, which is outrageous.

~One-Punch Man World~

“What's wrong with being bald! At least you don't have to take care of it.”

Saitama usually doesn't have many emotional fluctuations, but when he heard about hairstyles, he couldn't help but get excited.

Everyone is showing off how good their hair is over there, right? He believes that one day he will also grow a head of beautiful black hair and make them envious to death.

~Gintama World~

“Let's go, Elizabeth!”

Katsura didn't have time to pack his things and quickly shouted at the unidentified creature behind him.

“Where are we going?!”

Elizabeth ran while not forgetting to take out a sign to ask Katsura where he was going.

Katsura's brain circuit was still offline.

“What are you talking about, Elizabeth! In this situation, of course, we should go to Kabukicho to wait... wait for a chance to appear!”

Didn't you see that Kabukicho is about to start fighting? If you go there and wait at this time, you will always get a chance to appear.

。。。。。

Chapter 170: Fighting In The Silent Rain

Chapter Text

 

【 Doromizu Pirako stabbed the man with the three-seven split hair in the back to ignite the war and increase persuasion. The latter lost consciousness and fell into the sea, and Doromizu Pirako planned to claim that Gintoki did it. 】

【 Gintoki cursed under his breath, jumped into the sea with the concrete. 】

【 After jumping into the sea and rescuing the man with the three-seven split hair, on the way to Otose's bar, Gintoki directly threw the person onto Shinpachi. 】

【 “I'm sorry... covered in blood!” Shinpachi thought he had bumped into someone. Upon closer inspection, he realized the person was covered in blood, and his expression became flustered: “I'm sorry! Did I cause this? Did I cause this?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn't Shinpachi a bit too kind?! To be able to bump someone into this state just by walking, he should think about whether he has that ability.”

“How did Gintoki manage to rescue someone after falling into the sea with concrete all over him?”

Then, everyone from other worlds looked at Shinpachi speechlessly.

You're really overthinking it! Who has that much ability? To be able to cripple someone just by walking.

。。。。。

【 “Old hag!!” Gintoki shouted anxiously, his face covered in sweat! He ran all the way, the concrete on him falling off along the way. His usually dead-fish eyes showed clear signs of panic for the first time. 】

【 When he ran back to Otose's bar, he only saw the letter Otose had left him. I've had enough of you defaulting on rent. Hurry up and take those two idiots and never come near this city again. 】

【 Gintoki ran through the rain until he reached a graveyard. Gintoki panted heavily, reaching out to cover his abdomen. Due to the prolonged running, there was a clear urge to gag! 】

【 Gintoki scanned the graveyard until he saw Otose, who had fallen in front of a grave, her blood flowing everywhere, and only then did he stop. Only the harsh sound of the rain echoed in his ears. 】

【 “Are you Gintoki?! You're too late. I've sent both the husband and wife away.” Jirochou held a pipe in his hand, leaning against one of the tombstones. 】

【 “This can be considered a strange twist of fate. I heard that Otose was kind to you, so you became her bodyguard to repay her kindness. This job is over, it's none of your business!” 】

【 “Get lost! For Otose's sake, I won't take your life.” 】

【 The answer was a powerful wooden sword, hitting him mercilessly in the face. He didn't stop flying backwards until he had broken several tombstones! 】

【 “That hurts! What are you doing...” Jirochou complained. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Gintoki's bloodshot eyes, as if he had lost his mind, leaping into the air! 】

【 “You're forcing me to draw my sword, you're quite good, little brother~” Jirochou drew the long sword in his hand, blocking the blow, his eyes narrowing slightly, “But! Do you want to waste Otose's painstaking efforts to save you?” 】

【 Gintoki didn't answer. Their swords constantly intertwined in the rain. Then, Jirochou seized the opportunity, and a drawing slash broke Gintoki's wooden sword! 】

【 Gintoki grabbed the broken wooden sword and fiercely stabbed it into Jirochou's shoulder. Then, Jirochou's direct thrust pinned him to the tombstone along with his arm! 】

【 Blood flowed from his arm. Even so, Gintoki's eyes were bloodshot, and he kept struggling. Even Jirochou couldn't help but be surprised: “That Otose, she raised an incredibly fierce dog!” 】

【 “You're called White Yaksha, right? I didn't expect to have such a terrifying junior. Disappear! Little puppy, there's no one here who needs your protection anymore.” 】

【 After Jirochou finished speaking, he punched Gintoki away. After continuously breaking many tombstones, he stopped. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Looking at this performance, is Gintoki really just a bodyguard to Otose? It's clear she raised him like a son.”

“How desperate was this run? He ran until he was out of breath, and now he probably has no stamina left. No wonder he lost here.”

Everyone felt the atmosphere was a bit oppressive at this moment, especially when the rain stopped; it felt like their hearts also stopped. However, what they didn't understand was what kind of cigarette Jirochou was smoking in the rain? Is your pipe waterproof?

And looking at Gintoki's performance, he's clearly angry to the point of losing his mind, only using brute force when swinging his sword! Plus, with his current lack of stamina, it's not unfair that he lost.

After all, how can a beast defeat a human? He's just venting now. The exhausted one isn't trying to win, but to vent the anger in his heart.

But! Whose tombstone is this? Really unlucky, becoming the battlefield for the two, almost completely demolished, this is too pitiful.

~Rurouni Kenshin World~

As the saying goes, amateurs watch the excitement, experts watch the details. Although Kenshin could also feel the anger contained in Gintoki's sword.

But seeing Jirochou's performance, Kenshin couldn't help but sigh,

“What a beautiful drawing slash.”

~Gintama World~

“Gin-chan, are you okay?”

Kagura looked at Gintoki with some worry. Although he was usually unreliable, she remained deeply concerned about Gintoki at crucial moments.

“That old hag should be fine.”

Gintoki was terrifyingly calm at this moment. When he saw Otose lying in a pool of blood, he directly crushed the sofa, almost losing his mind as well.

Shinpachi, who has always had high emotional intelligence, saw the frustration in his heart and didn't say anything to comfort him. He started to change the subject,

“It seems a bit boring to watch the screen with just a few people, Gin-san, why don't we go to Otose's place and watch together!”

On the other side, in the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toushirou and the others also calmed down, not making fun as they usually did.

“White Yaksha?! Although I knew he wasn't simple, I didn't expect him to have the same identity as Katsura Kotarou, what a big fish!”

Although Sougo said this, his eyes were still on Gintoki on the screen. After all, he is one of his few friends!

Kondou Isao even felt a bit of self-blame, holding his arms and pondering,

“I didn't expect such a terrible thing to happen in the future. Our Shinsengumi is really negligent.”

Hijikata Toushirou silently lit a cigarette and didn't say anything more. They still owed the Yorozuya a debt of gratitude that couldn't be explained!

Although they usually didn't treat the Yorozuya well, who made the Yorozuya family too troublesome, on serious matters, the Shinsengumi would still choose to help the Yorozuya unconditionally.

。。。。。

On the other side, Shogun Shige Shige looked at this scene thoughtfully:

“So Sakata-san was once a Old Jouishishi, the same kind of person as Katsura?!”

Remembering the experience at the Smile bar before, Shige Shige also smiled knowingly. If he wanted to harm me, he would have had the chance long ago! Even if he is truly the White Yaksha, Gintoki is still his friend.

。。。。。

【 Gintoki, lying on the ground, struggled to crawl forward in the heavy rain, recalling the scene when he first met Otose. 】

【 On a snowy day, Gintoki, wearing thin clothes, leaned against a tombstone and asked Otose behind him without looking back, “Hey! Old hag! Is that a steamed bun?! Can I eat it? I'm starving.” 】

【 Although Otose was surprised, her eyes softened, “This belongs to my husband, ask my husband.” 】

【 The next moment, Gintoki started eating the steamed bun in big gulps. Otose also asked him, “What did my husband say?” 】

【 “I don't know, how can a dead person talk?” Gintoki directly made a promise to the tombstone, “I will never forget this kindness. Your old man. Even if he is old and doesn't have much time left. From now on, I will protect her for you!” 】

【 Back to the present, Gintoki, heavily injured and lying on the ground, crawled to Otose's side, his eyes completely dead, his face indistinguishable between rain and tears. 】

【 “Otose...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“How long has Gintoki been sitting in the snow wearing so little? There's a patch of snow on his head?”

“What is Gintoki burdened with? In the snow, he seems to have no desire to live, making a promise to Otose is just giving himself a goal to live for.”

The phrase “I will never forget this kindness,” and then looking at Gintoki's empty eyes lying in the rain, is indeed too heartbreaking.

Perhaps at this moment, Gintoki is both regretful and despairing! He failed to protect Otose, failing to keep his former vow once again.

~Gintama World~

“This moment is so similar to the past!”

Zura put his hands in his pockets, seeming to reminisce. The feeling of losing again must be unbearable... Gintoki!

From the death of Shouyou-sensei, the three of them started to go their separate ways! Takasugi lived in the past, Gintoki lived in the present, and I just looked to the future. In the end, none of us truly let go.

“But looking at Gintoki in the snow, it should not be long after the war ended. How did he become so down and out?”

Zura reached out and put his hand on his chin, starting to try to recall.

I remember after the war ended, he and Sakamoto also took some time to play a basketball game to relax. Thinking about it carefully, Gintoki didn't seem to be there.

Chapter 171: Great fate, prepare for everything!

Chapter Text

 

【 The scene shifts, and Otose is already in the hospital in critical condition. Gintoki seems to have lost his will, sitting alone by Otose's side at night. 】

【 Then, he learns from the three-seven split guy that Otose's husband, Tatsugoro, and Jirochou were a constable and a yakuza, respectively, and also good friends! Unfortunately, they both fell in love with the same woman. 】

【 And Jirochou withdrew, hoping Otose would be happy, but Tatsugoro died blocking a bullet for Jirochou in the war, leaving Otose alone. 】

【 After learning about everything that happened, Gintoki also prepared to bear the burden alone, while Otose, lying in the intensive care bed, seemed to have heard the conversation just now, “By the way, when an old person is about to die, you have to stay with them until the very end. Gintoki, I don't want to see you die.” 】

【 Seeing the landlady awake, Gintoki's eyes softened, and he said a sentence to the landlady before turning to leave, “Landlady, I will definitely pay the rent I owe. So, just wait patiently.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Time is truly a butcher's knife. Who would have thought that the young and beautiful Otose would look like this when she got old?”

“Since Jirochou liked Otose when he was young, and Tatsugoro died blocking a bullet for Jirochou, then... why did they cut Landlady Otose?!”

Everyone didn't expect that Gintoki, who had just lost his will, would immediately regain his spirit just by seeing the landlady wake up, and his brows instantly lit up.

~Gintama World~

“This is a lie... Forget about the rent, Gin-san, is impossible to pay it.”

Shinpachi muttered silently, but his heart was still relieved, as long as Landlady Otose was fine.

Otose reached out her hand towards Gintoki,

“Give me the rent! The doctor said I'm old and probably won't last...”

Gintoki's face couldn't hold back, and he directly retorted,

“Hey! Why do you look like you're dying the moment I mention rent... You were clearly full of life just now.”

“Also, looking at the future, aren't you living well until then? How can you not be able to now, hey!”

And Gin-san! It's not that I don't pay rent, I just always keep it within a three-month delay. Why don't you believe Gin-san? He has always been paying rent, alright!

“Tsk!”

Landlady Otose turned her head and clicked her tongue.

。。。。。

【 Gintoki returned to Otose's tavern, picked up the relics of Landlady Otose's husband, a jūtte and a sword, planning to bear the burden alone. 】

【 Shinpachi directly punched Gintoki, who was walking away alone, and angrily said, “Is this still Sakata Gintoki?” 】

【 “No matter how many important things are missed, you will never escape responsibility. Wasn't that the oath you made to her husband?” 】

【 “Since you decided to protect, you must protect to the end. That's Sakata Gintoki! Such a small thing can't kill Landlady Otose!” 】

【 “We won't die, and you won't die either. That's because you protect us, and that's because we will definitely protect you!” 】

【 Tama took out a handkerchief and wiped the injuries on Gintoki's face. “We haven't lost anything yet, so don't lose your heart. Let's protect it together! Landlady Otose's... our place.” 】

【 The awakened Gintoki once again made a promise to Tatsugoro's portrait, “I promise you again, what you cherish. We will definitely protect it well.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Gintama Worlds~

“It seems like Shinpachi has finally become a reliable samurai!”

Otae smiled slightly as she looked at the reliable Shinpachi on the screen.

Since they have decided to protect something, they should protect it to the end.

“Gintoki... since something like this happened, why didn't you ask me for help?”

A thought suddenly flashed through Katsura's mind. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that he was Gintoki!

Then he sighed helplessly,

“Even after ten years, you haven't changed! You want to bear everything alone.”

But this time is different; you are finally not bearing everything alone, you have found a place for your weary heart to rest.

。。。。。

【 The next day, Doromizu Pirako had already brought her army of transvestites to Otose's tavern, surrounding the small tavern. Doromizu Pirako held a wooden hammer and began to mobilize, “Let's make it lively to mourn Otose!!” 】

【 A subordinate on the side quickly said, “Wait, young lady! The noren is hung on the door!” 】

【 Agomi of the transvestite army was extremely surprised, her face full of disbelief, “Wha... what's going on? It was hung up early in the morning, this is too diligent!!” 】

【 A subordinate who wasn't afraid of death pushed open the door of Otose's tavern and was extremely surprised to see the figure drinking milk inside, “You... who are you?!” 】

【 “Sorry, someone has booked the place today! I just want to drink alone. I don't want to be disturbed!” Gintoki poured himself a glass of milk and ordered them not to take a single step inside. 】

【 As soon as the subordinates took a step inside, Gintoki just put down his cup, and all the subordinates were knocked out and flew backward, crashing through the door. Until the smoke cleared, Gintoki's figure, drinking milk, appeared, and after casually threw away the strawberry milk carton in his hand. 】

【 Gintoki wiped the corner of his mouth, held the relic jūtte, and pointed at everyone, “Your filthy pig feet are not allowed to take a single step into the store.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, what a 'too diligent', it's really hilarious! This big... uh, the transvestite brother's focus is surprisingly unique, that's not the point, right!”

“Gintoki, although you're very cool, why are you drinking strawberry milk?! And in a tavern, and it's calcium-fortified... How should I say?! Are you going to supplement calcium before a fight?”

People from other worlds thought this scene was indeed somewhat cool, but... this strawberry milk was really too out of place. Normally, shouldn't they be drinking alcohol, which would give them more of a yakuza vibe?

And they hadn't even demolished it yet, but you already demolished the door. Don't forget you haven't paid the rent yet. Be careful, Landlady Otose adds the bill to the rent.

~Gintama World~

“Speaking of which, for such a large-scale street fight, didn't our Shinsengumi show up?”

Hijikata Toushiro felt the situation becoming increasingly serious, but where did their Shinsengumi go?! Could it be that they went on vacation?

Kondo Isao was a little worried,

“Perhaps it's because we are a special unit targeting only the Old Jouishishi, and we can't handle this... I just hope no one dies.”

Strictly speaking, their Shinsengumi is essentially the Shogun's force, and it's unlikely they would get involved in this kind of gang fight.

。。。。。

【 “We, the Otose family, will uphold the path of righteousness here. Let's go!!” Gintoki was like a man in no man's land, taking care of most of the yakuza subordinates in a few moves. 】

【 Tama directly switched to cleaning mode, rotating the mop and swinging it down fiercely, causing an explosion. Kagura directly pulled up a telephone pole and smashed it down hard. Shinpachi also sent a straight thrust, knocking away the subordinate who was trying to ambush Kagura! 】

【 Doromizu Pirako looked at the few people in front, “If you keep dawdling, look! Otose's store will be burned to ashes!” 】

【 It turned out that at some point, someone had been sent to set the roof of the Yorozuya family's house on fire... Kagura quickly ran away, wanting to put out the fire. 】

【 Doromizu Pirako still looked at them with a smile, “Is that okay? You're already short on fighting power, and you're splitting up to put out the fire.” 】

【 “Big brother, you are already isolated and helpless. You are on your own.” 】

【 Doromizu Pirako was stunned after saying that. A water cannon sprayed from somewhere, extinguishing the fire of the Yorozuya. 】

【 Firefighter Tatsumi appeared on the roof holding a water pipe, “Isolated and helpless, on your own?! Not at all, at least there's someone here who has a connection with them... Right, Gin-san!” 】

【 The subordinates directly threw axes over, “Who are you? Do you want to get in the way?” 】

【 “Bang!” With a crisp sound, the axe was hit by a hammer in mid-air and shattered. 】

【 “Such weak iron! You can't hurt these people with weapons like this. Do you need me to forge you a new set?” Tetsuko carried a large hammer and also came to this lawless street. 】

【 Even the tough constable Kozenigata Heiji, with his own background music, came here. 】

【 “What is that strange group?” With a subordinate's exclamation, everyone looked up. 】

【 “If you look closely, there's something strange inside.” 】

【 Gengai was leading his robot army step by step, and MADAO, wearing a cardboard box, pretending to be a robot, was mixed in, “If that store is torn down, I'll be in trouble. There'll be no place to get free drinks.” 】

【 Shinpachi listened with a poker face, “I'll put it on your tab.” 】

【 “Yorozuya, you are not alone. In your past life, you have built friendships with the people here.” Kyoshiro also brought his host club and rushed over, “To make hosts so captivated, you are truly sinful.” 】

【 Otae carried a naginata and brought many hostesses, also appearing on this lawless street, her expression becoming fierce, “You actually want to bear the fate of Kabukicho alone, that's too distant. This city doesn't belong to anyone. It belongs to us... the hostesses, right?” 】

【 As soon as she said this, Shinpachi and Gintoki, who were just showing off, had their faces turn dark. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Tsk tsk tsk... How strong is this network of connections? How much goodwill has the Yorozuya family accumulated over the years?”

“Rather than being isolated and helpless, it's more like Gintoki never thought of asking for help. These people seem to have come to help the Yorozuya family on their own!”

However... why are the people who appear one after another getting stranger and stranger?! Does that cardboard box uncle really think he can pretend to be a robot by wearing a cardboard box?!

And never mind the hosts, why did the hostesses also come to join in the fun, and compared to them... You guys look more like villains, hey! No... is your position a little strange?! Are you here to directly seize the territory?

It was a tense moment, but for some reason, the more they watched, the more they wanted to laugh. Everyone's entrance music was different, which was really out of place!

~Gintama World~

“Gin-san is really too distant. Such a big thing happened, and he didn't ask us, Yoshiwara, for help!”

Hinowa frowned slightly, seemingly a little displeased that Yoshiwara didn't appear in it.

After all, Gintoki helped them so much, and they haven't repaid him. Now that something so big has happened to them! It's really too much to bear that no one from Yoshiwara came to support them.

“Hmm, I've also disliked that Doromizu Pirako for a long time.”

Tsukuyo nodded slightly, then took a puff from her pipe. She also agreed with Hinowa's words. If she knew they were in trouble, she would definitely bring her Hyakka with her.

On the other side, Kondo Isao, inside the Shinsengumi headquarters, was already twisting and turning when he saw Otae, “Otae-san!! So cool.”

。。。。。

Chapter 172: Hyakushu Toushin Ken

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 With the addition of this group, the tide of battle began to turn completely. Gintoki looked at Doromizu Pirako and Saigo, who were back-to-back in front of him. “Retreat quickly, this war is ours... Granny's victory.” 】

【 Kagura and Shinpachi-kun walked out from behind Gintoki. Shinpachi-kun put his wooden sword back in his waist and, with great understanding, caught the real sword that Gintoki threw over. 】

【 “You've already lost because you angered them.” 】

【 Doromizu Pirako laughed as if she had heard a funny joke, mocking Shinpachi-kun. “What can a naive child who doesn't even dare to fight Miss Saigo do?” 】

【 Shinpachi-kun drew the long sword from his waist, his eyes becoming firm, and he said sternly, “Indeed, we were naive children to take you in without knowing anything.” 】

【 “Even if we are betrayed, even if we are deceived, we can usually laugh it off after two days, after all, I'm used to being lied to by girls!” 】

【 “But no matter the reason, you who hurt our mother of Kabukicho can never be forgiven.” 】

【 “I understand. Then please turn into corpses first.” Doromizu Pirako revealed a sinister face. “Where do you want the bright red flowers to bloom? Or... from Big Brother's heart!” 】

【 Doromizu Pirako and Saigo attacked quickly at the same time! Shinpachi-kun was directly sent flying into the air! Kagura was also smashed on the head by Saigo's big hammer. 】

【 When Doromizu Pirako looked at Gintoki, she felt something was wrong, because at this moment, Sakata Gintoki was casually picking his nose. “That thing you mentioned - it won't bloom.” 】

【 Then Doromizu Pirako realized that the sword had broken in half at some point, and Shinpachi-kun, who was flying backwards in the air, directly used the back of the sword to knock Doromizu Pirako to the ground. On the other side, Saigo's wooden hammer was also smashed by Kagura, and with an uppercut, she fell to the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“They really have great chemistry. It would have been funny if Shinpachi-kun hadn't caught the sword when Gintoki threw it.”

“Naive child?! You can really say that. How can that look like a child's combat power?”

Everyone didn't expect that Otose-san could actually be called the mother of Kabukicho by the Yorozuya! No wonder a normal person with no combat power could become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and no one dared to cause trouble.

The small favors Otose-san had accumulated over time had long built this street into a copper-walled and iron-clad street.

But... why does the silver-haired perm, who is the protagonist, love picking his nose so much?! Pay attention to your dignity!

~Gintama World~

“Hey, hey, hey, what mother of Kabukicho? That's too embarrassing, can you not do that?”

Otose-san felt a little embarrassed when she heard Shinpachi-kun describe her like that, even though she was old.

“Exactly, Shinpachi-kun! Have you ever seen a mother who always asks you for rent?! She's just an old hag.”

As soon as Gintoki finished speaking, Kagura on the side pressed his head onto the table, along with Shinpachi-kun next to him.

“Gin-chan, Okaa-san doesn't remember raising you to be so impolite.”

Kagura pretended to be a mother and lectured Gintoki.

Then she showed a kind expression and looked at Shinpachi-kun. “Hey, why did you say all the cool words?! You're just a glasses frame, read the atmosphere, hey!”

。。。。。

On the other side, in the Shinsengumi headquarters, Hijikata Toushiro and others were slightly surprised, putting down the mayonnaise ramen they were about to eat.

“When did this glasses-wearing guy become so strong?!”

Sougo said something he didn't even believe with a serious face.

“Maybe it's because of that... his eye's rage meter is full, and he can release Getsuga Tenshou!”

“Captain... Is it possible that Shinpachi-kun has always been quite strong?”

Only Sagaru Yamazaki, on the side, weakly spoke the truth.

Shinpachi-kun is very strong; it's just that the people around him are even stronger. Any ordinary person like them would definitely not be his opponent.

Don't underestimate the words “Dojo heir.”

。。。。。

【 Saigo, who was lying on the ground, simply played along. “It seems I can't stand up for a while. This is troublesome. How can I stop you now!” 】

【 Gintoki walked past him. “Listen, this is me talking to myself, kid. We'll find a way. You can just pretend to be asleep.” 】

【 Saigo smiled knowingly, lay on the ground, and closed his eyes. “Then this is also me talking to myself... Don't die.” 】

【 While they were acting, Kyoushirou, on the other side, directly cut down a transvestite with one slash, spraying a large amount of blood! 】

【 Agomi watched this scene and started spouting nonsense with a serious face. “I've seen that swordsmanship! It is said to be the one-strike inherited transvestite assassination sword - Hyakushu Toushin Ken!” 】

【 The transvestite on the side felt like it was true. “I think I've heard of it!” 】

【 “We've encountered our strong enemy of transvestites here.” Then Agomi put his hands together, and a blue light emanated from his body. 】

【 Now it was Kyoushirou's turn to be surprised. “Could this stance be...!!” 】

【 Agomi opened his eyes and quickly assumed a posture with his hands. “That's right, the inheritor of the Gama Sen Ryu, the paired technique to the Hyakushu Toushin Ken, the host slayer fist, I am - Fist King Agomi!” 】

【 “Sorry, I don't know.” Kyoushirou expressionlessly cut him down directly. 】

【 Agomi, who was lying on the ground, showed a very exaggerated expression: “To be able to cut off my chin at the end, I have no regrets in my life!!” 】

【 Then he was surprised to find that he was fine. It turned out that the sword that cut him was just a toy sword, and they were just acting. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Talking to yourself... They're almost explicitly acting, who are they pretending for, there are no outsiders here.”

“Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter... This is the legendary 'I ignore your performance while you perform', Agomi is hilarious!”

Everyone couldn't stop laughing watching the interaction between Agomi and Kyoushirou, especially when Agomi said it so seriously, they almost thought such a ridiculous ultimate skill really existed...

One is better at making things up than the other, and one is better at acting than the other! Also, don't add strange settings. Why are you two suddenly so chuunibyou? It's really going to kill me...

A serious fight suddenly has this kind of thing.

Hyakushu Toushin Ken Agomi is being blackened too much, and in the end, everyone was faking the fight from beginning to end, right?

。。。。。

【 Just as Doromizu Pirako was about to leave, she was attacked by the Kujaku Hime Kada faction. Fortunately, Saigo blocked it with his body. 】

【 And Jirochou in the main building also saw her purpose. “Use the kid as an explosive to ignite a war in this city. Let the Four Heavenly Kings factions exhaust each other, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop and monopolize this city. That's probably it.” 】

【 Kujaku Hime Kada waved the feather fan in her hand, and a group of celestial beings in white robes appeared behind her, laughing proudly. “I have already prepared the banquet.” 】

【 Jirochou was slightly surprised when he saw this. “You actually brought so many Moon Rabbits and Takijini, mercenary races comparable to each other. You're indeed not just a big sister who likes gambling!” 】

【 Kujaku Hime Kada had a look of triumph at this moment. “This city already belongs to me, no, it belongs to the space pirates Harusame, Captain of the Fourth Division, Kujaku Hime Kada!” 】

【 Jirochou's eyes narrowed slightly. “Don't underestimate Kabukicho!” 】

【 As soon as he finished speaking, the door behind Kujaku Hime Kada was kicked open, and the figures of the Yorozuya family appeared here. Gintoki looked at the mercenary group in the middle. “I've kept you waiting, black-faced old man! Although I really wanted to say I came to settle accounts with you, it seems I've been dawdling too long, and the situation has changed.” 】

【 “You're quite understanding.” Jirochou and Gintoki seemed to have a tacit understanding, and they understood each other's thoughts in an instant. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Gintama World~

“Hey, hey, hey, this has caught a big fish! The space pirate group Harusame.”

In the Shogun's mansion, the bearded old man with his hands in his pockets didn't expect that there were people from the Harusame pirate group hidden in Edo.

Shogun Tokugawa Shige Shige also immediately issued an arrest order.

“Matsudaira, immediately have the Shinsengumi carry out the arrest.”

No matter what their purpose is, their existence will only do harm and no good. Only by arresting them first can the people have peace.

The Shinsengumi, on the other side, hadn't waited for the order yet and had already voluntarily gone to arrest them. After all, this was a major threat to the safety of Edo.

But Kujaku Hime Kada wasn't stupid. Seeing the video expose her identity, she cursed under her breath and prepared to retreat! By the time the Shinsengumi arrived, the place was already empty.

However, Kujaku Hime Kada, who was not protected by the mercenary group, was still easily caught by Zura. After all, when it comes to escaping, Zura is a professional.

Notes:

Author Note: After writing the Four Heavenly Kings arc in Gintama, I will end it for now, just to lay the groundwork... I will write about the Hot Pot arc or the Two Years Later arc later if I have the chance.

Chapter 173: The Gintoki of the Four Heavenly Kings ends

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After Gintoki finished instructing Shinpachi and Kagura to go save Saigō-san's child, he looked at Jirōchōu across the room. “You and I are both isolated. We just need to cut down everyone who can still move besides ourselves.” 】

【 Jirōchōu's hand went to the sword at his waist. “The last one standing here wins. It's simple, I like it.” 】

【 “Hehehehe!!” The two of them then started laughing, their laughter growing louder and their expressions gradually becoming distorted. 】

【 The next moment, countless splashes of blood flew through the air. The Chinseng, known as the universe's mercenary group, were sent flying out of nowhere. Gintoki roared in anger, cutting down one after another as he charged forward. “Old man!!” 】

【 “Brat!!” Jirōchōu also charged towards the other side in anger, cutting down the Chinseng mercenaries blocking his path until they reached the center. 】

【 “Before I kill you,” Gintoki and Jirōchōu stood back-to-back, holding their swords with both hands, “don't die.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A strange desire to win has increased. Is this what you call becoming friends despite the age difference after fighting?”

“I didn't expect the dead-eyed guy to be so cool when he's serious. Damn it, he really pulled it off.”

Everyone was surprised that Jirōchōu and Gintoki could reach a tacit understanding to face the outside world together at this moment. It seemed the complexity between them was deeper than imagined.

And it also let everyone know what it meant for laughter to be distorted.

Anyone passing by who heard it would probably call the police and say there were perverts here.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is this considered a transfer of conflict?! When the two of them were in conflict, the appearance of a third person immediately attracted all the hatred.”

Shirou Emiya blinked blankly. Was this the tacit understanding between men?

“Uh... doesn't Gintoki have a grudge against Jirōchōu?”

On the other side, Rin Tōsaka was completely confused. After all, if it were just Jirōchōu alone, he would definitely be dead. There was no need for Gintoki to make a move!

~Gintama World~

“Hahahaha, they're really not old yet! Professional universe mercenary group?! Sorry, they are the professional Jōishishi.”

Katsura looked at Gintoki's figure, wielding a real sword with a nostalgic gaze. This was more like the White Yaksha from before.

He looked at the Hua Tuo(Kada) he had captured. It was time for the Jōi!

Since he knew the target, don't blame me, Katsura Kotarō, for not following martial ethics.

。。。。。

【 On the other side, Teruhiko, Saigō's son, who was locked in the warehouse, suddenly felt the door open. He looked back with some surprise. “Who... who is it!” 】

【 Catherine was wearing a black tight-fitting suit, leaning against the door, and posing. She blew a kiss at Teruhiko. “The phantom thief who came to open the door to paradise, Almighty Key Catherine, sorry to keep you waiting, nya!” 】

【 Teruhiko closed the door expressionlessly. This made Catherine explode with anger. She shouted loudly, “Why did you close the door?! Do you know how much effort it took to get here?!” 】

【 “Who... who is it!” Teruhiko heard another sound from inside and quietly opened the door a crack again. 】

【 “It's all Catherine's fault for wearing such strange clothes. Everyone was scared of you.” Kagura and Shinpachi were both wearing white, tight-fitting suits and cat ear headbands. “That's right!” 】

【 Then the two of them posed with Catherine. “You can relax because we, the Kabuki Cats, are here to save you.” 】

【 “Bang!” Seeing this scene, Teruhiko slammed the door shut! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Heh! This glimpse into the child's childhood will probably take a lifetime to heal.”

“What kind of bizarre Cat's Eye sisters are these?! No wonder the child would rather be locked up than leave. It's really too embarrassing.”

Everyone almost died laughing at Shinpachi and the others' outfits. Even Teruhiko, as a child, understood that as a human being, this was too shameful.

~Gintama World~

“Hahahaha, what kind of outfit is that, Shinpachi! Have you finally awakened?!”

Gintoki was enjoying the show and laughing heartily.

But Shinpachi, how much do you like cat ears? It wasn't enough that you were tricked by a cat ear girl before, and now you're dressing up as a cat ear girl yourself, right...

Gintoki suddenly felt that he had really underestimated Shinpachi.

“...Gin-san, I don't want to explain. I won't say a word until my lawyer arrives.”

Shinpachi held his head in his hands, wishing he could kill his future self.

Now it was over... He had no luck with women to begin with, and now he would probably have to move to a different place to live for the rest of his life.

Kagura looked at Gintoki, who was laughing wildly, and Shinpachi, who was depressed and somewhat confused.

“Gin-chan, Shinpachi! Why do I think it's pretty good?! It's fun.”

。。。。。

【 Back to Gintoki's side, both Gintoki and Jirōchōu were covered in injuries. Although the Moon rabbits were weak individually, they were all fearless of death, and their numbers were overwhelming. 】

【 Jirōchōu was also struggling to cope. He stabbed a Moon rabbit with his sword, but the other party held onto the hilt tightly. Other Moon rabbits took the opportunity to attack, stabbing Jirōchōu in the back. 】

【 “These... these two guys...” Hua Tuo(Kada) looked at the two people back-to-back in the center in surprise, his eyes fierce as he quickly said, “I will stake the reputation of Harusame. Make sure they stop breathing.” 】

【 A group of Moon rabbits surrounded them again. Gintoki and Jirōchōu could only continue to fight, ignoring their injuries. If they hesitated for a moment, they would be the ones to die. 】

【 They didn't know how long they had fought, staggering and falling to the ground. At this moment, the room was filled with corpses and blood! 】

【 Without allowing themselves to rest, the two of them shakily stood up and simultaneously let out roars, using the last bit of strength in their bodies to cut down the last two Moon rabbits! 】

【 Hua Tuo(Kada) watched the two people standing in the center, breathing heavily, with cold sweat on their faces. “They actually killed them all... with just two people... my elites! They were actually killed by these low-level monkeys... How is that possible!” 】

【 “Harusame will settle this score with you.” Hua Tuo(Kada) finished his threat and turned to leave. Gintoki wanted to chase after him, but collapsed onto the ground with Jirōchōu, breathing heavily. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This race relies on human wave tactics and cooperation, right... They're not afraid of death, and their main focus is on surprise attacks and cooperation! They're like ants, drowning their opponents with numbers.”

“It's really ruthless! A group of suicide bombers. No matter how strong someone is, it's difficult to deal with a war of attrition. As humans, their stamina is already limited.”

Everyone swallowed their saliva as they watched the brutal battle. This was a fight to the death in the true sense! Even if they were injured, they couldn't stop for a moment, otherwise they would be the ones to die.

And what was terrifying about the Moon rabbits' race was that they didn't make a single sound, even when they were fighting until the end! They were like death squads, existing solely for the sake of fighting.

This fighting style involved exchanging their lives for the opponent's weakness and then stabbing the opponent to death in an instant.

。。。。。

【 Jirōchōu rolled over and said with emotion, “Just chasing a fox out of the city made me like this... I really don't want to get old.” 】

【 Then Jirōchōu sat up and looked at the jūtte in Gintoki's arms, his hand holding the kiseru pausing. “Little brother. Is that guy's jūtte?” 】

【 Gintoki: “I just made a promise and took it without permission. You... you didn't really want to kill Grandma, did you!” 】

【 By now, Gintoki wasn't stupid. He had already guessed Jirōchōu's true intentions. 】

【 Jirōchōu: “Let's settle this. Who is worthy of being the guardian of the kiseru and the jūtte?” 】

【 Gintoki had already made up his mind. “I'm not interested in being a guardian. But I will never break a promise again. We won't back down, and we can't back down.” 】

【 “You and I should know better than anyone else. We can only force our opponent to back down with force and keep moving forward.” 】

【 Gintoki threw the jūtte in his hand into the air, and Jirōchōu simultaneously threw his kiseru. Both of them took up the stance of Iaijutsu. 】

【 Gintoki: “I will live for my promise, so...” 】

【 Jirōchōu: “You for your promise...” 】

【 “Die!” The two of them crossed paths. By the time Tsubaki Hirako and the others arrived, it was Jirōchōu's kiseru that was shattered! 】

【 Gintoki caught the jūtte and tossed it in his hand. “What was shattered was your promise. I won!” 】

【 As soon as he said this, Jirōchōu looked at his shattered sword in surprise. “Damn it... Why didn't you kill me?” 】

【 “I will never break a promise again. Quit smoking, old man!” Gintoki remembered the promise he made in front of Otose's husband: We will definitely protect the things you cherish. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So this is the battle between chivalrous men. Perhaps for them, fulfilling a promise is the most important thing.”

“When you get old, you should also hand over the burdens on your shoulders to the younger generation. Both of them should be fighting for responsibility! The so-called battle is to see if the other party has the ability to protect.”

Everyone also understood that this battle of beliefs had to be fought...

The winning family would carry on the other's beliefs, and the losing person could put down their burden and be relieved.

At this time, Gintoki probably wanted Jirōchōu to go back to Pirako's side and be a father! After all, when he knew that Jirōchōu didn't really want to kill Grandma, Gintoki no longer had a reason to fight him.

So his duel with Jirōchōu was to prove that he had the ability to protect this street and let Jirōchōu retire with peace of mind.

~Gintama World~

“Yare yare, as expected of Danna, he treats the things in this city the same as them! But Danna cut off the chain that was binding Jirōchōu.”

Sōgō's pupils turned blood red at this moment.

After watching their fight, Sōgō couldn't hold back anymore.

By helping the other party break their oath, the side whose memento was cut off could finally be relieved. In the end, Danna was still superior.

。。。。。

Otose took a puff of her cigarette and cursed silently,

“Jirōchōu is still a fool, just like before.”

For a promise, he wasn't allowed to abandon his family and was locked on this street.

He was already old and didn't need his protection.

And... Otose looked at the Yorozuya and Tama in front of her. She had them, and that was enough. Although they were usually unreliable and always owed rent! But they were all her family.

Notes:

Translator-kun: Looks like the Next one is one of the best scenes.... Such as “Here I come ██ ██ ██. Do you have enough weapons in stock?” Look forward to it :)

Chapter 174: New inventory: Here I come, King of Heroes. Do you have enough weapons in stock?

Chapter Text


~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hmph, what a bunch of mongrels. To be so pathetic is truly beneath me.”

At the King's Feast, Gilgamesh snorted disdainfully. The combat power of that world was simply not worth his attention. However, there were some enjoyable aspects.

It was quite amusing.

“Well... you can't really say that, King of Heroes!”

Iskandar tilted his head back and took a swig of wine.

“Every world has its own unique charm. It truly makes me want to conquer them all.”

No matter which world it was, he found it interesting, and he wished he could personally go and experience it.

“A new video has appeared. Let's watch it first! I wonder what amazing world it will bring us this time.”

Gilgamesh seemed to agree with Iskandar's words and didn't say much more until a new scene appeared on the screen!

。。。。。

【 A title appeared on the screen 】

 

【 Famous Scene: 《 Emiya Shirou vs. Gilgamesh, Here I come, King of Heroes. Do you have enough weapons in stock? 》 】

 

【 Then the video began to play. 】

【 It was a late night, and light snow was falling. Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou were sitting under the eaves, seemingly talking. 】

【 Tohsaka Rin suddenly leaned closer to Emiya Shirou, staring into his eyes. “Answer me honestly, Emiya-kun! I might have made a very important mistake.” 】

【 “Yes, that's right! I've never felt that training magecraft was fun. magecraft itself is...” Emiya Shirou knew what she wanted to say, and then spoke his true feelings. 】

【 “But! If I can make the people around me happy, then I'm happy. So, if I learn magecraft well! Maybe someday it will help others, that's what I think!” 】

【 “I once wanted to become a hero of justice like Kiritsugu. That's why I learned magecraft. Those are all my reasons...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Big Brother?!”

Miyu was stunned when she saw Emiya Shirou appear this time, then she reacted.

“No, this isn't... or rather, it should be a Big brother from another world!”

Although they looked the same, and even their ideals were the same!

However, for some reason, Miyu felt that this was not the Big Brother from her world.

“Huh?! Is this me from another world? A parallel world?!”

Tohsaka Rin was even more confused than Miyu. However, she was aware of Miyu's existence and Emiya Shirou from the very first video.

But she didn't expect that there was another version of herself in other worlds.

She hoped she wouldn't make too much of a fool of herself! She didn't want to die of embarrassment!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Another Emiya Shirou?!”

Emiya Kiritsugu rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache.

What kind of ideas had he instilled in Emiya Shirou? Why did every version want to inherit his will and become a hero of justice?

Irisviel's eyes widened, and she counted absentmindedly with her hands.

“Another son... but this personality seems a bit too kind.”

The Emiya Shirou who appeared before was someone who could abandon the whole world for his sister... What kind of choice would this Emiya Shirou, who wanted to become a hero of justice, make?!

“Hahahaha, how interesting! Then let's have a competition!”

Gilgamesh, who was nearby, was quite interested. The previous Emiya Shirou fought against a fake with his power.

Although he didn't lose, in his opinion, he had already lost. However, now it seemed he could redeem himself.

In the Tohsaka mansion on the other side, Tohsaka Tokiomi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat as he looked at Tohsaka Rin on the screen... Wasn't that his daughter?!

She seemed to be about ten years older, but how did she get involved with Emiya Kiritsugu's child?!

。。。。。

【 The scene changed, and in front of a pile of black mud, Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin were facing off against Gilgamesh! 】

【 “Ten years ago, there were fewer than 500 people, but this time, a disaster will befall the entire world. Let's see how many people can survive after the redundant ones are eliminated?” 】

【 Gilgamesh, wearing modern clothes, revealed his crimson pupils. “Isn't that interesting?” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin said mockingly with a cold sweat, “Only a pervert like you would find that interesting. I was a fool to ask you seriously.” 】

【 “Now I'm going to stop your Holy Grail for you to see.” 】

【 Gilgamesh laughed as if he had heard a funny joke. “Hahahaha, you're going to walk through this curse?! Do you think mere humans can walk through it?” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin swallowed the gem in her hand. “Hmph, don't underestimate me. I'll endure this level of curse for you to see.” 】

【 “It's quite captivating, but...” Gilgamesh's expression darkened, and he said in a deep voice, “Who allowed you to retreat before this king?!” 】

【 As soon as he finished speaking, a golden ripple appeared behind him! A weapon with a cold gleam emerged from it and flew straight towards Tohsaka Rin! 】

【 “Bang!” Emiya Shirou, who had sensed it, projected twin swords and deflected the incoming weapon. 】

【 “Don't touch Tohsaka. Your opponent is me.” 】

【 Gilgamesh sighed. “Although it was supposed to be a warm-up before welcoming Saber, I didn't expect it to be so boring. You filthy faker. Let me show you the difference between truth and falsehood.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Uh... Isn't this Gilgamesh the Wise King?! During the Absolute Demonic Front, he showed us the glory of Uruk.”

“Compared to that, he's more like a pervert right now, and is that black mud Tiamat again?!”

Everyone recalled Tiamat, whom several gods could not stop before. The product of this black mud seemed somewhat similar to back then. If it were true, who could stop it here?

Although this pervert was a bit perverted, well... Gilgamesh's last few sentences were quite kingly!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“...”

Gilgamesh's mouth twitched slightly as he looked at himself on the screen.

That was his chuunibyou phase, which both his younger self and his current self wanted to beat up!

Merlin, not one to miss out on a good show, said in a subtle tone,

“Oh my, it seems you were summoned as a Servant. But it looks like you're going to fight that Emiya boy.”

And it seemed he was a bit careless, looking down on Emiya Shirou's projections... If he had watched the first video, perhaps he wouldn't be so frivolous and careless.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hmm?! Was this king summoned again in the next Holy Grail War?”

Gilgamesh frowned slightly as he looked at his appearance.

“Ten years ago?!”

And from that sentence, it seemed to be soon.

Iskandar suddenly shook his head.

“Oh dear, that's not a good sign, King of Heroes!”

Having witnessed the battle of the previous Emiya Shirou, if you dared to underestimate the opponent, you would stumble!

Although he didn't know what connection the Emiya Shirou on the screen had with the previous Emiya Shirou, since it was a parallel world, the abilities they possessed should be quite similar!

。。。。。

In the Tohsaka mansion, Tohsaka Tokiomi was now covered in cold sweat.

“How is that possible... Isn't the Holy Grail War every 60 years?! Gilgamesh was summoned again after ten years?!”

Seeing his daughter dare to talk to Gilgamesh like that, it almost scared him to death! He was afraid that this unpredictable king would suddenly kill His Daughter.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Hehe... The fake you look down on might give you a surprise.”

Miyu was a little angry when she heard Gilgamesh call Emiya Shirou a fake.

This Gilgamesh was truly cut from the same cloth, all equally arrogant!

Angelica before also looked down on her brother's abilities.

Don't forget that before, her brother almost defeated Angelica, who possessed your power, by using these 'fakes' with a human body.

。。。。。

【 “Rumble—” 】

【 Gilgamesh stood on the eaves, and several golden ripples appeared behind him. Weapon after weapon with a cold gleam emerged from them! 】

【 Accompanied by the sound of air being torn, a weapon quickly flew out from the golden ripples and blasted towards the ground! 】

【 “Damn it...” Emiya Shirou, holding twin swords, dodged frantically and fell to the ground, panting heavily. 】

【 “Know your place, mongrel! This rare feast will be wasted.” 】

【 Gilgamesh, with one hand in his pocket, had more and more golden ripples appearing behind him. Then he looked into the distance. “It's about time.” 】

【 Above the sky, a black-red void suddenly appeared, and countless black mud poured out from it. Gilgamesh looked at this scene and said, “Boy, do you know what that is? That is the wish the Holy Grail has absorbed.” 】

【 “The true nature of you mongrels. The evil nature of humanity.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap, is Tiamat not really reappearing, how are we going to deal with so much black mud?! Don't forget it also has the ability to corrupt people's minds!”

“This Emiya Shirou doesn't seem to have the same aura as the previous Emiya Shirou... Or do they have different abilities?!”

Everyone looked at the somewhat disheveled Emiya Shirou and then at Gilgamesh, who looked like a villain boss, and was silently speechless.

Gilgamesh! Aren't you the Wise King?! What did you go through to become so chuunibyou? Before, you saved the world, and now you look more like a villain.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“That's... the corrupted Holy Grail?!”

Dr. Romani exclaimed. The black mud should have been born with Tiamat, so what was happening with these appearances?

“Didn't Gilgamesh say it? That's human evil...!”

Da Vinci also frowned slightly, not expecting the Holy Grail to be so heavily contaminated.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Ah! How disgusting...”

Tohsaka Rin shrank back in disgust, thinking that she might have walked into it in the future, and couldn't help but feel a chill.

“...”

Red Archer[Emiya] silently looked at Emiya Shirou. He, who also wanted to become a hero of justice, didn't he kill his past self in the future?!

。。。。。

Chapter 175: Trace on!

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, blue lights, like shooting stars, continuously flew across the sky, gathering in the dark hole in the sky, and the black mud was still pouring down. 】

【 Gilgamesh watched the changes in the sky with interest, “To fulfill various wishes, that is to say, it can be summarized as bringing about change by surpassing the limits of life.” 】

【 “Why can't wishes be fulfilled? It's because for humans, there are inherent limits. Bound by your physical bodies, you can never be satisfied.” 】

【 Saying this, Gilgamesh spread his hands and laughed heartily with great pleasure, “Wahaha!” 】

【 After speaking, he sat down on the eaves without a care in the world. Several golden ripples appeared behind him, and various strangely shaped weapons, one after another, flew out from within, gleaming with cold light. 】

【 “Clang—!!” Emiya Shirou swung the weapon in his hand, appearing to block the attack with great difficulty. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is he tired of standing and decided to sit? I have to say, he's got some guts, sitting down to fight Emiya Shirou!”

Everyone had witnessed the power of Giant Hero Emiya, who had fought Angelica, who possessed Gilgamesh's power, to a standstill.

Although it might be a parallel world, wouldn't Gilgamesh be too careless sitting down to face Emiya Shirou now?!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Iskandar touched the beard on his chin, pondering Gilgamesh,

“King of Heroes, you're not standing on a lamppost now, but sitting on a rooftop?”

He remembered that every time he saw the King of Heroes, he appeared standing on a lamppost. He had even thought Gilgamesh had some strange preference for lampposts...

Gilgamesh glanced at him,

“If you also want to start a fight now, this king doesn't mind giving you a ride.”

Compared to the other two kings who remained calm despite seeing the future corrupted Holy Grail, Artoria stared blankly at the screen.

“Wishes cannot be fulfilled?!... What's going on?”

Has the Holy Grail been corrupted and can't grant wishes? Is it filled with the defilement of human evil?!

。。。。。

On the other side, Diarmuid looked at the King of Heroes using Noble Phantasms as if they were free arrows, and silently looked at his two brushes... Oh no, they were lances! It was truly a case of some suffering from drought while others had too much water.

As for the Holy Grail not being able to grant wishes?! What does that have to do with me? The wish for which I was summoned is simply to uphold my honor; that is enough. I don't need the Holy Grail.

。。。。。

【 At this moment, Gilgamesh spoke quite leisurely and mockingly, “A king has his pride. When I start dealing with mongrels seriously, it's a defeat for this king. So be grateful.” 】

【 “This king won't deal with you seriously.” 】

【 After hearing Gilgamesh's words, Emiya Shirou below ignored them, or rather, it was better for him this way. So he raised his hand and cast his most practiced magic, “Trace!” 】

【 “On!” 】

【 Blue light emanated from Emiya Shirou's hands, and then two weapons appeared. However, in the next second, the weapons in his hands were instantly shattered by two weapons flying out from the golden ripples. 】

【 The terrifying power made Emiya Shirou take two steps back. He placed his hands on his knees, panting heavily. 】

【 Then he raised his head again and looked at Gilgamesh above, saying firmly, “Trace on!” 】

【 Magic power emitting blue light gathered in Emiya Shirou's hands, and then condensed into two weapons, one black and one white. 】

【 “What's wrong? The quality seems to have decreased.” Gilgamesh chuckled as he looked at him, seemingly dissatisfied, “Are you only strong with your words? Faker.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Suddenly, I have a bad feeling. As the saying goes, villains die from talking too much, and the king's pride won't let him take it seriously. Perhaps this is why he will be defeated in the future.”

“Where did my Wise King go... Why does this Gilgamesh keep saying 'mongrel'?”

Everyone from other worlds watched this scene in silence.

The Gilgamesh in the Absolute Demonic Front was arrogant but not arrogant and careless. Was the one who kept saying “mongrel” the same person? The difference was too great.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“The quality of the projected items has decreased, and the amount of magic power he possesses is too low!”

Gilgamesh shook his head. The previous Big Hero Emiya had the Holy Grail's magic power boost, so he could clear the Holy Grail War in one night with a human body.

Even at the end, he overdrafted his life to exchange for magic power.

This was the difference in resolve. If he could, he would like to see Emiya Shirou give that chuunibyou self of his a good beating.

“Although I don't want to admit it, that chuunibyou self of mine was right about one thing. A king has his pride. When this king takes it seriously, it's a defeat for this king.”

After all, if he had to take a Servant seriously to deal with a human, then this king would undoubtedly have lost.

。。。。。

【 Emiya Shirou ignored Gilgamesh's mockery, instead clenching his teeth. A memory involuntarily surfaced in his mind: a white-haired Archer turned his head to look at him and said softly, “You will defeat him.” 】

【 The scene returned to reality. At this moment, Emiya Shirou looked at the leisurely Gilgamesh in front of him, gripping his weapon and gritting his teeth: “That bastard! How am I supposed to do this in this situation?” 】

【 “With my skill, I can't defeat that guy's Noble Phantasms at all.” 】

【 “There's only one thing I can do. I can only collide with the exact same things as the Noble Phantasms he shoots out to cancel them out!” 】

【 “In that case...” Emiya Shirou seemed to have thought of something and closed his eyes. The dual swords in his hands also disappeared. When he opened his eyes again, he firmly shouted that phrase again: “Trace!” 】

【 His eyes quickly scanned the weapons in the golden ripples. A green light flashed across the weapons coming out from the center of the golden ripples, one after another. 】

【 “Copy all of them!!” 】

【 “On!!” 】

【 As Emiya Shirou's words fell, his left arm began to emit a rather dazzling light. Centered around Emiya Shirou, the Noble Phantasms that originally belonged to Gilgamesh were copied and appeared behind Emiya Shirou, one by one. 】

【 “Experience acquired, empathy complete, process finished! Full projection, standby!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“He's indeed powerful, but he's still a bit short of Big Hero Emiya. The Big Hero Emiya from back then could create Divine Constructs just by looking at them...”

“Seeing this familiar scene, if Gilgamesh doesn't get serious, he's going to suffer a loss.”

Everyone couldn't help but exclaim in surprise at Emiya Shirou's blatant act of piracy. He was truly a natural counter to Gilgamesh! Using his eyes as a scanner, it was a direct copy and paste.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Kiritsugu silently looked at this person who was suspected to be the child he had adopted,

“Is this Projection Magecraft... that powerful? He's really made something of it.”

Projection Magecraft was not rare, but rather quite common.

Because it was formed from mana, it couldn't be materialized for a long time. And when the illusion had flaws, it would also dissipate, making it considered an extremely inefficient act!

But did it really seem that way now?! What was originally only a temporary, superficial borrowing that lasted only a few minutes, but Emiya Shirou's Projection had unprecedentedly overturned these concepts!

Irisviel ignored all this and silently cheered for Emiya Shirou. Since he was adopted by Emiya Kiritsugu, he was her child after all.

。。。。。

Gilgamesh's hand holding the wine glass paused slightly. He wasn't surprised that Emiya Shirou could copy the Noble Phantasms from his treasury. He had already witnessed it with the previous Big Hero Emiya.

The only thing he was currently confused about was,

“...Where did he get so much mana?!”

。。。。。

【 “Oh?! There are quite a few this time!” Gilgamesh seemed quite surprised. Then he stood up from the eaves, looking very interested, “So that's it, you've copied all the Noble Phantasms you saw in my eyes. Then let's give you a score.” 】

【 Just as Gilgamesh was speaking, the golden ripples also slightly rotated and changed direction. The Noble Phantasms inside also began to emerge, aiming at Emiya Shirou in the distance. 】

【 “No matter how lifelike they are, I will erase every single one of them from this world.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou accepted them all and copied them one by one, “Stop thawing! Full projection, continuous rewrite.” 】

【 “Bang, bang, bang—!” 】

【 The collision between Noble Phantasms caused an explosion. Rounds and rounds of fire appeared in the night sky, like the sun, illuminating everything around. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A battle between genuine and fake, hasn't this become a low-spec version of Gilgamesh... hehehe”

“If the quality between the genuine and the fake is similar, then the rest is a comparison of mana. But... can Emiya Shirou, as a human, really compare to the King of Heroes?!”

Although it was unclear if Emiya Shirou in this world had the Reality Marble Unlimited Blade Works, even if he did, he probably wouldn't be an opponent.

Big Hero Emiya also lost to Gilgamesh's uncopyable Noble Phantasm, Enuma Elish. Even using all his swords, he couldn't match it. How could he win? Or would he lose regretfully like Big Hero Emiya?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Tohsaka Rin looked at Emiya Shirou with some disbelief, as if she had just met him for the first time. Her eyes widened, and she said in disbelief,

“Emiya-kun, if I'm not mistaken, you're facing a Servant. How can a human fight a Servant?!”

But now Emiya Shirou was actually fighting a Servant with a human body, and from the looks of it, they were fighting back and forth! This made Tohsaka Rin, who considered herself to understand Emiya Shirou, extremely shocked.

What's going on?? Didn't you just say you weren't good at magecraft, and now you're fighting him to a standstill? Were you acting the whole time?!

“Uh... Calm down, calm down, I'm not too sure either.”

Emiya Shirou was more confused than she was. He only knew ordinary reinforcement magecraft and projection magecraft. Where did he get such great ability?!

。。。。。

Chapter 176: What is that… I can't interpret it!

Chapter Text

 

【 Gilgamesh watched the explosion calmly, his face unchanged, and he still chuckled with infinite confidence, “For a glass product, it sure is tough!” 】

【 “But… if you copy in a hurry, you'll fall apart.” 】

【 As soon as Gilgamesh finished speaking, more Noble Phantasms emerged from the golden ripples behind him, as if there was no limit. 】

【 And Emiya Shirou also gritted his teeth, looking at the golden ripples behind Gilgamesh, the mark on his left hand reappearing, “Trace On!” 】

【 Several more copied Noble Phantasms, accompanied by blue light, appeared around Emiya Shirou, but at this moment, he could only clench his teeth and persevere, seemingly reaching his limit. 】

【 “But… that's truly a foolish idea.” Gilgamesh looked at Emiya Shirou calmly, “Considering you couldn't defeat me, dismantling the Holy Grail was the correct judgment, but, in that case, you should have just killed that man.” 】

【 At this point, the scene showed Tohsaka Rin. At this moment, she had already waded through the black mud lake and rescued Shinji from the mountain-like mass of flesh. She was now sitting on the mass of flesh, gritting her teeth and persevering; clearly, the erosion of the black mud was a considerable burden for her. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Seeing this, everyone's brows furrowed slightly. If it weren't for Gilgamesh's constant explanations, giving Emiya Shirou a chance to catch his breath, perhaps he wouldn't have had time to copy those Noble Phantasms and would have been defeated long ago.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Huh, that's me! And Matou Shinji?”

At this moment, Tohsaka Rin was bewildered by the confusing act of rescuing Shinji on the screen,

“Did I go crazy or stupid to go and rescue Matou Shinji?!”

If it were Emiya-kun she was rescuing, perhaps it would be somewhat possible. After all, in middle school, she had passed by the sports field and saw Emiya Shirou practicing high jump, a height that was clearly impossible to reach, yet he never stopped.

It was because of that time that Tohsaka Rin had paid some attention to Emiya Shirou's existence… but she would never rescue Matou Shinji!

One must know that this was a Holy Grail War where it was either you die or I live! There was only one victor, and she didn't think she would be kind enough to rescue an opponent, especially someone she usually didn't get along with.

“What on earth happened in this Holy Grail War?”

Tohsaka Rin covered her head with her hands, feeling like her brain was about to explode with too much information.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“It's already quite good, this young lady. She actually blocked the erosion of the black mud.”

Da Vinci almost mistook her appearance for Ishtar every time she saw her… that unreliable goddess.

So it turns out that the one they were possessing when they manifested in this world was this little girl, and it seems even Ereshkigal of the Underworld is fond of her. Is there something special about her?

“Human Evil…”

Dr. Roman was currently deep in thought, seemingly pondering something.

。。。。。

【 Gilgamesh continued, “If you wanted to stop the Holy Grail, killing Shinji was the correct thing to do. Even in this situation, a hypocrisy of wanting to save him.” 】

【 “Is the embodiment of a mongrel!” Gilgamesh's tone was full of mockery. 】

【 But at this moment, Emiya Shirou didn't have much strength left to retort. At this moment, his outstretched left hand trembled slightly, his expression slightly distorted, and he was about to collapse. 】

【 In a short period of time, copying so many Noble Phantasms, even he couldn't withstand such a large consumption of mana. 】

【 “Boom—” A loud noise from the side interrupted their conversation. Gilgamesh looked to the side with displeasure, “What?...” 】

【 Only to see that where the explosion came from, a pillar of flesh stood on the ground, then transformed into a giant hand, reaching out towards Gilgamesh! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What kind of bizarre creature is this?! This terrible shape gives me such a disgusting feeling.”

Everyone looked at the wriggling pillar of flesh, inexplicably feeling a little nauseous. Coupled with its terrible appearance, it was truly an eye-opener.

~Gintama World~

“Is that it… the Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon, the level of reproduction is truly high!”

Gintoki said with a look of having seen an incredible piece of craftsmanship, quite impressed.

Kagura imitated him, picking her nose while showing the same dead fish eyes,

“That's right, Gin-chan! The level of reproduction is really high!”

“What 'that's right'!?”

Shinpachi pointed at the screen and retorted,

“What Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon… that's just a perverted creation!”

This was clearly the dirty Tower of Babylon that all men possessed.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

After sending off Miyu, Emiya Shirou, who was under house arrest by Angelica, was deeply moved seeing his parallel self,

“Copying projection consumes a lot of mana, especially copying so many Noble Phantasms in a short period of time.”

That feeling of wanting to drain his magic circuit was really unpleasant… Not only that, but he also had to spend a lot of mental energy scanning the opponent's Noble Phantasm to copy and project it, a process that couldn't have the slightest lapse.

“Are you praising yourself?”

Angelica, wearing loungewear, brought over the brewed tea and snacks and placed them in front of Emiya Shirou.

She had just heard his words.

What he said was clearly praising himself…

When fighting her, wasn't he able to copy and project the Divine Construct in just a second?

。。。。。

【 “Having lost its core, it seeks the King?” Gilgamesh, whose battle was interrupted, became even more enraged, coupled with the disgusting mass of flesh that really lowered his dignity as a king. 】

【 So the golden ripples beside him disappeared. He stretched out his hand, and a brand new golden ripple appeared above his palm; then Gilgamesh held a golden key in his hand. 】

【 The next moment, a dazzling red light lit up. Emiya Shirou, in the distance, covered his eyes with his hand, instinctively looking towards the source of the light. 】

【 Then Emiya Shirou saw the sky covered with red grid-like threads. These red threads all gathered together and fell downwards. 】

【 Gradually transforming into a weapon that looked like both a sword and a staff, it fell into Gilgamesh's hand. 】

【 “What is that… I can't interpret it! Only that weapon… Even the structure, I can't interpret it!” Emiya Shirou's pupils constricted, as if he had seen something unbelievable. 】

【 His body even slowly retreated backwards. Just by looking at it, Emiya Shirou felt an unparalleled pressure from it. 】

【 In the distance, the white giant hand extending from the pillar of flesh reached out towards Gilgamesh. 】

【 “Annihilate everything.” Gilgamesh held the EA; he calmly watched the white giant's hand rushing towards him, saying very calmly, “EA!!” 】

【 “Buzz—!!” 】

【 Accompanied by a piercing buzzing sound, Ea began to rotate, and red energy spread outwards with Gilgamesh as the center. 】

【 The white giant hand that had just swung over was like being slapped, and was directly destroyed by this energy. Emiya Shirou, in the distance, was also blown away by the aftershock of the explosion. 】

【 After this red energy destroyed the white giant hand, it continued to spread outwards without losing momentum, causing a series of destruction invisibly. The nearby buildings were all reduced to ruins. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Although it looked powerful, everyone understood that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Gilgamesh had not used his true power.

“This time's EA compared to the time against the Progenitor God Tiamat is truly a drop in the bucket! He should have only used wind pressure and didn't truly liberate the Noble Phantasm.”

He didn't even say the liberation phrase. Just the wind pressure from Ea's rotation could cause such powerful destruction. It has to be said, Ea is truly terrifyingly strong.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

At this moment, Gilgamesh, seeing that he had taken out EA, felt an even greater urge to beat up Chuunibyou Gilgamesh again,

“Idiot, an opponent of this level doesn't deserve the stage of EA, they don't even have the right to appear!”

At this moment, Gilgamesh's mouth twitched slightly. Is this how you use EA?! For an opponent of this level, just throwing some random things from the Gate of Babylon would smash them to pieces.

It was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito. Besides showing off, it was useless! It even exposed his trump card.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“If you could analyze the King's EA, then that would be something…”

Gilgamesh looked at Emiya Shirou, who was trying to analyze his EA. He had to say he was quite daring.

Even the previous Emiya wanted to analyze EA… Now you want to, too. Are you all going to have a problem with my EA?

“That's the Hero King's trump card. No matter how many times I see it, it's still so shocking.”

Iskandar looked at EA's performance.

He knew that his Ionioi Hetairoi might not be an opponent, but so what? His path was only conquest; there was no retreat. Whether or not he was an opponent?! Only by fighting would he know.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, everyone watching the screen was silent, especially the residents of Fuyuki City.

“So they call this a gas explosion?! It was the same ten years ago, gods fighting, mortals suffering.”

“Today's Fuyuki City is truly as 'nuclear' peaceful as ever! I'm not going to say anything else, I'm moving overnight.”

The residents living in Fuyuki were now in a panic. It turned out that the ruins caused ten years ago were not a gas explosion at all.

It turned out that the destruction was caused by them fighting each other, well… they seemed to be getting used to it.

No wonder, for a few nights ten years ago, they kept hearing rumbling explosions.

Good heavens, it seems now they have to sleep with one eye open; otherwise, they might not even know how they died when they die.

Chapter 177: Borrowed hope! Ally of justice?

Chapter Text

 

【 After Gilgamesh dealt with the white giant hand, the EA in his hand also stopped spinning. He then turned his head with a hint of pity towards Shirou Emiya, who had been attacked by the aftershock of EA, “Even I, the king, think I've shown mercy...” 】

【 “If I had known this, it would have been more worthwhile to keep Archer around for a bit longer, brat...” 】

【 At this moment, Shirou Emiya, who had endured the aftershock of EA below, seemed to have fainted, smashing a deep pit into the ground, and most of his clothes were torn. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Even so, it made the people of other worlds marvel, because even if they were hit by an attack of this magnitude, their fate would probably not be much better.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Seeing this scene, Rin Tohsaka became worried.

No matter how strong Shirou Emiya was, he was still just a human and could not possibly defeat a Servant.

“Perhaps I should discuss countermeasures with Shirou in advance. That weapon called EA... is simply not something they can deal with.”

Thinking of this, Rin Tohsaka turned to look for Shirou Emiya, and at this time, she might even be able to freeload a meal.

On the side, a certain enthusiastic citizen, Gilgamesh, after seeing this scene, looked slightly disappointed,

“Is that all?! It seems I overestimated him.”

It seems that even EA may not be needed to deal with him. Since the future me said that he had already shown mercy, that explains everything... A fake is always a fake and cannot be compared with the real thing.

I thought he would bring me different kinds of fun, but it's just this level... What a mongrel!

。。。。。

【 Even Gilgamesh on the screen, looking at Shirou Emiya lying motionless on the ground, said with disappointment, “Is this the end? As expected of a counterfeit, you can't save anything.” 】

【 “That ugly Archer also said it, didn't he? Your ideals are borrowed.” 】

【 “Someone who can't create anything themselves still wants to achieve something, how arrogant.” 】

【 Hearing this, Shirou Emiya woke up, gritting his teeth and looking at Gilgamesh above, his body trembling slightly, trying several times to move his body but still unable to move. 】

【 At this time, the screen showed the large hole in the sky again, with black mud still pouring down continuously, emitting ominous auras everywhere. 】

【 Gilgamesh looked at the awakened Shirou Emiya and directly mocked him, “Ally of justice? A world that doesn't hurt anyone? How ridiculous.” 】

【 “So-called humans are beasts who can only sing the praises of life through sacrifice. So-called equality is just the nonsense of the weak who cannot face the darkness.” 】

【 “Just a sophistry to cover up ugliness.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Detective Conan World~

“Although I don't want to admit it, what he said makes sense. A world that doesn't hurt anyone is simply impossible.”

Conan put one hand in his pocket and pushed up his glasses with the other. Although his world was just an ordinary world without those superpowers,

countless people still die every day for various reasons... He neither supported nor opposed Gilgamesh's point of view.

A world that doesn't hurt anyone may not exist, but an ally of justice may exist!!...

I will use my reasoning to bring all criminals who harm others to justice.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Even if the ideals are borrowed, so what? That doesn't mean I have to give up.

Shirou Emiya also clenched his fists tightly at this moment, looking at Gilgamesh on the screen.

Because of admiration, he picked up the ideals that Kiritsugu Emiya had abandoned—to become an ally of justice!

He remembered his words to Kiritsugu Emiya when he was a child:

If Dad can't do it, then let me do it!

There is nothing wrong with this path of wanting to help others, even if my ideals are borrowed, even if my life is full of hypocrisy, but... I still want to insist on becoming an ally of justice!!

。。。。。

【 There, where Shirou Emiya was lying on the ground, he looked at the hole in the sky and slowly stretched out his hand, conveying the thoughts in his heart. 】

【 『Yes, that's right, this ideal is borrowed. I just saw someone saving someone, and I imitated it.』 】

【 The scene changed to ten years ago, when he was a child, in a sea of ​​fire, a boy also stretched out a small hand towards the hole in the sky that emitted a light blue light. 】

【 Shirou Emiya's inner words rang out again, 『At that time, my inner self was empty. Everyone would die equally, and no one could be saved.』 】

【 『If you can't accept that humans are like this, there is no way to continue living.』 】

【 『So...』 】

【 The scene began to change. Light yellow clouds were floating in the sky, and a sword fell directly from the sky! Then the scene came to night, with Kiritsugu Emiya wearing a kimono with his back to Shirou Emiya. 】

【 『That's why I admire such an ideal, is that not allowed?』 】

【 The young Shirou Emiya looked at Kiritsugu Emiya's back, his eyes flashing with admiration and full of longing. 】

【 『Because it's not my own feelings, is it a counterfeit? Because it's a counterfeit, is it impossible to touch it?is it』 】

【 『No, I think that's absolutely impossible, even if it's a counterfeit, even if it's an impossible dream.』 】

【 The scene came to a world floating with light yellow clouds again, and another sword fell to the ground. 】

【 Shirou Emiya's inner monologue became more and more impassioned. 『Even if I can't save everyone, I understand that only when someone sacrifices can someone be saved.』 】

【 “Clang—” Accompanied by the crisp sound of a sword, a sword was inserted straight into the soil. 】

【 『I already know that it is just an ideal, but I still continue to seek it.』 】

【 “Clang clang——!” In this twilight space, two more swords were inserted into the ground. 】

【 『In order to save the majority, I continue to harm the minority, even so, I still pursue the happiness of no one being hurt』 】

【 “Bang, bang, bang——” More and more swords gradually fell, until the last ones that fell in front of Shirou Emiya were the Kanshou and Bakuya that he used at the beginning. 】

【 『This is where he reached the end.』 】

【 The sword reflected Shirou Emiya's figure, and he inserted the sword into the ground. 】

【 『What you believe in, what you have believed in, its true face is hypocrisy, that man once said that.』 】

【 The Shirou Emiya reflected in the sword stood up at this moment, standing under this twilight, looking at the distant front. 】

【 『Even so, it was the man who said these words who carried out this hypocrisy to the end』 】

【 『Then, it's feasible, even if it's borrowed, it doesn't matter if I continue to be a counterfeit like this, I just need to be like this.』 】

【 『Shirou Emiya will continue to persist in this dream until the end, even if what is sought in front of it is only nothingness, I will…!!』 】

【 Back in reality, the green mark on Shirou Emiya's left arm vibrated slightly, “What, it's just like this.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya, who was lying on the ground, came back from his memories. he stretched out his hand, and then stood up. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This scene... should be a Reality Marble, but it doesn't seem quite like it.”

The people of other worlds looked at this innocent boy with admiration...

Knowing that an ally of justice is just an ideal, he still carries out his beliefs from beginning to end, and persists even if there is nothingness in front of him.

Shirou Emiya's monologues made the people of other worlds understand that Shirou Emiya, at this moment, has fully recognized the essence of his ideals and the end of his ideals.

But because of this, it also gave his originally ethereal and unrealistic ideals weight.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Kiritsugu Emiya, at this moment, was a little confused, looking at his hands full of confusion,

“What kind of responsibility... did I let that boy bear?”

He could have grown up carefree, but because he inherited his ideals, he embarked on the path of an ally of justice. Whether it was the previous Shirou the Hero or the current Shirou Emiya...

It was all because of himself that he had to embark on this thorny path.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“You... you might really be a lot like me! I should say, as expected of myself in a parallel world.”

Shirou the Big Hero stared at Shirou Emiya on the screen.

“Everyone's ideals are borrowed, all because they admire Kiritsugu Emiya's figure, that they will embark on the path of an ally of justice.”

However, what is different between you and me is... I abandoned that ideal.

When he made a wish to the Holy Grail, it meant that he abandoned this world.

This sin made him an anti-hero.

Borrowed ideals, borrowed justice, even this power that should have been used to save the world, is only used for Miyu alone.

“But now, maybe I can see the path of self-abandonment in you, I also want to see what it will be like for myself, who has been walking on the path of an ally of justice?!”

。。。。。

【 “Hmm?!” Gilgamesh looked at Shirou Emiya, who had stood up again, with slight surprise, “Although I showed mercy, you should have been hit by the wind pressure of EA.” 】

【 Obviously, in his opinion, even the wind pressure was not something the current Shirou Emiya could withstand. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Gilgamesh and mocked him as if venting his dissatisfaction, “You've piled up Noble Phantasms into a mountain, and now you're saying you showed mercy.” 】

【 Gilgamesh said in a deep voice, “That is a sword that only a conqueror can wield. Originally, someone like you didn't even have the qualifications to see EA.” 】

【 As soon as Gilgamesh finished speaking, several golden ripples appeared behind him again, and Noble Phantasms stretched out from within and were fired towards Shirou Emiya. 】

【 “Bang——” 】

【 A woman wearing blue and white armor, holding an invisible sword, with an ahoge on her golden hair, rushed over, blocking the attack while a terrifying wind pressure emerged from the sword. 】

【 A shock wave formed by the wind directly destroyed the eaves where Gilgamesh was standing! 】

【 “Are you okay, Shirou!” Artoria looked at Shirou Emiya with some worry. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at the figure standing in front of him with some surprise: “Saber!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“!!! Isn't this The Lion King?! Damn, even she appeared.”

Everyone has not forgotten how shocking the demeanor of that Holy Lance was when it was unanchored during the Sacred Round Table Domain, but what is puzzling is that she is not using the Holy Lance. Why did she switch to an invisible weapon?!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahaha, I didn't expect Saber to appear there too... Interesting, it's really getting interesting.”

Gilgamesh suddenly laughed wildly, startling everyone present.

The King of Conquerors was a little depressed. It was said to be the Three Kings! They didn't even want to play with him, did they?

Artoria, on the side, was also a little puzzled.

Was she summoned again, and looking at the relationship between Shirou Emiya and Kiritsugu Emiya... Could it be that they all regarded my scabbard, Avalon, as a family heirloom, summoning it from generation to generation?!

~Throne of Heroes~

At this moment, the Knights of the Round Table were no longer calm. They immediately surrounded the figure that appeared on the screen.

Gawain looked very aloof and said lightly,

“The king's demeanor is still admirable.”

The premise is that if you ignore his hand that is tightly holding onto Excalibur... it is enough to prove his excited heart, wishing to fight in front of the king again.

Bedivere, who became a Heroic Spirit after the events of the Sacred Round Table Domain, breathed a sigh of relief,

“King, it's so good to see you again.”

The other members of the Knights of the Round Table also looked at the screen, and even Mordred, who had a tsundere face, secretly glanced at the video from time to time.

After all, there are only king simps and twisted king simps in the Knights of the Round Table... Hee hee.

Chapter 178: I am the bone of my sword. Steel is my body and fire is my blood.

Chapter Text

 


【 Artoria turned her head to glance, and after confirming that Shirou Emiya was safe, she turned her gaze to Gilgamesh, saying calmly, “Leave the rest to me.” 】

【 “No, Saber, go help Tohsaka!” To Artoria's surprise, Shirou Emiya, clutching his left arm, refused her, standing in front of her: “Gilgamesh, I'll take you on alone.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Although she's not the Lion King with the Holy Lance, isn't Shirou Emiya being a bit too reckless... getting further and further down the path of soloing Servants!”

The people of other worlds also noticed the difference between Artoria and the Lion King of the Sacred Round Table Domain. The former had more humanity, while the latter had more divinity!

Everyone felt a bit of regret after realizing this wasn't The Lion King. Otherwise, they could have seen the clash between the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad and the Sword of Rupture, EA, to see which was superior!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“......!”

Tokiomi Tohsaka was happy that Shirou Emiya thought of having Saber help his daughter, but he couldn't understand this inexplicably troublesome feeling.

What troubled him even more was that Shirou Emiya actually wanted to fight the King of Heroes one-on-one!! If humans were a match for Servants, he wouldn't be so respectful here.

Moreover, he was using basic Reinforcement maggecraft and Projection magecraft, which, in the eyes of the magician's world, were extremely inefficient, creating temporary, superficial imitations lasting only a few minutes.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“What an idiot... how can a human possibly beat a Servant?”

Rin Tohsaka's face turned red. Although Shirou Emiya's actions warmed her heart, this was too reckless!

He actually wanted Saber, a Servant, to come and support me while he faced Gilgamesh alone. But normally, shouldn't it be the other way around, with Saber holding back Gilgamesh!

。。。。。

【 Even Gilgamesh seemed a bit surprised upon hearing this, then revealed a rather pleased expression. 】

【 “What are you saying, Shirou?” Artoria was also shocked by Shirou Emiya's words, as she was clearly the Servant! 】

【 So she quickly said, “Magicians can't compete with Servants.” 】

【 “Yeah!” Shirou Emiya didn't deny it, but his intuition told him this was the best choice, “But I think only I and that guy are exceptions.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya, clutching his left arm, looked at Artoria. At this moment, the green marks on his left arm shone even brighter, “Trust me, I can definitely defeat him!” 】

【 Artoria was silent for a moment, then she looked at the void not far away, no longer insisting, and looked at Shirou Emiya, saying, “Good luck in battle, I'll leave Rin to you!” 】

【 Just as Artoria was about to leave, Shirou Emiya suddenly said something that made her feel inexplicable, “I can't save you... that Holy Grail, I don't think it's what you want, so you must see clearly, and don't make a mistake next time.” 】

【 “Shirou?!” Artoria was full of doubts, not understanding the meaning of these words at all. 】

【 “Sorry, I didn't express myself well.” Shirou Emiya finally said something like a farewell, “I probably don't deserve to be your Master, so...” 】

【 “That's not true, Shirou, you are my Master!” Artoria interrupted him before he could finish, looking at Shirou Emiya gently, “I must fulfill my duty as a Servant. If you have something to talk about, let's talk later!” 】

【 Then Artoria jumped up and left the battlefield, leaving Shirou Emiya and Gilgamesh alone. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Gilgamesh is just silently enjoying himself on the side, feeling a bit cute besides being chuuni, not interrupting their conversation.”

“Uh... although I really don't want to say this, isn't the Servant's mission to protect the Master? Is it really okay for you to just leave like that?!”

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

During the Banquet of Kings, everyone present looked at Artoria, who jumped and left the battlefield, with black lines all over their faces. How big is your heart to believe that your Master can really beat the King of Heroes!

“......”

On the other side, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne even felt that things were upside down. Shouldn't a Servant do everything possible to protect the safety of their Master? How did it turn into the Master personally fighting?

This was as absurd as hearing the head coach warming up while watching a soccer game. Who exactly is the Servant?

。。。。。

“So you're only impatient with me...”

Tokiomi Tohsaka's mouth twitched slightly, finding it difficult to maintain his usual elegance.

What was going on?!

Was this still the King of Heroes who cursed people as mongrels?! Why was he so patient this time, silently listening on the side, not showing any impatience... or was his temper only directed at me, Tokiomi Tohsaka!

。。。。。

【 Gilgamesh lowered his head, hands on his hips, his body shaking with laughter, finally covering his face with his hands in a state of madness, “Hahahaha...!! Are you serious? You actually sent Saber away and used yourself as a pawn.” 】

【 Gilgamesh seemed to be tired of laughing, returning to normal from his amusement, looking at Shirou Emiya not far away, and said lightly, “Fool, this act of self-sacrifice is just hypocrisy. You're still deluded to this day, what a stubborn do-gooder.” 】

【 Golden ripples appeared behind Gilgamesh again. He was already impatient with this stubborn, deluded fool. 】

【 “A fake, a do-gooder, huh...” Shirou Emiya slowly lowered the hand clutching his left arm, and a light appeared in his hand. “Indeed, I am a fake.” 】

【 “I was wrong.” Shirou Emiya looked at the light in his hand, realizing something, “My Sword Creation isn't about creating swords.” 】

【 “Buzz——” A bolt of green magic lightning struck the ground. Shirou Emiya looked at Gilgamesh, his left hand on his almost rotten coat, “There's only one thing I can do, and that's to forge my heart into shape!” 】

【 After saying that, Shirou Emiya threw away his rotten coat. Surrounded by green magic, he raised his right hand with magic power. 】

【 “I am the bone of my sword!” 】

【 “Steel is my body, and fire is my blood!” 】

【 “I have created over a thousand blades!” 】

【 “Unaware of loss,” 】

【 Although Gilgamesh's expression remained calm as he looked at Shirou Emiya, he made the golden ripples behind him launch several Noble Phantasms, attacking Shirou Emiya. 】

【 Just as the Noble Phantasms were about to hit Shirou Emiya, a pink shield like peach blossom petals appeared in front of him, blocking all the attacks. 】

【 “Nor aware of gain. ” 】

【 “Withstood pain to create weapons, waiting for one's arrival.” 】

【 “I have no regrets. This is the only path.” 】

【 “My whole life was Unlimited Blade Works.” 】

【 As soon as he finished speaking, Shirou Emiya slammed his hand down, and the ground instantly cracked open, flames rising from the ground! The next moment, the scene changed, arriving at a place that was somewhat familiar to everyone... 】

【 At this moment, Gilgamesh stood on a barren plain, at dusk. Shirou Emiya stood opposite Gilgamesh, and around this space was a wilderness filled with swords. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at the somewhat surprised Gilgamesh opposite him and continued, “That's right, it's not Sword Creation. What I create is a world containing countless swords. This is the only magic Shirou Emiya is allowed.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Unlimited Blade Works, a Reality Marble! Seeing it for the second time, it's still shocking. This magic that can drag people into another space without any explanation... should be magic.”

Although it was also the Reality Marble Unlimited Blade Works, everyone also noticed the difference, that the environments inside were completely opposite...

Shirou the Big Hero's Unlimited Blade Works was on a hill of swords in a blizzard, perhaps related to his abandonment of ideals, loss of loved ones, and loss of everything...

Cutting off all hope, and losing all despair, leaving only a shell named “Shirou Emiya,” burning his life to prove that all sacrifices followed the “justice” in his heart.

And now, this Unlimited Blade Works in the dusk still has a glimmer of hope, still stubbornly walking on the path of being an ally of justice. Although denied, there is still light!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“I didn't expect that Shirou Emiya in any world would have such a Reality Marble! In that case, I have to re-evaluate this boy named Shirou Emiya.”

Tokiomi Tohsaka stroked his chin. Having seen it once, he wasn't that surprised, but having the same Reality Marble might not be a coincidence.

This is a Reality Marble, a magic that rewrites reality with the caster's mental landscape, and is the closest magic to true magic.

Mastering this skill would be enough to call him a great magician, a figure admired in the Mage Association.

But because of this, Tokiomi Tohsaka had a headache,

“The kid in my world who doesn't know much about magecraft actually reached the pinnacle that others can't reach in their entire lives.”

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“A Reality Marble is the embodiment of a mental landscape...”

Only after understanding this did Miyu know what kind of mindset her brother had when he sent her away.

It was an icy snow hill, just as her brother said, abandoning ideals, discarding glory, and losing loved ones, what remained... was irredeemable emptiness.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Pa, Pa...”

Rin Tohsaka silently slapped herself twice. She really didn't expect that even Shirou Emiya in her world had reached the pinnacle of magicians.

Wasn't his Magic Circuit limited?! If it weren't for the video, she wouldn't even know that Shirou Emiya had become a Master and participated in the Holy Grail War.

But such a half-baked existence actually reached the peak... Even though he was using the most ordinary magecraft, why was he able to use a Reality Marble?

。。。。。

Chapter 179: Here I come, King of Heroes. Do you have enough weapons in stock?

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 


【 Above a desolate sword hill, Gilgamesh casually surveyed his surroundings, his gaze landing on Shirou Emiya. “A Reality Marble? And then? What can such a broken mindscape accomplish?” 】

【 Having already witnessed the King of Conquerors' Reality Marble, Gilgamesh didn't take Shirou Emiya seriously at all. As he spoke, several golden ripples reappeared behind him, from which countless treasures emerged. 】

【 However, the instant the treasures appeared, Shirou Emiya suddenly raised his head and opened his eyes. The swords he projected around him flew up rapidly, striking the golden ripples with lightning speed. 】

【 “Clang, clang—” The crisp sound of swords colliding rang out, and the golden ripples behind Gilgamesh were scattered by Shirou Emiya's attacks. 】

【 “?!” Gilgamesh turned his head to look at the golden ripples behind him, a surprised expression on his face. Clearly, he hadn't expected the other party's copying speed to be so fast. 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahahaha, this is the King's shock! Astonished, aren't you? You should be. When we saw Heroic Spirit Emiya creating divine constructs with his bare hands, we were even more surprised than you.”

“Perhaps Gilgamesh sees it as a broken mindscape, but that doesn't change the fact that Shirou Emiya is a heartless human printing machine!”

The people of other worlds chuckled at his dumbfounded expression. The fake he looked down upon had now become a high-quality imitation of the Gate of Babylon.

But… it feels like this scene is somewhat familiar. Isn't this the method Big Hero Emiya used back then, destroying the treasures the moment they appeared, giving the opponent no time to launch them!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Gilgamesh straightened up slightly, carefully examining the scene.

“In the Reality Marble, his projection speed is enhanced, making it faster…”

Perhaps because the onlooker sees more than the player, Gilgamesh could clearly recognize that the swords projected from Shirou Emiya's Reality Marble were faster than the treasures launched from the Gate of Babylon, both in projection speed and attack speed.

In other words, within that Reality Marble, his Gate of Babylon was actually countered by the other party.

Any attempt to open the Gate of Babylon would be immediately blocked by Shirou Emiya.

“Huahahaha, delightful! Truly delightful. I am very interested in this Shirou Emiya…”

Thinking of this, Gilgamesh suddenly burst into wild laughter again. To be able to fight this King to this extent with a human body is truly worthy of praise.

However, even so, he didn't think he had any reason to lose. Even without using the Gate of Babylon, the physical gap between humans and Servants was not something they could overcome.

“……!”

Artoria had gradually become accustomed to the King of Heroes' occasional fits of madness. She was now looking at her future Master with some worry.

Although Shirou Emiya seemed to be in a good situation, this advantage only existed because Gilgamesh wasn't taking it seriously.

As long as the King of Heroes brought out his EA, this situation would be instantly reversed… even the Reality Marble would be shattered in an instant.

。。。。。

【 Shirou Emiya silently looked at Gilgamesh and continued, “There's no need to be surprised. Everything here is a fake! But… there's no reason why fakes can't defeat the real thing.” 】

【 “If you say that those are the so-called real things, then surpass everything and defeat them all.” 】

【 Hearing these mocking words, Gilgamesh felt looked down upon and revealed a rather ugly expression. He was clearly provoked by these words. 】

【 “Here I come, King of Heroes.” Shirou Emiya raised his head, and green markings began to appear on his face. “Do you have enough weapons in reserve?” 】

【 “Ha?!” Gilgamesh's gaze towards Shirou Emiya became fierce. “Don't be so arrogant, mongrel!!” 】

【 Because he had just been looked down upon by Shirou Emiya, Gilgamesh now opened the Gate of Babylon even faster than before. Several sword-shaped treasures flew out of the golden ripples at an extremely fast speed, heading towards Shirou Emiya. 】

【 “Clang, clang—” 】

【 The Reality Marble was filled with swords stuck everywhere! Shirou Emiya casually picked up two swords from the ground and shattered the two treasures that rushed over first! 】

【 Then, he quickly jumped back, dodging the treasure attacks that were like a golden storm! 】

【 Although Shirou Emiya temporarily dodged the attacks, Gilgamesh's attacks didn't stop. Before he could catch his breath, he saw several treasures flying towards him in the sky. 】

【 Shirou Emiya closed his eyes. The swords stuck in the ground seemed to consciously rush towards the treasures in the air, colliding with them in mid-air and negating the opponent's attacks! 】

【 “Why, how can a mongrel's swords…” Gilgamesh murmured, looking at this scene with great confusion. 】

【 “Don't understand?” Shirou Emiya slowly raised his head. He looked at Gilgamesh, his expression so calm, his tone somewhat mocking. “You, who possess countless treasures, are at the pinnacle of existence even among Heroic Spirits.” 】

【 “But, you are a King, but not a warrior.” 】

【 “You didn't choose the path of mastering a single treasure to its extreme.” Shirou Emiya picked up a sword, pointed it at Gilgamesh, and continued, “You are like me, a half-hearted failure!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Who said that… You don't know the value of the Uruk Axe King. He played his axe so well in the Absolute Demonic Front!”

Even the people outside the video didn't expect to hear someone say that the King of Uruk wasn't good at close combat… From the perspective of Caster Gilgamesh, this guy was clearly all-around.

Apart from the Assassin class, which he disdained, Gilgamesh seemed to be able to handle every class.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

At this moment, the Wise King Gilgamesh, who was not called a warrior, silently looked at the golden axe beside him.

“Do you want to see what you're saying?! I am not a warrior?! Then, guess how I became acquainted with my best friend Enkidu when I didn't have the Gate of Babylon.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh never expected to be called a non-warrior by someone from another world… But the problem is, look at the class I was summoned as at that time, it's Archer, okay?!

Shouldn't an Archer play ranged combat properly instead of playing close combat?! If it weren't for the King's dignity, and not allowing myself to take this unfair duel seriously… once I'm serious, it's my defeat.

Otherwise, I would have knocked you down with an axe long ago.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahahaha, what insightful eyes, Shirou Emiya!”

Even so, the King of Conquerors still shook his head slightly, clearly disagreeing with his words.

In his opinion, none of those who could become king was simple. Could there really be a king who doesn't know martial arts?!

“You can really talk, mongrel!”

At this moment, Gilgamesh felt like his head was about to explode. The King summoned as an Archer, should I fight back and forth with treasures like a reckless man?!

。。。。。

【 Hearing these words, Gilgamesh was almost blown up with anger. When had he ever been looked down upon like this? He looked at Shirou Emiya angrily, gritting his teeth and saying, “I will obliterate every last piece of your head that produces fakes!” 】

【 In the next moment, countless golden ripples reappeared in the sky of the Reality Marble, both in quantity and speed, stronger than before. Clearly, Gilgamesh, in anger, was now planning to be a little more serious. 】

【 On the other side, Rin Tohsaka, along with Shinji Matou, was trapped in the flowing flesh, unable to move. Saber, who came to support, couldn't do anything because Rin Tohsaka was inside. 】

【 “Is this the end?” Rin Tohsaka looked tiredly at the Command Seals on her hand, and finally made up her mind. “It won't end like this. By my Command Seal, I order you, Saber! Destroy the Holy Grail now.” 】

【 The holy sword in Artoria's hand shone with golden light, and her body began to be filled with magic power. “What… how could this be?! Rin… get out of there quickly.” 】

【 Rin Tohsaka had already resigned herself to death and apologized softly to Saber, “I'm sorry, Saber! You definitely won't listen to me, so I can only use the Command Seal to force you to obey.” 】

【 Just as Rin Tohsaka was about to give up, a familiar voice rang in her ear, “I can't stand to hear such discouraging words.” 】

【 Then, countless red swords split the red flesh, opening a path for Rin Tohsaka. “Run, Rin!” 】

【 Although there was no figure, and it was unclear what was going on, why the dead Archer could continue to help her open the way, Rin Tohsaka still supported herself and led Shinji Matou away from the flesh. 】

【 “Saber! I'll leave my last magic power to you.” Rin Tohsaka raised her right hand high, looking at the monster in the distance. The last Command Seal flickered with red light. “So… destroy that Holy Grail.” 】

【 Seeing that Rin Tohsaka had escaped, Artoria no longer suppressed her body, closing her eyes slightly! Golden light erupted from her body, and then she raised the Sword of Promised Victory high! 】

【 “Ex…” The Sword of Promised Victory emitted golden light, and specks of starlight surrounded the holy sword like fireflies! 】

【 “Calibur!!” 】

【 Artoria opened her eyes, and the raised holy sword suddenly swung down, a golden, holy torrent of magic power sweeping towards the monster not far away. 】

【 Everything that passed was destroyed, and even the hollow in the sky that was constantly pouring out black mud was directly destroyed by this attack. 】

【 “Rumble—!” With a burst of explosions, a dazzling cross of golden light lit up in the sky, and the shock wave swept through the entire Fuyuki City. Golden specks of light began to fall from the sky. 】

【 “So amazing…” Rin Tohsaka stared blankly at the golden light in the sky. 】

【 After doing all this, Artoria looked at her right hand. “The contract has been completed. You have won, Rin!” 】

【 “If possible… I wanted to protect you to the end, but that is not my duty.” 】

【 After Artoria finished speaking, she closed her eyes. Golden light appeared on her body, and her body gradually dissipated, returning to the Throne of Heroes. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

Author Note: Let's write about our King's shining moments… I should have written about Archer first; otherwise, it would be easier to see Archer's specialness here. He can come out even after death to save Rin Tohsaka… so there's a reason why Rin Tohsaka is called a holy widow.

Chapter 180: The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens —Rho Aias.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

At this moment, the people from other worlds were somewhat lost in the golden light, that radiance, composed of the faith gathered by those who once believed in her!

“This... is the holy sword from that previous video, the one that Sir Bedivere in the sacred Round Table realm spent over fifteen hundred years to return!”

A feeling that their efforts hadn't been in vain suddenly arose in everyone's hearts, but what confused them the most was why a sword could fire a light cannon! Wasn't this power too outrageous?

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

Now, Merlin looked at the last dazzling, holy light, and a smile reappeared on his face,

“That sword is precisely the sad but noble dream held at the moment of death by all the soldiers who vanished from the battlefield in the past and future.”

“That kind of will is worth boasting about, that kind of faith must be carried out, the true name of that miracle is... Excalibur.”

Sitting on the throne, Gilgamesh propped his face with one hand, not saying much, just with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Just now, Tokiomi Tohsaka had been watching the screen with trepidation, especially when he saw Rin Tohsaka using a command spell to force Saber to destroy that monster; he almost fainted...

Were you planning to perish together with the monster? You were still inside!

“Rin... you are the last hope of my Tohsaka family, don't do anything foolish!”

Although he didn't know what would happen in the future, Sakura was adopted into the Matou family, and Rin Tohsaka was the last pillar of their Tohsaka family. If something happened to her, it wouldn't be a joke.

。。。。。

The King of Conquerors looked at the light of Excalibur and said silently,

“It is because of this that I find it so sad.”

The King of Knights, driven by lofty ideals, Artoria, bound by the code of chivalry, is an impeccable knight, and her noble and selfless behavior is worthy of being revered as a saint.

But precisely because of this, her actions and decisions are based on chivalry and honor, rather than on the actual consideration of the country and the people. This kind of attitude of blindly pursuing ideals and ignoring practical needs is just a little girl...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Am I the kind of person with such a fearless spirit...”

Rin Tohsaka was taken aback by what her future self had done.

Although she is a kind-hearted person, she admits that she is definitely not kind enough to risk her life to save others.

Ignoring the confused Rin Tohsaka, the residents of Fuyuki City felt a sense of familiarity when they looked at the dazzling light, as if they had experienced it sometime.

“Today's Fuyuki City is still 'nuclear peace'...”

The residents of Fuyuki City looked at the devastated city after the battle, almost in ruins, and the corners of their mouths twitched slightly...

If the video hadn't been exposed, would they still continue to use the excuse of a gas explosion to fool them?

。。。。。

【 Back to Shirou Emiya's side, the battle with Gilgamesh has also entered a feverish stage. 】

【 “Bang, bang, bang, bang——” Shirou Emiya ran at top speed, manipulating the swords in his unique enchantment, colliding with the treasures thrown by Gilgamesh, then he threw out several swords, landing beside Gilgamesh, creating bursts of smoke! 】

【 The moment Shirou Emiya used the smoke to block Gilgamesh's sight, he appeared beside him with a sword in his hand, slashing towards Gilgamesh! 】

【 And Gilgamesh, who originally had nothing in his hand, had a sword in his hand at some point. 】

【 “Clang—” The collision of swords made a harsh sound! 】

【 Gilgamesh, who was deadlocked with Shirou Emiya, was also sweating coldly, gritting his teeth and looking at Shirou Emiya, as if being approached by Shirou Emiya was a disgrace, “Impossible! This King is actually being confronted by such a counterfeit...” 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Gilgamesh, who showed an angry expression, and retorted with mockery, “Even if I were fighting other Servants, even if I created such a world, I wouldn't be able to defeat them.” 】

【 “Even with an infinite number of swords, I can't compete with an opponent who has mastered a single treasure to its extreme!” 】

【 “If the opponent is you, I, who prepared the sword first, can seize the opportunity!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is blatant contempt for Gilgamesh. Isn't what he's saying satirizing Gilgamesh's poor close combat skills... truly a newborn calf not afraid of tigers.”

“However, according to Gilgamesh's statement, he has already lost, because if he is not serious, he will be defeated by Shirou Emiya.”

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Even Big Hero, Shirou Emiya, had a strange feeling at this moment, how does it feel that this original self is easier to fight than Angelica, who possesses his power?!

Thinking of the battle with Angelica before, he used all means to finally get close, but the other party's displacement magic wasted all his previous efforts.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Diarmuid silently looked at his two spears,

“Thank you for looking up to me, but even if other Servants bring a single treasure to its extreme, they may not be your opponent...”

This Shirou Emiya is simply a low-profile version of Gilgamesh. If he fights him, just getting close is a big problem.

。。。。。

【 After hearing this, Gilgamesh's eyes showed extraordinary anger. Before he could do anything, Shirou Emiya suddenly exerted force, at the cost of his own weapon breaking, knocking the weapon in Gilgamesh's hand away. 】

【 In an instant, a sword reappeared in both of their hands, but Gilgamesh was obviously stimulated by this sentence, and like he had lost his mind, he slashed towards Shirou Emiya with his sword, “Damn! Damn, damn! Damn!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya seized the flaw in his emotional breakdown, and once again used his sword to knock the sword in his hand away! But the next moment, Gilgamesh raised his hand, and the sword that was knocked away, as well as other treasures, quickly fell, forcibly repelling Shirou Emiya. 】

【 Gilgamesh looked at Shirou Emiya angrily. The golden ripples behind him became more numerous again, gritting his teeth, said very angrily, “Damn! I actually have to get serious to deal with trash like you!” 】

【 As soon as he finished speaking, the treasures in the Gate of Babylon flew out, like countless golden raindrops, quickly attacking Shirou Emiya! 】

【 Shirou Emiya didn't dare to be careless when he saw this scene. He pulled out the sword stuck in the ground with his other hand and quickly waved his hands, knocking down the treasures that rushed over first. 】

【 Shirou Emiya took this opportunity, and countless swords flew out from behind him, blasting towards the golden ripples in the air, shattering most of the golden ripples that had just unfolded. 】

【 “Ahhhhh—” Shirou Emiya shouted, taking advantage of this rare opportunity to rush towards Gilgamesh. 】

【 Relying on his keen skills to avoid the treasure attacks. When the weapon was broken, Shirou Emiya used local materials; after all, the one thing that was not lacking here was swords, and then, while blocking the treasures launched by the Gate of Babylon, he continued to rush towards Gilgamesh. 】

【 Seeing that his attack was useless, Gilgamesh simply unfolded the Gate of Babylon again, countless golden ripples forming a circle, surrounding Shirou Emiya. 】

【 “Boom—” Accompanied by an explosion, the dazzling fire instantly buried Shirou Emiya! 】

【 Gilgamesh looked at this scene with an extremely calm face, then seemed to sense something, suddenly looked up at the sky, revealing a shocked expression! 】

【 Shirou Emiya was stretching out his right hand in the air, a huge petal similar to a peach blossom appeared in front of him, “Rho Aias!!” 】

【 “Bang, bang—” The golden ripples behind Gilgamesh kept attacking Shirou Emiya, who was falling towards him in the air. Although he successfully shattered Rho Aias, Shirou Emiya was getting closer and closer at this time. 】

【 “Tsk!” Gilgamesh gritted his teeth and looked at Shirou Emiya. 】

【 Shirou Emiya directly projected the white Moye, holding it in his hand, and a golden ripple also appeared next to Gilgamesh. 】

【 Gilgamesh hesitated for a moment, and finally put his hand on the hilt of the EA. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a fierce fight, if you take a wrong step, you will definitely die without a burial place, even Gilgamesh couldn't help but get serious when facing Shirou Emiya in the end.”

Everyone watched the fight intently, for fear of missing a single detail. The most surprising thing to them was Gilgamesh!

He said he wouldn't take Shirou Emiya seriously, but he didn't expect that even EA would be taken out!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

At this moment, Wise King Gil looked at his performance in the video; his face darkened. How could his chuuni period self be so out of control?!

He would never admit that the guy who was wielding a sword and slashing randomly like he had lost his mind was himself!

Merlin watched the excitement on the sidelines and didn't think it was a big deal, and began to speak in this inexplicable tone.

“Yare yare... isn't this EA, why did you even take this out? Isn't it too bullying?”

According to his understanding of Wise King Gil, he would never use EA easily... Does this mean that Shirou Emiya really forced him to a dead end?

The Wise King Gil, on the side, heard Merlin's yin and yang strangeness, and threw an axe directly over,

“At this time, just shut up obediently for this king!”

But since it has been taken out, it can also directly declare the end of this battle...

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, the King of Conquerors frowned slightly when he looked at this last scene, and couldn't help but say to Gilgamesh,

“King of Heroes, at such a close distance, once you hesitate, it is the beginning of defeat.”

Perhaps because of his pride, the pride of being the King of Heroes, did not allow him to take out EA to deal with a Faker, so he hesitated at that time.

“………”

Gilgamesh didn't speak. He felt angry when he saw his future self acting like he had lost his mind, but when he saw himself taking out EA, he became extremely calm instead.

He knew... he had already lost. As a heroic spirit, he had to take out EA to face Shirou Emiya, who was a human. Whether the next direction was victory or failure, he had already lost.

Notes:

Translator-kun: Don't worry, Caster Gil, we've been there, seeing your past self "chuuni" is really cringe AF, like you would like to slap that shit out of that past self.

Chapter 181: I MUST ADMIT... RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE STRONGER!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The instant Gilgamesh grasped EA, Shirou Emiya, with a roar of fury, unhesitatingly swung Mo Ye in his hand towards Gilgamesh below.

【 The instant Gilgamesh grasped EA, Shirou Emiya, with a roar of fury, unhesitatingly swung Mo Ye in his hand towards Gilgamesh below. 】

【 “Bang!——” Accompanied by a flash of ghostly blue light, the hand Gilgamesh held Ea with was directly severed by Shirou Emiya. 】

【 Blood flowed from Gilgamesh's hand. Time seemed to stop at that moment. Gilgamesh's face showed astonishment and rage. He couldn't understand why Shirou Emiya, a human, was so fast... 】

【 Shirou Emiya ignored his astonishment and continued to project Gan Jiang, ruthlessly slashing towards Gilgamesh. 】

【 “I must admit...” Gilgamesh, watching Shirou Emiya swing his blade towards him, praised with the most ferocious expression, “Right now, you are stronger!!” 】

【 “Don't think about escaping!!” Shirou Emiya shouted as he pierced Gilgamesh's chest with his blade! 】

【 “Puchi! ——” 】

【 As Shirou Emiya stabbed through Gilgamesh, the perspective began to pull away, and along with a flash of white light, the Reality Marble also began to dissipate. 】

【 Back in reality, Gilgamesh looked at Shirou Emiya, who was wearily collapsed in front of him, panting slightly, “To think your magical energy would be exhausted. What a boring end.” 】

【 As he spoke, golden ripples appeared behind him again, and a sword-shaped Noble Phantasm appeared behind him, “It was your victory... faker! Die contentedly!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It's already enough. To fight a Servant with a human body to this extent, and even cut off one of Gilgamesh's arms.”

“Gilgamesh probably wanted to say 'just a mere fatal wound'... but he didn't expect to run out of magical energy in the end, just 1 point short!”

Even though he was the one standing in the end, Gilgamesh still said to Shirou Emiya, “I must admit, right now, you are stronger”! Everyone felt that this was the manifestation of the magnanimity a King should have.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Huahahahahaha!!”

The Wise King, Gilgamesh, upon seeing this scene, mercilessly mocked his “Chuuni” Form, as if the person whose hand was cut off by Shirou Emiya wasn't him.

Only after laughing enough did The Wise King Gilgamesh become serious and unhesitatingly praise Shirou Emiya on the screen,

“Young man named Shirou Emiya, that was a beautiful fight! You certainly won.”

Although he didn't want to admit that it was himself on the screen...

Only using the Gate of Babylon, and being constrained by Shirou Emiya's human status, failing to uphold his dignity as King, even if it was himself from a different time, this truly fit his character.

But precisely because of this, he was King! Call him arrogant, call him careless, losing was losing... because this boundless pride was indeed his nature!

Even Merlin, on the side, was watching the screen with a smile.

If Gilgamesh had drawn EA beforehand, using a weapon created by the gods to deal with a mortal, then he wouldn't be the King of Heroes.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“...”

Da Vinci was completely stunned at this moment. A human magus actually managed to defeat a Servant?! And the oldest king?! This was theoretically impossible.

But the fact was right in front of her, and she had to believe it. After all, Gilgamesh himself admitted that the other party had won... but this was too outrageous.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“If she hadn't used substitution magecraft when I slashed Angelica that time... would I have won?”

Shirou Emiya, the Big Hero, pondered as he watched this scene.

Because the Shirou Emiya in the parallel world, whether it was the battle process or the result, was very similar to himself... unfortunately, life had no “ifs.”

He wondered if Miyu was doing well now.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“King of Heroes, I didn't expect you to admit that the other party won, given your personality?!”

Artoria, looking at Gilgamesh, who was calm on the side, suddenly asked inexplicably.

After all, according to what she currently knew, Gilgamesh was an incredibly arrogant person. Logically speaking, he wouldn't make such a gesture.

“Oh?! Then what kind of performance do you think I would have? Go mad like a lunatic or get angry?!”

Gilgamesh put down his wine glass and retorted to Artoria.

He didn't seem to have much reaction to the fact that he was the one on the screen who had his arm cut off and was even driven to the brink.

“I've said it before... a King has a King's pride. If I were to get serious against a human, it would be my defeat.”

The future him would admit that he lost because Shirou Emiya was worthy of his praise, able to achieve such a feat with a human body.

He lost to his own pride. Even though he was facing an opponent like Shirou Emiya, he only used the Gate of Babylon, and he was so hesitant even when taking out EA.

It was entirely because his inner Kingly way didn't allow him to do so.

The King of Conquerors, on the side, was just about to say something when he noticed that the video had a new development.

。。。。。

【 Just as he was about to kill Shirou Emiya, black spots of light suddenly appeared on Gilgamesh's severed right hand, and then a large hole instantly appeared, sucking Gilgamesh in. 】

【 Shirou Emiya was shocked, “That's... the hole of the Holy Grail!” 】

【 “What!! Even want to devour me...” A terrifying gravitational force swallowed Gilgamesh, and then a chain stretched out from it, entangling Shirou Emiya's hand! 】

【 Gilgamesh, using the power of the chain, barely managed to avoid being sucked in. Shirou Emiya gritted his teeth as he looked at his entangled right hand, “Damn it! You want to drag me down with you?” 】

【 Gilgamesh held onto the chain tightly and said sternly, “Fool, I have no intention of dying. Stand firm, kid, until I return there.” 】

【 “In that case, cutting off an arm is no big deal.” Shirou Emiya gritted his teeth and made up his mind. 】

【 Just as Shirou Emiya was about to cut off his arm, a white-haired man wearing red robes suddenly appeared behind him, “Hmph, do as you please. But before that, dodge to the right.” 】

【 A red light similar to the one that saved Rin Tohsaka earlier directly pierced Gilgamesh's head, “Archer...!!” 】

【 The black hole disappeared instantly. When Shirou Emiya turned his head, the figure of the red-clothed man was also gone.

“That guy... came to show off.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Good grief... this is the most arrogant way of asking for help I've ever seen. I suggest that everyone not use this wrong way of asking for help.”

“This is the consequence of not speaking properly... but who is this red-clothed man?! Why did he come out at a critical moment to steal a kill and leave?”

What everyone was more curious about was the identity of this red-haired man. How did he manage to appear and disappear inexplicably? But the clothes he was wearing seemed a bit familiar, like they had seen them somewhere.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Gilgamesh began to rage at this moment.

He could admit that he had lost before because Shirou Emiya's spirit as a human was worthy of his praise.

Although he couldn't figure out what the suddenly appearing black hole was, or what Shirou Emiya meant by the “hole of the Holy Grail,” the guy who suddenly ambushed him filled him with an uncontainable rage.

“Despicable villain, to ambush me during a battle, you better not let me find out who you are, otherwise... hehe!”

Artoria suddenly breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Gilgamesh, who was raging impotently on the side. This was more like it, more in line with her perception of him.

But who exactly was that suddenly appearing red figure?! Gilgamesh seemed to have said “Archer” before he died... could it be that the Holy Grail War hadn't ended at that time?!

But why did the future her tell Rin Tohsaka that they had won this Holy Grail War before she disappeared?!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Huh?! So I won the future Holy Grail War?!”

Rin Tohsaka rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe her eyes right now. After all, was there anything more outrageous than seeing Shirou Emiya, a human, defeat a Servant?

Living an ordinary life, harboring unrealistic ideals, and knowing some simple magic, well... maybe also being good at high jumping, but this Shirou Emiya looked like an ordinary human, no matter how you looked at it! How did he do it?

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“!!!”

Miyu was slightly startled when she saw the suddenly appearing figure. That red arm was...

She remembered that when her world was being shown, her brother's right arm also seemed to have the same arm.

Could there be some reason for this?

Then Miyu remembered her brother's words when he used the discarded Servant cards to obtain Servant power,

“That day, I prayed to the Throne of Heroes for help, but in the vast Throne of Heroes, the only one who answered me... was myself.”

After understanding everything, Miyu suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Although the truth was outrageous, it was also very possible,

“That Archer is also Big brother!!”

。。。。。

Perhaps sensing the doubts of the people in other worlds about Red A's identity, a new scene appeared in the video.

 

【 Bonus Scene 】

【 Spotlight: Heroic Spirit Emiya vs. Shirou Emiya 】

Notes:

Author Note: Then let's also write about Shirou Emiya from different worlds. This can also be considered patching things up, writing about the battle between Red A [Emiya] and Shirou Emiya, a contest of beliefs.

Seeing people in the comments section saying they wanted to read about Shirou Emiya, the Heroic Guardian, then let's write about that too!

As for Black A, maybe not many people know about him, and there hasn't been an anime about him, so let's just summarize his experiences in writing. After all, the expressions of the allies of justice in other worlds will definitely be wonderful.

 

Translator-kun: Hey, Author-san san where is Gilgamesh in the 5th holy grail war? Why didn't he react to this?...

Chapter 182: Red A's identity! Famous scene.

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What the heck... Am I seeing this right?! Who is Heroic Spirit Emiya? It can't be Emiya Shirou again, can it?!”

If that were the case, everyone's mouths twitched slightly. Fighting yourself, you really are something. But the most important thing is, just how many Emiya Shirous are there?!

Everyone from other worlds wanted to ask, just how many freaks from the Emiya family who can tear Servants apart are still hidden and haven't appeared yet?! You've booked the entire Throne of Heroes, haven't you?

~One Punch Man World~

Saitama, whose brain wasn't very good, was already a bit confused. He held out his hand and counted the number of people with the surname Emiya.

“First there was Emiya the Big Hero, then Emiya Shirou just now, and now there's Heroic Spirit Emiya... Uh, their family seems pretty big.”

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Irisviel saw the text on the screen that said Heroic Spirit Emiya, thought for a moment, and then suddenly hugged Emiya Kiritsugu and voiced her guess,

“Kiritsugu, this Heroic Spirit Emiya might be you. After all, if he's fighting Emiya Shirou, there's no reason for it to be himself fighting himself, right?”

Emiya Kiritsugu felt that his wife's words made a lot of sense. And if he were to become a Heroic Spirit in the future, it meant that his long-held wish to save the world would definitely be realized! He would become a true Ally of Justice~!

。。。。。

And in the elegant magus's residence of the Tohsaka family, Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at the name on the screen with a somewhat dazed expression,

“Emiya, huh...--”

Regardless of who this Heroic Spirit Emiya is, you have to know that Heroic Spirits are great heroes whose great achievements become legends after death, becoming objects of worship, and only then can they be selected into the Throne of Heroes after death!

What kind of famous deeds did this Heroic Spirit Emiya do... to be selected into the Throne of Heroes after death?

At this moment, the scene began to play.

。。。。。

【 In a battered and uneven hall, Emiya Shirou, along with Saber and Cú Chulainn, arrived here, looking at the figure in red clothes and white hair above! 】

【 Emiya Shirou looked at Red A and spoke his thoughts, “I finally noticed. There can't be two of those necklaces! That was originally...” 】

【 Red A stood in the shadows with his back to them, not denying it, “Yes, that's something that remained with you for your entire life after you were saved. It's unique in this world! It's the relics of Tohsaka Rin's father.” 】

【 “Although summoning a spirit definitely requires a catalyst, Tohsaka Rin didn't prepare one, so she firmly believed that the Servant she summoned had nothing to do with her.” 】

【 The scene showed the moment Tohsaka Rin summoned Red A, allowing everyone to clearly see his appearance. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Isn't that figure the Servant who gave Gilgamesh the final blow just now?!”

There was too little information available now, and no one had sorted out the situation. Why did the Servant who saved both Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou at the last moment seem to have a not-so-good relationship with them now?

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Huh?! My Relics?! So that Heroic Spirit Emiya is the Servant summoned by my own daughter?”

At this moment, Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at the screen with some surprise. He finally understood why he wasn't in the future; it turned out he was already dead.

But... why would my Relics be on the adopted son of the Emiya family?! And he kept it for his entire life. Do I have some kind of relationship with this Emiya Shirou?!

And it seems like it's still the previous world, but the time should be before the confrontation with Gilgamesh.

。。。。。

“That mongrel!”

As the saying goes, enemies meeting makes their eyes red. Gilgamesh, on the other side, looking at the appearance of Red A, was practically grinding his back teeth.

To make this King retreat in that manner it's simply unforgivable.

。。。。。

【 Red A continued to calmly tell them everything, “Heroic Spirits cannot be summoned by chance. There must be a connection between the summoner and the spirit.” 】

【 Saber had almost guessed it: “If Rin didn't prepare a catalyst...” 】

【 Red A continued in a deep voice, “That's right... It's not the summoner, but the summoned Heroic Spirit who carries a catalyst related to the summoner.” 】

【 After hearing Red A admit it, Saber became even more certain of her guess, “There is no concept of time in the Throne of Heroes. Both past Heroic Spirits and future Heroic Spirits are treated equally.” 】

【 Red A: “That's right... It's not impossible to summon a future Heroic Spirit. That's how it is!” 】

【 Having said this, everyone had guessed Red A's identity. Cú Chulainn also left here to be responsible for saving Tohsaka Rin, leaving Saber and Emiya Shirou here. 】

【 It was precisely because she had guessed the other party's identity that Saber was even more puzzled, “No matter what happens, I will not intervene in your fight with Emiya Shirou, but I hope you answer me, why do you have to kill Shirou?!” 】

【 Red A didn't explain much, “Is there a reason? Just like that guy doesn't acknowledge me. I can't acknowledge him either.” 】

【 Saber clearly didn't accept this answer and continued to press, “That's impossible. Emiya Shirou's dream as a human is what you, who became a Heroic Spirit, are now! Why would an established ideal deny the past self?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya is Emiya Shirou himself! What the heck is this? I kill myself?! Isn't that crazy?”

Only then did everyone understand that this Red A was still Emiya Shirou himself. Just how many Emiya Shirous are there, hey! The future Emiya Shirou has even become a Heroic Spirit from a human.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Kiritsugu's mouth twitched slightly after seeing this scene.

This adopted son of his is really something; he's even become a Heroic Spirit... Does this mean he really achieved his ideal and became an Ally of Justice?

But the future self denies the past ideal, so he has to kill the past self?! What kind of theory is this? So he's going to stage a suicide?

It's making his head spin.

。。。。。

The King of Conquerors looked at Artoria with a strange expression,

“He's really like you! Denying his past self...”

Artoria was silent.

After watching the videos related to herself, especially the Singularity of the Knights of the Round Table, she realized how foolish her past ideas were, so she was not qualified to judge Red A's thoughts either.

But Gilgamesh, on the side, was somewhat thoughtful, then snorted,

“They are the same person. Even after becoming a Heroic Spirit, he still holds such unrealistic ideas... Hmph, truly a mongrel!”

Knowing everything, Gilgamesh was no longer so angry. He watched with interest; after all, this seemed to be a good source of amusement. He hoped it would please him.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“This... is the future I attained by clinging to my ideals—by carrying Kiritsugu's will forward.”

Emiya the Big Hero stared at his alternate self, the revelation bitter on his tongue.

That he—the version who'd discarded his naive dreams—could still witness the path forged through stubborn perseverance was irony enough.

But why? Why would that future self now reject the very ideals that shaped him?

Even in different worlds, admiring that person's back and becoming an "Ally of Justice" has always been the ideal of the person named Emiya Shirou.

。。。。。

【 “Slap--!” At the same time, on the other side, Tohsaka Rin, who was tied to a chair, stared silently at Shinji Matou after being slapped by him. 】

【 “What's with that look... You're still so airheaded, Tohsaka!” Shinji Matou looked at Tohsaka Rin with a somewhat smug expression, “Don't you understand your position?” 】

【 Even in this situation, Tohsaka Rin was not at all polite in her sarcasm, “Go look in the mirror. You're the one I don't understand.” 】

【 “Stop pretending to be tough, it's heartbreaking.” Shinji Matou bent down and placed his hand on Tohsaka Rin's thigh, gently stroking it, “This is nice, these well-trained white thighs.” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin turned her head away, gritting her teeth. 】

【 Shinji Matou continued to speak his inner thoughts, “I could play with these legs for a year, they're really good.” 】

【 As soon as these words fell, a faint blue phantom instantly appeared, punching him away. Cú Chulainn had a look of 'I'm asking for it' on his face, “Ha, sorry, kid. My hands moved faster than my mouth.” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin, who had been saved, stared blankly at Cú Chulainn, completely unable to understand why he would appear here, “Lan...cer?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Well done, I've been annoyed with him for a long time, it's really satisfying, if you ask me, that punch wasn't hard enough.”

“The Shinji Matou in the previous Emiya the Big Hero was more satisfying than shooting ████, and now there's another 'legs for a year'... I'm really impressed by him.”

Everyone looked at Shinji Matou on the screen with some disdain.

So, it turns out that no matter which world he's in, there isn't a single normal one, without exception, they are all perverts!!

However, to be fair, that smug expression of Cú Chulainn, they really want to learn it.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, Tohsaka Tokiomi's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water. He never expected that the Matou family, also one of the Three Great Families, would dare to treat his daughter like this.

Perhaps his future self is already dead, and they've even bullied his daughter, but don't forget, now... I'm not dead yet!!

The man known as the elegant magus, Tohsaka Tokiomi, was going to the Matou family to cut off the hand of that brat who didn't know his place.

And while he's at it, he'll take Sakura home too.

After watching several videos, he hasn't seen a single normal moment from Shinji Matou!! This Matou family probably doesn't have a single normal person; he's not at ease leaving Sakura in the Matou family...

Chapter 183: The end of the ideal!

Chapter Text

【 Returning to Red A, Saber still couldn't figure out the reason why the future Shirou Emiya wanted to kill his past self. “Why would an established ideal deny the past self?” 】

【 Facing Saber's question, Red A seemed a little indifferent, but still explained, “I am different from you, who became a Heroic Spirit purely from your own radiance. I became a Heroic Spirit by dedicating my life after death! At best, I am a Counter Guardian.” 】

【 “You said Counter Guardian?!” Saber was slightly surprised, “I heard that Counter Guardians become a part of the Counter Force to protect humanity. Even if the experience is different! They should still be Heroic Spirits.” 】

【 “Then you're wrong, Saber!” Red A continued, “Counter Guardians are not beings who protect humanity, they are merely janitors.” 】

【 “Let's put it this way, I followed my ideal and became a hero of justice. But in the end, all I got was regret!” 】

【 Red A, standing above the hall, looked down at Shirou Emiya below, “Having made a contract with the Counter Force during my lifetime, I became a Counter Guardian after death, fighting against those who disrupt the world's balance as the Counter Force of humanity!” 】

【 The scene showed the grown-up Shirou Emiya, making a contract with the blue glowing light of the Counter Force, becoming a Counter Guardian, which is the current Red A! 】

【 “Follow the order, kill... kill... kill everything! Slaughter human lives as if they were nothing, thereby saving thousands of times more people than the number of deaths.” 】

【 After becoming a Counter Guardian, Red A was sent by the Counter Force to battlefields in different eras. In order to save thousands of times more people than the number of deaths, he could only personally eliminate those who caused the incidents. 】

【 “As long as I am needed, I will fight countless times... endlessly repeating... repeating... and repeating!!” 】

【 The scene showed a devastated city, where Red A personally killed one human after another, and was then sent to another era, repeating the cycle... His figure appeared on every battlefield. 】

【 “Endlessly, I was not dreaming of a world without conflict. I merely wished that in the world I knew, no one would ever cry again.” 】

【 In the twilight, Red A sat under a withered tree, looking at the twilight sky. The surrounding area was filled with human corpses, and Red A's heart was full of exhaustion. 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“......”

The viewers in other worlds were silent after seeing this scene.

The boy who dreamed of becoming a hero of justice never expected that after achieving his ideal, reality would be so cruel.

Everyone clearly understood what a so-called janitor was...

All he wanted was to save, but the world forced him to kill. He didn't want others to cry, but the world forced him to make others cry.

From a rational perspective, there was nothing wrong with this!

His killing indeed saved more people, but the inherently kind Shirou Emiya could not emotionally bear this method of exchanging killing for justice.

Traveling through various eras, regardless of good or evil, right or wrong, black or white... eliminating all humans involved in crises!!

This kind of cleaning, fighting violence with violence, was a slaughter that went against Shirou's ideal of saving others. Carrying that unrealistic ideal was the beginning of the tragedy of the boy named Shirou Emiya.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Huahahaha! His future self wants to kill his past self?! There is no concept of death in the Throne of Heroes, does he naively think that Heroic Spirit Emiya will also disappear?!”

Gilgamesh sneered with his arms crossed.

There is no concept of death in the Throne of Heroes, nor is there time...

Moreover, you are a being who directly signed a contract with the Counter Force to become a Counter Guardian. Want to strike?!... That's impossible.

Go back and be a diligent worker.

“This King has said it before, heroes of justice are nothing but unrealistic ideals, but it did provide this King with a good show! I must say, it was truly enjoyable.”

As he thought about it, the anger in Gilgamesh's heart from being headshot by Red A subsided a lot, and he continued to watch the screen with a sense of amusement.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya... doesn't want to kill his past self, but to change the unrealistic ideal of the past Shirou Emiya.”

Perhaps because he gave up his ideal, Big Hero Emiya could understand some of Red A's thoughts.

Red A clearly understood what the end of that ideal was. It was precisely because he understood his own mistakes and the past self's obsession with that ideal!

Red A didn't want Shirou Emiya to continue down that path with such an ideal...

That's why he ruthlessly attacked, hoping to force him away from that ideal; otherwise, he would repeat the same old path as him.

“So at that time, he responded to my prayer?!”

Big Hero Emiya subconsciously touched his right arm.

He knew that at that time, there was also Red A's power responding to his prayer.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Shirou Emiya silently watched the future that Red A showed him by persisting.

He had always adhered to an ideal: “Save everyone, hurt no one.

But Red A never truly did what he wanted, even once, nor did he “save everyone” nor “hurt no one.”

The slaughter carried out for the sake of saving went against his original wish...

“However, the wish itself is not wrong; even if it is difficult to achieve, it is still one's lifelong pursuit as a human.”

This is Shirou Emiya's current thought. Even on a cruel path, he will still persevere to the end.

。。。。。

【 Returning to reality, Red A also walked out of the shadows, “Then I finally realized that the ideal Shirou Emiya held was nothing but a selfish idealism.” 】

【 “It is impossible to save everyone, to save everyone means to sacrifice a small part of the population! You have an impression of this, too, Saber!” 】

【 Saber was stunned for a moment, then she and Shirou Emiya simultaneously remembered a certain person's figure. 】

【 “The seats of happiness are limited, and those who cannot obtain happiness must be quickly eliminated! This is what a hero does.” 】

【 “This is the ideal that this man deeply believed in, what a hero of justice does. Saving the majority is being a hero of justice, right?” 】

【 “So while praying that no one would die, he killed for the sake of the majority. While saying he didn't want anyone to be sad anymore, he brought despair to even more people.” 】

【 The raging fire in his memories flashed by, and Red A fully stepped out, projecting Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands, looking at Shirou Emiya: “This is me, the true identity of Heroic Spirit Emiya. Don't you think it would be better for this world if such a man died now?” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is the famous trolley problem, isn't it? No matter how you choose, someone will die; the difference is whether you save the minority or the majority...”

“Are you sure this won't trigger the grandfather paradox?! Your future self killing your past self, without the past, where does the future come from?!”

Having always sacrificed a small portion of people to preserve the majority, Red A, as a Counter Guardian, could only constantly violate his original intention of making everyone happy, forever working for the Counter Force as a janitor of history!

That's why Red A began to be unable to bear it. After thousands of repetitions, all that remained in his heart was endless emptiness.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Kiritsugu Emiya listened to the familiar words, clutching his head in pain.

Of course, he knew who Red A in the video was talking about, but he never expected that the culprit was himself.

“What kind of belief did I instill in that boy...”

He still hasn't forgotten that Shirou Emiya's ideal was borrowed...

Shirou Emiya was merely inheriting his ideal and blindly going forward...

So the future Heroic Spirit Emiya has been constantly killing in the name of justice, even though he is tired and pained by his own existence...

If this era's Shirou Emiya continues, he will only go down the same path as him...

。。。。。

【 “Kill yourself! Shirou Emiya.” Red A looked at the silent Shirou Emiya beside him; even to himself, he was still ruthless. 】

【 Red A looked at the still silent Shirou Emiya, “What's wrong? Now that you know your true identity, what are you still troubled about?” 】

【 Saber beside him couldn't stand it anymore, “Archer! You haven't betrayed your ideal, you've just been betrayed by the ideal you were supposed to protect. You've lost your way, haven't you?” 】

【 “Otherwise... you wouldn't even think of killing yourself to atone.” 】

【 “Hahaha, no, that's a huge joke.” Red A closed his eyes slightly and chuckled, “Atoning for myself?! Don't be silly, Saber.” 】

【 “Indeed, I have been lied to and betrayed countless times. Such a man who fought for others with all his might could not be understood by others.” 】

【 “In the end, I was arrested as the culprit of the conflict and sent to the gallows.” 】

【 Saber broke out in a cold sweat. Why would Shirou Emiya, who walked the path of justice, meet such an end? It was somewhat unbelievable, “That's not true... Archer, your ending...!” 】

【 The gallows flashed through Red A's memories, “If I had sinned, I would have paid for it then.” 】

【 “Initially, I didn't desire to receive thanks from others, nor did I hope to be praised as a hero.” 】

【 “I just hoped for an ending where everyone could be happy. But that wasn't achieved. Neither during my lifetime nor after death.” 】

【 “I know that Counter Guardians are automated devices. After death... the existence that becomes a Counter Guardian becomes a tool to protect human history.” 】

【 “Even if it's for people in distress, this can be accepted.” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So Shirou Emiya, who had always been firm in this belief, was ultimately sent to the gallows by the very people he saved, as the culprit of the incident...”

Everyone was somewhat stunned, never expecting that this kind-hearted boy would meet such an end. Perhaps this is the inherent weakness of humanity.

It was truly a cruel twist of fate, allowing this person who desperately wanted to fulfill everyone's wish for happiness... to be framed and sent to the gallows as the main culprit of the war, despised by everyone.

Even after death, he still held onto this unrealistic dream, but it was only then that he truly saw reality.

The most effective way to maintain world peace is not to rescue after an accident occurs, but to personally eliminate the people who cause the accident before it happens.

In the long years after becoming a Counter Guardian, he achieved his dream in a contradictory way. From the result, destroying the source was much more efficient than the so-called post-accident rescue, and it actually saved more people.

But after taking countless lives, the kind-hearted Shirou Emiya's heart became increasingly weary... Although he did save many people, emotionally, he could not accept hurting hundreds of people to save thousands of people.

 

Author-san: This passage of Red A's self-narration can be said to be the essence of the entire play.

Chapter 184: Past and Future Shirou clash! A battle of opposing ideals!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Speaking of which, Red A's emotions grew increasingly agitated, “But!! Reality is not like that... As a Guardian, I cannot save humanity. A Guardian must only clean up and handle the aftermath.” 】

【 “What has already happened, the sins caused by humans. Using their power to reduce them to nothing, they are merely executioners who deal with humans harmful to the continuation of the spiritual world, regardless of good or evil.” 】

【 “How utterly foolish, how is that any different from the powerless me back then?!” 】

【 Saber calmed down, her gaze fixed on Red A, trying to find something in his eyes: “Even if you could save one more person, did you never achieve it even once in the end?” 】

【 Red A: “Yes! I personally killed the very things I saved, all for the sake of fulfilling that boring wish of being a hero of justice.” 】

【 As he said this, the scene suddenly shifted. Red A's figure stood amidst a desolate field of swords, under a dim sky, shrouded in loneliness and emptiness... 】

【 “I am tired of constantly cleaning up humanity's messes, but as a Heroic Spirit, I can only repeat this.” 】

【 “If I had never existed, if I could be erased, then...” 】

【 Saber immediately denied this possibility, “It's useless. You have already become a Guardian. Separated from the wheel of time, even if you kill the current Shirou, your existence will not disappear.” 】

【 Red A: “But it is not impossible... But if what is destroyed is not the body, but the belief along with it, then the mistake of 'hero of justice' will not appear in this world.” 】

【 。。。。。 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“In the end, it’s not Emiya Shirou the man he seeks to destroy—but the very ideal of 'becoming a hero of justice' that defines him.”

Viewers from other worlds felt a strange sadness. The story of Heroic Spirit Emiya was the story of a tragic life... always pursuing an ideal, but never achieving it! He also experienced the cruelty of reality within it.

While still alive, in order to continue pursuing this even after death, he signed a contract with the Counter Force without much thought, was used as a tool, and instead constantly went against his original intentions.

He moved forward step by step towards his dream. In the endless journey, even a man as strong as forged steel grew tired and reached the end.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“King Gilgamesh, what do you think of this Heroic Spirit Emiya?”

Merlin noticed the subtle changes in Gilgamesh's expression and asked for his opinion.

Gilgamesh rested his hand on his cheek and said in a flat tone,

“Just a naive brat... At the end of his life, he made a wish to the world to become a hero and gained power beyond ordinary people.”

“He hurt some people and saved many. Finally, when it was time for him to pay the price, he was betrayed by his own ideal... But!”

Saying this, the Wise King Gilgamesh sat up slightly, his voice suddenly becoming louder,

“Although naive, he is a hero! Even if his life was meaningless, it was also full of meaning.”

Even if the dream was unattainable, what did it matter?! He didn't want to hold the stars in the sky in his hands; he just wanted to chase after the stars.

“Is that so...”

Merlin looked back at Red A on the screen. Having reached the end of his ideal, he planned to show it to Emiya Shirou, trying to make him give up his ideal...

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Although Emiya the Big Hero understood Archer's thoughts, he didn't agree with Archer's actions,

“Although this wish is impossible... it is definitely not wrong! Even if it cannot be realized, the wish for everyone to be happy is not wrong.”

“Since you are my another self from parallel world, you should understand, shouldn't you?!”

Even Emiya, the Big Hero himself, once lived with such an ideal. Perhaps if it weren't for Miyu, he would have walked the same path as you...

But the wish itself is not wrong. Even if it is difficult to achieve, it is still the lifelong pursuit of the person named 'Emiya Shirou'!

。。。。。

【 After Red A finished speaking, he looked back at Emiya Shirou, waiting for his answer, “How about it, Emiya Shirou... If you don't approve of me, just kill yourself here.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou, who had been silent all this time, bent down and picked up the long sword on the ground, reaching out to gently caress the blade. 】

【 “Shirou!” Saber was startled and panicked, fearing that Emiya Shirou might actually give up and end his own life. 】

【 After a long silence, Emiya Shirou held the blade in both hands, looked at Red A, and asked in return, “Archer... do you regret it?” 】

【 “Of course!” 】

【 Hearing the answer, Emiya Shirou also came to his own conclusion and dropped the sword in his hand, “Then we are different people.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou's eyes were fixed on Red A, and he said sternly, “No matter what happens, I will never regret it, so I will never approve of you. If you are my ideal, then I will personally destroy this wrong ideal.” 】

【 Since that was the case, Red A didn't want to waste any more words with him and walked directly down the stairs towards Emiya Shirou. Seeing this, Saber quickly stepped in front of him. 】

【 “It's okay, Saber!” Emiya Shirou patted Saber's shoulder and also stepped forward, “Thank you, but no matter what, please step aside.” 】

【 “Because... this is my battle... Trace” 】

【 Red A also chanted, “On!” 】

【 The two walked towards each other, their hands emitting colored light, and identical Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in their hands at the same time. 】

【 。。。。。 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“In the end, despite everything, Emiya Shirou refused to yield... Yet it was this very stubbornness that proved they were never the same person to begin with!!”

Emiya Shirou's philosophy is too idealistic. Viewers from other worlds feel that Red A's philosophy is indeed correct and the most efficient.

Heroic Spirit Emiya is a true hero because he is the ideal that the boy named 'Emiya Shirou' pursued to the very end. Even if he regrets it, even if he takes detours, he is still a true hero.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Whether Red A's words convinced Emiya Shirou, he didn't know, but Kiritsugu Emiya was certainly shaken. Red A, in a sense, was the end of his own unrealistic ideal.

His wife, Irisviel, was a little worried,

“Both of these Emiyas are my children, let's talk it out properly, why fight...”

Moreover, the magic they use is the same, but Emiya Shirou's technique and proficiency are definitely not comparable to the future Red A, who has been tempered through countless battles. Isn't he doomed to lose?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

"Emiya-kun?!"

Rin whirled around, half-expecting to find him charging headfirst into another reckless act. Instead, she found Shirou sitting silently apart—unusually still.

"You... alright?"

Her voice softened as she approached. If anyone understood the sting of being called a hypocrite while chasing impossible ideals, it was him. In some twisted way, that made Shirou uniquely qualified to grasp a fraction of Archer’s anguish.

Yet the Shirou she knew was kindness incarnate—the type who’d been called "hopelessly good-natured" to his face.

Maybe that was the cruelest joke: his very ability to heal through others’ happiness made him both the closest and farthest from understanding Archer’s despair.

"T-Tohsaka?! When did you—"

Shirou startled at her presence, then managed a weak shake of his head.

"Thanks... I’m fine. Just... trying to figure out how ‘me’ and ‘him’ diverged so completely."

His gaze drifted back to the screen, hoping to find the answer from it.

。。。。。

【 “Bang—” Under Saber's witness, the two swords collided, and the resulting wind pressure blew towards Saber... But she knew that this was a collision of their beliefs. 】

【 However, the battle was one-sided from the start. Emiya Shirou could only barely parry with the dual swords in his hands. While Red A repelled him, he instantly moved in front of him and sent him flying with a single palm. 】

【 But he didn't press the advantage and instead assumed a stance, waiting for Emiya Shirou to stand up again. 】

【 “Damn it!!” Emiya Shirou reached out and tore off his jacket. A flash of green magic appeared, and the dual swords reappeared in his hands. 】

【 But it was no surprise that they were easily cut apart by Red A in two strokes. Red A quietly watched Emiya Shirou project his Noble Phantasm again, “Do you think your projection is on the same level as mine... Although you can ensure the imagined shape and material, without the structural theory, it's just a facade.” 】

【 “Damn it!!” Emiya Shirou gritted his teeth and charged forward, but was blocked by Red A with a single hand holding the sword, and was casually thrown away. 】

【 However, what was different was that in this collision with Red A, something seemed to be changing in Emiya Shirou. Green magic circuits flickered continuously on his body. 】

【 “Rumble—” 】

【 Emiya Shirou, who had been struggling to parry, actually repelled Red A this time. 】

【 Red A looked at Emiya Shirou, “I see, you are quite resilient! Although I have heard of inheriting the techniques and magic of one's past life, by having them manifest within oneself.” 】

【 “It seems that with each round we fight, your technique improves.” 】

【 After a series of battles, Emiya Shirou's forehead was bleeding, and he was slightly out of breath. “Is that so?! Imitating and copying, everyone is the same, right... Show off while you can. I'll catch up to you soon!!” 】

【 。。。。。 】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even as he battles his own reflection, he's trapped in Archer's rhythm—yet what should be a deathmatch feels more like a brutal training session, with his future self forcibly schooling him in Projection!”

Everyone looked at Archer's actions and saw the words “going easy.”... If he wanted to win, those few slashes just now would have killed Emiya Shirou.

Now it's more like feeding him moves, as if Archer is teaching him his techniques, constantly pulling and pushing.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Perhaps the ideal is unattainable, even if the ideal is impossible... to drown in that ideal, to live and die for it - at least that's a life one can accept. That's your belief, isn't it, Emiya Shirou...?”

A rare smile crossed Kiritsugu's face. His dream might have been unattainable, but no one else had earned the right to scorn it.

Only those who had seen an ideal through to its bitter end could truly judge its worth. The fact that Heroic Spirit Emiya could declare his path ended only in regret... proved he had pursued that ideal to its absolute conclusion.

True, Emiya Shirou was a fool. But that very foolishness now served as a mirror, reflecting Kiritsugu's current self back to him.

He, too, had become that kind of fool.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“This battle of beliefs is far more exciting than a simple fight.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh was very curious if Emiya Shirou would still say that he would not regret it after experiencing all of Heroic Spirit Emiya's experiences?!

It is essential to recognize that different experiences lead to distinct choices...

The contradiction with his ideal of saving everyone is that he can only choose to save a part of them.

After he personally experiences it, will he still give the same answer? How delightful... Emiya Shirou.

。。。。。

 

( Translator-kun: For those who are asking why the hell Archer Emiya is called "Red A," it was a nickname of Archer Emiya. " When Japanese folks try to pronounce 'Archer', it sounds like Ah Cha, and the 'Cha' part sounds like the word for 'tea'." And his color palette was 'Red', so the nickname was 'Red A'. And almost all archer had color themes in their nicknames. There was also a list of some nicknames you can check out here: "FGO Nicknames and Aliases: r/grandorder." I will use some of those nicknames in the future .)

Notes:

( Author note: I'm already secretly typing while at work... Afterwards, it should connect to Black A's story and the Heaven's Feel story!! Only then can we see how much of a sacrifice Emiya Shirou made by giving up his ideal for Sakura. )

Chapter 185: Three Reality Marbles, three paths for Emiya Shirou.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Hearing Shirou Emiya's somewhat overconfident words, Archer's voice deepened: “Catch up to me?! What a ridiculous misunderstanding! As expected, you don't understand anything.” 】

【 “Misunderstanding?!” 】

【 Before Shirou Emiya could figure it out, Archer's figure flickered, quickly disappearing from his original position. By the time he reacted, Archer was already in front of him! 】

【 “Bang—!” Accompanied by a burst of sparks, two identical swords violently collided, emitting a piercing sound. 】

【 “That means you don't even have a sliver of a chance of winning!!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya could only grit his teeth and hold on. Then, from the intertwining of their swords, strange images flashed through his mind... 】

【 He saw Archer, cloaked under a dark sky, inserting a long sword into a hill of swords. But every time he inserted one, a scene of someone dying flashed by. 】

【 But even so, Archer continuously erected sword graves on this barren land... until it was covered with a vast hill of swords! 】

【 Even Archer's body was covered in swords. At this moment, Shirou Emiya saw himself dying on a gallows! 】

【 “Is this... that ending? I will never sympathize. I will never sympathize!! I will never sympathize!!!” 】

【 “But...” As the camera continuously pulled back, Shirou Emiya stood at the other end of the hill of swords, looking at Archer standing alone in the desolate land with swords stuck behind him, inevitably feeling a little shaken. “Thinking that I'm about to walk down such a path, it feels like a hole has opened up in my heart.” 】

【 “Those I trusted, those I believed in, even if they are covered in lies! Even if they seem as illusory as a dream! I still...” 】

【 Returning to reality, Shirou Emiya's sword began to crack and then broke. Having witnessed the previous scene, Shirou Emiya himself fell to the ground, seemingly recoiling in fear for a few steps, and began to breathe rapidly. 】

【 Archer slightly frowned, looking at Shirou Emiya, who was recoiling in fear. “Look at you, you look like you're about to vomit. You saw it, didn't you? Then things are simple. All of that is fact!” 】

【 “Shirou Emiya, to catch up to me. That means something like this...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So the swords in Unlimited Blade Works were inserted by Archer... Each one represents the slaughter committed by the 'so-called ally of justice'.”

“Shirou Emiya's belief was the first to waver, so his sword was the first to become unstable, showing cracks just like his belief.”

Everyone in other worlds shook their heads at this.

Shirou Emiya lost this battle of beliefs. After witnessing the future Archer had reached, the end of his ideal, Shirou Emiya began to waver!!

Ultimately, Shirou Emiya's ideal was too idealistic. A world where no one gets hurt?! Can an ally of justice save everyone?! Where in the world is there such a good thing?

What Archer showed was the truth. Walking down this so-called path of justice, only to be betrayed by the very things he protected. Even after becoming a Guardian, he could only repeatedly violate his ideals and commit slaughter... So Archer's heart must have also somewhat broken.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahaha, future Archer! A tragic life, achieving an ideal only to be betrayed by it... How sad!”

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, clearly still holding a grudge against the future Archer for taking him out in such an underhanded way.

This King can retire, but not in such a sneak attack manner; it doesn't suit this King's image at all!

The King of Conquerors let out a barely audible sigh.

“He is still a boy, after all, clinging to unrealistic ideals. After seeing reality, has his belief begun to waver?”

Ultimately, this is a twisted ideal. What he wants to do and what he is doing can never be consistent...

The conflict between Archer and Shirou Emiya is bound to lead to a clash of destinies.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“...!”

Shirou Emiya, the Big Hero, felt a sense of absurdity looking at this scene. If he were also in it, whose belief would prevail?

Archer, who reached the end of his ideal...

Shirou Emiya, who harbors an ideal... and himself, who abandoned his ideal!!

He just doesn't know if there are other Shirou Emiyas who made different choices.

Thinking of this, the Big Hero Shirou suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile.

“After all, I, who first abandoned my ideal, have no right to judge their right or wrong... Everything is 'my' choice.”

However, he does not regret or waver in his decision to abandon his ideal. He hasn't forgotten the words he spoke when he fell under the moonlight, reaching for the sky, “I won!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“In the end... did I still walk down the same path as Kiritsugu Emiya?”

Shirou Emiya stared blankly at the reality displayed on the screen. Not having experienced it yet, he couldn't help but feel a sense of self-loathing at this moment.

Kiritsugu Emiya is someone he looks up to, but at the same time, Kiritsugu Emiya is the type of person he dislikes the most... He never expected that the so-called Guardians are killers who 'kill the few to save the many' like Kiritsugu of the past.

That hill of swords, to him, each sword is a grave, a sin committed by 'Shirou Emiya' under the banner of justice...

。。。。。

【 Perhaps feeling that this was not enough to destroy Shirou Emiya's belief, Archer decided to let him see it again. “Look again with your own eyes!!” 】

【 “The world I reached...” A blue light glowed under Archer's feet, like blue flames, surrounding him, and then he began to chant. 】

【 “I am the bone of my sword!” 】

【 “Unknown to Death!” 】

【 “Nor known to Life!” 】

【 “So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works!” 】

【 Archer unfolded his Unlimited Blade Works. Giant gears hung in the sky, and broken sword blades were scattered everywhere. Archer stood on the hill of swords, looking down at Shirou Emiya. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Unlimited Blade Works, Archer version... Another Reality Marble. We've seen three different versions.”

“They are clearly the same person, but the appearance of the Reality Marble is somewhat different.”

Everyone looked at the Unlimited Blade Works displayed by Archer. Firstly, the giant gears in the sky were different from the other Shirou Emiyas.

Do those giant gears symbolize the Counter Force... Archer, who became a Guardian, could only mechanically violate his own will again and again, completing tasks like a tool.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“This King has truly seen something interesting... Shirou Emiya, the Big Hero's snowy field, Shirou Emiya's twilight, Archer's gear hill of swords.”

King Gilgamesh's gaze scanned Archer's Reality Marble. Each of Shirou Emiya's Reality Marbles seems to be subtly different.

A Reality Marble is a manifestation of the mind. Three different Reality Marbles, does it mean that the three Shirou Emiyas walked different paths?

“Hahaha, this is getting more and more interesting. This King is very curious, what kind of path did your Reality Marble choose to present itself as Twilight!”

If the previous Shirou Emiya could be described as ignorant and naive! Then, having come into contact with Archer's memories, are you still going to pursue that ideal now?!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Another Reality Marble...”

Rin Tohsaka's mouth twitched slightly. Is this kind of Reality Marble, which stands at the pinnacle of mages, being mass-produced?!

Or does everyone named Shirou Emiya know this Reality Marble... Are your Reality Marbles shared?! That's a bit too ridiculous.

“Gears...”

Shirou Emiya murmured, seeing the other party's Reality Marble.

Does this symbolize the Counter Force? Archer can only act like a tool, violating his own will, being sent to different eras to mechanically complete tasks... Is this the end of his ideal?

。。。。。

【 In the Reality Marble, Shirou Emiya supported himself with his broken Kanshou and Bakuya, kneeling on the ground, panting heavily! 】

【 “Knowing you couldn't defeat me, yet still appearing here, this foolishness, imprisoned by this boring ideal your whole life. A fake without self-will.” 】

【 “Do you understand that this is your true face? Simply wanting to save is wrong in terms of emotion.” 】

【 “You, who malfunctioned as a human, are a fake that should not have existed from the beginning. Such a thing has no value to live.” 】

【 Archer looked at Shirou Emiya, whose belief was wavering, and continued to destroy the other party's will. “I am your ideal; you should understand that it is absolutely impossible to defeat me.” 】

【 Hearing all this, Shirou Emiya gritted his teeth and tried to stand up, but the images he had seen before kept flashing through his mind. 】

【 “Ah!!” Shirou Emiya roared in anger, projecting Kanshou and Bakuya with both hands again and charging forward. This was his answer. 】

【 “Bang!!” Archer blocked his attack with a single hand. 】

【 “Yes, it's understandable that you can't accept me. As long as I am your ideal, Shirou Emiya must deny me more than anyone else.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This sentence is very brilliant! They are the same person, but also contradictory existences. As long as Shirou Emiya still holds onto that ideal, he will never accept Archer's existence!”

Everyone in the other worlds silently shook their heads. Shirou Emiya's conviction had already faltered, leaving him unable to argue or defend himself.

He could only attack Archer haphazardly as if venting his anger. If this continues, he will be the first one whose belief collapses.

Ultimately, Shirou Emiya's ideal was borrowed. Archer didn't strike to kill; he was just constantly destroying Shirou Emiya's unrealistic ideal.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Rin Tohsaka huffed, crossing her arms as she eyed the despondent Shirou beside her.

Seeing the depressed Shirou Emiya next to her, she also began to refute him.

“Hah?! So what if you're 'future' Emiya Shirou? That doesn't give you the right to keep dismissing yourself as some counterfeit—!”

Her voice softened slightly, fingers tightening around her elbows.

“Sure, Emiya-kun's naive and weak... But that stubborn idealism of his? The way he refuses to stop caring? That's... admirable in its own way!”

Speaking of this, Rin Tohsaka suddenly noticed Shirou Emiya staring at her blankly, her face suddenly turned red again, her voice became hesitant and smaller,

“Of... of course, this way of sacrificing oneself to help others is a little bit heartbreaking.”

Rin Tohsaka gestured to Shirou Emiya with her fingers... Only she knew how much she meant by “a little bit heartbreaking”.

“Thank you, Tohsaka.”

Shirou Emiya's eyes suddenly brightened slightly, and he thanked Rin Tohsaka. His idea of wanting others to be happy was not wrong, and he would continue to walk down this path in the end.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Alright, I understand I just called 'Archer' as 'Archer', for simplicity and to stop the confusing part. But take note that I won't edit the past chapters to change 'Red A' to 'Archer', that will stay as that. But starting with this chapter, 'Red A' will become just 'Archer', or maybe I just used it vice versa. just depend on the intention of the paragraph, like how I use 'Star Gods' and 'Aeons'. )

Chapter 186: Your ideal is borrowed!

Chapter Text

【 Emiya Shirou, after being repelled, steadied himself and continued to stagger towards Archer with Kanshou and Bakuya, but to Archer, his speed was like that of an ant. 】

【 Archer casually used his sword to parry Emiya Shirou's attack. Looking at Emiya Shirou's wild attacks, Archer questioned, “So... I ask you, do you really want to become a hero of justice?!” 】

【 The blood flowing from his forehead blurred Emiya Shirou's eyes, but he still raised his head and firmly stated his answer: “At this point, why ask that? I don't want to become... I absolutely will become!!” 】

【 As Emiya Shirou's words fell, he charged forward with force. Archer dodged to the side and then used his backhand to block Emiya Shirou's hands. The two stood back-to-back in this barren hill of swords. 】

【 Archer saw through Emiya Shirou's thoughts. “Yes, you absolutely must become one. Why? Because that is Emiya Shirou's only emotion... even if it doesn't come from within yourself.” 】

【 Then, Archer felt Emiya Shirou struggling behind him and continued, “Looking at this, you seem to have realized something. I no longer have my past memories...” 】

【 “But even so, I will not forget that scene. In a sea of fire filled with the smell of death, the feeling of crying out in despair and being rescued!” 】

【 “The relieved face of the man named Emiya Kiritsugu when he saved me, that is the root of your ideal. It is merely something born from gratitude for being rescued.” 】

【 At this moment, the scene shifted. Blazing flames dyed the screen red. After the fire subsided, rain began to fall. Little Emiya lay on his back in the ruins, his eyes vacant, staring at the phantom of Emiya Kiritsugu. 】

【 “You merely admire Emiya Kiritsugu. That man's expression when he saved you was simply too happy. You just want to become someone like that.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“ If it's admiring someone like that, it is indeed a foolish ideal... but it is not laughable.”

As the saying goes, there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people. The people outside the video also had different views on Emiya Shirou's ideal.

It is indeed foolish... but also dazzling! It is not entirely realistic to act for the sake of good ideals, but the spirit of striving to achieve them, of doing something even when you know it's impossible, isn't that also very dazzling and worth pondering?

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is someone like me really worth admiring...”

Emiya Kiritsugu understood what kind of person he was. He also realized now that this ideal was probably something he couldn't achieve.

Moreover, the great fire in Fuyuki City ten years ago that they mentioned was likely related to this Holy Grail War. Since he lived until that point, perhaps he was the culprit who almost caused that child to die in the sea of fire.

He, who had always acted by sacrificing a small number of people to save the majority, never expected to be admired one day.

。。。。。

On the other side, in the Tohsaka Villa, Kirei Kotomine observed the scene with empty eyes before letting out an amused chuckle,

“To admire someone like that... How utterly foolish, Emiya Shirou...”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Meanwhile, in Fuyuki City, a certain enthusiastic citizen, Gilgamesh, with his hands in his pockets, started to mock after seeing this scene,

“That's why I say you are a fake... even your ideal is fake, just imitating someone else's good deeds! It's not your own idea in the end. mongrels...”

He doesn't even have his own thoughts; he's just blindly imitating others' actions. No wonder he will reach the end of his ideals and become a self-contradictory existence.

The most speechless were the residents of Fuyuki City. So, all their fighting and suffering is for them?! Couldn't they fight somewhere else, causing them such great pain?

They even naively believed that the great fire ten years ago was really caused by a gas explosion. They should know that many of their relatives also lost their lives in that fire!!

。。。。。

【 Emiya Shirou, with his back against Archer, also expressed his view from his perspective, “Yes, but I wasn't the only one saved at that time. In a great fire with no survivors, a child who shouldn't have been saved. And a man searching for a survivor who shouldn't have existed.” 】

【 The scene returned to the past. After that great fire, what little Emiya saw was Emiya Kiritsugu holding his hand, his expression filled with joy because he was still alive. 】

【 “If you're asking which was the miracle, it was...” 】

【 Back in reality, Archer completed his unfinished sentence, “It's natural for a child to admire their parents, but... that guy left you a curse before he died.” 】

【 The scene returned to the past again. The familiar scene appeared before everyone. Little Emiya sat on the veranda of the courtyard, saying something to Emiya Kiritsugu. 】

【 “From that moment on, you were convinced that you had to become a hero of justice. Your ideal is borrowed. You are just imitating the ideal that Emiya Kiritsugu once gave up on.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

That scene... Viewers from other worlds are not unfamiliar with it.

Shirou Emiya, back then, said that he would inherit Emiya Kiritsugu's ideal...

'Dad is an adult, so it's hopeless, but I can still do it, Dad's dream, I'll take it!' (This ideal, like a curse, twists and turns: to twine around, to bind, to pester)

Emiya Shirou, which is why Emiya Shirou became distorted! Yes... distorted!

Emiya Shirou, holding this ideal, was harmless to others, but in the end, he was always hurting himself.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“The feeling of being saved in despair is probably something only I can understand.”

Shirou Emiya placed his hand on his heart. Having experienced despair, he understood the feelings of those in despair the most.

It was also born from that experience, and precisely because he understood this feeling so well! That's why he could understand how much those who have experienced despair long to be saved like him.

But he chose to ignore his own powerlessness and live alone, so his conscience was condemned, and he felt guilty! He didn't want his conscience to be tormented by guilt again, so he hated not saving others.

That's why he longed to be someone like Kiritsugu! My answer at that time was also like this, but...

Sorry, Kiritsugu, I gave up the survival of Mankind. I... failed to become a hero of justice who saves everyone...

I chose Miyu's safety. Even if this path is wrong, I will resolutely walk down it.

。。。。。

【 Saber watched the battle of beliefs between the two men silently from the side, without intervening. 】

【 “That is...” On the hill of swords, as Emiya Shirou's belief wavered, Archer's sword had already embedded itself into Emiya Shirou's blade, seemingly about to be cut off! 】

【 Then Archer's low voice continued, “Hero of justice? Don't make me laugh. Live for others?! Such an ideal is definitely not what you yourself desire.” 】

【 “For a man like that to be able to help others is simply arrogant in the extreme!” 】

【 Having said this, Archer forcefully cut off the sword Emiya Shirou had projected, and then fiercely stabbed it into Emiya Shirou's thigh! 】

【 “Ah!!!” Emiya Shirou let out a painful wail and fell to his knees. 】

【 Archer frowned and looked at Emiya Shirou, “The thought of wanting to help others, because it was beautiful, you admired it! Therefore, it is not an emotion that flows from within yourself!” 】

【 Archer began to attack Emiya Shirou furiously, striking the sword Emiya Shirou had re-projected with blow after blow! 】

【 “If this isn't hypocrisy, then what is it!! Driven by the compulsion of 'living for others', you keep advancing with arrogance.” 】

【 Having said this, Archer angrily stabbed through Emiya Shirou's abdomen, “But after all, it's a fake. With this kind of hypocrisy, you can't save anything. No... You couldn't even decide what to save in the first place.” 】

【 “Look, this is the final result.” Blood surged out of Emiya Shirou's abdomen, spilling onto this land. 】

【 “You didn't know how to save from the beginning, nor did you have anything to save others with. Look closely. This is the fate of an ugly doer of justice.” 】

【 Having said this, Archer pulled the sword out of Emiya Shirou's body, forcefully shattered Emiya Shirou's blade, and sent him flying. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica World~

“Emiya Shirou's essence, in the end, is to want to help others. Such an ideal is absolutely not unrealistic; in fact, it is easily achievable.”

As they spoke, Madoka gradually understood the contradiction they were facing.

What truly exceeded Heroic Spirit Emiya's expectations was that he had to sacrifice a small portion of people while helping the majority. After becoming a Guardian, he didn't even have the freedom to choose.

That's why Heroic Spirit Emiya's mind collapsed, wanting to dismantle his past 'wrong' ideology...

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“What Heroic Spirit Emiya said, perhaps only I, who am also 'Shirou Emiya', can understand...”

Shirou Emiya frowned slightly at this scene.

Emiya Kiritsugu's dying wish solidified Emiya Shirou's journey of atonement as a hero of justice!

Archer's talk of hypocrisy... is because 'Shirou Emiya' wanted to save specific people, while the Guardian's act of slaughter always abandoned those people.

He didn't save the people who truly needed help, and he couldn't even save himself.

“As a Counter Guardian, you couldn't even make a choice, but I am very grateful that you were able to answer my plea at that time...”

Shirou Emiya expressed his gratitude to Archer for being able to respond to him at that time.

After all, from the moment she called me brother, I swore I would protect her.

“Sorry, Kiritsugu, I can't be a hero of justice like you. After all, in the end, I'm just a selfish person who wants my family to be safe...”

。。。。。

Chapter 187: Hey, that's hell you’re walking into.

Chapter Text

【 “That ideal is shattered, the idea that others are more important than oneself. The wish for everyone to be happy is just an empty fairy tale.” 】

【 Archer angrily expressed his thoughts to Emiya Shirou, “If you can't live without that ideal, then drown in it.” 】

【 Lying on the ground, Emiya Shirou seemed to have lost consciousness. The swords projected by his hands dissipated into points of light, and blood continuously flowed from the pierced abdomen. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Emiya Shirou's defeat was due to his inner surrender, which made the projected weapons not strong enough.”

However, despite many setbacks, this is an essential process of growth. In his life, Heroic Spirit Emiya's definition of a “hero of justice” was not clear enough, leading him to forget his original intention and thus collapse.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Oya, is this the end?”

Merlin looked at the amount of blood flowing from Emiya Shirou's abdomen. For a human, it was already fatal.

“End?! It's too early!”

The Wise King Gilgamesh wore an inexplicable smile.

“The boy named Emiya Shirou is a twisted person. If it's just this level, then he won't become Heroic Spirit Emiya in the future.”

He could see a bit of Archer's idea. He wanted Emiya Shirou to find what he truly wanted to do and move forward according to his own thoughts.

Drowning in that unrealistic ideal would only lead to the same path as him.

“Is that so?!”

Although Ishtar didn't entirely agree with Emiya Shirou's ideal, perhaps influenced by possessing a physical body, she found his stance of adhering to his ideal to be very impressive.

。。。。。

【 Lying on the ground as if unconscious, Emiya Shirou vaguely heard Archer's questioning. Lying on his back, Emiya Shirou looked at the twilight sky. “Most of what he said is right, but... I feel like I've forgotten something.” 】

【 “I saw hell...” 】

【 As Emiya Shirou entered a memory, the scene shifted. Emiya Shirou's figure appeared in Archer's previous memory, witnessing firsthand Archer's process of killing some people in the name of justice to save the majority. 】

【 “I saw hell...” 】

【 Emiya Shirou's figure appeared in another scene, where corpses killed by Archer lay everywhere, and countless flies greedily fed on them. 】

【 “I saw hell... I saw the hell that would eventually be reached.” The scene of Archer signing a contract with the Counter Force appeared before everyone. The difference was that Emiya Shirou's figure appeared behind him, silently watching this scene. 】

【 Then the scene shifted, and Emiya Shirou saw a figure with his back to him on the hill of swords. That was the future Archer. “You... you were very right!” 】

【 Archer, with his back to Emiya Shirou, seemed to hear his words. “I'm not very flexible.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou's eyes were fixed on that lonely figure. “It looks like you lost a lot.” 】

【 Archer didn't turn around; his voice sounded somewhat calm. “That's not it. It's precisely because I believe I haven't lost anything that I am here. I haven't lost anything.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Yes... that scene was nothing short of hell for Emiya Shirou. It was the hell that he reached by steadfastly believing in his ideal!”

Seeing this, everyone fell silent. Although Emiya Shirou's ideal could be called foolish, it was by no means detestable.

“He's talking to his future self... Saying 'I saw hell' three times represents different thoughts.”

The first time he said he saw hell... was because this was the genuine end of his ideal!

The second time he saw hell... was more like seeing the twists and turns and hardships of this path.

The third time he saw hell... was because Emiya Shirou saw that at the end of the road, there was no happiness, only endless despair.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Emiya Shirou saying 'You were very right!' to the back of the future Archer is because he also started to doubt, his beliefs began to waver.”

Perhaps because they were the same person, Shirou deeply understood the conversation between the two and thus could hear the hidden meaning within.

Archer's line, “I'm not very flexible...” actually means that this is his ideal, and he will continue to walk this path.

“It's precisely because I believe that I haven't lost anything”

But I still adhere to my ideal. Having my ideal is enough.

So, is his future self teaching him to stick to his ideal... How contradictory!

。。。。。

【 “But... I did indeed forget something.” 】

【 As he said this, the scene returned to the sea of fire ten years ago. In that sea of fire, a young Emiya was crying and walking towards him. 】

【 “Hey!” Emiya Shirou called out to his crying younger self. “That's hell you’re walking into!” 】

【 Young Emiya fell to the ground but gritted his teeth and stood up again... 】

【 Looking at that thin figure, Emiya Shirou's inner monologue sounded again, “What was the point of your... What was the point of my surviving that hell? Why were we spared?” 】

(At this moment, the divine BGM by Aimer also started playing. The people outside the video were somewhat moved by the music.)

【 In the scene, Emiya Shirou saw Emiya Kiritsugu trying to save him in the ruins. Just as he was about to step forward, he was called out by the future Archer behind him! 】

【 “Hey! That's hell you’re walking into!” 】

【 Emiya Shirou gradually remembered the thing he had forgotten, a slight smile appearing on his face. “This is what you forgot.” 】

【 “It's true that it started with admiration, but ultimately it was a wish from the heart. The wish to overturn that hell. I clearly wanted to be a strength for others.” 】

【 “In the end, a man who achieved nothing, that unfulfilled wish.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou quietly looked at Emiya Kiritsugu crying in the ruins because he had saved him, and then a burst of light erupted. A sword sheath shimmering with golden light appeared on the screen - Avalon, The Everdistant Utopia! 】

【 Emiya Shirou placed his hand on his heart, which was emitting golden light! He walked forward resolutely, towards the hill of swords, which was a long sword filled with loneliness. 】

【 Archer's ethereal figure appeared behind him and questioned him, “Even if your life is treated like a machine?” 】

【 “Yes, even if my life is full of hypocrisy!” Emiya Shirou placed his hand on the sword hilt. A dazzling fire appeared in his hand, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. “I still want to persist in becoming a hero of justice.” 】

【 Then he resolutely drew the long sword!! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“The current Emiya Shirou wants to call out to the past young Emiya, and the future Archer wants to call out to the current Emiya... Hey! That's hell you’re walking into!”

“Holy crap!! This scene of drawing the sword is seriously cool!”

Everyone looked at Emiya Shirou, who was moving forward relentlessly towards a future he knew was hell, filled with admiration.

How many people could reach such a level?

Emiya Shirou finally recognized himself. He had admiration and gratitude for Emiya Kiritsugu saving him, but saving people himself was also his true inner feeling and wish; it was not borrowed.

Looking at Emiya Kiritsugu, who was crying with joy, Emiya Shirou wanted to tell Archer that what he forgot was that when he experienced that great fire, he was not the only one who was saved, but also... Emiya Kiritsugu!

Archer believed that the path of a hero of justice was wrong and did not want Emiya Shirou to repeat the same mistake of killing the few to save the many!

Emiya Shirou also thought Archer was very right... But, did you forget something?! Without that ideal, you wouldn't even be yourself.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“The young Emiya Shirou was the only one who witnessed hell yet moved forward resolutely. It wasn't because he was in hell and was saved by Emiya Kiritsugu, but because he willingly walked into hell for others. This is the original intention that Heroic Spirit Emiya forgot.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka felt everything had become clear. In this battle of beliefs, Emiya Shirou won.

Even after knowing the end of his ideal, Emiya Shirou still chose this thorny path. Archer has been surpassed by Shirou.

Archer's past is certainly Emiya Shirou, but Emiya Shirou's future may not necessarily be Archer.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Big Brother...”

Miyu stared blankly at the screen, remembering her brother.

Looking at the sharp contrast between their ideals, she now clearly realized how big a decision it was for her brother to simply give up his ideal.

“I wonder how Big Brother is doing now?!”

。。。。。

Ignoring the suddenly sad Miyu, Shirou, on the other side, said he was doing well, as he was being served delicious food and drinks by his wife.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Hahaha, it is precisely because justice is an ideal that it has value in being realized! It is precisely because the future is destined that it has value in being changed.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh laughed heartily. He no longer found Emiya Shirou childish.

Emiya Shirou had already accessed Archer's memories; all the scenes and outcomes of being betrayed and becoming a machine were equivalent to witnessing and experiencing them firsthand.

But he still wanted to move towards that ideal, which was like hell. For him, as long as he could save more people, even if he regretted it in the future, it didn't matter... Even if they called him foolish or naive, he would not dislike such a person.

“Ah, so the Avalon was on that boy?”

Merlin was also somewhat surprised by this, but if that was the case, then there was nothing to worry about. A mere fatal injury...

。。。。。

Chapter 188: I am the bone of my sword.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 As Shirou Emiya placed his hand on the long sword, fire burst from his right hand. He forcefully pulled out the only long sword in this desolate wilderness. The scene then continuously zoomed out! 】

【 The scene returned to reality. Archer looked at Shirou Emiya, who had been lying on the ground, in astonishment as he suddenly sat up on his knees! 】

【 Golden light began to flow from the wounds on Shirou Emiya's body. Archer frowned slightly at the sight, realizing something. “So that's it, Saber's scabbard...” 】

【 “To save your life, Kiritsugu Emiya buried it within you. The connection to Saber! It's a Holy Relic.” 】

【 “It wasn't something summoned. Even though the contract is severed, the protective effect continues.” 】

【 The scabbard buried within Shirou Emiya, Avalon, the ever-distant utopia... began to forcefully replenish the magic circuits in Shirou Emiya's body. 】

【 “I am!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya suddenly spoke. Golden light, along with a burst of green magic circuits, appeared in his wounds, turning into threads that stitched up the injured areas, rapidly restoring them to their original state. 】

【 “The bone of my sword!!” 】

(At this moment, the stirring BGM, Aimer's divine song “LAST STARDUST,” played once again)

【 Archer also threw the twin blades in his hands, projecting them towards Shirou Emiya. 】

【 “I will never...” At this moment, Shirou Emiya's hands emitted a blue light, like lightning crackling around him. 】

【 “Lose to you!!” Shirou Emiya shouted his conviction firmly. The twin blades projected from his hands still glowed blue. With a fierce swing, he deflected the blades Archer had thrown far away. 】

【 Saber, in the distance, stared blankly at this scene. As the blue light from Shirou Emiya's hands faded, the familiar Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands, continuously flashing with blue electric light. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Archer with determined eyes and said in a firm tone, “I can lose to anyone, but... I absolutely cannot lose to myself.” 】

【 “Have you finally grasped the knack...” Archer closed his eyes slightly at the sight, then reopened them. “But what does that matter? You should understand deeply. The difference in our strength!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya naturally understood, but... he still gave his answer, “My hands and feet can still fight. It's only my heart that surrendered. Because of the weakness in my heart, I accepted that you are correct.” 】

【 Archer frowned slightly, looking at Shirou Emiya in confusion. “What?!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya continued, “Being right isn't everything.” I don't care about that! 】

【 Saying this, Shirou Emiya held Kanshou and Bakuya, pointing them at Archer, his eyes incredibly firm. “I will become a hero of justice. Just as you deny me. I'll use every ounce of my strength to defeat the me that is you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Archer saying 'Have you finally grasped the knack...' is just amazing!! So in the end, this was a teaching match!... But I have to say, the healing effect of this scabbard is really incredible.”

“I am the bone of my sword, that line is just too cool. The quality and precision of the re-projected Kanshou and Bakuya have been greatly improved.”

Everyone was impressed by Shirou Emiya. He was like a martyr who never tired, always chasing the stars! Even when he saw the end of his ideal, he wouldn't give up.

Archer despaired at the end of his ideal and tried to deny himself, while Shirou Emiya admitted the weakness in his heart and intended to deny his future self!

A noble ideal, carrying out this hypocrisy to the death, how is that not true goodness?

~Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes~

“As expected of the King's scabbard, even severe injuries can be healed. This healing ability makes one almost immortal.”

Gawain, the Knight of the Sun, also watched this young man, who seemed to have a deep connection with his King.

Ignorance is not bravery. Facing one's fears head-on, even if it is an unconquerable hell, that is true greatness.

“How... fitting. That boy's stubborn idealism resonates with His Majesty's lost scabbard— 'Avalon'.”

Tristan's fingers stilled upon his harp strings as he observed the scene, his voice a melancholic murmur:

This lofty ideal, from simple affirmation to denial, and then to the denial of denial... From this moment on, the 'fake' named Shirou Emiya gradually moved towards becoming the genuine one!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya's personal example has transformed Shirou Emiya's ideal from simply 'inheriting someone else's ideal' into a truly heartfelt wish.”

Gilgamesh was uncharacteristically not raving this time, nor did he utter any more insults.

“Making justice no longer bound by the past, but focused on the future. You really are something... Shirou Emiya!”

Even knowing everything about the future, he clumsily moved forward, even if it meant eternal damnation! He continuously chased that ideal that was inherited without being severed.

Such a person deserves my king's praise.

。。。。。

On the other side, Kiritsugu Emiya stared blankly at the determined eyes of the young man on the screen.

“The ideal inherited from me, a man who was judged as unscrupulous and achieved nothing...”

However, this ideal, whether one calls it impractical or distorted! An almost impossible ideal has been passed down with the scabbard of King Arthur.

“Defeating the self that denies oneself is the most difficult thing...”

The child saved from that great fire in the future not only prevented this ideal from being extinguished, but at this moment, it bloomed with even more dazzling light than at any other time.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Have you finally recognized your true nature, Shirou Emiya.....”

Emiya Kiritsugu also smiled at the sight.

Archer believed that he hadn't saved everyone and had always been killing, so he vehemently denied his past ideals!

But Shirou Emiya realized that his ideal was to satisfy himself in the process of saving people, so he admitted that Archer was correct and that he was indeed fragile and hypocritical!

However, precisely because of this, Shirou Emiya no longer denied Archer's correctness. All he wanted was that initial intention of becoming a hero of justice.

Regardless of the outcome, good or bad, he was himself! What he wanted to do, what he could do... was only to become a hero of justice.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Is this the exploration of the conflict between ideal and self...”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was also moved.

“The technique is a borrowed ideal, but there is also longing in the heart. Only by truly accepting this ideal in one's heart does one move forward for this ideal.”

“Yes, Senpai!”

Mash Kyrielight nodded slightly beside her.

“Because it is recognized in the heart, what is important is achieving the ideal! Not why the ideal is achieved.”

What Shirou Emiya probably wanted to say was that the outcome doesn't really matter, the process of pursuing it is enough... Even if the outcome is terrible?! That's not important; what's important is that he did his best in the process of pursuing it...

。。。。。

【 “Bang, bang, bang——” 】

【 Archer and Shirou Emiya continuously swung their blades at each other on the sword hill. Unlike before, it was Archer's sword that was the first to crack! But... 】

【 “Boring... Boring, boring!!!” Archer became somewhat agitated. “I don't want to watch anymore, it's utterly foolish, Shirou Emiya!” 】

【 “Become a hero of justice? Just a simple correctness?! Since you have understood so thoroughly, why can't you perceive the error within it?” 】

【 “So-called justice is the manifestation of order... Saving everyone and saving individuals are different. The two can never coexist.” 】

【 Saying this, Archer tightened his grip on his blade and said sternly, “The more you pursue correct salvation, the deeper you will sink into the mire of self-contradiction. In the end, you will only become a simple murderer.” 】

【 “If you don't even understand this, then die. Shatter and scatter with that ideal of yours! Die like this, having achieved nothing.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya did not answer, silently projecting blades again and rushing forward. 】

【 “The death match has begun.” Saber saw this scene clearly. “If this continues, Shirou will eventually catch up to him, but...” 】

【 “Bang, bang, bang——” The sound of clashing blades continuously echoed in this Reality Marble. In the battle against Archer, Shirou Emiya continuously learned future techniques and began to fight with Archer on equal footing. 】

【 Archer was somewhat confused about himself at this moment, gritting his teeth and questioning himself, “Why am I stubbornly playing along with him? I could end the battle by taking a few steps back.” 】

【 “But...” Archer looked at Shirou Emiya's determined eyes, “I have a premonition that if I take even one step back, I will be defeated in something decisive.” 】

【 Then he kicked Shirou Emiya away. Archer looked at Shirou Emiya in the distance, who was still struggling to get up, his heart filled with conflict. 】

【 “Am I an idiot?! I just need to show him this ending a few more times; this guy won't stop. He won't reach his limit. That kind of thing... he has already surpassed it.” 】

【 “If you ask why, what this guy wants to cut down is no longer me.” 】

【 At this moment, Shirou's gear in the Reality Marble suddenly stopped turning. Archer recalled his experiences in the Middle East and looked at Shirou Emiya with gritted teeth. 】

【 Saber on the scene had already clearly seen what they were fighting. “What Shirou wants to cut down is... the self that obstructs him, to protect what he once believed in and will continue to believe in in the future.” 】

【 “What Archer wants to destroy is the self that gave birth to him. To eliminate the regret that was born here and will endlessly cycle.” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya is in conflict... He sees his past in this Shirou Emiya. After all, he hasn't completely denied that ideal.”

After all, he is a product of Shirou Emiya's idealism. He is merely questioning and hoping to find an answer. He could have instantly defeated Shirou Emiya if he had just been a little serious.

But... Archer is still filled with conflict. He could just abandon that ideal, just take a few steps back... But the persistence in his heart prevents him from doing so.

Notes:

Author note: It seems a bit long. The next chapter should be the end. I'll see if I write about Emiya Alter or Heaven's Feel then.

Chapter 189: Shirou Emiya: I won, Archer!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Seeing the self-contradictory Archer, Emiya Shirou couldn't help but shake his head,

“Compared to killing Shirou, Heroic Spirit Emiya cannot accept himself, he despises himself.”

“In order to confirm whether this obsession is wrong, he began to provoke Emiya Shirou and confront his beliefs. This is also the reason why he has been hesitant to act; Heroic Spirit Emiya himself has not abandoned his initial intention, but merely wants to confirm and search for the dream he once forgot.”

As he said, there is a feeling that if he takes one step back, he will be defeated in a decisive event.

This is a matter of principle.

Sometimes, there are things you cannot back down from, but isn't this unique to humans as well?

。。。。。

【 “ Knowing that I cannot win, knowing that it is meaningless. The figure that constantly challenges is nothing else. It is the mistake I made. Even so, why?” 】

【 “No, you will fall into despair just like me!!” 】

【 Four long swords were projected around Archer, rushing out at extreme speed! 】

【 “Bang, bang—” Seeing this, Emiya Shirou could only try his best to swing the Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands, attempting to block this attack! But he was still sent flying. 】

【 Falling heavily onto the ground, Kanshou and Bakuya also broke, and Emiya Shirou's left hand became distorted. 】

【 Archer calmed down, “How ironic! Compared to the heart, the magic power is the first to be exhausted; the only weapon left for you is that one.” 】

【 “In any case, Emiya Shirou's battle! It ends here.” Saying this, more blades were projected around Archer. 】

【 “Yes, your idea is correct and flawless. My idea is just a facade!” Emiya Shirou gasped for breath but did not deny it, struggling to stand up again, “But I can feel its beauty.” 】

【 Archer was visibly stunned after hearing this, and Emiya Shirou continued, “Caring more about others than myself, this is hypocrisy, I already know, but!!” 】

【 “Even so, if I could live like this, how wonderful it would be! I yearned for this so much, even if my life is fake.” 】

【 “The wish for everyone to live happily should be beautiful. I will not give up! Although foolish, I will never give up.” 】

【 “This dream will never... Even if I know it will ultimately be a fake, I will never!! Because it can never be wrong.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou loudly declared his ideals to Archer, and Emiya Shirou's belief made a clear blue sky appear behind this Reality Marble. 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Perhaps his ideal is borrowed, but this feeling of wanting everyone to be happy is absolutely not fake.”

Tracing back to the source, they all originate from a starting point of goodwill, so it will never be wrong.

Even if one's actions are merely hypocritical self-satisfaction, even if one arrives at an ending where no one can be saved...

But!... The pure prayer of goodwill from some time ago, in itself, is absolutely not wrong.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya... you are covered in wounds and exhausted from pursuing your ideal. But you seem to have forgotten the most important point...”

Dr. Roman put down his coffee and watched their battle.

Heroic Spirit Emiya ignored his own existence, which proves that Emiya Shirou persisted in his ideal to the end, thus becoming a hero like the King of Knights!

。。。。。

【 Archer looked at Emiya Shirou, who was stepping towards him. A past scene flashed through his mind, but he gritted his teeth and attacked, “Disappear for me!!” 】

【 “Clang—” Emiya Shirou easily deflected the fatal blow. Emiya Shirou, who couldn't even withstand a single blow until now, actually deflected Archer's full-force attack as if it were natural. 】

【 “This dream...” This impact broke some of Emiya Shirou's limbs. The pain did not paralyze him; he could only use fury to shut out the pain that would make one lose control. 】

【 “It can never be wrong!!” Emiya Shirou roared towards the sky, cutting through the incoming blade. At this time, he had reached his limit, and the blade in his left hand was only emitting blue magical energy, not yet taking shape! 】

【 “ 『Absolutely... not wrong!』” Emiya Shirou only thought of this sentence. Even if Emiya Shirou is a fake, one thing is certain. 】

【 This feeling must be the ideal that everyone hopes for. So, there is no turning back! 】

【 Now Archer's left chest is wide open, and with a broken torso, the next strike will be his last. 】

【 “Ah!!” Emiya Shirou, with his shattered arm, kept swinging to tear through the obstacles in front of him, completely lost in his struggle, shouting with all his might. 】

【 Archer quietly watched Emiya Shirou, who was rushing towards him in a frenzy, remembering the promise he made to Emiya Kiritsugu under the moonlight, raising the blade in his hand, but unable to bring himself to strike... 】

【 “ 『How cruel, showing me my past self.』 ”】

【 Emiya Shirou, with a heartbreaking resolve, struck Archer with all his might, declaring his determination! 】

【 “Puchi—” Emiya Shirou pierced Archer's chest. Archer could have easily deflected the attack, but he took it. 】

【 In the Reality Marble, the mismatched gears abruptly announced the end of the battle, and accompanied by a bright light, they returned to the great hall. 】

【 Emiya Shirou supported his shaky body with his only intact right leg. The Kanshou in his hand had indeed pierced Archer's chest, “I won! Archer...” 】

【 Archer remained motionless. Even with his chest pierced, as a Servant, he could have easily counterattacked. However, his hands hung down, completely still. 】

【 Instead of attacking, Archer seemed to be saying to himself, “Yes... It is also my defeat.” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“In the end, he still couldn't bring himself to do it, Heroic Spirit Emiya... In the end, he admitted his defeat!”

Heroic Spirit Emiya saw his past in this foolish Emiya Shirou and remembered his original heart. In the end, he accepted Emiya Shirou's ideal and his own past ideal.

Although he was not saved and could not be saved, he still found the answer.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline~

“This battle wasn't about strength, nor about intelligence, it was about ideals and beliefs.”

Although this battle seemed a bit drawn out, Old Man Joseph saw the brilliance shining within it!

Emiya Shirou saw his future in Archer and re-examined his ideal... Archer re-recognized his ideal because he saw his past.

Because of the past that was worn away by missions for the Counter Force, he found the point of brilliance he had forgotten. In the end, he was defeated by his own initial intention.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“A Reality Marble is the manifestation of one's inner world, and the scenery of the Reality Marble changed during the continuous battle... This battle, that boy Emiya Shirou truly won!”

The King of Conquerors was quite familiar with Reality Marbles. The change in Heroic Spirit Emiya's inner world was enough to show the defeat of his belief.

Heroic Spirit Emiya found the origin of his ideal in the continuously battling Shirou.

。。。。。

How cruel, showing me my past self.』 Archer's words made the nearby Artoria quite sad... Why would they show someone who acted powerlessly his ideal from his youth?

She also regretted pulling out the Sword in the Stone. If she could go back in time, would she tell the girl named 'Artoria' not to pull out that sword?! Would she listen...

It's impossible. When she pulled out the sword back then, she had already seen that future, yet she still pulled out the Sword in the Stone without hesitation!

But why did she forget?! The stirring in her heart when she pulled out the sword at that time, that beautiful wish... to bring peace to Britain!

Artoria, who was beginning to let go, also began to understand, and gradually a smile appeared on her face.

“Seeing them like this... is like seeing myself now, denying that beautiful wish of my past self.”

Perhaps in the future, Emiya Shirou will be able to summon her. In a way, they have something in common.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya finally remembered, on that night with the bright moon, that vow he had long forgotten!”

“That face he once admired, Emiya Kiritsugu's ideal, it was because he saw his past self that he understood! The answer had already been reached.”

“Even if he sees the end of his ideal, he will not give up, this is Emiya Shirou!”

Da Vinci rubbed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. This battle of beliefs was truly too exciting; she was completely absorbed in watching it.

。。。。。

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

And Merlin in the Seventh Singularity seemed a little nostalgic,

“Emiya Shirou and Lia are really alike... They both know they will face their end, and then for their ideals, they resolutely drew their swords.”

Afterwards, Merlin stroked his chin and fell into thought.

If the previous Emiya Shirou became Emiya Shirou because of Miyu being shown on the screen...

This young man, who knows his future but still adheres to his ideal! He can lose to anyone, but he must not lose to himself - can Emiya Shirou be called - Emiya Shonen!

Notes:

Author note: I'll stop writing about Emiya Shonen here for now! I'll see if I should write about Emiya Alter or the Great Hero(Heaven's Feel route) next.

Chapter 190: EMIYA Alter! A martyr gazing at the stars from hell

Chapter Text

The battle between EMIYA and Shirou Emiya, a clash of ideals—one abandoning his, the other clinging to his—ultimately ended with EMIYA admitting his own defeat…

But! The figure that appeared on the screen next, and the deep voice that emanated from it, stunned everyone. The screen, which had gone dark, now displayed a new scene.

Bonus Content+: EMIYA Alter! A martyr gazing at the stars from hell.

Not an anonymous individual created by society, but a heartless enforcer who abandoned himself and fell. His memories are damaged, and he has lost his past. He has discarded morality, disdained kinship, and constantly mocked himself for living like a walking corpse.

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Emiya?! Is the Throne of Heroes run by their family? It’s practically a family of loyal heroes; another EMIYA has appeared.”

Everyone looked at the new text on the screen, slightly puzzled. The introduction of EMIYA Alter didn't sound like a good person.

Look, abandoning himself, discarding morality, disdaining kinship… This was completely different from the foolishly idealistic Shirou Emiya they knew. Could it be Shirou Emiya’s child or something?!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Irisviel quietly counted on her fingers, as if tallying something, then spoke with a puzzled expression,

“Kiritsugu, how many people are there in the Emiya family… exactly?”

A beat of silence, as Kiritsugu Emiya stared at the screen.

“.....”

He really wanted to admit that he had no idea why someone named Emiya kept appearing.

But it seemed this new Emiya was quite tragic, a martyr gazing at the stars from hell…

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hey, Archer! Do you know this EMIYA Alter?”

At this moment, Rin Tohsaka, who had summoned EMIYA to deal with the Holy Grail War, looked puzzled after seeing the name.

However, she didn't connect him to Shirou Emiya, as his description didn't match Shirou Emiya at all.

“Rin… To be honest, I’m not sure. More accurately, I have no recollection.”

EMIYA frowned slightly at this. As an enforcer of the Counter Force, he didn't seem to have this person in his memory.

。。。。。

【 The first thing that appeared before everyone was a man, completely dark-skinned, but with strange golden patterns covering his body. In his hands, he held Kanshou and Bakuya, which looked more like dual pistols than swords. 】

【 Before he was even seen, a muffled voice was heard, “You ask me if a Hero of Justice can do all sorts of bad things?! Of course, because I myself have long been rotten to the core.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“WHAT THE—!!”

Looking at the figure that appeared and the voice that came through, everyone’s faces were filled with shock, hardly believing their eyes. This man before them was actually that Shirou Emiya!

Viewers from other worlds still found it hard to connect this dark EMIYA Alter with Shirou Emiya, so was this another Shirou Emiya from a parallel world…?

But wasn’t EMIYA already the embodiment of Shirou Emiya’s ideal at its dead end?! How dark a future would it take for him to constantly mock himself for living like a walking corpse?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Even Archer himself, looking at his dark skin, as if he had suffered many hardships in the Middle East, couldn't help but frown slightly.

“Is it another parallel version of myself…? What kind of choice did he make?”

Archer began to mutter to himself. He had thought that being betrayed by his cherished ideal and witnessing so-called hell was already tragic enough.

But he never expected there to be someone even more tragic than himself.

What did he go through to feel that he was rotten to the core, to the point where even doing bad things as a Hero of Justice was taken for granted?

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 6: Stone Ocean Worldline~

“Father Pucci?! No… There are still some differences.”

Jolyne looked at the dark-skinned, white-haired figure. She almost thought it was Father Pucci. She never expected there to be someone so similar in the world.

It was no wonder Jolyne almost mistook him, as their appearances were truly too similar… But, a rotten Hero of Justice, what kind of justice would he enforce then?!

。。。。。

【 In the past, a religion arose in a certain country. Many scientists and powerful figures became followers of this religion, revering it as true salvation. 】

【 The followers of this religion upheld 'purity.' Those rejected by others, lonely individuals with special talents, and geniuses deemed dangerous all gathered together! 】

【 At that time, an incurable disease was spreading across the world, and this religious group suddenly appeared and cured the disease, causing more and more people to join the organization. 】

【 That organization had no evil intentions whatsoever, not even a hint of malevolence… except for the female leader who founded it on a whim 『Kiara Sessyoin』 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin was a very peculiar woman. She possessed unparalleled beauty, compassion, and a physique that made her loved by others, while also having the qualities of a saint and a savior! 】

【 That leader unreservedly fulfilled the desires of her followers, and the believers became utterly dependent on her, revering her as an absolute faith. 】

【 She was a philanthropist, unconstrained by any prejudice, loving all people equally, and vowing to free them from suffering. But the only person she truly loved was herself! Everyone else was seen as mere livestock. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss!! She clearly has the qualities of a savior, loving all people equally… but she only sees herself as human and treats everyone else as livestock!”

Everyone gasped, taking a cold breath. What pure arrogance this was! Possessing the qualities of a saint and a savior, with numerous followers behind her, such an existence, if evil, would have unimaginable consequences.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Mere mongrel!! How dare you be so arrogant?”

Gilgamesh couldn't stand it, his face becoming furious. To be so arrogant as a mere human, even this proud King of Heroes doesn't treat people as non-humans!

“Hahaha, what an arrogant little girl.”

The King of Conquerors seemed unconcerned, but in reality, he was secretly annoyed.

Possessing the qualities of a saint and a savior, she claims to love all people equally, yet treats everyone else as mere livestock, truly loving only herself! What arrogance this is!

。。。。。

【 She could only derive pleasure by enduring others’ desires and achieving the greatest thrill by destroying their lives. In reality, the suicidal believers were all pursuing desires solely to gain her love, but as their desires were gradually satisfied, they faded, and they slowly lost her concern, ultimately committing suicide in despair. 】

【 Later, even Shirou Emiya’s closest companion joined the cult, and Shirou Emiya knew that the person had only sought help from the cult due to their child’s incurable illness, not out of true faith. 】

【 So, sensing something amiss, Shirou Emiya began to investigate this organization. From initial suspicion, his investigation deepened into conviction. If things continued this way, everything would be corrupted, and the world would transform into a state where everyone was unable to escape Kiara Sessyoin’s influence! 】

【 But no matter how he used violent means to stop the believers, he couldn't shake their foundation in the slightest! The more aggressive he became, the more he was met with fanatical resistance and support from the believers! 】

【 So Shirou Emiya decided to eliminate the source, the cult leader, before everything was corrupted! For him, the target was only the leader herself; the believers did not possess the poison that harmed the world. 】

【 When Shirou Emiya arrived at the leader’s location, he was not met by throngs of believers, but by the person most important to him—Taiga Fujimura! 】

【 Taiga Fujimura had become a member of the cult, standing in front of him, her eyes filled with gentle tears, her finger on the trigger, the gun pointed at him. 】

【 Perhaps it was battle instinct that made Shirou Emiya pull the trigger. With a whispered “...I’m sorry!” the beautiful past vanished before Shirou Emiya’s eyes… 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Just to gain Kiara Sessyoin’s love, they all started to kill each other! And because they lost her concern, they even took their own lives…”

Everyone gained a clear understanding of Kiara Sessyoin.

Shirou Emiya, the only one who remained clear-headed, was not wrong in his assessment of her. If she were allowed to continue, this world would be corrupted.

But… Kiara Sessyoin not only forced him to betray his ideals but also made him kill his only family member with his own hands. It’s no wonder Shirou Emiya would undergo a reversal and become EMIYA Alter…

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Shirou Emiya, who had been quietly watching the screen, could no longer sit still. He looked at the screen with a face full of shock, hardly believing his eyes.

Shirou Emiya stared blankly at his hands, somewhat unsure if that future belonged to him.

“I killed Fuji-nee?!…”

This was the most impossible thing for him. Fuji-nee was his only family, like a mother or older sister to him. How could he possibly bring himself to do it?

“Disdaining kinship… discarding morality.”

Only now did Shirou Emiya realize the kind of sin EMIYA Alter truly bore.

。。。。。

【 The believers swarmed forward, stopping Shirou Emiya from advancing towards their leader, and at this moment, Shirou Emiya reaffirmed his resolve, “Even if it costs me something important, I will completely eradicate the root of corruption.” 】

【 So Shirou Emiya began to slaughter the obstructing believers, but he discovered in horror that as long as there was one believer who truly wished for Sessyoin to live, she would not face true death! And even more people would head towards self-destruction! 】

【 To annihilate Sessyoin meant killing all her believers, which conflicted with the belief he had always upheld. Rather than conflict, it twisted Shirou Emiya’s belief! 】

【 In desperation, to eliminate Sessyoin, Shirou did not hesitate to twist his beliefs and kill all the believers in the building who wanted Sessyoin to live. Finally, he stood before the culprit, Kiara Sessyoin. 】

【 For Shirou Emiya, killing Kiara Sessyoin would allow him to uphold his justice, but she did not give him this opportunity. 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin, instead, leaped from the high building with a mocking laugh. “If I existed in your world, I would surely jump from the rooftop with joy and utter boredom.” 】

【 She knew that as long as she, as 'evil,' still existed, whether it meant sacrificing innocent people or important things! As long as justice could be upheld, for Shirou Emiya, it would be salvation! 】

【 But now, she, as 'evil,' ended her own life! Thus, Shirou Emiya’s justice became 'evil'! 】

【 What was originally a sacrifice to uphold justice became indiscriminate killing, and this pain would forever torment Shirou Emiya! 】

【 This was Kiara Sessyoin’s final “gift” to Shirou Emiya! 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 191: A twisted ally of justice is nonetheless the archenemy of evil.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a cruel fate…”

Everyone felt immense sorrow for the Emiya Shirou of that other world.

They knew that for Emiya Shirou, 'justice' was not merely about results; Emiya Shirou had sacrificed everything to walk that path.

But this outcome rendered all his sacrifices meaningless, which was perhaps the root of his breakdown.

The sin of 'killing innocents' was etched deep within Emiya Shirou by Kiara Sessyoin! Even if he never encountered such an enemy again, he could not be forgiven until he reached hell.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“To self-terminate, denying the legitimacy of everything Emiya stood for… that was quite a move.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh wore a half-smile, not forgetting to disgust Emiya Shirou even in his own impending death.

Coincidentally, Emiya Shirou was indeed stubborn, getting himself into a corner. If it were this King, what if Kiara Sessyoin panicked and committed suicide?!

My heart and deeds are clear as a mirror; all my actions are just! If she could affect this King in the slightest, then this King would admit defeat.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“I understand the difference between Emiya Alter and Archer now… how helpless and painful he must have been back then!”

Emiya Shirou let out a bitter laugh at the final scene.

Archer, in the process of achieving his ideal, realized he couldn't save everyone and might even have to kill villains, leading him into doubt. This is why he wanted to eliminate Shirou.

Emiya Alter’s branch line, however, was that after knowing the true evil of Kiara Sessyoin, even with hands stained with sin, he still had to kill innocent believers, ultimately tainting himself completely!

And in this process, he clearly understood the evil deeds he was committing, but to fulfill his ideal, he did not hesitate to stain his hands with the blood of sin, eventually darkening his own soul.

Killing the people most important to him with his own hands, then, after the ideal that supported him was also buried by his own hands, the act of killing innocents (in his eyes) would forever haunt him until he burned to ashes and ceased to exist...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Even if it means going against one’s own heart, in a sense abandoning ideals and killing innocents, one must eradicate evil. In this sense, it can be considered the maximization of one’s own ideal.”

“But… for him, this might be the most severe distortion of his ideal.”

Archer finally understood the meaning of Emiya Alter’s self-answering opening line.

Emiya Alter was different from himself, who doubted during the continuous pursuit of his ideal… and also different from Shirou, who became even more determined in his ideal after doubting himself.

Emiya Alter showed no hesitation in achieving his ideal, but unfortunately, an ideal is still just an ideal. This man eventually twisted himself into a state of guilt.

Yet, in a sense, he had already maximized the fulfillment of his ideal.

。。。。。

【 Only Emiya Shirou in the entire world detected the result of the birth of Human Evil. And precisely because of this, even if it meant sacrificing innocents and burying what he truly loved, he had to remove the tumor that threatened the world. 】

【 However, things were not as simple as him being led to the execution ground and dying. The government was very interested in his abilities. In the report, they listed him as a religious attacker and a criminal to be dealt with by death. 】

【 In reality, they used him as an unnamed executioner. Thus, the 'Ally of Justice' became a 'Puppet of Justice.' He became the government's “Counter Force”! 】

【 He became a killing machine, and Emiya Shirou's heart had long since become hollow. Justice had been forgotten by him over time. 】

【 Even the Kanshou and Bakuya in his heart gradually melted away with the demise of justice, becoming something akin to a blade-spear! Until his death… 】

【 This is the story of his life. After his death, he became the Heroic Spirit Emiya Alter! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So… this is Emiya Alter’s story before he became a Heroic Spirit? He perceived everything, saved the world, yet ultimately became a mere machine.”

He lost those important to him, sacrificed everything, and became a tool. Ultimately, he had to face his own false ideal. Perhaps nothing could be more tragic than this.

Physical pain meant little to him, but because of Kiara Sessyoin's actions, he had to face mental torment every moment, becoming a guardian who would sacrifice everything to protect humanity.

。。。。。

【 Heroic Spirit Emiya Alter, having killed many innocent believers, developed a deep sense of guilt, leading to a mental breakdown, emotional numbness, self-abandonment, and becoming a mere killing machine solely for the sake of justice. 】

【 Although he had lost his true self, Emiya Alter’s efficiency in upholding justice did not decrease; instead, it increased. “No thoughts, no ideals. Therefore, his efficiency is incredibly high!” 】

【 “An indifferent, nameless anti-hero, like a machine. The most fundamental part has long since decayed. To achieve his goals, he repeats merciless slaughter.” 】

【 “I have nothing left… no, it's more accurate to say I'm about to have nothing left. Past ideals and thoughts are gradually dying out. All that remains is the fact that I am good at killing.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Although he is utterly corrupted, this is also the result of adhering to his justice. How pathetic…”

The Wise King Gilgamesh shook his head repeatedly.

A person who degenerated and corrupted due to their ideals, in a sense, had achieved the realization of their ideal without a trace of hesitation… that’s why this King finds it pathetic.

Until the very end, he even abandoned his name, his ideals, and his original heart forgotten.

The Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands even transformed into highly efficient killing weapons, completely becoming a killing machine with nothing left.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Kiritsugu felt immense pain watching Emiya Alter. The child who inherited his ideals was forced by reality to degenerate into this state.

Abandoning his appearance, abandoning his name, and even abandoning his ideal as an 'Ally of Justice'. That child abandoned everything, walked a path without light, and became truly nameless.

So Emiya Kiritsugu felt so heartbroken, so pained. Why was the final path of that young man who clung to his ideals so agonizing…

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Emiya Alter, now a Heroic Spirit, is entrusted by the Counter Force to come to Shinjuku. As soon as Emiya Alter arrives, he eliminates the corrupted Lancer and Saber, who were also summoned there but intended to resist Moriarty! He uses this as a token of allegiance, pretending to join Moriarty’s side. 】

【 Subsequently, he pretends to follow Moriarty’s advice and fights with Jeanne d’Arc Alter. In reality, he deliberately lets Fujimaru Ritsuka and their group enter when they attack the Tower of the Spear. 】

【 Finally, during their battle, he directly betrays Moriarty and kills the Demon God Pillar. 】

【 At this moment, Saber Alter, clad in black armor with eerie black streaks on her face, gritted her teeth and looked at him: “Is this your goal?!” 】

【 Emiya Alter: “The reason I was summoned here is to defeat the Demon God Pillar. Everything else is trivial.” 】

【 Looking at the massive fireball about to fall from the sky, he calmly said to Saber Alter, “It seems there's something wrong with the enemy's magic bullet power. Like this, it's nothing more than an ordinary meteor.” 】

【 “I will shatter it, but shattering it will exhaust all my power. The rest is up to you to clear.” 】

【 “Even for a fallen King of Knights, being eager to burn is easy enough, isn't it?” 】

【 Saber Alter’s words were filled with distrust. “You dare to boast about shattering it… can you really do it with your fake magecraft?” 】

【 Emiya Alter said indifferently: “I can… Although I am an immature magus, I am very good at this one thing.” 】

【 “Unlimited Lost Works (The Void Creation of Swords)” 】

【 Emiya Alter glowed, and Unlimited Blade Works unfolded within the gigantic meteor. The massive meteor instantly shattered with a roar. 】

【 “Boom boom—” The remaining fragments were also cleared by Saber Alter’s released Noble Phantasm! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

Everyone looked at Emiya Alter with a faint smile. No matter what, you are always you. Despite scoffing at your own sins and even forgetting your past, you still do what is just. Although you deny it verbally, the Ally of Justice remains your aspiration!

Emiya Alter… a hero steeped in tragedy. Unlike Emiya Shirou’s fortune, he did not encounter a savior and unhesitatingly walked the path of Asura.

When the saved people cheer for the blessings of the divine, do they ever know that the one being scorned is their esteemed savior?

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“While Spirit Origin Ascension brings joy to most Heroic Spirits... for him, it appears to be pure agony.”

Da Vinci's brow furrowed as her eyes traced the familiar golden scars etching Emiya Alter's form, which seemed familiar.

Senpai... this is...?

Mash stammered, her voice laced with confusion and concern.

Ritsuka's chest tightened watching the blackened Archer, this man who had fought alongside them to preserve humanity despite everything—

“No matter how far you fall, no matter how twisted your path... you'll always be that 'Ally of Justice,' Emiya Shirou!”

Even if corrupted, even if injured, even if torn, even if memories are blurred, despite all this, this man still upholds his original intention…

A twisted ally of justice is nonetheless the archenemy of evil.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author Note: Some plot points are based on a blogger’s explanations, so it might be a bit messy. Please bear with it; I’ve tried my best!

The next chapter will be the story with the Demonic Bodhisattva, Kiara Sessyoin…

Chapter 192: The most shameful Demon God Pillar!

Chapter Text

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Unlimited Lost Works...

The Big Hero Emiya looked at Emiya Alter with a bitter smile, whose Reality Marble had even changed. Why had the former Ally of Justice fallen so far? Because his heart had long since decayed, and he had no expectations for himself anymore.

Suppose Shirou Emiya's future was to be judged by others, and he died on the gallows, thus becoming the Heroic Spirit Emiya. In that case, Emiya Alter's appearance might be Shirou Emiya's self-judgment...

People will find various reasons and excuses for their actions, even when bullying others, to lessen or eliminate their guilt!

However, Emiya the Big Hero could not say whether Emiya Alter's method of strangling himself was right or wrong. He could only say that he was too cruel to himself.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, Archer was sitting in the courtyard, looking at the dual guns on the screen. He then projected them out and held them in his hands.

“This might be the final outcome after I upheld my ideals.”

Upholding the ideal of being an Ally of Justice, he personally killed his closest kin, yet he could not escape the condemnation of his inner self and was consumed by guilt, becoming Emiya Alter...

“However, these dual guns are quite beautiful.”

Rin Tohsaka was grumbling,

“The Clock Tower, the Mage's Association... are they all dead?! Not a single person came out to deal with that woman, Kiara Sessyoin!”

That dark, murky body, covered in golden cracks like her inner self, evoked a pang of distress in Tohsaka Rin.

In her opinion, if someone had stepped in, a half-baked magus like Shirou Emiya wouldn't have ended up like that!

Shirou Emiya silently watched Emiya Alter's deeds from the side. He realized that this might not be a parallel world, but rather a possibility named 'Shirou Emiya'...

So Shirou Emiya fell silent. For someone who had reached the end, a bystander like himself might not have the right to judge. Emiya Alter might have done many wrong things and carried corresponding sins.

At least he tried his best. At least at the final destination, he fell into the deepest darkness, yet remained a martyr who looked up at the stars.

。。。。。

【 The screen continued to play Emiya Alter's story. The deep-sea oil field SERAPHIX, which had close ties with Chaldea, suffered an accident and was about to sink to the bottom of the sea. 】

【 In reality, its interior had already been digitized, with electronic Servants battling each other. The Animusphere family, which originally controlled the deep-sea oil field, had been secretly conducting human experiments. 】

【 The Demon Pillar Zepar, who escaped from the Temple of Time, lurked in the deep-sea oil field SERAPHIX to repair its physical body. It sealed and computerized it, attempting to heal while experimenting with humans as data. 】

【 To this end, it possessed Kiara Sessyoin in this world, erased her only good side, and synchronized her with SE.RA.PH's Kiara Sessyoin, transferring the parallel world's Kiara's experiences to the host. 】

【 However, it was instead dominated by Kiara Sessyoin... and was finally driven to collapse by this woman, begging her to let it go. A mighty Demon Pillar reduced to a toy! 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Demon Pillar?! Sounds a bit familiar, but I wonder if it has any connection to Solomon's 72 Demon Pillars?”

Viewers from other worlds heard this title for the first time. The title “Demon Pillar” did sound quite grand, but its deeds, well, they felt a bit embarrassing.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“......”

Dr. Roman and Da Vinci fell silent after seeing this scene. Even Ritsuka Fujimaru truly didn't know what words to use to describe this Demon Pillar. Zepar's series of actions left him utterly confused.

This might be the most miserable Demon Pillar in history. He even felt a little pity for it...

But they never expected that Kiara Sessyoin, a human, could actually dominate a Demon Pillar! It seemed they had underestimated this seemingly harmless woman.

“And the Animusphere family... Isn't that the old director's family? They're actually secretly conducting human experiments! It seems we need to investigate this first.”

Meanwhile, in the Temple of Time.

“How can there be such a disgraceful Demon Pillar?!”

As the First BEAST, Goetia covered his face with his hand, feeling utterly humiliated. A mighty Demon Pillar being dominated by a woman was bad enough.

To be driven to collapse and become a toy, even desperately begging the other party to let it go... Zepar... if it can't handle it, it should just leave the group. What a disgraceful thing, a freak among the Demon Pillars. It really lowered their standards.

~Yondemasu Yo, Azazel-san World~

“Huh?! There are Demon Pillars there too!”

Akutabe was initially puzzled, then his face darkened with black lines after reading the description.

What kind of disgraceful thing is this?! The face of Solomon's 72 Demon Pillars is practically thrown away.

。。。。。

【 Getting back to the main story, Emiya Alter at this time didn't know why he was summoned, only acting to understand the mastermind. 】

【 After learning some facts from BB, he tried to eliminate all employees of the deep-sea oil field SERAPHIX to thwart the Animusphere family's human experiments. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Uh... he actually planned to kill all the employees. It's just like him. The justice upheld by an inverted Ally of Justice is still being executed.”

Even in this seemingly twisted way, as the saying goes, “body like steel,” Emiya Alter's heart must be even harder than steel. So even with such distortion, the justice in his heart did not dissipate.

But precisely because of the distortion, the way he executed justice became so extreme. Perhaps, as he said, his heart had already decayed, so he no longer held any expectations for himself.

。。。。。

【 However, after killing a female employee named Marble, he discovered that she was the mastermind hidden there—Kiara Sessyoin! 】

【 Emiya Alter was visibly astonished, “Impossible! This aura is... this Spirit Origin is...!!” 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin, whose experiences were synchronized with a parallel world, naturally recognized Emiya Alter. She said in a teasing tone, “You haven't forgotten, have you? Or perhaps, it was stripped away when you became a Heroic Spirit?” 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin then spoke of Emiya Alter's past, which was the life story of Emiya Alter in the previous chapter. 】

【 Emiya Alter became enraged and decisively fired his gun at her, “You—you are—!!” 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin was unfazed by Emiya Alter's attack and continued, “To kill the guru, you killed everyone in the building, because they didn't want me to be killed, did they?” 】

【 “To prevent me from escaping, you had no choice but to kill, crushing everyone like ants. Only after doing that much, did you finally kill me... You killed me—didn't you?!” 】

【 Emiya Alter did not deny it, admitting the fact, “I did kill. At least I killed the body.” 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin rather enjoyed Emiya Alter's obsession with killing her, “You must have been very happy, but also so bored that you wanted to jump from the rooftop, didn't you?” 】

【 “Your actions, while calling yourself an Ally of Justice, are a pleasant thing, but you yourself are a ridiculous, boring man.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Heh, how ironic. The culprit who caused Shirou Emiya to become Emiya Alter actually met him again here...”

“This Kiara Sessyoin has good eyesight. She can recognize Shirou Emiya even after he's become like this. But... she's gotten so bold this time, daring to stand in front of Emiya Alter!”

Everyone watched this scene with gritted teeth. This Kiara Sessyoin really isn't human, openly rubbing salt in his wounds.

However, being able to dominate the power of a Demon Pillar might be the reason she dared to stand before Emiya Alter.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Rather than ridiculous, he's a collection of contradictions. He's in hell, gazing at heaven!”

Emiya the Big Hero clearly disagreed with Kiara Sessyoin's statement.

Arbitrarily taking the lives of others violated the fundamental principle of humanity, which is why Emiya Alter was in such agony.

On one hand, reason told him that killing was an unjust act! On the other hand, reason also told him that if evil Viewers were not eliminated, the world would become even more chaotic.

So he struggled and suffered. Only by abandoning this painful theory could he find some peace.

But he was an Ally of Justice. When he abandoned these things, he broke down and became an executioner.

However, to protect the good things in the world, he had to set aside the justice he had always upheld and chose to kill, killing everyone in the building!

Even in his downfall, he merely transformed from an 'Ally of Justice' into an enemy of evil, still striving to eliminate harmful things for humanity.

。。。。。

【 Kiara Sessyoin, who dominated the Demon Pillar's power, did not put Emiya Alter in her eyes. In a few moves, she severely wounded him. “This won't do. Such reckless attacks, your limbs will be easily broken, won't they?” 】

【 “You want to escape from me so, so badly, but whatever you do is useless.” 】

【 “'You killed innocent civilians.' As long as you continue to feel guilty about that fact. Is that right? Someone like you, even if you didn't encounter a poisonous moth like me, would eventually go to hell, wouldn't you?” 】

【 “As long as it's a sin, no one can be forgiven, and such a heart and mind are also incurable human evils.” 】

【 “A heart of steel... is not something humans can possess. At least... dissolve and be reborn like the Saber devoured by me here.” 】

【 Looking at the severely wounded Emiya Alter lying on the ground, Kiara Sessyoin seemed to take pleasure in having avenged her past self in a certain world who was killed by him. “The lingering resentment of my self in your world has finally been resolved.” 】

【 “What kind of person are you? Why did you twist your beliefs and resolve to kill me?” 】

【 “Yes, you had to kill me!” Kiara Sessyoin seemed to be asking herself, “Because in that world, only you noticed the outcome of my transformation.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Rin Tohsaka bit her fingernails, deep in thought. She finally understood why the Mage's Association and the Clock Tower didn't intervene back then—it was because no one had noticed!

“Kiara Sessyoin's 'transformation'... what does that mean?”

This was what puzzled Rin Tohsaka the most. What did Emiya Alter perceive back then?! To the extent that he twisted his beliefs and resolved to kill her.

。。。。。

Chapter 193: Even After Death, Emiya Alter Is Still Fighting!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The severely wounded Emiya Alter staggered into the Celestial Room, destroying the power supply to the frame. He killed all 128 Masters who, in a state worse than death, were used as batteries by the Demon God Pillars to summon Servants! 】

【 He was misunderstood by the arriving Fujimaru Ritsuka—or perhaps it wasn't entirely a misunderstanding—and subsequently fought until he collapsed near death. The staff member, Marble, also revealed her true identity: Kiara Sessyoin! 】

【 With a face that charmed all beings, a nun-like headscarf, she then revealed her true form: a pair of massive horns on her head, and her clothing became somewhat more revealing. 】

【 Kiara Sessyoin spoke to Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others about the Demon God Pillar, “Oh, Demon God King Goetia... Mr. Goetia, was it?! Indeed, Goetia is also a capable Beast.” 】

【 “But that is merely 'strength.' It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he's just a beast that only knows how to destroy.” 】

【 “My power is weak, and as a Beast, I am still but a pupa! But human perception is like such a fragile dream!” 】

【 “Any intelligent being, no matter how intellectual, possesses 'desire.' Those who possess desire cannot withstand me.” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

As these words were spoken, the Viewers outside the video finally understood why Emiya Shirou would twist his own sense of justice to eliminate Kiara Sessyoin!

They never expected her to be a Beast! The faces of Viewers from other worlds were filled with horror. They had all witnessed the terrifying power of Beast Tiamat, an existence that seemed immortal.

Even with most of her power self-sealed, the goddesses and Wise King Gilgamesh tried every method imaginable but could not stop her advance.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“She's a Beast... This makes things difficult!”

Dr. Roman's hand, holding his coffee, froze after hearing Kiara Sessyoin's narration.

No Beast could be killed easily.

Fujimaru Ritsuka, beside him, was still immersed in the guilt of having killed Emiya Alter in the future. Perhaps due to the third-person perspective, after understanding the full story, how could he have brought himself to do it?

~Temple of Time~

“A Beast possessing the principle of 'lust,' the embodiment of her own love, huh!”

Goetia, who was described by Kiara Sessyoin as merely a beast that only knew how to destroy, was speechless... The Demon God Pillars were already embarrassing enough, and now he was being personally attacked. She was still just a pupa, yet she dared to mock him.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Tohsaka Rin looked at Archer and Emiya Shirou beside her, secretly wondering what kind of special existences they were! How could they perceive Kiara Sessyoin's transformation?!

She finally understood what 'transformation' meant now. Emiya Shirou had perceived that Kiara Sessyoin was about to transform into a Beast similar to Tiamat, which was why he twisted himself, abandoned everything he had, and eliminated her!

A savior who clearly saved all of humanity... yet was betrayed by all of humanity, and even he himself fell into a quagmire due to self-reproach, slowly degenerating until death.

Perhaps losing his memories was a form of salvation for Emiya Alter; at least it would prevent him from continuing to suffer due to the discrepancy between ideals and reality.

。。。。。

【 During her battle with Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others, Kiara Sessyoin didn't forget to mock the deceased Emiya Alter, “There are only a very few rare individuals who wish to execute me as evil. But, as long as such people exist—” 】

【 “—they will be regarded as exiled criminals by human society, just like him over there.” As she spoke, the scene cut to the fallen Emiya Alter, making it obvious who Kiara Sessyoin was referring to. 】

【 “Those who make countless efforts to execute evil like me are then rejected because it doesn't align with their interests!” 】

【 “Do you call such livestock humans?! If so, then those nameless heroes would be far too worthless.” 】

【 As Kiara Sessyoin's contemptuous words fell, the camera once again focused on Emiya Alter. His body, which was already dead, tightened its fist again without anyone noticing. 】

【 The scene shifted. After Fujimaru's group and Meltlilith's combined Noble Phantasm struck Kiara Sessyoin, the dying Kiara tried to seize Meltlilith's body, using Meltlilith as a vessel! 】

【 Even with her severely wounded body, Kiara Sessyoin was still confident of victory, “I still had the last laugh, Meltlilith, I'll take your body!” 】

【 “Although the quality cannot reach the level of my current Saint Graph, it is sufficient for now.” 】

【 “After this, I will hide and wait for another opportunity. Human desires are endless. As long as they serve as nourishment, I am immortal. Next time, I must—!” 】

【 But before she could act, a familiar voice came from behind her, a voice that seemed to intertwine with her soul, unforgettable. 】

【 “No, there won't be a next time! This rift is your grave, Beast III...” 】

【 Emiya Alter stood up, shot Kiara Sessyoin's hair, and used his hook to save Meltlilith. 】

【 This unexpected scene made Kiara Sessyoin lose her composure, “Wh-!” 】

【 Meltlilith also looked at him in great surprise, “You—you can still move?!” 】

【 Emiya Alter: “Although I'm still a corpse, as long as consciousness remains, I can still do this much.” 】

【 “That being said, I've used up all my bodily fluids. If it's a one-way ticket, then we're both the same.” 】

【 Emiya Alter then unhesitatingly launched a fatal blow at Kiara Sessyoin. The already severely wounded Kiara Sessyoin simply couldn't withstand it! 】

【 Just before her demise, she still roared furiously at Emiya Alter: “Unbelievable, to pour cold water on such a supreme reversal—!” 】

【 “You're just someone who can't die... No, you're already a corpse.” 】

【 “How... how boring of a man you are!!!” 】

【 Emiya Alter, however, seemed to find pleasure in her appearance. “There aren't many things in this world worth seeing, like the death of a villain. Just continue to reveal your deserving death like this.” 】

【 Finally, Emiya Alter used his hook to pull Meltlilith out of the sea before completely dissipating! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Kiara Sessyoin loves all humans, but her definition of humans only includes herself... Isn't that just narcissism?”

“Heh heh, treating people as livestock, you really live up to it. I wonder if you feel humiliated now that you've been killed by someone you considered livestock!”

“Mere fatal wounds... No way! This isn't just a fatal wound, Kiara Sessyoin said he was already a corpse! Yet he could stand up again!”

Everyone's jaws almost dropped. This was clearly a resurrection... Archer is like this, and you are like this, too! So, does Emiya Shirou's heroic spirit form all like to repeatedly jump between life and death like this?!

。。。。。

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Archer also clenched his fists in anger when he heard Kiara Sessyoin's speech. He didn't relax until he saw that the supposedly dead Emiya Alter was the same...

“Indeed... No matter what, Emiya Shirou's essential soul will not change...”

Perhaps because their experiences were very similar, Archer understood why Emiya Alter was angry.

Emiya Alter could not tolerate Kiara Sessyoin's contempt for humanity; he could not accept the idea that humans were like livestock. Therefore, even though his body was dead, he endured with an iron will!

Saving these ordinary people was the meaning of his existence. He would not allow Kiara Sessyoin to mock that belief, which remained unchanged even after his reversal.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Watching this familiar scene, King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, suddenly felt a headache.

“Although your other self did something disrespectful to this king, this time... you did well!”

Gilgamesh praised him without reservation. Compared to a fake like Archer, he preferred this man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, who would use any despicable or evil method as long as it could defeat the opponent. He was a pathetic yet respectable man.

The difference between him and Red A was that he knew this was evil, and he frankly accepted this fact, thus bearing all the sins himself. Precisely because he accepted it, he felt that he himself had long since rotted away.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

Emiya Shirou silently offered his respect; it was for that man who, even after death, would rise again to save the world!

“Go ahead and mock your own sins... I won't try to persuade you, nor will I stop you.”

No matter what, you will always be you. Although you've forgotten the past, you still do what's righteous, even if you fall into the abyss of hell, you still look towards heaven!

Although he kept saying that he would only mechanically complete tasks, he still had a considerably gentle side.

。。。。。

【 Even as the video ended, Emiya Alter's voice could still be heard! 】

【 “Seeing myself without any corruption is somewhat unpleasant. But from the other side's perspective, I'm probably something so repulsive they'd want to go on a killing spree.” 】

【 Until the screen disappeared, it also introduced the golden streaks on his body. 】

【 As he continued to fight, his Saint Graph itself was constantly breaking down! These golden streaks were traces of him repairing his damaged Saint Graph, derived from a method of repairing broken pottery called Kintsugi! Hence, the dense golden streaks all over his body. 】

【 And as his Saint Graph continuously broke down, his self was constantly being erased, and his memories became increasingly chaotic and fleeting. To the point where he couldn't even remember things from five minutes ago. 】

【 “Did you just say something, Master...? Sorry, I've been feeling particularly dizzy lately... Even things from five minutes ago feel like a distant dream.” 】

【 “Helping the weak and suppressing the strong, the usual, right?! Isn't that great, an ally of justice... For some reason... I feel like crying.” 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

Author note: Emiya Alter's story is almost finished. There's too little information, so I'm not sure if this is accurate. Please bear with any discrepancies.

 

(Translator-kun: Next would be my favorite one 'Would you be able to forgive me if I become a bad person?' and also the Enthusiastic Civilian who feeds a hungry girl....)

Chapter 194: Emiya: Just Want to Be an 'Ally of Justice' solely for her.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

What a tragic future this truly is! As the battles continued to increase, his physical body became more severely damaged, and the golden stripes wrapped around him were traces of him repairing his damaged Spirit Origin!!

Viewers from other worlds did not fully understand the importance of Spirit Origin at first. Still, after witnessing how the goddess Tiamat in the Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia could disappear due to a shattered Spirit Origin, they realized its significance!

But… now, looking at the golden cracks all over Emiya Alter's body, some words reached their lips but couldn't be spoken. Only now did they understand how the cracks on his body came to be. It turned out his body was already completely worn out'Broken. ' !!

If Archer had witnessed hell, then Emiya Alter was truly living in hell. The constant damage to his Spirit Origin even made memories from just five minutes ago feel as distant as a dream.

Even his sense of self was constantly being erased, but… even so, he still remembered… his initial dream was to be an 'ally of justice.'

It could be said that at this point, his heart only remembered his initial wish! Everything was lost; only his original intention remained. Even if he forgot himself, he would never forget his original intention, truly embodying the phrase, “My body is like steel, my heart like glass!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“What an idiot…!”

Though she said this, Rin Tohsaka's tears unconsciously flowed. Emiya-kun, who had saved the world multiple times, ended up with such a fate.

His body collapsed, his ideals crumbled, and his heart was corroded. Even his memory completely vanished, and when he could no longer remember who he was, he would still feel an inexplicable urge to cry when he uttered the words “ally of justice.”

。。。。。

After watching all this, Archer silently looked at Shirou Emiya.

“Perhaps in the near future, I too will become him.”

“!!!”

Shirou Emiya was visibly startled by this, looking at Archer in astonishment. Even Rin Tohsaka, who was still feeling sad, turned her gaze towards him.

After understanding everything, Archer became somewhat relieved. Looking at the two nervous individuals, he smiled helplessly,

“Don't be nervous. I meant if I had come here… without having witnessed the future of a ‘Shirou Emiya’ who made different choices....”

Shirou Emiya” is obsessive. If there isn't an important person by his side watching over him, he will eventually walk to the end of that ideal.

When the way to save more people is not through miracles, but through slaughter, he will fall into self-doubt, becoming physically and mentally exhausted.

When faced with the choice of committing unforgivable sins to achieve justice, he either let evil develop or become evil himself. Either choice is a betrayal of his ideal.

Shirou Emiya seemed to sigh,

“It seems that no matter what choice I make, I will eventually reach the end of this ideal.”

Perhaps only the Emiya Big Hero, who had given up on his ideals before, would have a different ending… but only he knew how painful it was for “Shirou Emiya” to abandon the ideal in his heart.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“If I were to describe it, ‘Shirou Emiya’ is the spark that brings salvation, Heroic Spirit Emiya is the blazing firewood, as for Emiya Alter…!”

The Wise King, Gilgamesh, paused here.

“Embracing the embers of a dream, still carrying residual heat.”

“Indeed!”

Merlin also sighed with emotion. The pain of a collapsing Spirit Origin was not hard to imagine. Emiya Alter could be said to have burned himself for that ideal until he turned to ash.

Although he resembled an Avenger more than an Avenger itself, he never hated those who pushed him into hell. Saving these ordinary people was the meaning of his existence, so he would not allow Kiara Sessyoin to mock him.

This conviction remained unchanged even after his Alteration.

On the other side, Chaldea.

After witnessing all this, Ritsuka Fujimaru had a desire to summon Emiya Alter, not for battle, but simply hoping that he could pause for a moment, even if it was just for a brief rest!

Unlike other Heroic Spirits, Emiya Alter was a hero behind the scenes, an executioner in the darkness. No one knew he saved the world, and no one understood… he was even branded with negative information by later generations.

His entire being, from body to soul, collapsed, yet he still did not forget his childhood ideal, the person he originally wanted to become.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Ally of justice, huh… that idiot! He really dares to say that, but, never mind. If it’s a wish, as long as one has the courage to pursue it, then others have no right to say anything.”

Emiya Big Hero knew that good and evil could never be separated. Pure good was also pure evil…!!

We can only constantly make choices between extreme good and evil, making the most difficult decisions… The dead cannot return, and reality cannot be changed. We can only move forward with pain and heavy hearts; isn't it precisely to preserve what has been lost?

Whether it was Heroic Spirit Emiya or Emiya Alter, from beginning to end, they all wanted to become an ally of justice, that boy named Shirou Emiya!

。。。。。

Days passed like this, and everyone had calmed down from the continuous emotional rollercoaster of watching the videos.

Just like that, the previously dark screen lit up again, and a brand new video appeared.

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Look, look!! There’s a new one! I wonder what kind of story it will bring this time… I hope it’s not too tragic.”

They hadn't had a good night's sleep these past two days. At first, when they didn't realize Kiara Sessyoin was 'evil,' they thought Emiya Alter was too extreme and cursed him a bit. But these past two days, they wished they could wake up in the middle of the night and slap themselves, cursing themselves for being inhumane.

Bonus Content++: Hero Emiya: I want to become an 'ally of justice' for Sakura alone!!

“Huh?! Hero Emiya!! Another Emiya, don’t tell me it’s Shirou Emiya again…”

The viewers from other worlds twitched their mouths after seeing the title. None of Shirou Emiya’s futures seemed to have a good ending.

“Sakura… is that the girl who wanted to give the Servant card to Emiya Giant before?”

(Translator-kun: Starting here, I will use Emiya Giant/Giant Hero as the nickname of Emiya Shirou from Kaleid liner Prisma Illya and 'Hero' Emiya for Heaven's Feel Worldline to lessen the confusing nicknames of those two worldlines.)

Everyone still had some impression of that girl. They remembered that in the Emiya Giant’s world, she died protecting Emiya Giant. So, is this another parallel world…?

Only wanting to be Sakura’s ally of justice alone! This is equivalent to giving up on his ideal, which would be more painful for Shirou Emiya than killing him!!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Emiya boy!!!”

The always elegant magus, Tokiomi Tohsaka, couldn’t hold himself together. He thought he had already secured Rin Tohsaka, and now this?!

You really got me. Both my daughters are involved with you… Ever since seeing Shinji Matou say “legs for years,” Tokiomi Tohsaka couldn’t contain his anger.

After causing a ruckus at the Matou household, he also gave Shinji Matou a beating.

Then, feeling that the Matou family wasn't normal, he took Sakura back as well. (Consider it making up for a regret.)

Now, looking at Sakura, whose hand was held by Rin Tohsaka, Tokiomi Tohsaka sighed. Even if she couldn't inherit the magus crest, being an ordinary person was fine too.

。。。。。

In a castle elsewhere, Irisviel’s eyes sparkled. She had quite liked the child named Sakura when she watched the Emiya Giant’s video before.

Now, he could even say he only wanted to be Sakura’s ally of justice. Is this a confession?! This is the most profound promise Shirou could make.

Kiritsugu Emiya rubbed his head, feeling a headache. If he were to entrust his ideal to Shirou Emiya again in the future, he would rather commit suicide…

He really didn't want to see Shirou Emiya entangled by his curse-like ideal again. He had seen several endings, and none of them were good.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Sakura…”

Emiya Giant’s eyes darkened. If it weren’t for him, Sakura might not have died.

“Only wanting to be Sakura’s ally of justice, huh? That’s pretty good, isn’t it?”

After all, this is another possibility for me. Let me see, this ‘Shirou Emiya’ who, like me, gave up on his ideal, can you truly live up to your words!!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sakura?! My sister?!”

Rin Tohsaka eyed Shirou Emiya suspiciously. So it was you who was scheming against my sister!!

Even Archer beside her felt a bit strange. This isn’t right. If it’s truly as the screen shows, then why did I even come back?! Even if I didn't do anything, his ideal would have changed, right? So, did I come back for a vacation?!

。。。。。

【 As the scene began to play, on a dark, rainy night, Shirou Emiya walked towards a lonely figure ahead. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Sakura’s crying eyes, as if he had also made up his mind, taking that firm step forward. He didn't mind the puddles on the ground, walking forward without any hesitation. 】

【 Then, Shirou Emiya’s inner monologue was heard: “She is the person I want to protect the most, the most important person to me!” 】

【 “I don’t want Sakura to keep crying. If no one guides Sakura, leading her to constantly blame herself!” 】

【 “Then I will hold her hand. I will lead her to a place bathed in sunlight, even if I don’t receive understanding from others!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya stopped in front of Sakura, his voice firm as he continued, “I will also continue to stand in for Sakura, to seek self-forgiveness for her.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I understand the principle… but why didn’t you say what you were thinking just now?!”

“Holy crap, that’s impressive! I didn’t expect Shirou Emiya in this world to be such a smooth talker.”

Everyone watching this scene was getting anxious. Such perfect words, why didn't he say them out loud? They would definitely move her in an instant!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“HUH!!”

Rin Tohsaka clutched her head with both hands, letting out an incomprehensible cry.

She felt like she was going to burst.

This must be a confession, right?! Although the inner monologue wasn't spoken aloud, it was definitely a confession…

Now she felt a bit awkward. She didn't know how to interact with Shirou Emiya. She already had a bit of a crush on him, so what was this situation now…?

Author Note: I will delete some of Sakura’s lines later, or gloss over them. It’s already tragic enough, so I won’t write them out.

Notes:

Translator-kun: Step aside for the Giga Chad Shirou. Oh, and Zouken, get ready, because in every timeline and worldline, you're already dead.

Chapter 195: Confession in the Rainy Night! Come Home...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Matou Sakura was originally the second daughter of the Tohsaka family, Tohsaka Sakura. Both Tohsaka sisters possessed astonishing magical talent; however, the inheritance of a magus's abilities could only be one-on-one. 】

【 In order to allow Tohsaka Sakura to inherit magic, Tohsaka Tokiomi adopted Sakura into the Matou family, a long-standing acquaintance, making her the adopted granddaughter of Matou Zouken! 】

【 However, Tohsaka Tokiomi was unaware of how cruel the Matou family's magic was. The tradition among magi, which forbade mutual prying into secret arts, kept Tohsaka Tokiomi completely in the dark. 】

【 To obtain the Holy Grail, the Matou family began to cultivate Sakura's abilities. This cultivation process was inhumane. Young Sakura was thrown into a cellar full of magical worms and repeatedly ravaged by them, all to transform her body into a magical tool. 】

【 At the same time, polluted Holy Grail fragments were implanted into Sakura's body, turning her into a living sacrifice for the Holy Grail ritual! 】

【 Not only that, her adopted brother, Matou Shinji, jealous of Matou Sakura's talent, often bullied Matou Sakura out of his impotent rage and dirty desires! 】

【 Then, the video played an uncomfortable, crawling sound of insects. A dark tide of magical worms continuously writhed, and the girl, swallowed by the sea of worms, lay flat within it like a broken doll. 】

【 Matou Sakura's hollow eyes stared blankly at the sky, devoid of the vibrancy a child should possess, seemingly numb. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss—! Even I'm afraid of those bugs, let alone Sakura, who was just a child then. It's truly hard to imagine how she got through her childhood... or rather, did she even have a childhood?”

“WHAT THE F—!!! They're simply scum and degenerates. No one in the Matou family is normal; they're rotten to the core.”

Everyone from other worlds felt a chill run down their spines, looking at the screen full of wriggling magical worms. Goosebumps appeared all over their bodies, let alone for a little girl of a few years old.

Was this Tohsaka Tokiomi too trusting or too naive?! He didn't even bother to understand what kind of people the Matou family he was sending her to were. And as long-standing acquaintances, how could he not know some of their dark sides after all these years? And he just sent her over like that?!

And Matou Shinji... It's Matou Shinji again. It seems this guy is a pervert in every timeline, a beast worse than an animal.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“What... have I done?”

Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at Sakura's hollow, numb eyes, as if a knife was repeatedly slicing at his heart!

Tohsaka Aoi, beside him, had already fainted from the shock. Tohsaka Rin could only suppress her fear, tightly hugging Sakura,

“Don't be afraid, Big Sister is here!”

In the world of magi, mediocrity was the cruelest punishment, let alone for Sakura, who had outstanding talent. He didn't want to waste Sakura's talent, which was why he had her adopted into the Matou family.

Because even without a complete childhood, he hoped his daughter could make something of herself...

But after seeing this scene... the always elegant magus, Tohsaka Tokiomi, instantly straightened his body, his eyes bloodshot, the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. He hatefully shouted that name,

“Matou Zouken!!!”

Fortunately, he had brought Sakura back two days ago; otherwise, he would never be able to forgive himself even until his death...

。。。。。

Matou Kariya, seeing this scene, almost gnashed his teeth to dust. He instantly became a “table-clearing master,” smashing everything on the table to smithereens.

“This is all Tokiomi's fault... and that damned Matou Zouken... they all deserve to die!!”

~Gabriel DropOut World~

“What's with those bugs...”

Gabriel saw the wriggling insects, and for a moment, she had already pulled out her horn, almost wanting to blow it.

“The Matou family is truly despicable. Even Hell wouldn't accept people like them.”

Even the usually good-tempered Vignette was full of anger. Children were the treasures of the world, yet they were so cruelly abused.

。。。。。

【 This continued for ten years, until Matou Zouken sent her to monitor Shirou Emiya, who had deep ties to the Holy Grail War. 】

【 Sakura visited the Emiya household to care for the injured Shirou, using the excuse of helping Shinji. The boy, who called himself an 'Ally of Justice,' ended up changing her through their daily interactions. In truth, they ended up saving each other. 】

【 Shirou Emiya taught Sakura how to cook, and Sakura helped Shirou Emiya clean his house. From then on, the misery in Sakura's world seemed to fade. They supported each other, living a simple and ordinary life. 】

【 “I've changed too...” Shirou Emiya's voice also sounded: “This change is that I've hardly used my own key to open the door anymore.” 】

【 Such an unadorned, ordinary love, a simple and plain life, was what the girl who had fallen into the demonic path most yearned for! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Such a simple and ordinary life is probably what Sakura had always dreamed of...”

“The days Sakura spent with the Ally of Justice were the last bit of warmth in her world.”

A whole ten years!! A little girl tormented for ten years in that hell. Shirou Emiya was truly her last ray of sunshine.

Even Shirou Emiya, that twisted person, seemed to have changed due to Sakura's arrival.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“I never knew...”

Tohsaka Rin stared blankly at the screen. After seeing all this, she knew it was a world very similar to her own, yet different.

Tohsaka Rin found it hard to accept such a fact, or rather, she was afraid that the Sakura in her own world had already suffered these torments and refused to believe it.

“Archer, by means of a Command Spell...!!”

Tohsaka Rin's anxious words were cut off before she could finish.

“Idiot! Don't waste a Command Spell. You don't need to say such a thing...”

Archer reached out and covered her mouth. Only after Tohsaka Rin calmed down did he dissipate into spirit particles and disappear from there.

。。。。。

【 This ordinary life was Sakura's happiest time, until the arrival of the Holy Grail War! 】

【 Scenes appeared before everyone's eyes: Caster and Assassin dying at the very beginning, the teacher Kuzuki Souichirou brutally murdered, and Shirou Emiya, who went out with Saber, encountering Shinji, who was preying on living people's life force in the wild with his Servant! 】

【 Until that rainy night at the beginning, Sakura cried in the rain, humbly pleading with Shirou Emiya: “I just want to protect the time I spend with Senpai, only the time with Senpai truly has meaning.” 】

【 After hearing Sakura's words, Shirou Emiya also strode firmly towards Sakura, until he reached her side, revealing a smile: “Actually, I've known for a long time that Sakura is a bad kid!” 】

【 Sakura cried out to Shirou Emiya, “Maybe I'll lose my mind again like before and do something irreversible. What kind of refuge do I have like this?!!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya silently handed over the key in his hand, “This is your home.” 】

【 Sakura reached out, wanting to grasp that faint hope, yet she was afraid it was a dream and recoiled as if shocked, not daring to touch it. 】

【 “What right do I have to be protected by Senpai like this...” 】

【 Shirou Emiya directly embraced Sakura and spoke an unprecedented vow, “No matter what happens, I will protect you. Even if Sakura wants to commit suicide, I will stop you.” 】

【 Sakura weakly let her hands drop, forcing herself to suppress the pain in her heart and refused, “No, Senpai... If this continues, I'll definitely hurt Senpai again. I'll hurt you!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya placed the key in Sakura's hand, then gripped Sakura's palm, “Let's go home.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A place where someone waits for you is home, so Sakura... go home, follow this person who abandoned his ideals for you!”

Everyone watching this scene couldn't help but sigh at how skilled Shirou Emiya was.

What girl could resist such sweet words, let alone Sakura, who regarded Shirou Emiya as her sun?

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Shirou Emiya, huh... not a good match, but for Sakura, he's the only salvation.”

Tohsaka Tokiomi sighed. In other worldlines, Tohsaka Rin also seemed to have an unclear relationship with Shirou Emiya. Now, even Sakura does; both daughters are in love with the same person.

The most crucial thing is that Shirou Emiya doesn't seem to have a good ending in any future... which is why he's not a good match.

。。。。。

【 Halfway, Shirou Emiya and Sakura encountered Tohsaka Rin and Archer. The two of them walked past them, hand in hand. 】

【 “Shirou Emiya!” Archer suddenly spoke, “If you adhere to your long-held beliefs, then so be it; the outcome is already clear. But if you betray your beliefs...” 】

【 “For Shirou Emiya, there is no future. You will lose everything.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Oh, come on, you're just putting on a show. If I hadn't seen the previous video and known your origin, I wouldn't have known you had Oscar-worthy acting skills.”

Now, everyone knows that you, Archer, came here to change Shirou Emiya's beliefs... now he's already changed himself without you even having to lift a finger.

Now you don't have to exert much effort to drag your former self down; you should be secretly delighted. You know, this is something you couldn't do even after fighting before.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Heroic Spirit Emiya's meaning here should be 'I know the outcome of your Ally of Justice path, but since you've chosen to give it up, then see it through, otherwise you'll end up self-destructing like him!' ”

Emiya Giant smiled with relief, watching himself make a vow to Sakura. No one understood Shirou Emiya's stubbornness better than him; he would definitely fulfill the vow he made.

However... he's truly not honest, Heroic Spirit Emiya! He's clearly happy that he's finally not being an Ally of Justice and doesn't have to walk the path he walked.

Perhaps he feels both relieved and pained. Relieved because his past self finally has his own ideals, and pained because he truly betrayed his own principles.

Notes:

Author Note: It's not important, so I'll just briefly write it. After all, Heaven's Feel has three parts, so it's really too long!

Chapter 196: Blackened Artoria! Double Standard Emiya Archer

Chapter Text

【 Even if Shirou Emiya vowed to bring Sakura home, more than ten years of suffering and torment had already made Sakura incredibly self-deprecating, believing that being with Shirou Emiya would only defile him. 】

【 The desire for happiness and an extremely humble inner self made her incredibly afraid of loss, and also made Sakura contradictory and mentally unstable. 】

【 However, in daily life, she appeared so normal. The two of them washed clothes and cooked together, and Sakura even smiled again, as if they were already living the life of an old married couple. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sigh, after dwelling too long in darkness, even the first glimpse of sunlight becomes terrifying—yearning for its warmth yet fearing its burn.”

“Sakura's heart is far too harsh on itself. This self-loathing will only deepen her wounds!”

The spectators could only watch with sorrow as Sakura trembled, her very presence whispering, "I don't deserve him" beside Emiya Shirou.

After living under the same roof, their two hearts gradually drew closer. This warm period of time was perhaps Sakura’s most precious treasure.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sakura… what exactly did she go through, that she doesn’t even dare to touch this small yet warm happiness?”

Rin Tohsaka lowered her head and buried it in her arms, not wanting Shirou Emiya beside her to see her crying.

“Trust Archer! He’ll bring Sakura back.”

Shirou Emiya didn’t know what to say to the sad Rin Tohsaka, because he felt a subtle sense of unease seeing his parallel self and Sakura falling in love.

Shirou Emiya shook his head. Although he didn’t know if Sakura in this world had suffered such torment, the most urgent task now was to bring Sakura over first.

“Mmm…”

Rin Tohsaka’s muffled voice sounded. Now was indeed not the time for sadness. Although she believed Archer would definitely bring Sakura back.

。。。。。

【 Shirou Emiya wanted Sakura to achieve victory and use the power of the Holy Grail to restore her body, so he planned to team up with other Masters. He thought of Illya. 】

【 At this moment, in the forest of the Einzbern family, Artoria, having been corrupted by a mysterious black shadow, directly transformed into Saber Alter. Due to her corruption, her entire armor turned black with red patterns! 】

【 Even the holy sword in her hand changed, with the sacred golden patterns turning black. She also gained an eye patch to conceal her identity. She casually released a black-red light cannon that directly melted the thick castle wall, destroying everything in its path, turning the castle into ashes. 】

【 “Boom—!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya, who had just arrived, was also knocked to the ground by the aftershock. Fortunately, Rin Tohsaka, who had arrived with the same idea, deployed a shield, blocking the aftershock for him, thus saving him from disaster. 】

【 Wherever the corrupted Artoria passed, the surrounding flowers and trees withered, and purple flames burned in the places where the magic cannon had destroyed. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Wait—isn’t this Saber Alter the same one who resolved the Shinjuku incident alongside Emiya Alter? So she wasn’t forged through divergent experiences like Emiya Archer , but rather born from Artoria’s outright corruption?”

The viewers from other worlds fell silent, looking at the exaggerated magic cannon. Is this the legendary “blackening makes you three times stronger”? Both Emiya Alter and Saber Alter seemed excessively strong.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Kiritsugu, if I’m not mistaken, that’s our home.”

Irisviel looked worried, not because she was heartbroken over the ruined castle, but because she was worried about Illya.

And looking at Saber Alter, she might not even remember Illya. What if she really didn’t show mercy?

“It should be fine. Since Shirou plans to ask Illya for help, he should protect Illya…”

Kiritsugu Emiya said this, but he was actually unsure.

He didn’t know the relationship between Shirou Emiya and Illya, nor did he know if Shirou Emiya knew that Illya was his sister!

。。。。。

【 Berserker, to protect Illya, directly transformed into a red light and rushed forward, arriving in front of Saber Alter in the blink of an eye, about to strike with his huge blade! 】

【 But he was swept away by Saber Alter, who had already taken an attacking stance, and was sent tumbling through the air before falling onto the surface of the lake. He was then tightly bound by black tendrils extending from the lake! 】

【 Illya, realizing something was wrong, quickly shouted, “Get out of there! If you get entangled by that thing, you’ll never come back.” 】

【 However, before Berserker could break free from the restraint, he was pulled towards Alter Saber, who was holding Excalibur, and his heart was directly severed! 】

【 To everyone’s surprise, Berserker’s eyes glowed red, and he stood up again, the fatal wound that should have killed him immediately disappearing. 】

【 Saber Alter held her sword with both hands, black-red magic covering the longsword in her hands. The black-red magic cannon was already poised to fire. Shirou Emiya, seeing the imminent danger, quickly ran towards Illya! 】

【 The next moment, a surging torrent of magical energy, carrying a destructive aura, swept towards Berserker. Shirou Emiya immediately hugged Illya, shielding her with his body. 】

【 “Boom—!” 】

【 With a series of explosions, a huge mushroom cloud appeared before everyone’s eyes. Amidst the continuous explosions, the once luxurious Einzbern palace was reduced to ruins, with purple flames burning everywhere! 】

【 Archer, holding Illya and Shirou Emiya, emerged from the explosion’s flames, then unceremoniously threw Shirou Emiya onto the ground. 】

【 When it was Illya’s turn, in contrast, Archer gently placed her on the ground with both hands. 】

【 “Archer… you really are something!” Shirou Emiya complained speechlessly, seeing the clear preferential treatment. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss!! Is this power not excessively strong? And if I’m not mistaken, wasn’t Berserker just die?”

“This feels similar to releasing the Noble Phantasm Excalibur, the only difference is that Saber Alter seems to be using it as a normal attack, and it feels like there’s no cooldown.”

Everyone from other worlds was curious about Berserker, who had seemingly died and then stood up again. The last one with an immortal trait was Tiamat, and it took King Hassan, a Grand Servant, discarding his Grand title to bestow the concept of death upon her.

But more than that, everyone was amused by Emiya Archer throwing himself.

What a clear double standard.

“Hahaha, typical preferential treatment. Illya gets gentle handling, Shirou Emiya gets a hard throw. As long as he doesn’t die, it’s fine!”

Seriously, how much do you hate your past self? This double standard is too obvious, it’s almost written on your face, no, it is written on your face.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“I didn’t know before, but now I do. Heroic Spirit Emiya definitely knows Illya’s identity.”

Kiritsugu Emiya breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Emiya Archer save Illya.

Emiya Archer is from the future, even if it’s a different worldline, he must know some things!

But, isn’t he a bit too hard on himself? He threw himself without any hesitation, but was gentle with Illya. Even I, as a father, think you’re being a hypocrite.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“…Archer! This is too much.”

Shirou twitched his mouth.

I know you hate the Shirou Emiya who once held unrealistic ideals, but your preferential treatment is too obvious.

That being said, it was just a complaint. After all, Shirou still thought Emiya Archer was very reliable. To save Illya from such an attack, he truly was a reliable man.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, Emiya Archer had already rescued Sakura and, incidentally, “gas exploded” the Matou household.

Rin Tohsaka looked at Sakura’s lifeless eyes and heartbreakingly hugged her, constantly blaming herself. Shirou Emiya and Emiya Archer were sensible enough not to interrupt their sisters’ emotional reunion.

Only… Shirou Emiya stared at Emiya Archer, subtly taking a few steps back.

“Honestly tell me, do you still have thoughts of killing me?”

Emiya Archer, who had just returned, naturally saw the scene played in the video, but showed no apology.

“You’re overthinking it. Since your counterpart in that world gave up on his ideals, then my counterpart in that world probably just purely dislikes you.”

Emiya Archer couldn’t help but think to himself,

“So what if I have a double standard? Illya is my sister… Even if I can’t change you, you can’t change my dislike for you.”

。。。。。

“Sigh!”

At this moment, the residents of Fuyuki City sighed, looking at the ruined castle.

They actually called this a gas explosion??

It’s truly a ‘nuclear-peaceful’ Fuyuki City, exploding once a day. If you don’t leave, we’ll leave, alright… You can continue fighting. Many residents silently began packing their bags, preparing for a spur-of-the-moment trip.

They couldn’t stand this broken place for another second. It felt like another part of the world was more peaceful, at least there they knew how they would die…

。。。。。

【 “Berserker!!” Illya, who had just been put down, ran forward anxiously. 】

【 And Emiya Archer seemed to sense something, blue light appearing in his hands as he projected Kanshou and Bakuya, instantly forcing back the black shadow that appeared behind Illya! 】

【 “I am your opponent!” Emiya Archer’s expression remained unchanged, pointing Kanshou towards the black-robed figure in front. 】

【 “Cha!!” The black shadow made a sound like Ultraman and disappeared from its spot. 】

【 Emiya Archer chased after it without thinking, but heard Rin Tohsaka’s call from behind, “Archer… I’m counting on you.” 】

【 “Hmph!” Red Archer turned to look at Rin Tohsaka, a smile playing on his lips, then he leaped and pursued. 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 197: Everyone knows, the Holy Grail War is conducted in secret!

Chapter Text

 

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What kind of Ultraman is this? And 'nom'?! Anyone who doesn't know would think they've come to the wrong movie set.”

Everyone watched in silence as Emiya Archer instantly sensed danger, appearing behind Illya with ghostly speed.

With such incredible speed, how did you fail to dodge Shirou Emiya's slow sword during your duel on other worldlines... You must have been holding back then.

Gilgamesh still needs to learn more. A marksman who can't fight in close quarters isn't a good marksman. Just look at Emiya Archer's smooth close-combat—a small combo.

From now on, stop standing there shooting Noble Phantasms. Show us your Uruk Axe King's might—!

。。。。。

【 In the Einzbern forest, the figures of Hassan of the Cursed Arm and Emiya Archer continuously flickered. Hassan used his speed to dodge Emiya Archer's slashes! 】

【 In mid-air, Emiya Archer finally remembered he was an Archer. He instantly projected a bow and arrows, and three glowing red arrows cut through the air, chasing after Hassan of the Cursed Arm! 】

【 As Hassan of the Cursed Arm dodged the arrows, Emiya Archer seized the opportunity, instantly appearing beside him. He clamped Hassan of the Cursed Arm's head between his legs, slamming him heavily to the ground. 】

【 “It's over!” Emiya Archer said indifferently, looking at Hassan of the Cursed Arm pinned beneath him, and projected Kanshou once more. 】

【 At that moment, several black phantoms emerged from the depths of the forest, ambushing him. Emiya Archer could only release Hassan of the Cursed Arm and leap into the sky. 】

【 “Ugh...!” But he couldn't completely dodge. When he landed not far away, he couldn't help but kneel on one knee. A red mark appeared on his abdomen, constantly eroding his body. 】

【 Hassan of the Cursed Arm slowly rose from the ground, his head twisting to reveal a skull mask as he looked at the pained Emiya Archer: “No pure Heroic Spirit can resist his curse. You are now like the resentful spirits rampaging through this forest.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“My god, the Emiya Archer actually used arrows! Although Rin Tohsaka calls him Archer every day, seeing him wield dual swords almost made me forget he was an Archer!”

“Heh, he makes ambushing sound so reasonable. And it looks like this was premeditated. King Hassan would be angry if he saw you like this.”

A pure Heroic Spirit?! What a coincidence, he's not one. He's an employee of the Counter Force, he's here on vacation, and incidentally, to beat up his past self.

However, what everyone was more curious about was if Saber Alter was formed by this black shadow's erosion, would Emiya Archer become Emiya Alter if he were eroded?!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Gilgamesh, the warm-hearted citizen with hands in his pockets, couldn't help but mock when he saw this scene,

“Truly a mongrel, so short-sighted... daring to define all Heroic Spirits on your own!”

This King has said it before, the King acknowledges, the King permits, the King bears the entire world! This King's capacity cannot be borne by such things.

Meanwhile, at the Emiya residence.

“Will you become Emiya Alter?”

Shirou Emiya looked at Archer with some confusion. If he were eroded, wouldn't he become like Saber Alter?!

“Probably not.”

Emiya Archer was silent for a moment, then stated his understanding,

“Emiya Alter was formed by the self-judgment of his painful experiences and beliefs! If it's just erosion, Then I won't become the Alter.”

“Besides, I am not an ordinary Heroic Spirit...”

。。。。。

【 On the other side, Illya and the others returned to the lake. Berserker, bound by the black shadow, was continuously being eroded. Illya couldn't help but cry out, “Berserker!!” 】

【 This made Saber Alter turn her head and look at them, then walk towards them with her sword. 】

【 “Roar!!” Hearing Illya's constant cries, Berserker began to struggle free from the black shadow. A heavy sword strike sent Saber Alter flying far away. 】

【 Even with his body eroded by the black shadow, Berserker still broke free from his restraints, roaring as he charged at Saber Alter again. He grabbed Saber Alter's face, leaped high, and slammed her against a stone pillar! 】

【 Without giving Saber Alter a chance to breathe, he kicked her away again. As Berserker pursued her into the air, he was met by Saber Alter's already charged black magic cannon. 】

【 “Bang—!!” A black and red explosion echoed in the air. In an instant, a massive purplish-red orb of light appeared in the sky, until Saber Alter landed back on the ground. 】

【 Berserker's body and greatsword were both engulfed in purple flames, crashing heavily onto the ground. Due to this strike, both his arms and legs were severed, and he lost all signs of life! 】

【 “Roar!!” Before everyone could react, Berserker came back to life, letting out a furious roar towards the sky. Fiery red light burst from his severed arms and legs, which regrew, and he continued to hack at Saber Alter. 】

【 Saber Alter remained silent, black and red light glowing in her hand again. It clashed with Berserker's greatsword, and the black and red magic cannon's momentum did not diminish, severing the distant city wall at its waist! 】

【 The two fought like a demolition crew, from the sky to the ground, until Saber Alter's sword was once again wreathed in black and red magic. Then, a dazzling pillar of fire appeared before everyone! 】

【 “Roar!!” Berserker, now charred black, returned to his original form and continued to attack. 】

【 This time, Saber Alter punched him away, then gripped her Sword of Promised Victory with both hands. At this moment, time seemed to pause. 】

【 Purple magic continuously gathered into the Noble Phantasm in her hands. The ground itself shattered from the terrifying magic, and purplish-black electric sparks flashed everywhere. Then, Saber Alter swung downwards without hesitation. 】

【 In an instant, the world seemed to fall silent. The surging magic, like a terrifying evil beast, continuously devoured everything in its path. The once-forested area transformed into a sea of fire, and the entire ground was torn apart with continuous tremors! 】

【 “Boom!!—” A purple mushroom cloud appeared before everyone with the sound of an explosion. A terrifying shockwave began to spread outwards, even uprooting large trees with its rampant wind pressure! 】

【 As the smoke cleared, the scene was like a nuclear explosion. A massive, deep crater, burning with purple flames, was completely exposed. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Gulp...”

Everyone swallowed silently, looking at the land that resembled a nuclear wasteland. The nuclear wasteland wasn't the most terrifying part; the most terrifying part was that she had no cooldown.

Everyone saw clearly that Saber Alter's every attack had no cooldown. That terrifying magic cannon could be fired at will, and its power grew stronger with each use.

Also, is this Berserker truly immortal?! Everyone watched as Berserker died again and again, only to revive, and even heal all his wounds. However, taking that direct hit from Saber Alter, his chances were probably slim.

~KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World~

In a stable, Aqua, Kazuma lay sprawled on hay. Kazuma looked at the scene with envy,

“Aqua, if we had a weapon like that, maybe we could defeat the Demon King quickly and go home.”

This is the weapon a hero should have, not like now, where he's constantly either moving bricks or on his way to move bricks.

“Heh, stop dreaming, go to sleep. We have to move bricks tomorrow!”

Aqua, sprawled out, unceremoniously interrupted Kazuma's fantasy.

It was precisely because of this that Kazuma felt annoyed. He wasn't truly envious of the weapon or anything; he was completely despairing of this useless goddess.

This was not the fantasy world life he had imagined. Every day, he was moving bricks and working to support himself. If he had known, when he was reincarnated, he would have wished for a Sword of Promised Victory...

At least it would be better than this useless goddess.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Elsewhere in Fuyuki City, Iskandar had once again invited the two kings for an impromptu banquet—this time to witness the unfolding spectacle.

“I owe you an apology, Saber! To think I'd underestimated you so thoroughly!”

The King of Conquerors stroked his beard, his crimson eyes appraising the petite knight with newfound respect. He never expected such immense power to be hidden within this small body.

He feared that even his Ionioi Hetairoi would be unable to withstand such a fierce attack. But... is her magical energy truly so abundant? Who is providing her with such power that she can so lavishly use her Noble Phantasm?

Artoria remained silent, She didn't know how to respond. Although her trump card had been completely exposed, the Saber on screen would likely attack Illya next.

Nearby, Gilgamesh observed Berserker's ceaseless cycle of death and rebirth with uncharacteristic quiet.

“Illya!!”

On the other side, Irisviel's heart was clenching, terrified that Illya might disappear at any moment.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is this Saber's true power?”

Shirou Emiya was astonished by the terrifying, destructive power, then suddenly realized that it was normal for Saber not to be able to unleash her full potential with his meager magical energy.

But who is providing magical energy to that future Saber? Such astonishing, magical energy is no joke; an ordinary person absolutely couldn't do it!!

“How are we going to explain this?”

Rin Tohsaka's mouth twitched, looking at the nuclear-bomb-like explosion, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Sakura's hand.

It was well known that the Holy Grail War was conducted in 'secret.' There was no way she could explain this commotion. But... it seemed there was no need to explain it now.

。。。。。

Meanwhile, at the Einzbern Castle, Illya suddenly hugged Berserker at the sight of this, her face full of disbelief, “Berserker is the strongest!!”

“Roar!” Berserker placed Illya on his shoulder, roaring as if in response to her.

And the residents of Fuyuki City were even more exhausted. It seemed even nearby cities were off-limits. Who knew if these nuclear-bomb-like magic cannons might accidentally be thrown their way?!

“I'm truly grateful to still be alive in this 'peaceful' Fuyuki City...”

Another 'peaceful' day. It's just a gas explosion, a small matter! We're out of here... Bye-bye.

。。。。。

Chapter 198: If you do this....

Chapter Text

【 Shirou Emiya was also shocked by this scene, but before he could recover, Saber Alter had already landed beside him. 】

【 It was then that Shirou Emiya clearly saw Saber's transformation. The Holy Sword in her hand now emitted an ominous aura, and her armor was covered in red patterns like blood vessels! 】

【 At this moment, the iron mask-like armor on her face suddenly cracked and fell to the ground. Shirou Emiya stared blankly at Saber Alter's lifeless eyes. 】

【 Saber Alter pointed her sword at Shirou Emiya and watched him for a while before suddenly returning to the center of the battlefield. She spoke coldly to Hassan of the Cursed Arm, who had appeared, “My mission is complete. The rest is up to you.” 】

【 Hassan of the Cursed Arm looked at Shirou Emiya and the others in front of him and thanked Saber Alter, “Thank you very much. I will redeem myself.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya watched as red patterns began to appear under Saber Alter's feet and cried out to her in pain, “Saber!!” 】

【 Saber Alter ignored him. A shadowy figure that had been trying to infect Emiya Archer emerged from under Saber Alter's feet, engulfing him in a red sphere, which then disappeared into the red patterns below. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So she can talk after all. Does this mean Saber still has consciousness?”

Everyone had watched Saber Alter from her appearance until now without her uttering a single word. They had initially thought she had been completely corrupted, losing her consciousness and becoming a puppet-like existence controlled by someone.

It wasn't until Saber Alter spoke that everyone was dumbfounded. So you do have self-awareness!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Is it because of the influence of that inexplicable black mud infection?”

As the saying goes, an outsider watches the show, while an expert sees the inner workings. The King of Conquerors had already discovered the unusual aspects.

“Saber Alter only released her Noble Phantasm for the final blow; everything else seemed to be pure magical energy release!!”

It was precisely because of this that he felt incredibly surprised. The power unleashed by just the magical energy released in the previous attacks was something no ordinary Servant could match.

However, that Berserker should not be underestimated either. Dying and resurrecting again and again, and then being greatly weakened by the influence of the black mud, yet still possessing such outstanding combat power, he must have been a great hero in the past.

It's just a pity that he was summoned in the Berserker class!! He was greatly weakened instead.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

To say who understood Saber Alter best, it was Saber herself. Looking at Saber Alter's performance, she could already roughly discern the situation.

“After being corrupted by the black mud, my Instinct has decreased, and my speed has been greatly weakened, but my Strength has increased. I've practically become half a Berserker!!”

Berserker's punch was actually blocked by Saber Alter, and she even counter-killed with an uppercut. Does this mean she's like Saber with the Strength boost of a Berserker?

And her consciousness still exists, so why would she attack Shirou Emiya and the others?! It doesn't make sense!

“I think Saber has a point, but what about that magical energy?!”

Rin Tohsaka largely agreed with Saber's view. The only thing that didn't make sense was Saber's magical energy.

Heroic Spirits need their Master to supply magical energy to maintain their actions and release their Noble Phantasms. Shirou Emiya was weak precisely because he couldn't meet Saber's magical energy demands.

But... looking at Saber Alter on the screen, who was throwing magical energy around like it was free, who could have such immense power, unless it was the Holy Grail!!

。。。。。

【 After Saber Alter left, Shirou Emiya held Illya's hand, and with Rin Tohsaka, they began to flee through the forest, because Hassan of the Cursed Arm was relentlessly pursuing them from behind! 】

【 “Ah!” Illya accidentally tripped over a vine. Shirou Emiya quickly embraced Illya, and the two tumbled down the hillside. 】

【 Seeing this, Rin Tohsaka gritted her teeth and decided to cover their retreat, transforming into a Gatling gun and firing red magic bullets at Hassan of the Cursed Arm behind them! 】

【 As a Servant, Hassan of the Cursed Arm easily dodged the magic bullets. With a few leaps through the forest, he bypassed Rin Tohsaka and appeared behind Illya and Shirou Emiya. 】

【 “This is the end, boy! Die!” As soon as Hassan of the Cursed Arm finished speaking, several red arrows pierced through the air, forcing Hassan of the Cursed Arm to hastily dodge. 】

【 The next moment, Emiya Archer appeared. After his sword strike was dodged by Hassan of the Cursed Arm, he kicked Hassan of the Cursed Arm away! 】

【 Emiya Archer's large bow in his left hand gradually dissipated into blue light, and the familiar Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands. He pointed them at Hassan of the Cursed Arm and taunted, “You can't even take a kid's life without a sneak attack, can you? Third-rate!” 】

【 Hassan of the Cursed Arm looked at Emiya Archer with confusion, “How did you appear here?” 】

【 Rin Tohsaka also ran over to Emiya Archer, slightly relieved, “Archer!!” 】

【 Emiya Archer immediately said, “Hurry and go! If that thing catches up, it'll be too late.” 】

【 Rin Tohsaka and the others followed Emiya Archer's gaze and saw countless red whips made of shadows constantly waving in the forest not far away, bringing with them the black mud, surging towards their direction. 】

【 “I'll explain later. Run, kid!” Emiya Archer said words of unclear meaning to Shirou Emiya, “Since you've taken Illya's hand, you must protect her to the very end.” 】

【 Illya looked at Shirou Emiya with some confusion, not quite understanding Emiya Archer's words. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Every time I see Emiya Archer, I feel a strange sense of relief. He says he wants to kill his past self, but he's saved his past self countless times. He's practically a nanny!”

“What did Emiya Archer mean by that last remark to Shirou Emiya? He never explains clearly... But this black mud is an old acquaintance; it's always there!”

Everyone in other worlds felt a bit strange about Emiya Archer. He's good, but he likes to be a riddler! Does his remark mean that in the future, he knows Illya has a terrible fate?

Coupled with his gentle handling of Illya before, everyone realized the unusualness of the situation.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At the Emiya residence, Shirou Emiya also had the same question,

“Archer, why did you say in the end that since I took Illya's hand, I should protect her to the very end?”

Emiya Archer was silent for a moment, then spoke, as this was already another worldline,

“Because she is Kiritsugu's daughter, your adopted elder sister.”

“What!?”

Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka were both stunned. Shirou Emiya was surprised that he actually had an adopted elder sister, something Kiritsugu Emiya had never told him about!

(Translator-kun: No, it's the other way around, she is the legitimate daughter while you're the adopted one...)

This little girl, who looked more like a younger sister, was actually his elder sister!

。。。。。

“If we're talking about relationships, I'm the older sister, okay? Not a younger sister who needs protecting.”

Meanwhile, in the Einzbern Castle, Illya, sitting on Berserker's shoulder, grumbled angrily.

However, although she resented Kiritsugu Emiya for abandoning her as his daughter, it seemed that this unexpected younger brother, Shirou Emiya, wasn't so bad. He had risked his life to protect her time and again.

But... why did her on-screen self appear more like a younger sister!!

So, sensing that her status was about to shift to that of a younger sister, Illya immediately set off for the Emiya residence, intending to let Shirou Emiya know what an elder sister's dignity was.

The Emiya residence was now becoming increasingly lively.

。。。。。

【 After Shirou Emiya and the others were far away, Emiya Archer and Hassan of the Cursed Arm began to fight in the forest. In just a few rounds, 】

【 Emiya Archer, with his excellent martial arts, hooked Hassan of the Cursed Arm's neck and slammed him heavily onto the ground. Hassan of the Cursed Arm spat blood and, while fleeing, asked Emiya Archer in confusion, “Why, why can you still move?” 】

【 Emiya Archer seized the opportunity, lunging forward with Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands, but Hassan of the Cursed Arm barely blocked him. “It's nothing special. Because I'm not a pure Heroic Spirit.” 】

【 The parts of Emiya Archer's body that were being corroded gradually disappeared. “I'm different from those orthodox Heroic Spirits, so it doesn't matter if I'm stained with a little impurity.” 】

【 “Because I myself am a distorted Heroic Spirit.” Emiya Archer exerted force, and Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands scratched Hassan of the Cursed Arm's mask. 】

【 “Ah...!!!” Hassan of the Cursed Arm quickly retreated a few steps, covering his face and letting out a painful wail. Even with his face covered, blood continued to flow. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This Hassan of the Cursed Arm... even the mask that proves he's a Hassan has been cut. He's practically too ashamed to show his face. King Hassan is almost ready to come out and kill someone.”

“Is this really the Hassan of the Curse Arm from the past famous scene?”

“It doesn't matter if he's stained with a little impurity... because he already considers himself impure.”

The black mud's corrosion did not affect Emiya Archer because Emiya Archer had long felt himself to be in hell. Ever since he became a Counter Guardian...

The missions he carried out to save people constantly involved killing. For the sake of saving the majority by sacrificing the minority, perhaps in Emiya Archer's self-perception, he was already thoroughly defiled. He himself was the most distorted existence...

。。。。。

【 Hassan of the Cursed Arm realized he was no match and, without lingering, flashed away from the scene. 】

【 “Good work, Archer! Return to your spirit form!” Rin Tohsaka emerged, looking at the black mud in front of them with lingering fear, “Let's get out of here quickly.” 】

【 Emiya Archer turned his head, suddenly noticed something, and rushed forward with his twin blades! 】

【 Shirou Emiya also sensed something was wrong and immediately yelled, “Tohsaka!!” 】

【 A shadowy figure had appeared beside Rin Tohsaka at some unknown point. The next moment, Emiya Archer arrived and pushed Rin Tohsaka away! 】

【 “How could this be...?!” When Rin Tohsaka got back up, she couldn't believe her eyes. To save her, Emiya Archer's body was pierced by three tentacles of the shadowy figure and lifted into the air. 】

【 “Archer!!!” 】

【 The shadowy figure threw Emiya Archer directly into the black mud. Emiya Archer got up, “Get out of here, you idiot!!” 】

【 Then Emiya Archer looked at the shadowy figure's constantly expanding body and was slightly stunned. Illya also felt something was wrong, “Magical energy is gathering!! If this continues...” 】

【 As they fled, Emiya Archer was still in the black mud, constantly fending off the shadowy tentacles attacking him. Because he was already injured, his body was pierced by tentacles again! 】

【 At this moment, the constantly gathering magical energy of the shadowy figure was about to reach its limit. The magic cannon was already aimed at Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya, and the others, about to fire!! 】

【 Emiya Archer was thus held aloft, pierced by tentacles, his face covered in blood, as he laboriously stretched out his hand forward, beginning to chant. 】

【 “I am the bone of my sword...” 】

【 Emiya Archer's body was already emitting faint blue light, seemingly gradually dissipating. 】

【 “Steel is my body, I have created over a thousand blades.” 】

【 As Emiya Archer chanted, a purple petal began to appear from his hand. At this moment, the surging torrent of magical energy from the black shadow had already swept towards them! 】

【 “Rho Aias!” 】

【 “Boom—” The magic cannon crashed into the petals. Seven cherry-pink petals spread out in front of them, and the heavily wounded Emiya Archer blocked the terrifying magical energy torrent from the shadowy figure! 】

【 But... it couldn’t stop the shadowy figure’s ability to consume magical energy. Rho Aias wasn’t shattered, but gradually worn down. 】

【 Anything made of magical energy would be corroded by the black shadow. Just like that, with a burst of blue fire, the entire forest was burned to ashes. 】

【 As the smoke cleared, Emiya Archer was now covered in wounds, his white hair hanging down. He stumbled behind Rin Tohsaka and fell to the ground. 】

【 Emiya Archer sat beside Rin Tohsaka, and could no longer hold it in, spitting out another mouthful of blood. 】

【 “Shirou!! How could this be...” 】

【 Emiya Archer looked back and realized that Illya was not calling him, but calling out to the fallen Shirou Emiya. 】

【 Illya kept calling Shirou Emiya sorrowfully: “Shirou... Shirou!!!” 】

【 Emiya Archer looked at the unconscious Rin Tohsaka, reached out and stroked her hair, feeling a bit sad. He looked at her with incredibly gentle eyes: “I can only accompany you this far. Take care... Rin!” 】

【 Then, after bidding farewell to Rin Tohsaka, Emiya Archer walked to Shirou Emiya's side, projecting Kanshou into his hand. Shirou Emiya lay heavily wounded, his remaining consciousness looking at Emiya Archer. 】

【 Emiya Archer placed the blade on his own shoulder... 】

【 “Are you serious!” Rider Medusa's figure appeared behind Emiya Archer. “If you do this, you'll...!” 】

【 “There's nothing to consider. If I do nothing, both of them will disappear.” Emiya Archer extended his arm, embedding the blade slightly into his arm, and blood began to flow. “Doing this, at least one person can survive.” 】

【 “Pffft—” 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 199: The Enthusiastic Citizen, Mr. Kim!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What exactly is that black shadow? Did Archer just exit the stage like that? He hasn't even used his Reality Marble yet.”

Everyone stared at the elusive black phantom, which was even more troublesome than the previous black mud, as if it had gained self-awareness.

But why did it choose to attack Tohsaka Rin first?!

As expected of the most reliable Archer among all Emiya Shirou's...

He was severely wounded by the black shadow while saving Tohsaka Rin. To protect them, he dragged his pierced body, creating a shield to negate part of the magic bomb's power. Even in the end, he chose to sacrifice himself for Emiya Shirou's survival!

This body is made of swords... Each incantation brought a different feeling to everyone. Truly a real man!

However, what saddened everyone the most was when Illya called out Shirou's name, Archer turned around, only to realize that he wasn't the one being called. He could only stand alone, looking at his past self who had abandoned his ideals and the people he could no longer protect.

By the end, Archer, both in appearance and mental state, had become Emiya Shirou. Even his way of addressing Tohsaka Rin reverted to Emiya Shirou's usual manner. But... why does Archer never get a good ending?

“Sigh, the most regrettable thing is that Tohsaka Rin didn't hear those words just now, which makes it even more heartbreaking.”

That gentle yet helpless gaze he cast at Tohsaka Rin at the very end was the most memorable.

Emiya Archer, who refused to acknowledge his past, now resembled a true 'Ally of Justice', becoming the hero who saved everyone.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

“What a reliable man...”

Old Joseph also sighed with emotion. Even though he was old and his memory was fading, the feeling Emiya Archer gave him was so similar to the figure in his mind.

Even in death, he wanted to leave hope for the future. This arm! Perhaps it was the last hope Emiya Archer left for Emiya Shirou.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“What kind of terrifying Holy Grail War is that?!”

Tohsaka Tokiomi now had a clear understanding of the future Holy Grail War's horror: an unpredictable phantom, black mud that could corrode Heroic Spirits, and explosions that grew more terrifying with each passing moment...

Now, Tohsaka Tokiomi understood one thing,

“This 'Emiya Shirou' is intrinsically tied to both my daughters. At minimum, the worldline where he becomes Heroic Spirit Emiya must intersect with Rin's fate.

There was no helping it; Emiya Shirou had too many futures, and he was getting a bit confused by the worldlines. At least watching the scene has definitely created a brand new worldline.

“This screen feel like Second Magic....Is this how Lord Zelretch perceives another world's?”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“A... Ar... Archer, what... what nonsense are you talking about!”

Tohsaka Rin's face was incredibly flushed at this moment, her textbook tsundere nature making her stammer.

After all, Archer's final gentle gaze at her and hearing his words made her incredibly shy... It wasn't until she saw Archer sacrifice himself to save Emiya Shirou that she regained her composure.

“Really am connected to Emiya-kun... But what about Sakura?”

A calm Tohsaka Rin secretly observed Archer and Emiya Shirou, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that Sakura didn't have much of a reaction.

Tohsaka Rin thought to herself, It seems the events are not unfolding in our worldline, after all, Sakura hasn't had much interaction with Emiya Shirou.

“...”

On the other side, Archer, for the first time, didn't have his usual confident expression. Why did he have to do such unnecessary things in the first place?!

Emiya Shirou was puzzled by Archer's willingness to sacrifice himself to save him. If only one of them could live, wouldn't it be more helpful for Archer, as a Heroic Spirit, to survive?

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, Emiya Shirou returns home with his left hand wrapped in a red holy shroud. “I'm home, Sakura!” 】

【 “You're right hand....?” Shirou looked at Sakura's surprised expression, instinctively turning his gaze away, then smiled at Sakura: “Anyone would be startled to see me like this. I just got a little injured.” 】

【 “Although it looks exaggerated, the injury isn't very serious.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Heh heh... Another 'mere fatal injury.' If Archer hadn't sacrificed himself to save you, you'd be long gone.”

“And you can still smile, even with an arm gone! You say it's just a little injury? We'll have to redefine what 'minor injury' means.”

Everyone couldn't help but mock Emiya Shirou for saying he only suffered a minor injury. Whose minor injury results in a severed arm...?

And the fact that Archer's arm was transplanted onto you without any rejection reaction is simply a medical miracle!

。。。。。

【 Then, Tohsaka Rin and Illya also emerged from behind Emiya Shirou. Shirou still explained, “I met Tohsaka over there. She helped me a lot. We're currently in a temporary truce.” 】

【 That night, after dinner, Rin took Shirou to the warehouse to check his arm. Even now, Emiya Shirou's newly attached hand still couldn't move. 】

【 After the check-up, Tohsaka Rin began to warn Emiya Shirou, “Listen carefully, if you use this arm even once, Archer's magic circuits will activate.” 】

【 “Your body won't be able to withstand the powerful magic and will begin to collapse internally. That cloth is a seal.” 】

【 Then Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin began to converse, talking about the high jump incident in the past. 】

【 Sakura was also listening clearly at the warehouse door. The one who watched Emiya Shirou high jump back then was actually her, in the hallway! 】

【 At this moment, Sakura's breathing became erratic, and she crouched down, somewhat on the verge of collapse, “No... Don't take even this memory away.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Got it!! Tomorrow I'm going to school to practice the high jump. Why does simply practicing the high jump gain so much affection from so many people?!”

“Good heavens... Is your high jump globally broadcast, and does it have a setting that increases favorability?”

Everyone was speechless at the familiar high jump scene. Both sisters fell for the high jump. Is the high jump really that appealing?

Sakura was too insecure, especially now that she discovered a memory she thought belonged only to her was actually shared, causing her to break down.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“A human body with a Servant's arm transplanted, it's somewhat similar to Mash... but also different.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka pondered. Mash could be said to have become a Demi-Servant.

But Emiya Shirou risks being overwhelmed by vast magic if he uses it even once. So why does his own hand also experience backlash?

。。。。。

【 That night, while bathing, Emiya Shirou, somewhat foolishly, slightly lifted a corner of the seal. With a flash of green magic circuits, he almost completely lost consciousness. 】

【 And so, Shirou spent a brief, happy time living with Illya, Sakura, Rin, and the others! Until news reports of several victims' bodies appearing in Fuyuki City shattered the peace. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“A typical consequence of not listening to the doctor's orders. It's like when the doctor tells you not to open a wound, but you just have to go and lift a corner of the seal, almost not making it back.”

Everyone understood Emiya Shirou's actions perfectly, because they themselves were like that when they went to the hospital. They'd tell the doctor they understood, but whether they'd listen was another matter entirely.

。。。。。

【 That night, Sakura, dressed in a princess costume, sang a nursery rhyme and arrived in a world like a fairytale wonderland, filled with doll-like beings. 】

【 The doll-like figures that gathered around her were turned into candies, and as she ate them, the scene returned to a small alley in reality. 】

【 The helpful citizen Gilgamesh suddenly appeared here, looking at Sakura in a dress, covered in blood, “You've finally shown your true nature. This King said it, you should have died back then.” 】

【 “Glittering's... beautiful...” Sakura reached out her hand as if she had lost consciousness. 】

【 Golden ripples appeared behind Gilgamesh, launching a Noble Phantasm, “I'm being merciful by giving you a quick death.” 】

【 “Pfft!!!” With a sound of flesh being pierced, the launched Noble Phantasm had pierced Sakura, leaving a large pool of blood. 】

【 Looking at Sakura, who still showed signs of life, Gilgamesh was filled with surprise, “What, not just a shadow? Has her body already begun to change?” 】

【 Gilgamesh began to walk forward, intending to investigate. As he walked, he suddenly stumbled to the ground, stopping just before he hit it! 】

【 Gilgamesh straightened himself, turning his head to look at the shadow behind him. One of his legs was severed there, and blood was still dripping. 】

【 Gilgamesh turned his head back to Sakura, his crimson eyes filled with rage, “You actually want me to kneel!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Gulp...”

Everyone was startled by Sakura's condition. If they weren't mistaken, Sakura wasn't in a fairytale world just now; she was eating... people!!

But what kind of strange thought process does Gilgamesh have?! Your leg is broken!

That's the main point, not whether she wants you to kneel.

One can only say, as expected of you, to feel no pain from a broken leg, and to have a completely different focus than ours. Truly a corporate-level understanding.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Shadow?! This might be related to the phantom that appeared in the forest.”

King of Conquerors was about to say something when he noticed Gilgamesh was as enraged as in the video, his crimson eyes filled with killing intent.

“Mongrel!! You dare to make me, the King, kneel.”

“...”

In the King's Feast, everyone present was speechless at his miraculous thought process. As expected of the oldest king, capable of easily saying things that ordinary people couldn't.

Only the distant father, Tohsaka Tokiomi, wept in pain... His daughter had completely broken down, and it was all his fault.

“Sakura!!”

Matou Kariya's teeth were almost ground to dust. Sakura becoming like this was all Tokiomi's fault!! And

“And Matou Zouken... I won't let you get away with this.”

。。。。。

Chapter 200: Hope and Love Collide! Giving Up on Ideals Emiya Shirou

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Tokyo Ghoul World~

“…”

Kaneki expressionlessly finished watching Sakura’s dream-like fairy tale world. Only when one despairs of this world does one try to find a glimmer of beauty in dreams.

But when the dream shatters, and everything is broken, only to find reality remains as cold as ever, even more terrifying than she imagined, then one can only resent this world.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Human evil… a truly infuriating existence...”

No matter which worldline Gilgamesh is from, even the Wise King Gilgamesh maintains the same attitude: rage!

He almost made him kneel?!

Gilgamesh, with his already strong pride, naturally couldn't tolerate it. To make him kneel would be an insult to his dignity as a king. Forget about losing a leg; even if it cost him his life, he wouldn't kneel.

“Now, this King is curious. What will that boy, who always upheld himself as an 'Ally of Justice,' do when he learns of the 'evil' Sakura committed? Will he tolerate it, or… heh, heh!”

The Wise King Gilgamesh sneered because no matter what decision Shirou Emiya makes, it will be wrong…

Once he tolerates Sakura's actions, for Shirou Emiya, he would become the greatest evil… But if he acts against Sakura, he would violate the vow he made earlier, which is equally unbearable for Shirou Emiya.

It seems Shirou Emiya is a contradictory existence, no matter where he is.

。。。。。

【 Sakura, whose limbs were broken by Gilgamesh, began to emit a black-red glow. In that dark abyss filled with twisted malice, Sakura knelt up crookedly, her body flickering like a skipping TV disc until she stood up again. 】

【 “Bastard!!” Gilgamesh furiously attacked. Golden ripples appeared behind him, launching several Noble Phantasms. 】

【 Sakura’s body instantly vanished. The Noble Phantasms directly entered the black void and were corroded. The streetlights were also corroded, turning into dark blades that sliced through them, falling to the ground! 】

【 Illuminated by the fallen streetlights, Sakura appeared even more sinister and terrifying. Even Gilgamesh, who had just been furious, widened his eyes in astonishment as if he had seen something. “Oh—, you’ve actually grown to this extent?” 】

【 “Ah, um~” With a single open-and-close motion of Sakura’s mouth, Gilgamesh was completely devoured. Even his remaining broken leg vanished under the shadow’s corrosion. 】

【 As the view continued to zoom out, a part of the city instantly lost power. Wherever the black shadow went, it ruthlessly began to devour. This was random consumption! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even Gilgamesh isn’t a match? It feels like his exit was a bit too hasty. He didn’t even show his full strength. It was the same for Emiya Archer, and now Gilgamesh too!”

“Gulp… Honestly, I’m a bit scared now. It feels like watching a horror movie. And… It’s randomly eating people! Even Gilgamesh was eaten by her…”

Everyone from other worlds who saw this scene said they’d have to sleep with one eye open. Who knew if a monster would suddenly appear and eat them, just like on the screen?

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Seeing Sakura’s actions, Shirou Emiya and Emiya Archer unconsciously clenched their fists. For them, who aspired to be Heroes of Justice, this was undoubtedly the greatest 'evil'.

Both of them secretly glanced at Sakura, whose eyes had just been covered by Rin Tohsaka. Then, after exchanging a look, Shirou Emiya shook his head and said nothing more.

“Sakura looks like she’s possessed by something… No, rather than possessed, it’s more like another side of Sakura.”

Another side born from long-term torment and abuse, from the depths of hell—an incredibly pure 'malice'.

。。。。。

【 By the time Shirou Emiya realized something was wrong, he found Sakura covered in blood, lying outside the door. Shirou supported Sakura’s shoulder, “Sakura!!” 】

【 Then, as if feeling something, Shirou Emiya’s entire body shuddered, and he widened his eyes. “Don’t look!! And don’t think about it.” 】

【 Although he forced himself not to look, his gaze still slightly shifted to the side, discovering that Sakura’s shadow was flickering with a distorted red light! “I absolutely cannot associate Sakura with it.” 】

【 Until the next day, the news reported that the number of victims had reached over 60, and at least 40 houses had residents suddenly disappeared. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“The Ally of Justice is no longer just. He’s just forcing himself not to believe, not to accept this reality.”

Everyone shook their heads at Shirou Emiya’s self-deceiving thoughts. This would only lead to more innocent victims.

When the Hero of Justice refuses to face and tolerate such behavior, then he is no longer just, but also the greatest 'evil'.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, and Shirou Emiya appears amidst a raging fire, walking forward with his head down. 】

【 “Are you going to betray?” 】

【 Hearing the voice, Shirou Emiya looked up and saw Sakura standing at the end of the flames. A white-haired boy was approaching Sakura with a sword. 】

【 “Are you planning to betray your past self?” 】

【 The white-haired boy raised his long sword beside Sakura. The figures of Kiritsugu Emiya and Archer, representing the past and future ideals, walked past him. 】

【 “If you betray your past beliefs, then you…” 】

【 It wasn’t until the white-haired boy slashed at Sakura that Shirou Emiya suddenly woke up from his dream. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Kiritsugu Emiya, representing the past ideal, and Archer, representing the end of the ideal… both walked past him.”

The Giant Hero Emiya understood after seeing this scene.

Whether in the past or future, as long as he insisted on being an Ally of Justice, he would choose to abandon Sakura, because Sakura’s actions had gone against his ideals.

The Ally of Justice, turning his back, the iron-hearted end is ahead. In his dream, he had already chosen to brush past his ideal.

。。。。。

【 Waking from his dream, Shirou Emiya was led by Hassan to Zouken Matou. From him, Shirou Emiya learned that the shadow was the true substance of the Holy Grail, consciousness overflowing from the Holy Grail’s gate. 】

【 He told Shirou Emiya that if he didn’t stop Matou Sakura’s rampage, the entire Fuyuki City would likely be killed by her shadow. 】

【 Before leaving, he didn’t forget to tell Shirou Emiya the question he had been avoiding: “If you are to inherit Kiritsugu Emiya’s will, then Matou Sakura is your enemy!!” 】

【 As night fell, Shirou Emiya took a dagger to Matou Sakura’s room. Looking at the sleeping Sakura, he raised the dagger high! 】

【 However, memories of their first meeting flooded his mind, followed by brief, warm, happy moments. 】

【 Shirou Emiya’s raised arm trembled slightly, his heart filled with immense pain, tears falling ceaselessly. The struggle between his beloved and his ideal tormented him, leaving him sobbing uncontrollably. 】

【 After a long while… his raised arm fell weakly. Then, as he slowly walked out of the room, he heard that call again, a question from deep within: “Are you going to betray?” 】

【 “Yes! I betrayed.” Shirou Emiya answered the question from his heart. He… betrayed justice. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. 】

【 After he left, Sakura, in the room, opened her eyes, tears flowing uncontrollably. She knew Shirou had struggled and then let go. 】

【 Now, both rationally and emotionally, she felt she no longer deserved to stay by Shirou Emiya’s side. She didn’t want to see Shirou Emiya continue to suffer. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sigh… Only after watching the previous video do you realize how much pain Shirou Emiya was in at that moment. Archer’s long-cherished wish has been fulfilled.”

“You have to remember, in the previous video, Shirou Emiya was willing to risk his life to uphold his ideal. Now, for him to abandon that ideal, it’s more painful than killing him.”

Everyone sighed, looking at the struggling boy. In the end, he still put down the knife after an extremely painful internal struggle. But he still couldn’t exchange the life of his beloved for the lives of countless strangers.

Perhaps from this moment, Shirou Emiya truly let go of his ideal. He is no longer an Ally of Justice.

This conflict between twisted evil and Shirou Emiya’s noble ideal—to protect Sakura means sharing a great sin that is not his own.

But in the end, Shirou Emiya ultimately decided to bear Sakura’s sin with her! This love is so heavy, and thus so great.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“How much pain must a person who consistently upholds their beliefs, even when completely denied by their future self, experience at this moment?!”

Da Vinci could clearly feel Shirou Emiya’s struggle, even through the screen. He was clearly a very just boy, but reality forced him to make such a choice.

Putting down the knife is salvation for both of them: one represents the most sincere love for his beloved, and the other represents the correction of Shirou Emiya’s twisted life.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Emiya Archer, who had always wanted his past self to abandon his ideals, felt very conflicted when he saw Shirou Emiya truly betraying his ideals.

Happy? Perhaps, at least, he wouldn’t walk the path to the end of his ideal… But the thought that the idea he desperately tried to change had now actually changed made him feel so contradictory.

“People should not choose their path based on the sins they bear, but rather repay their sins on the path they choose.”

Then Emiya Archer felt relieved. Since Shirou Emiya truly made his choice and betrayed his ideals, he hoped he could continue to walk forward persistently.

。。。。。

Notes:

Translator-kun: Wow, I just realized we've hit 200 chapters!? This is all thanks to you, everyone, for sticking with this project of mine; without you all, I think I would've dropped it by now. I know my English isn't perfect, but your continued support helps me keep going. (❁´◡`❁). I genuinely appreciate it!.

Chapter 201: Dares to jump from a High Height, and with a normal human body, the younger generation is formidable!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Feeling that her existence would only harm Shirou Emiya, Sakura chose to return to the Matou household. There, she encountered Shinji Matou! 】

【 Shinji Matou, jealous of Sakura's magical talent while he had none, habitually vented his anger on her in fits of rage. 】

【 Seeing Sakura return home, Shinji's cruel impulses flared up again. He intended to hurt Sakura once more, even continuously shaming her relationship with Shirou in the process! 】

【 “It would be great if scum like this could just disappear,” Sakura thought. 】

【 Just as Sakura thought this, the 'Shadow' suddenly erupted, directly killing Shinji! 】

【 “So, it ends this simply...” This was Sakura's thought after killing Shinji Matou! (From the game) 】

【 Similarly, this was the first time Sakura killed someone while conscious, and then everything changed. Black shadows gradually enveloped the room, and small, paper-like figures appeared beside her. 】

【 Sakura began to assimilate with the dark Holy Grail fragments, awakening! 】

【 Ribbons made of black illusory figures appeared above Sakura's head, enveloping her, then transforming into a red and black outfit that covered her body. Red stripes also appeared on her face, her eyes turned crimson, and she wore a twisted smile. 】

(A side note here: Shinji was originally quite kind to Sakura until he learned he was a magical failure while Sakura was a magical genius. This caused his attitude towards her to change... But even so, there's no excusing him. Not even bleached Earth could wash away his sins.)

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Seeing Sakura kill Shinji Matou, for the first time, I felt such a great sense of satisfaction. In a word, well done!”

“This is practically dancing in a minefield! Trying to bully Sakura and then daring to insult Shirou Emiya? He's practically asking for a swift death, isn't he?”

Everyone cheered as they watched Sakura kill Shinji Matou. However, this seemed to be the final straw that pulled Sakura towards the abyss.

After realizing how easily she had killed the person who had tormented her for so long, Sakura succumbed to her dark desires and embraced her darker side.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Ultimately, a 'fake'. It seems it can no longer contain the magical energy after devouring this King... 'Fake Holy Grail'.”

Gilgamesh observed the corrupted Sakura with interest.

It was known that Shirou Emiya had lived by the belief of becoming an Ally of Justice. Now, for the sake of one person, he abandoned his former ideals and chose to become 'evil'!

If Sakura were to get lost, then Shirou Emiya would also die; he would have no reason to exist, or rather, no reason to live.

。。。。。

“Sakura!!”

Kariya Matou's deteriorating body twisted his face. Seeing Sakura's corruption made it even harder to hide the pain in his heart.

He had accepted Zouken Matou's modifications to become a Master and participate in the Holy Grail War, all for Sakura. In the end, nothing had changed!

。。。。。

【 Sakura, now assimilated with the Black Holy Grail, appeared at the Emiya residence. After assimilating with the Holy Grail, Sakura's power granted her the authority to do as she pleased! 】

【 Having been powerless to resist for so many years, she wanted to experience the joy of controlling everything as she retaliated against the world. 】

【 Facing her older sister, Rin Tohsaka, with a mere wave of her hand, a black shadow enveloped Rin, instantly eroding all her magical energy! 】

【 Seeing Rin Tohsaka collapse in pain, Black Sakura cradled her own abdomen and let out a joyful laugh, “Hehehe, it tastes so good! Is this Onee-chan's magical energy?!” 】

【 Just as Sakura was about to deliver the killing blow, Rider returned with Shirou Emiya. Seeing Shirou Emiya immediately go to care for Rin Tohsaka, Sakura's expression gradually darkened. 】

【 “Ah!!” Shirou Emiya instantly felt a sharp pain and couldn't help but let out a scream. 】

【 Black Sakura's mental state became increasingly unstable, and black illusory figures began to dance around her. “Why are you so biased towards Onee-san? Why don't you say anything? Why don't you scold me? You clearly saw what happened to Onee-san!” 】

【 “Look, Senpai!” Black Sakura clasped her hands together at her chest, a smile on her face. “I've been crazy from the start.” 】

【 The darkness beneath Black Sakura's feet continuously spread outwards, and her body occasionally flickered with red light. The shadow of the Black Holy Grail flickered within. 】

【 “So... I'll kill you, so you won't suffer anymore, so you can stay by my side forever.” 】

【 Black Sakura's illusory figures lunged at Shirou Emiya, but Rider saved him. This was a command Sakura had given with a Command Seal earlier. 】

【 However, the sudden appearance of Saber Alter stabbed her directly through the abdomen, causing her to fall to the ground. Illya decided to leave with Black Sakura to protect them. Before leaving, Dark Sakura turned to Shirou Emiya and warned him, “Don't appear before me again, or I'll have no choice but to kill you.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“She's completely turned into a yandere, even wanting to kill Shirou Emiya, who used to be her only one.”

“The reason Shirou Emiya didn't scold you, Sakura, is because he already guessed it, and was even prepared to bear the pain of this sin with you!!”

“If the 'Shadow' was controlled by Sakura, then how many times has she tried to kill her older sister, Rin Tohsaka?... Last time, if it weren't for Archer, she would have died.”

Why did she try to kill her older sister, Rin Tohsaka, time and again?... Was it just because she was jealous of Rin's closeness to Shirou Emiya, or were there other reasons?

Perhaps, as Dark Sakura herself said, she had already gone mad. Her downfall was merely a shift from her 'A-side' to her 'B-side', releasing the cruelty that had been hidden deep within her for years.

。。。。。

【 After Shirou Emiya found Kirei Kotomine to treat Rin Tohsaka, he decided to defeat Zouken Matou before Matou Sakura became an empty shell. 】

【 Upon arriving at the forest, Kirei Kotomine asked Shirou Emiya a question, “Matou Sakura, she has already devoured people. That is an unchangeable fact. Even so, will you protect her?!” 】

【 “She has killed many people. I don't think she will forgive herself. So, killing her would be a release for her. It would also be atonement for the people she killed.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya's face was grim. “But... that's not compensation.” 】

【 “Is that so?! Does that mean you will not inherit Kiritsugu Emiya's ideals?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“She has already devoured many people; this is an undeniable fact... Shirou Emiya is no longer a hero of justice. From the moment he didn't strike her down, he could no longer inherit Kiritsugu Emiya's ideals.”

In everyone's eyes, she was not innocent, nor was she entirely a victim.

Whether she deserved salvation was not for anyone to decide, but to completely deny her the chance for atonement felt somewhat arrogant.

Even so, Dark Sakura was not someone who could be easily forgiven. She had to bear her sins. While she had the right and need for spiritual salvation, she also had to pay the price for her mistakes.

~Bleach World~

“Honestly, I don't agree with Shirou Emiya protecting Sakura's actions. Sakura indulged herself in malice and killed many people.”

Ichigo Kurosaki believed Shirou Emiya's approach was wrong and would only lead to more casualties.

(Translator-kun: umh.... Ichigo, you forgot about 'Fade to Black' in which Rukia almost does the same with Sakura here...)

He admitted that Sakura's past might have been very tragic, but what about the innocent bystanders who never harmed her yet suffered terribly?! Most of her targets for revenge were people completely unaware of her plight. Because of this, he couldn't agree with Shirou Emiya's actions.

He also knew that Matou Sakura was not the primary culprit and was also a victim. Therefore, she must be saved; this was long overdue justice for the suffering she endured.

At the same time, she must be punished. This was also accountability for the innocent victims who died at her hands. Matou Sakura and the innocent victims were equal in life. He would not condemn her.

But as a person, she had to fulfill her responsibilities.

。。。。。

【 Kirei Kotomine, who had arrived at the base of the castle, asked Shirou Emiya a strange question, “So, Shirou Emiya, do you have any mountain climbing experience?!” 】

【 “Bang—!!” 】

【 The next second, Shirou Emiya was directly thrown by Kirei Kotomine into the high castle, smashing through a window and landing in front of Illya, startling her. 】

【 “Ah, who throws a living person through a window?” Shirou Emiya lay on the floor, groaning in pain. 】

【 Kirei Kotomine also leaped onto the windowsill. “It was just too pathetic watching you wriggle up the wall with one hand.” 】

【 “Why did you come? Go back...” Illya's face was grim as she spoke in a low voice, “There's nothing for you here. I'll take care of Sakura. Because that's my duty.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya let out a long sigh. “I don't care about any duty. No matter how much you try to be strong... Don't sacrifice yourself for something else!” 】

【 Illya averted her gaze. “Why don't you say that to yourself...” 】

【 “Illya!” Seeing Shirou Emiya extend his hand, Illya's face became a little shy, and a smile gradually appeared. Just as she was about to take his hand, Kirei Kotomine picked her up. 】

【 “Who has time for idle chatter?” Without another word, Kirei Kotomine jumped out the window with Illya. Shirou Emiya followed closely behind. 】

【 This time, it was Kirei Kotomine's turn to be surprised. He looked at Shirou Emiya, who landed on the ground from a great height, his legs trembling, filled with admiration. “To jump from such a height without magic, truly impressive!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Uh... mountain climbing experience, does it require throwing people through windows? I don't understand, but I'm greatly shocked.”

“Kirei Kotomine is simply a beacon of clarity! What he said makes perfect sense. Who has time to chat in the enemy's stronghold? Hurry up and run!”

“What a man! He really dares to jump from a building, and with his normal human body!? No wonder Kirei Kotomine said he was impressive!”

Everyone watching Shirou Emiya's actions gave a thumbs-up. To jump from such a height without using magic to strengthen his body, just directly jumping down—one word, incredible!

。。。。。

Notes:

Author Note: Next chapter, the true man makes his appearance. And then suddenly I got interested in Yu-Gi-Oh! Got some ideas.

Chapter 202: The Moment of Glory

Chapter Text

【 Facing Kirei Kotomine’s taunts, Shirou Emiya, who felt like his entire body was falling apart but whose mouth was still stubborn, pushed away Kirei Kotomine’s outstretched hand. “It's none of your business! I thought I could do it myself.” 】

【 “Huh?!” Shirou Emiya then looked at his hand, which had been transplanted from Archer, in confusion. The hand that couldn't move before was now usable. 】

【 Illya also seemed unsure. “Was it influenced by Archer?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Perhaps this is Archer’s most unjust moment. Even if he was influenced, it shouldn’t have affected his brain.”

“It seems this Shirou Emiya is also going down the path of tearing apart Heroic Spirits with his bare hands. Perhaps it’s because of Emiya Archer’s hand that his body is gradually starting to become non-human.”

After all, Archer’s constant refrain, ‘I am a sword bone,’ is still fresh in everyone’s minds.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

Aozaki Touko, known as the 'Grand Puppeteer,' was indifferent to their struggle for the Holy Grail. She was no longer obsessed with the 'Root' or 'Magic,' as she was already powerful enough and didn't need a Fifth Magic to prove herself.

Instead, she was very interested in Shirou Emiya’s reaction after transplanting Heroic Spirit Archer’s arm.

“He can already move it?! As expected of his future self’s arm, the compatibility is surprisingly good.~~”

Having a profound understanding of human anatomy, she discovered something unusual… the magic circuits etched into Archer’s arm would continuously strengthen Shirou Emiya’s body from now on, until he was as strong as—him.

“How peculiar…”

【 “You’re here, Senpai!” Sakura, who had sensed Shirou Emiya’s arrival, instead showed a distorted smile. A huge shadow appeared on the ground, then turned into black mud, beginning to surge out from the castle. 】

【 “Bang bang bang——” The places the black mud passed through gradually turned crimson, followed by a series of explosions. 】

【 “Roar!!!” Berserker, already corroded by the black mud, was twining with black threads, letting out a roaring cry, bursting out from the explosion. 】

【 Hearing the roar, Shirou Emiya and Kirei Kotomine immediately picked up Illya and fled through the forest. However, mere human reflexes couldn't compare to Hassan of the Cursed Arm, a Heroic Spirit. Hassan of the Cursed Arm had already arrived behind them and thrown a dagger. 】

【 “Clang——!” Kirei Kotomine used his Black Keys to deflect the dagger. Illya took the opportunity to use her thread magic to block Hassan of the Cursed Arm’s retreat, while also turning threads into flying birds and launching a fierce assault. 】

【 “Rumble!!” Each impact from the thread-formed birds caused an explosion. 】

【 Seeing her attack dodged, Illya then used thread magecraft to weave a magnificent longsword and struck Hassan from the air, slamming him heavily onto the ground! 】

【 Kirei Kotomine put down Illya, whom he had been holding, and looked at the unharmed Hassan. “It seems you’re not a porcelain doll either.” 】

【 After speaking, he turned to Shirou Emiya and said, “If you save a woman, don’t let her die again. The impact of her death before your eyes will be unbearable for you.” 】

【 “Let’s go! Illya.” Shirou Emiya, who was about to say something, sensed Berserker. With cold sweat on his face, he quickly picked up Illya, leaving Kirei Kotomine alone to face Hassan. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a reliable adult…”

“Are all the Masters in this generation capable of tearing apart Heroic Spirits with their bare hands? Are Heroic Spirits’ combat abilities really that cheap now…”

Everyone watched Hassan of the Cursed Arm in silence, speechless. They had originally thought that, as a Heroic Spirit, he would be able to dodge Illya’s threads completely. Unexpectedly, not only did he not dodge, but he got completely entangled!

This Hassan of the Cursed Arm was simply too pathetic, even ridiculously weak. From beginning to end, he just kept throwing daggers, but couldn't deal even 1 point of damage. Anyone, human or ghost, could exchange a few blows with him.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“This is one of the Einzbern family’s magecraft. Illya’s magic circuit is much stronger than mine.”

Irisviel happily rubbed Illya’s face. She could also use these threads, but without the power Illya had.

Although Kiritsugu Emiya felt a bit strange and uncomfortable seeing Kirei Kotomine holding his daughter Illya, he still let out a sigh of relief when he saw how weak Hassan of the Cursed Arm, a Heroic Spirit, was.

“To be knocked flying by a Magus, this Hassan of the Cursed Arm really seems pathetic.”

He never expected Kirei Kotomine to actually cover the retreat for his daughter and adopted son one day, but the feeling was just so strange.

【 After Shirou Emiya left, Kirei Kotomine and Hassan of the Cursed Arm engaged in battle in the abandoned church, and Kirei Kotomine’s inner monologue was also heard. 】

【 “For me, happiness is pain, and despair is joy. I understand myself that such a life is nothing short of evil for a living creature!” 】

【 “What a serious defect! Even as a heretic, I know common sense. I once tried hard to walk the right path. And the last attempt… was to fall in love with a woman.” 】

【 Kirei Kotomine swung his sword, deflecting a dagger thrown by Hassan of the Cursed Arm, but his gaze fell to the side of his abdomen. A dagger had somehow already pierced him, and blood was gushing out. 】

【 Kirei Kotomine pulled out the dagger expressionlessly, as if feeling no pain. “To be precise, I hoped I could do it. I tried to love her, and even had a child.” 】

【 Then, he suddenly remembered his wife committing suicide in front of him and jolted awake. Returning from his memories to reality, he was already riddled with stab wounds, blood splattering everywhere, but Kirei Kotomine curved his lips into a joyful smile. 】

【 “Noble Phantasm!” 】

【 “ ‘Zabaniya! (Delusional Heartbeat)’ ” Hassan didn't care about anything else and directly activated his Noble Phantasm. His right hand, glowing red, instantly extended like a whip, striking directly at Kirei Kotomine’s heart. 】

【 “It’s over!” Hassan withdrew his arm, looking confident of victory. He squeezed his right hand and found no heart within, immediately becoming incredibly surprised. “You…!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hassan of the Cursed Arm… just quit the group. I really don’t want to say anything more about you. Because I still remember what you done on the previous inventory.”

“To be incomplete within oneself, I never thought such a person could exist. Happiness is pain, despair is joy.”

Everyone was surprised that such a person existed. No wonder Kirei Kotomine’s eyes lacked any sparkle, filled instead with emptiness.

Yet, he had a very clear self-awareness, understanding his own essence.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

“He’s very similar to Dio, yet also different!”

Jotaro felt that Kirei Kotomine was similar to Dio because they both knew their nature was evil, and Dio was pure evil.

However, Kirei Kotomine was different from Dio… Although Kirei Kotomine was inherently evil, he received a good education. This was like forcing a carnivore to eat grass.

No… it couldn’t even be called forcing. It was more like a carnivore voluntarily eating grass to fit in.

But this was also the beginning of his emptiness. His tragedy lay in his inability to be a pure villain. He was very clear-headed, knowing what a conscientious person should do, and thus he couldn't find the meaning of existence.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahaha, this King truly didn’t misjudge you. How delightful… Kirei Kotomine!”

Gilgamesh’s ability to see through people’s hearts was truly strong.

He knew that Kirei Kotomine’s pathetic ‘nature’ couldn’t align with his ‘personality,’ having a personality that yearned for goodness but a nature that could only enjoy evil… After all, for him, happiness was pain, and despair was joy.

。。。。。

“He is a dangerous man, and also the person I dislike the most.”

This was Kiritsugu Emiya’s first thought about Kirei Kotomine.

Kirei Kotomine’s joy was seeing others suffer. Based on that alone, it was destined that he and Kiritsugu would never get along in this life.

【 At this moment, Kirei Kotomine had already arrived beside him. He used the Bajiquan’s Iron Mountain Lean to knock Hassan of the Cursed Arm into the wall. After throwing Black Keys to pin Hassan of the Cursed Arm’s hands, accompanied by a burst of lightning that paralyzed Hassan of the Cursed Arm, Kirei Kotomine ignored him. 】

【 Instead, he rushed straight to the rooftop, extended his hand, and pressed down on Hassan of the Cursed Arm’s Master, Zouken Matou. He decisively used the Holy Church’s magecraft, Baptism Rites! 】

【 “Declare…” Kirei Kotomine, under the witness of the huge cross on the church rooftop, began to emit a white light. 】

【 “I command slaughter, I command life. What I wound, I heal. None can escape my grasp. None can evade my gaze. Let it perish.” 】

【 Zouken Matou’s body began to gradually dissipate. He widened his eyes, continuously cursing, “You bastard… bastard…!” 】

【 “The defeated, the aged, I recall all. Entrust to me, learn from me, obey me. At the moment of rest, do not forget the song, do not forget the prayer, do not forget me.” 】

【 As Kirei Kotomine continued his incantation, Zouken Matou’s body could no longer maintain itself, transforming into insects that were constantly disintegrating. 】

【 “With my lightness, I relieve all burdens, rest in my hand. For your sins, anoint with oil and mark with a brand. Eternal life, given by death. Forgiveness is now the covenant by my incarnation.” 】

【 At this point, Zouken Matou, with only his head remaining, still didn't forget to mock, “What can this change? You can never obtain salvation.” 】

【 Kirei Kotomine ignored him and spoke the final incantation, “Let compassion gaze upon this soul!!” 】

【 With a flash of white light, Zouken Matou’s entire body was disintegrated.

。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hassan of the Cursed Arm… you, sigh!”

“Kirei Kotomine did a brilliant job! It can be said that the culprit behind all this was that old bug.”

Although Hassan of the Cursed Arm was a bit embarrassing, he was still a Heroic Spirit. Kirei Kotomine’s decisive action to deal with Zouken Matou, the Master, when he instantly determined that he couldn’t resolve Hassan of the Cursed Arm, was truly brilliant.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Holy Church’s incantation directly affects the soul, regardless of where the target of purification is.”

Kirei Kotomine’s empty eyes watched his future self. Seeing Zouken Matou’s painful struggle, he felt a strange sensation.

He reached out and placed a hand on his heart, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth. So, this is joy!

。。。。。

Who was the happiest to see this scene? Of course, it was our Uncle Kariya! At this moment, he could barely contain the smile on his face.

“Heh hahaha… cough cough… haha!”

That old man, finally dead.

Chapter 203: Hero Emiya takes the stage! Trace... On!

Chapter Text

【 Meanwhile, on the other side, Shirou Emiya, pursued by Berserker, looked at Illya with exhaustion as they faced a massive chasm. They had nowhere left to run... 】

【 “Shirou, leave me and run.” Illya knew she was the target, and if they continued like this, neither of them would escape. 】

【 “How could I...” No matter how exhausted he was, Shirou Emiya had no intention of abandoning Illya. But before he could finish, a loud noise erupted behind them. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked back to see two enormous trees hurled into the sky, plummeting towards them. They barely survived by leaping into the chasm. 】

【 However, the ground began to tremble again, clearly indicating Berserker was nearby. Illya quickly urged, “Shirou, run! Berserker is after me.” 】

【 “Shirou!!” Seeing Shirou unresponsive, Illya frantically called out again, only to be pulled into Shirou Emiya's embrace. 】

【 Shirou Emiya gently stroked Illya's head and softly said, “A big brother is supposed to save his little sister.” 】

【 “Don't worry about it. You called me 'Big Brother,' so I am your big brother, even without a blood connection.” 】

【 After speaking, Shirou Emiya stood up and took off his jacket. Illya still tried to stop him, “Shirou, if you use Archer's arm, you can't go back.” 】

【 “I know...” Shirou Emiya tossed his jacket aside, fully aware of the consequences. 】

【 Tears welled up in Illya's eyes, “You'll die!” 】

【 “No,” Shirou Emiya tore off the sleeve of his shirt, a strange glint in his eyes. “It's precisely so I don't die that I have to use it.” 】

【 Illya, bewildered, cried and asked, “Why... why are you trying so hard, Shirou? You haven't done anything bad.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya paused after hearing Illya's words, then closed his eyes with a sense of relief. “No, I've done many bad things. But... thank you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Little sister... In you, I see a familiar young man, the one who fought through the Holy Grail War overnight for his sister.”

“Another future without an ending. Once Emiya Archer's arm is used, there truly is no turning back.”

But there was no other way now. Using Emiya Archer's arm wasn't fighting to die, but fighting to survive. Without fighting, survival was impossible.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Haven't done anything bad... Perhaps that's how it seems to others.”

The Giant Hero, Shirou, knew what kind of person the young man named 'Shirou Emiya' was.

Just the fact that he didn't kill Sakura was what Shirou Emiya considered his greatest sin.

But... since he had made up his mind, he wouldn't squander this power. Even if there was no future, he would use this power to protect his 'little sister'!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Illya, who had been staying at the Emiya residence for a while, secretly wiped away tears from the corner of her eyes after seeing this scene. She continuously patted Shirou Emiya's back with her small hands.

“I'm the older sister!! Not some little sister.”

“Uh... I know, can you let me go now?”

Though he said that, Shirou Emiya still felt doubtful as he gently patted Illya's small head. She was so tiny, he felt like he could pick her up with one hand. Was she really the older sister and not the younger?

After hearing Shirou Emiya's reply, Illya then kicked the silent Emiya Archer standing nearby... He clearly knew her identity, yet he kept acting like a riddler, not even calling her “older sister.”

Emiya Archer, who was inexplicably hit, dared not speak his anger. He could only rub the spot where he was kicked, looking at Shirou Emiya on the screen with some relief.

Perhaps Shirou Emiya in this worldline was suffering, but this was also the path Emiya Archer wanted his past self to pursue.

Not acting for the sake of so-called justice, not being bound by the ideals he believed in, this was truly acting based on his own conviction and actions.

【 After tearing off his long sleeve, Shirou Emiya silently walked up the large tree that had been thrown. 】

【 What will be the consequences of using this arm? I don't know. Perhaps... the vow to protect Sakura, the resolve to bring Illya back, and everything else will be forgotten by me. 】

【 However, he must have felt it necessary to entrust this arm to me. 】

【 “It's fine to defeat him, Illya.” Shirou Emiya's eyes were filled with determination. This was something he had to do. 】

【 “Mm!” 】

【 Receiving Illya's affirmation, Shirou Emiya stepped forward, tearing off the Holy Shroud wrapped around his arm, and walked towards the rising sun. 】

【 It was as if Shirou Emiya transformed into a green spiritual body, his magical circuits leading him deep into the origin. Here, strong winds howled relentlessly, filled with a sand-like mist. 】

【 “Body and consciousness are numbly collapsing. Why did I come here?” 】

【 “And why did I become like this? Why have I fought until now?!” The green Shirou Emiya ran forward against the wind and sand, yet seemed to have forgotten the reason for reaching this place. 】

【 At this moment, the BGM began to explode. 】

【 Cracks began to appear on the green Shirou Emiya. In the deepest part of the mist, he saw Archer. Shirou Emiya's green body was constantly torn apart. 】

【 Emiya Archer glanced back at him, then continued walking forward, “Can you keep up?!” 】

【 “Crack—” With a shattering sound, the green glass shattered, and Shirou Emiya's figure leaped out, rushing forward quickly. 】

【 “Ask if I can keep up?!” 】

[“Ridiculous!! It should be you...” Shirou Emiya's eyes were fixed on the figure ahead, breaking through the mist and chasing after him without hesitation.

【 Emiya Archer's green magical circuits gradually connected with his body, and his arm seemed to be completely welded together as if by electricity. 】

【 “You should keep up with me!!!” Shirou Emiya overtook Emiya Archer's figure. The mist had completely vanished, and under a blue sky, Archer looked at his retreating back with a smile. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Now I know the consequences of using Emiya Archer's arm... The body and consciousness will gradually collapse, everything will be forgotten, even the vows made may be forgotten.”

“This is truly 'Body of Steel, heart of glass'! Even so, one must charge forward... It's so cool!!”

Everyone present was filled with awe. His current self had surpassed his future self, who was bound by ideals...

The mist he broke through was the best proof that he had shattered the confusion in his heart.

For a human body to forcibly merge with a heroic spirit's power, it would be corrupted by the power. But even if everything were forgotten, even if the body would collapse, even if this life held no meaning, this body shall be made of swords!

“You ask if I can keep up?! Ridiculous... I can lose to anyone, but never to myself...”

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“The price of forcefully pushing magical circuits to use an unbearable spell, the magical power directly runs wild and materializes within the body... You really are something, Shirou Emiya.”

Merlin smiled slightly at the sight. There were no two identical magical circuits in the world.

But at this moment, their two magical circuits perfectly aligned, which also meant Shirou Emiya's life began its countdown.

“Hmph... As a subject, he didn't do badly!”

King Gilgamesh's lips also curved into a smile. It seemed that Emiya Archer, who had failed to find an answer in this worldline, finally found peace upon seeing Shirou Emiya at this moment.

Because Shirou Emiya, at this moment, was no longer bound by ideals. His past self had broken free from the shackles of justice and found his own path.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“Hehehe, I'm getting more and more interested in you, Shirou Emiya!!”

Aozaki Touko's eyes sparkled with excitement. The combination of human and heroic spirit, the connection of future and past magical circuits, personally pulling the trigger on life's countdown.

And after watching for so long, this was the first time Aozaki Touko had seen Emiya Archer smile like that... It seemed he was marveling that such a self existed, and even feeling proud of having once been such a self.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Just as Aozaki Touko thought, Emiya Archer was indeed feeling both relieved and somewhat at peace.

“He broke free from the shackles of ideals and became a flesh-and-blood human. This is the wish Shirou Emiya himself wants to achieve.”

From the moment he burst out of the mist, he was no longer an Ally of Justice, but Shirou Emiya!!

【 Under Archer's relieved and gratified gaze, Shirou Emiya continued to run forward, then leaped down. 】

【 Looking at Berserker below, he calmly uttered the phrase familiar to everyone: “Trace... On!!” 】

【 Unlike before, Shirou Emiya seemed to read Berserker's memories, with images of Berserker's previous Twelve Labors constantly flashing through his mind. 】

【 “Click!” With the sound of a gun being cocked, Shirou Emiya landed on the ground. 】

【 “Trace... Loaded!!” As Shirou Emiya spoke calmly, white steam emanated from his body. He then raised his arm high, the Holy Shroud tied to his wrist, fluttering in the air. 】

【 As a green magical circuit appeared, light materialized in his hand. Shirou Emiya suddenly opened his eyes, blood flowing from the corners, and shouted the name of the Noble Phantasm: “This is... 'Nine Lives—'!!!” 】

【 Magical energy surged continuously from his body. With a brilliant green magical energy light, a massive cleaver identical to the one in Berserker's hand appeared in his own. 】

【 Facing the charging Berserker, Shirou Emiya swung the Noble Phantasm in his hand. Traces of rapid slashes flashed across Berserker's body, and eight massive fissures appeared behind him. 】

【 “Ugh!!!” Shirou Emiya didn't stop for a second. He roared at the resurrected Berserker, piercing his body with the Noble Phantasm. The sheer force tore a massive chasm in the ground. 】

【 As Berserker was about to dissipate, he regained his original consciousness. He looked at Illya and said only one sentence to Shirou Emiya, “From now on, you will protect her.” 】

【 After speaking, he transformed into golden specks of light and vanished. 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 204: Origin Awakening, Is It Starting to Go Berserk?!

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Very good... another Shirou Emiya who can tear apart Heroic Spirits with his bare hands. So, it seems that not being able to do it means you can, right? Even if you're going to cheat, you should at least follow the basic rules!”

Everyone was dumbfounded watching Shirou Emiya's series of actions. Holy crap... just one arm from Emiya Archer had this kind of power. They couldn't understand how Archer lost. Even if he was holding back, he shouldn't have held back like this.

Moreover, unlike before, Shirou Emiya's 『Projection Loading』 was incredibly powerful.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Projection Loading, this ability is quite interesting. It can not only imitate the external appearance, but even the opponent's memories and monstrous strength are displayed as well.”

Iskandar saw the crux of the matter. Otherwise, how could Shirou Emiya, a normal human, use someone else's Noble Phantasm?

This Shirou Emiya's ability clearly projected the opponent's physical abilities and techniques together. The only difference might be the physical strength.

Artoria's face was also full of surprise upon hearing this. If it were truly as the King of Conquerors said, then wouldn't this Shirou Emiya be equivalent to possessing everyone's Noble Phantasms and being able to unleash them at will!

Then she looked at Shirou Emiya on the screen again. 『Nine Lives Blade Works』 was the Noble Phantasm of Heracles from Greek mythology. So, the flashing images just now were the legendary Twelve Labors.

So, is it because Shirou Emiya also read the memories within, which is why his tone became so sorrowful?

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“Although it looks quite impressive, don't forget that his body is still just a normal human. The blood flowing from his eyes is proof that his body cannot withstand this enormous amount of magic.”

Aozaki Touko shook her head, looking at the blood flowing from Shirou Emiya's eyes.

He not only projected the Noble Phantasm but also the speed and strength, but his physical body had reached its limit and simply couldn't withstand this speed. Perhaps in a little while, his body would start to break down on its own!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This time there's no Unlimited Blade Works, but there are other abilities. This can be considered an equivalent exchange.”

Aleister was honestly more interested in that Unlimited Blade Works.

However, this kind of ability could also be said to be a rule-breaking ability. But because Shirou Emiya's state of mind was different at this time, it was not impossible that he couldn't use Unlimited Blade Works.

“Or perhaps what Shirou Emiya can use at this moment are only Emiya Archer's knowledge and magic circuits... Interesting..”

Aleister speculated to himself and then shifted his gaze back to the screen, wanting to explore for answers within.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“This seems to have projected power, speed, and skill... perhaps this is the key to winning.”

Shirou Emiya looked at the massive Noble Phantasm. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem like something his small body could lift.

“Win?! You think too highly of yourself.”

Emiya Archer ruthlessly exposed the truth, his eyes fixed on the large cleaver on the screen that was only a finger's distance from Shirou Emiya.

“If Berserker hadn't stopped when he saw Illya just now, you would have already perished together.”

Ultimately, it was still because Berserker held back. However, for Heracles, a Berserker-class Servant, to see Illya and be able to suppress his madness and briefly regain his sanity was already extremely remarkable.

You protect her...

And before Berserker left, he didn't forget to entrust Illya to Shirou Emiya. He truly was the greatest hero in Greek mythology, a demigod, son of Zeus, Heracles!!

【 Under the sunlight, Shirou Emiya watched Berserker's departure, the red holy shroud tied to his hand fluttering in the wind. 】

【 “Shirou...” Illya looked at the figure in front of her with some worry. That figure was both heroic and tragic. She knew that after Shirou used Emiya Archer's arm, he had become like a ticking time bomb waiting for the countdown to end. 】

【 No one knew when this ticking time bomb would end its countdown and explode. It was at this moment that Saber Alter walked out of the forest. 】

【 On the other side, Dark Sakura also found Kirei Kotomine. “Father, you died ten years ago, and the reason you are still alive...” 】

【 “Hmm?!” Dark Sakura seemed to be trying hard to remember, then she confirmed her guess with Kirei Kotomine, “Is it because of what I ate before... that glittering person bathed in the stuff in the Holy Grail, but because it couldn't contaminate him, it could only remain on you, the Master, right?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even if his ideal has changed, he has now reached a dead end so quickly. His body has already started the countdown of a time bomb.”

This time, Emiya Archer might be disappointed again. Just when he finally had a version of himself who was willing to change his ideals, he was already nearing the end of his life so quickly.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“What do you mean gliterring person!? Zasshu!”

Gilgamesh scoffed after hearing Dark Sakura's words.

“How can this King's absolute self, which transcends humanity, be changed by the Evils of this world like you?!”

Don't be ridiculous, you mere human, evil wants to change this King's will?!

This King's will cannot even be twisted by the gods. The King acknowledges, the King permits, the King bears this world!

【 “I am no longer the Matou Sakura of the past. That weak girl has long since disappeared.” Dark Sakura stared at Kirei Kotomine with empty eyes. 】

【 “You don't need to hide it.” Blood flowed from the corner of Kirei Kotomine's mouth and dripped onto the ground. “You haven't changed personalities. The current you, who is obsessed with violence, is still Matou Sakura!” 】

【 “You're the one who made me like this.” Dark Sakura's face darkened as if her mask had been torn off. 】

【 Kirei Kotomine continued speaking indifferently, “I let you live, and you didn't disappoint my expectations. Wanting to give birth to the Avenger! It's easy for you.” 】

【 Dark Sakura's mind flashed with the image of a monster with four eyes, and her body trembled violently. “You don't know how much pain I'm in.” 】

【 Kirei Kotomine's expression didn't change in the slightest. “I don't know, and I don't need to know.” 】

【 Enraged by her ugly essence being exposed, Dark Sakura reached out and clenched her hand. Kirei Kotomine immediately felt a sharp pain in his heart, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and fell to the ground. 】

【 Watching Kirei Kotomine fall to the ground in pain, a smile gradually appeared on Dark Sakura's face, but then she suddenly knelt down in pain and hugged her head, her shadow on the ground constantly converging towards her. 】

【 “Berserker...” 】

【 The defeated Berserker had returned to the Holy Grail. The sudden influx of magic power made her unable to bear it, and she was completely unable to move. She could only summon Saber Alter, who was in the distance, back to her side. 】

【 “You're lucky, Sakura is calling me back.” Saber Alter said to Shirou Emiya and then turned and left. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Kirei Kotomine really did expose Dark Sakura's essence in one sentence. The current Dark Sakura, who is obsessed with violence, is still Matou Sakura, and her personality hasn't changed.”

And Dark Sakura, whose essence was exposed, immediately fell into a frenzy. She still said that she wasn't the weak Sakura from before, indulging in self-satisfying giving, indulging in being loved and pampered, and now indulging in power?

They couldn't affirm what Sakura did before and after she was blackened. Although Sakura's past was pitiful, she also harmed many people with this power and indeed did many evil things.

This is an undeniable fact.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sakura's body has become the container for the Holy Grail, huh? Heroic Spirits return to the Holy Grail after death. The more they die, the further the container is from being human.”

Seeing Sakura's painful appearance, Tohsaka Tokiomi, as a father, didn't feel good.

Watching his daughter suffer such torment with his own eyes, yet being powerless... If this continues, Sakura will lose even her last bit of consciousness.

【 Shirou Emiya couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Saber Alter leave. Shirou Emiya, who used Emiya Archer's arm, was enduring pain every moment. 】

【 “Shirou!!” Illya quickly rushed over and hugged him from behind with immense worry. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Illya gently and comforted her softly, “I'm fine... I'm fine, let's go home.” 】

【 “Pfft!!” 】

【 “Uh... Ah!!!” Shirou Emiya let out a cry of pain, his eyes somewhat blurred as he looked at the sword blade that had suddenly pierced through his abdomen. He hadn't even figured out what was happening. 】

【 “Ahhh!!!” Suddenly, his entire body seemed to return to that wasteland. The next moment, sword blades kept emerging from his body, and blood kept splattering out until his entire body fell heavily onto this wasteland. 】

【 When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the room, his hands gripping the quilt tightly, constantly letting out painful groans, “Uh ah!!!” 】

【 “Hah...” Shirou Emiya kept gasping for air, struggling to crawl towards the cabinet step by step. After opening the cabinet, he took out a necklace from inside. 】

【 “Is it because I used the arm...?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap!!! What's going on? Although your Unlimited Blade Works always claims to be a sword bone... it turns out you were telling the truth, born of swords!”

When everyone saw this scene just now, they thought Illya had stabbed Shirou Emiya, but they didn't expect that they were all growing out of his own body.

This startled everyone. A perfectly fine person suddenly grew swords from his body and stabbed himself into like a hedgehog. How could they not be scared?!

Looking at Shirou Emiya's painful appearance, everyone realized that the consequences of using Emiya Archer's arm were probably much more severe than they had imagined.

This display felt like his Reality Marble was directly unfolding within Shirou Emiya's body, treating his body as a wasteland and gradually filling it with swords.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“This is...”

Aozaki Touko, who had seen a lot, pushed up her glasses.

“Origin awakening, is it starting to go berserk?!”

It seems that Shirou Emiya's origin is 'sword'. However, if this continues, every projection will exacerbate the destruction of his body.

The arm left by Archer was like pulling up seedlings to help them grow. This magic power will converge towards the magician's own origin, and if his magic origin is a sword, then the magic power will explode in the form of swords within Shirou's body.

And in the future... no, Shirou Emiya's body has no future.

Chapter 205: Angra Mainyu, All the World's Evil!

Chapter Text

【 “Crack—” The sound of a door opening drew Shirou Emiya's attention. He hid his pained expression and looked towards the doorway. 】

【 “You're finally awake, Shirou.” Although Rin Tohsaka didn't know what Shirou Emiya had gone through, she could clearly sense that he wasn't in a good state. 】

【 Shirou Emiya was surprised and happy to see Rin Tohsaka, and he even felt his pain lessen a bit. “Tohsaka!! You're awake.” 】

【 “Compared to you, of course I'm fine. Forget it, it's good that you're okay.” Rin Tohsaka expressed her concern awkwardly, then looked at the necklace in his hand with emotion. “That...?!” 】

【 “Oh, this! It's something very important. I have to keep it even if I die...” Shirou Emiya said as if unconsciously, then after speaking, he was clearly startled: “Huh?! What did I just say?” 】

【 Rin Tohsaka didn't notice Shirou's abnormality and turned to him, saying, “If you're fine, get ready. We're going out.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss~ He's already forgotten what he just said, and he doesn't even remember where the necklace came from. Is his consciousness mixed up with Emiya Archer's, or is there a problem with his memory?!”

It seems that the side effects of Emiya Archer's arm have appeared again.

Due to the erosion of the arm, his consciousness is starting to become unclear. If this continues, who knows how many more times his Projection can be used?

【 Shirou Emiya and Illya walked down the street after getting ready. Illya also told them the core truth of the Holy Grail War. 】

【 The so-called Master is just a tool to summon Servants to this world. What the Holy Grail needs are only Heroic Spirits, and their souls will be collected by the Holy Grail prepared by the Einzberns. 】

【 And the mystery lost by the Einzbern family, this great ritual that can achieve true immortality, is the “Heaven's Feel” 】

【 Walking onto the overpass, Illya told Shirou Emiya what happened to Sakura. “The one who caused Sakura's drastic change in personality and is Zouken's obsession is Avenger.” 】

【 “The eighth class of the Holy Grail War, assimilated with Sakura, projecting the true body of that 'Dark Sakura', Angra Mainyu!” 】

【 “The story of a village that believed in Zoroastrianism... ( I won't write about Angra Mainyu's story, it would be a bit watered down. I believe you already know. )” 】

【 “This is the Anti-Hero, Angra Mainyu!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So this is the essence of the Holy Grail War, something that can make people immortal. It's really tempting!”

“Heh, to actually want a young man to bear all the sins of this world and prove that all humans except him are good... I have to say, it's really a wild idea.”

This Zoroastrianism believes in extreme good and evil theories, right?

Wanting humanity to escape sin?! This very act proves the evil of humanity, so it cannot be proven at all.

Moreover, this idea itself is evil, and implementing this idea is even more sinful. This way of thinking is absolutely insane... People are inherently bad, and then they create someone even worse, so that people can appear kind?!

Even the people from other worlds who don't understand the Holy Grail War very well understand one thing... that is, they, as humans, have created an existence that can destroy all of humanity.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Hiss!!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash, among others, gasped at these bizarre actions, feeling a headache for no reason.

“Even if it's completed, if humanity cannot move forward, its existence is meaningless.”

Are they complaining that their mission load isn't enough?! Or are they complaining that humanity isn't being destroyed fast enough?! Humans actually created 'Human Evil' themselves.

And the Wise King Gilgamesh in the Seventh Singularity, hearing the reason narrated by Illya on the screen, also sneered,

“The existence of the 'Beast Class' proves that 'evil' cannot be removed from the essence of humanity.”

The eighth class, huh? Although his strength is quite weak, conceptually speaking, he is indeed ridiculously strong, an existence that can bear all the 'evil' in this world and curse 6 billion individual humans.

If Angra Mainyu were truly born, he might indeed become a 'Beast'. Bearing the pure evil for all of humanity, this is actually a kind of love, 'selfless love'.

“This is bad,”

Merlin said with a smile on his face,

“An ordinary person bearing the evil of this world, if he is truly born, he might directly become a Grand existence.”

Although there is such a possibility, the world will not give him the chance to descend, or rather, the world does not allow his birth.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“So the Holy Grail was already polluted, and even the wishes granted will only be fulfilled in a distorted way.”

Artoria wasn't stupid. Combined with the previous videos, she finally understood what kind of existence the black mud pouring out of the Holy Grail was.

And the truth of the so-called Holy Grail War means deceiving Heroic Spirits to descend, making them kill each other. After the seven Heroic Spirits die, they can use the immense magical power released when the souls of the seven Heroic Spirits return to the Throne of Heroes to explore the Root.

“To dare to deceive this king, you really have guts, Zasshu...”

Although a hint of anger was revealed in Gilgamesh's crimson eyes, there was more pleasure.

After all, this descent allowed him to witness many interesting things. As for the Holy Grail?! It's already filled with that filthy black mud. This king doesn't want anything dirty.

The King of Conquerors also pondered, stroking his big beard, “So this is the product of humans summoning savior Heroic Spirits for their own selfish desires, which is the Holy Grail War.”

And the so-called purpose is to open the path to the Root, pursuing the ultimate goal of all magi, which is 'Magic'.

This Holy Grail, or rather, 'Heaven's Feel', is the Third Magic, the materialization of the soul, a magic that can achieve complete immortality?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“So immortality is completely unreliable; it's all feudal superstition. They even deceive Heroic Spirits to kill them.”

Even Touma Kamijou, the spiky-haired guy who always talks about misfortune, understood a little bit of it.

That is, one must believe in science; otherwise, they will be easily deceived like Heroic Spirits. It seems that science is more reliable after all, since the espers in their world are quite scientific, aren't they?!

“And what kind of bizarre relativity is this, making an innocent person bear all the malice in the world?”

As a good-natured person, Touma Kamijou completely failed to understand the bizarre way of thinking of this Zoroastrianism. As humans, they should just honestly move forward, don't always cause trouble, you bastards!

【 After telling the story of Angra Mainyu, Illya continued to explain the ins and outs, “Last time, Kiritsugu destroyed the Holy Grail. Because of his decisiveness, Angra Mainyu could not be born into the world.” 】

【 “Someone bore a part of him, like Kirei, and someone was transplanted with part of the Holy Grail's contents by Zouken Matou, becoming an artificial Holy Grail. That is Sakura!” 】

【 “No matter the origin of Angra Mainyu, he is still a Servant, so in order to make him obey, Zouken Matou made Sakura his Master.” 】

【 “There might only be half a day left. If that thing is born into the world, Sakura will completely change, and no one will be able to save her, nor will anyone be saved.” 】

【 Illya spoke, and under Rin Tohsaka's guidance, they walked into a somewhat dilapidated house and came to the entrance of an underground cave. 】

【 Rin Tohsaka looked at the cave below and expressed her thoughts: “Honestly, Shirou, you've really helped a lot by bringing Illya back.” 】

【 “I hope you and Illya can cooperate, using the memories of the Einzberns and the memories of this land in the spiritual veins. With this, project the Jeweled Sword!!” 】

【 “At the same time, it will also be the weapon to fight Sakura.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So it's all the fault of the worms. In order to be immortal, He designed all of this, even going so far as to want Angra Mainyu to be born into the world.”

“Uh... Although saying this now might ruin the atmosphere, since you said it yourself, there's only half a day left! So since you're walking so far, why don't you take a taxi?”

Everyone looked at Shirou Emiya and the others, who were talking about having only half a day left while walking slowly, feeling somewhat bewildered. Since time is so tight, just honestly take a taxi!!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

The staff were even more exhausted. If they keep raising them like this, they will really create a 'Humanity's Evil', and in the end, they in Chaldea will have to clean up again.

“Sigh! If that thing is truly born, an existence capable of cursing 6 billion people worldwide is no joke.”

Da Vinci massaged her forehead, feeling a headache. Why is their ability to cause trouble so strong?! They created a big boss for themselves.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Jeweled Sword, a treasure among treasures.”

Rin Tohsaka never thought that there would be such a method, having Shirou Emiya and Illya cooperate, plus the memories in the spiritual veins, to project the Jeweled Sword.

After all, Shirou Emiya clearly seems to be an abnormal existence; perhaps if it were him, he could really project it.

This is the ability to share and use the immense magical power of infinite parallel worlds; in other words, the ability to draw magical power from parallel worlds without limit.

And the people who have already moved out of Fuyuki City are even more exhausted. It turns out they moved for nothing. As everyone knows, the Holy Grail War is carried out in secret... In which is Bullshit!!

If that terrifying thing really comes out, even if they move, they will still die. So what was the point of them moving?! Were they bored and just moved their graves? Damn it!

If they had known this, they wouldn't have moved. Wherever they go, 'death' still lingers to them...

Chapter 206: Oh my! Where did you put the Jeweled Sword?

Chapter Text

【 With the help of Illya, Emiya Shirou saw the past memories of this spiritual vein here, and also saw the origin of their creation of the Holy Grail War. The structure of the Jeweled Sword was deeply engraved in Emiya Shirou's mind. 】

【 At night, Emiya Shirou, who had returned home, lay on his futon, silently enduring the pain of his body gradually collapsing. At this moment, an uninvited guest arrived outside his room. “Your condition is very bad, Emiya Shirou!” 】

【 “Rider...” Emiya Shirou propped himself up and looked at the shadow reflected outside the door. 】

【 Rider spoke softly to Emiya Shirou through the door, “I have been monitoring you. Although my mission is to protect Emiya Shirou, you have created a weapon to fight Sakura.” 】

【 “Since you intend to harm Sakura, I can no longer protect you.” 】

【 “Are you... Here to kill me?” Hearing the sound of chains falling outside, Emiya Shirou asked in confusion. 】

【 “Sakura summoned me without any catalyst. In this situation, a Servant similar to the Master will be chosen.” At this point, Rider's voice became low, with a hint of sadness. She tightly clenched the twin blades in her hands. “I don't want Sakura to become a monster?! Shirou, if you also make Sakura suffer...” 】

【 Even though the other party might be here to kill him, Emiya Shirou still opened the door without any fear. “I'm not going to kill her, I'm going to save her! I will protect Sakura until the very last moment!” 】

【 “No matter what happens, I will choose Sakura!” 】

【 “This is... the answer to that question from before?” Rider was shocked by Emiya Shirou's words. She didn't expect that there was someone who could do this much for Sakura. 】

【 “For this, I must defeat someone. Come and help me.” Emiya Shirou extended his hand to Rider. To save Sakura, Rider's strength was indispensable. 】

【 “I understand...” The chained twin blades in Rider's hands dissipated into spiritual particles. She took Emiya Shirou's outstretched hand. “Servant Rider, although it is only temporary, I am willing to become your wings and help you fly to the ends of the earth.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Are these magus all crazy?! Or what exactly exists at the so-called 'Root'? They'll do anything to reach the 'Root'.”

“Emiya Archer, look at that guy's eloquence. Look at yours. Some people can persuade a Servant to help in just a few sentences, while others can't persuade anyone even after fighting to the death.”

They are clearly the same person; no wonder Emiya Archer is always being a riddle-man, speaking unclearly. The eloquence difference is too big!

Look at Emiya Shirou's actions, opening the door also opened Rider's heart.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Can this Emiya Shirou really project the Jeweled Sword?!”

Tohsaka Tokiomi was filled with shock. How old was Emiya Shirou to be able to reach such a level?

Moreover, Lord Zelretch had assigned the reproduction of the Jeweled Sword as a task to their Tohsaka family, but the Jeweled Sword simply couldn't be made. The more they researched, the more impossible it seemed. Thus, hundreds of years passed, and no one had ever achieved it.

Now the facts were before him, forcing Tohsaka Tokiomi to believe it. After all, Emiya Shirou's 'Projection Reinforcement' was a cheating-level ability. He could perfectly replicate even Heroic Spirits' Noble Phantasms. It was possible he could really do it.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This Emiya Shirou's ability is really outrageous. He can project something almost indistinguishable from the real thing just by looking at it.”

Index, who claimed to have 103,000 grimoires, couldn't help but twitch her mouth at the sight.

Wouldn't her own spiritual item, the 'Moving Church,' be able to have its structure known just by him looking at it, and then be perfectly projected?

This guy... Index finally understood why so many people hated pirated copies...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“If you don't rely on a catalyst, you'll summon a Servant with a very good affinity with the Master...”

Tohsaka Rin looked up and down at Emiya Archer with suspicious eyes, remembering how annoying Emiya Archer looked when she first summoned him.

Emiya Archer was summoned using her gem solution, without any catalyst. But, was this considered having good affinity?!

“Speaking of affinity... It's no wonder Shirou can summon Saber. Their natures are also very similar, both completely disregarding themselves.”

“Uh, sorry, Rin. If it were before, I would agree with you, but now...”

Artoria shook her head after hearing Tohsaka Rin's opinion. After all, she already knew that my scabbard was inside Emiya Shirou's body.

“I think the reason I was summoned by him is more likely because of my scabbard inside Shirou's body.”

“Uh, haha.”

Tohsaka Rin awkwardly laughed to cover it up, as she had indeed forgotten about this. Then she looked back at the screen to hide her embarrassment.

【 When Emiya Shirou and Rider reached an agreement, Tohsaka Rin looked at the Jeweled Sword in her hand, not knowing what to think. Then she put the Jeweled Sword under her skirt and put it away (honestly, I'm also curious where she put it). 】

【 At this moment, the lights in the room suddenly went out. She glanced at the window and then closed her eyes. She already had the answer in her heart. “I was wondering why you were willing to come back? It turns out you just sent a shadow over. You're putting on airs now, Sakura.” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin turned her head and looked indifferently at the shadow outside the door behind her. She didn't seem surprised by Sakura's arrival. 】

【 “Sister, take Senpai and run away quickly! Then I will perish together with this child.” 】

【 Hearing Sakura's plea, Rin's face showed no fluctuation. Instead, she asked her a question. “Sakura, I ask you, do you want to be separated from Angra Mainyu?” 】

【 The shadow of Sakura outside the door suddenly flickered, and then appeared on the wall inside the room, with its back to Tohsaka Rin. “No, this is the power I finally got. I don't want to abandon it, and I can't.” 】

【 Rin slightly turned her head to look at the shadow on the wall. “After I run away with Shirou, you will have the ability to die together with Angra Mainyu, is that what you mean?” 】

【 “Yes, so...” The black shadow appeared on the wall behind her again, its body constantly flickering. 】

【 Although Tohsaka Rin was asking, her tone was full of certainty: “It should be that you don't know how long you can endure!” 】

【 “Did you find out! Everything you said just now was contradictory. You just said you wanted to perish with him, but you don't want to be separated from him.” 】

【 “Don't worry, I'll find you soon... find you, and then kill you completely.” 】

【 After hearing Tohsaka Rin's words, the shadow gradually began to melt, covering the entire house. Then it returned to the broken voice of Black Sakura. “Okay, I'll be waiting for you. Sister!” 】

【 Only after Black Sakura left did the lights in the room truly turn on again. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Wait!!! I have a serious question: Where did Tohsaka Rin put the Jeweled Sword? Didn't she just put it under her skirt, and it disappeared like that?!”

“As everyone knows, there is another space under a girl's skirt, called the seventh dimension... Maybe it was put there.”

“It's clear who is superior and who is inferior. After seeing the shadow on the wall and comparing it with Tohsaka Rin, you know what the wealth gap is.”

The people from other worlds were also a little confused about Dark Sakura's thoughts, or perhaps, as Tohsaka Rin said, everything Dark Sakura said just now was contradictory.

While saying she wanted to perish with Angra Mainyu, she was also reluctant to give up this hard-earned power.

If this continues, it will be painful for Shirou, not to mention Emiya Shirou, who has already made up his mind to save Sakura... After all, being a hero of justice ceased to exist from the moment he didn't kill Sakura.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Has it finally come to this?!”

Tohsaka Tokiomi closed his eyes in pain. Although he had anticipated it, he still couldn't accept such a fact.

Especially after seeing the confrontation between the two sisters, and when Tohsaka Rin said she would personally end Sakura's life, his heart was constantly tormented.

If he hadn't sent Sakura to the Matou family, Sakura wouldn't have suffered such torment, and they wouldn't be in this situation of sisters fighting each other now...

The guilt and pain in his heart were almost enough to break this mage who had always prided himself on elegance!

Chapter 207: Finally, that old worm completely died, and the decisive battle began.

Chapter Text

【 Within the hidden cave beneath Ryudou Temple, the main body of Dark Sakura suddenly knelt on the ground in pain. Hassan of the cursed arm, as a Heroic Spirit, also arrived here. 】

【 “You're back just in time, Assassin!” An old voice suddenly came from inside Dark Sakura's body. It was Zouken Matou's voice. 】

【 Hassan of the cursed arm seemed a bit surprised that Zouken Matou was still alive. He had personally witnessed Zouken Matou being eliminated by Kirei Kotomine. “Master, you're still alive!” 】

【 “Of course, but I can't generate the magical energy to supply you right now.” Zouken Matou's voice came from inside Dark Sakura's body. “Sakura, though it will be a burden, you will form the contract with Assassin.” 】

【 “Sakura...” 】

【 Seeing that Dark Sakura hadn't moved and was still squatting there with her arms crossed, Hassan of the cursed arm walked over to observe. “Master, this woman is already... Should we proceed with the plan for this girl?” 】

【 “That sounds unpleasant. This is merely a necessary measure.” Dark Sakura still didn't move, and the old voice came from inside her body. “Farewell, Sakura! You've lasted long enough as a test subject, and you've shown me enough good shows--” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Tsk... He wasn't even dead after his physical body was destroyed by Kirei Kotomine. This Zouken Matou has quite a few ways to preserve himself.”

“Heh, saying it's a necessary measure, but in reality, he's probably wishing for this, his goal being to occupy Sakura's body.”

The people from other worlds gnashed their teeth upon seeing this scene. After all, Zouken Matou was the culprit behind all of this. They had thought he was eliminated by Kirei Kotomine, but they didn't expect him to still be hiding inside Sakura's body.

Hassan of the cursed arm's question about whether to proceed with the plan for this girl... From this, it could be seen that this was premeditated. It should be said that ending Sakura's life was originally part of Zouken Matou's plan, and he even grandiosely claimed it was a necessary measure.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“THIS BASTARD!!”

Tokiomi Tohsaka clenched his fists upon seeing this scene, filled with rage. He had thought Sakura had suffered enough, but he didn't expect Zouken Matou to still be parasitizing her body!

Immediately, Tokiomi Tohsaka walked to Sakura's side, used a suggestion spell to put her to sleep, and then held Sakura with a pained heart. Then, with a blue light emanating from his hand, he instantly extracted the worm from Sakura's heart.

After doing all of this, Tokiomi Tohsaka lifted the spell, and Sakura woke up groggily, seemingly not understanding what had happened.

Tokiomi Tohsaka elegantly turned around, holding the main body of Zouken Matou, who was still in a state of slumber, in his hand.

“Heh, I also know quite a few curse-type spells, especially with you as such an excellent medium.”

“However, simply cursing you to death would be too easy. You will slowly enjoy your suffering... MATOU ZOUKEN!”

Kirei Kotomine looked at Tokiomi Tohsaka, who was showing a morbid smile at this moment, and suddenly felt a strange feeling in his heart, perhaps a sense of pleasure at the torment that Zouken Matou was about to experience.

。。。。。

【 “No need!” Dark Sakura suddenly raised her head, revealing her crimson eyes. Hassan of the cursed arm retreated a few steps in horror. 】

【 Looking down, he saw a small black figure shimmering with purple light suddenly appear beside him. It then lightly patted Hassan of the cursed arm's calf, and a blood-red light invaded Hassan of the cursed arm's body. 】

【 “Bang--Ah...!!” Hassan of the cursed arm let out a painful wail as if he had suffered some painful torture, and then suddenly flew backward, his mask falling to the ground. 】

【 “What, so you didn't have a face to begin with?” Dark Sakura stood up and looked at Hassan of the cursed arm, who was wailing in pain on the ground, with some disdain. “You are just a nobody, unable to become that unique 'real thing'!” 】

【 “My... name...” Hassan of the cursed arm reached out towards Dark Sakura, and after spitting out this difficult sentence, he was swallowed by the black shadow and disappeared from here. 】

【 “Crack...” After doing all of this, Dark Sakura reached into her heart and pulled out a constantly wriggling worm. “Why did Grandpa seem so powerful in front of me, able to manipulate me at will?! For this, I carefully examined myself.” 】

【 Dark Sakura stared at the worm she had squeezed out of her heart. “You replaced part of my nerves, didn't you? I originally thought Grandpa shouldn't be so insignificant.” 】

【 “Wait... wait, Sakura...” Zouken Matou began to panic. 】

【 Dark Sakura clenched her fist forcefully, directly crushing Zouken Matou into pieces. “Farewell, Grandpa!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Although this Hassan of the cursed arm is a bit weak and can exchange blows with anyone, he can really survive...”

“Well done, this old worm is finally dead. So he was always in Sakura's heart and even replaced part of her nerves. I just don't know when that started.”

The viewers from other worlds felt a sense of relief after seeing Sakura personally crush Zouken Matou to death. They couldn't help but applaud, feeling a great sense of satisfaction.

However, after seeing Hassan of the cursed arm's face, they still felt a sense of dread, and even a bit of horror... It turned out he didn't have a face at all, and his mask was sewn onto his face.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“ 'My name'?! Could it be that this Hassan of the cursed arm's last words were about his wish?!”

This action of Hassan of the cursed arm stunned Merlin. Brother, you are Hassan of the cursed arm... It's impossible for you to leave your name in this life.

And you performed quite well in the previous scene of the Divine Realm of the Round Table singularity, able to exchange blows with Sire Tristan, so why did you become so weak there?

As an Assassin class, he was assassinated, and even his mask was knocked off. If this continues, that old man in the mountain probably won't be able to stand it and will have to come down.

。。。。。

【 On the other side, at the Emiya residence, Shirou was also prepared. However... Shirou looked at the key that Sakura didn't have in his hand, and his mind recalled their past interactions. 】

【 “How ridiculous, it turns out Sakura was so important in my heart...” 】

【 At the door, Rider and Rin were already prepared, and Shirou Emiya also said his final farewell to Illya. 】

【 Shirou Emiya spoke as if he were making his last arrangements, somewhat hesitant but still saying, “Illya, after this battle is over, if you have nowhere to go, why don't you just come and live at my place?” 】

【 Illya smiled and asked him back, “Are you going to take care of me in place of Kiritsugu?!” 】

【 “No, I am a different person from Kiritsugu. But I...” Shirou Emiya still wanted to say something, but Illya covered his mouth with her hand and shook her head at him. 】

【 Then Illya put her hands behind her back. “Shirou, squat down!” 】

【 Illya smiled softly like an older sister and reached out to touch Shirou Emiya's head. “Have a safe trip! Shirou.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“To be honest, I'm a little confused about who is the older brother or sister. Before, Illya called Shirou 'brother', but now she seems more like an older sister.”

“Uh... To be honest, according to the right of inheritance, the Emiya house originally belongs to Illya.”

Indeed, he is a different person from Kiritsugu Emiya. After all, you have given up your ideal, so you will not follow the same path as Kiritsugu Emiya.

~KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World~

“Wait!! You're about to start a war, don't say such a flag-like thing!”

Kazuma felt a strange feeling when he saw this scene, always feeling a bit of a headache.

Seeing that the three of you are preparing for the final decisive battle, what's the difference between saying these words now and saying you'll go back to your hometown and get married after this battle?! Saying it is just waiting for death.

Fortunately, Illya was quick and stopped the death flag that Shirou Emiya had set. Otherwise, according to his experience of reading manga before, he could guarantee that after saying it, Shirou Emiya would definitely not come back.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

And at this moment, Illya was rubbing Shirou Emiya's head with a smile, just like on the screen, enjoying the fun of being an older sister.

“Yosh... Yosh yosh yosh...”

“Uh.”

Shirou Emiya could only let her have her way, after all, she was his sister.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, and Shirou Emiya has arrived at the hidden cave entrance below Ryudou Temple. His figure directly passed through the cliff and walked inside. 】

【 As they moved forward, they reached an empty area and stopped, because someone was already waiting there. 】

【 The pitch-black Sword of Promised Victory was stuck in the ground, and Saber Alter held the hilt with both hands, seemingly having anticipated their arrival and having been waiting there for a long time. 】

【 “Rin!” Rin Tohsaka was about to pull out the Gem Sword from behind her, but Saber Alter turned her head and gestured to her, indicating that she could go on her own. 】

【 “Oh, I see. Sakura is serious!” Rin Tohsaka put away the Gem Sword, took a deep breath, turned to Shirou Emiya, and said, “Sorry, I'll go ahead.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Now I finally know where Rin Tohsaka put the Gem Sword. The question is, how did she fix it?”

“It's finally here! The final decisive battle, is Shirou Emiya going to tear apart a Heroic Spirit with a human body again?”

Everyone had been looking forward to this decisive battle for a long time. This time, Shirou Emiya was not the young man who drowned in his ideals as before.

But are they sure it's not sending Rin alone to face Dark Sakura? Dark Sakura's strength is obvious to all.

。。。。。

Chapter 208: Medusa and Salter Fight, Elegant, Truly Elegant!

Chapter Text

【 “If I go all out, I can probably hold her off for two minutes.” Rider walked over to Shirou Emiya's side after Rin Tohsaka ran inside, looking at the Saber Alter blocking their way. 】

【 “I will create the opening.” Rider placed her hand behind her head, preparing to remove her blindfold. “You just wait and see, and be sure to seize the opportunity.” 】

【 Upon hearing this, Shirou Emiya reached out and covered his left arm, turning his gaze towards the Saber Alter. “Saber! I will eliminate you here. I need to save Sakura, and you are in the way.” 】

【 A slight smile appeared on the Saber Alter's face when she heard this. Black and red magical energy began to erupt from her body. At the same time, Rider also threw down her blindfold seal, revealing her purple eyes that emitted an ominous aura, and summoned her chain-blades! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Shirou Emiya's tone here is a bit like Emiya Archer's.”

“Uh... Rider's pupils feel strangely familiar. I feel like I've seen them somewhere before?! But I just can't remember.”

The viewers from other worlds froze for a moment as they looked at the purple eyes revealed by Rider breaking her seal, then tried their best to search their memories. This strange feeling of familiarity couldn't be faked.

“Wait... isn't that Gorgon?! One of the Three Goddess Alliance in the Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia!”

Wow, her body is so petite, and without a snake tail, no one would have linked her to Gorgon. If she hadn’t taken off her blindfold to expose her cursed eyes, they truly wouldn’t have recognized her.

“Going all out to hold her off for two minutes... isn't that a bit too modest?! If it were Saber Alter holding you off for two minutes, I'd believe it more.”

If you turned into a Gorgon, what challenges would there even be left to face? Your full-power Noble Phantasm can even shatter the great horn of the primordial goddess Tiamat. Even if Saber Alter is strong, she probably couldn't withstand that.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Oh dear, no wonder she looks so familiar. It's just that she doesn't have divinity on her, so I didn't associate her with Gorgon. So it really is the same person.”

Merlin put his hand above his eyes as if looking into the distance, seemingly observing carefully.

But that's right, if Gorgon were to descend, she would at least be a Grand Servant. If summoned as a Heroic Spirit, a normal Master probably couldn't provide enough magical energy.

However, if it's just this level, the current Lia is really no match for Rider.

。。。。。

【 “Swish—” Rider's feet moved slightly, and her figure instantly disappeared. Seeing this, Saber Alter directly released her magical energy, and a horizontal sweep of black and red light cannons shot forward. 】

【 Rider moved around Saber Alter with extreme speed, while Saber Alter stayed in place with her Holy Sword in hand, waiting for an opportunity. The Holy Sword was bursting with red and black magical energy. 】

“BANG—!” Saber Alter noticed Rider appearing behind her and decisively brought down her Holy Sword. Black and red light cannons occasionally filled the cave. 】

【 After Rider dodged with her speed, she instantly appeared beside Saber Alter in a strange posture, flipped her chain-blades and slashed down, but was blocked by Saber Alter's gauntlet! 】

【 Then, facing Saber Alter's sword swing, Rider continued to use gymnastics-like movements, constantly flipping in the air while moving away from Saber Alter. 】

【 “Buzz—!!” The moment Saber Alter noticed Rider's purple eyes, she felt the blood in her body turning to stone, and her sword-swinging hand experienced a strange lag. 】

【 Seizing the opportunity, Rider kicked Saber Alter with both feet, and in an instant, a loud noise echoed throughout the cave. 】

“BANG—!”

【 The scene showed Rider gritting her teeth, clearly having used her full strength in this attack. The ground centered around Saber Alter was completely cracked in a circular pattern. Saber Alter was kicked away, leaving a trail on the ground. 】

【 “This is...” Saber Alter looked at her gradually petrifying arm, but had no time to deal with it at the moment, and could only continuously block Rider's attacks with a single hand holding her sword! 】

【 During this, Rider also occasionally used her Mystic Eyes, trying to accelerate the petrification on Saber Alter's body. 】

【 “The curse of the Mystic Eyes?!” The petrification had gradually spread to her body, and even parts of Saber Alter's face had petrified. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is it really okay for Saber Alter to keep releasing magic cannons in this cave?! It makes me constantly worry if the cave will collapse.”

“Such a smart Rider, using her speed advantage to fight a guerrilla war. She only approaches Saber Alter at the moment of attack, and immediately moves away if the attack doesn't succeed. She looks more like an assassin.”

“Holy crap!! Rider's movements feel so graceful, elegant, TRULY ELEGANT!!”

The people from other worlds felt that watching Rider's battle was more like an enjoyment. She could be said to have used her advantages to the fullest. Even a national-level gymnast's posture wasn't as elegant as hers.

~Jashin-Chan Dropkick World~

“MEDUSA!! Look, her eyes can also turn people to stone.”

A certain trash snake without a shirt excitedly held Medusa's shoulder and kept shaking her.

Medusa currently had swirling eyes, clearly already dizzy from the Jashin-chan...

“???”

“Jashin, let go! Otherwise, tonight's dinner will be snake meat hot pot.”

Seeing this, Yurine's face instantly darkened, looking like she was about to cook her at the slightest disagreement.

Jashin-chan immediately let go. She knew that this hateful woman, Yurine, was telling the truth and would really cook her.

Pfft hehe! When Yurine is absorbed in watching, I'll use my Jashin-chan flying kick to end her life.

Jashin-chan showed a comical expression, covering her mouth and smirking, unaware that she was accidentally saying her plan out loud...

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Did Lia use a large amount of magical energy to condense her armor, causing her body's agility to decrease? I always feel like something is wrong...”

Merlin frowned slightly. Logically, Artoria's current magical energy supply comes from the Holy Grail, so she shouldn't be lacking in magical energy.

However, Rider's combat skills can be said to be very impressive. While moving around from a distance, she didn't forget to use her Mystic Eyes to accelerate Artoria's petrification, and she didn't give Artoria time to react, while also attacking herself from time to time.

Moreover, the terrifying thing about these Mystic Eyes is not that it's fine if you don't look into her eyes. As long as you are still aware of her existence and thinking about fighting her, the petrification will continue to occur.

“Rider did a good job, but this is also the result of risking her life.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh's face seemed to have a faint look of approval.

Rider is risking her life. Her speed has reached its limit, and even in that attack just now, her legs were already starting to get injured.

But it's still too early to determine the winner now. He hasn't forgotten that Rider is only responsible for holding back Saber Alter, and the real main attacker, Shirou Emiya, hasn't appeared yet.

。。。。。

【 On the other side, Shirou Emiya also didn't forget his task and was looking for an opportunity everywhere in the cave. At this moment, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing his left hand hidden with a red holy shroud. 】

【 He recalled the conversation he had with Rider before setting off. 】

【 “Rider, I have something to ask you. Can only Servants cause damage to Saber?” 】

【 Rider shook her head and continued, “No, the Servants bound by Sakura have already gained physical bodies. Relying on strong Mystic Codes should be able to cause damage.” 】

【 After hearing this, Shirou Emiya silently asked another question, “There's one more thing... about the battle strategy.” 】

【 After they discussed it, Rider tilted her head slightly. “This method can indeed break through.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya knew there was a crucial point in this plan. “Right, the problem is...” 】

【 “Our mutual trust, right?” Rider looked at Shirou Emiya. “When a comrade is in danger, can you remain calm? You must do what you are least good at.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“The value of Emiya Archer is still increasing... Even without being bound by Sakura, he still had a physical body and cut off an arm for Shirou Emiya.”

“Hehe, you should tell us the strategy... We still don't know what strategy they discussed that night. There's no one else here, are you afraid we'll find out and report it?”

Everyone's expectations were dashed. They didn't care what strategy they discussed that required mutual trust... But not letting them know now was a sign of distrust towards them.

Also, wasn't this shirt of yours torn?! Why are there so many identical ones? Next time, just wear a short-sleeved shirt; it's less troublesome to keep tearing it!

。。。。。

Chapter 209: Please allow me to kindly crush you. Bellerophon!!

Chapter Text

【 After ending the flashback, Shirou Emiya had just ripped off a corner of the seal on his arm when he suddenly felt a needle-like pain spread throughout his body. 】

【 “Uwa...!!” The pain made Shirou Emiya unable to hold back a cry of agony. Green magical circuits appeared on his body, climbing from his arm to his face. 】

【 “Rumble—!!!” 】

【 But before he could think, Rider's figure flashed past him, followed by Saber Alter's black and red magical cannon, which relentlessly pursued Rider, destroying every stone pillar in its path. 】

【 Shirou Emiya clutched his arm again, watching Rider in the sky with a cold sweat on his face. “I believe in you!!” 】

【 Meanwhile, Saber Alter's petrification was becoming more severe. Just as her body was about to be completely petrified, black and red magic suddenly erupted from her, instantly restoring the petrified parts to their original state. 】

【 Saber Alter then turned her head and glanced at Shirou Emiya. Rider seized the opportunity and came to Saber Alter's side again, whispering in her ear, “Are you worried about Shirou?! He won't attack.” 】

【 Saber Alter remained silent, not answering. She countered with a sword slash. Rider, using her speed, reappeared on a rock pillar inside the cave, looking at Saber Alter with a mocking tone. “Because he trusts me. Oh, and you were once...” 】

【 “Nonsense!!” As if struck by the truth, Saber Alter bit her lip slightly upon hearing this. Black and red magic once again covered the entire Holy Sword. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Wow, Shirou Emiya is in agony just from partially unsealing it. There's no way he'll survive another use, especially after seeing those sword bones.”

“Rider to pull this move during a fight between two women? That's a direct, heart-crushing taunt, not just a physical attack.”

Viewers from other worlds felt a subtle sensation here. When Rider taunted Saber Alter face-to-face, her tone seemed to carry a hint of smugness, or was she deliberately provoking Saber Alter to do this?!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The King of Knights, summoned as a Saber-class Servant, has remarkably high Magic Resistance. Even Rider's Mystic Eyes are ineffective.”

Illya looked at Saber beside her, surprised that the other party had resolved the petrification so easily.

“No... The appearance on the screen indicates that my Magic Resistance has dropped to B-rank.”

Artoria shook her head at the remark. If it were her normal A-rank Magic Resistance now, petrification would have no effect.

Her darkened self on the screen must have had her Magic Resistance drop to B-rank, which is why the Mystic Eyes of Petrification worked, and the magical armor, along with her body, gradually petrified.

“Tsk...”

Rin Tohsaka felt a pang of toothache after hearing this. If they faced a normal Saber, wouldn't most magic be ineffective?

High Magic Resistance even significantly weakened the effect of Mystic Eyes, to the point where they were dispelled simply by magical energy release. It seemed that ordinary mages would barely be able to scratch her.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“Ah, I wonder if this arm is helping him or harming him.”

Aozaki Touko sighed slightly. The arm left by Archer instantly elevated Shirou Emiya to a height that didn't belong to him.

Every time he used it, he had to endure the pain of his Origin awakening, and as his Origin awakened, his personal consciousness would also gradually collapse.

Looking at Shirou Emiya's current state, perhaps in two or three more uses, his body would no longer be able to bear it and would collapse. Even Touko herself once wondered if Shirou Emiya was foolish to go to such lengths.

。。。。。

【 As Rider's taunts reached their peak, the battle entered a white-hot phase. Seemingly provoked, Saber Alter began to unleash her Noble Phantasm, a massive magical cannon sweeping across the cave. 】

【 “Boom—!!” 】

【 The cave ceiling began to collapse, and the ground shattered along with it. Rider's figure continuously weaved through the falling debris, even using her monstrous strength to enhance her leg speed; her legs glowed with a purple light. 】

【 Her speed reached an unprecedented level. Every time Saber Alter unleashed her Noble Phantasm, Rider dodged it. 】

【 In these brief moments of engagement, Rider's chain blade had somehow wrapped around Saber's sword-wielding hand and was tied to nearby falling rocks. 】

【 As Rider exerted a slight force with both hands, Saber was locked within a massive rock, only her face visible as she looked at Rider. “You think this can stop me?!” 】

【 “Bang—” The massive rock, along with Saber Alter, was heavily slammed onto the ground. Rider also ran out of the deep pit, retreated a few steps, crouched slightly, and placed her hands on the ground. 】

【 “HŌGU!!!” 】

【 Rider's eyes stared forward. The scattered blood in the air gradually spread out, then converged into a blood-red magic circle, appearing before Rider with electric sparks! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Saber Alter's destructive power, don't tell me that's all just normal attacks. She's throwing magic around like it's free; she could just stand there and be a cannon.”

“Rider is basically operating at maximum speed the whole time, like dancing on a knife's edge. If she takes even one hit, she's done.”

To what extent has Rider's speed increased now? The recent fight, even with the cave collapsing, was so intense... If the video hadn't slowed down, viewers from other worlds might not have been able to see clearly.

But it's also absurd that Saber Alter could block all the attacks. It seems she couldn't keep up with Rider's speed and was relying entirely on instinct to endure, which is why she didn't even notice the chains wrapped around her hand.

。。。。。

【 “Finally, she's going to use it!” Saber Alter, who had just emerged from the giant rock, didn't dare to be careless. She gripped the Holy Sword with both hands, and purple-black magic erupted from the Holy Sword like a Tatsumaki. Clearly, Saber Alter also intended to unleash her Noble Phantasm in response. 】

【 Just then, Saber Alter's eyes suddenly showed a hint of emotion. Shirou Emiya, at some unknown point, had unsealed his arm and was standing in front of Rider, facing her directly. 】

【 “Projection start... searching, filtering... analyzing.” Verdant magical circuits appeared in his hand. Vaguely, Shirou Emiya seemed to reappear in that desolate landscape within his heart, and the image of Emiya Archer's Rho Aias appeared in his eyes. 】

【 “I am the bone of my sword!” 】

【 “Ex!” Saber Alter swung her Holy Sword fiercely. The purple magic on the Holy Sword instantly transformed into a torrent of black and red magic, surging forward. “... Calibur Morgan! ( Sword of Promised Victory )” 】

【 “Rho Aias!” As Shirou Emiya chanted, a pink flower petal bloomed in his hand, and four petals blocked his front. 】

【 The next moment, a piercing explosion rang out. Surging energy waves swept through the cave. The high temperature melted everything in the path of the magical cannon. 】

【 “Ah!!!” The moment the magical cannon collided with Rho Aias, Shirou Emiya's face was covered in cold sweat, and a violent pain instantly shot through his arm. Countless blades grew out of his arm. 】

【 But... this brief moment was enough, because Rider had successfully unleashed her Noble Phantasm, gripping the golden reins from within the magic circle. 】

【 “BELLEROPHON! ( Bridle of Chivalry) ” A white glowing horse appeared beneath Medusa. As Rider pulled the reins in her hands, the white horse instantly grew a pair of massive wings. 】

【 It then transformed into a streak of light, enduring Shirou Emiya's flower shield, breaking through the magical cannon of Excalibur Morgan, and slamming violently into Saber Alter's body!! 】

【 “BANG—!” 】

【 “BOOM—!” 】

【 The ground could no longer withstand such power and continuously disintegrated and collapsed, spreading in all directions. Rider's momentum remained unchecked as she directly rammed Saber Alter, streaking through the cave like a meteor. 】

【 During the impact, Saber Alter's armor began to shatter and disintegrate. Then, Rider slammed her heavily onto the ground. 】

【 “BOOM—!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Shirou Emiya's release is incomplete. Only four petals appeared, but thankfully, it still managed to block Saber Alter's Excalibur!”

“Shirou Emiya has it so tough. Every time I see swords growing out of his body, even as a viewer, I feel the pain.”

“I thought the Noble Phantasm was the horse?! It seems I misunderstood. It turns out the reins tethering the horse are the Noble Phantasm.”

And Rider's Noble Phantasm seems to have two stages: summoning the Pegasus with her blood, then commanding the Pegasus with the reins to charge at maximum speed.

If it weren't for Shirou Emiya's shield delaying time and neutralizing most of Excalibur's damage, Rider probably wouldn't have been able to withstand it... But Shirou Emiya is probably not feeling well either. Every use is draining his life.

Also, I advise you to change your chant. Always shouting, “I am the Bone of sword bones,” and now they've actually grown out.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Archer, are you sure you left a hand for Shirou? Are you really not harming him?”

Seeing Shirou Emiya's pained expression, Rin Tohsaka couldn't bear it and looked at Emiya Archer. How many times has this 'bone spur proliferation' happened now...?

“There are no two identical magical circuits in this world. Even my future self has differences from my past self.”

Facing Rin Tohsaka's questioning, Emiya Archer didn't explain much.

The 'Shirou Emiya' who walks a different path needs this power. This is 'Shirou Emiya's' own choice... But to use this acquired power, the price is something he must bear.

。。。。。

Chapter 210: Saber.... Thank you... You saved me many times.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After heavily slamming Saber Alter to the ground, Rider's Pegasus also vanished. Charging forward at full speed, Rider himself crashed headfirst into the rock wall. 】

【 Meanwhile, Saber Alter, lying on the ground, trembled all over. Her armor was covered in cracks. She then reached out her hand towards the sky, trying to struggle to her feet. 】

【 The next moment, Shirou Emiya emerged from the smoke and straddled Saber Alter. He clenched his daggers tightly and raised them high. At this point, Saber Alter had already begun to recover. 】

【 “Shi...rou?!” Saber Alter slowly raised her head and looked at him... Shirou Emiya gazed into Saber Alter's eyes, met her gaze, and then brought his heavy arm down. 】

【 If I don't stab her now, she'll fully recover immediately. I have to stab her now...Saber, who is covered in wounds, is unable to resist or to stand. If I don't kill her now, we will be the ones who are killed. 】

【 “Splurt—” Accompanied by the sound of flesh being pierced, the sharp blade ran through Saber Alter's heart. Saber Alter did not resist. With a decisive blow, Shirou Emiya completely ended Saber Alter's life. 】

【 I will kill even my memories, dig out my own memories, and throw them into a place I cannot touch. I will never think of her again. 】

【 Absolutely, I will never think of her again. 】

【 This kind of thing will absolutely not be forgiven. I have chosen this path. To save Sakura, I will kill others. 】

【 The closest person, the girl who protected me until the very end, I killed with my own hands... Whether it is regret or remorse, it will not be forgiven. 】

【 Standing on the same side as someone. For the sake of the only person I love, I will continuously abandon important things. Beyond this point. There cannot be a radiance that gazes upon what has been lost. 】

【 “Thank you... You saved me many times.” As Shirou Emiya lowered his head and said his final farewell, Saber Alter's body gradually dissipated, merging into the darkness underground. 】

【 What I owe, one day, when I can no longer move, I will see it. Even so─── Unsightly, ridiculous, worthless, I will continue to abandon my responsibilities. 】

【 However, even if I cannot see the end, I still vow never to give up. 】

【 In this brief moment, the words that Shirou Emiya had buried deep in his heart were finally revealed, making everyone understand the magnitude of the resolve this young man had made! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“He did the right thing... In that situation, there was no room for any mercy. Saber Alter, her body was recovering rapidly. If you didn't eliminate her, they would have been the ones to lose.”

“He even killed his memories. There is not a hint of confusion in his eyes; only the desire to save Sakura can keep him going.”

Everyone from other worlds felt Shirou Emiya's growth, or rather, his tenacity, and the self he had abandoned because of this tenacity.

This is what makes him different from the 'Shirou Emiya' of other worlds. He knows that his actions will not be forgiven. Since he has chosen this path, he will not regret it.

Even if he cannot see the end, he will not give up. He has abandoned all responsibility and even sacrificed important things, all for the sake of the one he loves.

This time, Shirou Emiya is no longer an Ally of Justice, not bound by the ideals he believes in...

Even if he considers himself unsightly, ugly, and ridiculous, even if his self has lost its value, he is still the hero of justice for Sakura alone. He only wants to save Sakura from her suffering.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“He has walked down a path with no future. If he continues like this, he will lose even himself.”

Saber frowned slightly, looking at Shirou Emiya, who had already made up his mind.

Although she, as a Heroic Spirit, had her life ended by a human, it gave her a subtle feeling. However, considering that Shirou Emiya was somewhat special, she was not so conflicted. After all, every Shirou Emiya could hold his own against a Heroic Spirit.

“Hmph. Pathetic... yet intriguing. Show me more, Zasshu.”

Gilgamesh squinted his eyes. Losing even oneself would only lead to an empty shell in the end. Even if he achieved his goal, what would be the point?!

Even the expression of Irisviel next to him was a little mournful. Why was it that none of the Shirou Emiyas in every world had a good ending... It even felt like each one was more tragic than the last.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Losing memories... The one who is forgotten is the one who suffers the most.”

Looking at Shirou Emiya like this, Misaki Shokuhou's expression suddenly became a little low. She also had a hero who protected her at the cost of his life... Touma Kamijou.

But because of this, in order to save him, she could only use her ability for emergency anesthesia at that time, but the after-effect was that the cognitive area in Touma's brain related to her suffered irreversible damage.

Therefore, all memories related to her were erased, and he would never be able to remember her from then on. Every time they met, she had to reintroduce herself.

。。。。。

【 After doing all this, Shirou Emiya silently used the Shroud of Martin to reseal his left hand. He then walked over to Rider, who was covered in wounds. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked at Rider, but because the memories in his mind had already begun to fade, or rather, he had already forgotten them, he could only refer to Rider as 'you'... “I'm leaving first. Follow when you recover.” 】

【 Rider, whose legs were broken and who was collapsed on the ground, with even his clothes somewhat torn, looked at Shirou Emiya's departing back and closed his eyes with relief, “I didn't expect you to be so good at bossing people around.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sigh... Every time he uses it, he's affected. Shirou's memory is already missing, and the influence of Emiya Archer is getting deeper and deeper.”

Now, even the name of Rider, whom he had trusted before, has begun to be forgotten. What is left in his mind now?!

Looking at his determined eyes, there is no longer the indecisiveness of the past, and he has even begun to incorporate some of Archer's personality.

。。。。。

【 Just as Shirou Emiya silently walked forward, the scene shifted to Dark Sakura. 】

【 “Buzz—” As a golden light appeared in the sky, it startled Dark Sakura, who had just been staring blankly. 】

【 Dark Sakura looked up and saw the light drawing a circle in the sky. The barrier formed by this shadow shattered with a bang. Rin, holding the Jeweled Sword, descended here amidst the twinkling stars, looking at Dark Sakura with indifferent eyes. 】

【 The black shadow in front of Dark Sakura grew enormous, its arms lashing out like whips, dragging the ground towards Rin. 】

【 “Heh!!” Rin crouched slightly and swung the Jeweled Sword forward. Twinkling starlight, as brilliant as diamonds, appeared around her and then transformed into a dazzling magic cannon that annihilated the black shadow. 】

【 “Damn it!!” Dark Sakura summoned the black shadow paper figures again and sent them falling towards Rin. 】

【 Rin quickly ran towards Dark Sakura, dodging the black shadow paper figures' attacks by bending down, while swinging the Jeweled Sword to cut off all the attacking black shadows. 】

【 “Buzz!!” Rin enhanced her jumping ability, with magic crests flowing on her thighs. She leaped into the air and swung the Jeweled Sword at the black shadow paper figures again! 】

【 The Jeweled Sword emitted a bright light, followed by another dazzling magic cannon that completely annihilated the black shadow. Seeing all this, Dark Sakura was filled with disbelief, “How could this be...?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap, this scene of her descending is so cool! If I remember correctly, this is Shirou Emiya's projection, right? It can actually be materialized to this extent.”

“All I can say is, your sister is always your sister. As expected, mages fight in close combat. Dark Sakura's combat experience is still too little.”

Everyone looked at Rin, who was on a rampage, with stunned expressions.

This projection of Shirou Emiya is really ridiculous... Not only can it be perfectly projected, but even the original functions are perfectly replicated.

But... it really feels like anyone and anything can fight against a Heroic Spirit now. This magic power is like it's free, and magic cannons are being fired randomly.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Now, besides the known Ea (Sword of Rupture) . Is there anything that Shirou Emiya cannot project?”

Da Vinci's mouth twitched as he looked at the Jeweled Sword in Rin Tohsaka's hand. She is so powerful and rampaging now, don't forget that its essence is just a projection!

This simple projection magic has almost been played to its limits by Shirou Emiya. Can he be a little reasonable?! Give them Heroic Spirits some face.

Even Fujimaru Ritsuka, next to her, was a little skeptical. If Shirou Emiya had enough magic power, could he also project the Holy Grail?!

Then use the projected Holy Grail as a magic source to form a perpetual motion machine?!

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Jeweled Sword can borrow magic power from parallel worlds... This means that Rin at this moment has infinite magic power.”

Tokiomi Tohsaka was quite familiar with the Jeweled Sword.

But Rin is probably not having an easy time either. Every time she swings the Jeweled Sword, she experiences the pain of muscle tearing. Every time she uses it, a muscle fiber breaks.

But now both Rin and Sakura have virtually infinite magic power. Now it's a battle of magic power usage and combat skills, which is the situation he least wants to see.

Sister against sister...”

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: For the part with Shirou Emiya and Saber, I added the game part. The anime doesn't show the resolve Shirou Emiya made.

Chapter 211: I cannot express praise to the person in pain!

Chapter Text

【 “No reason, I'm just purely competing with you in brute force.” Rin, holding the Jeweled Sword, pretended to be relaxed as she looked at Dark Sakura. 】

【 Seeing Rin's leisurely appearance, Dark Sakura covered her mouth with her hand, her widened pupils filled with confusion. “You... what's strange about this sword?” 】

【 Dark Sakura also realized the strange thing at this moment. The reason why Rin's strength exceeded her imagination was the short sword Rin held in her hand. 】

【 “Don't you understand yet?! Sakura..” Rin moved her indifferent gaze away from Sakura and placed it on the Jeweled Sword that emitted color like a pupil. 】

【 “This is the Jeweled Sword of Zelretch, the inheritance of the Tohsaka family. It can open a channel. Connect infinite parallel worlds and transmit magical power.” 】

【 However, this obviously touched Dark Sakura's blind spot of knowledge. At this moment, she was still full of doubts. “Zel...retch?!” 】

【 “I'm really impressed. You don't even know the name Zelretch?....” It was Rin's turn to be confused this time, because this was common knowledge among mages... 】

【 Rin's tone completely enraged Dark Sakura. She summoned the Black Shadow paper figures again, gritting her teeth and looking at Rin, her heart filled with anger at that moment. “You dare look down on me!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Good heavens, this is equivalent to infinite magical power. When one parallel world is used up, just go to the next... But the key is that there are infinite parallel worlds, which means unlimited use of magical power.”

“I just don't know if the Tohsaka Rin in other worlds will suddenly feel her body empty as she walks, and then realize in horror, where's my magical power... why did my huge magical power disappear?”

The viewers from other worlds felt speechless looking at Tohsaka Rin's tone. Can she even talk properly... Why do the words you say sound so annoying?! It's no wonder Dark Sakura is so angry; aren't you just continuing to stab Sakura's heart?!

Why would she not know this common sense? It's because no one taught her; after all, she left the Tohsaka family when she was a child.

And Matou Zouken just used Sakura as a test subject and didn't treat her as a human at all, so naturally, he wouldn't teach her magecraft knowledge. Sakura's knowledge of mages was also very limited.

If Sakura knew that this Jeweled Sword was even projected by Emiya Shirou for Rin, wouldn't she go crazy?

~Delicious in Dungeon World~

“Infinite magical power, it's truly full of temptation.”

Marcille Donato, who was used to it and was silently eating monster meat, looked at the Jeweled Sword on the screen with longing, and two words were clearly visible in her eyes... “Want it”!

For a mage, there is nothing more tempting than infinite magical power. With the Jeweled Sword, wouldn't she be able to cast whatever magic she wanted without worrying about running out of magical power?

“Marcille, calm down.”

Laios Touden kept chewing on the dinner prepared by Senshi, but also had some crooked thoughts when he saw the black paper figures summoned by Dark Sakura.

Logically speaking, this should also be a type of monster, right? I wonder what it tastes like?!... Hmm, a little curious.

~KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World~

“Explosion!!!”

Megumin, dressed like a chuunibyou girl, as usual, released her explosion magic towards the abandoned castle in the distance with a satisfied expression, then collapsed on the ground as if her whole body had been hollowed out.

“Sigh...”

Kazuma silently picked up Megumin, who was lying on the ground looking satisfied, and walked back towards the town. Who told him that none of his teammates were reliable?

Megumin, who was lying on Kazuma's shoulder, was quite fond of items like the Jeweled Sword that could bring magical power. Her weak body also seemed to recover some spirit.

“How nice... infinite magical power.”

For a mage like her, who is completely drained of magical power after using explosion magic once, it is too tempting. If only she had infinite magical power, how good would that be!

。。。。。

【 Tohsaka Rin glanced indifferently at the huge black figures around her, and continued to Dark Sakura, “No matter how much magical power you have, the amount of magical power you can release at once is not much different from mine.” 】

【 “So I only need to get this much magical power each time.” 】

【 Facing the tentacles waved by the black shadow figures around her, Tohsaka Rin stayed in place without moving, and slowly extended the Jeweled Sword forward. 】

【 “Rumble—” A bright magic cannon surged forward, instantly raising dust and rapidly disintegrating the attacking tentacles. 】

【 After doing all this, Rin looked back at Dark Sakura and continued to provoke her, “Even an astonishingly large magic pool is just a waste in your hands.” 】

【 Dark Sakura's pupils shrank after hearing this. The black shadow figures instantly transformed into a huge grid and enveloped Tohsaka Rin, the range continuously shrinking. 】

【 But this was also not Rin's opponent. Rin, who was wrapped in the middle, with a flash of light, cut through the sphere that was wrapping her. 】

【 “It's not fair...” Dark Sakura looked at Rin like this and began to mutter, feeling a little broken down. 】

【 Tohsaka Rin continued to deal with the reappearing black shadows with the power of the Jeweled Sword. 】

【 “It's not fair!!” 】

【 Dark Sakura transformed into countless small dolls and pounced towards Rin, but still couldn't get close to Tohsaka Rin. 】

【 “It's not fair...” 】

【 With a dazzling light that shot up into the sky, Rin, who had dealt with all the black shadow dolls, stood in place and calmly looked at her sister, “Has your complacent head calmed down a bit?!” 】

【 “This is too unfair...” Dark Sakura raised her lowered head, as if venting the grievances she had suffered, and cried to Rin, “Why!! We are sisters, but I haven't been treated like a human being for so many years.” 】

【 “The Matou family's magecraft is branded on my body, and even the food I eat is full of poison. Every time I eat, it only brings me fear and pain.” 】

【 “In the worm storage, even breathing requires permission. No matter how many times I cry, they will still happily torment me.” 】

【 “While I was suffering, sister, you have always lived under the spotlight, growing up carefree, which made me hate you very much.” 】

【 “I always thought I was a child of the Tohsaka family, and that my sister would come to save me. I trusted you so much, but my sister never came.” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin silently listened to Dark Sakura's crying, her expression unchanged. She reached out and untied the scarf around her neck. 】

【 “Eleven years, anyone would go crazy. But can you blame me?! It hurts so much every day... It hurts... It hurts! I didn't want to become like this!” 】

【 Tohsaka Rin indifferently threw down her scarf. After listening, there wasn't even a hint of emotion on her face. “So what? You’re not in pain anymore, are you?” 】

【 “Eh?!” Dark Sakura was stunned. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Matou Zouken's death was... unsatisfying. That abomination—no, calling him 'human' insults humanity itself—deserved centuries of agony before his final breath.”

“But you can't blame Sakura. Anyone would feel it's unfair. They are from the same family, and they are even biological sisters.”

“Anyone else could say Rin's last sentence, but as her sister, it's a bit inappropriate for you to say that... Rin's rationality outweighs her humanity.”

Everyone in the other worlds fell silent after hearing the conversation between these two sisters. There is no empathy in this world, only a lack of experience. Living in such an environment, it's strange not to hate the world.

But... why is all this anger directed at the older sister, Tohsaka Rin?! Your pain wasn't caused by your sister, and she didn't even know about your experiences before.

So, shouldn't you vent this anger at the people who harmed you?! What about the innocent people who tragically died at your hands?

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Don't show understanding to those who harbor hatred, don't show approval to those who are happy, and... don't praise those who are suffering!”

King Hassan's eyes glowed with a faint blue fire, as if praising Rin's answer.

And Merlin, in the Ziggurat, shook his head slightly when he saw this...

Sakura's greatest tragedy was being born into a mage family, but her common sense was still that of an ordinary person.

And Tohsaka Rin gave him a complex feeling. Her performance had the coldness of a mage, but it seemed she wasn't completely indifferent to those close to her.

Tohsaka Rin's calmness was almost heartless, but this was the normal personality a mage should have. Kind-hearted people like Emiya Shirou were the anomaly...

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Carefree... So that's what Sakura thought.”

Tohsaka Rin silently held Sakura in her arms. In fact, she never grew up carefree.

In the last Holy Grail War, her father died, and her mother went mad. To protect the Tohsaka family, she, who was less than ten years old, had to inherit the Tohsaka family alone.

At that time, she didn't know about Sakura's experiences, and even if she did, she, who was less than ten years old, didn't have the ability to save Sakura...

~Delicious in Dungeon World~

Laios, Marcille, and others who were resting also showed considerable rationality when they saw this scene. Sakura is pitiable, but still hateful.

“When Sakura started to rampage and hurt innocent people, my sympathy for her vanished.”

Marcille shook her head. After suffering such torment, it was understandable, even forgivable, to be angry, hateful, or even hate the world.

But... not directing this anger at the people who harmed you, but instead directing this hatred at those who were completely unaware and innocent, that is your fault.

“Hmm?! Is this Tohsaka Rin not very good at talking?”

Laios felt that Tohsaka Rin's last sentence seemed to lack a bit of humanity.

“It's not your turn to say that!”

Chilchuck, Marcille, and others all showed surprised expressions, as if wondering how those words could come out of his mouth?!

。。。。。

Chapter 212: Deciding victory or defeat, Emiya Shirou arrives!

Chapter Text

【 “I don't really understand other people's pain.” Tohsaka Rin said indifferently as she walked towards Dark Sakura. “So... no matter how much you suffered in the past, I never intended to understand it.” 】

【 Dark Sakura heard this and lowered her head, instinctively clenching her fists. 】

【 “But... Sakura, although I'm a bit slow, I've never felt like I've had a pleasant life.” 】

【 “You still...!!” Rin's words completely enraged Dark Sakura. Her pupils suddenly contracted, and her eyes dimmed. “You still!! Have the nerve to say such things!” 】

【 As Sakura's anger surged, the shadows on the ground spread towards Rin, then floated in the air, forming needle-like small spheres like a hedgehog, blocking her path. 】

【 “Sakura,” Tohsaka Rin called out softly, then tossed the Jeweled Sword from her hand into the middle of the shadows. This series of actions stunned the enraged Dark Sakura for a moment. 】

【 “Welt Ende. (End of the World)” 】

【 The next moment, blinding white light burst from the Jeweled Sword. Caught off guard, Dark Sakura raised her hand to shield her eyes. 】

【 “Whoosh, whoosh—” With sounds of blades cutting through flesh, Rin, holding a dagger and covered in scratches, leaped over the thorny area formed by the shadows. 】

【 Reflected in Dark Sakura's eyes was the dagger, but in Rin's eyes were Sakura's somewhat bewildered eyes and the hair ribbon she had given Sakura when they were children. 】

【 Then, recalling playing cards with Sakura when they were children, Tohsaka Rin frowned slightly, looking at the big cards in her hand, finding it hard to decide who to let win. “Oh.... This ain't good” 】

【 The scene returned to reality. Rin was now embracing the trembling Sakura, which left Sakura somewhat at a loss. “Sis... sister?!” 】

【 “I'm a grade A idiot.” Rin seemed to be mocking herself. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to do it, and the dagger in her right hand slipped to the ground. “But I just can't stand to see hardworking people not get rewarded. I also really like Sakura, and I hope you can always be happy.” 】

【 “I tried to tell myself that the harder I live, the easier you can live. I'm not qualified to lecture Shirou either.” 】

【 “As soon as I got close and saw you, I knew I couldn't do it. I'm sorry... please forgive your willful sister.” 】

【 “And... I'm very happy that you can always wear this ribbon...” 】

【 Rin reached out and touched the ribbon on Sakura's head, then her hand dropped weakly, and she fell to the side, rolling over. A large amount of blood began to flow from her body, staining the ground. 】

【 Although Tohsaka Rin hadn't been able to strike earlier, her abdomen had been pierced by Sakura's arm. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Rin has the coldness of a magus but is also a kind person. Everything she said from beginning to end was the truth... but she clearly cared deeply for Sakura, yet she didn't speak humanely, and her actions made Sakura even more desperate.”

“As an elder sister, Rin couldn't even bear to win a card game against you, so how could she possibly strike you? This ribbon is proof of Sakura and Rin's relationship.”

That deck of poker cards was a good metaphor. Three kings and two jacks, even if she played poorly, Sakura wouldn't win...!

Everyone from other worlds sighed silently. So why did they put their hatred on their own sister? This was something they couldn't understand! Hurting the person who had always loved them, again and again.

While you hated her, she deeply loved you. In your eyes, the approaching dagger was reflected, but in Rin's eyes, there was only you.

Even the little she had managed to gain was now destroyed by herself. This was truly too cruel for Sakura.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Given Sakura's state, gentle words alone couldn’t reach her—so Rin deliberately edged hers with blades.... That's why Rin's words sounded so harsh.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was also a bit unsure, but he just had this feeling that perhaps this could truly break through Sakura's emotional defenses.

“Senpai...”

Mash shook her head, disagreeing with Rin's approach.

“Although it's well-intentioned, I think this will only make Sakura suffer more.”

Rin's behavior was too cold. No matter what Rin was thinking internally, it must have caused irreversible damage to Sakura.

Da Vinci remained silent, but there was one thing she found very curious, considering that saying it would ruin the atmosphere, she didn't speak.

It wasn't that she looked down on Rin, but could this knife really kill Sakura?! Or did her body still have human weaknesses?

~Naruto World, Future Timeline~

The former number one talk-no-jutsu user, now Hokage Naruto, felt that Rin's words here were neither gentle nor cold, but merely a frank expression of her thoughts.

Having not experienced Sakura's pain, should Rin hypocritically say, “I understand your pain”?

The current Sakura was consumed by power. The more gentle and compromising you were, the more it would confirm this:

“Because I have power, these people have to speak kindly to me.”

So Rin had to push Sakura to a desperate situation to make her sober up, so they could have a proper conversation. Otherwise, Sakura wouldn't listen.

This was his experience as a Hokage.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“MATOU ZOUKEN!!”

Tohsaka Tokiomi took a deep breath, trying to calm his constantly fluctuating emotions, but his eyes were still bloodshot.

Rin's personality was strong, and she didn't know how to express her emotions, but what she said was also the truth. Sympathy was always very fragile.

And Sakura's feelings for Rin were quite complex. She expected Rin to save her, but at the same time, she envied and resented Rin's life. Because of a lack of love and constant torment since childhood, she developed a twisted and insecure personality.

But to demand that she not be jealous, to put yourself in her shoes, few people could do that.

。。。。。

【 “Clearly...” Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes, and the black patterns on her face receded downwards from her eyes. “I also had it...” 】

【 “But I destroyed it with my own hands...ah...ah!...” Sakura collapsed to the ground, tears falling incessantly, appearing helpless as she hugged herself and cried loudly. 】

【 Then Sakura heard a sound and looked up blankly, watching Emiya Shirou slowly walk towards her from the end of the tunnel. “Sen...pai!” 】

【 Emiya Shirou saw the fallen Tohsaka Rin and quickened his pace, then ran to Rin's side and crouched down to check her condition. 】

【 “I killed... I killed my sister... even though she always told me not to give up.” 】

【 Hearing the crying, Emiya Shirou looked at Sakura. Sakura was now crying helplessly. “No, I want to end all this.” 】

【 Emiya Shirou looked at Sakura, who now had bright eyes again and was crying, and decided in his heart. “It seems Tohsaka still won.” 】

【 “Sakura, Tohsaka isn't dead yet.” Emiya Shirou stared at Sakura. “She can still be saved. I'll save her with you.” 】

【 Sakura stopped crying after hearing this, and her eyes relaxed considerably. But the four large, staring eye monsters behind her, who had been watching all this, caused the cave to begin to shake. 】

【 “No!! Run, Senpai!” Sakura, realizing what was happening, quickly tried to warn Emiya Shirou, but it was too late. 】

【 Black and red tentacles emerged from the depths of the magma, converging into a mass and fiercely attacking Emiya Shirou. 】

【 “Zzzzt—” With a flash of sparks, Emiya Shirou blocked the attack with his left hand, tearing his sleeve and revealing the Holy Shroud underneath. 】

【 “No, Senpai, I didn't...” Sakura wanted to explain that she didn't cause the previous attack, but before she could finish, Emiya Shirou interrupted her. 】

【 “I know, it was that child who refused to give up.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Emiya Shirou's words prove that Rin was gambling from the beginning, risking her life to restore Sakura's sanity! She truly succeeded. The black patterns on her face receded a bit, and Sakura's eyes regained their light.”

“I understand the reasoning, but even though Rin isn't dead, if you two had any conscience, wouldn't it be better to call 911 for her right now?!”

Everyone complained. Although she wasn't dead, she looked like she was close to it. Save the person first, don't forget they're still in the enemy's stronghold.

Moreover, seeing Sakura gradually returning to normal, it's no wonder Angra Mainyu started to become restless. If he could speak, he would definitely say to Emiya Shirou and the others: “Brothers, don't cause trouble! I'm still waiting to be born.

Good heavens, was that really just a piece of cloth wrapped around Emiya Shirou's hand?! Not to mention how he managed to create sparks, but the arm left by Emiya Archer is really too useful.

。。。。。

Chapter 213: Rule Breaker!! (All Spells Must Be Broken)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Angra Mainyu also seemed unable to bear it any longer. Its four large eyes stared intently at Dark Sakura, and the rock pillars on the ground began to vibrate continuously. A stone bridge in front was also shattered. 】

【 Shirou Emiya looked down at Rin, who was gradually regaining consciousness and opening her eyes. He nodded at her and began to run around Sakura in the center, searching for a way to reach her. 】

【 “No... I can't control it.” Sakura was becoming increasingly difficult to control, struggling to suppress her body's power. The ribbon-like tentacles around her flew wildly. “Run, Senpai!” 】

【 “Don't mind me, just let me die. I'll die on my own.” 】

【 The black and red ribbons attacked like a crisscrossing sweater in front of him. Shirou Emiya could only continuously dodge while constantly approaching Sakura. 】

【 “Agh!!” Shirou Emiya roared as he jumped onto a stone pillar, but the black ribbons instantly destroyed it. He could only continue jumping to another one. 】

【 Seeing the black ribbons still constantly attacking Shirou Emiya, Sakura was now breathless under the weight of her inner guilt. “Why, I'm beyond saving, no... I shouldn't be saved.” 】

【 Shirou Emiya, at the moment, the stone pillar was about to collapse, leaped forcefully, crossing the lava below. He loudly retorted to Sakura in mid-air, “You can be saved!!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya landed on Sakura's platform, rolled a few times, and then stood up again. “Sakura...” 】

【 At this moment, a black ribbon shot out quickly from behind Sakura, striking Shirou Emiya's abdomen and leaving a deep indentation. 】

【 “Look... Senpai! I... I'm this kind of person. So...” Sakura was starting to feel helpless, only wanting Shirou to give up on her. 】

【 Shirou Emiya silently touched the injured area and began to walk towards Sakura. Seeing Shirou Emiya approaching, Sakura closed her eyes in fear. 】

【 Sakura cried, begging Shirou to give up. “I killed many people, my brother... my grandfather, and my sister! Even so, Senpai, do you still want me to live?” 】

【 Shirou Emiya couldn't bear it anymore and sternly said to Sakura, “Yes!! Isn't that obvious!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya pulled up the sleeves of his clothes and began to remove the Holy Shroud from his arm. “Since I once took it, I must take responsibility.” 】

【 The magic circuits began to appear on Emiya's arm. Angra Mainyu behind Sakura became restless, manipulating the black and red tentacles to attack! Sakura closed her eyes in unbearable pain. 】

【 “Bang, bang...!” Shirou Emiya neither dodged nor avoided, letting the tentacles strike his body, producing a sharp clanging sound. 】

【 When Sakura opened her eyes again, she was stunned by Shirou Emiya's current appearance. Countless broken blades had broken through Shirou Emiya's flesh from within, exposed to the air. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sakura, here is truly despairing over the sins she committed while being influenced. She feels that death would be better than living.”

“Shirou Emiya is truly Sakura's hero in this Worldline. He can jump such long distances; all those years of high jump training weren't for nothing.”

His body is made of sword; he doesn't even bother to dodge. Parts of his body have already started turning into swords! It's like having built-in thorns, but his life is also nearing its end...

Shirou Emiya once again walked towards that helpless girl. This time, what he embraced was no longer a distorted ideal, but the desire to save her.

However, what people from other worlds couldn't understand was why Sakura still referred to those two scumbags as her brother and grandfather??

What kind of outrageous behavior is this?

“Weren't those two the culprits who caused your suffering?! And they are the ones you should hate, so why do you feel guilty towards them? The two you mentioned are hardly human, one was scumbag and the another one was a disgusted bug.”

The ones you should truly feel guilty about are the innocent citizens you cruelly killed. Who can give them salvation?... Fortunately, Sakura hasn't reached a point beyond saving.

Rin's action amplified Sakura's guilt and remorse. She didn't deny killing many people while being controlled, feeling that she was an utterly heinous existence and directly intended to self-destruct as atonement.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Shirou Emiya said it well: since it was taken, then take responsibility for it.”

Touma Kamijo's view of Sakura is that this is not something that can be solved by death; it is a sin that Sakura must bear.

However, being able to admit and bear sin is worthy of respect. Sakura had every right and ability to push all the blame onto the Black Holy Grail just now.

Neither Sakura nor Shirou Emiya killed intentionally. But actions taken out of choice must bear responsibility, and there must be a memorial for the innocent who died wrongfully.

It's clear that Shirou Emiya is ready to become a sinner and walk a path of shared atonement with Sakura.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Is Shirou Emiya's actions truly good, having gone to such lengths?”

Doctor Romani sighed helplessly, his gaze fixed on Sakura, who had already resolved to atone through her own death.

Sakura is not evil, but like ordinary people, she experiences inferiority and jealousy, coupled with the painful experiences of her childhood. These emotions were amplified by the coincidence of the Holy Grail War, leading to the deaths of countless people.

However, Sakura's sin cannot be denied. Denying Sakura's sin itself also denies Sakura, who bears this sin. If all the blame is pushed onto the Black Holy Grail, it would be equivalent to the Zoroastrians pushing all the blame onto Angra Mainyu, merely sympathy and self-satisfaction...

“Angra Mainyu won't actually be born, will it?!”

Looking at the large eyes, consciously manipulating Sakura to attack, it looks very similar to the Demon Pillars encountered before.

If the Evil of this World, capable of cursing 6 billion people, were to be born, it would be an existence capable of destroying human history.

。。。。。

【 Half of his body was covered in broken blades, but this didn't stop Shirou Emiya's steps. He continued to walk forward resolutely, “I will protect you from being harmed by anyone or anything in the future, even if this is hypocrisy.” 】

【 “I will also always protect the person I love.” Shirou Emiya's arm began to gather magical energy, and Emiya Archer's magic circuits reappeared. 】

【 “Trace... On!” A purple-looking dagger appeared in his hand. The blade twisted like lightning, and mysterious runes were carved on it. 】

【 “Punishment time. It's going to hurt a lot, so grit your teeth.” 】

【 Sakura lowered her arms and closed her eyes, accepting this sin. This was her deserved fate. Then she slowly opened her eyes again and softly said, “Yes!” 】

【 Shirou Emiya began to charge forward, and Angra Mainyu also manipulated the black tentacles, attempting to stop his advance... 】

【 Ultimately, Shirou Emiya moved first, plunging the dagger into Sakura's chest. As the screen went dark, only Shirou Emiya's soft call could be heard, “Let's go home... Sakura! Don't get involved with that thing again...” 】

【 As the screen re-lit, the black tentacles hovered above Shirou Emiya. The shadow-like clothing began to crumble and disintegrate from the point where the dagger was plunged into Sakura's chest. 】

【 With a purple light, Sakura returned to her original appearance, falling into Shirou Emiya's arms. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What kind of Noble Phantasm is this? It's so effective! If I had known, I would have just projected it at the Emiya household and stabbed her directly, wouldn't I?!”

“Uh... although the current scene is very touching, Shirou Emiya, don't forget that you're covered in swords right now. Are you sure you won't accidentally stab Sakura?”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, finally resolved. In the final moments, Sakura didn't resist. She opened her arms and calmly accepted the punishment she deserved.

Shirou Emiya in this Worldline had gone through too much. He abandoned his beliefs for Sakura, but his will had also struggled. Although he deviated from justice, he took all the karmic consequences of evil upon himself.

While saving the person he loved, he also ended this incredibly absurd Holy Grail War.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

At this moment, Medea's mouth twitched fiercely when she saw that dagger. Although she had already expected it, seeing it with her own eyes still made her feel a pang of heartache.

“What kind of existence is this, Shirou Emiya?! He even projected Rule Breaker!”

Rule Breaker can break all magic of the object it stabs, including magic contracts and living entities born from magic. So, at the moment of the stab, it should have severed the connection between Sakura and the Black Holy Grail.

“He can project it with just one of Emiya Archer's arms. If he had ample magical energy, wouldn't that mean he'd possess all Servants' Noble Phantasms?!”

The feeling of being hacked in person wasn't pleasant. Her Noble Phantasm Rule Breaker!

Meanwhile, at the Emiya household, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the matter had finally concluded.

“That's wonderful... Sakura!”

Tohsaka Rin tearfully embraced Sakura, overjoyed.

“Well done.”

Emiya Archer's lips curved slightly. That was the person he wanted to become.

Shirou Emiya transformed from a robot into a human. His daily interactions with Sakura gave rise to his own desires... From that moment on, he was no longer just a robot who only pursued a borrowed “false” ideal.

。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: The next chapter will be the end. I'll speed up the progress and omit some details... so I won't write too long. After that, I'll write about A Certain Magical Index, specifically the “██████ ██. ██████” and “███sei ███al” arcs.)

(Translator-kun: Gentleman, you heard that!? The next inventory is A Certain Magical Index, specifically the “██████ ██. ██████” and “███sei ███al” arcs. Here comes the GOAT.)

Chapter 214: Hero Emiya ends!

Notes:

Translator-kun: Gonna bring back the old Format with just '【' from the start and '】' in the end, like the old one, because I can't freestyle some context if I want to.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

【 At this moment, the black ribbon floating in the air was constantly disintegrating until it disappeared, and Sakura returned to her original appearance.

But as the ground vibrated, Emiya Shirou looked up at the hole in the sky and the four giant eyeballs, a guess already forming in his mind, “It's not stopping...”

A small black figure walked over from the side, covering Sakura's body again. A faint light lit up in her heart. Seeing this, Emiya Shirou also showed a relieved smile.

“Shirou...” Rider, who had healed her body, appeared behind them.

“Oh, it's you... You came just in time.” Emiya Shirou looked back at the person who had arrived, his tone seemed to have a slight pause, “Can you take Sakura and the Tohsaka below out?”

“That... ri... ri...” The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't remember Rider's name, and he had almost forgotten who she was.

Rider looked at Emiya Shirou like this and was silent for a moment, then nodded in response, “I understand.”

After entrusting Sakura, whom he was holding in his arms, to Rider, Emiya Shirou took out a key from his pocket and handed it over, “Also... give this... to Sakura...”

At this moment, Emiya Shirou's tone became hesitant, as if he couldn't even speak a complete sentence.

“You should do this...” Rider's words were halfway through when she fell silent. Seeing the blades growing on Emiya Shirou's body, she still whispered in agreement, “Alright!”

It wasn't until Rider left that Emiya Shirou turned his head and walked towards Angra Mainyu, who was emitting light. As he continued to move forward, his eyes became increasingly vacant. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“He has completely forgotten Rider now, even though he had a little impression after fighting Saber Alter before, the situation worsened again after just projecting that 'Rule Breaker'.”

“He has projected four times, and even his speech is intermittent. His body and spirit are constantly collapsing, and the blades growing on his body haven't even been retracted yet.”

Despite this, he still had to deal with the final Angra Mainyu and had even prepared for the possibility of not returning. Perhaps this was also the reason for this man's charm.

And the key is the proof of family. Giving the key to Sakura is to tell Sakura that there is still a place where she can return... Even though he has forgotten everything, he still remembers Sakura's name.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“There's no turning back now... This body is beyond saving.”

Aozaki Touko directly concluded. Now, even the nerves in his brain have been eroded.

Honestly, Emiya Shirou still remembered what to do was beyond her expectations. The origin should have died long ago, having run rampant like this.

Not just his body, his spirit and soul were also dying. His current state was completely muddled, acting entirely on instinct.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“That world is truly ironic! The Ally of Justice, who saved everyone, just couldn't save himself.”

Kamijou Touma felt a pang of sympathy for the young man who had sacrificed everything and was about to end his life like this.

(Translator-kun: Can't help but comment on this statement, just skip this if you like...." Look who's talking, Isn't that just like you, Touma? That very sentence describes your own situation ".)

Even though all his memories were gradually fading, he hadn't forgotten to save the world. Even though his eyes became vacant, he still instinctively continued to move towards Angra Mainyu.

Perhaps Emiya Shirou already knew he couldn't go back, which is why he entrusted the key to Rider. He still had to resolve everything here... or perhaps he didn't even know who he was anymore, acting purely on instinct.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“As expected, all Emiya Shirous are idiots.”

Angelica cursed expressionlessly when she saw this. In the end, he was still an Ally of Justice at heart!

The innocent Emiya Giant Hero glanced at Angelica. The term “Ally of Justice” was ingrained in Emiya Shirou's life. Emiya Shirou staying behind to deal with the remaining issues was also within his expectations.

Since he wanted to be Sakura's only Ally of Justice, he would definitely resolve the problems left behind by Sakura. This was also a form of salvation for Sakura.

。。。。。

【 After Emiya Shirou walked for a distance like a walking corpse, he stopped. A figure was squatting on a stone in front of Angra Mainyu.

“It seems we have both struggled to persist until now. Emiya... Shirou.”

Kirei Kotomine seemed to turn his head with some pleasure and looked at Emiya Shirou.

Emiya Shirou looked at Angra Mainyu with the four large eyeballs, “Even if this thing is born, your wish cannot be fulfilled.”

Kirei Kotomine: “Of course it can be fulfilled. My goal is only one, and that is to let this curse be born.”

Emiya Shirou angrily questioned Kirei Kotomine, “Why?! Why are you protecting him like this? He is evil itself!”

“At this time, he has not yet committed evil, nor has he done good.”

Kirei Kotomine began to gradually take off his clothes, “Humans all start from knowing nothing, learning what is right? Everything starts from Zero.”

“If you want to talk about responsibility, it's only related to the environment that nurtured that human. If a life wants to hatch, letting it break out of its shell is true love.”

“I just feel supreme happiness from the misfortunes of others.”

Emiya Shirou did not agree with Kirei Kotomine's philosophy. The two gradually approached each other. The moment Kirei Kotomine threw down the cross in his hand, he punched Emiya Shirou in the face.

“Ugh...”

Emiya Shirou also punched Kirei Kotomine in the face. The two began to punch each other like ordinary people, constantly fighting for their own beliefs, one punch after another.

But every time Kirei Kotomine attacked, he would injure himself. Just like he had just kicked Emiya Shirou, he was also stabbed by the blades growing on his body.

Kirei Kotomine couldn't help but complain when he saw this, “This body is really troublesome. When you get hit, I feel more pain.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Kirei Kotomine's theory clearly doesn't apply to Angra Mainyu. Although it hasn't been born, it has controlled Sakura to commit many sins. Isn't this considered evil?”

“Hahaha, I didn't expect that the magic circuits running rampant would give Emiya Shirou a built-in counter-attack like blade mail. When he gets hit, it's Kirei Kotomine who feels the pain.”

Viewers from other worlds remained neutral about Kirei Kotomine's theory.

Part of what he said was right; something that hasn't been born yet cannot be called an evil existence. But part of it was wrong, which is that this theory clearly doesn't apply to Angra Mainyu in its current state.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline~

“Perhaps Kirei Kotomine believes that he and this thing are born evil seeds, and if this thing is born and can be taught to be good, it means he also has a chance to be good?!”

Even the exceptionally intelligent Giorno Giovanna couldn't quite guess Kirei Kotomine's thoughts.

Kirei Kotomine's view on sin is a way of thinking that first blurs good and evil and then reconstructs them. He believes that 'choice' is more important in determining the value of good and evil than human nature.

To be honest, Giorno Giovanna still felt that Kirei Kotomine's words were quite reasonable, which is that if you want to talk about responsibility, it's related to the environment that nurtured that human.

But... Giorno always had the feeling that Kirei Kotomine was subtly changing the subject, and while it made some sense at first, as he continued, it became clear that he had a severely distorted view.

“Feeling supreme happiness in the misfortunes of others... What a perverted way of thinking.”

。。。。。

【 The two continued to fight, Kirei Kotomine's voice becoming more powerful with each sentence, “Ultimately, is killing evil?! You, who want to protect Matou Sakura, have the right to say that.”

Kirei Kotomine punched Emiya Shirou until he was kneeling, and continued, “An evil person will occasionally show kindness, and a saint will also impulsively commit evil. This kind of contradiction is what makes a person human.”

Emiya Shirou spat out a mouthful of blood, along with a broken tooth.

In Kirei Kotomine's shocked expression, he punched Kirei Kotomine in the abdomen.

“But, this thing was born just to kill!”

The pain in his abdomen made Kirei Kotomine grit his teeth, but he didn't deny Emiya Shirou's point, “Yes, but does he himself think so? It's still unknown at this time.”

Kirei Kotomine tightly gripped Emiya Shirou's neck with both hands, pushing him step by step towards the lava behind him: “If he is born, he will probably slaughter everyone as expected.”

“And when he is the only one left in the world, will he let himself go? That's what I want to know.” 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So for this reason, you want to let 'All the World's Evil' be born into this world. How twisted... Kirei Kotomine.”

“Ultimately, Kirei Kotomine is just trying to rationalize his abnormality compared to ordinary people.”

People from other worlds finally understood what kind of person Kirei Kotomine was...

Simply for the pleasure of enjoyment, and not holding expectations for the hopes, goodwill, or justice of others, but only for his obsession with his own evil.

Because this is where his pleasure lies, and it is his value of existence. It is similar to Emiya Shirou's twisted justice, more like a defect in personality.

The conflict between his morality and his innate desires has never changed until it developed into such a twisted personality.

。。。。。

【 Just for this reason... Emiya Shirou was completely enraged. The blades on his body grew longer again, and he headbutted him back, “You!!!”

Just like that, under the gaze of Angra Mainyu, two people with completely opposite stances constantly punched each other back and forth. Emiya Shirou spat out a large amount of blood from his mouth.

At this moment, the swords on Emiya Shirou's body became denser, and even his face started to grow blades. “Yes, I see, we both think we are sinners. To get rid of this idea, we will carry out this belief to the end. How can we possibly back down?”

“I confess... this is actually just taking it out on you.” Kirei Kotomine also spoke his true thoughts.

Just like that, the two of them simultaneously took a step forward, swinging their final punches with their beliefs. But Kirei Kotomine's fist stopped in front of Emiya Shirou.

“I didn't expect the end would just be a little shorter in time... You are the last Master. Bear your responsibility.” Kirei Kotomine said, and then fell down. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“His heart was already polluted by the black mud. Now he's just holding on. It seems he's finally reached his limit.”

Seeing this, people from other worlds were once again confused about Kirei Kotomine. He truly was a contradictory person.

He recognized that his nature was evil, but still had to act for his image because he was in society. This is living for the “audience.”

He subconsciously judges the audience's perception of him and then reacts according to the surrounding environment, while he himself is without thought or purpose.

Soon, he will lose himself and fall into nihility, unable to be stimulated by anything, becoming a puppet without self, with almost no emotional experience.

~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Hahaha, truly a good show for this king to see, Kirei Kotomine. This king was right about you after all.”

Seeing this scene, Gilgamesh laughed heartily out of place.

Kirei Kotomine understood the words he had told him back then, that human nature itself is to pursue the pleasure of enjoyment.

And Kirei Kotomine, purely for his own pleasure, wanted to let All the World's Evil be born into this world. So, just like that, two people standing on opposite sides, like in a Roman amphitheater, fought to determine the victor.

This also allowed the oldest chuunibyou king to experience a different feeling, which made him feel very happy.

。。。。。

【 After Kirei Kotomine fell, Emiya Shirou stumbled forward towards Angra Mainyu, holding his left hand.

“This... is the last time.”

“Trace...”

“Is this enough?” At this moment, Emiya Shirou suddenly stopped, pressing his left hand tightly. The scene of his dying in that desolate wilderness flashed through his mind.

“No... Shirou won't die.”

At this moment, Illya's voice came from his ear. Illya, dressed in a white robe and dress, came to his side.

“I will close this door.”

Illya walked forward as if stepping on air, then stopped and turned around to smile at Emiya Shirou: “No matter what kind of life it becomes, after all! This is real magic!”

Emiya Shirou's tears kept flowing. He wanted to dissuade her, but he didn't know what to say...

“Don't... bother... Don't bother, come back!!”

“Damn it... name... name... I can't remember...”

His heart was telling him to stop Illya, but he couldn't remember her name, no matter what.

“You said that a brother should save his sister. I'm Shirou's older sister! So, of course, I have to protect my younger brother.”

Illya turned her head and smiled at him for the last time, then walked towards the light.

Emiya Shirou's tears kept falling, and he finally shouted that name.

“Illya... Illya... Illya!!!”

In a flash of light, Illya saw a familiar figure and happily ran forward, hugging Irisviel.

Then the entire cave began to collapse, and an explosion like a mushroom cloud swept outwards. Emiya Shirou's body also began to break apart.

The red gem necklace flying out of his body shattered with a bang, emitting a red light.

Emiya Archer's hand reached out from the red light and grabbed Emiya Shirou's hand, then turned into a spiritual light and dissipated here.

Due to the collapse of the Greater Grail, the Holy Grail War ended like this.

Tohsaka Rin, in order to deal with the aftermath, ran around dealing with the Mage's Association while waiting for Sakura's body to recover.

Rin and Sakura walked hand in hand in a world without Emiya Shirou, because Emiya Shirou's body had completely disappeared.

Just like that, Rin and Sakura traveled around for a few years and found Aozaki Touko, known as the 'Grand Dollmaker', to help create a doll body for Emiya Shirou.

Of course, it wasn't free. Sakura used almost all of the Matou family's hidden books in exchange for the doll body.

Just like that, with the soul protected by Illya, Emiya Shirou reappeared in their lives like a normal person, continuing to make lunch for them, as if nothing had changed. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

Author-san: This chapter is a bit long, I won't write it... The next chapter will start the A Certain Magical Index arc.

Chapter 215: Academy City begins: Grit your teeth well, Strongest One.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Someone who has forgotten even their name and doesn’t remember their voice, yet still constantly calls out her name. Although he finally remembered Illya’s name in the end, still…”

“This is true magic. As an older sister, protecting my younger brother is what I should do. Just kill me, My poor Illya!!”

Everyone from other worlds also felt a bit sad. At this moment, Shirou couldn’t remember Illya anymore. His memories and body had reached their end together.

But Emiya Shirou also changed. The old him would have burned himself out without hesitation for Sakura’s happiness and the safety of Fuyuki City.

But at this moment, he actually developed a thought of “Is this… okay?!” He wanted to live with Sakura. This was a belief that a normal human should have, and he finally, like a human, didn’t want to die anymore.

It was also because he had many cherished people and Sakura was still waiting for him to come back that he finally regained the most basic humanity of “fear of death.” If it weren’t for this moment’s obsession with living, his soul would have long since dissipated with his shattered body.

Fear of death is a black mark for others, but for the individual Emiya Shirou, it is a transformation towards being human.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“My, my. To think Emiya Shirou would end up as a doll—and with her own personal assistant, no less.”

Since I was the one who took action, at least give me a frontal shot. What’s the meaning of just flashing by like that? Aozaki Touko lit a cigarette for herself and secretly complained.

However, Emiya Shirou can also be considered to have saved his life in an alternative way, which is inseparable from Illya. Escaping from magecraft and becoming true magic… is also the Third Magic, the ultimate goal of the Holy Grail War, the materialization of the soul.

As the Vessel of Heaven, Illya used the Third Magic to materialize and preserve Emiya Shirou’s soul. Coupled with the doll she made, he would be enough to be the same as before after being resurrected. This was her confidence as the top doll maker.

However, a doll’s body was exchanged for all the Matou family’s collection of books, which was quite a bargain.

Ryougi Shiki thought that Aozaki Touko was really good. The prosthetic limb she used was so extravagant, and Sakura and Rin almost had to spend all their family's fortune to get a doll.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“I’m not dead yet!!”

At this moment, Illya pushed away Kuro, who was crying and wanting to hug her, in annoyance.

Looking at the group of people around her who were crying uncontrollably, almost wanting to hold a funeral for her, she felt embarrassed and a little shy at the same time.

Then an equation quickly appeared in her mind… If I am Emiya Shirou’s older sister, and Miyu is Emiya Shirou’s younger sister, then I am Miyu’s older sister!!

“I always feel like you’re thinking of something bad.”

Miyu noticed Illya’s malicious gaze and suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She just guaranteed that Illya was definitely up to no good.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“The Holy Grail War that has been passed down for hundreds of years finally ended in that worldline.”

Tohsaka Rin couldn’t help but sigh when she saw this. The Greater Grail was directly destroyed by Illya, and there was no more Holy Grail War in that worldline.

But that arm that appeared in the end, Emiya Archer, is really like a mother hen. As long as someone asks for help, even if it’s himself, he will come to save them without hesitation.

It’s just that I in that world seem to be a bit miserable. As a member of the Tohsaka family of the Three Families, only my Tohsaka family is left, so I can only handle such a big matter myself.

As everyone knows, the Holy Grail War is conducted in secret.

“I don’t know what kind of gas explosion I should use to fool the citizens of Fuyuki. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. Good luck, my other self in that worldline.”

Then Tohsaka Rin’s tone became a bit gnashing,

“That profiteer, a doll is so expensive.”

All the Matou family’s collection of books is equivalent to emptying the foundation of a mage family.

“A doll…”

Emiya Shirou was not surprised by his ending, or rather, it was good that he didn’t die.

It’s just that he suddenly felt that he had become a bit precious. It actually cost the entire fortune of a mage family, which made him feel a little uncomfortable now.

He was afraid of bumping into something and not being able to afford compensation..

But Emiya Archer, who was beside him, reached out with a complicated expression and stroked Illya’s head.

As someone from the future, he knew Illya’s different endings…

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Oh my, isn’t this doll maker a bit too exaggerated?!”

Merlin felt a bit ridiculous when he saw this. With this skill, he has already reached the level of magic.

Isn’t this completely no different from a human? It’s a fully automatic doll with Emiya Shirou’s independent consciousness, or something close to a clone.

The only drawback is that it will definitely need regular replenishment of magic power.

Or rather, it’s better than before; the strength of the body has been greatly increased. I wonder if this incident is good or bad for him?

~Fullmetal Alchemist World~

“Is this human transmutation?!”

Edward was a bit uncertain. The so-called human transmutation is the transmutation of a human being using flesh, soul, and spirit.

But what’s with this doll?! It doesn’t seem to be human, but it’s no different from a human. Fortunately, they don’t have to perform soul transmutation, and the souls of the resurrected are preserved.

“This is touching a taboo, and why isn’t there an equivalent exchange?!”

Edward racked his brain but couldn’t figure it out. Equivalent exchange is the unchanging principle of alchemists. Although the world is different, to transmute such a realistic doll, it should also cost a huge price.

You know, they successfully resurrected a person! Isn’t this a disguised human transmutation?!

。。。。。

Just like that, everyone spent a few days with various feelings, until a brand new video appeared in front of them and they became excited again.

This means that they have new videos to pass the time with and discuss the mysteries of other worlds.

。。。。。

【 A title appeared on the screen 】

Famous Scene: 《 The Weakest vs. The Strongest 》 Grit your teeth well, Strongest One. My weakest attack... might shake you up a little!

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What kind of ridiculous title is this? Can the weakest and strongest fight?!”

“It looks really imposing, I just don’t know if the battle will be as described on the screen.”

Looking at the text that appeared on the screen, everyone from other worlds didn’t understand, but they suddenly felt inexplicably fired up.

。。。。。

【 Then the video began to play. 】

【 It began to introduce the background. Academy City is a collection of huge educational institutions consisting of twenty-three school districts.

It has a population of 2.3 million, of which more than 80% are students. Most of them are espers and are provided with special educational courses to discover their esper abilities. It possesses the world’s most advanced technology.

And there are seven Level 5 espers, who stand at the apex of all ability users. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What kind of ridiculous world is this? It can actually gather so many espers together, and it can also be developed by scientific means.”

Everyone from other worlds felt a bit strange. Even the mysterious side of Emiya Shirou’s world conducted the Holy Grail War secretly, but here it is directly mixed with science.

Also, can Esper abilities really be developed by scientific means?

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

Just hearing the introduction, Saiki Kusuo’s eyes couldn’t help but light up, and his usually expressionless face showed a smile for the first time.

“Oh my, what kind of ideal world is this? Espers are no longer rare… That’s great.”

If I went to school in Academy City, I wouldn’t have to constantly worry about my esper abilities being exposed. If there were also coffee jelly there, this would be his dream paradise!

It’s a completely school built for espers. If possible, he really wants to go and experience it.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Puff… cough cough… What?! Isn’t this our world?”

Mikoto Misaka, who was drinking black tea, couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of milk tea when she saw this.

Now it’s her turn to eat melon. Combining it with the previous title, 'Weakest VS Strongest?!' There is a candidate for the strongest, besides Accelerator, who is known as the strongest; there is no one else.

But who is the weakest?! It can’t be a Level 0, can it? How can a Level 0 fight Accelerator…

And Accelerator in a certain place glanced at the screen and sneered,

“Even cats and dogs dare to challenge me.”

。。。。。

【 Then the screen started playing, and a spiky-haired boy appeared, but he seemed to be very unlucky. When he dropped his wallet, he stepped on his credit card, and when he looked for his phone, he would step on his phone, and he would definitely break eggs when he bought them.

“Such misfortune!” This sentence seemed to have become his catchphrase. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This luck… I can only say it’s good that you grew up alive. With this kind of luck, you haven’t starved to death. How hard are you to kill?”

“You can even step on a credit card with bare feet, I want to watch it again and see how you did it?!”

Everyone also had a simple understanding of this boy who appeared.

Perhaps he is the weakest in the title, after all, with his luck, it is impossible to be the strongest.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“I see.... So that’s it, I hope these things don’t conflict with my plan.”

Aleister, the chairman who was hanging upside down in the nutrient solution, didn’t pay much attention.

The entire Academy City was under his control. Or rather, the entire Academy City was built for Kamijou Touma.

Appropriately honing the “Imagine Breaker” also helps to complete his plan.

“Bang!!!”

On the other side, Mikoto Misaka suddenly became excited and slammed the table, startling Saten Ruiko, whom she had just met.

“Wha… what’s wrong…”

Saten Ruiko’s voice was a bit hesitant. As expected of a young lady from a prestigious family, her temper is eccentric.

“Nothing!”

Mikoto Misaka let out a long breath and sat back down. She knew the spiky-haired person on the screen, or rather, she had just met him.

Now you say you don’t have Esper abilities, I don’t believe it! I’ve caught the evidence!

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Shirou and Illya’s inner thoughts are too long if written according to the game, and omitting them makes it feel a bit anticlimactic, sorry… As for Academy City, I will write about the process of meeting Mikoto Misaka, which is the scene at the beginning. After all, it revolves around Mikoto Misaka, so I have to write it. After that, it will be Accelerator directly.

Chapter 216: Natural Lightning is Under Your Control?

Chapter Text

【 Although Touma Kamijou was filled with misfortune every day, he had still managed to live until now. One day, on the eve of summer vacation, he entered a restaurant with an excited mood.

He saw a specialty of Academy City, a delinquent, teasing a brown-haired girl. He couldn't help but step in to help, but this brought him great misfortune.

Because a hornet's nest of delinquents emerged from the restaurant, it turned into the scene we see now, with him running wildly in the dark. “Seriously, why am I so unlucky?!”

Touma Kamijou wasn't worried about the girl. In fact, he was saving the group of thugs because he had already recognized the brown-haired girl as the third-ranked of Academy City's top seven LV 5 espers... Misaka Mikoto, the Railgun.

Touma Kamijou ran until he reached a bridge, where he could run no more. He knelt on the ground, panting heavily. “Damn it! Did I finally shake them off?”

“What are you doing? Trying to be a good person and protect delinquents?! Or are you playing a hot-blooded teacher?!” Even though Touma Kamijou had been running for half the day, Misaka Mikoto appeared behind him, still not out of breath, holding her handbag.

Seeing Misaka Mikoto appear, Touma Kamijou seemed to understand something. “Could it be that they didn't chase me because...”

“Hmm, because it was annoying, I dealt with them.” Misaka Mikoto reached up and brushed her hair back, and a flash of electricity appeared. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Touma Kamijou is really a good guy, wanting to save a bunch of delinquents he doesn't even know.”

“Big brother, don't you even dare to check who you're teasing? One of the seven LV5 Espers should be quite famous, right?”

The crowd from other worlds silently complained,

“Are these delinquents a specialty of Academy City?! Where did so many delinquents come from in such a small restaurant?”

“Bravo! To play the delinquent in Academy City—a den of espers where you could trip over a pebble here and land face-first into a Level 4's fist—and still have the balls to pick fights? I’d salute your audacity if it wasn’t so suicidally stupid.”

。。。。。

【 “Sure enough.” Touma Kamijou scratched his head and sighed, having expected it all along.

Misaka Mikoto looked at Touma Kamijou, pulled a coin from her pocket, and held it in her hand. “Do you know 'railgun'?”

“Also known as the Super Electromagnetic Cannon, it uses Fleming's law of motion to fire projectiles with electromagnetic energy.”

“For example, it's like this.”

Misaka Mikoto lightly tossed the coin, and blue electric sparks flashed around her, emitting crackling sounds of electric arcs.

Bzzzt!!”

As Misaka Mikoto pointed her finger forward, the next moment, an orange light cannon grazed past Touma Kamijou.

“Boom!!” Touma Kamijou looked at the marks on the ground in shock. They were scratches left by the coin passing at high speed.

Misaka Mikoto even thoughtfully explained the situation.

“Even a small coin like this, if fired at three times the speed of sound, can still have considerable power.”

Touma Kamijou looked at her in confusion.

“Did you use that move to drive them away?”

“Don't treat me like an idiot.” Misaka Mikoto became a little annoyed.

“Of course, I know how to deal with LV0 powerless people like them.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Understood, I've learned it. I feel incredibly strong now, I'm going to try it right away... Very good, as expected, my arm is already injured from the blast. Thank you for your teaching.”

“Three times the speed of sound, that speed is ridiculous. Who can keep up with that? After this segment aired, we're now forbidden from carrying coins on the street... Although even if we carried them, we wouldn't use them.”

The crowd was secretly astonished, finally understanding what kind of power an LV 5 possessed. This was practically a mobile human-shaped cannon! If one didn't consider the friction loss of the coin, it was equivalent to a human-shaped intercontinental missile.

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

Saiki Kusuo was as happy as if he were enjoying coffee jelly after seeing this scene.

“Yare yare, espers, they are genuine espers.”

It's so good, a world like this, where you don't have to hide your psychic powers. After all, it's really tiring to hide them normally.

~Spy x Family World~

“Waku waku!! Psychic power.”

Anya's eyes lit up after seeing this scene. This power of discharging electricity was just too cool.

Twilight, the father, subconsciously began to analyze. After all, as a spy, it was his instinct to wonder if espers also existed in this world?!

It was fortunate that Anya's mind wasn't focused on this at all; otherwise, if she had heard Twilight's thoughts, she probably wouldn't have been able to sleep that night.

~Pokémon World~

“See that, Pikachu? This is a new move you can learn!”

Ash also looked at Pikachu on his shoulder with excitement.

“Pika Pi!”

Pikachu also happily raised its small hand. It would be great if it could learn this move.

Ash and Pikachu excitedly rubbed their hands together. Pikachu jumped down, and just as it was about to practice, it looked at Ash, and they both looked at each other... It didn't know that “Fleming's Law.

“Can't Misaka Mikoto explain that law in more detail?!”

Ash held his head in his hands. Even if Misaka Mikoto explained it, he might not understand, but it was better than not knowing anything at all.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Achoo—”

Misaka Mikoto suddenly sneezed. She felt like someone was cursing her.

She didn't expect that the previous events would also be shown. Could it be that “weakest vs. strongest” was referring to this?! After all, as an LV 5 esper, she could be considered the strongest.

。。。。。

【 Touma looked at Misaka Mikoto with a somewhat perfunctory gaze, then kindly advised her, “There are only seven LV 5 espers in this Academy City, and I know very well that you are one of them. But you'd better not speak in such a condescending tone.”

“Bzzzt!”

Misaka Mikoto lowered her head, electric arcs constantly flashing above her head.

“Seriously, you talk as if you're very strong.”

Seeing this, Touma Kamijou quickly stood up and reached out to stop her.

“Hey, hey, hey!! Wait a minute, I'm also an LV 0...”

A streak of blue lightning appeared in Misaka Mikoto's hand. She completely ignored Touma's words and threw the lightning out with a raised hand.

“Crackling!!”

Seeing a blue lightning bolt coming towards him, Touma quickly put his right hand in front of him.

As the smoke cleared, Misaka Mikoto looked at Touma Kamijou, who had blocked her lightning, and asked, “So, since you're an LV 0, why are you unharmed?!”

Although that attack was just a test from Misaka Mikoto, and she hadn't used her full power, an LV 0 should have been electrocuted and paralyzed on the ground.

“How should I put it?”

Touma's face darkened, and his tone seemed a little sharp.

“Should I say unlucky or bad luck? Your luck is really bad.”

Misaka Mikoto was startled by his appearance and took a few steps back.

Then, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Electric arcs constantly flashed above her head, and the sky also began to flash with lightning and thunder.

“Boom!!” Then a massive lightning bolt struck from the sky, enough to illuminate the night.

Then the scene changed. Touma was lying safely on his bed, but unfortunately, due to the lightning yesterday, there was a power outage, and he was sweating from the heat.

Even the food in the refrigerator was all spoiled due to the power outage, and the instant noodles, which were supposed to be emergency food, were accidentally knocked over by him.

He even received a call from his tutor, saying he was stupid and had to attend remedial classes during the summer vacation. Touma Kamijou could only sigh helplessly, “What bad luck!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“LV 0?! Don't you even check your conscience before you say that? What kind of powerless person can block this lightning?! Don't be ridiculous, okay?”

“Good heavens, so even natural lightning is under your control? The value of LV 5 is getting higher and higher.”

The crowd from other worlds silently nodded at Touma Kamijou.

Hmm... Whether he was powerless or not, at least his aura was strong. Didn't Misaka Mikoto even get startled?

But he was truly unlucky. Could he be an LV 5 misfortune esper? He's so unlucky, yet he's still alive and well.

~Hayate the Combat Butler World~

Sanzenin Nagi, the young lady of the wealthy Sanzenin family, twitched her mouth after seeing this scene. She could actually see the shadow of her butler in Touma Kamijou, who had a very unfortunate life and often got involved in unlucky incidents.

“It's great that you've grown up alive.”

Sanzenin Nagi patted Ayasaki Hayate's shoulder in an old-fashioned manner. To grow up like this, he really had to thank God.

His luck was already bad, yet he always liked to meddle in other people's business. Every time he encountered someone in trouble, he would extend a helping hand and then successfully get involved in bigger trouble.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Tsk...”

Even watching the events unfold again, Misaka Mikoto still couldn't figure out how Touma Kamijou blocked her attack.

The only thing she was certain of was that Touma was definitely not a powerless LV 0 as he claimed.

However, after seeing his unfortunate appearance, Misaka Mikoto felt a little guilty. She thought that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have triggered a series of unlucky events the next day due to the power outage.

After all, she chased Touma Kamijou just because she was annoyed that someone claiming to be an LV 0 could block an LV 5's attack. She just wanted to have a match with him and didn't intend to do anything to him.

。。。。。

Chapter 217

Notes:

Author-san: The magic side will remain largely unexplored for now. This segment will briefly recap Kamijou Touma and Index's key experiences during this period before transitioning directly into the Misaka Sisters Arc. Expanding further would risk narrative perspective confusion.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Then the scene changed, and the video began to show Kamijou Touma's encounter with Index, who, starving, fell from the sky onto Kamijou Touma's balcony.

After rescuing Index, she explained that she was being hunted by a magic society because she had 103,000 grimoires in her mind.

However, Kamijou Touma believed in superpowers but not in magic. After all, anyone could develop superpowers using scientific methods. While telling Index he didn't believe her, he also revealed his own ability.

“I've also had a strange ability since birth. If I touch it with my right hand, as long as it's an abnormal power, whether it's an electric shock or a Railgun, even a 'miracle of God' can be nullified.”

“Pfft...” Index burst into laughter after hearing that. She had never heard of an ability in the world that could nullify a miracle of God.

Then the two began to prove themselves to each other. Index kept gesturing with a knife, wanting to see if Kamijou Touma's right hand could nullify the 'miracle' on her.

It should be noted that she was wearing the ultimate defensive barrier, the 'Walking Church,' which could completely neutralize and absorb all physical and magical attacks.

Facing Index's provocation, Kamijou Touma, with a “what if I try” mindset, placed his right hand on the 'Walking Church,' and the air instantly became quiet.

“Hehe, nothing happened.” Index smugly put her hands on her hips.

“Rip—” The next moment, with a tearing sound, the 'Walking Church,' which was said to be able to defend against all physical and magical attacks, instantly tore into pieces. Kamijou Touma was also bitten by the enraged Index, leaving tooth marks all over him. 】

【 。。。。。】

Projection of All Worlds

“I get it. I'm going to hang my futon on the balcony now. To think you can pick up someone so easily, and they even have 103,000 grimoires in their mind... It's like picking up a whole library and bringing it home.”

“Electric shock and Railgun, even though no names were mentioned, I don't know why I feel like they're explicitly named. You agree, don't you, Misaka Mikoto?”

“Good heavens, now I finally understand how you managed to remain unharmed under Misaka Mikoto's power. This is clearly the Right Hand of the King! It can nullify any 'Divine Miracle' and 'Ability'!”

Everyone from other worlds gasped. What kind of monstrous ability was this?

Among a group of espers, there appeared someone who could nullify any superpower. Was this the legendary antidote within five steps of a deadly poison?

Although Index's 'Walking Church' instantly turned into fragments like ordinary clothes, seeing Index's proud and boastful expression, even with some exaggeration, what she said should be true.

This precisely proved that Kamijou Touma's right hand's ability was genuine... However, enduring for so long was quite resilient; after all, Misaka Mikoto's Railgun was also directly nullified.

Bungo Stray Dogs World

“It's really similar to my ability, 'No Longer Human'.”

Dazai Osamu expressed great interest in Kamijou Touma. It was his first time seeing someone with the same ability as him.

'No Longer Human' could nullify any other abnormal ability that touched his body. As long as someone used an ability to attack Dazai Osamu, these attacks would be nullified by his ability.

However, because his entire body would nullify abnormal abilities, other people's healing abilities would also not work on him and would be nullified by him.

“I wonder if his other body parts have the same effect besides his right hand?”

Dazai Osamu pondered to himself. After all, Kamijou Touma's ability was too similar to his. Perhaps they all had the same ability.

Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline

“Isn't this equivalent to a mobile version of 'Gae Dearg'...”

Diarmuid felt his Noble Phantasm was becoming less valuable. After all, Shirou Emiya could project it if he wanted to.

Now, this Kamijou Touma was even better; it was like having Gae Dearg equipped in his hand.

“ 103,000 grimoires...”

At this moment, all the magi of the Clock Tower stared blankly at the screen.

What kind of concept was that?!

This was no different from a little girl walking on the street with a huge gem, practically screaming, “Come and steal me.” No wonder she was pursued by the magic society; if it were them, they would have acted first.

Who wouldn't want a mobile knowledge vault?

A Certain Magical Index World

Leaving aside Index, who felt too embarrassed to face anyone after seeing the famous scene replayed on screen, and Kamijou Touma, who was again covered in tooth marks.

Index's appearance caused a huge stir on the magic side, and now, Academy City was also becoming lively.

“It seems you've gotten involved in some strange incidents again.”

Shokuhou Misaki rested her chin on her hand, her starry eyes looking at Kamijou Touma on the screen.

She felt it was somewhat commonplace. After all, with his personality, he probably wouldn't ignore Index.

On the other side, Misaka Mikoto, though not understanding magic, understood why Kamijou Touma could block her attacks.

“But why is such an ability rated as Level 0?!”

This was the only thing she couldn't understand.

“Hehe, sure enough, urban legends are true.”

Meanwhile, Saten Ruiko quickly flipped through her notebook and found one of them, “One of the urban legends... the man who can nullify any ability!

Other people in Academy City were only slightly surprised by Kamijou Touma's existence and didn't pay much attention to it. His right hand could nullify abilities, so to deal with him, just break his right hand, right? It would be effortless.

Aleister, the Board Chairman, seeing the situation exposed on the screen and monitoring the reactions in Academy City, didn't say anything, or rather, everything was still within his plan.

。。。。。

【 After patching up her clothes, Index, not wanting to implicate Kamijou Touma, had a full meal and left Touma's home.

In the evening, Touma returned home after being caught and pestered by Misaka Mikoto, only to find Index lying in a pool of blood. Stiyl suddenly appeared and attacked Touma. Touma fought him and defeated Stiyl's ultimate move, Innocentius.

Touma then encountered Kanzaki Kaori's attack and learned the truth behind Stiyl and Kanzaki's pursuit of Index. However, being outmatched, he was hospitalized and remained unconscious for three days.

Touma, who woke up after three days of unconsciousness, learned that Index's memory was to be routinely deleted at midnight and immediately went to stop it. Touma broke the seal on Index's throat and exposed the Church's lie.

Then, Index went berserk and entered the Automatic Record state, starting to use magic. Even a satellite (Orihime-1) in the sky was shot down by her!

Touma used Imagine Breaker to save Index, but he was also hit by the feathers from 'Dragon King's Breath' and lost his memory, being hospitalized again.

After waking up, Kamijou Touma pretended not to have lost his memory so that Index wouldn't be sad, and he managed to fool her. However, he genuinely didn't remember anything.

The reason he could fool her was that Stiyl and the others had told the doctor, Heaven Canceler, about Kamijou Touma's basic information, and the doctor relayed it to him. 】

【 。。。。。】

Projection of All Worlds

“In the end, it was the lack of knowledge that caused trouble. This poor, ignorant girl was deceived by the Church, right? It's the first time I've seen someone whose memories need to be cleared regularly.”

“In other words, Kanzaki Kaori meant that Index's memory was full, and if it wasn't regularly cleared, her head would explode?! Are you kidding me? 15% of brain capacity is enough for a lifetime.”

Everyone finally understood why there were the Magic Side's Church and the Science Side's Academy City... See? This is the consequence of not believing in science; they were deceived and didn't even know it.

Isn't Kamijou Touma too unlucky? He was hospitalized several times in just two days, each time unconscious for more than a few days. His summer vacation was almost spent in a coma.

But isn't his personality too good? Even though he lost his memory and didn't recognize Index, he simply didn't want to make this person, who might know him, sad, so he pretended to know her. Where did such a good-natured person come from...

A Certain Magical Index World

“Touma!!”

Index bit Kamijou Touma's head in anger. He had clearly lost his memory but still pretended nothing had happened; it was truly too much.

“So you lost your memory again?!!!”

Shokuhou Misaki, on the other side, was going crazy. He had already lost his memory once due to previous events, to the point where Shokuhou Misaki herself would no longer exist in his memories.

His brain wasn't even fully recovered, and now he's lost his memory again, but his personality hasn't changed.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author note: Kamijou's amnesia is quite crucial, so I had to mention it. I can only briefly write about it like this. Next up is Railgun's main stage!! Railgun's storyline will be described in detail.

Chapter 218: Absolute Ability Plan! Misaka Mikoto Collapses.

Notes:

Author-san: Let's start from Misaka Mikoto's perspective until she meets Touma, then we'll switch to Touma's perspective.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts to a month later. Misaka Mikoto hears a rumor from her senior, Shinobu Nunotaba, that clones of herself, commonly known as “Sisters,” have appeared in Academy City!

At first, she didn't believe such rumors because cloning technology requires the subject's DNA information. However, she recalled that she had indeed provided her DNA map to a hospital out of good intentions when she was younger.

This made her eager to uncover the truth. So, Misaka Mikoto used a public phone booth in Academy City. With a flash of electricity in her mind, she used her ability to instantly trace Shinobu Nunotaba's origins, discovering that she came from the Seventh Pharmaceutical Research Center, the very place where she had provided her DNA map.

Knowing the location, Misaka Mikoto decided to infiltrate it directly to investigate. As soon as she stepped out of the phone booth, she froze,

“Wearing a school uniform is really not suitable...”

Afterward, Misaka Mikoto spent a huge sum of money on a set of clothes.

After checking into a hotel room and changing, she arrived at the entrance of the Seventh Pharmaceutical Research Center in the blink of an eye. 】

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Providing an DNA out of good intentions, it was originally well-meaning, but they used it to do something like this. There truly is a dark side everywhere...”

“A clone plan, huh? Since it can be broadcast, it's very likely true. Are they planning to mass-produce an army of LV 5s? If it's true, it's simply too terrifying.”

“I have to say, Misaka Mikoto's initiative is truly maxed out. And your electrical ability is really outrageous; you can even hack into computers.”

Everyone from other worlds was speechless upon seeing Misaka Mikoto's so-called “disguised infiltration” ... It was truly a perfect disguise!! She just changed her clothes. At least cover your face, too! Do you think the cameras don't exist?

。。。。。

Misaka Mikoto, who was supposedly “infiltrating,” openly ran through the corridors inside. She just glanced up at a monitor, and with a flash of electricity, her figure instantly vanished from all surveillance.

This happened so quickly that even the security guards in the monitoring room didn't notice. Then, Misaka Mikoto simply placed her hand on the screen of the main door and opened it.

“Anti-theft monitors, infrared sensors, and electronic locks are all electrified security systems. So, this part is fine.”

“Next, I just need to watch out for police patrols...” Misaka Mikoto opened the map of the research institute on her terminal, planning to go to the only room without surveillance to search for clues.

Here, she discovered many cultural vessels. Her hands rapidly typed on the computer, and after recovering the deleted data inside, she uncovered a plan.

“ 'Railgun Mass Production Plan - Sisters' ”

The plan was to change the originally accidental birth of an LV 5 into a 100% certain birth, with the original material being 'Railgun' Misaka Mikoto.

By injecting drugs to shorten the body and personality growth process, a body equivalent to Railgun could be cultivated within 14 days. However, after research by the supercomputer Tree Diagram located in space...

The Sisters' performance was less than 1% of the original Railgun's; thus, the plan was terminated.

Seeing this, Misaka Mikoto finally breathed a sigh of relief, loosening her clenched fists. Then she left the place.

“What was that all about? In the end, there are no clones of me. I really was a bit scared...”

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a useful skill! If I had this ability, why would I even go to school?! Afraid of not finding a job? It'd be a shame not to be a hacker.”

“This isn't just electricity control—it's like the entire network recognizes you. Firewalls? Encryption? They step aside the moment you reach out.”

This ability is just too useful! A casual glance at a monitor, and she instantly hacks it. Electronic lock doors open at her command. Deleted data is recovered in an instant. It's truly a waste for you to be a student; you're practically material for a secret agent.

And this seemingly amazing computer calculator, Tree Diagram, could it be the artificial satellite that Kamijou Touma accidentally hit back then? It couldn't be such a coincidence, right?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“What? So it was a false alarm.”

Misaka Mikoto, outside the video, also breathed a sigh of relief, but still felt a bit indignant. She provided her DNA out of good intentions, but it was used for something like this.

Fortunately, they only had one percent of her power. If they reached one hundred percent, what exactly were those Board of Directors in Academy City planning to do?!

“Onee-sama!! So cool.”

Kuroko had already rushed over, her eyes sparkling with hearts. Onee-sama in clothes other than her school uniform was simply too cool.

Misaka Mikoto instinctively kicked the pouncing Kuroko away. Her previously somewhat depressed mood vanished, replaced by instant speechlessness as she looked at Kuroko.

。。。。。

The next day, Misaka Mikoto, thinking the matter was resolved, walked down the street. She then suddenly paused, her gaze shifting elsewhere, “What is this feeling? This power is similar to mine, no... It's like being illuminated by my own scattered power.”

“Impossible, this can't be happening!! But...”

Misaka Mikoto followed the sensation and ran over, discovering a girl who looked exactly like her. The only difference was the goggles she wore on her head.

The time came at night. After spending time with Misaka Sister, catching cats, and eating ice cream, Mikoto gave up the idea of continuing to track her.

And Misaka Sister, after snatching the Gekota badge from Mikoto as her first gift, bid farewell to Mikoto and came to an alleyway.

Misaka Sister expressionlessly looked at the scrawny, white-haired man in front of her. She pulled out a submachine gun from the guitar case on his back, put on her goggles, and launched an attack.

“BANG—!”

“BANG—!”

“BANG—!”

With a series of gunshots, the white-haired man, hands in his pockets, didn't even pay attention. The moment the bullets were about to reach his head, they were all deflected back.

“Zzzzz—”

The goggles on Misaka Sister's head shattered into pieces, and blood flowed from her forehead.

The white-haired man impatiently walked over, a sinister smile on his face,

“What's wrong? Is it over already?!”

“Run, run, the further you run, the longer you live.”

The white-haired man appeared on the rooftop, leaning against the railing, watching Misaka Sister's fleeing figure.

He then floated down, flipped, and landed on the ground. With just a light stomp, the scattered pebbles instantly knocked Misaka Sister to the ground.

“Cough...”

Misaka Sister coughed up a mouthful of blood. Her internal network continuously calculated possibilities, and she murmured her plan.

The white-haired man still had his hands in his pockets, already somewhat impatient as he looked at Misaka Sister, “If you don't run now, I'll finish you off.”

“This is not fleeing; it is guiding you to the destination according to the plan. Misaka requests correction.”

Misaka Sister turned her head and said seriously, a flash of electricity appearing on her body.

“Beep beep...”

The bomb under the white-haired man's foot instantly glowed red, and the next moment, an explosion erupted.

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It seems the Railgun mass production plan hasn't stopped... This is the 9000th experiment. What's the purpose?”

“This white-haired man looks too scrawny. I feel like I could beat ten of them. Even if he's an esper, he wouldn't survive if he stepped on a bomb, right?”

Everyone watching this scene nodded in agreement. Although they didn't know what the white-haired man's ability was, espers' bodies were still normal human bodies, so they shouldn't be able to withstand the damage from an explosion.

And the explosion was right under his feet. It happened so fast; no matter how powerful his ability was, he shouldn't have had time to react.

This should have resolved it.

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

“Yare yare, what kind of superpower is this?! Psychokinesis?!”

Saiki secretly speculated as he watched the white-haired man display his ability. If it were psychokinesis, then deflecting bullets back would make sense.

But he couldn't understand what this clone plan was for?! Since they were cloned, why did they seem to be deliberately made to fight the white-haired man? They should know they're no match for him; doing so would only be a pointless sacrifice...

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“What?!”

Misaka Mikoto's hands instinctively clenched into fists when she saw this scene. She knew that such an attack would be ineffective, at least against the white-haired man...

“'Sisters' really exist!... Tsk! This can't go on.”

Misaka Mikoto instinctively gritted her teeth, then turned and rushed out of the room. She had to find the white-haired man and get to the bottom of this.

“Onee-sama!!”

Kuroko had just stretched out her hand when Misaka Mikoto vanished.

Even Kamijou Touma couldn't help but want to find Misaka to understand the situation. In his opinion, this so-called experiment was practically the white-haired man's slaughter. If he could, he wanted to help stop this plan.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“It's no use... Misaka Sister is no match at all.”

Shirou Emiya instinctively clenched his fists. As someone who wanted to be an ally of justice, he couldn't stand such meaningless slaughter.

“This should be the 'Strongest' from the title. Next, Kamijou Touma should appear,”

Archer said, a bit unsure. Since the title was about the battle between the weakest and the strongest, the strongest had now appeared.

Emiya Archer hoped that Kamijou Touma would appear at this moment. With his ability, as long as it was the first time he encountered someone, he should be able to catch them off guard, what's known as a “first-sight kill.”

“Clones, huh...”

Rin Tohsaka, having grown up in a magus family, was relatively more rational.

She just hadn't expected the technology in that world to have advanced to such a degree.

If there were also clones here, wouldn't Shirou Emiya from the previous world not have to be a puppet?! He wouldn't even have to exhaust his family fortune...

Clearly, Rin was still resentful about all the books she had to trade for the puppet.

。。。。。

“Target is unresponsive...” The heavily injured Misaka Sister was still kneeling on the ground.

“How disappointing.”

The white-haired man appeared in front of her, completely unharmed, and mercilessly tore off one of the Misaka Sisters' legs. “Your prediction was completely wrong!”

But even so, Misaka Sister struggled to crawl forward until she picked up the Gekota badge Misaka Mikoto had given her.

Only then did she close her eyes, somewhat at peace.

On the other side, Misaka Mikoto recalled her conversation with her sister during the day, found the hidden clues within, and gave them to Uiharu to decrypt.

Then, Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at the message Uiharu sent her: “Absolute Ability User Project! The LV 6 evolution method using 'Sisters'.

Academy City only has seven LV 5s. According to the Tree Diagram's calculations, only one person can reach the unprecedented LV 6...”

“It would take 250 years to reach LV 6. We have temporarily suspended this plan and instead researched a method to promote ability growth through actual combat, manipulating the growth direction through a script. As long as 128 battlefields are prepared and 'Railgun' is killed 128 times, the subject can evolve to LV 6.”

Seeing this, Misaka Mikoto, in disbelief, immediately rushed out of the phone booth and ran to the previous alley. Then she heard an explosion from behind her.

“Stop it!!!”

By the time Misaka Mikoto arrived, she saw the situation before her and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

But at this moment, Misaka Sister had already been heavily crushed by a shipping container, and blood continuously flowed from underneath it.

The white-haired man, with an indifferent attitude, said, “Today's experiment is over! This time it was quite exaggerated.”

“Crackling!!!” Surging lightning struck near the white-haired man, but he deflected it and stopped.

“Argh!!!” Misaka Mikoto, completely broken by witnessing the Misaka Sisters' death, screamed and charged at the white-haired man.

。。。。。

Notes:

Translator-kun: 'Aleister be like: Everything is according to the plan' when watching the inventory.

Chapter 219: Accelerator, Vector Change!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This can no longer be described as inhumane. So the mass production of the 'Railgun' project was actually for this LV 6 possibility?!”

“Killing the 'Railgun' 128 times in different scenarios!! But there’s only one LV 5 Misaka Mikoto, so they switched to using clones, the Misaka Sisters, to replace qualitative change with quantitative change…”

They understood. Coupled with the previously mentioned 9000-plus experiments, everyone instantly realized that this meant the white-haired man had already tortured and killed over 9000 Misaka Sisters!!

These are all living human lives; how could he lay his hands on them? All for a mere LV 6 possibility deduced by the Tree Diagram, what if it’s wrong?!

Seeing the previous bloody scenes, some relatively ordinary worlds fearfully closed their eyes. For example, in Saiki Kusuo’s world, the moment the scene aired, Saiki pulled out the limiter from his head and altered everyone’s consciousness.

“Yare yare… That was dangerous! Almost didn't make it in time. But no matter what, this is too much.” Saiki’s expression also turned somewhat grim; he couldn’t stand such behavior either.

~Bleach World, Hueco Mundo~

“Is this LV6 similar to a Arrancar? Breaking the original limits?”

As one of the top researchers, Aizen didn’t care about the death of the Misaka Sisters.

Aizen simply didn’t understand why they thought killing the 'Railgun' could truly achieve the LV 6 level. Haven’t they done anything?! Just purely gained some combat experience?!

Moreover, killing Misaka Sisters in different scenarios and scripts can also make him evolve into LV 6?! No wonder Aizen didn’t believe it. Look at these absurd operations… there’s no scientific basis at all.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This is the darkness hidden beneath Academy City’s glamorous exterior. You, who live in the sunlight, are truly experiencing this for the first time, aren’t you?”

Shokuhou Misaki silently watched Misaka Mikoto, who had collapsed and was blindly attacking Accelerator.

The dark side of Academy City is even deeper than you imagine. She had already encountered these things in the Talent Workshop when she was a child.

As expected, even Misaka Mikoto, who had just run out of her room and arrived at the park, slumped powerlessly to the ground after seeing this scene.

She wanted to stop it, but at this moment, she felt so powerless, even starting to blame herself, her eyes losing their usual radiance.

“It’s all my fault… If I hadn’t provided the DNA map, none of this would have happened.”

The deaths of over nine thousand Misaka Sisters had already made it hard for her to breathe… Then, she gathered her courage again and looked at the screen.

Nothing had happened yet; she wanted to know some details about it, perhaps to change the future.

。。。。。

“Aaaagh!!!! Crackle, crackle—” Misaka Mikoto’s voice turned hoarse, blue electric light constantly pulsed beneath her feet, and the iron sand deep in the earth was drawn out by the magnetism generated by the electricity.

Accompanied by Misaka Mikoto’s furious gaze, the iron sand continuously gathered under the effect of lightning, forming a Tornado made of iron sand!

“Impressive, impressive. What is this, a new move?”

The white-haired man showed no fear; instead, he seemed somewhat excited.

Facing the iron sand rushing towards him, the white-haired man stood his ground without dodging. However, no matter how hard Misaka Mikoto tried, the surrounding iron sand couldn’t get a single inch closer to the white-haired man.

“Manipulating iron sand with magnetism, huh. Interesting usage.”

The white-haired man still had his hands in his pockets, showing no movement, yet he had already countered Railgun’s attack.

“How could this be…”

Misaka Mikoto was also full of disbelief.

“He took that move and is still completely unharmed? What in the world…”

Then Misaka Mikoto’s gaze fell upon a detached leg of a Misaka Sister nearby, and her pupils suddenly constricted.

She hugged herself, trembling uncontrollably, and cried out in collapse,

“Ah!!!”

Blue lightning instantly began to strike wildly out of control. The train tracks on the ground were pulled up instantly, and more and more steel gathered in the sky, crashing down towards the white-haired man.

“This power, could it be that you…” The white-haired man seemed to recognize the identity of the person opposite him at this moment.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang!!” The steel slammed into the ground one by one, bouncing back just as they were about to hit the white-haired man. Misaka quickly dodged to the side.

“What’s going on?! There’s an esper who can deal with my attacks.” Seeing that two attacks had left the opponent completely unharmed, Misaka gradually calmed down.

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s actually the magnetic force of the four fundamental forces… I should have thought of it earlier. Electricity and magnetism are inseparable. Since she can control even the lightning in the sky, controlling magnetism is also within her capabilities.”

“What ability does the white-haired man possess?! Reflection? It seems no attack has ever landed on him.”

Upon seeing this, everyone began to guess the white-haired man’s ability.

Neither iron sand nor steel could get close to him, having no effect whatsoever.

If it were reflection, deflecting iron sand and steel would be understandable, but how did he deflect the invisible lightning just now?! All of this is somewhat inexplicable.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“With that IQ, how did she even rank third?”

Shokuhou Misaki suddenly felt a bit anxious about Misaka Mikoto’s intelligence. What are you surprised about? With an abnormal ability like ‘Vector Manipulation,’ blocking your attacks is only natural.

But still, you’re one of the seven LV 5s, don’t you even remember that?! Didn’t you see that even Accelerator recognized you?

On the other side, the Chairman Aleister remained incredibly calm. Even if this plan was exposed, it didn’t matter because this wasn’t his goal at all.

“It's good that it's discovered now; the plan will advance faster than expected, and it provides me a reason to send the Misaka Sisters to various parts of the world... to create an artificial heaven...”

。。。。。

Misaka Mikoto took out a coin and placed it in her hand, assuming the posture for Railgun, and began to question the white-haired man, “Why, why did you join this plan? With your strength, no one should be able to force you to participate, right?”

“Why are you assisting with this insane plan? Do you have a grudge against that girl?”

“Reason?! You ask me for a reason?!” The white-haired man seemed to become somewhat frenzied, reaching out to grasp the moon in the sky, “Of course, it’s to gain absolute power!!”

“Not LV5, not Academy City’s strongest, not these boring things, but an absolute rank that no one is allowed to challenge me. I want to become 'invincible'!”

“What… do you mean?” This answer enraged Misaka Mikoto. Lightning continuously flickered around her, making crackling sounds, “Absolute power?! Just for that reason, you…”

Images of the Misaka Sisters flashed through Misaka Mikoto’s mind. She bit her lip slightly and let out a heart-wrenching scream, “Just for that, you killed her!!”

“Bang!!” The Railgun instantly attacked the white-haired man’s head, but the next moment, to her horror, the Railgun returned along its original path.

At an even faster speed, it grazed past her ear and struck the steel erected behind her, instantly breaking two steel plates in half.

The white-haired man still maintained an indifferent attitude.

“Don’t call me a murderer. I’m just dealing with imitations that can be created by pressing a button.”

Just as Accelerator was about to deal with her, a large group of Misaka Sisters appeared behind him, stopping him and preventing an unscheduled battle.

“Oh yeah, we haven't introduced ourselves yet.”

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto, who was stunned in place, also guessed his identity, “An LV5 attempting to reach a higher level, it must be him. He is… the strongest Esper in Academy City, capable of freely controlling all vectors…”

“I'm obliged to your clone. They're helping me become unmatched. I'm Accelerator, pleased to meet you.” Accelerator greeted Misaka Mikoto in her ear before leaving. Misaka then slumped powerlessly to the ground.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Misaka Mikoto must have gone all out, from lightning and iron sand to the final Railgun. The opponent didn’t even retaliate; all attacks were bounced back the moment they made contact. This truly made Misaka realize… despair.”

“Vector manipulation, what a monstrous ability. With this ability, why would he still be fixated on LV 6? Aren’t you invincible as you are now?!”

The viewers from other worlds gasped at the sight. This was vector manipulation! This meant that all attacks with magnitude and direction, without exception, could be bounced back by him.

Unexpectedly, he treated the Misaka Sisters as mere imitations that could be produced by a button… But by all appearances, they were living, breathing people.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“Vector Manipulation!! Impossible, how can such an invincible ability exist in the world?”

Fushiguro Megumi was the first to disbelieve. He already thought it was absurd that someone could control electromagnetism before.

How high is the combat power in that world? Just a student can control vectors, which means most attacks would not affect him.

And consider that out of 2.3 million people in Academy City, 80% are espers.

If you calculate it that way, isn’t the combat power in that seemingly ordinary world ridiculously high?

~Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline~

“Vector manipulation… This ability basically cuts off all physical attacks.”

Tohsaka Rin’s mouth twitched slightly at the sight. Are you serious? Are you sure this is still a student?! With this ability, he could walk sideways in the world.

“My Mystic Eyes should still work, right?”

Medusa, dressed in casual clothes, was also a bit unsure whether her petrification ability was within the scope of his vector manipulation.

“Oh, right!”

Tohsaka Rin suddenly seemed to have an epiphany. Since he can control vectors, does he have no resistance to mental attacks?

The current situation is that, besides Kamijou Touma, who can negate all abilities, perhaps he could put up a fight, but only if Accelerator doesn’t know about Touma’s ability.

Otherwise, if the opponent is prepared, Kamijou Touma might not even be able to get close to Accelerator.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Can Shokuhou Misaki’s ability affect Accelerator?

 

Translator-kun: Nope, neither Misaki's ability, Mental Out, nor Medusa's Mystic Eyes, Cybele, will work on Accelerator. Since Shokuhou's Mental Out relies on manipulating bio-electrical signals within the brain and chemical processes (which involve vectors of movement for molecules), Accelerator's reflection would theoretically interfere with or outright negate her attempts to directly affect his mind. His passive reflection would redirect her psychic waves or the vectors of the chemical reactions she tries to induce. Accelerator's power passively reflects or redirects any vector-based attack directed at him. Accelerator's reflection is not just a conscious act; it's a fundamental part of his being that he often uses subconsciously. This makes him incredibly difficult to surprise or bypass with any vector-based attack, including mental ones that operate on a physical basis. Even after his brain damage, when he relies on the Misaka Network for calculations, his core ability to reflect vectors remains his primary defense. The Sisters' network would likely be able to process and counter such external mental interference. And don't start with me with mystic eyes, as long as it's light, accelerator can negate it all.

Chapter 220: Who do you think I am? I planted this seed, and I will personally...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After Accelerator left, the Misaka Sisters mechanically began to assign their respective tasks, clearing the battlefield according to their numbers and hiding everything that had just happened.

“What... what's wrong with you all?” Misaka Mikoto, kneeling on the ground, was filled with grief, her voice laced with tears for the first time. “It's so strange, why cooperate with such a plan? You'll be killed!”

“This is completely inexplicable. Why, you're all alive, aren't you?! You have lives, right?” Misaka Mikoto's hands, propped on the ground, clenched unconsciously, and tears even slipped down as she spoke. “This kind of thing...”

Facing the crying Railgun, the Misaka Sisters quietly stayed in place and softly said, “Because Misaka is a replica created for the plan, with an artificial body and an artificial heart. We are experimental animals costing an average of 180,000 yen.”

“Farewell, sister.” Until the Misaka Sisters left, Railgun curled up on the park bench and sat there all night, her eyes having lost their usual spirit. The images of the Misaka Sisters dying flashed through her mind. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Emotionless clones, they don't even see themselves as human, let alone Accelerator, the core of the 'experiment,' who would only see the Misaka Sisters as experimental tools.”

“Artificial body, artificial heart, but didn't the Misaka Sister who first met Railgun also act like a human, feeling happy because she received a gift from her sister?”

Clones themselves are actually no different from humans; the only difference is the learning process. Perhaps it's also because, from the very beginning of their systematic learning, they were instilled with the idea that they were created as experimental tools.

The people from other worlds looked at the depressed Railgun and shook their heads.

'She originally thought the DNA she provided was to help treat those with muscle atrophy, but instead, her kindness was exploited. These researchers are truly wicked.'

~Detective Conan World~

“Costing 180,000 yen...”

Conan's mouth twitched. What kind of absurd, high-tech world is this? Isn't the production cost a bit too low? This is simply the price of an ordinary car; no wonder they can mass-produce so easily.

Despite this, in his eyes, even mass-produced Misaka Sisters are still people, flesh and blood humans! Accelerator's actions are undoubtedly those of a heinous murderer.

But in this world where superpowers and technology coexist, where there's manipulation of lightning and vector control, and where abilities are increasingly exaggerated, who can arrest Accelerator? Will he just get away with it?

He was now curious about the abilities of the remaining Level 5s. Would there be anyone whose abilities could counter his?

~Spy x Family World~

She's really depressed...”

Twilight thought to himself as he looked at Misaka Mikoto's state, and he released his hands that had been covering Anya's eyes. The bloody scene just now wasn't very friendly to children.

The stronger the world's combat power, the darker the hidden darkness becomes, and it's not something a girl living in the sunlight can accept at first glance.

What's more, he didn't expect that a Level 5, who was always at the top, would not even have the strength to fight back in front of the opponent. Anyone would despair when facing such an opponent.

“... .”

Anya puffed out her cheeks. During what just happened, her father covered her eyes, equivalent to having King Crimson used on her. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the depressed state of Railgun.

。。。。。

【 “Long time no see. I was wondering why a delinquent girl was sitting on a bench all night?” Shinobu Nunotaba approached Misaka Mikoto and looked at the depressed Railgun.

“I'm sorry, it seems you've learned about the plan.”

At this moment, Shinobu Nunotaba began to counsel Railgun, recounting to her how the Misaka Sisters walked out of the underground laboratory and spoke in the sunlight.

“Various scents stimulate the nasal cavity and fill the heart, changing and rich! The wind blows through the hair! Sunlight shines on the skin, and the cheeks feel its warmth.”

“So the world is this dazzling....” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is the weight of life... Little girl, from the moment you said that, you were not a tool, but a living being.”

Human emotions are about feeling. This is the Misaka Sisters' most genuine feeling when bathed in sunlight, not some data reading... This is the taste of being alive.

What's wrong with their hearts? An artificial heart is still a heart! Clones are just born differently; essentially, they are still human.

。。。。。

【 “Even I think I was naive,” Shinobu Nunotaba slowly opened his eyes.

“From then on, I no longer thought of them as just manufactured products. I thought they were more like people. What do you think of them?”

“I don't want to treat clones as people. I don't want to save those who accept their fate of death.” Misaka Mikoto buried her head deeply in her knees, then slowly raised it, revealing her determined eyes. “But those who used her DNA map for pointless experiments, she won't let them get away with it.”

Seeing Misaka Mikoto about to leave, Shinobu Nunotaba still kindly reminded her, “Over 20 facilities are participating in the plan. Do you really intend to solve it alone?”

Misaka Mikoto stopped and turned her head slightly, glancing at him. Her calm tone was reassuring.

“Who do you think I am? I planted this seed, and I will personally... resolve all of this.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I feel like Misaka Mikoto looks a bit cool when she says that. I have to say her action is really on point.”

“I almost forgot, she's also one of the seven Level 5s at the top of this Academy City. With such a calm tone, it's incredibly reassuring.”

。。。。。

【 Although Misaka Mikoto can get depressed and confused, ... compared to a group of clones who don't resist or save themselves, what makes Misaka Mikoto angrier are those researchers who arbitrarily conduct such inhumane experiments using her gene map.

Time turned to night. Misaka Mikoto, climbing over the wall, pulled down her baseball cap and disappeared into the darkness.

“Unbelievable, a research institute is on fire,” a bald researcher rushed to report to a researcher with light blonde hair inside a research institute. The black-haired researcher behind him listened blankly.

“The research institute in District 12 has lost contact!! All systems in the biological research institute are down...”

“Buildings two, three, and five are also on fire!!”

“There are no signs of external attack, and no intruders were witnessed. We only know that the equipment suddenly exploded!”

The light blonde researcher walked towards the staff member responsible for collecting and processing information.

“Multiple locations attacked simultaneously... What are the enemy's attack methods?”

“The culprit attacked through communication routes!”

Upon hearing that the source was a network issue, the light blonde person immediately issued an order, “Immediately cut off all external communications!”

Misaka Mikoto, who was trying to hack into the networks of other remaining research institutes in a phone booth, saw her PDA suddenly lose connection to those institute networks.

“Tsk... They found out? If Uiharu-san were here now, she could probably hack the system more skillfully~”

With a sigh, Misaka Mikoto leaned dejectedly against the glass window of the phone booth, looking at her night's achievements.

A trace of relief appeared on Misaka's face.

“However, I managed to destroy seven out of ten tonight. For the follow-up, I just need to infiltrate directly and finish off the rest.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss!! I know you have strong execution, but isn't this execution a bit too strong?! Destroying seven places in one night...”

“This ability is truly monstrous. Is it really something an electricity-based ability can do?! To remotely infiltrate all technological systems without leaving a trace.”

The people from other worlds watched, dumbfounded. Is this the legendary “coming to beat you through the internet”? It's truly a path of sparks and lightning.

And the subsequent infiltration wouldn't be a straightforward invasion, right? Given her personality, she might really do that... After all, changing clothes is already considered a disguise for her. If she can cover her face, that's good enough.

~Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid World~

“Speaking of which... isn't this a bit too exaggerated?”

Kobayashi put down her wine glass, rubbing her eyes in disbelief, wondering if she was drunk.

Although she knew there were always strange things in this world, after all, she could find a dragon, so some superpowers wouldn't be surprising. However... Misaka Mikoto's actions were quite damaging to her as a programmer.

A portable computer, plus the internet from a public phone booth, managed to remotely blow up research institutes.

This is not scientific at all!

And to do all this and then say that if Uiharu-san were there, she could hack the system more skillfully?! Are middle school students in your world all genius hackers...

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“No, no, no...!”

Uiharu waved her hands, flustered upon hearing Misaka's praise on the screen, feeling a bit shy.

She never expected that Misaka Mikoto, a Level 5, would think so highly of herself, an Esper with no abilities. She had never tried hacking into a research institute before and didn't know if it was difficult! The key point is, would she get caught...

Uiharu had already planned for the rest of her life in prison, because if Misaka-senpai asked for her help, she couldn't refuse.

~Detective Conan World~

“This is too much... just staying in a phone booth and destroying seven Facilities.”

Conan expressed that he had learned some techniques in Hawaii, but he had never seen anything so outrageous.

Academy City's technology is inherently advanced, and its defense systems are even more so. As long as you take a computer and type on it, I'd consider it effort, but this phone booth... this is a bit unreasonable.

Notes:

Author-san: I also think it's unscientific...

Translator-kun: As far as I know, Misaka sends an electrical signal that can short-circuit the mechanical parts, such as the Motherboards, processors, power supplies, memory chips, etc, or Overvoltage/Overcurrent the system, which can cause fire... It's not about the program.. It's the electricity that she sends. So I think it is plausible.

Chapter 221: Frenda, Art is an Explosion!

Chapter Text

【 The next day, Mikoto slumped tiredly in her dorm, a map pressed beneath her hand. The map was marked with many locations, all of which were research institutes and laboratories she had destroyed the previous day.

“I have to hold on! That experiment could still be going on every second, and there are still so many…” Misaka Mikoto forced herself to cheer up, supporting her body.

Thinking of her other clones lining up to die one by one, the gruesome scenes of flesh and blood flying, “I can’t fall before that plan does.”

Facing Kuroko’s concerned inquiry, Misaka Mikoto still managed a forced smile, “I’ll have to trouble you to find a way to cover for me then!”

“Onee-sama…” Kuroko looked at Misaka Mikoto, closing the door and leaving, wanting to say something, but stopping.

She then slumped down dejectedly, “Onee-sama is busy with something very difficult. This matter is obvious, yet you don’t intend to ask for my help!”

Misaka Mikoto, who didn’t leave immediately after closing the door, leaned against the door for a moment. She wasn’t unaware of Kuroko’s thoughts.

However, Misaka Mikoto hesitated between seeking help and fighting alone, and finally decided to bear the burden herself, wanting to resolve it on her own.

Having made up her mind, Misaka Mikoto’s previous hesitation vanished. With a resolute expression, she straightened her body and walked towards the dormitory door. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It’s a bit too much for one person. It would be good to seek help at a time like this, but she still places the responsibility on herself.”

“The only thing left is the infiltration. Can she really deal with all the research institutes by herself?”

The people from other worlds looked at this somewhat tsundere Mikoto and sighed helplessly.

She had said she didn’t want to save the Mikoto sisters, who didn’t cherish their lives, but in the end, she was exhausted for their sake.

A middle school girl, fighting against the darkness of Academy City all by herself. This decisiveness truly made the people from other worlds look at her with admiration.

~Natsume’s Book of Friends World~

“Hmph. That girl’s got the same stubborn streak as you.”

Nyanko-sensei mused between licks of his paw, tail flicking lazily.

“Eh? How?”

Natsume didn’t think his personality was as passionate as Misaka Mikoto’s.

“Isn’t it? She carries all the burdens herself and doesn’t want to trouble others… Of course, that’s the only similarity. Everything else is completely different from you.”

Nyanko-sensei’s words left Natsume unable to refute. Perhaps in some aspects, she was indeed similar to Misaka Mikoto.

Giving up on refuting, Natsume looked back at the screen, a little worried,

"But… can she really handle this alone?"

The previous attacks might have alerted the enemy. He didn’t think they would watch her infiltrate.

。。。。。

【 As night fell, Misaka Mikoto, wearing a baseball cap, destroyed three research institutes in one night. She then appeared on a tall building outside a certain research institute, carefully observing its facilities.

“Including this one, there are only two places left! I don’t know how fast the experiments are progressing, but I can’t be bothered to investigate anymore. I’m going to end everything tonight.”

Misaka Mikoto leaped from the rooftop, heading straight for a side entrance of the research institute.

On the other side, Frenda, who had accepted the mission, was somewhat complaining as she fiddled with her pile of dolls while waiting for the target.

Hearing the commotion, she immediately got up, her face full of excitement, “They’re here! In the end, it’s because I’ve been accumulating good karma!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Wow… I can’t believe Misaka Mikoto looks so cool in a change of clothes! Absolutely stunning. So her previous outfit was holding her back.”

“Wow, what a cute little girl. If I punched her, she’d probably cry for a long time.”

The people from other worlds suddenly felt speechless. The task of guarding the research institute was assigned to such a little girl.

What could she do?! She was quite cute, though.

。。。。。

【 Mikoto successfully infiltrated the research institute. The computer she had brought with her immediately cracked the password for the entire building.

After obtaining the building’s 3D map, Misaka Mikoto smoothly located the floor where her target was.

“The target is on the top floor…”

Misaka Mikoto then began to sprint towards the corridor. However, after only a few steps, a flash of sparks appeared, and the ceiling above exploded, causing a large amount of rubble to fall. Misaka Mikoto, however, used her electromagnetic force to deflect it.

“As expected, it’s not that simple!” Electricity flashed in Mikoto’s right hand, and her expression turned grim as she looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the attack!!

“None of them hit?! Did she deflect the falling objects with magnetic force? It seems she really has an electricity-based ability.”

Frenda, hiding behind a pillar and secretly observing her target, calmly analyzed the situation and immediately began preparing her next attack.

Frenda drew a long, pale white line along the wall, smiling as she looked at her work, “This should do it. This is a tool originally used to burn through doors or walls.”

She then took out an item the size of a battery and lightly touched the fire line she had drawn on the wall. The next moment, sparks erupted from the spot Frenda touched.

“Zzzzt—”

These sparks quickly shot along the pale white line on the wall, reaching Misaka Mikoto’s feet in an instant. They continued to fly forward until they passed a stuffed animal, causing an explosion.

“Boom—”

A blinding flash of fire erupted, and the powerful heat wave forced her to retreat several steps. She looked ahead in surprise, “A bomb?!”

Misaka Mikoto looked at the stuffed animals around her and the fire lines coming from all directions.

She quickly used her electromagnetic force to manipulate two nearby steel plates, each the size of her body, to smash downwards, cutting off the path of the fire.

Misaka Mikoto then used the giant steel plates as shields, using magnetic force to move the shields along with her.

While running, Mikoto discovered stuffed animals hidden within two hollow tile boards. Misaka Mikoto quickly used her abilities to throw away the tile boards!

“Bang, bang, bang—”

The moment she threw them away, they exploded.

Misaka Mikoto used magnetic force to pull herself away, but because the exploding tile boards were too close to her, she was still hit by the blast wave and thrown against a metal casing.

Misaka Mikoto winced in pain but still gritted her teeth and stood up, leaning against the metal wall.

“Increase magnetic force to the limit for emergency evasion. It’s especially damaging to the body, and I didn’t want to use it…”

Misaka Mikoto, who had calmed down, leaned on her injured right hand and looked at the white lines on the ground, a plan forming in her mind,

“As long as I follow the fuse…”

With a plan in place, Mikoto acted less recklessly. Following the fuse on the ground, she quickly discovered Frenda above a staircase.

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth. Although it was a question, her tone was filled with certainty, “Is it that guy?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“You really rely on a tablet to get around, infiltrating everywhere, huh? Can’t you at least respect the passwords that people painstakingly designed…”

“Gulp! I take back what I just said. You’re not only cute, but you’re also a master of art. As expected, all art involves explosions.”

The crowd silently swallowed as they watched Frenda’s intricate and sequential design. Just by hiding in the shadows, she had pushed Misaka Mikoto to this point. As expected, everyone in Academy City started as geniuses.

And what was that thing she used to draw white lines? Don’t tell me it’s correction fluid.

What kind of correction fluid can be used as a fuse for gunpowder… Is your technological advancement a bit skewed?

~Detective Conan World~

“Where did she get so many bombs?! Is her family in the arms dealing business?”

Conan’s glasses were almost falling off. In a world of espers, are bombs and weapons so easy to obtain? Is no one managing them in that world?!

Also, are you sure this Frenda isn’t like me, looking like a child on the outside but actually a genius high school student on the inside? Can a child really come up with such step-by-step calculations?!

“Isn’t that magnetic force a bit too strong?!”

Hattori Heiji’s jaw almost dropped watching Misaka Mikoto drag two large steel plates with her magnetic force.

Although electricity can generate magnetism, isn’t your magnetic force a bit too exaggerated? You can just drag such thick steel plates away, and it doesn’t even look like she’s exerting much effort.

Is this really an electricity-based ability…

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Tsk, do all the bomb-lovers like to hide them in dolls?!”

Misaka Mikoto’s expression also became serious upon seeing the dolls.

As expected, the previous infiltration had alerted them. They were now on guard, and this time it probably wouldn’t be so easy. She decided to go back and think of a new plan.

“Onee-sama…”

Kuroko, on the other side, looked worried. Although she was happy to see her Onee-sama in her cool, casual clothes, she was even sadder that her Onee-sama hadn’t asked for her help.

Then, she remembered Misaka Mikoto’s forced smile on the screen.

Shirai Kuroko made up her mind and ran out. Even if her Onee-sama hated her, she didn’t want to see Misaka Mikoto looking so exhausted.

“Bang—”

As soon as she opened the door, she bumped into the already returned Misaka Mikoto, and they both tumbled to the ground, lying there with dizzy circles in their eyes.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Are these two middle school students fighting?!”

Rin Tohsaka watched in disbelief. The other worlds were truly full of hidden talents. Now another one appeared, who plays with bombs, and you’re telling me they’re still in middle school?!

What was I doing in middle school? I was still watching the high jump, but she was already running around with bombs.

Meanwhile, Emiya Shirou suddenly seemed to notice something wrong,

“Isn’t Frenda here to protect the research institute? If this continues, the research institute will be blown up by her before Misaka Mikoto even does anything.”

As soon as he said that, everyone froze. Shirou’s words seemed to make a lot of sense. They almost forgot that Frenda was here to protect the research institute.

Who exactly is the one causing destruction here? Without realizing it, the laboratory had already been demolished.

。。。。。

Chapter 222: Is this the LV6 Esper, having everything under her skirt?

Chapter Text

【 Misaka Mikoto pursued Frenda all the way to a steel staircase, but the lightning emitted from her hand was blocked by the obstructive steel.

“Tsk, blocked by steel beams,” Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth after a failed attack.

“It'll be troublesome if she keeps bothering me. Let's deal with her first.”

Frenda also looked at Misaka Mikoto below with vacant eyes, quickly calculating in her mind, “If it were a normal remote-controlled bomb, I feel like I could have killed her by now. But to deal with an electrokinesis user of this level, the bomb might be controlled by her instead.”

“In the end, I made the right choice,” Frenda said with a proud toss of her head.

“But...”

“Boom—” A prepared bomb exploded on the passage where Misaka Mikoto had just run past, and small shrapnel flew towards Misaka Mikoto's head.

But just as it was about to reach her, Misaka Mikoto completely ignored it and continued to run forward. The electric force field she created repelled all the shrapnel!

“No way!! Shrapnel bombs are also easily dealt with?!” Frenda, who had just been proven wrong, looked at Misaka Mikoto, who was safe and sound again, and felt extremely surprised, even starting to break out in a cold sweat.

“This is not the same level as the abilities I've dealt with before!”

Misaka Mikoto remembered the tragic state of her Sisters and continued to run towards Frenda.

At this moment, regardless of whether the other party was an employer or a participant, Misaka Mikoto, filled with anger, had no intention of letting her go.

Misaka Mikoto's fierce gaze, Frenda was so scared that she quickly turned and ran backward, losing her previous composure.

“This is bad. If I get caught, I might be torn to pieces~” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Is she really a middle school student? She's really fierce; she's clearly going for the kill. Shrapnel bombs... if it were a normal electrokinesis user, their head would have been blown through by now.”

“Good heavens, she didn't even look and bounced the shrapnel away. It's like she doesn't even care at all, but isn't ceramic non-conductive?! How did she bounce it away?!”

The people from other worlds felt that their common sense of physics was not enough. What kind of outrageous passive skill is this, an electromagnetic barrier?!

And little Frenda, it seems you know nothing about power. It's obvious that Misaka Mikoto didn't intend to kill anyone from the beginning; otherwise, she would have ended the entire laboratory with a single lightning strike, and there wouldn't be so much trouble.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Is this dielectric breakdown?! The voltage that can cause a dielectric to break down... Dielectrics lose their dielectric properties and become conductors under a sufficiently strong electric field, which is called dielectric breakdown!”

Doctor Roman stared blankly at the scene of Misaka Mikoto bouncing away the shrapnel.

Insulation is nothing in the face of high-intensity voltage, but it's not easy to achieve. As an esper and a middle school girl, does Misaka Mikoto really possess such means?

If that's true, then the value of Level 5 has to be re-evaluated. With such high-intensity voltage, if you gave her a transformer, she would definitely become a human, self-propelled power plant.

。。。。。

【 “Just kidding,” Frenda's panic from before vanished, and she looked like her plan had succeeded.

The white lines she had drawn on the steel staircase instantly ignited, then broke, sending Misaka Mikoto falling to the ground.

“I tried my best to lure you until the last second, so it's very high here. Even a high-level esper would...” Frenda stopped speaking, and real cold sweat appeared on her face this time.

“If you want to drop me to my death, you'll have to rebuild this place and make the entire facility iron-free.” As the smoke dissipated, Misaka Mikoto's feet flashed with electricity, and she floated in the air along with the steel. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Good heavens, so the panic just now was an act. Why be so insidious... one trick after another.”

“I understand this, it's magnetic levitation!! If Misaka didn't want to go all out, she wouldn't have to fight so hard.”

The people from other worlds were a bit bewildered. This electrokinesis ability seemed to be played with by her in all sorts of ways: iron sand, lightning, magnetic levitation... she could even act as a hacker and infiltrate. Is there anything her electrokinesis ability can't do?

。。。。。

【 The two continued to chase each other into a sealed room. Misaka Mikoto looked around.

“It's a dead end! Who hired you? I advise you not to worry about professional ethics, this fact is a result of crazy experiments...”

“This kind of thing doesn't matter.” Misaka Mikoto's words were interrupted by Frenda's indifferent tone. After all, having lived in darkness for a long time, she didn't care much about these things anymore.

“Regardless of the employer's purpose, whether the target is good or bad?! What kind of life has the target lived? In the end, such things... don't matter at all.”

However, such a tone and words made Misaka Mikoto's face darken a bit more. The door behind her slowly closed.

“Don't you understand the situation yet? In the end, those who often push others to death are the ones who end up being pushed to death themselves,” Frenda said with a smug look in this top-secret space.

“Look at your feet!”

Misaka Mikoto looked down at her surroundings as if she had heard her.

Unknowingly, the shallow white lines crisscrossing the ground had already surrounded her.

“Sizzle...”

Then, the sound of sparks came from overhead. A pipe broke in the middle, and a large number of bomb dolls fell beside Misaka Mikoto.

Misaka Mikoto's expression remained unchanged, and she stood calmly in place, watching all this. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“So many bombs, she's really not afraid of being blown up herself. This laboratory will be blown up by you sooner or later.”

“Even though she's a little girl, she gives off the impression of an experienced mercenary who has become indifferent to life and death.”

Admittedly, Misaka Mikoto's calmness stemmed from her confidence in her own strength, but she was too soft-hearted. The other party wanted to kill her, but Misaka Mikoto had no intention of killing her in the end.

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

“Yare yare, this Frenda doesn't have any psychic powers at all.”

Saiki was very sensitive to psychic powers.

The white lines acting as fuses were just technological creations, and they were simply arranged by her in advance.

Even those bombs were hidden beforehand. There was no trace of her using psychic powers at all.

If Frenda were truly an ability nullifier, it would be amazing to be able to calculate this far with just her intelligence.

~Detective Conan World~

“When did that guy start killing people?”

Conan put his hands in his pockets, his glasses reflecting light, making his expression unreadable.

Although she looked like a teenage girl, at an age that should be innocent and lively, she was indifferent to killing, acting as if it were commonplace.

It seems that the darkness hidden in Academy City is much deeper than he imagined. It might as well be renamed Crime City.

。。。。。

【 “Retreat is cut off, and there's no shield. Try to escape from this desperate situation!” Frenda's tone became more excited, and then she took out a lighter from under her skirt and threw it at the white lines.

Misaka Mikoto sighed imperceptibly upon seeing this.

“It was a miscalculation. It all happened because I wanted to communicate with her.”

Then, with a slight clench of her fists, a flash of electricity passed, and the ground began to collapse and float, severing the fuses.

“I clearly need to conserve my strength as much as possible. Are you ready to be beaten?!”

It was at this moment that Frenda realized the seriousness of the problem, and with cold sweat on her face, she took a step back in fear.

“This girl is an LV 5.”

Facing the charging Misaka Mikoto, Frenda put on earplugs and a mask and took out a stun grenade from under her skirt, throwing it at Misaka Mikoto.

A dazzling white light instantly illuminated the enclosed space. Caught off guard, Misaka Mikoto's eyes and ears were also injured.

Frenda seized this opportunity and took out several missiles from under her skirt, rushing towards Misaka Mikoto.

“The moment confident espers fall into a trap is the ultimate thrill!!”

“Boom—!”

The large firelight from the missile explosion illuminated the entire enclosed secret room. Frenda stared at the soaring firelight with a face full of excitement, then put her hands on her hips.

“Hahaha, in the end, it's so easy and enjoyable to have me take action. It's great, I can get half the reward.”

Frenda excitedly danced in place, as if the readers had received an extra month's bonus. She performed a set of military exercises on the spot... and then froze in place.

Misaka Mikoto had already appeared behind her.

“You seem to have investigated the information about electrokinesis users carefully, but at my level, electromagnetic waves are enough to master the surrounding spatial terrain.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Frenda still doesn't seem to realize the seriousness of the problem. This is completely on a different level. I can only say I hope no one 'died'...”

“Why do they all like to take things out from under their skirts so much? Does it contain another dimension inside?! The legendary Seven Continents?!”

The people from other worlds looked speechless at the arsenal Frenda kept pulling out from under her skirt. This invisibility can't be described as another dimension; it's the true ultimate skill – hiding bombs in one's crotch!

What have you done to your skirt?! It's one thing to be able to pull out a lighter, and then to drop a stun grenade is also understandable... but to be able to pull out six rocket missiles, how can they stand this?!

Let's be reasonable, can such a small skirt hold so many things? It's almost like the entire arsenal is packed in there, or is this your Level 5 Esper power, having everything under your skirt?

。。。。。

Chapter 223: Even at death's door, the straightforward and determined Frenda would not yield.

Chapter Text

【 When the stun bomb's effects were still active, and Frenda was on tiptoe, trying to sneak away, the voice from behind sent a shiver down her spine.

“Hold it right there. I advise you not to move.”

Misaka Mikoto, with her eyes closed, aimed the blue current flowing from her hand towards Frenda's direction. Although she couldn't see due to the stun bomb, it had little effect on her, a human radar.

After Misaka reopened her eyes and slowly regained her vision, Frenda began to act cute with tears in her eyes, gesticulating wildly with her hands and moving her mouth up and down as if trying to say something.

This sudden situation also bewildered Misaka Mikoto. She lowered her outstretched hand because she didn't understand at all.

“What is she saying?! It's not English, nor French. But didn't she speak Japanese just now?”

“There's no such language in the world!”

While Misaka Mikoto was momentarily stunned, Frenda pulled out another bomb from who knows where and threw it.

“Boom—”

The still stunned Misaka Mikoto instinctively shattered the bomb, and thick smoke began to fill the room.

“This is... Academy City's special gas explosive.”

Frenda took advantage of the smoke to quietly twist open the air pipe behind her, while seriously bluffing, “『Ignis』, it's harmless to the human body if only inhaled, so this room is now a bomb. What do you think will happen if you discharge electricity now?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, Frenda's move is the legendary attempt to bluff her way through, but... Misaka actually managed to tell it wasn't English or French! You know, you're only middle school students.”

“I don't believe you for a second. Don't think we didn't see you twisting the air pipe behind your back. You're just a big bluffer.”

“I'm dying of laughter. She even remembered the name of the bomb in an instant. Is this the legendary 'lying without batting an eye'?!”

Everyone from other worlds exclaimed, “Good heavens!” It was full of tricks. Wasn't this just an ordinary smoke bomb? Sure enough, self-delusion was the most fatal... But looking at Misaka's deeply convinced expression, perhaps there really was such a thing as a gas bomb in this Academy City.

But aren't you supposed to be teaching people to research and develop superpowers?! You even dabble in military black technology. Could it be that you're also the world's largest arms supplier?

。。。。。

~Detective Conan World~

“If I hadn't seen your little movements behind your back, I would have believed it...”

Conan showed a dead fish eye expression, his mouth twitching slightly. Although he didn't understand the so-called gas bomb, he had heard of dust explosions.

Today's middle school students are incredible. They have a whole set of tricks when it comes to bluffing people. Misaka Mikoto, who didn't see Frenda's little movements, must be deeply convinced.

This means Misaka Mikoto will start to be constrained. If it's just about hand-to-hand combat, Misaka, an ordinary middle school student, might not be a match for Frenda, who used to be a mercenary.

~Naruto World, Past Timeline~

“Then what are you waiting for?! Hurry up and discharge electricity! Such a good fuel-air bomb is right in front of you, how can you resist? Art is an explosion!!”

Deidara was as fanatical as a cultist, wishing he could go over and perform a Fire Release to show people from other worlds what art was.

Such a good opportunity was right in front of him. For him, it was like picking up a stick on the way to school with a field of canola flowers nearby.

Although he knew the consequences of acting would be severe, he couldn't resist.

That damned temptation.

“Did he... not realize it was fake?!”

The Akatsuki members quietly moved away from this art lunatic, fearing that he might accidentally blow himself up.

。。。。。

【 Misaka, deeply convinced, was constrained by herself and dared not use any abilities. She was continuously forced to retreat by Frenda's sharp punches and kicks.

“What is this guy doing?! Even a normal stomp could produce sparks.”

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth, constantly dodging Frenda's attacks, unable to understand the other party's thoughts.

“Your expression is like you're looking at someone suicidal.”

Frenda's leg kept kicking towards Misaka, then she seized the opportunity to kick Misaka heavily, sending her flying.

“I've always worked in the dark side of the academy city. If I were afraid of death, how could I have done it?!”

“Ugh!” Misaka clutched her stomach and staggered to her feet.

Frenda was secretly pleased at this moment.

The first thing she threw was indeed a bomb, but later it was just ordinary nitrogen. She didn't expect Misaka to fall for such a trick. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Tsk tsk, working in the dark side since childhood, no wonder she's so experienced. Misaka is still too naive.”

“Wait... Although nitrogen is an inert gas, it doesn't mean you can still breathe at such high concentrations!”

Everyone from other worlds watched them perform such high-intensity aerobic exercise in front of such high concentrations of nitrogen, and the key was that they didn't even feel suffocated.

It was truly a miracle that they were still alive.

。。。。。

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“Nitrogen...”

A '#' appeared on Misaka Mikoto's forehead, her face filled with the anger of being tricked. Then she loosened her clenched fists and let out a long breath,

“Hoo—!”

After calming down, Misaka Mikoto noticed a detail Frenda had mentioned—the dark side.

She didn't expect such an organization, like mercenaries, to exist in this 'peaceful' Academy City. Perhaps by starting here, she could find some relevant information.

“Frenda did a good job this time.”

On the other side, in ITEM, one of Academy City's five major ANBU organizations, Shizuri Mugino was also happy to see Misaka make a fool of herself.

An LV 5 being beaten like this, and her ranking was even higher than hers, it was simply incomprehensible.

。。。。。

【 “It's almost time to end this, or Mugino and the others will arrive.” Frenda gently kicked her heel, extending the small knife hidden under her heel, and rushed towards Misaka Mikoto as she spoke.

“Although the target's life isn't important, it's quite moving to be a leader. In the instant of taking a life. In the end, this guy was born just to be killed by me.”

These words directly angered Misaka Mikoto. The furious Misaka raised her hand and blocked Frenda's kick towards her.

“Born just to be killed by you?!”

In her mind, she recalled the scene of meeting the Misaka Sisters. She couldn't understand why they faced such a messed-up fate without avoiding or resisting.

Misaka exerted a little force on her arm, causing Frenda, who was standing on one leg, to spin around.

Then Misaka choked her.

“Choking?! This way, you can defeat your opponent without causing impact...”

Frenda, gradually running out of oxygen, quickly grabbed Misaka's hand and, caught off guard, gave Mikoto a powerful back suplex, throwing her forward.

This also caused the lighters in Frenda's pocket to fall all over the floor. One of them happened to slide across a previously drawn white line on the ground, instantly igniting with a “Sizzle—

Fortunately, Frenda rolled in time; otherwise, she would have screwed herself over, but her face hit the main door.

“So that's it... In the end, I was fooled by your low-level tricks.”

Misaka's hand flashed with electricity, her face grim.

“Ha... ha, tee-hee!” The speechless Frenda decided to act cute towards Misaka Mikoto, making adorable gestures at her.

“Boom—” However, Misaka Mikoto didn't fall for it. The lightning mercilessly struck Frenda, electrocuting her until she knelt on the ground, twitching.

“Who orchestrated this? And who hired you?”

Facing Misaka's questioning, Frenda indicated that she would rather die than speak, turning her head stubbornly.

“How could I possibly tell you?”

“Bang...” A lightning strike hit in front of her.

The iron-willed Frenda immediately expressed her willingness to cooperate, but when she wanted to speak, her tongue was paralyzed by the recent lightning.

Facing Misaka 's questions, she stammered and couldn't speak...

“I see, it seems you won't betray your companions. I don't dislike that...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Acting cute is shameful, it doesn't work for Misaka, but for us... we totally fall for it. Please, more of that...”

“Some things shouldn't be said. Isn't this just dancing wildly in someone's minefield?! Isn't it better to live well, why take shortcuts?”

“What an iron-willed Frenda. This is the legendary forced non-betrayal of teammates... She actually wants to betray her teammates, but she can't speak.”

Everyone from other worlds almost died laughing at this iron-willed Frenda. It was their first time seeing someone forced to refuse to yield.

What a forced loyalty, truly an eye-opener.

It was truly a huge misunderstanding. One could only say it was fortunate that she encountered Misaka Mikoto, such a kind person; otherwise, there were plenty of ways to make her spill the information.

。。。。。

~Spy x Family World~

“In the end, she's just a middle school student.”

Twilight sighed. His professional instincts made him feel a bit frustrated, almost forgetting that Misaka Mikoto was still a girl living in the sunlight.

However, there are many ways to make someone reveal the information you want... While Twilight was secretly contemplating interrogation methods, Anya, beside him, had already revealed her bean-shaped eyes, her face filled with horror.

The adult world...!!!

Knowing Twilight's thoughts through telepathy, Anya knew she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

~A Certain Magical Index World~

“That brat... how dare she act cute towards Onee-sama!”

Kuroko was almost biting through her handkerchief. Only I should be allowed to act cute towards Onee-sama!

“Kuroko...”

Misaka Mikoto sighed helplessly, reaching out to rub her forehead as she looked at the increasingly perverted Kuroko. After giving her an electric shock as usual.

Then she took out her PDA and contacted Ruiko Saten. After all, with her head full of urban legends, she might have unexpected information.

。。。。。

【 Just then, a 1.7-meter green electronic ray melted the thick steel 1.7-meter door, passing between Mikoto and Frenda. The green ray, having penetrated the steel door, struck the wall on the other side, leaving a deep, glowing, crescent-shaped mark.

“Because it was too quiet, I thought you were dead.” Shizuri Mugino walked through the melted steel door, glanced at Frenda sitting on the ground, and, after confirming she was fine, her gaze remained provocatively fixed on Misaka Mikoto.

“That was a close call...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss—, there's another expert. I didn't expect someone else to be present in this laboratory without showing themselves, but that's right, since they're an ANBU mercenary group, it's impossible for there to be only one person.”

“It's chilling to think about. When did this mysterious person appear behind Frenda's door? If she had really betrayed information just now, she might have been silenced.”

Everyone from other worlds suddenly became somewhat unfazed, and they all began to quietly complain.

What kind of monsters are in this Academy City? These steel doors, meant to protect the laboratory, are just for decoration, right?

Not a single one of them opened the door normally. At least show some respect! Wouldn't it be better to just honestly enter a password and open the door?

And... you ANBU members who came to protect the laboratory, you've destroyed more things than Misaka, and it could even be said that most of it was destroyed by you. It would be more believable if you said you came to demolish the laboratory.

。。。。。

Chapter 224: Automatic Vending Machine... The Origin of All Evil!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Misaka Mikoto didn't hesitate to use her magnetism to control a giant iron box and smash it towards the three people. Mugino Shizuri only heard a sound breaking through the air and immediately put her hand in front of her.

“Rumble—”

The iron box emitted a green light and gradually disintegrated. Mugino Shizuri, still holding her hands up, looked at Misaka Mikoto in the distance,

“So you are the legendary intruder!”

“Blocked? No, it was destroyed!” Misaka Mikoto was a little surprised.

Mugino Shizuri took advantage of this gap, controlled the atoms freely wandering around her, and formed a green fireball in front of her. The next moment, it turned into a green ray and shot directly towards Misaka Mikoto's position.

“Bang!!” Misaka Mikoto's figure shot out from the firelight, using magnetism to cling to the wall beside her. Then, relying on magnetism, she gathered nearby steel objects and threw them at Mugino Shizuri.

Mugino Shizuri chuckled upon seeing this. The items controlled by Misaka were decomposed by green light before they could even touch Mugino Shizuri's body.

“Your movements are so agile, running all over the walls, just like a spider.”

After taking out a bag of crystals and throwing it to Takitsubo behind her, she raised her hand and shot a green electron beam towards Misaka Mikoto.

Misaka quickly detached from the wall, and a flash of electricity flickered in her hand, pushing away the green electron beam.

As she fell, Misaka Mikoto took the opportunity to give Mugino Shizuri an electric shock. The other party stood calmly in place, waved her hand with ease, and deflected all the electric shocks.

“BOOM—!”

“BOOM—!”

“BOOM—!”

The two's battle caused continuous explosions in this area. Misaka Mikoto's brain spun rapidly, “Dodged? No, she forcibly distorted the trajectory of the electric shock.”

Then, the screen also displayed information about Mugino Shizuri, one of the seven Level 5s in Academy City, ranked fourth: Meltdowner: Able to penetrate through cover and the target itself, and any object that comes into contact with her electron beam will be decomposed into basic particles.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“When I saw the name Meltdowner, I was almost scared to death. I almost thought it was a big shot who could create nuclear bombs with their bare hands.”

“The destructive power is undeniable, outrageously strong. As long as it touches the electron beam, the object will be decomposed into the most basic particles. It's a waste not to be an environmental ambassador.”

People from other worlds had wanted to complain about Academy City wasting talent more than once. Mugino Shizuri's ability could process waste emissions without pollution, while Misaka Mikoto was a walking power source, only needing three meals a day.

“It seems like their electron beams don't work on each other.”

Mugino Shizuri could distort the electric shock from the third-ranked Misaka Mikoto, but her “Meltdowner” could also be distorted by Misaka Mikoto's raised hand. In this way, it seemed like neither of them could do anything to the other.

Moreover, although Mugino Shizuri's “Meltdowner” looked astonishingly destructive, her aim seemed a bit off. Compared to her, Railgun's practicality was stronger, and she could also control magnetism. It could only be said that when LV5 fought, this research institute was definitely doomed.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Why are they all showing up?”

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth. Level 5s, who were usually nowhere to be seen, felt like they were all against her and came out to make an appearance.

Superweapons that had been graded not only could move freely, but they were also allowed to form mercenary groups.

Academy City was truly a mess.

However, it wasn't all bad news. Mugino Shizuri couldn't do anything to her, and she also knew that the matter involving the Misaka Sisters was probably deeper than she imagined.

“Although it's nice to see Big Sister all the time, isn't the wrong person being targeted...”

Kuroko weakly raised her hand and asked. Aren't they supposed to be the weakest and the strongest? Why did it turn into Big Sister's personal show?

That guy named Kamijou only appeared once, and it seemed like he had nothing to do with these matters. Moreover, he had amnesia and didn't remember Onee-sama at all.

Could he really challenge the strongest Accelerator for someone he didn't know?!

。。。。。

【 At this moment, Takitsubo, after eating a few white crystals in the back, her pupils trembled continuously. Then she walked out from the corner, her gaze accurately locking onto Misaka Mikoto in the smoke.

But this also made Railgun notice her existence. Although she didn't understand the situation, she subconsciously sensed a dangerous aura and felt something was wrong. Misaka broke open an electric box, and a large amount of smoke emerged from it, giving her a chance to escape.

“Target's AIM diffusion field has been memorized.” Takitsubo's eyes went blank, tracking Railgun's position.

On the other side, Misaka, who had escaped, hadn't rested properly for several days. Coupled with the large amount of physical exertion, she still felt strained dealing with three such opponents.

“I should prioritize destroying the target.”

However, as soon as she jumped down the stairs, she felt her body go soft.

This was a sign of overuse of her abilities. At this moment, a green electron beam suddenly attacked, penetrating the wall, and the aftermath of the explosion sent her rolling out. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Her condition is too bad. She hasn't eaten or slept for days. She was barely holding on when checking the map, and she refused to kill them.”

Hearing Misaka's words, people from other worlds felt a little teary-eyed.

She finally remembered... If this continued, they wouldn't have to do anything themselves. With the destruction caused by Mugino Shizuri and the others, it was almost like they were directly helping you dismantle it.

~Pokémon World~

Overuse of abilities?!

Pikachu said, “I'm familiar with this!” and quickly raised its small hand,

“Pika... Pika pi!”

“So that's how it is!”

Ash also looked enlightened, attracting the attention of Professor Oak and others.

“Pikachu says it's like when its electricity runs out, so just recharge her!”

“That's a good suggestion, but I suggest you don't suggest it.”

Professor Oak wiped the cold sweat from his face. It would be more practical to give Misaka Mikoto a meal and let her sleep well.

。。。。。

【 Takitsubo ate a few more white crystal pills, locked onto Railgun's position, and then Mugino Shizuri launched the attack.

Misaka Mikoto could only keep running, dodging the green electron beams that could come from anywhere, while also guarding against Frenda's bombs.

This made Misaka notice the white lines on the ground and the dolls placed on them, and she already had a plan...

On the other side, Frenda, who was sending Takitsubo away, suddenly felt a chill, “Oh no, I... forgot to retrieve the bombs.”

On the other side, Mugino Shizuri's face darkened when she saw Railgun walking out with the doll bombs in her hands, “Frenda... actually left without cleaning up.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, the destined pig teammate, here comes another one who is good at betraying teammates.”

“Although I know Frenda isn't a good person, cuteness is justice. Coupled with this pure stupidity, she's just too lovable.”

People from other worlds found Frenda's look of impending doom amusing.

She could be said to be the only comedic relief that had been suppressing their emotions since the Misaka Sisters incident.

Now they could all feel a large “Danger” sign above Frenda's head... Such behavior of betraying teammates would eventually be settled.

。。。。。

【 Misaka placed metal inside the dolls, forming self-propelled floating cannons. Numerous dolls floated around her, at her command.

“You think you can suppress me with numbers?!”

Mugino Shizuri tossed up a piece of black crystal, and the green electron beams suddenly increased, easily dealing with most of the dolls with a wave of her hand.

“Don't underestimate ITEM, brat. A middle schooler's brain is nothing more than this. I don't understand how this makes you third place.”

Mugino Shizuri complained constantly while attacking.

However, her words also allowed Misaka to know her identity. Seeing that only three controllable dolls were left, Railgun instantly had a plan.

“Boom!!” Then, as Misaka charged towards Mugino Shizuri, she detonated one of the dolls, using the smoke to obscure her vision as she continuously closed in.

Another doll hidden behind her also took the opportunity to get close to Mugino Shizuri.

Mugino Shizuri subconsciously panicked, “Set up a shield?! No... It's too close, no time.

“Just kidding.”

Mugino Shizuri smirked and bounced away the lightning and the doll, looking triumphantly at Railgun, “Forgot? I can also interfere with your electric shocks.”

As she got carried away with her triumph, the last doll directly hit her head, knocking her unconscious.

“What you forgot is that I told you the dolls were filled with metal. Even if they didn't explode, they could still be used as weapons.”

Just like that, Misaka, leaning on the wall, went to the depths of the laboratory, placed her hand on the instrument, and began to generate electricity, instantly blowing up everything around her. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“But she's still too kind. It would have been better to just detonate the bombs. Plus, her stamina is already exhausted. What if the opponent wakes up?”

“Tsk, instant face-slap. This is called dying from talking too much! But judging by the sound, it's a good start, it hit with a bang.”

Viewers from other worlds watched this scene with great interest. They loved to see someone show off and then get slapped in the face... And they underestimated a middle schooler.

Don't they know that anyone from Academy City has a top-tier IQ?

Who would have thought that in the end, she would be counter-killed by Misaka, who was overusing her abilities and exhausted? Three against one, and she was counter-killed. How could they play like this?!

。。。。。

【 The scene switched to the next day. After resting for a night, Misaka Mikoto changed back into her school uniform and found that the last remaining research institute that had not been destroyed had already stopped operating.

“It's over just like this?! Really? But the experiments have been terminated, so they... don't have to die.”

On a midsummer evening, Touma Kamijou, tired after finishing his cramming session, walked home alone. He had no memory of before, so he had forgotten about the cramming session.

At this moment, Touma Kamijou looked at the remaining two thousand yen in his wallet and broke out in a cold sweat. He tremblingly reached out to try to put the banknote into the nearby vending machine.

The worst-case scenario had happened.

He pressed the button, and as expected, there was no reaction at all.

“Such misfortune!”

“Please, don't block the way. If you're not buying, hurry up and move aside.”

Misaka Mikoto grabbed Touma's collar and pulled him away.

Tokiwadai uniform, by the way... Who is this!

Is it someone I know? Or is it a stranger pretending to be familiar? Touma, who had lost his memory, was troubled.

The moment Misaka angrily roared, sparks of blue and white burst from the front of her brown bangs, “My name is Misaka Mikoto! You should remember it now, you big idiot.”

Before the lightning strike could be activated, Touma Kamijou instinctively extended his right hand. It was as if his body had already experienced the same attack countless times, as if he were already used to it. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I'm crying... The missing person has returned. Brother, you finally appeared. If you didn't show up, I would have thought this was Misaka Mikoto's personal story.”

“Big brother, don't you have premonitions? With your bad luck, you shouldn't have any hope for vending machines. You know how unlucky you are.”

They've met, they've finally met! When everyone saw them meet, they realized that the matter of the Misaka Sisters was definitely not resolved. After so much buildup, it was finally connected.

~Bungou Stray Dogs World~

“Did you offend the Goddess of Fortune in your past life?”

Dazai Osamu looked at Touma, whose ability was very similar to his own, and was a little unsure about his bad luck.

It could only be said that it was really not easy for him to grow up in this Academy City. His superpower was a miracle that could erase everything, which was basically like having no superpower at all. In the end, he was no different from an ordinary person.

Could he really fight against the number one in Academy City?!

~Detective Conan World~

“How unlucky are you!”

Conan silently reached out and patted his face, indicating that he couldn't bear to watch anymore.

In this Academy City, which was said to have technology decades ahead of the outside world, a vending machine would malfunction and swallow money?! Who would believe that?

However, since the video appeared, he hadn't seen any reason for Touma Kamijou to fight Accelerator!

Moreover, Misaka Mikoto gave him the feeling of being the protagonist of the video. Even though he had almost forgotten about Touma's existence, as if he were an ordinary person, his presence was too weak.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: I won't write about Railgun fighting against the revived Mugino Shizuri, it's a bit long. Now I can finally switch to Touma Kamijou's perspective. )

Chapter 225: Tokiwadai Secret Technique!

Chapter Text

【 “Do I really know her?!” Touma Kamijou looked at his instinctive reaction, as if his body had already experienced the same attack countless times, accustomed to it.

“That vending machine seems to eat money.”

Touma looked at the girl who had just attempted murder and claimed to be Misaka Mikoto, then glanced at the vending machine. Out of kindness, he reminded her.

“I knew it already.”

Misaka Mikoto answered without thinking. This time, it was Touma's turn to be confused. How could the sentences connect in a way he didn't understand?

“Giggle—”

Misaka Mikoto twisted her neck, doing warm-up exercises, and started with small, bouncing steps.

“There's a secret technique you can use. A secret technique to buy drinks without putting money in.”

“Hyaa—!”

Misaka Mikoto twisted her body, and after reaching a forty-five-degree angle, she delivered a high kick to the side of the vending machine.

“Dong!”

With a loud bang, a sound of something falling came from the vending machine, and then a can of juice appeared from the dispensing slot.

“This one is too old; the springs that hold the drinks are very loose, but the only downside is that you can't choose the type. — What's wrong?”

Misaka Mikoto picked up the drink and noticed Touma frozen beside her.

“Nothing!”

Touma Kamijou looked somewhat stiff, wearing sports shorts under his skirt.

“Do the young ladies at your school often do this?”

Misaka Mikoto lectured Touma like an experienced person,

“That's how girls' schools are. Stop having dreams about girls.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Uh… so it wasn't your bad luck that the money got eaten, it really was because it was old. Speaking of which, in such a technologically advanced city, there are still such old products.”

“On that day, humanity remembered their most foolish invention… bloomers, which shattered the dreams of countless young boys.”

“I've really broadened my horizons. So this is what girls' schools are like. It's truly eye-opening.”

Seriously, how familiar are you? Even the people from other worlds were amazed. They never imagined that those young ladies would have such a side to them in places they couldn't see.

So this is what a girls' school is like?

Seriously, are they really in the same world? Who would have thought that this was Misaka Mikoto, who had exhausted herself yesterday, becoming lively upon meeting Touma.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“That's not true!!! Don't say such things randomly. The young ladies of Tokiwadai Middle School wouldn't be so ungraceful like her.”

Misaki Shokuhou's face turned red with anger. Why was Misaka Mikoto talking nonsense? Wearing such ungraceful bloomers under her skirt.

And more importantly, why was she talking nonsense in front of her prince!!

Although he didn't remember me, I'm still from Tokiwadai Middle School. You completely ruin this first impression.

“I really don't get along with her…”

Misaki Shokuhou gritted her teeth. Her reputation was being damaged! She felt uncomfortable walking on the street wearing Tokiwadai's school uniform.

Now, whenever she saw two people discussing something, she felt they were talking about her.

Even Ruiko Saten was speechless. If she didn't know Misaka, she would have mistaken Misaka Mikoto for a delinquent.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Girls' schools are not like that!! I would never make such unladylike movements.”

Luvia, from a famous magician family known as the Lady Crane, quickly denied it. After all, it was too embarrassing.

“Only Rin can make such moves!”

“Ha?! You idiot, what are you talking about?”

Rin Tohsaka was displeased. Who are you calling that?!

“Bang, bang—”

The next moment, Luvia, who had just said she wouldn't make unladylike moves, instantly transformed into Lady Crane and began fighting with the Devil Muscle Rin.

Watching all this, Miyu sighed almost inaudibly,

“What you said is so true. They are just like that. Don't have any expectations for girls' schools.”

。。。。。

【 Touma Kamijou silently complained, 'It's precisely because you people do this kind of thing every day that the vending machines break down!'

“'Ah!'”

After finishing the refreshing drink in one gulp, he felt instantly refreshed.

Misaka Mikoto looked at Touma, who was complaining, and suddenly made a cute gesture, “Did it eat your money?!”

Seeing Touma look away, Misaka Mikoto's eyes began to shine, and she became excited, “How much money did it eat?”

“Two thousand yen…”

Misaka Mikoto danced with joy, unable to stop herself from jumping around, as if this were the funniest joke she had ever heard.

Touma, who was being mocked, also struck a very alluring pose, constantly squirming. (Magical Index episode 10, highly recommend watching it, it's hilarious.)

“Then I'll help you get it back.”

Perhaps feeling her mockery was a bit excessive, Misaka Mikoto placed her hand on the vending machine.

Sizzle—!!” With the flow of electricity, the vending machine began to dispense drinks continuously.

Misaka Mikoto laughed, “Although it didn't spit out the banknotes, these drinks have definitely paid for themselves.”

However, the vending machine, which looked quite heavy, also began to shake, and thick black smoke emerged from the metal seams of the vending machine.

Touma Kamijou's face turned green. Seeing this, he didn't hesitate to run.

Touma, who usually experienced countless misfortunes, knew very well that if he didn't run now, it would be his turn to be unlucky. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Good heavens, Misaka Mikoto's movements almost made me die laughing. Is this the young lady of Tokiwadai? I truly love it, love it.”

“Hahaha, big brother, why is your posture so alluring?! You're wiggling there like seaweed, it looks a bit demonic.”

From this, it can be seen that Misaka Mikoto, after resolving the incident with the Misaka Sisters, was in a very good mood, as if she had laughed out all her previous worries.

The people from other worlds also watched the movements with great interest. They only wanted to say one thing to Touma Kamijou: you're so flamboyant! But you ran away really fast.

Then, everyone looked at Misaka Mikoto's movements with some speechlessness.

They almost forgot she had this skill, but why didn't she use it earlier?! It seems that a kick was inevitable for you. I feel sorry for the vending machine.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, and Touma Kamijou, who had been running for an unknown amount of time, is now sitting on a chair in a busy area, panting slightly.

“Here!” Misaka Mikoto handed a can of black bean soda to Touma.

“Don't happily escape reality, hurry up and take these drinks.” Misaka Mikoto kept throwing sodas at Touma.

As Touma caught them, he kept complaining, “I feel like the moment I accept these drinks, I'll evolve from an observer to an accomplice. That would be really scary.”

“It's so hot…” A can of strawberry oden fell because it was too hot. Touma Kamijou stared blankly at Misaka Mikoto, who was sitting with her legs crossed and her hand resting on the back of the chair.

“Since you beat me, you should bear the minimum responsibility. You beat one of the seven LV 5 espers in Academy City, so you should show some ambition.”

Touma Kamijou clasped his hands behind his head, constantly wondering what it meant to beat her?! Was it in sports or games? Hearing a girl say she had to be responsible felt a bit off.

“What are you worrying about with your hands on your head?” Misaka Mikoto suddenly interrupted his wild thoughts. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Black bean soda… strawberry oden, what kind of dark cuisine is this?! Would anyone actually buy these messy names?”

“Misaka sitting posture is so domineering. As expected of a young lady from Tokiwadai, a proper boss's posture!”

Even a boy's posture probably wouldn't be as imposing as Misaka's. Who is the protagonist here?! Compared to this, Touma seems more like a weak heroine.

Moreover, she even admitted to losing to the unremarkable Touma Kamijou.

Unexpectedly, Misaka Mikoto, who seemed to have a strong desire for victory, didn't care about these things and openly admitted it.

~Detective Conan World~

“Strawberry oden…”

Hearing the name, even Ran, who was good at cooking, was stunned. She recognized both names, but when they were combined, she was confused.

Strawberries, can they be associated with oden?! And that black bean soda, what is all this?!

Conan was also completely clueless. Even though he had learned many tricks in Hawaii, he had never heard of such dark cuisine. No… or rather, can this even be considered cuisine?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This is the daily life of a Tokiwadai young lady… Hehe.”

Ruiko Saten's eyes were vacant, and she seemed to have broken down. So this was reality. The filter she had for Tokiwadai, that young lady's academy, was completely shattered.

No one would believe her if she said it, but she actually saw a so-called masculine spirit in Misaka Mikoto.

On the other side,

“'M-MISAKA-M-MIKOTO!!!”

Misaki Shokuhou's eyes were already spitting fire. Can you please not wear Tokiwadai's school uniform and do these things?!

And what do you mean by taking responsibility?! What kind of terrible lines are these? Didn't you see Touma's misunderstanding? I knew this guy was here just to make me angry.

。。。。。

Chapter 226: Could it be… You’re really… having a tryst with a man

Chapter Text

【 “Onee-sama?! I heard the vending machine alarm, and sure enough, I found you here.”

Suddenly, a young girl's voice came from the side, causing Misaka Mikoto's expression to freeze rapidly, and her whole body suddenly trembled as if she had heard some terrifying sound.

Shirai Kuroko, dressed in the same uniform as Mikoto, ran over from a distance, waving her hand with a smile to greet her.

After running close and stopping, she noticed Touma Kamijou sitting next to Misaka, and then Kuroko stared blankly as if her life had lost its purpose.

“What’s wrong?!”

Touma Kamijou, who hadn't figured out the situation yet, was a bit confused. Wasn't she quite lively just now? What's the situation now?

Kuroko suddenly reached out to cover her eyes, practically unable to believe what she was seeing; even her voice carried a hint of a cry, “How is this possible… Could it be… You’re really… having a tryst with a man!”

After hearing Kuroko's words, Misaka Mikoto's face turned crimson, and she quickly stood up, just about to explain, “Wait a minute!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a grand scene of catching someone in the act, and Biribiri, why are you blushing? Now, even I’m starting to doubt your relationship.”

“Speaking of which, how skilled must Biribiri be at kicking vending machines? Kuroko heard the automatic alarm go off and wasn't surprised to find you.”

For the first time, everyone clearly saw what it meant to change one's face.

When she ran over, she was all smiles, but the next moment, she lost her purpose like a salted fish.

Then, everyone looked at Kuroko, who was already on the verge of tears, and even secretly wondered if this person was a pervert?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“!!!”

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto was sweating all over from nervousness, even ignoring her own blushing face on the screen. She could only continuously pray in her heart that Kuroko would not say anything perverted.

Although Kuroko was a pervert, she didn't want to be regarded as one by others.

“Onee-sama!”

Kuroko looked at Misaka Mikoto, who was blushing on the screen, her whole person lost its highlight, looking as if she would go berserk at the slightest disagreement.

The handkerchief was almost torn to shreds by Kuroko.

Could Onee-sama really have a crush on this monkey?!

。。。。。

【 Kuroko, who was originally doubting life, suddenly narrowed her eyes and instantly appeared in front of Touma Kamijou, holding Touma’s hands, “Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Onee-sama’s unique partner, Shirai Kuroko, responsible for clearing her path! You seem to know Onee-sama. So I will greet you with ‘social pleasantries’.”

She looked all smiles and quite polite, provided you ignored the tears in Kuroko's smiling eyes and the veins popping out on her face…

“Uh… ha…!”

Touma looked at his hand, which was held by her, and really didn’t know how to react.

“Just this much contact makes you feel restless.”

Kuroko looked at the unremarkable Touma Kamijou, then suddenly turned her head to Misaka Mikoto and disparaged Touma, “Maybe one day someone else will snatch you away!”

“I—told—you—!! Do you really think this freak… looks like my boyfriend?!”

An enraged Mikoto emitted lightning from her forehead, and a blue-white light suddenly flared up. Touma Kamijou subconsciously closed his eyes.

However, before being struck by the blue-white sparks, Shirai Kuroko released Touma’s hand and, in the next instant, vanished into thin air without any warning, appearing on a street lamp.

“You’re right.”

Kuroko stood on the street lamp, examining Touma Kamijou. Although she really wanted to drive away this ‘monkey’, she was afraid that Onee-sama had no immunity to boys and might be deceived by scummy boys in the future.

In this regard, there’s no need to worry about that seemingly harmless monkey. If he can show his scummy side and make Onee-sama disillusioned with men …” Kuroko thought to herself, her inner monologue becoming somewhat lewd, “I can then comfort Onee-sama…

“Then please don’t make a big mistake, Onee-sama!”

Kuroko teleported again, dodging Misaka’s lightning, and then vanished from the scene. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a ‘social pleasantry’… Polite, but not much! The tears in your eyes and the veins on your face have already given you away.”

“Regarding the details of the comfort, please elaborate. Not for anything else, just pure curiosity… Hehehehe”

Now, everyone finally understood why Biribiri froze when she heard Kuroko's voice. So she was a pervert! They couldn't even imagine using the word ‘lewd’ to describe a girl.

Sir’, ‘monkey’… Touma Kamijou’s image continuously regressed in Shirai Kuroko’s mind. Millions of years of human evolution history were reversed in a brief moment.

Although she was a pervert, her ability was surprisingly useful. This was teleportation, another ability hailed as invincible. As expected of Academy City, a place full of hidden talents. Any ability that casually emerged was enough to make them envious.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“In that brief moment just now, I actually witnessed how humans devolved…”

Da Vinci covered her face with her hand, feeling inexplicably tired. Now, everyone else would look at girls with tinted glasses.

Although she knew Academy City had advanced technology, had the social atmosphere become this open?!

“A pervert,”

Mash said her opinion in a flat voice, without any fluctuation.

“Ah… she’s a pervert.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka also echoed her, because at this moment, he didn't know what expression to make, as Kuroko's later remarks seemed a bit… uh… not so good.

~Detective Conan World~

“They’re still middle school students, right…?!”

Ran's tone was somewhat uncertain now. Were they already so precocious? And she could actually see Sonoko’s shadow in Kuroko, that perverted, lewd old man's appearance.

“…”

Conan pushed up his glasses. He was sure they were middle school students. Considering that Ayumi, who was younger than they were, understood these things, it wasn't surprising.

~Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu World~

“Ew!!”

When she heard the name Onee-sama, Minami Shimada couldn't help but shiver all over, goosebumps practically rising on her skin, and she subconsciously looked around, constantly on guard.

“You scared me.”

Minami Shimada sighed in relief after not finding Miharu Shimizu, after all, who wouldn't be scared when a lesbian was nearby.

Kuroko and Miharu Shimizu not only had similar ways of addressing people but even similar voices, which made her have a conditioned reflex.

“Click…”

The pervert next to her had already been taking pictures with his camera.

He was currently lying on the ground, his camera aimed at Kuroko standing on the street lamp on the screen, or rather, Kuroko's skirt:

“Almost…”

“Go for it!! Muttsurini.”

Akihisa, as a regular customer, was shouting encouragement from the side.

“Kawaii ne!!”

The FFF members on the other side were excited watching Kuroko on the screen; after all, they weren’t picky.

。。。。。

【 “Onee-sama?” Another one?! Touma Kamijou quickly turned his head when he heard the voice, “Huh, Biribiri… and another one?!”

Behind the chair stood another Misaka Mikoto, with brown hair, an identical face, and figure. No matter how you looked at her, she was a genuine ‘Misaka Mikoto’.

The Misaka Sisters looked at the two people in front of her expressionlessly,

“We are completely homogeneous at the genetic level, so naturally… Misaka answers thus.”

“Just now, an infant with the same ability as Misaka came to confirm the situation and found the vending machine damaged at the scene, and both of you were holding a large amount of drinks. Misaka never expected Onee-sama to participate in theft.”

Touma Kamijou panicked and pointed at Misaka Mikoto without hesitation,

“The main culprit is your sister; I’m just a bystander.”

“Why!” Misaka Mikoto, who hadn't said a word, placed her hand on the Misaka Sister and suddenly roared like an explosion, “You…!”

After Misaka Mikoto finished roaring, perhaps feeling her tone was too harsh, she calmed down, “Why are you loitering in this kind of place?”

The Misaka Sister replied expressionlessly, “Because I’m in training.”

Misaka Mikoto secretly gritted her teeth, then pulled the Misaka Sister away, not wanting Touma Kamijou to hear the rest of the conversation.

It wasn't until they were far away from Touma Kamijou that Misaka stopped, “That experiment… wasn’t it already terminated?”

“If the plan you are referring to is the ‘Absolute Ability Evolution Project’, then the project is proceeding as scheduled. The 10020th experiment has just been conducted.”】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I didn't expect that after losing her memory, the nickname she got again would still be the same.”

“The main culprit is your sister… That betrayal was so unhesitating.”

When everyone heard about the 10020th experiment, their hearts stopped! This meant that over 10,000 ‘Misaka Sisters’ had been killed… It seemed that Accelerator really didn't consider clones as human.

Then everyone looked at Misaka Mikoto with some heartache.

After working hard for several sleepless nights to destroy the laboratories, she thought the experiment was completely resolved, but it was still secretly continuing.

Every day, ‘Misaka Sisters’ were constantly dying. How painful must it be for Misaka Mikoto to know this news?

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“The 10,000th-plus experiment… The last laboratory showed the plan was stopped, probably for me to see! But it continued behind the scenes.”

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth, but also knew that now was not the time for sadness. She needed more information.

“Hehe… After dragging on for so long, it’s finally coming.”

Accelerator, on the other side, also showed a slight interest, revealing a somewhat crazed smile. He wanted to see if Touma Kamijou could really defeat him.

。。。。。

Chapter 227: Its name is dog... Even though it's a cat.

Notes:

Author-san: This is written from the perspectives of both A Certain Scientific Railgun and A Certain Magical Index, so the dialogue might differ slightly, as they complement each other. What Railgun doesn't clarify, Index does.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts to Touma Kamijou's perspective. Still utterly bewildered, Touma Kamijou walks home in the setting sun, laden with a pile of drinks.

“It's so hot… my hands are so cold… my body is so heavy…”

Just then, a tennis ball bounces repeatedly on the ground, rolling towards him. But Touma Kamijou, ever unlucky, naturally wouldn't overlook such minor details.

He heightened his vigilance.

Touma immediately stopped his steps, subtly adjusting where he placed his foot. The tennis ball stopped precisely in front of him. If he had continued forward, he would undoubtedly have—tripped.

Seeing this, Touma Kamijou, clutching a pile of drinks with both hands, felt quite smug.

“Heh heh heh…—that was close.”

He was certain that if he had stepped on the tennis ball, he would have fallen.

Just as Touma was thinking this… a sudden gust of wind blew, as if perfectly calculated, sending the tennis ball directly under his foot.

“Huh? Wait… wait!”

Touma Kamijou, whose foot landed on the ball, instantly fell flat on his back, the large quantity of drinks he was carrying scattering everywhere. He rubbed the back of his head, which hurt from the fall.

“Such misfortune!!”

Just then, a dark shadow loomed over Touma Kamijou. He looked up, puzzled, when he recognized the person as Misaka Mikoto.

“You… didn't you leave with your Sister just now?!”

“I merely walked over from there, Misaka says, indicating the direction she came from before.”

Misaka Sister looked down at Touma with emotionless eyes.

“If assistance is required, Misaka can help pick them up. Misaka suggests this with a sigh.”

Only then did Touma Kamijou notice that the 'Misaka' in front of him still had night vision goggles hanging from her hand. He then realized with a start,

“What the heck, it's a Sister, you really do look like Misaka.”

Misaka Sister squatted down to pick up the drinks on the ground, continuing with a blank expression, “By the way, where are these drinks supposed to be taken? Misaka asks, her hands full of drinks.”

Because she was squatting, Touma Kamijou's eyes drifted to an inappropriate location, and he blushed slightly.

“Hm? No, it's fine, I can carry them myself.”

“By the way, where are these drinks supposed to be taken? Misaka prompts again.”

Touma Kamijou snapped back to reality and immediately averted his gaze.

“I told you, you don't need to help. You're not obligated to help me.”

Misaka Sister's voice seemed to become more agitated, as if growing impatient: “Answer quickly!!”

Touma Kamijou had a bad feeling that refusing further would lead to something unfortunate, so he quickly gave up resisting and obediently let Misaka Sister help him carry the drinks back to his home. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Sigh… It's no use. You know how unlucky you are; don't struggle, you can't escape it. Just step on it obediently, at least you'll fall a bit more gracefully.”

“That wind blew quite loudly. All I can say is that history always repeats itself strikingly. If it's misfortune, you can't avoid it… As for good fortune?! Do you really think you still have that?”

“Sigh…”

Everyone from other worlds sighed as they watched Touma Kamijou try to dodge the tennis ball with fancy footwork. They had all thought he had avoided the ball that would surely make him fall, but the wind had anticipated his anticipation.

It seems he was destined to fall. To be this unlucky, are you sure the world isn't targeting you?! Even the wind is against you.

~Sword Art Online World~

“What's with Misaka Sister's strange verbal tic?”

Kirito watched Touma Kamijou and Misaka Sisters' conversation, feeling like something was off.

Misaka Sisters seemed to be putting herself in the third person.

And rather than a verbal tic, it seemed more like she was expressing her unspoken emotions and thoughts through words.

“But… it does make things very clear. Although it's a bit strange,”

Asuna also found herself puzzled. Despite being a clone, her way of speaking was like a robot's, yet her final tone was like a living person.

This made it hard for her to pinpoint Misaka Sister's status.

Was she a living individual? Or were the emotions she displayed simulated through a network?

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Misfortune…”

Touma Kamijou felt like he couldn't even bear to watch. His level of bad luck must have gone viral by now; he could probably even debut as an idol.

Although she's a clone, her heart is quite kind, and after he repeatedly refused her help, Misaka Sister's somewhat impatient tone—that's clearly how a human should act.

Although he knew that Misaka Mikoto had pulled 'Misaka Sister' aside earlier to talk, not wanting him to get involved, he would stop this inhumane experiment, no matter what.

“Still couldn't escape…”

Although she had a premonition, Misaka Mikoto still didn't want Touma Kamijou to get involved. The Mikoto in the video probably thought the same; after all, the other party was the strongest LV5.

But no matter how she tried to avoid it, Touma Kamijou always seemed to inexplicably connect with Misaka Sister.

。。。。。

【 Time moves to the next afternoon. Touma Kamijou encounters Misaka Sister again; she is currently taking care of a stray cat.

“Do you know what happens to animals taken to the shelter? Misaka asks this question.”

Faced with Misaka Sisters' barrage of questions, Touma Kamijou's cold sweat flowed even more. He reluctantly picked up the kitten and walked down the street with Misaka Sister.

“Since you picked it up, at least give it a name.”

“Inu (Dog)!”

Misaka Sister's expressionless face suddenly took on a mischievous look.

“This black Cat (Neko) is named Inu (Dog)… Misaka gave it this name.”

“It's a Cat (Neko), but it's called Inu (Dog). Heh heh…”

Misaka Sister couldn't help but smile crookedly.

“Let's give it a more dignified name,”

Touma Kamijou tried to persuade her, his smile a bit forced.

Misaka Sister returned to her blank expression, seemingly quite fond of the name Inu (Dog): “Then let's call it Ieyasu Tokugawa… Misaka changes the idea thus.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Oh my God! She's a genius, I want to be her disciple! Wouldn't this satisfy those who want both a cat and a dog?”

“She's simply a naming prodigy! The literary world suffered a great loss without Misaka Sister! Look at her eyes full of 'wisdom' and that mysterious smile, she's definitely a master!!”

Who would name a cat 'Dog'?! I didn't expect you, Misaka Sister, with your clear eyes and delicate features, to be such a dark-bellied person… And Ieyasu Tokugawa got dragged into this innocently.

~Gintama World~

“Ano sa, they're really bad at naming things, aren't they? Don't you think so, Jugemu-Jugemu-Gokō-no-Surikire-Kaijarisuigyo-no-Suigyōmatsu-Unraimatsu-Fūraimatsu-Kūnerutokoro-ni-Sumutokoro-Yaburakōji-no-Burakōji-Paipo-Paipo-Paipo-no-Shūringan-Shūringan-no-Gūrindai-Gūrindai-no-Ponpokopī-no-Ponpokonā-no-Chōkyūmei-no-Chōsuke?”

Kyuubei spoke to the monkey on his shoulder, clearly thinking his own name was more creative.

“Achoo!!”

Elsewhere, Shinpachi in the Yorozuya suddenly sneezed, remembering the incredibly long name when they helped Kyuubei find the monkey, yet they only remembered his underwear…

“Why would you call a Cat (Neko) 'Dog'?! Now you've offended both cat and dog lovers!!”

Shinpachi immediately resumed his tsukkomi.

“Hey, hey, Shinpachi, didn't you see they changed it to Ieyasu Tokugawa?! With such a dignified name, what more could you be dissatisfied with?”

Gintoki's eyes at this moment seemed to be saying,

“How can you be so picky?”

“Exactly!”

Kagura picked her nose, then hugged Sadaharu next to her.

“Don't you think so?! Sada-Oda Nobunaga-Toyotomi Hideyoshi-Tokugawa Shige Shige-Haru!!”

“You're going to compare that, too? That name is way too long,”

Shinpachi's face turned dark. And was there something weird mixed in there?!

That was… General!!

。。。。。

【 Touma Kamijou throws the cat to Misaka Sister and plans to buy some related books at the bookstore.

Just then, Misaka Sister freezes. Accelerator appears on a street behind her, signaling the start of the experiment.

In the alley, accompanied by a gunshot, Misaka Sister lies on the ground, covered in wounds.

“Reflection?”

“Unfortunately, while close, reflection is not the essence of my ability.”

Accelerator, perhaps because he was in a good mood today, even explained.

“The answer is vector conversion… Kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy—as long as they touch my skin, all energy can be redirected!!”

“I merely set the default to reflection.”

Saying this, Accelerator poked Misaka Sister's wound with his finger, causing her to cry out in pain.

“I am now touching blood flow… What would happen if I reversed the blood flow?”

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto arrives outside a research facility, her smile somewhat broken. She then directly hacks into the entire laboratory.

“Destroy everything, the existing facilities. The facilities that will undertake these, destroy them all!!”

Surging electricity engulfs the entire research facility. All she wants now is to force the plan to stop immediately: “Equipment, funds, desires, ambitions. I will destroy them without a trace.”

Then, through the surveillance video, she sees Accelerator and Misaka Sister experimenting, the scene from just now. She places her hand on the screen, her voice full of pleading,

“Stop… stop…!!”

But the video doesn't stop as she wished; instead, blood directly stains the entire screen.

On the other side, when Touma Kamijou walks out of the bookstore, he looks around but doesn't find Misaka Sister, only the cat left behind.

Then, as if feeling something, he looks towards the alley opposite and slowly walks over, holding the cat.

Deep in the alley, Touma Kamijou sees a sight that makes his pupils tremble: a discarded shoe, a pool of blood, a shattered night vision device, and signs of a struggle all around. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It makes me want to personally hit someone! After a few lively moments, the video suddenly becomes depressing again. Damn Accelerator!!!”

“I can't take it… my blood pressure is soaring. Is this even human? It's utterly inhumane.”

Everyone from other worlds watched, gritting their teeth but helpless, because even if they personally intervened, they probably wouldn't be a match for Accelerator.

Basically, everything would be reflected by him. Trying to sneak attack would be impossible; he even set up basic reflection on his skin, so as soon as anything touches him, he can reflect it directly without even activating his ability.

Misaka Mikoto once again experienced her powerlessness. Even if she single-handedly destroyed the research facilities, she couldn't stop the plan from proceeding.

She also witnessed Misaka Sisters' death once more, and her entire being seemed to be breaking down.

The kind of grief that comes from being unable to save someone right in front of you was almost suffocating this middle school student..

。。。。。

Notes:

Translator-kun: The Anime changes how Touma identifies Misaka 10031. iirc Touma sees her underwear (pantsu), not the Night Vision goggles. It's understandable why the JC staff changed it. And then the Railgun S2 came and changed it back to line with the source materials.

Chapter 228: Enough with the 'ape' nonsense!

Chapter Text

【 Touma reported the incident to the police with deep sorrow, but when he led them to the scene, all traces had vanished. Even nearby surveillance cameras showed no suspicious activity, as if nothing had happened.

“What the hell is going on? Damn it!” Ignoring the departing officers, Touma stood frozen in place.

“Misaka?!” A cat's meow made him turn to find the supposedly dead Misaka clone standing behind him.

“You're a Misaka sister, right? Damn it! What's happening?”

For a moment, Kamijou thought he'd been mistaken earlier and felt relieved.

“Sorry, I really thought you'd died. But thank goodness you're okay.”

The expressionless Misaka sister stated matter-of-factly, “Misaka did indeed die... Misaka reports this fact.”

Her words made Kamijou notice the black bag she was carrying. He straightened up, his voice turning grim: “What... are you holding?”

“Password verification required as a precaution. Misaka sister states while executing protocol...”

Without answering directly, she recited a string of meaningless letters before continuing calmly: “Failure to decode means you are unrelated to the 'Radio Noise' experiment.”

Though confused by the code, Kamijou began piecing things together. Trembling with emotion, he demanded: “What are you talking about?! What's inside that body bag?!”

Another Misaka clone emerged from the shadows with the answer: “It's Sisters. Misaka explains.”

“We know you were the one who called the police earlier.”

More night-vision-goggle-wearing Misaka clones filled the alleyway, each speaking in turn: “All Misakas here are Misakas. The one you met earlier was #10032.”

“Today's deceased was # 10031 - the Misaka you saw yesterday with Big Sister.”

“Misakas can synchronize brainwaves through electrical signals... Other Misakas simply share #10032's memories.”

Kamijou stared at the clones: “Then what are you all doing here?”

“Merely experimenting, Misaka replies. We offer deepest apologies for involving you.”

After this emotionless statement, they handed him the cat and departed.

“An experiment... military?!”

Watching them leave, Kamijou recalled Mikoto's sorrowful eyes when she saw the clones.

“Does that idiot know about this?!”

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Thank heavens, Academy City actually has police! With all that commotion earlier and no officers showing up, I almost thought this was some lawless zone.”

“From Kamijou's perspective, seeing a dead Misaka clone reappear unharmed - wouldn't anyone think they'd seen a ghost?!”

No wonder people reacted this way. Witnessing a corpse return to life would spook even the bravest souls.

“The Misaka clones' methods were wild too - casually carrying around corpses. Their behavior was confusing: first demanding password verification, then immediately revealing the bag's contents.”

“They disclosed everything about the experiment to Kamijou except its purpose. Their relay-style speech pattern was downright eerie.”

~Sword Art Online World~

“Using electrical signals to synchronize brainwaves for memory sharing?!”

As creator of the immersive Aincrad world, Kayaba Akihiko understood brainwave applications.

This memory-sharing resembled a network terminal where each clone uploaded daily experiences for others to access.

“Rather than clones, they seem more like... Avatar,”

Kayaba marveled at the technology, though puzzled why they'd reveal information without password confirmation, almost as if intentionally informing Kamijou.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Everything proceeds as planned... or rather, the video accelerated my schedule.”

Upside-down in his tube, Aleister Crowley wasn't surprised that Kamijou discovered the project. This was intentional - Kamijou held the highest priority in stopping the Level 6 Shift Project.

Failure would justify dispersing the Sisters worldwide.

As long as the video didn't reveal his involvement, the magic side wouldn't detect his true objectives.

。。。。。

“That ape wouldn't actually interfere... could he win?!”

Kuroko doubted the “monkey” (ahem, ape-man) could succeed where even Misaka had failed.

“Guaranteed loss! Without proper abilities, charging in recklessly would just get him killed.”

。。。。。

【 Arriving at Tokiwadai's dormitory, Kamijou hesitated before pressing Room 208's buzzer.

“Coming!” Inside, Kuroko sprang up from sniffing Mikoto's pillow, wiping drool from her perverted grin.

“How rare to have visitors.”

Spotting Kamijou on the monitor, she grimaced: 'That ape harassing Big Sister again?! Maybe he's obsessed... Wait, he might know something.'

After brief deliberation, she unlocked the door.

“Wait inside if you must - wouldn't want you missing her.

Entering, Kamijou found Kuroko rolling on a bed.

“Um...”

“Dorms are for sleeping - no guest facilities. Wait on that bed if--” Kuroko declared, not pausing her wriggling.

Hold up! Isn’t that Misaka’s bed?! That’s—

“Relax, it's my bed,” Kuroko retorted, squatting defensively.

“Then why are you rolling on someone else's bed?! You some kind of pervert?!”

“Everyone has private indulgences! Like stealing a crush's flute to lick, or her bike seat... Just keep quiet about it.” Kuroko sat up indignantly.

。。。。。

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Still at the 'ape' stage? Kuroko's affection meter must be rock-bottom.”

“Wait... a boy in the girls' dorm at night? Where's security?!”

“Kamijou's got sharp eyes - she is a total pervert.”

Otherworld observers shuddered at Kuroko's confession. Were flute thefts really “private indulgences”? Even perverts found this extreme.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Enough with the 'ape' nonsense!”

An irritated Misaki Shokuhou vowed to teach Kuroko some manners.

Meanwhile, Kuroko was already suffering consequences.

“KUROKO!!”

Mikoto's sparks left her twitching on the floor. Hearing Kuroko's confession worsened Mikoto's suspicion, 'Did she actually lick my...?'

The doorbell interrupted Mikoto's horror. Opening it revealed the dorm supervisor's furious face.

“KUROKO! Bringing BOYS into the dorms at NIGHT?!”

Before Kuroko could explain, a “CRACK!” of neck-snapping judo left her unconscious. And a parting glare made Mikoto collapse in relief after she left.

『 The legendary LV 6 Dorm Supervisor - Cervical Killer. Name unknown. Ability unknown. Level unknown. 』

。。。。。

Chapter 229: A Hero Will Come To Save Me

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Hearing Shirai Kuroko say this, Kamijou Touma still sat a bit stiffly at a corner of the bed. He still harbored some suspicion regarding Shirai Kuroko's identity.

“Speaking of which, you call Misaka 'Onee-sama,' and I always thought you were her junior. But if you share a room, that means you're in the same grade.”

“No, I am indeed Onee-sama's junior.” As if seeing through Touma's nervousness, Shirai Kuroko also sat up slightly straighter.

“I just used a little trick to get the former roommate, and of course, it was a legal trick.”

“So?! What do you need Onee-sama for?”

“Eh...” Kamijou Touma was taken aback. Just as he was hesitating whether to ask, Shirai Kuroko stopped him again.

“Wait a moment!” Kuroko turned her head to the side, extended her hand towards Kamijou Touma, and then buried her head in the pillow.

“You don't have to say it. Even if you tell me, I won't change my mind.”

“Hai?...” Kamijou Touma felt it was rather inexplicable. At this moment, the cat in his arms seemed to have heard something and suddenly stood up.

“Da da...!!”

The sound of high heels came from outside the door. Shirai Kuroko visibly panicked.

“No... this is bad, it looks like the dorm supervisor is patrolling! It'll be trouble if she finds you.”

“Ha?! Dorm supervisor?!” Kamijou Touma looked at Kuroko somewhat confusedly. It's just the dorm supervisor. Why such panic?

“The dorm supervisor conducts surprise room inspections. They are evil and dangerous existences. I'm sorry, I'll have to forcibly get you out.”

Saying that, Shirai Kuroko placed her hand on Kamijou Touma's right arm and activated her ability! Then... nothing happened.

Shirai Kuroko and Kamijou Touma stared at each other in this pose. Then Kuroko looked at her hand with some confusion.

“Eh?? Why is my power ineffective against you?”

Before Touma could explain, Kuroko directly shoved Touma under the bed, or rather, kicked him under with her foot. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“She used a little trick called 'A Bit of Nuclear Law.' Poor former roommate whom she's never met, I think it's highly likely she teleported the former roommate along with the bed.”

“Speaking of which, the dorm supervisor is actually an evil and dangerous existence in their eyes. Looking at Kuroko's panicked state, anyone would think a debt collector had come.”

“It's perfectly normal for your power to be ineffective when you're grabbing the right hand. Although Kamijou Touma is very ordinary, his ability is to turn you into someone as ordinary as him.”

The people from other worlds who saw this scene suddenly felt a toothache.

It was clearly just a simple visit to find someone, but it suddenly felt like a large-scale scene of catching an affair. Kamijou Touma has become the neighbor's husband?!

Moreover, the kicks felt like a personal vendetta.

It was fine initially, but if Kamijou Touma, hiding under the bed, is discovered by the dorm supervisor now... one can only say, it's like mud falling into the crotch, impossible to explain. It's hopeless, just wait for death!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“I thought the rest of his body, besides his right hand, would be transferred out,”

Da Vinci said, having been almost startled. Although his right hand could nullify abilities, it wasn't certain that the other parts of his body would be teleported out.

Upon hearing Da Vinci's statement, Dr. Roman felt a bit ashamed, wiping away the non-existent cold sweat on his forehead.

“It seems that if you try to teleport the entire person, it might be forcibly canceled by the right hand.”

If only the right hand were left here, and the rest of the body were teleported out, it would be too horrifying.

Then, Dr. Roman looked confusedly at Mash, who was covering her mouth with both hands and looked like she was suffocating.

“Uh... Mash, what... what are you doing?!”

Mash released her hands, took a few deep breaths, and quickly explained,

“I was just afraid that the cat hiding under the bed with Kamijou Touma would suddenly make a 'nya' sound and then be discovered by the dorm supervisor!”

“...”

Dr. Roman fell silent. It was truly difficult to judge this girl's thought process.

~Detective Conan World~

“Dorm supervisor?!”

Conan adjusted his glasses, which had fallen off in surprise. What was this?

It was just the dorm supervisor. Why the panic?

After all, he was just there to wait for someone. As long as he explained properly, they might not let him stay in the girls' dormitory, but they would definitely take him to the office for him to wait.

“Saying the dorm supervisor is an evil and dangerous existence like this, isn't it a bit excessive?”

Ai Haibara understood Kuroko's reaction.

That panicked expression was just like when playing with a phone in class and sensing the homeroom teacher's gaze.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Kuroko, have a good trip.”

Misaka Mikoto was trembling beside the dorm supervisor, who was emanating black energy.

She glanced at Kuroko, who had once again suffered the “neck-breaking killer” attack, and silently swallowed.

Speaking of which... she's fainted three times now, hasn't she? Even Kuroko, with her teleportation ability, couldn't dodge the dorm supervisor's neck-breaking killer. As expected of one of the most dangerous existences in Academy City.

After all, she spoke ill of the dorm supervisor, and the person herself heard it.

What else could she do but wait for death?! Kuroko, your courage is admirable.

“.......”

A certain former roommate, who was forced to move out by Kuroko's little trick, remained speechless. Isn't there anyone to speak up for me?

。。。。。

【 While Kuroko was out explaining with the dorm supervisor, Kamijou Touma discovered the teddy bear hidden under the bed. Inside, he found the map previously scouted by Biribiri and the “Absolute Power Evolution” plan!

Looking at the so-called Absolute Power Evolution Plan, Kamijou Touma's heart grew more and more alarmed. He then recalled his conversation with a Misaka sister in the alley.

“ 10032... August 21st, 20:30!” Looking at the time displayed on the report, Kamijou Touma quickly took out his phone to check the time. It was 19:34! There was still time.

When Kuroko returned to the room, Kamijou Touma had already disappeared. Only the open window was visible.

“That monkey...”

Kuroko teleported around the room, searching for his location, but couldn't find Touma. Then she leaned out the window to look. “This isn't a jungle... In the end, I didn't get any information.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“10032... that's the one Kamijou Touma met, right? The Misaka sister who adopted the cat with him. It seems Touma is really going to intervene. he must catch up this time.”

“Monkey... good heavens, he's regressed again. He was like a humanoid ape when they talked, and now even his human status has been deleted.”

The people from other worlds watched Kuroko flashing around the room, their mouths twitching.

Where exactly is this Academy City?! After all, they also want to learn superpowers now.

They didn't expect that in this Academy City, even the teleportation ability has no time limit or usage limit. Anyone could be an assassin with a knife. If they can't win, they can just leave.

。。。。。

【 “That guy knows about this experiment, knows about this plan, knows about the existence of clones.” Kamijou Touma ran through the streets with the cat, searching everywhere for Misaka Mikoto's figure.

Since she knew all this, why was she still able to smile when she talked to him that afternoon? Is she really not the kind of psychopathic person who can happily play around even when seeing her sisters being killed right in front of her?!

Kamijou Touma, who had no memory, didn't know whether to believe that Misaka Mikoto was a good person.

Meanwhile, on a bridge, Misaka Mikoto was leaning on the railing with vacant eyes.

“Why... why did it turn out like this?”

The image of the deceased Misaka sister flashed through her mind. The despair and guilt in her heart were almost crushing her.

“...Save me...”

This strong girl let out a cry for help for the first time and could only shout it out in a place where no one could hear.

“...Save me...”

The call, filled with scars, fear, and trauma, a call that would absolutely never be heard, couldn't help but escape from Misaka Mikoto's mouth.

“Nya~”

Just then, a cat's meow suddenly sounded. Misaka Mikoto looked down and saw a small black cat sitting at her feet.

“Gulp...”

Then, the sound of footsteps and rapid breathing followed, making Mikoto raise her face again.

“What are you doing?!” In the darkness, Kamijou Touma's figure appeared before her eyes, as if he had heard Mikoto's cry for help, which was gradually being swallowed by the darkness, and immediately rushed over, the male protagonist! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Even the strongest person will have moments when they want to cry. I didn't expect Mikoto to only lick her wounds alone in a corner. It pains me to see it.”

“A person who has lost past memories, has not received any guidance, and only follows the emotions surging within their heart to move forward! Kamijou Touma is indeed a hero.”

Even the people from other worlds were charmed by Kamijou Touma. His appearance at this moment was undoubtedly enough to leave a deep impression on Mikoto, who was on the verge of despair in the darkness.

“A hero who saves me just by crying out - Kamijou Touma!!”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“I must say, Kamijou Touma, you're really similar to Shirou Emiya... a 'hero of justice'?!”

Rin Tohsaka glanced at Shirou Emiya beside her.

To protect something, he easily ignores his own comfort and happiness. Isn't this Kamijou Touma also a do-gooder?

Archer, as always, belittled his past self.

“No, he's not a twisted existence like Shirou Emiya.”

In his opinion, this is just Kamijou Touma doing what he truly wants to do from his heart. A natural chivalrous person doesn't need to be adorned with deliberate justice.

It's just that his temper is perhaps too good. He has never seen him truly get angry or hateful up to this point.

。。。。。

Notes:

Translator-kun: Don't get angry with me; it's the Author-san who keeps changing 'Monkey' to 'Ape' or vice versa. By the way, I'm a Misaki X Touma shipper.

Chapter 230: You are planning to die?!

Chapter Text

【 On the iron bridge at night, Kamijou Touma watched Misaka Mikoto standing there in a daze. Compared to the liveliness when they last met, she now seemed so fragile and exhausted, as if she had used up all her strength.

But then she seemed to revert to the usual lively, arrogant, and willful Misaka Mikoto, “Hmph, why the sudden question? Where I go and what I do is my freedom.”

“It's just staying out all night, you have no right to lecture me.”

Misaka Mikoto's feigned demeanor was precisely because her acting was so perfect that Touma saw through her heart. So he blurted out, “Don't be like this...!”

Mikoto's expression on her face briefly vanished, but she still forced herself to remain calm and reverted to her original state, “What are you talking about?! At this point...”

Misaka Mikoto put on an act of not understanding the situation, wanting to respond to Kamijou Touma with her usual attitude.

“I've seen the matter of the Sisters, the 'Sisters' themselves, and the experimental content. Let's talk directly to each other.”

Touma took out the stack of papers hidden inside the doll. Printed on more than twenty sheets of paper was that crazy report.

“That's... you...” Misaka Mikoto’s carefully constructed facade crumbled under Kamijou Touma’s blunt words. Her fabricated daily life was completely shattered, and her face was now stiff as if malfunctioning.

Then Mikoto, as if nothing had happened, leaned against the railing with her usual smile, “You found out so many details just yesterday after meeting my clone.”

“Since you have that thing, it means you broke into my room, and you even opened the stuffed animal to look. You should be sentenced to death.”

From your perspective, I provided the genes and became an accomplice in this experiment. So you're here to criticize me. Whatever, but looking at the results, it's all the same. I'd feel better if he just yelled at me.

Kamijou Touma looked at the smile on Misaka Mikoto's face, which seemed like she was willing to give up everything, and felt an extraordinary heartache. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“You're talking about the LV 5 Biribiri! You're not a tsundere, so don't be tsundere at this moment. Just openly admit you need help.”

“This makes you look even more pitiful! Your heart is about to collapse, but you're still showing a cheerful appearance on the outside, pretending to be tsundere.”

The people from other worlds watched Misaka Mikoto, who wanted to carry everything on her own, and sighed. She was pushing herself to the brink of a split personality, a typical case of saying one thing and meaning another.

It seemed she truly believed Kamijou Touma had come to condemn her for participating in the cloning experiment... after all, he didn't know that the initial Misaka Mikoto was also acting out of good intentions.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Onee-sama... why didn't you look for Kuroko?! But instead, you looked for that ape.”

Kuroko, who had just woken up, saw this scene of Mikoto's double-dealing and lunged towards Mikoto.

Seeing her Onee-sama with a stunned expression, Kuroko's heart ached immeasurably. She knew her Onee-sama wasn't tsundere, but was just pretending to be a bad person, wanting this ape to scold her to reduce her guilt.

。。。。。

“Heh heh, you're truly lucky, Misaka Mikoto. Lucky that you met him~.”

Misaki Shokuhou, on the other side, though a little displeased, didn't say much.

She understood Misaka Mikoto's feelings at that moment. When she was about to fall into the abyss of despair, someone grabbed her outstretched hand... And she also knew that even the amnesiac Kamijou Touma wouldn't stand idly by in such a situation.

“After all, the way he came to save me back then was like a prince~.”

It was a pity that the prince had lost that memory forever and could no longer remember the princess's appearance.

。。。。。

【 Misaka Mikoto pretended to be relaxed and asked Kamijou Touma, “So you still can't forgive me, right?”

But her deliberately cheerful voice seemed to say, “I know you're here to condemn me, so curse me if you want...”

Such a voice sounded exceptionally jarring to Touma's ears.

Kamijou Touma looked at Mikoto, his voice becoming low, “What are you saying?! I'm obviously worried about you!”

Mikoto was clearly surprised by his words. Her hand gripping the railing tightened slightly, and she averted her gaze.

“Even if you're lying to me, just someone saying that makes me feel a little better.”

“I'm not lying to you,” Kamijou Touma blurted out instinctively.

Looking at Misaka Mikoto, who had turned her head away with a face that seemed to have given up on everything, Kamijou couldn't forgive Mikoto for showing such an expression for some reason.

“I said I'm not lying to you!!”

Kamijou's roar startled Mikoto. She stared blankly at Kamijou's eyes, showing a look of wanting to cry but being unable to. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is a complete killer move!! I can only say, Kuroko, just put on your hat obediently. You can't win against Touma. The power of these words is simply irresistible to Mikoto.”

“Good grief, so Touma is this handsome when he's serious? But how long is Misaka Mikoto going to keep up this act?”

~Detective Conan World~

“Didn't you call the police before?! Call the police!”

Kogoro Mouri was a bit confused about the meaning of the police before.

Since they existed, they must have a purpose, right?

Call the police...

Conan looked at Uncle Mouri with dead fish eyes, as if asking if he was kidding.

In this Academy City where superpowers coexist, the police are actually not very useful. They are ineffective against nearly 80% of espers, or rather, they are only used to manage the remaining 20% of ordinary people.

Moreover, it's not even certain if the police have any connection to this experiment! However, the only certainty is that the experimental institution is definitely inextricably linked with higher-ups.

At this time, rather than relying on ordinary police, it would be more effective to handle it themselves.

。。。。。

【 Mikoto still told Kamijou Touma some things about the Sisters.

“She calmly referred to herself as an experimental animal, and they all understood what an experimental animal meant. Knowing this, they still called themselves that.”

“I am the culprit who caused this situation, so I must save them.”

Kamijou Touma looked at Misaka Mikoto, who was walking towards him.

“Where do you want to go?”

Misaka Mikoto didn't say it explicitly. With a lowered face, she continued to walk forward, “The experiment will also be conducted tonight. I want to get ahead and settle things with Accelerator in my own way.”

“Do you have a chance of winning?” Kamijou Touma reached out to stop her, clutching the papers in his hand, “This Tree Diagram Designer's deduction says you will die on the 185th move.”

He knew that with her personality, she would definitely get angry and discharge electricity when faced with such a situation.

She must be unable to do what she wants because the power gap with Accelerator is too large.

“You're right, no matter how hard I try, I can't defeat him.”

Misaka Mikoto didn't deny it and said her plan with dark eyes, “But what if I don't have enough value?!”

“For example, what if I lose in the first move, and the prediction of dying on the 185th move is wrong? If the researchers see this and start to doubt the plan, and recalculate the simulation?!”

Speaking of which, Misaka Mikoto smiled with an expression of extreme fatigue, “Even someone like me still has some use, right?”

Kamijou Touma's scalp tingled when he heard this so-called plan. He slowly took a deep breath, “You... want to die?! Do you think your death will stop the experiment?!”

“If they recalculate, won't your death be in vain?...”

Misaka Mikoto had already guessed this possibility, “No. The 'Designer of the Tree Diagram' was destroyed about three weeks ago, so it cannot be recalculated.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“This is a plan to seek death, but will such intentional behavior really interrupt the researchers' deductions?”

“The prediction of 185 moves was probably made even when Misaka Mikoto was fully dodging, after all, all abilities are designed to counter Misaka Mikoto.”

But it's quite a coincidence, the 'Designer of the Tree Diagram' was destroyed three weeks ago by a single strike from the Dragon King released by that white nun, which sliced through the atmosphere and severed an artificial satellite. In the end, Kamijou Touma also played a part in it.

~Sword Art Online World~

“How naive, Misaka Mikoto. This is simply not wanting to live anymore. Changing the plan is impossible.”

Kayaba Akihiko, as a researcher, considered her idea extremely foolish.

The experiment, which was already more than halfway complete, would not be terminated due to a sudden accident. After all, those Sisters were just props that cost 180,000 yen to them.

Continuing the experiment to the end would not incur much loss, and they wouldn't care at all.

“Even if I sacrifice everything to perform this play, it might not work.”

Kirito knew this was because Misaka Mikoto was at her wits' end.

As long as the researchers realized that Mikoto was 'acting', all their efforts would be in vain. Another ridiculously laughable outcome was that even though the researchers thought the predicted data was wrong, they decided to continue the experiment.

Even so, Misaka Mikoto still chose to do this, as she had no other choice.

She was just praying that the experiment would truly be terminated by her death.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Although it's an act of sacrificing one's life to protect others, she can't even defeat the enemy honorably like a hero.”

Merlin knew this was the last thing this girl, who always pretended to be strong, could do.

That was to offer her own life, making people believe that a correct answer was wrong... It was like a known future suddenly having a variable, forcing them to doubt themselves.

“But...”

This wouldn't work. Just like how destroying countless experimental institutions before was useless, because the experiments would be taken over by other research institutions.

If the fundamental problem is not solved, then everything done to stop them is just a meaningless act.

“Instead of going to die herself, it would be better to bring Kamijou Touma... His abilities might be the key variable to change the future.”

。。。。。

Chapter 231: Even So... I Still Won't Fight.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “No!” Touma Kamijo gritted his teeth and blocked the way. He couldn't accept this method.

“If you were going to fight Accelerator, fine, but you're aiming to die from the start. I can't let you pass.”

Misaka Mikoto's expression and hearing her words, how could he possibly move aside?!

“Zzzzt...”

Mikoto's face instantly turned grim, arcs of electricity flashing through her bangs, instantly destroying the paper in his hand.

“What else can I do? Do you have another way? Don't talk big if you can't do anything. It's just nauseating.”

Touma Kamijo clenched his right fist. He didn't know the cause and effect of Mikoto being dragged into this. But to have a kind-hearted girl covered in injuries, to be killed alone in a place no one knows, all for the sake of peace that could be created from it.

Touma Kamijo didn't want to see it at all.

“Even so, I still won't let you pass.”

“Do you know what you're saying?!” Mikoto instantly flew into a rage, the surrounding electrical sparks becoming denser.

“You don't think it's okay for clones to die, do you?! If you dare to stop me, I'll shoot you right here!”

“If you don't want to die, get out of my way quickly.”

The surrounding air began to feel tense, but Touma Kamijo still silently shook his head. He would never yield to this dead end.

“I haven't won against you yet, and I don't even know what your abilities are. But I can't lose this time.”

The electrical sparks scattering from Mikoto's body formed an arc, shattering the streetlamp beside them.

“So you should go all out too, otherwise... you'll really die!”

The distance between the two was only a few meters. For Touma Kamijo, this was not a distance that could be covered in one step, but for Misaka Mikoto's Railgun, it was instantaneous.

Thinking that the girl before him could no longer hear anything, Touma Kamijo raised his hands in front of him, assuming a posture of surrender.

He had no intention of fighting her.

While stalling for time, he desperately thought of a countermeasure. Without any memories, he didn't know if Misaka Mikoto was one of the participants in the experiment... 】

【 。。。。。】

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Sigh... That's why I said he's very similar to you, Emiya-kun.”

Rin Tohsaka sighed helplessly, seeing Touma Kamijo still blocking the way with his arms open.

Both of them are the type to easily neglect their own safety and happiness in order to protect something.

It's great that Mikoto met Touma... He truly saved someone in despair.

“Misaka Mikoto is truly desperate here. Facing the number one whom she could never defeat, her only option was to sacrifice herself to end this tragedy.”

Moreover, what Mikoto truly worried about was that even sacrificing herself might not stop this experiment. If she failed to stop it, no one else would.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of helping others, but her dream was exploited by the darkness of Academy City, leading to the deaths of twenty thousand people.”

If such a thing happened in my world, curses might be born from it.

Satoru Gojo was already accustomed to the darkness among the higher-ups.

He had a group of old oranges behind him, but due to his strength, they could only make small moves.

However, Accelerator's abilities are truly unsolvable, and Misaka Mikoto's mindset is also a bit problematic.

If her death proved the institute's calculations wrong, would the clones still be kept after she died?! The institute would most likely destroy such shameful things hidden in the dark.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Is her method really going to work?”

Magical Ruby suddenly asked.

Instantly, Illya and the others present fell silent. In fact, they also understood that going to die was only a possibility to stop the experiment... No one could guarantee it.

“The problem isn't whether this method can solve the problem, but that she has no other choice. She's actually already overwhelmed by guilt and is simply giving up on herself.”

Miyu quietly watched the two confronting each other. Touma Kamijo, due to his lack of memories, had only met Misaka Mikoto yesterday, and didn't even know if she was a participant...

“Blocking the way like this, he'd rather get hurt himself than punch the scarred girl in front of her.”

。。。。。

【 “I won't fight you.” Touma Kamijo said, blocking the way of Misaka Mikoto, who was radiating electricity all over her body.

“I won't fight.”

Misaka Mikoto became increasingly impatient.

“Even if you don't resist at all, as long as you block my way, I'll shoot you!”

Misaka Mikoto, like this, Touma Kamijo maintained his posture, gambling his life on the fact that she was a good person.

“Even so... I still won't fight.”

“I told you to fight!!”

“Rumble—” The electricity generated from her bangs instantly converged into a blue-white light spear, which zipped past Touma Kamijo's face and hit the steel bridge beside him!

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth, her voice becoming hoarse.

“What a joke? If you want to fight, clench your fist. If you don't want to fight, don't block the way. Don't trample on other people's ideas with such a half-hearted attitude.”

“I said... fight me!!” Seeing Touma Kamijo still unmoving, accompanied by a fierce roar, arcs of electricity exploded from Mikoto's bangs again.

A surge of electricity rushed towards Touma Kamijo, but Touma Kamijo still didn't clench his right fist. Then, Touma Kamijo was hit as if by a cannonball, the immense power sending him tumbling across the ground.

“No way...”

Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at Touma Kamijo, who had collapsed on the bridge.

“This isn't like that feeling of being erased before. It's the feeling of hitting and breaking his body.”

Although she didn't know what abilities Touma Kamijo possessed, she had never managed to hit him in any of their past fights. Unconsciously, in her eyes, Touma Kamijo was someone who could easily handle any attack.

So Mikoto's attacks became more and more intense, but she knew very well the consequences of a human body being directly hit by such high-voltage current.

Frightened, Mikoto gritted her teeth and couldn't help but want to step forward to check on him.

Touma Kamijo, who was supposed to be unable to stand up again, was now her fault...

Just as she was about to step forward, Touma Kamijo, who was supposed to be unable to stand up again... moved! Gritting his teeth hard, he struggled to stand up with all his might.

“Now you understand, right? I'm really going to...”

Mikoto pretended to have intended to kill him all along and secretly pressed her right hand.

After standing up, Touma Kamijo continued to maintain his posture. Even after suffering such a fierce electrical attack, Touma Kamijo still didn't clench his fist. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Misaka Mikoto right now is like a hedgehog with thorns. If anyone gets too close, they'll only get pricked.”

“In my opinion, all of Misaka Mikoto's attacks are cries of pain!...”

“This is a real man! According to Misaka Mikoto, that lightning strike actually pierced through Touma Kamijo. But who would have thought that someone could withstand such high voltage with their bare body and still struggle to stand up on their own without external help.”

Being able to launch lightning means the voltage is terrifyingly high, but conversely, the current seems terrifyingly low.

He's fine even now. Otherwise, for an ordinary person, Touma Kamijo would have already turned into charcoal.

~Pokémon World~

“For some reason, this scene feels a little familiar.”

Jessie, James, and Meowth silently held their foreheads. Isn't this the Thunderbolt they experience every day?

“Compared to that electrocuting girl, she really doesn't seem much different from Pikachu, meow!”

Meowth continued to tinker with the hot air balloon, preparing for the next Pikachu capture plan.

James paused the hand holding the hammer, also unsure.

“It seems so!”

“Sigh...”

Speaking of Pikachu, they all sighed in unison. Suddenly, they felt a sense of empathy. How to describe this current?! It feels so annoying!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“There's such a big bridge, can't you just go around? Why do you have to hit people?”

Misaki Shokuhou was startled by the lightning strike. She only relaxed when she saw Touma Kamijo stand up again as if nothing had happened.

This Misaka Mikoto really doesn't get along with me. Touma kindly didn't want to see her die, but she struck him so hard. Just you wait... I'll remember this debt.

Misaki Shokuhou was truly angered this time. The attack just now was no joke, and it could have easily killed someone.

。。。。。

【 Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at Touma Kamijo, who still hadn't clenched his fist after suffering such a fierce electrical attack, and asked,

“Why...”

“I told you, I won't fight you.”

Touma Kamijo still said that sentence slowly.

“Why... you know that this crazy experiment is wrong, right? I'm going to stop the experiment! Why are you obstructing me?” Mikoto's voice gradually became tearful.

“I... don't know...” Touma Kamijo gritted his teeth and said, “I don't know the reason why I don't want to fight! I don't know if there's any other better way.”

“But I just don't want to. I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't know what I'm saying, but I can't control it. I just don't want to punch you!”

Hearing Touma Kamijo's roar, as if spitting blood, Mikoto bit her lip, as if just saying “save me” would create a miracle for her.

But, because of her own actions, more than 10,000 sisters have already been killed.

“Now I'm not even qualified to hear someone say such things.”

Misaka Mikoto continued with trembling lips, “Assuming there really is a happy world where everyone laughs. There would be no place for me there.”

What Mikoto didn't expect was that Touma Kamijo actually wanted to save her... Mikoto probably thought she no longer deserved to be saved.

“A happy world where everyone laughs! How can such a world exist?”

The people from other worlds also vaguely guessed their thoughts. Touma Kamijo didn't want Misaka Mikoto to sacrifice herself for a possibility.

And Mikoto couldn't let Touma Kamijo go to his death. Having witnessed the terror of Accelerator, the number one among LV 5s, what she wanted now was to dissuade Touma Kamijo from getting involved. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

(Author-san: There really exists a world where everyone is happy, but only Touma Kamijo is missing. Touma Kamijo and Shirou Emiya can be considered old good guys in anime.)

Chapter 232: Accelerator, come here and knock me down!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “Do you think the surviving Sisters will thank you for doing this?” Kamijou Touma's words made Misaka Mikoto pause, as she had never truly considered the Sisters' thoughts.

Kamijou Touma seized the opportunity to continue, “You've realized it too, haven't you? This method can't save anyone.”

“Crack—” Mikoto's body crackled with electricity, and the light bulbs on both sides of the bridge shattered into dust due to the terrifying high-voltage current.

“You're too noisy... even them.”

Images of the Misaka Sisters flashed through Mikoto's mind.

“If I die, I can finally be a little relieved. I can only die now.”

“Saving ten thousand people with one life, isn't that a good thing?”

Up to this point, Misaka Mikoto still believed that if she died, the Sisters would also find release.

“Let me do this,” Mikoto's lips trembled as she pleaded with Kamijou Touma, her voice choked with tears, “So hurry up and get out of the way.”

Even so, what reached Mikoto's ears was still Kamijou Touma's utterly ordinary words, yet they sounded so incredibly loud to her: “I won't~~ let you.”

No matter how many insults she endured, no matter how many one-sided attacks she suffered, Kamijou Touma's resolve remained unchanged. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Trading one person life for ten thousand... My goodness, you've really learned the essence of Archer, have you been possessed by a 'hero of justice'?”

“I feel inexplicably sorry for those electricians. The streetlights are innocent casualties, preparing for some grueling overtime.”

Trading the lives of a few for the lives of many, someone who calls themselves a 'hero of justice' has already tried that approach for you, so you shouldn't get involved.

However, Kamijou Touma's personality is truly astonishingly good... Don't forget that Kamijou Touma is currently suffering from amnesia.

He's only known this girl for less than two days, yet now he's desperately trying to stop her from sacrificing herself.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“Trading the few for the many... Heh, that's truly a difficult choice.”

Red A knew that if he had to choose, he would definitely choose to save the majority of lives; after all, he himself was such a twisted existence.

“If it were Kiritsugu, perhaps he could have done it without any psychological burden.”

Emiya Shirou also sighed with emotion. Having seen many videos, he was no longer as naive as before.

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto felt like she was on the verge of going mad. She had exhausted all options for her plan to save the Misaka Sisters, and at the same time, she didn't want Kamijou Touma to get entangled in this abnormal world made of blood and mud.

“So she wants Kamijou to be completely disappointed in her, so he won't follow her and get involved in the danger of death caused by this experiment?!”

Tohsaka Rin felt inexplicably heartbroken seeing Misaka Mikoto's feigned demeanor. It reminded her of Sakura, who also wanted Emiya Shirou to give up on her.

。。。。。

【 Looking at Kamijou Touma, who stubbornly blocked her path, Misaka Mikoto knew that putting on a brave front was useless against this boy.

If she didn't unleash a truly powerful attack with an uncertain outcome, she wouldn't be able to make this boy give up his persistence. As long as he realized she wasn't bluffing, he would likely be forced to fight back.

“Crackling!!!” The sound of sparks of electricity overflowing from Mikoto's body became heavy and sharp. Then, biting her lip tightly, she launched her attack.

A sphere of light formed by electricity enveloped the bridge in the middle, spreading outwards. The piercing sound of thunder continuously echoed.

This was not a weak electric shock, but a high-voltage discharge that was not a bluff.

The real lightning strike was fired, the dazzling light illuminated the river surface, and the air was distorted by the high-voltage current until the light disappeared.

Until the very end, the boy still hadn't clenched his right fist. He lay motionless on the ground. The heat generated by the electricity caused light smoke to rise from his body, and he suffered minor burns in various places, but he did not writhe in pain on the ground due to these burns.

“Haa...” Misaka Mikoto covered her face with her hand, gasping for breath.

The steel bridge was emitting white smoke and still flickering with electricity.

It was all over. Mikoto realized that Kamijou Touma would stand up soon.

Under the impact of this high-voltage current, his heart should have stopped beating.

“Meow~” A sudden cat's meow made Misaka Mikoto raise her head in surprise, looking at the cat in Kamijou Touma's arms.

Looking at the cat, she realized that her actions towards Kamijou Touma were no different from attacking a completely trusting kitten with lightning. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The power of Misaka Mikoto's full-power attack made those outside the video silently swallow. So it wasn't that Misaka Mikoto was weak, but that Accelerator was truly outrageously strong.

“I suddenly have a question: was this bridge not in use?! Even though it's nighttime, there shouldn't be a single car, right?”

Everyone exclaimed, “Good heavens!” This was the second time they had seen them fight on this bridge, but both times they hadn't seen any people or cars. It was as if you had booked the entire place!

“Is he really done for this time? You know, Kamijou Touma just now had no defense at all! He just took it head-on.”

People from other worlds rubbed their eyes, trying to find any sign of Kamijou Touma being alive. But looking at Kamijou, who was burned but still didn't writhe or cry out in pain, a thought suddenly occurred to them.

It's over, could he have completely kicked the bucket...

~Detective Conan World~

“Wait!! This is completely unscientific. How is the cat still alive under such a terrifying high-voltage current?”

Dr. Agasa's glasses almost fell off, and he kept exclaiming that it was unscientific.

Although Kamijou Touma took the brunt of it, this was Misaka Mikoto's all-out attack. Within that range, the kitten should have also been within the attack range.

Moreover, the human body is a conductor. Even if he hugged the cat, the current should have transferred to the cat's body, so why is it so unscientific?! Isn't this Academy City, which is known for its advanced technology?

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Onee-sama really went all out.”

Shirai Kuroko's usual teasing demeanor faltered, replaced by genuine concern. That baka-monkey—to think he'd go to such lengths for an Onee-sama he'd barely known for 48 hours. Was this reckless devotion... or something deeper?

Could it be that Onee-sama accidentally killed this Kamijou-san... After all, he was only trying to stop Onee-sama with good intentions.

Kamijou Touma has now earned Shirai Kuroko's respect, and her address for him has successfully evolved from “monkey” to “human.”

But speaking of which, this bridge is really sturdy. It's still intact after enduring such a fierce lightning strike from Onee-sama.

“It's all my fault...”

While Kuroko was lost in her thoughts, Misaka Mikoto, beside her, had already started to shut down. Even though she had a strong and cheerful personality, she couldn't accept the fact that she had killed Kamijou Touma.

“He should... be alright, right?!”

Misaki Shokuhou covered her eyes with her hands at this moment, peeking at the screen through her fingers.

No matter how worried she was at this moment, it was useless. She could only silently pray for Kamijou Touma's safety.

。。。。。

【 When Kamijou Touma opened his eyes in a daze, he found himself lying on Misaka Mikoto's lap.

Misaka Mikoto seemed to have used up all her strength, and even her voice had become weak: “You really are an idiot, aren't you? This has nothing to do with you. You could have just pretended not to know and returned to your normal daily life.”

Kamijou Touma tried to struggle to get up, but due to the pain and numbness in his body, he fell back weakly onto Misaka Mikoto's lap.

“Why did you have to get yourself so badly injured? Perhaps your heart even stopped for a moment. Why can you still smile like this?”

The choked voice made Kamijou Touma look at Mikoto. At this moment, Mikoto's feigned mask was torn apart, and tears continuously flowed from her eyes, dripping onto Kamijou Touma's face.

Seeing the crying Misaka Mikoto, Kamijou Touma smiled with some relief,

“Because I'm glad I can stand on your side.”

“So don't cry.”

Kamijou Touma lay on Misaka Mikoto's lap, placing his hand on Mikoto's head and gently comforting her. On this dark steel bridge, Misaka Mikoto's crying could be heard.

“I know how to stop the experiment! The premise of the experiment's deduction is that Accelerator is the strongest... If it can be proven that he is actually very weak, for example, losing to Academy City's weakest LV 0.”

“This premise will be overturned.” Kamijou Touma silently channeled strength into his legs, moving his body, which was about to collapse, and slowly stood up.

“I'll fight him!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“To be able to stand up after suffering such severe injuries and declare a challenge to the strongest, damn it!! Seeing this scene makes me feel fired up!”

“Is he really going to challenge the strongest in Academy City in this state, with such low HP?! This is too much of a stretch.”

Everyone looked at Kamijou Touma, who could barely stand, with admiration.

The plan to stop the experiment based on the theory that 'the experiment is based on the first-ranked strongest' was, in essence, Kamijou's wishful thinking.

Just like how 'Misaka's crushing defeat' just now made the researchers doubt the experiment, it lacked direct logic. It was just an excuse to gamble with Misaka's life, and now it had become a gamble with his own life.

It could be said that he was performing the deeds of a saint with the body of an ordinary person. Who else could do this much for a stranger they had known for less than two days?

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This is Onee-sama's lap pillow!”

Shirai Kuroko saw this scene, filled with envy... but more so with relief.

It made Kuroko, who was afraid of Misaka Mikoto going to extremes, breathe a sigh of relief that the Onee-sama who had been pretending to be strong finally dropped her pretense and let it all out.

Unbeknownst to her, someone else on the other side was biting their handkerchief almost to shreds. Misaki Shokuhou was on the verge of tears, mumbling something about “I was here first...” like words from a yandere.

It must be said that Kamijou Touma's seemingly unremarkable declaration directly ignited the entire Academy City, and discussions were happening everywhere.

In a certain alley, Accelerator also revealed a ferocious smile,

“You dare to challenge me? Come at me if you can, you scum!!”

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: That bridge really seems like no one walks on it, not even cars....

Chapter 233: Stay away from Misaka-imouto's trash!

Chapter Text

Kamijou Touma struggled to stand, assessing his physical condition. Although the lightning strike released by Misaka Mikoto seemed terrifyingly high in voltage, the actual current was quite low.

For example, tasers sold on the market can reach voltages of 200,000 or even 300,000 volts, but they don't kill. Meanwhile, a household 100V outlet can be lethal.

In other words, the key isn't voltage, but current. So-called “electric power” is “voltage x current.” As long as the current is low, it won't be fatal.

In the end, you couldn't bring yourself to kill the person who shattered your last dream, right? Isn't such a person a good person?” Touma made up his mind.

Although Kamijou Touma had no memory, he recognized the girl before him as a good person, which is why he said,

“I'll fight!”

Looking at Kamijou Touma, who struggled even to stand, Mikoto's expression was one of disbelief, her voice trembling.

“Impossible. He's on completely different levels compared to me. He's a monster who faces the world's armies without flinching.”

“This time, you're really will..."

At this point, Misaka Mikoto's mind flashed back to childhood memories.

⟦ My mother, who solves any problem for me, isn't here. ⟧

“I'm begging you.... I can't add someone else to the list of 10,000 people who have died because of me.”

Misaka Mikoto pleaded with Kamijou Touma in a voice close to tears. He was already covered in wounds. How could he possibly win against that monster in his current condition?

⟦ Even if I pray to God, miracles won't happen. Even if I cry out, no hero will come to help me. ⟧

“I need to finish this myself. So...”

Reasons for doing this?! Kamijou Touma didn't know either. He didn't even know how strong Accelerator was, nor what he could do in his current state.

But... the power of Imagine Breaker lay dormant in his right hand, and there was a reason to clench his right fist over his chest. Not relying on others, not expecting from others.

If he could save a desperate girl with this hand, how wonderful that would be. So Touma spoke, “Tell me, Misaka! Where will that guy conduct his next 'experiment'?”

“My dream is to not lose anything, to bring everyone back with a smile, so help me achieve this dream.”

“Just you wait, I'll definitely bring the Sisters back. I promise you.” With that, he started running, checking his phone. It was 8:14 AM, still time before 8:30 AM.

Misaka Mikoto knelt on the ground, staring blankly at Kamijou Touma's retreating figure, watching this hero who had abandoned everything, who had come from a fairy tale to save her. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“No wonder he's fine. Even though she intended to kill him, Misaka Mikoto subconsciously held back. And he himself doesn't even know it.”

“The attack just now did look terrifying. While not fatal, he's seriously injured, isn't he? Is he really going to fight Accelerator like this?”

“A hero who will come to save me if I cry out—Kamijou Touma! If this continues, it'll be hard for him not to marry her.”

Kamijou Touma, a man who, no matter how much he was hurt, refused to see anyone suffer or get injured... a man willing to extend a helping hand to anyone, isn't he worthy of admiration?

Although there hadn't been any fights yet, everyone was filled with emotion and passion... especially when Mikoto was thinking, “Even if I cry out, no hero will come to save me,” Kamijou Touma's figure directly denied that statement.

~Delicious in Dungeon World~

“So cool!”

Marcille stared blankly at Kamijou Touma's retreating figure. To girls, he looked incredibly dashing.

Before, he wouldn't have been able to throw a punch at Mikoto... but now, Kamijou Touma had a reason to clench his fist. Even someone Mikoto considered a monster, he didn't fear at all.

Though weak, to Misaka Mikoto, he was a true hero! A hero who would come to save her if she cried out.

“Are you sure you don't want to cast some healing magic before he goes? It might increase his chances a bit,”

Laios suddenly interrupted Marcille's reverie. Although time was short, he couldn't save all the Sisters.

“If Kamijou Touma goes to fight the strongest, Accelerator, while injured and dies, everything will be over. No one will be left to save the remaining Sisters.”

“...”

Everyone present fell silent. Although Laios's words seemed inhumane, they had to admit he was speaking the truth.

Given Kamijou Touma's condition, resting first would be the optimal choice.

~Bleach World~

“How wonderful! His dream is to not lose anything, to bring everyone back with a smile.”

Inoue Orihime's eyes sparkled as if she had seen something beautiful, then she sneakily glanced at Kurosaki Ichigo.

Kamijou Touma is truly gentle. Even she found him handsome. This is a story of salvation for a girl he's only known for two days.

Kurosaki Ichigo also nodded silently. Kamijou Touma was an ordinary yet extraordinary person. He didn't have unrealistic dreams like Emiya Shirou, nor grand ambitions of saving the world.

Kamijou Touma simply focused on what he could see and then worked to achieve it. In this video, he felt Misaka Mikoto's despair and Kamijou Touma's determination.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“He cannot stand by and watch a life before him perish. He wields his fist to save more people, not out of gentleness, nor because he isn't afraid; his legs tremble incessantly.”

But... for some reason, King Gilgamesh felt an extraordinary spirit. He was the weakest Level 0, yet he could punch towards the strongest LV5 for others.

Thinking this, King Gilgamesh suddenly burst into laughter.

“Wahaha!!! Interesting... Show this king your spirit!”

This sudden, wild laughter startled everyone. Such outbursts occasionally made their hearts race.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Is he really planning to go to his death?!”

Misaka Mikoto was moved, but at this moment, she was rational. Kamijou Touma doing this now would be a futile sacrifice...

“Tsk... It looks like I have to stop him...”

Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth. She didn't know if Kamijou Touma, who now knew about the experiments, would go to Accelerator alone, as he was an idiot.

Even so, her flushed cheeks betrayed her completely. Shirai Kuroko, standing beside her, looked utterly defeated.

While they were lost in thought, Misaki Shokuhou had already used her ability to control others to investigate Kamijou Touma's movements. Perhaps she could help him in some way.

。。。。。

“Ow...” Kamijou Touma, who was running down the street, suddenly fell. After struggling to get up, he muttered, “Damn it, I'm wasting time with this tight schedule.”

He forced himself to stand, but his legs wouldn't stop shaking. “Is it numbness from the electric shock? Or... or am I afraid?!”

He recalled the bloody scenes he had seen earlier, unsure if it was fear. He reached out and punched his legs, “Thwack!! Thwack!”

“I just made a promise. This is too embarrassing!”

As he continued running towards his destination, Accelerator and the Misaka Sisters had already begun the experiment.

“Boom!!” With a loud explosion, the Misaka Sister was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. Accelerator emerged from the shadows, bored.

“Last time I revealed my own secrets during the experiment, you guys should have made some progress.”

As the Misaka Sisters fearfully closed her eyes, bracing for her end, she suddenly heard Accelerator ask, "Hey... what are we supposed to do with the experiment in this situation?"

The Misaka Sisters crawled on the rubble, following Accelerator's gaze to see what was ahead. “Why... are you here...”

Near the periphery of the car park—in the gaps between towering metal containers- stood a person. A normal civilian, unrelated to the experiment. Kamijou Touma stood there.

Accelerator stepped on the Misaka Sisters' head. “Don't bring irrelevant ordinary people here. Is this the standard plot where a secret is seen and then everyone involved is eliminated?”

“Stay away from her!” Kamijou Touma slowly walked over, his heart filled with rage, his face darkening. He clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on Accelerator.

“Get away from the Misaka Sister... immediately! Didn't you hear me?! Trash!!”

His roar, like a lightning strike, made Accelerator stare blankly at Touma's face, as if seeing something unbelievable.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“It's normal to be afraid. As an ordinary student, after seeing such bloody scenes, it would be abnormal not to be afraid.”

“I have to say, Kamijou Touma is really cool at this moment. That final 'trash' really hit the mark for me.”

The viewers from other worlds did not have high hopes for this battle. Setting aside abilities, Touma's legs were already weak from Mikoto's electricity, and he had run all the way here from the iron bridge, his stamina almost completely depleted... Even before the fight began, he was significantly weakened.

Is this truly an equal battle?! Or a one-sided massacre?.

Chapter 234: Opening a hospital in Academy City would be very profitable

Chapter Text

【 “What did you just say?! Did you tell me to scram? Who do you think you are?!” Accelerator frowned displeasedly as he looked at the high school student who had suddenly appeared.

“I am known as the best among the Level 5s. Do you think you're a god?!”

Accelerator's deep, calm voice was filled with killing intent. This was the first time someone had called him trash.

Even so, Touma Kamijou still glared at Accelerator, his thunderous roar echoing again, “Stop spouting nonsense, didn't you hear me tell you to scram?!”

Knowing his identity and still daring to speak to him like that, Accelerator was momentarily stunned. His expression then turned grim, “You're interesting. You want me to scram, huh?! Then you'd better be prepared to take it.”

Without him moving, the Misaka Sister at his feet was directly sent flying. Touma Kamijou, seeing this, rushed forward and caught the Misaka Sisters, using his own body as a cushion.

“Ugh... that was close.” The pain in his back made Touma Kamijou cry out involuntarily. He looked at the blood of the Misaka Sisters in his hand.

“What... are you... doing?! Misaka questions,” the Misaka Sister said with a trembling voice.

“Your actions are difficult to understand. As long as you prepare the necessary equipment and medication, pressing a button will automatically create a Misaka.”

“A manufactured body, a borrowed heart...”

“It doesn't matter!”

Touma Kamijou interrupted her. He gently placed the Misaka Sister on the ground.

“A manufactured body, a borrowed heart. Such trivial matters are not important at all. I am standing here to save the one and only you in the entire world.”

Touma Kamijou slowly walked towards Accelerator, “I still have a lot to complain to you about. So don't you dare die on me?”

(What... is this feeling...) The Misaka Sisters felt her heartache. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't understand the reason for this pain.

However, for some reason, Touma Kamijou's mournful roar shook the Misaka Sisters' heart. Even though she was such a cheap item, someone was shouting that they didn't want to lose her.

That boy probably didn't have much strength, but the Misaka Sisters thought the boy was “strong.” His way of living was “stronger” than anyone else's.

“At first, Accelerator thought Touma Kamijou was just a high school student who had stumbled into the experiment. He never expected that after revealing his name, the other party would still have the courage to call him trash. No wonder even he was extremely surprised.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“To save the one and only you in the entire world... well said. Even clones exist differently, they are also unique existences in the world.”

This is emotion, Misaka sisters...

Everyone from other worlds answered for the Misaka Sisters. This is the emotion unique to life, and it precisely proves that you are not just an experimental tool, but a living being.

~Sword Art Online World~

“To think that the Misaka Sisters have no emotions is itself an arrogance.”

Kayaba Akihiko knew he was also a bad person, but he wouldn't be vague about these studies.

“The Misaka Sisters don't lack emotions; it's their abnormal experiences that make them unable to express their emotions. They were forcibly instilled with the cognition that they are experimental animals by the learning device.”

Kayaba Akihiko flipped through the records left by his observation videos. In reality, they also had things they were interested in.

The obsession of 10032 with cats, and 9982 wanting to grab the badge Mikoto gave him before dying... They had already shown enough. If this still denied them as human, then he had nothing more to say.

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

“Geez, the scientists in that world are truly terrifying,”

Saiki K. said expressionlessly. He didn't understand why scientists were so fixated on LV 6?!

After all, it was just a superpower. Moreover, LV 6 wasn't a necessity. It was just a further enhancement of superpower strength. What was the point of reaching it?

This also dispelled his idea of attending school in Academy City. That world was too dark. If they knew he had multiple abilities, given the nature of those scientists, wouldn't he be sliced up in minutes?

And if, according to their theory, he had removed the limiter on his head and let his abilities grow freely, he would have reached Level 6 long ago. After all, he had too many superpowers, so he couldn't be sure.

。。。。。

【 “What the hell?!” Accelerator stood still, not even clenching his fist. He just grinned, then lightly stomped on the gravel under his feet.

“BOOM—!!”

The next moment, the gravel under his feet exploded as if it had hit a landmine, scattering in all directions, like a shotgun fired at close range.

“Oh!!” At such close range, Touma Kamijou couldn't dodge and could only protect his head with his hands. With a heavy thud, more than ten pieces of gravel, large and small, hit Touma Kamijou's body.

Then, Touma was thrown backward by the immense force of the gravel and rolled several times on the ground. Just a light stomp on the ground made Touma Kamijou almost lose consciousness from the pain.

“So slow, not enough at all.” Saying this with his hands in his pockets, Accelerator walked to a nearby rail and stomped his foot on the ground.

“BANG, BANG—” The steel nails were instantly pulled out. A steel girder that was originally lying at his feet stood upright like a spring.

“At your speed, it would take 100 years to catch up to me.”

Accelerator then gently tapped the upright rail. The steel girder bent into a “” shape and shot towards Touma in a straight line like a cannonball.

Touma Kamijou frantically rolled and jumped on the ground, evading the position. Then, the bent steel bars, like holy swords, pierced the place where Touma had been lying.

“Ugh...” However, the instant the several hundred kilograms of steel bars hit the ground, they also kicked up a large amount of gravel. Numerous small stones hit Touma's entire body. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“In the end, it's still too much of a stretch. No... it can't even be described as a stretch anymore. The gap in strength between the two is completely worlds apart.”

“Vector manipulation is an outrageously powerful ability. Just a light stomp on the ground... all the stones are his bullets.”

It wasn't that they looked down on Touma Kamijou, but the gap in strength between them was too great. Although Touma Kamijou possessed the ability to nullify other abilities, he couldn't resist these physical attacks.

Moreover, he couldn't even get close to Accelerator. If this continued, he would only be worn down to death.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline~

“This guy is practically invincible! Mr. Jotaro, quickly use your invincible Stelle Platinum to think of a solution.”

Josuke Higashikata saw no hope of victory here.

Even if Accelerator stood still, Touma couldn't get to him. He didn't need to do anything, and Accelerator was right about one thing: “his speed was too slow.”

“There's still a chance... as long as he grabs Accelerator with his right hand.”

A certain invincible man suddenly spoke. Accelerator had been invincible for so long that he probably wouldn't care about Touma Kamijou getting close, just like a certain vampire who became careless.

Moreover, since Touma Kamijou could nullify abilities, if he grabbed Accelerator with his right hand, wouldn't the other party become an ordinary person?! Then, could anyone else attack Accelerator?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“This guy is outrageously strong.”

Everyone in Academy City silently dismissed the idea of challenging an LV 5. Their abilities were all monstrous.

If he just stood still, probably no one in Academy City would be Accelerator's match.

Only the LV 5s showed troubled expressions. Although they knew the strength of the number one, they didn't expect the gap in strength to be so large, even compared to them.

“Guts!!”

Only the seventh strongest in Academy City, Sogiita Gunha, made a punching gesture, cheering for Touma Kamijou. After all, he also disapproved of Accelerator's actions.

As for Misaka and Misaki, they watched with bated breath. Touma Kamijou, as the person involved, was also curious if he could stop Accelerator.

。。。。。

【 “Before he could even react, Accelerator aimed at the fallen Touma and smashed two, three more steel girders at him.”

“Touma hurriedly dodged, but the iron rails were inserted around Touma simultaneously. A large amount of gravel attacked him from all directions, making it impossible for him to defend.”

“Ugh... Gya... Ah... Ugh...” Intense pain struck, and his mouth was filled with the taste of blood. All the containers that were supported above also shook violently due to the vibration.

The next moment, they all collapsed. Even the neighboring containers were affected, and the entire mountain of containers collapsed like a pyramid built of playing cards.

“BOOM—...”

The flour inside the containers also fell to the ground. Touma Kamijou was in the collapsing ruins, coughing incessantly.

“What's going on...”

Accelerator finally realized something was wrong. He looked at Touma Kamijou, who was lying on the ground, and frowned slightly.

“Are you an esper with no abilities?! You were talking big earlier; I thought your abilities were strong. But you just charged forward like an idiot.”

It's so infuriating. Before, there were also idiots who didn't understand the situation and wanted the throne of the strongest to cause trouble. These guys, without exception, as long as you break one of their limbs, they'll understand how foolish they are.”

Showing expressions of regret and fear, but this guy...

Accelerator looked at Touma Kamijou, slowly getting up while leaning on a container, and was a bit confused.

“Tsk...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Now there might be a chance. If Accelerator thinks Touma Kamijou is an esper with no abilities, he probably won't care about Touma getting close.”

“No way, there are actually people who aren't afraid of death and dare to challenge Accelerator?! Did they just get online? They heard about his abilities and still went to challenge him.”

Everyone from other worlds suddenly realized a fact: “Opening a hospital in Academy City would be very profitable. With so many people losing their hands and feet, they should be able to make a fortune.

This Accelerator is truly different from Misaka Mikoto. Misaka Mikoto at least stopped when she was challenged... As for Accelerator? Sorry, leave me a hand or a foot as a challenge fee.

。。。。。

Chapter 235: Poor child, now he's been beaten to the point of doubting his life.

Chapter Text

【 “Don't you understand that you are the 'weakest'?! Since you want to die so badly, I'll turn you into an interesting decoration.” Accelerator, standing on top of the container, leaped lightly and landed on the ground.

He glanced at the cargo tilted out of the container and then sensed the airflow.

“It seems to be flour inside the container. There's no wind today, so this might be very dangerous.”

Kamijou Touma, who hadn't reacted yet, felt quite bewildered and could only stay put, observing his opponent's moves.

“Yo, trash! Do you know about dust explosions?” Accelerator stomped his foot lightly on the ground, and the huge container instantly rose into the air, floating.

Seeing this, Kamijou's heart leaped. He instantly understood Accelerator's intention. Turning his back on Accelerator, he just wanted to escape this vast space filled with powder.

“They say if there's powder in the air, just a little spark can make the oxygen burn much faster! It's like the entire space turning into a giant bomb!”

Kamijou wasn't listening anymore... He ran forward without looking back, just wanting to escape this area as soon as possible.

Run, run, keep running!

Before he could get far, the huge containers collided with each other under Accelerator's control, and the sparks generated by the collision instantly ignited the area filled with flour powder.

“BOOM—”

Accompanied by a piercing explosion sound, a dazzling fire shot up into the sky, like igniting gas vaporized in the air. The entire space erupted violently, flames and scorching winds scattering outward.

Although Kamijou Touma had just managed to escape the flour-filled area, the impact force from the explosion sent him tumbling onto the rubble. However, he was at least spared from being caught in the explosion.

However, the difference between a dust explosion and a regular bomb is that the fuel for a dust explosion is the oxygen in the air. The explosion instantly depletes the oxygen in the entire space, causing a rapid drop in air pressure.

“Gah... ah... Hah!”

The drastic change in air pressure still caused Kamijou Touma's internal organs to be severely squeezed, and he could only lie on the ground, gasping for air.

Due to the sea of flames, the entire parking lot became brightly lit.

Accelerator walked nonchalantly in the purgatory of crimson flames he had created.

“I thought I was going to die. Losing oxygen isn't good for me either. It seems the slogan 'unafraid of even nuclear bombs' should be retired.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap, how are we supposed to fight this?! When I first saw the flour, I thought it was Kamijou Touma's move against him, but I never expected it to be Accelerator's!”

“Not only is his ability monstrous, but he's also smart. Looking at Accelerator, I thought he was just a thug who wouldn't understand dust explosions, but I didn't expect him to be a scholar.”

This terrified everyone outside the video. They never expected Accelerator, who looked like a pampered young master, to understand these things.

They thought that given Accelerator's personality, he would be the type to be in the last row of the classroom, only participating in physical activities when absolutely necessary... in other words, a slacker.

~Detective Conan World~

Dust explosions were not unfamiliar to Conan; in fact, he was quite familiar with them. Combined with Accelerator's final statement... Conan rubbed his chin, his mind racing.

Suddenly, a flash of light shot through Conan's mind, and he revealed a confident smile,

“I got it~!”

“The fuel for dust explosions is the oxygen in the air. If a dust explosion occurs in a sealed space, the air pressure will rapidly decrease, creating a vacuum... This might be a way to defeat Accelerator!!”

Conan's statement did not receive the praise of the two scientists beside him; instead, it was met with two eye-rolls from Haibara Ai and Professor Agasa.

Haibara Ai glanced at the empty space on the screen and said indifferently,

“Do you think this is a sealed space?! Little genius.”

“Uh...”

Reminded by Haibara Ai, Conan's mind instantly cooled down. It seemed there was some logic to that.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

“An opponent like this is unimaginably strong, or rather, it's a miracle that Kamijou Touma is still alive.”

Rin Tohsaka looked at Accelerator, who had looked relaxed the entire time, with some shock.

It seemed that Accelerator hadn't even gotten serious so far. A mere stomp of his foot had almost knocked Kamijou Touma unconscious.

“My Mystic Eyes would be a very good means of dealing with him.”

Medea knew that physical attacks would be ineffective against such an opponent, so she could only attack from the mental aspect.

( Translator-kun: Nope, ur Mystic Eyes won't work on Accelerator because any harmful light to Accelerator will just automatically be reflected. )

“But Touma doesn't have that kind of ability. He only has the right hand that can nullify the opponent's abilities...”

Shirou Emiya was also worried for Kamijou Touma. If he couldn't get close, his right hand would be useless!

“What a magnificent explosion...”

Meanwhile, the residents of Fuyuki City felt a sense of déjà vu, or rather, empathy.

Those citizens really had the sleep of infants; they didn't react at all.

One could only say, How are the residents of Academy City doing?! I didn't expect you all to be so 'nuclear' peaceful.

For some reason, some people like to fight in secret.

Can't people get a good night's sleep anymore? It makes them sleep with one eye open now, afraid that they'll wake up to find their homes gone...

。。。。。

【 Accelerator's tone was as if he were chatting, appearing very relaxed. In this hell of flames, he could still maintain such a posture, which truly made Kamijou feel fear.

“...”

Seeing Accelerator slowly walking over, Kamijou quickly bent his body to brace for impact, assuming a fighting stance.

In the glare of the raging flames, Accelerator tilted his head slightly like a child, looking at Kamijou Touma: “So, what do you plan to do by taking that stance?!”

“Honestly, your ability being so poor is also a kind of luck. Because you're too weak, 'Reflection' can't exert its maximum effect.”

In the sea of flames, Accelerator began to clap his hands, seemingly appreciating Kamijou Touma's courage, and directly praised him: “You've done well enough to be still breathing in front of me, Accelerator. So... give me liberation!”

Then, he arrogantly spread his arms wide and provocatively spoke to Kamijou Touma: “Choose a hand you like to touch, and just by doing so, you'll die from blood or bio-current backflow.”

“Right hand?! Or left hand? Or both?!” With that, Accelerator shifted his foot, and a deep pit instantly appeared on the ground. He grinned and charged towards Kamijou Touma! 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap!! An opportunity presented on a silver platter, why refuse it? Do you even need to choose?! I'd definitely choose the right hand, there's a surprise with that hand!”

“This is the legendary villain who dies from talking too much, and the arrogant soldier who is bound to lose. He should have fought from a distance, but he insisted on close combat.”

“Blood backflow?! You're overthinking it. If you touch the right hand, you'll be silenced directly, turned into an ordinary person like him.”

“Damn it, Touma Kamijou, who you worked so hard to get close to before, couldn't even touch you. Now you're kindly delivering yourself. If you don't punch him hard, wouldn't that be a betrayal of your good intentions?”

“It has to be said that Kamijou Touma's ability is really suitable for surprise kills. Now everyone is looking forward to what kind of expression Accelerator will show when Kamijou Touma actually hits him.”

。。。。。

【 The distance between the two was originally tens of meters, but with Accelerator's light step, it was shortened to zero. Like skipping stones on water, he arrived in front of Kamijou in the blink of an eye.

“THUMP!!!”

Kamijou reflexively closed his eyes and swung his right fist forward with all his might. Since his vision was blocked, Kamijou didn't even know where his right fist would land.

With a dull thud, the expected reflection didn't happen. Accelerator took a punch straight to the face and was sent flying, landing on the rubble and struggling to roll.

“...?! ??!”

The first one to feel surprised wasn't Accelerator, who had taken the hit, but Kamijou Touma, who had thrown the punch.

Because he never expected to hit, and Kamijou believed that even if this weak, powerless punch landed, it would be insignificant.

The moon?!

But at this moment, Accelerator was briefly knocked unconscious. When he opened his eyes in a daze, he saw the moon in the sky.

Why am I seeing the moon?! Because I'm lying on the ground. Then why am I lying on the ground? That guy...

Accelerator was completely bewildered at this moment and began to question his life while lying on the ground.

No... I should be asking why he's standing there with all his limbs intact. What's going on? It hurts... I can actually feel pain?!

Accelerator reached out and wiped his face, then looked at the blood in his hand, still in disbelief.

I was sent flying?! Impossible!! Then his arm should have been broken. He shouldn't even be able to touch a single hair on me.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Poor child, now he's been beaten to the point of doubting his life. He must have been at the peak for so long that he never imagined anyone could touch him.”

“Hahaha, seeing him look so dejected and on the verge of being depressed is incredibly satisfying. I didn't expect Kamijou Touma to be completely unharmed after punching you. You must be completely stunned.”

“Awesome!! So awesome...”

This was the emotion that surged through people from other worlds when they saw Accelerator's bewildered and questioning look. It was just too satisfying.

It has to be said that Accelerator's ability is indeed invincible, but he seems a bit fragile!! He was punched by Kamijou Touma, causing his nose and eyes to bleed, and he was even briefly knocked unconscious.

And this was Kamijou Touma in a weakened state. If he were in good condition, wouldn't this punch have ended the fight?!

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

At this moment, everyone in Academy City showed expressions of disbelief. Did this LV 0 actually defeat the LV 5 Accelerator?! Were they dreaming?

“That guy! He actually did it.”

Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at the screen. She had used all her strength and couldn't even touch a strand of his hair, yet he was knocked unconscious with just one punch.

On the other side, Accelerator was also somewhat lost in thought.

He was actually bleeding?! How long had it been since he was hit and bled... or rather, how long had it been since someone had touched him?

“Kamijou Touma... I'll remember this name.”

Dealing with him is actually very easy. As long as I use long-range, wide-area attacks or break his right arm, then he can't do anything to me.

Fortunately, I didn't follow my usual habit of letting Kamijou Touma punch first. I'm well aware of my body's endurance.

。。。。。

Chapter 236: A Clear-Headed Big Shot Isn't Easy to Fight!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Just as Accelerator was lost in thought, Touma Kamijo had already walked up to him. Accelerator stumbled to his feet and immediately grinned menacingly, still not believing the fact that he had been sent flying.

“Was it that I focused my attention on my hands and subconsciously shut off my 'Reflection' all over my body?! I'm too spaced out. Damn it.”

(“Could it be…”)

“Damn it, that's great! Absolutely great. I haven't felt this happy in a long time, you bastard.” Accelerator, lying on the ground, laughed maniacally and then charged at Touma again, extending his right hand, which could kill with a single touch, and swung it directly at Touma's face.

(“This guy… could he possibly be…”)

Touma Kamijo was still affected by Mikoto's lightning strike, and even his legs couldn't move as he wished. However… he could easily dodge Accelerator's attack!

Touma Kamijo sidestepped and slightly turned his head, nullifying Accelerator's attack while clenching his right fist! Then, to counter more effectively, Touma moved even closer to Accelerator.

(“This guy—could he actually be weak?”)

“BANG!!”

Accompanied by the sound of breaking air, Touma Kamijo's fist landed heavily on Accelerator's face. The latter crashed heavily onto the ground, then slid through the gravel and was sent flying back.

This scene deeply shocked Misaka Mikoto, who had rushed over. She was leaning on the iron net with a look of disbelief: “No way… he's actually gaining the upper hand against Accelerator?! He has nothing to do with this. No one would blame him even if he ran away.”

“He's really… fulfilling that promise.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha… he'd rather doubt himself than believe the opponent's ability. Is it that hard to admit that the opponent can beat you?”

“Another punch. This time, not only will he doubt his life, but he'll also doubt the world. And this punch is truly fierce.”

Everyone watched Misaka Mikoto's arrival with a slight twitch of their lips.

You've come at the perfect time! And Touma Kamijo isn't gaining the upper hand against Accelerator…

Although these few punches felt satisfying, where were you when he was getting beaten up earlier? He had no power to fight back.

~Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline~

“Hahaha, he's truly reaped what he sowed. The so-called strongest Accelerator is actually considered weak by the 'weakest' Touma Kamijo.”

Even Satoru Gojo didn't expect the plot to unfold this way.

Accelerator's fierce attacks before had not made Touma Kamijo feel despair. Now, after successfully landing a blow, he felt from the bottom of his heart that the 'strongest' Accelerator was actually 'weak.'

“WEAK?!”

Yuji Itadori looked incredulous, as if asking not to be teased. Who would dare say Accelerator's abilities are weak?! Only those who are not afraid of death would try.

“You idiot! The teacher is talking about his psychological resilience,”

Megumi Fushiguro said, moving a few steps away from Yuji as if afraid of being infected by the idiot's stupidity.

It was clear that Accelerator had never lost before, and it would be difficult for him to accept the current situation. His psychological resilience was relatively weak, and he seemed to rely heavily on his abilities. His body also seemed relatively fragile. This could be considered a weakness.

。。。。。

【 Accelerator, who had stood up again, reached out his hands and continuously tried to touch Touma Kamijo, but he couldn't even touch Touma's skin: “Damn it!! Stop wriggling around like that.”

“BANG!!”

Another punch from Touma Kamijo greeted him. Accelerator's stance could only be described as chaotic. He couldn't even clench his fists, only flailing his fingers.

Touma Kamijo was not a skilled fighter. If he fought against delinquents, he would only win in a one-on-one situation. Fighting two at once would be quite dangerous, and fighting three would definitely require him to flee. It was only at this LV.

But even so, Accelerator couldn't touch Touma at all. After being hit in the face several times by Touma's agile right fist, Accelerator wildly swung his hands and shouted.

“DAMN IT!! What's wrong with your right hand?!”

Touma Kamijo didn't answer Accelerator's question and landed another straight punch to Accelerator's abdomen, causing him to involuntarily drool.

Accelerator's eyes widened at this moment. He stomped on the ground angrily, “Don't get cocky, trash!”

“BANG!!”

The kicked-up gravel hit Touma like bullets, knocking him down. However, just as he was about to hit the ground, his body twisted slightly.

It was a heavy blow, like swinging a golf club at a small ball. By twisting his waist, he infused his entire body's weight into this finishing blow.

In Accelerator's trembling pupils, Touma Kamijo's right fist drew closer and closer, until it landed heavily on his face. The unknown pain of his broken nose made Accelerator lose his concentration.

“Uwa…” Accelerator spat out a little blood from his mouth and was sent flying backward, tumoring repeatedly on the ground.

Touma Kamijo clenched his right fist: “How dare you be involved in such a ridiculous plan! The 'sisters' are also trying their best to live! They're all giving their all… desperately trying to live. Why should you treat them as food, you bastard!!”

At this moment, Accelerator's eyes were rolled back, blood flowing from his mouth, and he lay motionless on the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Although Accelerator's ability is strong, his athletic ability is too weak. And from the first punch he took, it seems he's already lost his mind.”

One is the strongest who has never lost since birth. The other is the weakest, who will never give up hope, even if they lose.

This resilience, forged through defeat, transformed into a right fist that struck Accelerator's face, causing the self-proclaimed strongest in Academy City's pride to begin to waver between perception and reality.

~Sword Art Online World~

“He actually did it!”

Kirito and Asuna were a little surprised. They didn't expect Touma Kamijo to actually defeat the 'strongest.'

“Accelerator has never lost. Conversely, this also means he has never truly fought. Because his ability is the strongest, he has never had the opportunity to use even the most ordinary athletic abilities.”

Touma Kamijo's right fist is a great equalizer. Although Touma Kamijo is also an ordinary person, and may not even win easily against delinquents, he is more than enough to deal with a pampered young master who has never fought a day in his life since birth.

The most crucial factor is that Accelerator's mentality has collapsed. He is now going head-to-head, confronting his weaknesses against the opponent's strengths.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Go, go!! This is willpower!”

Sogiita Gunha continued to shout passionately with his clenched fist. Accelerator's physical combat performance is too poor.

It gave him a feeling that he could do it too… but he had to admit that Touma Kamijo was a person he really liked. He had made a friend.

“That bastard…!!”

In a certain alley, Accelerator, with his hands still in his pockets, showed a sinister grin. The ground around him was covered in deep pits, and idiots were lying around in disarray, their consciousness unknown, who had challenged him.

Looking at himself after being sent flying and calming down, he also began to ponder… he never needed to hone his skills to defeat enemies or learn evasion techniques, as he could kill any enemy with a single blow.

But what if there was a right hand that could nullify his ability?! What would he do then?

。。。。。

【 “Live… live?! What is he talking about?” As if losing consciousness, Accelerator, lying on the ground, was bewildered. The images of the Misaka sisters flashed through his mind.

“Those guys are puppets! Didn't they say that?! I need power… the power to shut this guy up.”

“Supreme power!!” Accelerator raised his hands above his head, as if trying to grasp the unseen moon.

His ability is “Vector Manipulation,” which can change the “direction” of everything through touch. Kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy… no matter what kind of energy, as long as it has “directionality,” all power can be freely manipulated by him. It's actually that simple.

Then, as long as he grabs the “direction of the wind” flowing in the atmosphere with his hand, he can grasp all the immense kinetic energy generated by the wind in the world—!

“Kuxhezheehee gugaga gugaga—!!” Thinking of this, Accelerator laughed, letting out a string of meaningless cries.

“BOOM!!”

With a huge sound, a massive atmospheric vortex appeared above Accelerator's head. The fierce wind continuously stirred up the surrounding gravel, and even the large containers nearby could not escape its effects.

At this moment, Touma Kamijo's figure was already being swept up by the fierce wind, like a falling leaf, constantly spinning and floating with the wind. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Tsk… I didn't expect him to have this trick up his sleeve. I should have pursued the advantage earlier. Now that Accelerator has calmed down, he's remembered his abilities.”

“Holy cow, this is definitely a natural disaster! Even the wind can't escape his control… and thermal energy. If he wanted to, wouldn't he be able to turn this place into lava at will?!”

Vector Manipulation. Everything with magnitude and direction cannot escape his ability. Now, Accelerator is pushing his ability to the extreme. If he attacks from a distance, Touma Kamijo has no chance at all.

The people from other worlds gritted their teeth secretly upon seeing this scene. Logically, the protagonist should break through their potential during a crisis! Why is it the villain's turn to explode now? This… makes no sense at all!

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“Are you clear-headed now?! I didn't expect you to wake up so quickly.”

Seeing this scene before him, it was truly beyond Merlin's imagination.

Accelerator, who had never lost since birth, should have had zero tolerance for “losing” according to reason!! Yet, he's already recovered so quickly.

“This makes it difficult for Touma Kamijo,”

The Wise King, Gilgamesh, analyzed the situation clearly. An unintelligent Accelerator could be targeted for his physical weaknesses.

However, now that Accelerator has regained his senses, he won't give Touma Kamijo a chance to get close to him. This is almost the decisive moment.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Thermal energy is also within the scope of vector manipulation. Does this mean the Accelerator can heat up the surrounding air and burn Touma to death?!.

Chapter 237: An LV0 Recognized by a Certain Big Shot as a Formidable Enemy.

Chapter Text

【 Shattered stones that had covered the ground were whipped up by the gale, revealing the soil buried beneath. Kamijou Touma was also blown high into the air, his back slamming hard against the support pillar of a destroyed wind turbine blade before he fell back to the ground.

Being hit by anything at such a violent wind speed was no different from being hit by a car with its brakes cut in a traffic accident. Because Kamijou was completely still at this moment, his limbs limply sprawled on the ground, making one doubt if he was even still alive.

“Why… No, don’t!” Misaka Mikoto let out a desperate cry as she watched Kamijou Touma, who was motionless, start to bleed from beneath him.

Why… He was clearly on the offensive just moments ago. Why did the situation change so drastically?!

“Air, wind, the atmosphere… Aren’t the methods to kill the bastard in front of me right here? As long as I can grasp the direction of the airflow with my own hands. As long as I can control the movement of all the winds in the world – in my hands.”

“I can even destroy the world.”

Accelerator felt a strange sensation coursing through his entire body. It was precisely because he had almost been defeated that he could experience the feeling of victory more profoundly.

“Academy City’s Strongest? LV6?!… I don’t need that anymore. The world is right before my eyes.”

Because there was nothing in this world that could stand in his way anymore.

“Hehehe!” Thinking of this, Accelerator laughed maniacally, then slowly stood up.

“Compress, compress the air! Alright, I’ve thought of something interesting.”

Accelerator looked up at the massive atmospheric vortex that had appeared above his head. It was as if a hole had opened in the Earth.

He hadn’t expected that the method he thought of on the spur of the moment would possess destructive power beyond imagination.

“What kind of attitude is that?!” Accelerator tilted his head, looking at Kamijou Touma, who remained completely still.

“Weakest! If you don’t continue to play along, I’ll be at a great loss.”

As if to embrace the night sky, Accelerator stretched his hands above his head and roared. The wind howled around him, and more and more air was brought under his control.

Kamijou Touma did not answer, or rather, it was questionable if he was even still alive. Countless steel beams and rails were embedded in the gravel ground, resembling a grid of crosses. The storm and the wild laughter echoed throughout the space. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hiss!! The wind is a bit noisy today. I have to say, I really admire the sleep quality of Academy City residents. Such a huge commotion, and yet no reaction for so long.”

“For an ordinary person’s body, this height plus the impact just now would be enough to be fatal.”

Everyone looked at Accelerator, whose laughter grew more and more unhinged, with a slight fear. They had to admit that he truly had the capital for his arrogance.

Although his athletic ability and physical fitness were poor, who in this world could force him into close combat?! Not everyone could give him a “personality correction punch” like Kamijou Touma.

For Accelerator, who could reflect all past attacks, words like skill and effort were, in the end, just for the weak to compensate for their lack of ability. He didn’t need them.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“Although Kamijou Touma lost, in a sense, did he succeed?!”

Dr. Roman watched Accelerator’s arrogant declaration. After all, he now considered himself the strongest in the world and no longer needed to be LV6.

As long as Accelerator himself gave up the experiment, those researchers would have no way to force him. Then, wouldn’t the lives of the Misaka Sisters be saved?!

“One life for ten thousand lives…”

Fujimaru Ritsuka’s tone was somewhat somber. Although there was a deviation from the prediction and he couldn’t defeat the strongest, it was enough to make Accelerator change his mind.

It’s just… Is this really okay?! To risk his life like this, to go to such lengths for someone he’d known for less than two days, this isn’t something an ordinary person could do.

。。。。。

【 “Accelerator!! Stop!” Misaka Mikoto stood dozens of meters away, clenching her fists tightly, a coin already placed on her thumb, striking a pose for Railgun.

But… Accelerator didn’t even glance at Railgun, continuing to increase the power of the storm.

He truly didn’t take Misaka Mikoto seriously.

“…Stop… Misaka…”

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto heard someone calling her. Although very weak, she could recognize the boy’s voice that Mikoto was familiar with.

“He’s still breathing!”

Misaka Mikoto looked at Kamijou Touma, a smile involuntarily appearing on her face, as if she was somewhat relieved.

“Sorry, I can’t fulfill your dream. But as long as I die, the experiment will end. But I still hope you live on.”

Mikoto’s fingers were also trembling. If Railgun were reflected back, her body would be shattered into pieces at three times the speed of sound.

But!!… Mikoto still raised her head. To protect someone, one must confront an enemy that they cannot defeat! Of course, Mikoto didn’t want to die either, but judging by the outcome, no matter how much she struggled, there were no other options from the very beginning.

When she looked at Accelerator, she saw a giant, flashing electrical entity in the sky, shining so brightly in the center of the storm.

“Is it plasma condensed from air?! Is he planning to destroy the entire area?… His gaze doesn’t even see me as an ant. He just wants to test his new power right now!”

As the perspective gradually pulled back, a massive storm eye appeared on Earth. The wind continuously converged towards the purple light sphere in the center, and an unspeakable sense of despair permeated Mikoto’s heart. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Kamijou is still alive?! But it looks like he’s about to die again. Now, Accelerator is planning a wide-area attack! This move is impossible to dodge.”

“Holy crap…! This is ridiculously over the top. No wonder he didn’t take Misaka Mikoto seriously. If I had this ability, I would have been strutting around long ago.”

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the glowing sphere on the screen. Had Accelerator gathered all the wind in Academy City?!

Some scientists expressed great interest in this ability of his, as it was no longer something that could be achieved by human power. They had to admit that vector control was an ability that could control too many things.

~Pokémon World~

“So amazing!!”

Even Ash, who had seen many grand scenes, couldn’t help but exclaim, then belatedly wondered,

“So… what is plasma?!”

Misty and the others looked at him with a bit of exasperation. As expected of him, a dropout from education. By the way… if you don’t know, what are you so amazed about!!

Then, Professor Oak, being understanding, explained to Ash,

“When air is compressed at an extremely high rate, it becomes a high-temperature sphere exceeding ten thousand degrees Celsius.”

“And it forcibly decomposes the ‘atoms’ in the surrounding air into ‘cations’ and electrons to form what is called plasma!”

The world is truly marvelous. To think that someone could actually achieve this level. Even the legendary Pokémon in Pokémon probably couldn’t do it as easily as he did.

“???”

Ash was full of question marks. Although he didn’t understand much, he knew it must be very powerful. This was dangerous.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“He’s compressing air?!”

The people living in Academy City gasped when they saw this. This range was enough to affect them.

“That’s already a plasma aggregate! And it’s hundreds of meters in size. If that thing really crashes down, everyone will be finished!”

The residents were already getting restless. Those who lived in Academy City, if not all geniuses, at least basically understood a lot of knowledge.

Naturally, they knew that if this thing crashed down, the affected range would not be small.

Isn’t Academy City supposed to be the safest place? It doesn’t seem much better than Fuyuki City in the previous video… I feel like we’re already repeatedly dancing on the edge of death, and in our sleep at that.

。。。。。

“What should I do? What should I do?” Her original plan was disrupted by the sudden situation. Misaka Mikoto, in panic, looked at the ground and continuously thought of countermeasures.

“The wind of Academy City is converging at one point?!”

Misaka Mikoto suddenly seemed to recall something and calmed down.

“Then, as long as I use that thing on the street…”

Her gaze fell upon the wind turbines on the street. Although she had thought of a countermeasure, she couldn’t do it herself.

“But how? Just by myself…”

Then she suddenly ran to the severely injured Misaka #10032, and Misaka Mikoto tried to wake her up.

“Please, get up quickly!”

So cold! This was what Misaka Mikoto felt when she placed her hand on the Misaka Sister. Even in this state, what was she still asking of her…

Only seven Level 5s?! I can’t do anything. I can’t heal her, I can’t stop Accelerator, and I can’t fulfill his dream.

“So… please! Please protect his dream.” Misaka Mikoto cried, hoping the Misaka Sisters would wake up and help her.

To not harm anyone, to not lose anything. To make everyone smile and to let everyone return home safely.

“Cannot… Understand…” The Misaka Sisters reached out and grabbed Misaka Mikoto’s hand, and the two held each other tightly.

“I cannot understand the meaning of these words, but for some reason… these words have deeply touched my heart.”

Accelerator was still laughing maniacally, feeling this brand-new power.

“Hahaha, it’s great! It’s like my body. Dealing with strong enemies is a shortcut to leveling up. It seems this saying is true…”

Accompanied by the sound of the wind howling, the plasma sphere suspended above his head suddenly began to disintegrate.

“What happened?!” Suddenly, the maniacally laughing Accelerator froze, looking up at the sky with confusion.

That plasma sphere was formed by concentrating all the wind in the entire city. However, the airflow suddenly became chaotic in an instant. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“I can’t do anything at all… Password correct!! Did Misaka Mikoto disrupt the wind in the city?!”

“Hahaha, he didn’t take the LV5 Misaka Mikoto seriously, but he saw the LV0 Kamijou as a strong enemy… I feel a subtle sense of irony.”

“Accelerator, the strongest, is actually called the LV0 Kamijou Touma, a strong enemy. Uh… did I hear that right? It’s the legendary LV0 strong enemy.”

It’s really interesting. I didn’t expect that the strongest attack in the end would be resolved by the Misaka Mikoto he looked down upon.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“So that’s how it is…!”

Shokuhou Misaki, as one of the LV5s, was naturally not stupid. She understood in an instant.

That plasma sphere was formed by Accelerator, concentrating all the wind in the entire city. However, his abilities also had limits.

This was different from simply “reflecting.” To make the wind “controlled” by himself, he had to calculate the “original direction” and the “manipulated direction.”

“Then, as long as the wind in the city is disrupted, making it difficult for Accelerator to calculate, this plasma naturally cannot be maintained.”

And to interfere with the wind, it was necessary to make all the wind turbines in Academy City rotate rapidly. She couldn’t do it alone…

Although the Misaka Sisters’ abilities were degraded versions, don’t forget there were 10,000 Misaka Sisters!

Such a powerful number was enough to create a qualitative change.

Even Shokuhou Misaki, who was not on good terms with her, couldn’t help but admire Misaka Mikoto’s intelligence, managing to come up with a countermeasure in such a short period.

“Tsk…”

Accelerator frowned slightly. Although he didn’t want to admit it, his own calculation power was limited. Disrupting the direction of the wind could indeed interfere with him.

。。。。。

Chapter 238: Bite down on it, the strongest...!

Chapter Text

“Did my calculations fail?!” Accelerator tried to reassemble a new calculation formula, which wasn't difficult for him—the strongest esper in the entire city, and also the smartest top student.

However, the wind in the entire city suddenly changed direction. And this wasn't a coincidence; the wind seemed to have a will of its own, constantly resisting his formula.

The air block compressed above his head gradually dispersed, and the plasma sphere vanished as if it had melted into the air.

“My calculation formula is absolutely correct. This is not natural wind by any means.”

Misaka Mikoto helped up a Sister and said gratefully,

“Thank you. Leave the rest to me!”

Even if I'm weak, I can at least create an opening and help them escape.

This unknown situation made Accelerator somewhat anxious.

“What's going on with this wind? Is it wind manipulation?! No... the windmills are spinning backward?!”

“The generator motors operate when they receive special electromagnetic waves. It's those guys.”

Accelerator's mind flashed with the image of a Sister. Those windmills were operating in unison, attempting to interfere with my calculations.

Then, Accelerator suddenly turned his head to look at the Sister he thought he had already defeated, his eyes turning even more crimson with anger.

“It's the images she saw transmitted through the network... I'm going to kill her!!”

At this moment, the scene shifted to the Misaka Sisters. Under each giant wind turbine, there was the figure of a Sister. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Congratulations on guessing correctly, but unfortunately, there's no prize. I must say, this method was thought of just in time, but Accelerator isn't stupid; he figured it out instantly.”

“So they're all top students. They know more than one another! Not only do they know the other's method, but they even know the principle.”

Everyone watching was dumbfounded. Seeing them flaunt their knowledge reserves one after another, how could they, as underachievers, bear it?! If they hadn't studied for a few years, they almost wouldn't have understood.

It must be said that the internet is a wonderful thing, allowing the Sisters to understand the whole story instantly and act immediately. If it were any later, they would have been preparing to collect bodies.

Kamen Rider W World

“This is the wind of Fuuto... Bah! I misspoke, this is the wind of Academy City!”

Shotaro almost thought the wind of Fuuto had blown over. But one thing is true: knowledge is power.

So this is the world of top students! And this wind manipulation ability is actually done through calculations?! If they had this ability, why didn't they become scientists and research their own abilities?

“This is so interesting,”

Philip immersed himself in his Earth Library, looking at materials on vector manipulation.

If he remembered correctly, electric current is a scalar quantity. This seems to be outside the scope of vector manipulation, but Accelerator is indeed very strong.

He could make Misaka Mikoto, who was also fighting LV 5, directly feel weak... and not even sure if she could create an opening to let the Sisters escape.

。。。。。

【 “This... voice... is...” Kamijou Touma, with his consciousness unclear, seemed to hear a familiar voice. Misaka Mikoto's crying and calling for help in the darkness flashed through his mind, so he struggled to slowly get up.

His consciousness was already blurry. He didn't know why there was a fierce wind, why the plasma sphere had disappeared, or even why he was still alive.

His thoughts were fragmented, but he knew one thing: in the distance of his vision, he saw Accelerator about to attack a Sister!

Thus, Kamijou Touma moved his injured body forward a step. Just slightly moving his body made him feel like his consciousness could fly away at any moment.

Then he saw Misaka Mikoto, who stepped forward to protect the Sister, blocking the way. Knowing this was enough.

The reason to stand up again was enough with just this.

Misaka Mikoto reached up to cover her mouth, her eyes unable to bear watching Kamijou Touma, who was covered in blood but still standing up again! Why?!... He could have just stayed down.

Kamijou Touma's body was covered in countless wounds. It seemed as if, as long as his muscles tensed slightly, blood would spurt out from all over his body. Such a body couldn't exert any strength; his legs trembled violently, and his arms hung limply like willow leaves.

“How is this possible?!” Even Accelerator looked at the battered Kamijou Touma in disbelief.

“Don't you realize how many people I've killed and how I've destroyed people? I'm so familiar with it that I'm tired of it.”

“With these injuries, he shouldn't be able to stand.”

Kamijou Touma took a stumbling step forward, causing Accelerator to flinch back for the first time, feeling a sense of fear. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Accelerator is actually afraid!! He retreated, facing the so-called weakest Kamijou Touma!!”

“It's unbelievable. How could he still stand with these injuries?! The force of that Tornado and that height, an ordinary person's bones would have shattered long ago.”

Not only Accelerator but also the onlookers outside the video were shocked to see Kamijou Touma!! Logically, he shouldn't be able to stand up again.

Could it be just a fatal injury like Gilgamesh's?!

Kamijou Touma, in his current state, would be blown over by a slight gust of wind. His consciousness was unclear, and he didn't even know why he was still standing.

He only knew someone was crying out for help... and for this reason alone, it was enough to support him to stand up again!! Such a man is worthy of admiration; this is what is called acting as a saint with the body of an ordinary person!

No matter how fiercely the wind howled, the person standing before Accelerator was a hero! A hero who would come to save others whenever someone cried out.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“What incredible willpower!!”

Emiya watched Kamijou Touma stand up again with astonishment. Even though he was covered in wounds, his remaining will was enough to make the strongest Accelerator uneasy.

A person who lost his memory, received no guidance, and rushed forward for a girl he had known for less than two days, solely based on the emotions welling up in his heart.

“My dream is not to lose anything, to bring everyone back alive.”

Emiya murmured Kamijou's wish.

Thinking about it again, it truly is an ordinary yet extraordinary dream. Keep going, Kamijou Touma! Don't you already have a reason to clench your right fist?!

Then keep moving forward and throw your last punch with all your might!

。。。。。

【 “You're really interesting!!” By logical inference, this boy should be unable to fight.

Accelerator felt his throat as dry as a desert.

“What am I doing!! He's barely hanging on. My fingertip can end him with a touch.”

To defeat Kamijou, Accelerator clenched his fist and charged.

Just like before, he stomped his foot on the ground and closed the distance between them with the speed of a cannonball!

Misaka Mikoto quickly took a coin from her pocket, but she accidentally fumbled it, and it fell to the ground.

“Thank you so much...” Kamijou Touma thought silently. It was good that he could charge over, because Kamijou Touma himself wasn't sure if his body could make it.

Kamijou Touma lowered his head and bent his body. Accelerator's hand passed over Kamijou's head in vain, and then Kamijou Touma broke the fingers of the other hand with a punch.

“Ah...” The pain of the broken finger made Accelerator cry out, but at this moment, the most dangerous thing was that with his guard wide open, he gave Kamijou Touma an opportunity!

“Bite down on it, the strongest...!” At an extremely close range where the two were about to collide, Kamijou showed a beast-like smile.

“Why hasn't this guy yielded yet?! I'm only one step away from absolute power. Why am I...” Accelerator's pupils trembled, and scenes from the past flashed through his mind. What am I doing?!

“My weakest punch can hurt a little!!” In an instant, Kamijou Touma's right fist smashed into Accelerator's face.

“BANG—...”

With a loud bang, Accelerator's slender body rolled rapidly on the ground covered in gravel, and then his limbs fell limply to the ground.

Similarly, after delivering this punch, Kamijou Touma's figure could no longer support him, and he collapsed onto the ground.

The battle between the weakest and the strongest thus ended with a winner. When Kamijou Touma woke up again, he was in the hospital. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

The viewers from other worlds stared blankly at the unexpected outcome.

He won?! With that kind of body and blurry consciousness, he actually won!!

This boy, whose dream was to bring everyone back alive, actually did it.

“Holy shit!! He actually did it. This last scene really got me fired up.”

“Bite down on it, you strongest!! My weakest punch can hurt a little...” So that's where this line came from. He could barely stand, yet for some reason, this scene made everyone feel incredibly cool.

After a brief silence, the viewers from other worlds couldn't help but start discussing.

“Hahaha, is this the legendary finger-breaking move? Another meaningless idiom is added! It looks painful just watching it, let alone for Accelerator, who usually doesn't get injured.”

“Accelerator didn't lose unfairly. Speaking of which, why did you charge forward when you didn't have to?! Kamijou Touma was having trouble even moving like that, and you went right to him.”

How many times has Kamijou Touma been hospitalized this summer?! Before, just with Index, he was hospitalized 4 times. Unexpectedly, he woke up in the hospital again at the end.

He's practically a regular; if anything, he should get a VIP membership.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“He actually did it!! That's great!!”

Misaka Mikoto tearfully hugged Shirai Kuroko and spun around.

This sudden embrace made Kuroko's face turn red with excitement, and she instinctively took liberties, only to be let go and thrown away by Misaka Mikoto.

“But why is it that every time it comes down to the dire situation, I can't hold onto my coins?”

After the excitement, Misaka Mikoto was still bothered by her coins falling to the ground.

She couldn't even help...

However, it turns out he really exists, a hero who will come to save me whenever I cry out. Then, thinking of something, her face turned red.

。。。。。

On the other side, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Aleister, showed no great reaction to this scene. Everything was proceeding according to plan.

“We don't need to conduct experiments now. Let's directly send the Sisters to various parts of the world... With this video, no one will suspect anything.”

As the mastermind behind everything, he had to seize this opportunity.

In fact, there couldn't be a better opportunity, as he wouldn't even need to find a reason.

。。。。。

Chapter 239: The Seal’s Seal is Still a Seal

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~Sword Art Online World~

“Phew… It’s finally over!”

Kirito breathed a sigh of relief after seeing everything conclude. After all, unlike previous videos, the gap in strength between these two was too vast.

“Yeah....”

Asuna also smiled. The death of the Misaka Sisters earlier, coupled with the inhumane experiments, had been a dark experience. Now, her heart, which had been hanging by a thread, was finally put at ease.

In the end, the development of superpowers was itself a form of human experimentation, which left her feeling very conflicted. Moreover, she learned something from the video.

High-LV ability users were definitely intelligent, but intelligent people weren't necessarily high-LV… However, there was still a crucial question.

“Their superpowers are all through calculation… So, does Touma Kamijo’s ability require calculation?”

Asuna’s question silenced Kirito. But it seemed to make some sense…

As they were pondering, the screen lit up again.

。。。。。

 

The Seal’s Seal is Still a Seal: Daihasei Festival Arc!

 

【 “Academy City is vast, but only seven people are recognized as having LV 5 qualifications, and they are precisely our targets this time.”

The footage began to play, showing a conference room. Inside, a man in a short-sleeved suit loudly declared his objective.

“Are you serious?!” A committee member beside him couldn’t sit still and stood up in surprise.

“It’s already been widely rumored that they are all individuals with personality defects.”

Some also expressed concern, as LV 5s were all problematic children.

“I also heard that some of them belong to dark side organizations and participate in illegal activities. Can we really take them down?”

One girl also said with some helplessness, “This time, it’s not just Academy City; it will be broadcast worldwide. The higher-ups require a demonstration of abilities, with top-tier ability users serving as representatives.”

“At least two LV 5s are needed to serve as the oath-takers for the Daihasei Festival contestants. Use all your connections to negotiate!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“What a bizarre title?! The Seal’s Seal is Still a Seal?! And I didn’t expect it to be that… peaceful Academy City.”

“Good grief, you all looked so serious at first, I thought it was some big conspiracy… but it turns out you’re just discussing the selection of someone to take an oath for a sports festival?!”

Everyone present felt a bit embarrassed. They even said LV 5s were their targets, and they thought it was some grand conspiracy… but it was just this?! There was also one thing they got wrong: it wasn't just broadcast worldwide; now every world was watching…

~Detective Conan World~

“Speaking of which, aren't any of the LV 5s easy to deal with? Why do even the people in their world think they're all problematic children?”

Conan stared with dead fish eyes. So far, only three LV 5s had appeared.

The one involved in shady dealings should be Mugino Shizuri. He wondered what kind of abilities would appear next.

Although Conan was intelligent, when it came to superpowers, he was still in his middle school phase, which was adolescent. After all, what boy could refuse such cool things?

“However, it's just a sports festival; it shouldn't be as terrifying as before, right?”

Ran said with a worried expression. This seemingly everyday event didn't seem to fit the title.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Huh?! Problematic children?!”

Misaka Mikoto closed her eyes, arcs of electricity flashing around her bangs, crackling with blue and white light.

Who were they talking about?

“Perhaps the personalities of the other few aren't great, but you can't lump them all together.”

Based on the few LV 5s she knew, Misaki Shokuhou seemed a bit narcissistic, Mugino Shizuri was involved in shady dealings, and Accelerator, well, that went without saying… It seemed only she was normal.

Misaka Mikoto was indulging in a bit of self-admiration, and she also felt slightly relieved, as it was just a sports festival and shouldn’t cause any major problems.

。。。。。

【 Subsequently, the fourth-ranked Mugino Shizuri received the invitation call. Citing the inconvenience of her dark side work for public appearances, she rejected the offer without a second thought.

The second-ranked Kakine Teitoku was so annoyed by their persistent pestering that he turned his hotel room into a scene resembling a battlefield.

“The Daihasei Festival is just a game for those brats who still believe in effort and hope.”

Meanwhile, in an alley, a burly man dressed as a bodyguard, wearing sunglasses, called out to the white-haired youth in front of him:

“Looking good, Accelerator! Ever since the LV 6 Shift plan failed…”

Accelerator, who was walking with a cane, stopped, turned back with a cold expression, and directly used his ability. A brick flew towards the man, interrupting his words.

“What do you want with me at this point? Are you asking me to start killing clones again?!”

“Wait… no… listen to me…” The bodyguard, realizing he had said the wrong thing, quickly tried to explain, but was unceremoniously buried in a pile of garbage by Accelerator.

“I’m busy watching the kid, don’t show up again!” Accelerator left with his cane without looking back.

The scene shifted back to the initial conference room. They were still discussing countermeasures, with several LV 5s whose names were written on the blackboard crossed out.

“So… the fourth, second, and first ranked… all the people they approached were defeated. Especially the person who negotiated with the first-ranked is seriously injured and critical.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter. What kind of conversational geniuses are these? Are you sure you came to negotiate? Your tone sounds more like you're mocking them.”

“This bodyguard is trying to kill me with laughter, inheriting my credit card debt?! Stop pretending to be cool, just get to the point. If you can't talk, don't talk.”

People from other worlds almost died laughing at their invitation methods.

They thought they were mocking them, these conversational geniuses who could hit every nerve precisely. No wonder they were defeated!

No… why would you provoke this great Accelerator for no reason? Do you really think his personality would allow him to say something passionate at the Daihasei Festival… Also, why are you wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night, seriously!!

What shocked everyone the most was that Accelerator’s reason for refusal was that he was busy taking care of a child?! And he even held back, not breaking the man’s limbs this time. It seemed his personality had changed a bit.

“Holy crap… I woke up and saw this great guy say he had to go back and take care of his kid.”

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Even Rin Tohsaka couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth as she watched this scene. They really weren't wrong; all the LV 5s were problematic individuals.

“Is his superpower courage?!”

Archer, who had been calm, widened his eyes, full of admiration. This bodyguard knew about the previous plan and still spoke with such a mocking tone.

He had to say, he was truly a man… If he’s still alive, he’ll probably have to go to a temple to pray when he gets home. It’s like divine intervention!

“Now I know another second-ranked existence, but it seems they're not easy to deal with either.”

Emiya Shirou felt a headache coming on when he saw the battlefield-style room.

How dare they invite such a person to take the oath for the Daihasei Festival? Aren’t they afraid that if the second-ranked person gets unhappy, they’ll just slaughter all the students? Who can stop the second-ranked person then?

。。。。。

【 “Was this commission so unpleasant?!” Hearing about the serious injury, everyone present was surprised.

“It shouldn’t be that bad, right?”

“By the way, there are too many people who call themselves the sixth-ranked…” Speaking of this, they couldn’t help but feel a headache.

“Next, the remaining LV 5s are…”

The scene shifted. On the stage, two groups of students were arguing over the venue. As a member of the disciplinary committee, Haruue walked out directly.

The students, already agitated, swung a huge pillar towards her! Haruue was so scared she froze in place and closed her eyes.

The expected pain didn't come. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a man wearing his school uniform like a cape standing in front of her.

The seventh-ranked Sogiita Gunha, with a fiery spirit, stood on the pillar, arms crossed, saying: “What’s important isn’t the difference between men and women, it’s character!”

Meanwhile, a teacher on the other side accepted the commission on his behalf.

“The matter mentioned just now is fine, I accept it. At a time like this, he must be busy helping others; he won’t refuse a request from others.”

The teacher said with emotion, “That’s the kind of person he is, a man named Sogiita Gunha!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Oh!!! Is this the seventh one? He looks like a passionate youth, not like they said he has personality defects.”

“Good grief, so he’s also a good Samaritan, a partner of justice, who won’t refuse to help others? He and Emiya Shirou will definitely get along.”

For some reason, the first impression everyone had of Sogiita Gunha was that he was a passionate idiot! Although he was also a good old man, they hoped he wouldn’t be like Emiya Shirou.

After all, the partner of justice next door had already lost all his family members. Let’s not have him end up the same way.

~Sword Art Online World~

“Mhm!”

Kirito observed Sogiita Gunha, nodding in agreement.

Asuna, on the side, looked at him strangely. She didn’t have this reaction when she saw Misaka Mikoto earlier!

“What are you nodding about?!”

Kirito scratched his head sheepishly and explained,

“Uh… I mean, this Sogiita Gunha must be the protagonist of this video title!!”

After all, a passionate youth, kind-hearted, and helpful! Plus, his first impression was that he was an idiot, which perfectly matched his ideal protagonist template, just like the manga he usually read.

『 Viewers of Countless World 』

Even many people from other worlds thought the same way. After all, this Sogiita Gunha, who was full of integrity, really seemed like a protagonist!

。。。。。

【 Afterward, the scene shifted to a blonde girl with stars in her eyes, who was having afternoon tea with a group of junior students. She happened to see Misaka Mikoto passing by.

“Oh my, Misaka-san, looking at those things on campus is a violation of school rules. You have the qualifications to serve as the oath-taker for the Daihasei Festival contestants, a rather bold attitude.”

Facing Misaki Shokuhou’s teasing, Mikoto irritably clasped the map in her hand.

“You’ve received the invitation too, right? Misaki Shokuhou!”

“I hate troublesome things the most, so I want to hand it over to you, Misaka-san.” Misaki Shokuhou picked up her bag, took out a remote control, and pressed it towards Misaka Mikoto.

“Beep—”

“Crack crackle…” A flash of electricity suddenly appeared on Mikoto’s forehead, and she looked at Misaki Shokuhou angrily.

“You bastard!”

“The electromagnetic barrier is really troublesome.” Misaki Shokuhou said, unfazed that her ability didn’t take effect.

“It doesn’t interfere with my mental control.”

“Then how about letting the public recommend someone!”

So Misaki Shokuhou pressed the remote control in her hand again. The junior students beside her suddenly stood up automatically, their eyes turning into starry eyes.

Then, they spoke in unison, “We believe Misaka-san is suitable to serve as the oath-taker.”

Misaka Mikoto didn’t want to deal with it and turned to leave.

“I know very well that you hate me.”

Misaka Mikoto left, Misaki Shokuhou said a cryptic sentence, “Perhaps it’s not just simple hatred for you.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Holy crap, she has stars in her eyes. It’s a shame she’s not an idol. This is the legendary 'glowing eyes'.”

“Mental control! Another absurd ability. The key point is that this rank 5?! Academy City is truly full of hidden talents.”

Looking at the bewildered and manipulated junior students, for some reason, everyone felt a sense of “I choose Misaka Mikoto, she has everyone's support.” What kind of modern-day Lü Bu is this?

Then everyone was stunned. Where is the sixth one?! Academy City’s sixth one, they’ve all appeared, why isn’t he showing his face? And this thing can impersonate others?

People from other worlds are not fools; they know that by inviting them to participate in the Daihasei Festival oath-taking, they are indirectly introducing the seven LV 5s… However, now, except for the sixth-ranked one, all of them have shown their faces, but the sixth one is nowhere to be seen.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: This is just to have the LV 5s appear. The next part won’t be as detailed as the Sisters arc; it will be a brief overview, going straight to the main points. Of course, the Queen’s story will be detailed.

Chapter 240: Shokuhou: Nice to meet you...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The staff in charge of the Daihasei Festival looked at the photos posted on the blackboard. Though it was just a simple selection process, they felt inexplicably exhausted, and some even had tears in their eyes: “This is just too perfect...”

“Everyone, you've worked hard!” a buzz-cut guy comforted them, knowing how tough it had been. Yet, as he glanced at the photos of Sogiita Gunha and Misaki Shokuhou on the wall, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

“But I can't shake this ominous feeling.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Hahaha, you really know how to pick people! This is literally 'No-Brain' and 'No-Happy'—the best match, the ultimate combo!”

“Still picking?! We’re lucky to even have people! They’re all troublemakers, after all. Beggars can’t be choosers—don’t forget even Accelerator is busy babysitting now!”

Misaki Shokuhou—her ability is Mental Out. With a power called that, do you really think she’d listen to anyone?! And then there’s Sogiita Gunha, whose ability is unknown but brimming with sheer guts. He doesn’t exactly look like the sharpest tool in the shed.

These two personalities are completely incompatible!! Seeing this duo, everyone had the same thought... this sports festival is doomed.

。。。。。

【 And so, under the gaze of thousands, Misaki Shokuhou and Sogiita Gunha stood at the center of the stadium, ready to deliver the opening pledge for the Daihasei Festival!

But just as everyone predicted, during the opening pledge, Gunha, arms crossed, forgot his lines halfway through.

“This unbreakable bond... bond?! Uh... what’s next?”

After a moment of blanking out, he decided to improvise right in front of all the officials.

“Ah, forget it! Let’s just crush everything with overwhelming GUTS!”

Misaki Shokuhou’s smile stiffened as she tried to steer things back on track, but they ended up talking over each other, their lines completely mismatched.

However, Gunha’s sheer enthusiasm took over, electrifying the entire venue. Riding the momentum, he raised his fist high.

“Let those with rotten resolve witness this! We’ll turn this festival into an unforgettable memory—swear it with every ounce of GUTS!”

His ability even manifested a dazzling rainbow aura, sweeping up the crowd. In the end, Misaki Shokuhou’s presence was utterly overshadowed.

By the time the speech ended, Misaki Shokuhou looked utterly deflated.

“He stole my spotlight...” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Pfft—hahaha! Seeing Shokuhou’s frozen smile is killing me! Sure, the speech was righteous, but he completely derailed it. Laughter never disappears—it just gets transferred.”

“Wahaha, what a glorious trainwreck! One stuck to the script, the other went rogue—total chaos. I cringed so hard for Shokuhou.”

What a spirited guy! That opening speech was pure hype, all about GUTS. And the fact that he had visual effects? Next-LV awesome.

You’re definitely the protagonist here! That passionate, slightly chuunibyou speech, plus his mysterious ability—everyone’s convinced Sogiita Gunha is the Star of this video.

~The Disastrous World of Saiki K. World~

Kaido and Aren exchanged glances before shifting their gaze to their classmate, Hairo, who was doing endless squats in the corner. This LV of enthusiasm was on par.

Seeing this duo, the boys in class couldn’t help but think of a hypothetical pairing between Teruhashi and Hairo—before bursting into laughter at the absurdity.

“No way. If it were Teruhashi, there’s no way her presence would get overshadowed.”

Saiki, sitting at his desk and listening to the chatter, sighed inwardly.

“Yare yare... Esper really are just problem children.”

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“I am never teaming up with him... NEVER!”

Misaki Shokuhou’s face was full of disdain. Couldn’t he just stick to the script?!

But what does this have to do with the sports festival anyway?! So far, there’s no sign of any conspiracy.

While the Queen of Tokiwadai was busy sulking, Sogiita Gunha, on the other hand, thought their teamwork was flawless. Pumping his fists along with the video, he roared, “GUTS!”

“That was amazing, future me! Overcome everything with GUTS!”

His sudden outburst made passersby instinctively step back. Honestly, they didn’t mind the passionate, chuunibyou speech...

But could he read the room?! This was the middle of the street! That unexpected shout nearly gave them heart attacks.

。。。。。

【 With the opening ceremony over, the events began. Unlike a typical sports festival, this was a global broadcast where students from all over Academy City competed as school representatives—every participant was an esper.

Kongou Mitsuko teamed up with Railgun for the three-legged race, and the “Wind God & Thunder God” duo dominated, taking first place.

During the break, Uiharu and Saten met up with Misaka. As they chatted, Misaka’s mother, Misuzu, showed up.

The conversation quickly turned to Misaka’s gossip with a certain spiky-haired boy, prompting a flustered Misaka to excuse herself under the guise of changing clothes.

Meanwhile, Wanizuka and Awatsuki mistook the Misaka sisters (#10032) for Misaka and lent her a gym uniform, dragging her into the Balloon Hunter event. By the time Misaka caught up, she decided to roll with it, observing from afar. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Damn... this isn’t just a school sports festival—it’s a battle of gods!”

“Gotta admit, mother and daughter look so alike. Like two peas in a pod. Well... except for one certain area.”

The stark contrast in their chest sizes taught the audience a new idiom: “Inheriting the father’s chest.” Why’d she have to get that from her dad?! What a tragic tale.

~The Disastrous World of Saiki K. World~

“This!!”

Saiki Kusuo, usually poker-faced, finally showed a flicker of longing. A sports festival where espers could use their powers freely? That sounded amazing.

No fear of exposure, no worry about accidentally sending someone flying—because everyone was an esper. A sports festival tailored for psychics? Way too considerate.

“But... that Misaka clone showed up again. Could she be tied to this incident?”

With how unique the Misaka clones were—and the fact that thousands still existed—it wasn’t far-fetched to think someone might exploit them.

。。。。。

【 Seeing that Misaka's sister was enjoying herself, Misaka decided to leave her be, hoping she could savor this rare celebration. She then headed off for cheese fondue with her mother, Misuzu.

Later, while buying drinks, Misaka groaned at the endless line. With all of Academy City’s attention on the festival, the crowd was insane.

“So many people...”

Just then, Kamijou Touma, returning from the restroom, spotted her and assumed she was queuing for the bathroom.

Ever the helpful guy, Touma offered to buy her a drink.

After he left, Misaki Shokuhou arrived, phone in hand.

“Maintain surveillance. Keep watching her,” She ordered before hanging up—then noticed Misaka standing there.

Without hesitation, she swooped in to tease her.

“Ara~... Taking it easy during lunch, Misaka-san?”

“Taking it easy?!” Misaka deadpanned. What else was she supposed to do during lunch—train in some deserted spot?

Shokuhou sighed.

She loathed physical activity.

“As if. I used my ability to cancel all my afternoon events.”

As they bickered, Touma returned, arms full of drinks.

“This should be enough, right? All tea...”

The moment Shokuhou saw him, her playful demeanor vanished.

She froze, her expression darkening.

Touma blinked at the unfamiliar girl in Tokiwadai’s uniform.

“And this young lady is...?”

“A schoolmate,” Misaka muttered, reluctant but polite.

Touma’s gaze naturally drifted downward a few dozen centimeters, landing on that area.

“...A schoolmate, huh.”

Shokuhou, still silent, suddenly spoke—ignoring his stare.

“Nice to meet you, Kamijou-kun.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Shokuhou really has a thing for Misaka, huh? Can’t resist teasing her every time.”

“Hahaha, Kamijou’s reaction is so honest. If it were me—”

“Calling it now—Kamijou and Shokuhou have history! Is this because of his memory loss from the Dragon’s Breath incident?!”

The stark shift in Shokuhou’s demeanor when Kamijou appeared raised eyebrows. Did he forget her because of his amnesia?

But that didn’t add up. Even if he didn’t remember, wouldn’t she know him?

Why say “nice to meet you”? They’ve definitely met before. Hmm... smells like tragedy brewing.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“Huh?! Do I know her?!”

Kamijou Touma (pre-amnesia) scratched his head. Even with his sky-high EQ, he wasn’t buying Shokuhou’s forced act.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t place her—just a vague sense of familiarity.

“Yes... Nice to meet you.”

Meanwhile, Shokuhou buried her face in her arms; her usual radiance dimmed.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Switching sides—I’m officially Team Queen now!! Flip-flopping like crazy. That’s it for the slice-of-life. Shokuhou’s backstory will come up later. Again—time to accelerate. Eyes of heaven!!

Chapter 241: This is way beyond a prank.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 And so, Shokuhou Misaki put on a nonchalant facade, pretending nothing had happened, and quickly left the scene—if she didn’t leave soon, she might not be able to hold back her tears.

The scene shifts to the other side, where Awatsuki Maaya and the others mistake Misaka sister #10032 for the original Misaka Mikoto and recruit her into the “Balloon Hunter” competition.

Though forcibly taking out seven opponents at the cost of herself, Banjou Yoshika seized the opportunity to manipulate mechanical mosquitoes, leading to Misaka #10032 being ambushed and losing her mobility.

By this point, Shokuhou had already recognized that the Balloon Hunter’s contestant, Misaka sister #10032, was one of Mikoto’s clones. She then rescued the unconscious Sister and had Kaizumi take her to “Child Error” for protection.

On the morning of the second day of the Daihasei Festival, Misaka woke up in her hotel and ran into Wanri on her way downstairs. Learning that Misaka sister #10032 hadn’t returned her gym clothes, she grew worried.

So Misaka took that familiar terminal and began investigating surveillance footage, discovering that Misaka's sister #10032 had been taken away by an ambulance to the hospital. Rushing there, she found the paramedics’ memories had been altered—Misaka sister #10032 had been handed over to unknown individuals and had vanished!

“Memory alteration… could it be—?!” Mikoto’s investigation into the ambulance transporting her Misaka sister #10032 caused chaos, prompting Shirai’s teacher to arrive and take Misaka away. However, the teacher had already been controlled by the Queen, who directed her to bring Mikoto to a designated location under surveillance by Shokuhou’s faction.

Meanwhile, Kaizumi, posing as a tourist, sought help from Shirai, Uiharu, and Saten to divert their attention. Behind them, Queen Shokuhou appeared, pressing the button on her remote. With her Mental Out ability, she erased the trio’s memories of Misaka. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Seriously,’s name is no joke—she’s so fierce she might as well rename herself Uchiha… at least she took out seven in one go.”

“Damn, it really is connected to the Misaka Sisters. Can’t they just leave them alone? Everyone’s jumping into this mess.”

The corners of everyone’s mouths twitched. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but why does Misaka sister #10032 have to suffer so much?!

No one could figure out what Shokuhou was planning. She knew this was one of Mikoto’s clones and even saved her—so why erase the memories of those three about Misaka?!

~Detective Conan World~

“Did Misaka Mikoto even do anything that bad to Shokuhou?!”

Conan’s brain short-circuited. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t understand Shokuhou’s thought process. Just how much does she hate Misaka Mikoto?!

If she hated Mikoto, why were they laughing and chatting like friends in front of Touma earlier? Plus, she even saved a Misaka sister #10032.

But if she didn’t hate Mikoto, why not tell her after rescuing the Sister? Letting Misaka panic alone and even altering her friends’ memories—that’s just cruel.

Haibara Ai also seemed uncertain.

“Could it be jealousy? Maybe seeing Misaka Mikoto close to Touma made Shokuhou feel envious?”

She wasn’t sure, but her intuition told her as much. Given how Shokuhou acted around Touma, it was obvious there was something between them.

“Still, no matter what, this is going too far.”

This contradictory behavior might just be Shokuhou being jealous. And jealous women can be terrifying—just look at how often people die in Beika.

~The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World~

“Mental Out is such a convenient ability. Tch, why is mine only good for telepathy…?”

Saiki lamented how his own power was limited to communication and eavesdropping on thoughts. Sure, he had that banana-shaped memory modifier, but it was nowhere near as handy as Shokuhou’s.

“Is this why they say quality trumps quantity?!”

He had countless psychic abilities, but they all came with weird side effects—far from as convenient as one might think.

。。。。。

【 Under surveillance, Railgun seized a chance to call for help from Shirai, Uiharu, and Saten—only to realize their memories had been erased by the Queen. Furious, she clenched her teeth,

“Messing with my friends crosses the line—this can’t be brushed off as a prank anymore.”

Later, she met Shirai and the others on the street. During their conversation, she noticed something odd about their behavior… In the Balloon Sandwich competition, Mikoto took the opportunity to ask for help, begging her to investigate how Shokuhou had abducted her sister!

While investigating, she found Misaka's sister #10032’s black cat. After exchanging intel with Awatsuki, she took the cat to continue her search, while Awatsuki and she sought out an animal telepath from Tokiwadai for assistance.

But all of this was overheard by a nearby mechanical dog. Banjou Yoshika, a member of the dark side, received a mission under the guise of protecting the Sisters—only to lure her to a park.

Easily defeated Banjou’s mechanical dog with her Air Manipulation, but while protecting the cat, she was ambushed by a virus-injecting mosquito, leaving her immobilized on the ground.

Awatsuki, worried when she didn’t return, ran into Saten, who had seen Banjou heading to the park. Leading them there, they found a battered. Enraged, Awatsuki stayed to fight Banjou while Saten took the cat to the hospital.

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Misaka Mikoto was right—this is way beyond a prank. It’s just too much.”

“Seriously, don’t stop me—I’m going to kill Banjou Yoshika and scatter his ashes!! Sneak attacks are bad enough, but doing it repeatedly?!”

Viewers from other worlds were practically boiling with rage. Their blood pressure spiked—was Academy City really built for students?! What kind of scumbags are running around here?!

~Sword Art Online World~

“Academy City really has all kinds of abilities, huh? Even animal telepathy—can something like that really be developed through calculations?”

Asuna felt her brain short-circuiting. With over two million students, what kind of bizarre powers were floating around there?!

And Mental Out—wouldn’t that be a nightmare for criminals? There’d be no hiding any secrets.

The scariest part? Walking down the streets of Academy City, who knows how many telepaths are around? If your memories got erased, you might not even realize it.

“Suddenly, this place doesn’t seem so bad…”

Kirito would rather die than have his memories read. As a man, everyone’s got something hidden on their computer.

If that got exposed, he’d have to move to another planet.

~A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City~

“To have my memories altered so easily… My love for Onee-sama isn’t strong enough…”

Shirai, already distraught over how she’d spoken to Misaka, was plunged deeper into despair.

Meanwhile, Misaka Mikoto was absolutely furious, grinding her teeth so hard they might shatter.

Can’t people just leave the Sisters alone?!

And got hurt so badly helping her. Banjou Yoshika, huh? She’d remember this. If she couldn’t beat Accelerator, she could at least take him down—no one gets to trample all over her like this!

。。。。。

【 At the hospital, Misaka saw how she had been injured for her sake. Using her powers, she traced the mechanical dog’s signal and instantly located Banjou Yoshika.

When Misaka Mikoto appeared, she severed the giant mechanical mantis’s right arm in a single strike. Covered in crackling electricity, she advanced wordlessly, scaring Banjou into incoherent babbling.

“BANG—! ”

With just a flick of her wrist, Railgun tore the mechanical mantis to pieces, leaving Banjou utterly terrified.

After Banjou retreated, his employer appeared.

She took Uiharu hostage to threaten Mikoto, but Shirai intervened and drove away. However, this revealed a third faction at play—not Shokuhou’s faction from Tokiwadai.

Conveniently, the scene then showed Shokuhou rescuing the Sisters in full detail… Well, how to put it? She got framed for no reason.

The scene shifted again as Mikoto expertly hacked into surveillance cameras, locating Shokuhou. With a stern expression, she demanded,

“Where is she?!”

Shokuhou playfully winked at her.

“As you can see, she’s in the grid-shaped building—my secret base, the place I trust most.”

“Follow me if you want to talk. And I don’t want anyone else near that place.”

The two then stealthily boarded a truck. Ignoring Shokuhou’s teasing, Mikoto pressed,

“The one looking for the Sisters—they’re your enemy, right?”

“Correct. Their leader is at our destination—the same experiment you’re all too familiar with.”

“Researchers from my affiliated institution were discussing it privately. Word seems to have spread in the underworld.”

On-screen, Shokuhou pressed her remote without hesitation, interrogating two researchers about the Level 6 Shift Project. 】

【 。。。。。】

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Just scaring Banjou is letting him off too easily—beating him half to death would barely be enough!”

“Damn, now it all makes sense. Shokuhou got saddled with a massive blame—there was a third party all along!”

After all that, it turned out to be a misunderstanding. The viewers could only shrug helplessly… Of course, it was another secret experiment. At this point, everyone knew about this project—what kind of “top secret” was this?!

Hahaha, this is hilarious. A “classified” project that everyone knows about—except the person involved. Gotta admit, that ability is way too convenient.

Want to know some gossip? Just press a button.

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea~

“This is just…”

Ritsuka sighed, feeling exhausted. At this point, he didn’t even know what to say!

How is Academy City this leaky? Dark experiments everywhere—he wouldn’t be surprised if a random brick thrown there hit three researchers.

“As we all know, experiments are meant to be secret.”

Da Vinci muttered, rubbing her temples. This was barely any better than the “peaceful” Fuyuki incident.

Can’t they leave the Sisters alone? Find another research topic already!

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Condensing the plot is… well, we’ve finally reached the main story.

Chapter 242: Railgun and Mental Out! What a strange combination

Chapter Text

【 Inside the truck, Misaka Mikoto's questioning continued, and Misaki Shokuhou shared all the information she knew with Mikoto.

“What you encountered were just hired hands. Their orders seemed to be eliminating you and retrieving the Sisters!”

Mikoto was puzzled: “Eliminating me?!”

Misaki Shokuhou continued, “You have a history of interfering with the Sisters' project, Mikoto-san, so they're wary of you.”

Mikoto gradually pieced things together, a cold sweat forming on her face: “So that Sister became the victim in my place.” 】

。。。。。

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Ha ha ha, 'history'... refers to blowing up several factory labs in one night and even clashing with the Dark Side group 'ITEM.' No wonder they want to eliminate 'Railgun'—she really does have a record.”

The viewers from other worlds, upon hearing about this “history,” immediately pictured Railgun rampaging through the night, relying solely on a single terminal and public phone booths to destroy multiple labs.

One could only say it's a miracle Mikoto wasn't arrested for all that. Moreover, the research institutions didn't seem to pursue the matter either, simply sweeping it under the rug while Mikoto continued living peacefully in Academy City.

~Detective Conan World~

“Is their world's legal awareness just... lacking? And the police's deterrent power seems way too weak.”

From Conan's perspective, only Kamijou Touma seemed remotely normal—the only one who even considered calling the police.

But the police didn't seem to be of much use! When something happened, their first thought was to solve it themselves, never even considering reporting it to the authorities.

Should we praise their high level of initiative, or say they just never even thought about the police? And with the massive battle between Kamijou Touma and Accelerator, it's baffling that no one even investigated.

Could someone in the higher-ups be covering it up? But why?!

And most importantly, shouldn’t they be wary of Kamijou Touma?! He defeated the so-called strongest, Accelerator! There were just too many unanswered questions.

。。。。。

【 Though Shokuhou didn't know why they implanted nanobots in the Sisters, their basic objective was clear: “The Misaka Network!!”

“A network formed by the brainwaves of the Sisters. That LV of processing efficiency... something terrible would happen.”

“So, to prevent the Sisters from being infected by the electrical virus, I found a way to destroy the pathway.”

The more she learned, the more uneasy Mikoto became.

“What are they planning to do with the Misaka Network?”

But Shokuhou herself didn’t know, only that it was nothing good.

“No idea. This time, the opponent is the advocate of the LV 6 Shift Project... Kihara Gensei!”

“Kihara Gensei...”

Mikoto's pupils contracted at the name.

“I’ve never met him directly, but I’ve heard his name several times. He was the one behind that project?”

A man who would stop at nothing in pursuit of truth, an elder in Academy City’s research field. That old man wasn’t petty enough to restart the project without a hidden motive. Misaki Shokuhou was now heading straight to Kihara Gensei’s location!

“Why... didn’t you tell me from the start? Why hide it from me, even erasing Kuroko’s memories?!”

Shokuhou sighed helplessly.

“I just said you’re being watched. If we teamed up openly, my existence would be exposed too.”

She didn’t trust anyone easily. After all, people’s hearts were far darker than they appeared.

Mikoto, about to retort, suddenly thought of Kongou Mitsuko, who had been hurt because of her, and felt a wave of powerlessness. Reluctantly, she had to admit Shokuhou was right! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“So Misaki Shokuhou ended up bearing the blame for no reason, but now it all makes sense. That’s why she erased their memories.”

“I almost wronged her. Good thing I’m the type who believes beauty equals justice—I’ve always trusted Misaki Shokuhou completely.”

Initially, thinking Shokuhou was a terrible person, her image here did a complete 180°. Now it was clear—she manipulated their memories to protect them.

Blindly getting involved would only lead to injuries, like what happened to Kongou Mitsuko, and that wasn’t what she wanted.

。。。。。

【 “Maybe I shouldn’t blame you, but if we had teamed up from the start, Kongou-san wouldn’t have been hurt so badly.”

Mikoto was still hung up on Kongou’s injuries. Had she known the truth earlier, she wouldn’t have sent Kongou to gather intel.

“I’m also saddened by her injuries. In the end, she fought desperately against those machines I’m not good at dealing with—she was a huge help.”

Shokuhou’s tone completely set Mikoto off.

She stormed forward, grabbing Shokuhou’s collar and angrily demanding answers—why...

Shokuhou, still seated, didn’t mind the slight exposure from her stretched collar. Instead, she fired back,

“What if Kihara Gensei was wary of you and didn’t show up? Or if you betrayed me and sold me out to them?!”

“Cooperation?! Trust?! Why would you believe in something so unreliable? Blindly trusting others is what led to the LV Upper and LV 6 Shift Projects in the first place!”

Shokuhou irritably swatted Mikoto’s hand away and straightened her collar.

“I always delve into a partner’s mind, their true thoughts. Depending on the situation, I might manipulate their emotions and actions.”

“But I’ve never been able to read your mind. From the start, I never planned to team up with you.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“'Not good at dealing with machines'... yeah, Mental Out really can’t do much against them.”

“Gotta admit, the clothes are high-quality... but why the censorship?! Even blocking it from the blind?! Do they think I’m that kind of person?!”

Ignoring these side comments, the viewers from other worlds weren’t as naive as Mikoto.

They instantly understood Shokuhou’s perspective—someone who could fully grasp human emotions naturally knew how unreliable people could be.

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline ~

~ In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia ~

“Because she can read minds, she knows the darkness in people’s hearts. And because she knows that darkness, she can’t trust those whose thoughts she can’t read.”

Merlin began to understand Shokuhou’s reasoning. After all, the evil in human hearts ran deeper than imagined.

Thus, when facing problems, she sought to control others’ thoughts and emotions, steering situations toward her desired outcome.

“Knowing people’s thoughts is a double-edged sword.”

Back at Chaldea, Romani Archaman typed away in an online chat with his beloved “Merlin-chan.”

With this ability, trust became a farce from the start. Beneath humanity’s polished exterior lay unfathomable darkness—though his dear Merlin-chan was an exception, of course.

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“So that’s how it is...”

Mikoto now understood that Shokuhou’s resentment stemmed from her blindly trusting others and handing over her DNA, indirectly causing the tragedy of the Sisters' project.

But regarding the two projects Shokuhou mentioned, Mikoto couldn’t refute them. She truly felt guilty about the past—or rather, toward the Sisters.

“I should apologize properly. I misunderstood her...”

Even if Shokuhou disliked her, she had acted in Mikoto’s best interest and even saved the Sisters.

Unbeknownst to her, Shokuhou was currently crossing her arms, both annoyed and relieved that the censorship was in place.

She didn’t mind Mikoto seeing, since they were both girls, but who knew how much that collar grab had exposed?! Without censorship, it’d be a disaster.

“That damn ELECTROMASTER!!”

。。。。。

【 The scene shifted as the two arrived outside the lab. Mikoto’s voice dropped low.

“Those who can’t achieve anything without sacrificing others... I’ll personally send them to their graves.”

With that, she ran off on her own, leaving Shokuhou frantically reaching out after her.

“W-Wait!!”

After running for a bit, Mikoto suddenly stopped and turned back—only to find Shokuhou gone.

Shokuhou?! She disappeared. There’s only one path here—no way we got separated.

Mikoto tensed up immediately. This was the enemy’s stronghold, after all.

I’ve been tricked!!

As Mikoto spiraled, Shokuhou came stumbling over like a zombie... or, more accurately, shuffling.

“I... told you... to wait!!”

Shokuhou braced her hands on her knees, panting heavily.

“Don’t... get too excited alone... I brought you here, so... at least match my pace!”

Mikoto stared in disbelief at the utterly exhausted Shokuhou. Where was her usual composure? She looked like she might collapse any second.

“I... was just jogging.”

Dead silence. Shokuhou hastily defended herself.

“It’s not my fault! You and I have... different weights in certain areas. You have less air resistance. You wouldn’t understand this struggle!”

Mikoto’s face spelled out one word: “Bullshit.”

“I think... you’re just terrible at sports. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen you in P.E.”

Shokuhou’s face flushed.

“Oh, so being athletic makes you special? Are you a child? No wonder your figure’s so childish, too.”

“That has nothing to do with my figure!”

Mikoto shot back, now equally irritated.

“And you—what’s with the sparkly eyes? Straight out of a shoujo manga?!”

“I can’t help it! They’re natural!”

“Grrrr!!” The two struck ridiculous poses in the middle of enemy territory, hurling insults like children. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds

“In a way, Mikoto’s statement could be considered a criminal declaration... but from another angle, it’s the perfect crime.”

How couldn’t it be?! One could wreak havoc with electricity, while the other could wipe memories clean with Mental Out. Even if Mikoto went on a rampage, no one would notice.

“Pfft—Shokuhou’s stamina is a joke, right?! She barely ran any distance! You’d think she ran a marathon.”

“Well, she’s carrying extra weight. Guess that explains why Mikoto’s so fast—no ‘airport’ to slow her down!”

Seeing Shokuhou’s half-dead state, no one doubted this might be her yearly exercise quota. She looked like she hadn’t even run 100 meters—grandpa-tier physical stats with a baby’s stamina.

~ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline ~

“So this is how LV 5s fight?! Truly terrifying.”

Even the usually composed Giorno Giovanna struggled to hold back laughter at the absurd sight.

Watching Academy City’s top two LV 5s bicker like kids and strike bizarre poses, one might mistake them for Stand users!

Truly, when masters clash, they draw no blood. And Shokuhou, those starry eyes are natural?!

“Wait, aren’t they in enemy territory?”

Even Narancia, known for his... unique intellect, sensed something off.

Why were they roasting each other?! The battles of top-tier espers were indeed extraordinary—a breathtaking LV 5 showdown... though he couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

But they were smarter than him, so they must have their reasons.

。。。。。

Chapter 243: Breaking down the wall is considered sneaking in?!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After the sisterly quarrel, even before the invasion began, the two were already exhausted, leaning against the wall, panting heavily.

“Let's split up!”

Despite their earlier heated argument, they now spoke in unison, each choosing a different direction to proceed.

Misaka chose a frontal assault. The robots in the area were instantly turned against the security personnel under her control.

Misaka casually picked up a computer dropped by a guard, studying the map inside.

“If Kihara Gensei is already here... VIP room?!”

Ignoring the struggling guard nearby, Mikoto turned her gaze to the wall.

“According to the map, going through here seems faster. It's reckless, but I can't fall behind Shokuhou!”

“DING—”

She pulled a coin from her pocket, tossed it into the air, and as electricity crackled around her, the coin transformed into a beam of light, shooting forward at three times the speed of sound.

“BOOM—” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Such sisterly affection, huh? You’ve pretty much aired all each other’s dirty laundry. The surveillance must be thinking, ‘Wow, they really just ignored me completely.’”

“A perfect ‘stealth’ operation... though I can’t help but feel the urge to. These security robots have never been reliable.”

This duo is practically invincible. While everyone was impressed, they also couldn’t help but facepalm.

Misaka Mikoto even knows what ‘stealth’ means?! This is what she calls ‘a bit reckless’?!

Talk about a hardcore entrance—go for the loudest option available.

A Railgun shot to blast through the wall? Might as well announce your invasion to the world.

Why use doors when you can go straight through walls?

~ Pokémon World ~

“No good, this kid’s totally no good!”

James and Jessie, wearing sunglasses, critiqued like experts, clearly unimpressed with Mikoto’s performance.

“Totally agree, meow!”

Meowth crossed its arms and nodded along.

When it comes to stealth, Team Rocket is the true professionals. Mikoto’s door-smashing antics? A failing grade. This kid still has a long way to go.

~ Detective Conan World ~

Though Conan had expected as much, seeing it firsthand still left him speechless. His deadpan expression said it all:

“When will she ever learn to use the door?”

Misaka Mikoto’s approach is like turning a police chase into a full-blown counter-terror operation—go big or go home.

“Hey, she still technically ‘infiltrated,’ didn’t she?”

Ai Haibara found Mikoto’s boldness rather admirable. Hardcore? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. A perfect stealth mission.

。。。。。

【 The commotion Misaka caused was so loud that Misaki Shokuhou, heading the opposite direction, paused and glanced back.

“Still as barbaric as ever. Couldn’t she at least act a bit more refined?”

Compared to Misaka’s brute force, Shokuhou was the picture of elegance. She walked past security as if they didn’t exist, her Mental Out ability instantly turning them into her allies.

The two eventually reunited and captured Kihara Gensei—only to find out it was a decoy. Shokuhou extracted memories from the decoy, even encountering Kihara’s voice speaking to her through them.

In the memory, an elderly man gazed out a window.

“If you’ve seen these memories, you already know the situation. Your presence here means you’re not there!”

“Without you, who will protect Exterior?!”

Shokuhou, having absorbed these memories, left without a word. Ignoring Misaka’s questions, she couldn’t shake her unease. How did he know all this?!

They quickly got into a car, and Shokuhou immediately ordered the driver,

“Drive! As fast as you can!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Elegant, truly elegant! No wonder she calls Misaka barbaric—compared to her, it’s night and day.”

“Hahaha, one controls machines, the other controls people. Truly the best match!”

Though no one knew what ‘Exterior’ referred to, Shokuhou’s urgency made it clear: something bad was about to happen.

~ Spy x Family World ~

“That’s a tactical home invasion! Pretty clever move.”

Even Twilight had to admit Kihara’s plan was solid. Knowing Shokuhou’s base location was likely due to the Sisters.

Remember the nano-virus from the mosquito bite? Given the advanced tech in that world, it probably had tracking capabilities.

While Mental Out is a nightmare for spies, this was the first time he’d seen Shokuhou look genuinely flustered... Good thing our world doesn’t have that ability.

That’d be a real headache.

“Woah!! Wakku wakku!!”

Anya instantly picked up on Twilight’s thoughts. Superpowers and robots? So cool!

Oh, and by the way, Dad... About that ‘no superpowers’ thing...

~ Dropkick on My Devil World ~

“That old man’s sharp! He even predicted Shokuhou would read the decoy’s memories!”

Yurine was genuinely surprised by Kihara’s foresight.

The older, the craftier. Everything was part of his plan—even exposing his own location in District 2 was likely a diversion.

“Ufufufu...”

The Evil Goddess giggled weirdly.

“If you want to go fast, just use the sidewalk. Plenty of space there, right?”

Medusa, standing nearby, already knew what was coming: snake stew for dinner tonight.

。。。。。

【 On their way back, an explosion set an autonomous bus on fire, crippling the city’s main transportation during the Daihasei Festival. Traffic gridlock spread everywhere.

“No choice!”

Shokuhou, frantic, had no patience for delays. She pulled a remote from her bag.

“Exterior! Reverse flow, starting from the 13th pair onward.”

A massive, fleeting tube of liquid flashed, and Shokuhou pressed the button.

Thousands of people across several kilometers fell under her control, clearing a path for her. Misaka stared in shock.

“The road...”

“Go straight through! Full speed!”

Shokuhou clutched her head, sweating and visibly strained.

Misaka was stunned.

“Thousands of people... Controlling minds across kilometers. Even the strongest esper in Academy City shouldn’t have this nightmare-LV power.”

Shokuhou’s only thought was speed.

“If they’ve taken Exterior while I’m gone... That’s the one scenario I can’t allow.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Holy—! How is this only Rank 5?! Was the ranking decided by lottery? There’s no way this power is fourth-tier.”

“Manipulating thousands across kilometers, clearing a path instantly—now that’s true ‘One-Way Road’ power.”

Mental Out is downright terrifying. No wonder LV 5 espers are in a league of their own.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifted to Shokuhou’s memories with Dolly, explaining her desperation.

When they arrived, Misaka noticed something off.

“The interference waves here are no joke.”

Walking down the hall, Shokuhou explained, “The Exterior is an amplifier for my ability.”

“But its original purpose was to let anyone use Mental Out—a twisted toy.”

“This facility, the Clone Dolly Project, aimed to cultivate geniuses. But they realized brainwashing ‘geniuses’ was faster than creating them.”

“So I destroyed the organization... and took over.”

They stared at the massive brain suspended in fluid, golden threads connecting to it.

“That’s a section of my cerebral cortex, cultured and enlarged. The exterior brain.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Dolly... Just how many experiments did they put her through?”

“Are Academy City’s higher-ups all insane? They seem utterly delusional, chasing pipe dreams.”

Mental Out for everyone? That’s no joke. The potential for abuse is staggering. In the wrong hands, it could manipulate the world unseen.

Shokuhou, a LV 5 who’s seen such darkness yet hasn’t turned evil, deserves praise for her integrity.

Not everyone could resist that temptation. At least she limits herself to pranks like exam sabotage.

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

“So that’s why she saved the Sisters...”

Shirou Emiya couldn’t help but lament their tragic fate.

Dolly, the first clone, formed a bond with Shokuhou. Her death left Shokuhou haunted by regret—for failing to uncover the plan sooner.

That’s why she now protects the Sisters.

The more you understand human nature, the harder it is to trust. History and the present prove humanity never changes.

These events left her unable to trust most—even Misaka.

。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san. The Next chapter will cover Touma and Shokuhou’s story. Can’t skip why she calls him ‘Prince,’ after all. Hehe.)

Chapter 244: He looks like a prince

Chapter Text

【 Just then, Misaki Shokuhou received a call from Keitz, who had already taken the Misaka Sisters and hidden on the rooftop.

“Well done! On the rooftop, right? I'll be right there.”

Shokuhou's face lit up with joy upon hearing the good news, and she prepared to take Misaka Mikoto with her, but Keitz stopped her.

The attackers were all seasoned special forces, yet they allowed him to escape with the Misaka Sisters. Keitz believed they were intentionally led here.

“About that, I have an Amazonian warrior whose combat power drains her bust size, so you don't need to worry.”

Misaki Shokuhou was very confident in Misaka Mikoto's combat power.

Next to her, Misaka Mikoto felt an inexplicable arrow pierce her heart, “Who are you talking about?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hahaha, as expected of sisters. Misaki Shokuhou's retort is simply amazing. Is it possible that bust size is inversely proportional to combat power?”

Everyone glanced at the flat-chested Misaka Mikoto and nodded silently in unison. Hmm... it seemed to make a lot of sense. Combat power indeed seemed to have drained her bust size.

。。。。。

【 At this moment, the External Brain behind them suddenly stirred, and Misaki Shokuhou also collapsed. Kihara Gensei's figure had already appeared behind Keitz, using the acquired ability to control both of them.

“By tuning the giant brain and my brainwaves to the same frequency, the ability is now within my grasp.” A smile appeared on Kihara Gensei's aged face.

“The multiple protections Misaki Shokuhou placed on the Sisters are too easy for me now.”

After Kihara Gensei hung up the phone, he took out an instrument, aimed it at Misaka 10032, and pressed a button,

“Then, injecting a specific virus into the Misaka Network is also effortless.”

“Ah!!” Misaka 10032's entire body erupted with black lightning, letting out a painful wail.

The scene shifted to a hospital room, where Last Order, dressed in a loose white coat, sat on a hospital bed, playing poker with Accelerator.

One of Last Order's ahoge quickly shot up, sensing something was wrong: “No way, this is impossible, Misaka Mikoto...”

Accelerator looked at Last Order in confusion: “Huh?! What's wrong?”

“Misaka's protection on Misaka 10032 has been completely removed, Misaka Mikoto...” Before she could finish speaking, Last Order fell straight down.

“As long as the body's thrust is excluded...” Accelerator had just started speaking when he quickly reached out and covered his mouth.

At the same time, Misaka Sisters all over the world lost consciousness and collapsed. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Damn, this Kihara Gensei is tough to deal with. It just goes to show that the older the ginger, the spicier it is. What exactly does he want to do with the Misaka Sisters?! Didn't the LV 6 Shift Project stop?”

“Wait, is this really that arrogant Accelerator?! What's he doing now?! He's actually playing cards...”

Everyone rubbed their eyes, thinking they had seen wrong. Even though they hadn't expected that Accelerator was actually babysitting, and it was a Misaka Sister at that.

They had initially thought it was just a random excuse to decline the invitation.

~Sword Art Online World~

“Network viruses, huh...”

Kayaba Akihiko, who had deep knowledge of network research, was no stranger to them. The Misaka Network could be both beneficial and detrimental. In the worst-case scenario, like this, controlling one meant controlling all Misaka Sisters.

He was now very confused by Kihara Gensei's method of tuning the External Brain's brainwaves to match his own. Logically, Misaka Mikoto's electromagnetic field should have been able to interfere with Kihara Gensei.

Why was Kihara Gensei still able to control the External Brain even with Misaka Mikoto present...?

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

Misaki Shokuhou gritted her teeth secretly as she watched. She had never underestimated Kihara Gensei, but she hadn't expected him to control the brain even with such strict protective measures!

On the other side, Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator's points of focus were completely different. Mikoto was concerned about why her clone was playing so well with Accelerator, even playing cards together?! Was he really Accelerator?

“Why?!”

The somewhat agitated Misaka Mikoto couldn't understand the Misaka Sisters' thoughts. Why would they get close to that murderer...?

And Accelerator, whom Misaka Mikoto called a murderer, also expressed his confusion,

“Is this really me?! I would actually... take care of that kid?!”

Am I crazy or stupid?!

。。。。。

【 Misaka Mikoto ran to the rooftop and kicked open the door. She saw Misaka's sister 10032 already collapsed. The violent lightning could no longer contain its rage, surging wildly outside her body.

“What did you do to her!!!”

Facing the enraged Misaka Mikoto, Kihara Gensei seemed indifferent: “The chairman's favored candidate hidden in the shadow of the first candidate, how about using this power as a detonator to awaken your dormant power?”

The black lightning in the sky seemed to consciously surge towards Misaka Mikoto, entering her body like a vessel. The next moment, dazzling lightning illuminated the entire Academy City!

Misaka Mikoto's figure also changed. Her eyes turned into white lightning, long tentacles extended from her forehead, transforming into floating white ribbons, and her hair stood on end.

“Crack!!” Violent lightning flashed all around her.

Kihara Gensei looked at the masterpiece before him with great satisfaction:

“Misaka, can you achieve the will of heaven, LV 6?!”

Misaka Mikoto, whose heart was swayed by Kihara Gensei, intended to destroy Academy City. Dazzling lightning pillars descended from the sky, the ground trembled, and everyone nearby looked at Mikoto's location with astonishment. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

Everyone stared in a daze at Misaka Mikoto, who looked like a god possessed.

That violent lightning, illuminating Academy City, coupled with this destructive power. It turned out that Misaka Mikoto was their true target all along.

The purpose of attacking the Misaka Sisters was to use the uncontrolled Misaka Network to incite the enraged Misaka Mikoto into becoming the first “LV 6”!!

Now everyone finally understood why the researchers of Academy City were so obsessed with LV 6!! To comprehend the will of God with a non-divine body, to achieve the will of heaven.

~ The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World ~

“Good grief, why are they all so obsessed with powerful espers!”

Saiki Kusuo couldn't help but feel annoyed. The researchers who appeared here were all mad scientists.

What good would it do to gain powerful esper abilities?! To listen to the will of God?! Whether God even existed in this world still needed confirmation.

Such impractical experiments and persecutions would sooner or later harm themselves.

However, Kihara Gensei's last words also indirectly indicated that all of this was premeditated. Misaka Mikoto had long been on the mastermind's LV 6 project list.

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

The long-suffering residents of Fuyuki City said they were all too familiar with this commotion.

“Are the students of Academy City really that confident in their security?! Such a huge commotion, yet not a single person came to check.”

They had wanted to say this a long time ago. This area didn't seem to be a restricted zone, nor was it some remote wilderness. Under the gloomy sky, Misaka Mikoto's lightning was incredibly clear and dazzling.

But... wasn't anyone going to come and gossip about it?! Come on, quick, come and see, Academy City is about to be blown up.

。。。。。

【 Misaka Mikoto's fierce attack, the building remained strangely undamaged, which even surprised Kihara Gensei.

“Even with dozens of times Misaka's original firepower, direct physical attacks cause no damage to it.”

“However, she is still in the process of growing. Her LV is 2% of the LV 6 evolution stage.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

Upon hearing this, everyone watching the video was astonished. That LV of the lightning attack was only 2% of LV 6!! But it was also dozens of times Misaka Mikoto's power. If she fully evolved to one hundred percent, she might truly become a walking god among humans.

But was this building really that sturdy?! Even with such power, it remained completely unharmed. Was someone secretly intervening?! Or was this just Academy City's technology?!

。。。。。

【 “Ouch...” Misaki Shokuhou put her hand on her forehead, leaned against the wall, and walked through the center of the building. Through the glass wall, she also saw the flashing lightning outside.

“Even if the Judgement officers are deployed, it will only result in piles of corpses. Even so, is there anything that can counter this?”

Misaki Shokuhou constantly pondered countermeasures, then her pupils slightly contracted, noticing Kamijou Touma below!

“Oh my, he really has impeccable timing. If the incident had nothing to do with me, I would definitely despise her.”

“But...” Misaki Shokuhou's tone suddenly changed, an incredibly strong sense of relief surged through her heart, and a slight blush appeared on her face.

“If I'm the one involved, he looks like a prince.”

“Women are truly capricious!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 245: The story of Shokuhou and Kamijō Tōma......

Chapter Text

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

The crowd was slightly startled when Touma Kamijou appeared.

“Holy cow, why are you everywhere? Why are you showing up now? It’s almost over, and we haven’t seen you appear yet. Could it be that you’ll still be the one to turn the tide in the end?”

“Something’s wrong, very wrong. Looking at Misaki Shokuhou’s expression, something definitely happened between these two!”

Under what circumstances would a young girl call a man her prince?! Didn’t they say that her Mental Out ability made her basically distrust everyone?

Why, when Touma Kamijou came out, did they see relief on Misaki Shokuhou’s face, that kind of unreserved trust, which filled the crowd outside the video with astonishment.

“What exactly happened between them?! An ex-girlfriend?! Or an ex-boyfriend?!”

The instinct for gossip made everyone’s hearts itch like a kitten scratching, unable to calm down.

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“Huh?! The Queen of Tokiwadai actually shows such an expression.”

Misaka Mikoto got angry just thinking about Shokuhou saying she didn’t trust anyone, including herself, earlier.

If that’s the case, then what about Kamijou?! What’s the deal with this guy, making you trust him unconditionally? Isn’t this just hitting yourself in the face?

Meanwhile, in the Disciplinary Committee, Ruiko Saten keenly smelled the scent of gossip.

“It really is a Shura field unfolding. Misaka-san seems to have a bit of that feeling too.”

。。。。。

On the other side, Misaki Shokuhou buried her head in her arms and murmured softly, but her voice seemed somewhat joyful.

“Appearing at this moment is just too unfair…”

Isn’t this just like a prince, especially coming to save her?! She knew that this was all just her fantasy; Kamijou’s brain had a physical circuit necrosis regarding the recognition of Misaki Shokuhou, so that he couldn’t remember her.

。。。。。

【 At that time, the self-abandoning Misaki Shokuhou was planning to reset her memories completely, and Kamijou, out of concern, went up to talk to her.

Their encounter was so ordinary: a quiet afternoon, a passing encounter, a simple greeting. And it was this ordinary, yet very warm, conversation that gave the then-suffering Misaki Shokuhou the confidence to carry on.

This encounter was a perfect shot in the arm for the then-degenerated Misaki Shokuhou. Touma’s appearance brought warm sunlight into the dark, gloomy world she had seen so much of.

Afterward, there were several more encounters: the first time a boy saw her swimsuit, the first time she severely knocked a boy’s head, and the first time she experienced the shyness of an indirect kiss with a boy. These warm moments also became the happiest times in Misaki Shokuhou’s life!

She didn’t trust anyone whose memories she hadn’t peeked into or who she hadn’t controlled, but she trusted Touma Kamijou. She made a rule for herself: she would never peek into Touma’s memories and would never use her ability on Touma.

Gradually, he became Shokuhou’s emotional pillar. When she was with Kamijou, Shokuhou would even feel like she had been almost tamed by Kamijou.

But happy times are always so short. When she was surrounded by the “Spear of Usurpation” and in a desperate situation, Touma Kamijou fearlessly stood in front of her, protecting her.

At this moment, she realized the feelings she held for Kamijou in her heart, seeing him as her hero.

Just as the two were excited about their victory, they discovered that Touma’s abdomen was already bleeding profusely.

During the final treatment, Touma’s blood pressure dropped sharply due to excessive blood loss, reaching a point where anesthesia was impossible. At the critical moment, Misaki Shokuhou used her ability to relieve Touma’s pain.

With Shokuhou’s help, Touma was saved. But the memory circuits in his brain concerning Misaki Shokuhou were damaged. He could no longer remember anything about Shokuhou, whether it was her scent, voice, appearance, or anything else about her. Even if they met again, he would quickly forget.

No matter how Shokuhou told him about their little moments, their encounters, their getting to know each other, their getting acquainted, Touma could only shake his head in confusion and say he didn’t remember. And in the blink of an eye, Shokuhou once again disappeared from Touma’s memory…

Sometimes she would also secretly feel sad in a deserted place, muttering to herself, “Forgetting me again and again, even I’m almost out of strength to reintroduce myself over and over again.”

The girl’s forced mischievous expression each time, and her self-deprecating, shallow smile when parting, expressed the girl’s inner thoughts: “Hehe, it’s okay, it’s okay, you’ll forget it anyway soon.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“......”

The crowd, who had been happily gossiping, fell silent.

They hadn’t expected the story between them to be even deeper than imagined.

Perhaps this is what they mean by the truth being a swift blade.

A simple greeting gave a girl who had seen darkness the hope to live.

A girl who didn’t trust anyone whose memories she hadn’t peeked into, yet she only trusted Touma Kamijou, and even set a rule for herself: never to peek into Kamijou’s memories.

Now everyone understood why Misaki Shokuhou had that expression when she saw Touma Kamijou at that time… Even she, known as the Queen of Tokiwadai, was almost out of the courage to reintroduce herself over and over again.

Every encounter, every self-introduction, was painful for Misaki Shokuhou. In Kamijou’s eyes, she was just a passerby…

~ Detective Conan World ~

“Why is this happening!”

The kind-hearted Ran Mouri felt sad for Shokuhou.

She possessed the ability to freely modify memories, yet she couldn’t make the hero who saved her remember her again.

Introducing herself as a passerby over and over again, in the end, she only hurt herself. Why was it specifically the memories of Shokuhou that were damaged? Isn’t this too unfair to this girl?

Conan, with his hands in his pockets, his glasses reflecting a slight gleam, had a clear understanding of Academy City, which could push Shokuhou to the point of wanting to reset her own memories!

A simple greeting from Kamijou could redeem a heart that was gradually dying.

Is the darkness hidden in Academy City really something these students can deal with?

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

Medusa, Rin Tohsaka, and the others all silently looked at Shirou Emiya.

Not only were their personalities somewhat similar, but it also felt like their experiences were almost the same.

You know, the Shirou Emiya in the previous video also started to constantly forget after using Archer’s arm, almost failing to even call out Illya’s name.

How ironic! Misaka Mikoto, who controls lightning, is corroded by lightning, and Misaki Shokuhou, who controls memory, cannot make her hero remember her.

“Touma Kamijou is truly a good person!”

Touma Kamijou’s kind greeting directly saved a girl.

Sometimes the world is that simple; an ordinary greeting can have the power to save a girl.

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“So that’s how it is…”

Mikoto’s expression darkened. She never expected that mischievous girl to have gone through such an experience.

The pain of someone you care about forgetting you, she had already experienced it in the video.

The unfamiliar expressions when Kuroko Shirai and Uiharu Kazari had their memories erased deeply pained her heart.

Even more so for Shokuhou, who regarded Kamijou as her emotional pillar; the pain she endured was far deeper than her own.

。。。。。

“Is that so?!”

Touma Kamijou was somewhat confused. Even after their experience was played once, he still had no impression, and in the blink of an eye, he forgot everything again.

He couldn’t even pretend to know Index, like when he had amnesia in the future.

。。。。。

【 Touma Kamijou, running below, also encountered Misaka Mikoto, who was emitting white light and surrounded by lightning.

“Could it be…” Touma Kamijou looked at her with a cold sweat on his face, vaguely guessing her identity in his heart.

“From above, the angle is barely possible…” Misaki Shokuhou raised her remote control, aimed it at Kamijou, and then pressed it hard.

Hello there! Just a heads-up, if you touch your head with your right hand, everything I’m about to say will disappear. Don’t touch your head!

At this moment, a voice appeared in Touma Kamijou’s head, and he looked around frantically for the source of the voice.

“What’s going on? The voice is coming from my head…”

To explain the situation, my ability and the Misaka Network have been misused, and Misaka-san is not doing well.

Hearing the voice, Touma Kamijou looked again at Misaka Mikoto, who was standing still in front of him.

“Is that really Misaka?!”

If you touch her directly, she might return to normal. Let’s give it a try.

Touma Kamijou was somewhat confused by the voice in his head.

“By the way, who are you?!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the voice in his head fell silent. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“After learning their story, I realized that Misaki Shokuhou’s tone towards Touma Kamijou is just like she’s acting spoiled!!”

“Good heavens, if Misaka Mikoto knew that Shokuhou could actually speak properly, she’d probably be furious! After all, Shokuhou is always sarcastic towards her, because of their deep sisterly bond, you know.”

As expected, what they worried about came true. Why did he have to ask?!

Everyone was already worried that Kamijou might step on a landmine, and now he’s basically stabbed Shokuhou again.

How could she not be silent now? Even the Queen of Tokiwadai doesn’t dare to introduce herself over and over again. At this moment, she may be secretly wiping away tears.

。。。。。

Chapter 246: Kamijōu Tōuma and Sogiita Gunha!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “How impressive, truly Guts.” Gunha Sogiita, from a distance, looked at the surging lightning ahead and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

Then he revealed a somewhat chuunibyou smile, “Lightning surging from the ground, I’ll go in and take a look!”

The scene returned to Kamijou Touma. At this moment, he was circling Misaka Mikoto, looking for an opportunity, but whenever he charged forward, he would always be repelled by the lightning on Misaka’s body!

His previously disadvantaged right hand seemed to have lost its function.

“What is that…”

But this also made Misaka Mikoto notice her right hand. From her perspective, it was the only special place on Touma Kamijou that glowed.

A figure reappeared in her inner world, tempting her again: “He’s a bad bug trying to hinder you. Get rid of all those kinds of guys.”

The lightning on Misaka’s body became denser, and a large pile of iron fragments floated above her head.

“As expected… It’s not that easy!” Touma Kamijou also sighed upon seeing this. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Is the Spirited Youth finally making his appearance?! I’m really curious about his ability. After all, as one of the seven LV 5s, his ability shouldn’t be too bad.”

“Unbelievable, just 2% of LV 6, and she can actually see the unusualness of Touma Kamijou’s right hand at a glance.”

What surprised everyone the most was that Touma Kamijou’s right hand actually failed!! Even though he extended his right hand forward, he was still repelled by the lightning on her body.

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“How to put it, rather than being tempted by, it’s more like she was already pretty much blackened.”

Mikoto had already seen the dark side of Academy City and had long been very dissatisfied with these inhuman experiments, and her subconscious used this point! To guide out Mikoto’s darkness.

Romani was a bit worried. If the out-of-control Mikoto really reached LV 6, who could stop her, especially if even Touma Kamijou’s right hand couldn’t function now?

“No matter how strong she is, at the end of the day, she’s just a middle school student.”

Da Vinci sometimes felt that Misaka Mikoto was a bit reckless.

Being reckless makes her easily exploited, and her weaknesses are obvious, but this is also how a middle school student should behave.

Being able to accept the appearance of so many clones of herself is already very calm.

。。。。。

【 Touma Kamijou currently couldn’t get close to Misaka Mikoto. At this moment, he was busy dodging the electrical appliances constantly falling from the sky.

Then another bolt of lightning struck. Touma Kamijou, while running, subconsciously swung his right hand backward! Eliminating the lightning.

Seeing that he successfully eliminated the lightning, Touma Kamijou also felt a little relieved: “I can do it! Although the power is strong, I can eliminate it with my right hand… Then!!”

However, it was clear that he rejoiced too soon. As the smoke cleared, a huge iron ball, attracted and gathered by Misaka Mikoto’s magnetic force, floated in the air.

“No, no, no, that’s cheating.”

Touma Kamijou was a bit flustered when he saw it, only feeling that the other side was too unreasonable, wasn’t she playing fair?!

But the huge iron ball, gathered by magnetic force, had already smashed towards him, and in an instant, he was enveloped in shadow!

At this moment, a figure leaped out from the side, his passionate and fervent words incredibly clear,

“HYPER ECCENTRIC ULTRA GREAT GIGA EXTREME AND ONE MORE HYPER...”

“AMAZING PUNCH!!”

“BOOM!!—”

Gunha Sogiita threw a punch forward, instantly shattering the huge iron ball, and dazzling flames shot up into the sky.

Touma Kamijou just stared blankly at all of this. When Gunha Sogiita returned to the ground, he still left deep scratches on the ground.

He looked back at Touma: “Are you alright?”

“Thanks, you saved me!”

Touma Kamijou also walked over and greeted him.

Gunha Sogiita looked at Misaka Mikoto’s appearance and was slightly surprised,

“It seems there’s an incredible guy, she even has horns, what a Guts.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Thank you, Guts Bro! Now the seventh one has also joined the battle, but I still don’t understand what his ability is.”

“Holy cow, this destructive power is insane, but it’s not easy… In this world full of magicians and espers, a boxer actually appeared.”

“By the way, how much does he like the word ‘Guts’? Two out of three sentences contain the word ‘Guts’.”

Everyone looked at this chuunibyou youth full of Guts. They had to admit he was a genius at naming things, probably using all the vocabulary he knew.

Although his move names weren’t great, their power seemed to be genuinely strong! No one else could wear a school uniform like a cape.

~ KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World ~

“Oh oh oh!!! This name is really good, absolutely perfect.”

Megumin excitedly slapped the table and stood up. She immediately found a common feeling with this Gunha Sogiita.

Such a powerful-sounding move, plus the name, was simply too cool.

“This name… is it… Beautiful?!”

Aqua’s eyes revealed clear stupidity, somewhat doubting whether she was out of touch with the times.

Kazuma slapped his face hard, feeling a strong sense of unease welling up in his heart… This was completely over.

Megumin, who was already chuunibyou enough, was going to become even more chuunibyou.

。。。。。

【 “Alright, leave the rest to me.” Gunha Sogiita patted his chest, signaling Touma Kamijou to leave this place, as it was too dangerous.

“No, even though she’s become like that, she’s an acquaintance of mine. Sorry, I can’t leave her with someone else.”

Gunha Sogiita glanced at Misaka Mikoto’s current appearance.

His intuition told him that she was very dangerous, so he still hoped Touma Kamijou would leave,

“But she’s not easy to deal with. Don’t say anything more, hurry up and take shelter.”

Touma Kamijou wasn’t entirely clear about the specific reason, but he still explained to Mikoto: “Someone is controlling her; that expression is closer to the truth.”

“Controlled by someone?! Then her Guts aren’t strong enough.”

Gunha Sogiita bumped his fists, “Then I’ll inject some Guts into her.”

“No… that’s not the point.” Touma Kamijou was a bit helpless, as he didn’t want the other party to harm Mikoto.

“It’s nothing, she just went astray and became bad. As long as she has Guts…”

At this moment, a bolt of lightning had already surged towards them.

Touma Kamijou and Gunha Sogiita were still looking at each other, but they both extended their hands at the same time.

“ZNAP!!—”

The lightning instantly disappeared the moment it touched their hands.

Touma Kamijou looked at Gunha Sogiita in surprise: “He slapped the lightning away?!

Little did he know that Gunha Sogiita was also looking at Touma Kamijou in surprise: “He nullified the lightning?!

Who is this guy?!” This was the inner thought of both Touma Kamijou and Gunha Sogiita. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Guts Bro lives up to his name. He even thinks that being controlled by someone just requires injecting Guts. Is there anything that Guts can’t help with?”

Everyone watched the scene where they nullified the lightning, their mouths twitching slightly. What a grand show-off! Then came the mutual flattery, and Misaka Mikoto became their background board.

One resisted it head-on, the other nullified it, resulting in mutual bewilderment, then mutual surprise, as a sign of friendship.

~ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline ~

“It seems like a formidable opponent!”

In Josuke Higashikata’s eyes, Gunha Sogiita was undoubtedly a good person. The moment he saved Touma, he told him to take shelter.

“What a fated encounter…”

Two similar people, like Stand users, were destined to be attracted to each other.

Perhaps they would become close friends in the future; not only were their abilities somewhat complementary, but their personalities also got along well.

~ Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline ~

“How exactly are they ranked?! Gunha Sogiita is only ranked seventh?!”

Maki Zenin was full of confusion, truly unable to understand.

Gunha Sogiita and Touma Kamijou simultaneously repelled the super-strong lightning strike from the berserk Misaka, but the principles were different.

Touma used his right hand, which could nullify all supernatural abilities, to eliminate the electric current attack.

And Sogiita was even more exaggerated, “pressing down” the lightning with his hand, directly destroying it.

But it should be known that this was lightning unleashed by Misaka Mikoto, whose power was ten times stronger than before, yet he so easily blocked it.

However, with such strength, he could only be ranked seventh. Just from his performance, he was already stronger than the third-ranked Misaka Mikoto.

。。。。。

Notes:

Translator-kun: For those people who are also confused about the rankings of LV5. They are primarily based on an Esper's destructive potential, but their overall usefulness and the strategic value of their abilities to Aleister's plans are also major factors that influence their exact position.

Chapter 247: Sogiita Gunha's ability!

Chapter Text

“I'm Sogiita Gunha, who are you?!” Seeing this, Sogiita Gunha no longer insisted on his taking shelter and believed in Touma's strength.

“Kamijou Touma!”

Sogiita Gunha and Kamijou Touma officially reached a consensus here, working together to stop Misaka Mikoto: “Alright, Kamijou Touma! Don't hold me back!”

As time went on, Misaka Mikoto's ability grew stronger and stronger. Countless iron chunks were pulled into the sky by immense magnetism, slowly rotating around Mikoto in the center.

At this moment, a steel beam was rapidly flung out towards Sogiita. The latter didn't bother to dodge and simply met it with his head.

“Clang!!!”

The steel beam collided with his head, making a huge sound. Sogiita calmly wiped his nose and smiled confidently.

That body, which couldn't be described as human, was displayed vividly by him in this instant!

“That's an interesting move, but I'm tired of it!”

After Sogiita spoke, a brilliant light burst forth from his fist and slammed into the ground. A powerful shockwave surged towards Mikoto, and a mushroom cloud of dazzling light enveloped Mikoto.

“Hey! Sogiita...” Touma quickly turned back to check on Mikoto's condition, fearing Sogiita had gone too far.

After all, their goal was to rescue Misaka Mikoto, not to harm her. But after turning back, Touma also froze.

Dark iron sand had formed a sphere, protecting Mikoto, and she hadn't suffered any damage.

“Iron sand?! Still playing with sand, don't you understand what guts are?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“I can only say it's truly you, Guts Bro, this is a head-on collision, your head is harder than steel!”

“Does it sound good? If it sounds good, it's a good head! At least it proves you have an iron will...”

Everyone from other worlds felt a bit helpless hearing Sogiita's last words. To be honest... we don't understand what you mean by guts either!!

And isn't it normal for Misaka Mikoto to use iron sand? Why is it considered lacking guts in your eyes? What exactly is your ability?!

~ The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World ~

“Yare yare, every sentence really does contain the word 'guts,' just like Hairo.”

Saiki expressionlessly watched Hairo, who was still doing deep squats while shouting about passion.

But then again, what is his superpower?! Resisting steel head-on is very likely some kind of body enhancement ability.

However, his attacks don't seem that simple. Is he a multi-ability user like himself?

“Go, Sogiita!”

Kaidou Shun's cheers attracted Saiki's attention. As soon as the video came out, Saiki knew this veteran chuunibyou was beyond saving.

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“It seems I know too little about the LV 5s in Academy City.”

It's when you need it that you regret not having enough– ”

This was Misaka Mikoto's thought at the moment.

As a fellow LV 5, she barely knew anyone besides Misaki Shokuhou, let alone their abilities...

“Can they really stop me, now that I've become like that...”

Sogiita, on the other hand, shook his head, somewhat disappointed, just as he had on the screen. What the hell, they still don't understand guts even now.

Touma, who's somewhat similar in personality to me, should understand, right?

Little did he know that Touma, on the other side, was equally clueless. What the hell was Sogiita talking about?!

~ Pokémon World ~

“Oh!!!!”

Ash now felt like he had learned a new move,

“See, Pikachu! We can also use iron sand for defense!”

He couldn't learn Railgun, after all, it required knowledge. But this iron sand defense, he should be able to learn it, right? Just attract the iron sand to himself, and it's done!

“Pika!”

Pikachu also excitedly raised its small paw. This move really seemed possible.

“Uh... Ash, I don't mean to discourage you, it's good to want to learn... but...”

Professor Oak hesitated for a moment, then shattered Ash's daydream.

“I don't think Pikachu's ability alone can attract iron sand!”

Ash and Pikachu froze instantly, thinking they could learn a new move, only to be disappointed again.

。。。。。

【 Kamijou Touma and Sogiita Gunha, working together against the continuous attacks, also grew frustrated.

“At this rate, we can't even get close to her!”

“If possible, I want to try touching her with my right hand to see if I can restore her to normal.”

Kamijou Touma and Sogiita stood back to back, defending each other from the lightning striking from all directions!

“I see, so that's how it is.”

Sogiita glanced at the iron sand that Touma had just negated, and instantly understood,

“Alright, leave it to me.”

Then Sogiita stood in front of Touma, clenched his fist, assumed an attacking stance, closed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and a terrifying energy began to build up in his fist!

“ULTRA——PUNCH!!”

The moment that punch was thrown, a dazzling shockwave instantly formed, and the area tens of meters in front was filled with a beam of light!

The iron sand defense was instantly disintegrated by this attack. As the iron sand dissipated, Sogiita grabbed Kamijou Touma's collar.

“Now... go!”

Without hesitation, he directly threw Kamijou Touma out.

Touma righted his posture mid-scream, trying to touch her with his right hand!

When he successfully touched Mikoto's shoulder, the white substance covering Mikoto temporarily dissipated, but... only the touched area dissipated!

And at this moment, Mikoto also changed.

The white substance along Misaka Mikoto's body began to converge, and an angelic halo surrounded her.

“Wait! How do I land?!”

Touma was about to hit the wall in front when Sogiita appeared just in time, catching Touma in a princess carry!

“Eh?!”

Kamijou Touma felt a bit awkward about his current pose! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Good heavens, Sogiita's ability isn't just simple body enhancement; his attacks carry energy!”

“Misaka Mikoto's condition looks bad. Even though the ability clearly took effect when her right hand touched her, it reverted in an instant.”

Seeing Mikoto's new form, everyone knew that she was one step closer to LV 6. This time, it wasn't as simple as the previous 2%.

~ Delicious in Dungeon World ~

Watching Kamijou Touma awkwardly lying in Sogiita's arms, Marcille began to comment,

“Kamijou, who Shokuhou calls a prince, is lying in Sogiita's arms like a princess?!”

The complexity of this relationship is somewhat unimaginable. She even felt a bit awkward for Shokuhou.

“If the ability works, why not just hold on until it's completely negated?!”

Laios thought this was a good idea, assuming it was before Mikoto evolved.

Misaka Mikoto, in her current state, experienced told him it was best not to approach rashly!

。。。。。

【 “How is it?!” Sogiita looked at the distant Misaka Mikoto with a serious expression. The development of events was somewhat beyond his imagination.

“It's no use. The touched area reverted to normal in an instant. It seems an unknown external force is integrating, too fast to negate.”

At this moment, a pure white energy aggregate instantly blasted Sogiita, who was still pondering countermeasures, away!

But the next moment, Sogiita Gunha leaped out of the rubble again, returning to Touma's side,

“How embarrassing, I was careless.”

Blood flowed from Sogiita's forehead, his eyes fixed on the transformed Misaka Mikoto. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“If before it was just an energy aggregate, then from this moment on, it seems to have undergone a qualitative change.”

“Guts Bro is truly tough. He took such a fierce blow completely unprepared, yet only had blood flowing from his forehead.”

If this continues, Misaka Mikoto might truly achieve the impossible for a mortal, becoming a god!

But what now?! Touma's right hand only has a temporary effect and can't stop her at all.

。。。。。

【 A terrifying, highly condensed black energy appeared above Misaka Mikoto's head!

Any single black lightning bolt flashing from it had enough power to tear apart everything on this street!

Her appearance changed again. Her head became as dark as the starry sky, and starlight seemed to flow within it.

Within her inner world, Misaka Mikoto also regained consciousness. Looking at the surging black lightning outside, she wanted to stop it but was powerless,

“No!! Stop, please!!”

“This... I can't control it!!”

“It seems it's not over yet...” Kamijou Touma's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his right fist.

His dream was not to lose anything, to have everyone return with smiles!

Just as he was about to rush forward, Sogiita loosened his arm and walked over. Kamijou Touma looked puzzled,

“Sogiita, can you still move?!”

“As long as I have guts, the bleeding will stop, and the bones will mend.”

At this point, Sogiita's ability description also appeared on the screen.

《 The official name and specific principle of the ability are unknown. It is a special ability that even Academy City researchers cannot confirm whether it can be classified as an esper ability. 》

《 Sogiita Gunha's ability includes a variety of effects, and even he himself cannot clearly explain what he is doing! 》

《 His signature “Attack Crash” (literally “Psychokinesis Cannonball”) creates a wall of psychokinesis in front of his body, then he stimulates it with his punch to generate destructive power. But this is actually impossible, and the principle of the ability remains unknown. 》

《 Shot in the heart, beaten with a bicycle chain, hit by an ice axe, he only felt “just fine,” and can spontaneously stop bleeding and heal bone fractures! 》 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 248: Do you call this LV 0?!

Chapter Text

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Absurd… ”

This was the only thought in everyone’s mind.

LV Upper’s ability was simply a textbook case of “I think, therefore I am.” You’re telling me an ability like that is ranked seventh?!

Based on the few who’ve appeared, LV 5, excluding the second and sixth, whose abilities are unknown, in terms of performance, Misaka seems to be the one lagging behind right now.

Everyone is now wondering if she would have been ranked last if her ability hadn't counter Misaki Shokuhou.

“Guts?! Can it be used like this?! I’m uneducated, don’t lie to me. This ability is completely unfair!”

Even the ability that the user themselves doesn’t understand can become an LV 5… the principle is also unclear, but it just works. Truly eye-opening.

~ Sword Art Online World ~

“This can no longer be described as absurd. Is Academy City a fish pond?! A big fish just pops out casually.”

Kirito was even a little envious. Why are people still in school and able to save the world?

Initially, I thought Mikoto, who could control lightning, was already terrifyingly strong, but then Vector Manipulation, which is even more ruthless, appeared. With one move, she solved Misaka Mikoto.

Then, Misaki Shokuhou, who can casually modify memories and control people's minds, “Mental Out,” appeared. That’s fine, but then Sogiita Gunha, who is even more powerful, appeared. I have to say, Sogiita Gunha’s ability is truly strong.

Then what?! Will the sixth or second also come out and show off even more ruthless abilities?! Bring it on, I’m ready!

~ Type-Moon World ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“An ability like this is ranked seventh…”

Da Vinci felt they weren’t drawing lots to rank them. This ability could at least be in the top three.

And are those researchers brain-damaged?! Isn't this ability more worthy of research than those LV6? They’re so fixated on that broken plan.

。。。。。

【 “I don't care what your right hand is, but that thing is completely different from before.”

Sogiita reminded Touma. He didn't think Touma's right hand would work now.

It was something from another world, an incomprehensible existence. Then Sogiita stretched his muscles, staring intently ahead, intending to face her alone.

“With my suicidal move that risks my body, I should be able to suppress her!”

Sogiita himself wasn't even sure of Misaka Mikoto's current transformation.

“No! I just said, she's someone I know.”

But Touma Kamijo's will was also incredibly firm, and he wouldn't give up easily.

“The deficiency will be made up for by guts.”

“You sure are interesting!” Seeing that the other party had the guts to intervene no matter what, Sogiita smiled.

“There's no other way!”

“Haa!!” Then he took a step forward, and with a low roar, a massive amount of energy gathered directly above his head!

He forcibly suppressed Misaka Mikoto's black lightning, and a path appeared before Touma Kamijo…

“GO!!”

Sogiita roared, veins bulging.

Touma Kamijo decisively ran forward, taking advantage of the opportunity created by Sogiita!

“Behave yourself!!!” To suppress the black lightning, Sogiita's arm veins directly burst, and blood gushed out! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hahaha, Touma's speech about guts completely hit Sogiita's burning point. He completely nailed it.”

“As long as you don't stop, the path will continue to extend, so… don't stop!!”

“Damn, this is so hype. He forcibly suppressed Misaka Mikoto, who had become countless times stronger, with just guts.”

This is youth! Everyone's passion was ignited. The path has appeared, and now, as long as Touma Kamijo grabs Misaka Mikoto with his right hand, this farce should stop!

。。。。。

【 And Misaka Mikoto, who was resisting her own power in her inner world, also noticed Touma Kamijo rushing over.

“It's him?! Does he want to stop this?!”

“Stop! This isn't an ability; it's something hateful that wants to destroy Academy City. It's something summoned by my inner self!!”

Touma Kamijo couldn't hear her inner roar, or rather, even if he heard it, he would continue forward.

Fearless of the black sphere that could almost destroy the entire Academy City, he resolutely leaped forward and extended his right hand!

“NO!!”

The moment they touched, Touma Kamijo's sleeve was torn to shreds by the terrifying energy.

“Screech—”

The energy of the massive black sphere collided with Touma Kamijo's right hand.

Accompanied by the crisp sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing, Touma Kamijo's entire right arm was torn off on the spot!

Misaka Mikoto has now evolved to 53%! She has taken the first step towards LV 6! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“It's over! This is completely over. The right hand is Touma Kamijo's only reliance, and also his weakness!”

Seeing Touma Kamijo's twisted right hand, everyone felt that a great disaster was imminent. They didn't expect Misaka Mikoto, who was closer to LV 6, to be so strong!

Even Touma Kamijo's ability couldn't eliminate it. If this continues, they will die.

But among all the espers in Academy City, who can rival Misaka Mikoto?

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“No!! It's already beyond his ability.”

Misaka Mikoto's pupils contracted sharply, and a sense of inexplicable fear surged in her heart.

As expected, Touma Kamijo's ability also has a limit. For an energy that exceeds his erasure capabilities, his arm cannot withstand it.

“This is troublesome!”

Sogiita scratched his head, also finding it difficult. After all, he couldn't ask him to grow an arm back with guts.

“They really created a troublesome thing.”

Touma Kamijo gasped. This was the first time he had seen his ability fail.

If this continues, Academy City will be destroyed by the monster they created! Is this the so-called excessive power leading to destruction?

。。。。。

【 Touma Kamijo, with one arm severed, floated in the air. At the severed limb, a black and red light suddenly bloomed!

“ROAR——!!”

Then a huge white dragon head burst out, forcefully blasting onto the black sphere!!

Then, one giant dragon head after another rushed out from his arm, roaring and swarming forward, devouring the terrifying black sphere as food.

The energy that could easily destroy Academy City could only be treated as food in front of the dragon heads, only to be devoured.

As the camera zoomed out, eight dragons coiled around the black sphere, continuously tearing at it. When the pitch-black sphere was completely swallowed, a dazzling white pillar of light shot straight into the sky. The figures of the eight dragons also gradually dissipated. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

Those outside the video stared blankly at the scene in the video.

Touma Kamijo, who they thought had run out of options, still had such power hidden.

“HOLY CRAP!!! What the hell is this, dragon heads?! Touma Kamijo's right hand actually hid a trick… oh no, eight heads?!”

“What is Touma Kamijo's background? With such power within him, I don't believe he's just an ordinary person!”

Damn it, do you call this LV0?! Initially, when Touma Kamijo could eliminate abilities, I wanted to complain, but seeing this scene, I couldn't hold back anymore.

What kind of LV0 can eliminate abilities? And this small arm actually hides eight dragons?!… Now everyone has learned a new idiom – “a leaderless multitude.

Then, in the next moment, everyone was stunned, looking at the screen with disbelief.

。。。。。

【 In the video, the abilities of each dragon head were also shown. In short, the abilities were extremely absurd!

《 ⦍The First Dragon⦎ A dragon specializing in curses and mental attacks. If bitten, in the worst case, memory could be destroyed. 》

《 ⦍Blind Dragon⦎ A dragon with the dark attribute. This dragon also has a very strong mental interference effect, causing enemies who get close to fall into a state of terror and confusion. 》

《 ⦍One-Eyed Dragon⦎ A water-attribute dragon called the 'Rain Wind Dragon', with fangs that deeply embed the concept of poison. Any living creature bitten will experience pain worse than death. 》

《 ⦍Four-Eyed Dragon⦎ A dragon with illusion and hypnosis abilities that blur the concepts of dreams and reality with the power of its many eyes. 》

《 ⦍Bone Flame Dragon⦎ A fire-attribute supernatural dragon that spews flames from its dragon bones. It can inflict damage that burns away life force. 》

《 ⦍Ice Crystal Dragon⦎ A dragon with the toughness of a planet, meaning it is very hard. It can breathe ice. 》

《 ⦍Spearhead Dragon⦎ A magnificent golden dragon. Its body can emit lightning, and it can spit laser beams from its mouth. 》

《 ⦍Angel Dragon⦎ A sacred dragon with angel feathers on its head. 》 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

But when the eight dragons of Touma appeared on his broken right arm, everyone finally understood that they had been completely mistaken.

They had truly underestimated Touma Kamijo, who had seemed like an irrelevant passerby in his two previous appearances.

Looking at the dense list of ability descriptions, everyone finally understood that compared to those espers, Touma Kamijo was the complete monster!

They now just want to shout to the sky that this LV0's Esper!?

。。。。。

Chapter 249: The shock brought by the Eight Illusory Dragons!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

“Is this really a Esper?! It's practically omnipotent.”

Tohsaka Rin, with her hands on her head, felt shocked and disbelieving.

“Why did dragons emerge from his arm... the key point was that there was more than one, a total of eight. Did they not feel cramped living in his arm?”

And the dragons didn't seem to mind their living conditions. Wouldn't they tell Touma Kamijou, “It's full here,” and then beat up Touma?

And looking at how hungry these eight children were, they were all fighting for food, and the unlucky Angel Dragon didn't even get a single bite.

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“This isn't a dragon anymore, is it? It's some kind of conceptual existence.”

Based on Dr. Roman's understanding of dragons, this was completely unrealistic.

However, he did notice one thing: Touma Kamijou, who continuously appeared as a passerby and meddled in everything, was not to be trifled with.

“Doctor, the title says Seal of Seal is still Seal?! It can't be...”

Fujimaru Ritsuka's face was covered in cold sweat. He thought of a fact he didn't want to believe.

“You mean...!!”

Da Vinci, who was beside him, also quickly reacted, his face full of horror!

If Touma Kamijou's right hand was sealing the existence of these eight dragons, then what kind of existence were these eight dragon heads sealing?

It actually required such a powerful seal to deal with it. Could it be something like Tiamat, capable of destroying the world with a single disagreement?

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“What is that?!”

Kamijou Touma looked at the screen with a ghostly expression.

The power of Imagine Breaker, which gathered the miracles of various Christian denominations, allowed him to see deeper things.

For example, if someone was hit by the Ice and Fire Palm, others could at most last for one round, but he was different! He could last for at least two rounds...

Upon seeing this, Accelerator gritted his teeth. Could he really reflect this ability? How much computational power would this require?

“What other abilities does this Kamijou Touma, who calls himself LV0, possess?”

Even Aleister, the Chairman, began to feel surprised because the current situation exceeded his expectations.

This is going to be a restless few days.

With so many witnesses, eliminating them was impossible, so he could only change his plans.

Then he focused his gaze on Touma Kamijou on the screen. As long as he was here, there was still room for maneuver.

~ Delicious in Dungeon World ~

“Mind, curse removal, basic elements, hardness, illusion, and even poison... and an unknown ability, Angel Dragon. It's simply a mage's bane!”

Moreover, they could all devour energy bodies. Marcille had never seen any mage who had invested their skill points in such a way.

It could be said to be omnipotent, and besides close combat, it seemed impossible to defeat these eight dragon heads.

As for magical ranged attacks?! Don't be ridiculous. Didn't you see that group of dragons was ravenous? Using energy attacks would only be feeding Touma Kamijou for free.

“What would happen if Touma Kamijou's right hand were cut off while he was unconscious?”

Laios's bizarre train of thought drew speechless gazes from everyone.

“Does this guy really want to taste the eight dragons?”

Who knew what strange things would come out then? Don't forget that those eight awesome dragons were just seals.

~ Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline ~

“It would be great if Touma Kamijou could freely control the eight dragons.”

Itadori felt a little regretful. A good person like Touma, if he mastered it, could save more people.

Not to mention that they could devour energy, the key point was that each of them came with their own abilities... These dragons looked as if they hadn't eaten for hundreds of years, and they ate an employee meal as soon as they came out.

“Could the 'weakest' in the previous battle refer to Accelerator?”

Fushiguro Megumi's mouth twitched slightly.

Now it seemed that Accelerator was really lucky to have only been punched a few times.

。。。。。

【 As a beam of white light shot into the sky, the dragon's figure writhed in the sky and then slowly disappeared!

“BANG——!!”

Misaka Mikoto's halo shattered, and the dark substance covering her body also crumbled, revealing a shocked Misaka Mikoto.

Touma Kamijou placed his left fist on the head of the guilty Misaka Mikoto,

“I also know that Academy City has a dark side. I also understand that it's the high and mighty people we can't do anything about who are manipulating it.”

“But using force to eliminate those things, even if successful! I don't think the world will become what you desire.”

After speaking, Touma Kamijou slowly took off his jacket and threw it on Mikoto, who was revealed to be naked as the white light gradually disappeared.

“Besides me, there are others who are trying hard to save you, you know who they are! Change things little by little with them, and I will naturally help you too.”

Misaka Mikoto reached out to wipe away the tears in her eyes, then seemed to react and quickly shouted at Touma,

“Hey! Your hand, go to the hospital.”

“Huh?!” Touma Kamijou only then reacted, looking at his right hand, which had returned to normal, with a strange expression: “Strange... it can move normally.”

Misaka Mikoto looked at him with a face full of surprise: “What's wrong with your right arms?” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“It's ridiculously outrageous to pull out a key, and it's outrageously outrageous... it even has a self-repair function, it's simply a medical miracle!”

“Touma Kamijou is truly a good person, paying attention to details even at this moment, but this leaving a hand up his sleeve is really annoying.”

Unexpectedly, Misaka Mikoto, who had just recovered, couldn't even speak clearly.

But what kind of existence is Touma Kamijou?! "Seal of Seal is still Seal..." This means his right hand is the thing that seals the eight dragons.

Then shouldn't they be happy?! Why did they go back obediently after eating something, and even close the door behind them?! They were truly well-behaved.

And judging by the reason for his arm's recovery, even he himself seemed unclear about it. In that case... If he kept donating his arm to the hospital, he would be making a fortune.

。。。。。

【 Time skipped to the evening of the fireworks festival, Kuroko's erased memories were restored, and the day's events were altered to capture terrorists who attacked the competition.

Misaka Mikoto watched the beautiful fireworks in the sky, but she was thinking about the day's events: “The reason for my absence was also changed, probably because he didn't want to reveal the external brain.”

“But that child's ability to remove the virus is indeed thanks to Misaki Shokuhou. I always thought she was an unlikeable person.”

“If he has his own justice and ideals, perhaps one day we can walk together.”

As they admired the fireworks, Ruiko looked at Misaka Mikoto with some confusion: “Doesn't your stomach hurt anymore?”

Mikoto looked at Ruiko in confusion: “Huh?! What do you mean?!”

“I heard you ate something bad from the stall and were stuck in the restroom all day.”

“You threatened Misaki Shokuhou, who came to pick you up, and insisted on guarding the toilet.”

Then the scene cut to Misaka Mikoto facing Misaki Shokuhou's obstruction, her face extremely gloomy, and the terrifying words she spoke.

“If you have no resolve to stop me, even if it means killing me, then move aside!”

The scene returned to reality, and even Kuroko looked at Misaka Mikoto with confusion: “How desperate were you? This topic has spread throughout the school.”

Misaka Mikoto, who had felt they could get along well just a moment ago, decided in her heart: Fine, I'll get rid of her, Misaki Shokuhou!! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter... As expected of Misaki Shokuhou. There's quite a bit of hidden agenda here!”

“Although it's not at the same time, it's really messed up how these events and reasons can perfectly align.”

Everyone couldn't believe that Misaki Shokuhou was so good at playing games.

The memory alteration was truly brilliant, full of logic, and not a single flaw could be found.

But thinking of Misaka Mikoto's cool scene being altered to her standing solemnly at the restroom door, guarding it, made them unable to stop laughing... hahahaha.

She was disgraced in just one day, worthy of perfect alteration, and it could only be said that nonexistent memories had increased.

~ A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City ~

“As expected! I just don't get along with her!”

Misaka Mikoto's face turned red as she clenched her fist. She felt completely embarrassed now.

How desperate were you? That sentence kept replaying in her mind like a recording... coupled with that solemn expression, she wanted to move somewhere else.

No, the video was broadcast worldwide. She wanted to move to another planet.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: yep, pretty much The Eight Dragons and still counting is a seal for Demon King Kamijou Touma. )

Chapter 250: New Inventory begins!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 A narration appeared on the screen 】

【 In the distant age of mythology, Zeus of the sky, Poseidon of the sea, and Hades of the underworld all coveted the earth where humans lived.

To protect the weak humans, the peace-loving goddess Athena stood up and waged continuous wars against the evil gods.

Since ancient mythological times, the battles between the goddess Athena and the underworld king Hades have repeated every two hundred years!

And now, a new Holy War is about to begin.

Some brave, righteous, and kind-hearted youths among humans gathered around the goddess to fight alongside her, becoming Athena's Saints!

Clad in sacred cloths named after the 88 constellations, they fought with their lives on the line. Their fists could tear the sky and split the earth.

Then, several golden words appeared on the screen:

《 The Lost Canvas – The Myth of Hades 》 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Holy shit... this is so intense?! The previous video's Academy City went to great lengths to reach LV 6 to comprehend the heavens... Now it's straight-back again between the battles of gods!”

“Am I dreaming?! Is this really something I can watch without paying? A once-in-a-lifetime series.”

Everyone could hardly believe their eyes. Witnessing divine battles not once but twice in their lifetime made it all worthwhile.

~ Record of Ragnarok World ~

“Since when do humans have the right to fight alongside gods?!”

Zeus, appearing as an old man, slowly opened one eye.

He scoffed at everything mentioned in the video. The Earth where humans lived?!

They could take it back anytime they wanted.

As for human fists tearing the sky and splitting the earth?! What nonsense.

They're just a bunch of weak humans—how strong could they possibly be?!

“When did I ever covet human lands?!”

Hades looked utterly confused. And fighting Athena for centuries?!

And who is this Athena anyway? Does such a goddess even exist in the divine realm?

As the text disappeared and the footage began playing, he could only suppress his impatience and keep watching.

。。。。。

【 The scene opened with a town engulfed in raging flames. A golden-haired boy wearing a Star pendant descended upon it.

“Welcome back, Pegasus... no, Pegasus of the Pegasus constellation, my dear friend!”

Pegasus could hardly believe his eyes; his voice filled with sorrow.

“Why... You were always so kind. We lived together like brothers.”

As Pegasus spoke mournfully, he walked toward the golden-haired boy, his anger burning within, clenching his right fist.

“So you're Hades?!!”

The scene then shifted to show Pegasus, Alone, and Sasha's childhood memories!

(Skipping this part for brevity, but it establishes their relationships.)

“Say something, Alone!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“After watching their past, all I can say is—who ran this orphanage?! It housed two gods.”

“They were so pure and kind as children, yet now Alone has become the vessel for Hades in this era.”

Their relationship was indeed startling. A god who wages war every few centuries...

Reincarnated as siblings. And the cruel irony—the gentle boy who loved painting became the cause of such devastation.

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

“The biggest difference between gods and humans is their divine nature—they see life as worthless.”

Emiya Shirou recalled the Lion King from the Holy Round Table, her inhuman eyes still vivid in his memory.

“But can Pegasus really bring himself to fight Alone, whom he once saw as a brother?... And what about Sasha and Alone?”

Rin Tohsaka felt Pegasus was in the toughest spot.

One was a dear friend he saw as a brother, the other a childhood friend and the goddess he swore to protect.

Now, one became Hades, the other Athena... Pegasus, caught between them, was like a husky lost in a Pack of wolves.

He didn't know what to do.

。。。。。

【 Alone took out a painting he made for Pegasus as a child. “Do you remember this?!”

“We promised—once you became a Saint and returned, we'd finish it together. The red I couldn't find back then... I've found it now.”

Alone dipped his brush with a faint smile, while countless corpses materialized around him, blood staining the ground.

“This is the true color of red.”

“Pegasus!!” Dohko rushed forward. Though unsure what Alone had done, his instincts screamed danger.

Alone's brush, dipped in blood, slashed a giant X across Pegasus's portrait!

“Guh—!” Pegasus vomited blood, his sacred cloth shattering.

“Alone... why?!”

Before he could finish, Pegasus collapsed into the blood, accidentally tearing the flower wreath from Alone's hand.

“Pegasus!! Damn it...”

Dohko checked—Pegasus had no pulse. Just as he prepared to strike, he froze.

Alone's golden hair darkened, bloody tears streaming from his eyes as dark Cosmos erupted behind him.

“Farewell, Pegasus... Farewell, Sasha... Farewell, Alone.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Why?! If he shed tears of blood, doesn't that mean that Alone's personality is still there? How could he do it?”

“Is this the horror of Hades, King of the Underworld?! Just a stroke of his brush, and Pegasus couldn't even resist.”

This divine authority—every action yielding unimaginable effects, effortlessly bringing death to the mortal world.

~ Record of Ragnarok World ~

“He just died like that?!”

Zeus finally grasped the severity. Such power was beyond even him.

Even elder brother Hades wore a bitter smile. Perhaps that being was the true King of the Underworld. Compared to him, what difference was there between himself and a powerful human?

The Valkyrie sisters' jaws dropped—shock? Relief? Their feelings were a mess.

“Thank goodness it's not our Hades...”

Though their Hades was mighty—he once annihilated the Titans single-handedly—they'd still prefer facing him over this.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

“That's Dohko?! So this is a past Holy War?!”

Seiya noticed two unfamiliar Gold Saints in the footage.

At Five Old Peaks, Dohko—his heart beating only once per day—couldn't hold back tears seeing that familiar youth.

Gazing at the Pegasus constellation in the night sky,

“How nostalgic... It's been 243 years.”

“But this is good. Chatting after all this time... though you've probably gone ahead to that place... Pegasus!”

。。。。。

【 “If Pegasus's friend Alone is already dead, then I'll avenge Pegasus myself!!”

Dohko's fists ignited with emerald Cosmos as he charged furiously.

“I won't allow you to linger near Lord Hades any longer.”

Suddenly, Bennu Kagaho of the Star of Violent Flames intercepted, clad in a black Surplice, repelling him.

Enraged, Dohko didn't care—his fists flared green again.

“ROZAN-HYAKU-RYU-HA!!”

His fists moved faster than sight, transforming into emerald dragons that roared forward.

“Fool... idiot!”

Kagaho conjured a blazing sun behind him, its searing light and heat blinding.

“CORONA BLAST!”

Their colliding fists split the earth, a massive chasm forming between them!

Eventually, Aries Shion arrived, evacuating the group—though Alone seemed indifferent. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hah, invisible—completely invisible. Even slowed down, I still can't see it.”

“So the earlier claims weren't exaggerations. Fists tearing the sky and splitting the earth—I spoke too soon.”

Damn... Are these truly human fists? Forget learning a move—I can't even see them clearly. Can the video slow down more?!

。。。。。

【 The scene shifted: Minos of the Three Judges had arrived at Sanctuary.

Under his Marionette threads, the Saints were mere playthings—all died gruesomely with broken bones.

“Life controlled by my finger—such is the fragility of fate!”

As he advanced toward the divine realm after slaughtering Silver Saints, his path was lined with crimson roses.

A handsome man in golden armor, draped in a white cape, sat cross-legged on a boulder—a tear mark beneath his eye.

“Welcome... Specters...” 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: Unsure whether to include reactions from The Lost Canvas world—doing so would reveal the Pope's methods against Thanatos.

Next up: Mostly Gold Saints' battles, with Pegasus taking a backseat. )

 

( Translator-kun: Buckle Up, guys, this one is very long, iirc. And for the record, I'm also not quite knowledgeable about these verses, so if I got a term or name wrong, let me know. )

Chapter 251: Aphrodite: Crimson thorn?! I don't have that move?!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “I am Albafica, the Gold Saint of Pisces.” Albafica, clad in his brilliant Gold Cloth, sat steadily in the center of the rose garden, blocking the Specters’ path.

Minos, too, seemed interested,

“One of the twelve strongest Gold Saints, supposedly, came out of the Twelve Temples specifically to fight?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“But that man… Why he’s so beautiful!?”

“Holy cow!! Being handsome is one thing, but his voice is so good too, he should just debut as an idol!”

“Elegant, truly elegant! His entrance, biting a rose in a rose garden, couldn’t be cooler.”

Everyone looked at Albafica, who, despite being a man, could only be described as beautiful. If it were peacetime, he would undoubtedly be able to make a living off his looks.

Then, hearing Minos’s praise, everyone silently nodded. Indeed… Wait, is that really your focus?!

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline

Pisces, the last of the Twelve Temples guarding the Sanctuary—the Pisces Temple. At this moment, Aphrodite, the current Gold Saint of Pisces, gazed at the Pisces Saint on the screen.

“He actually put the Royal Demon Rose Garden below the Twelve Temples?!”

Aphrodite was somewhat confused by Albafica’s actions. Why would Albafica, who was originally in the last stage of the Gold Twelve Temples, appear here?

Behind the Pisces Temple was the Pope’s Chamber. Those who reached this point could not solve problems with brute force. The Royal Demon Rose Garden was the last barrier for the Saints.

These roses were the most lethal among the Saints; those unfamiliar with them would surely fall victim! Even the most powerful Cosmo of a Saint couldn't withstand the poison!

“But this is too reckless. What if the rose’s poison gas harms the citizens?!”

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

Inside the Pope’s Chamber, since the video was playing scenes from their own world, most of the Gold Saints had gathered here.

Even Hakurei, the elder and leader of the Jamir tribe, was present.

At this moment, the Pope frowned slightly at the figure on the screen. Was that Minos of the Griffon, one of the Three Judges of the Underworld?

“To openly invade the Sanctuary like this, they truly don’t show us old guys any respect.”

Hakurei’s voice was also low. The Specters dared to trespass into the Sanctuary, which was far too arrogant.

The other Gold Saints also looked up at Albafica, who stood in the distance…

。。。。。

【 Two Specters, fearless of death, jumped down from the cliff and trampled the rose garden, continuously cursing.

“Fools! Do you think rose thorns can stop us? Will these things work against us, wearing Surplices?”

“Uh… how?”

The next moment, the Specters trampling the rose garden suddenly stopped, blood spewing from their mouths.

Then they fell directly to the ground, dying instantly from the poison.

Albafica briefly glanced at the two mere Specters, then leaped down into the rose garden.

He looked at the Specters with a smile, but his tone was full of mockery,

“These are Royal Demon Roses. If you are prepared to die, then enter my garden.”

“Or will you scurry back like stray dogs, Specters!”

At this moment, rose petals danced in the sky. A few Specters, unable to stand Albafica’s arrogant demeanor, charged forward again.

“As long as we don’t touch the thorns, we’ll be fine! That guy is standing right in the rose bushes now.”

Facing the charging Specters, Albafica stood motionless, and with a grand sweep of his hand, holding a rose, he declared,

“Royal Demon Rose!!”

The Specters were thrown backward, spitting out large amounts of blood. They fell to the ground, grabbing Albafica’s ankle in their dying breath.

“Why are you unharmed in these poisonous roses?”

Albafica didn’t bother to answer such foolish questions, instead turning his gaze to Minos, who had yet to descend. He was the true opponent this time.

Niobe, wearing a Surplice resembling an insect, bent over like a hunchback, showing no pity,

“Thanks to these good-for-nothings, I was spared!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“These Specters aren’t very smart. Does he painstakingly plant this rose garden just for a few broken thorns?!”

“Why isn’t he poisoned standing in the rose garden?! Brother… have you ever seen a venomous snake poison itself to death?”

“No wonder they’re only fit to be small fry; with that Level of intelligence, wouldn’t it be better to just go back to farming? Why bother getting involved in this?”

However, the sacrifice of these small fries was not entirely meaningless. People from other worlds also secretly felt pity.

“This barely noticeable poison only took down a few small fries, which is a bit of a shame. The next people won’t be so foolish.”

~ Delicious in Dungeon World ~

“I think I’m allergic to roses for life now.”

Marcille was almost traumatized by Albafica.

“Didn’t you just say you wanted to pick some to admire in your room if you could?!”

Laios looked at Marcille, puzzled. Didn’t she want to appreciate them just now?

Did she change her mind so quickly?!

Marcille shivered, looking at Laios with a speechless expression.

Are you serious?! Put them in my room… You want me to die faster.

They say roses have thorns, but his roses have poison… They are beautiful, but you might not live to appreciate them!

No wonder they say the most captivating things are the most dangerous.

。。。。。

~ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline ~

“What a shame! If those Specters hadn’t tested the waters, he might have really ambushed Minos.”

Koichi also felt it was a great pity.

This Royal Demon Rose is suitable for a first-strike kill. For those unaware of the information, they would likely treat them as ordinary roses, then unknowingly get poisoned and die.

But now, their greatest trump card has been completely exposed.

It’s like a cold, venomous snake that has already shown its fangs; smart people won’t blindly rush forward.

。。。。。

【 Meanwhile, Shion of Aries also noticed a circle of red mist enveloping the front of the Sanctuary.

“Is that the scent of Albafica’s Royal Demon Roses?”

Just then, Dohko also walked over.

After exchanging information about the Sanctuary’s situation, he sighed with emotion,

“Even for Specters, it won’t be easy to pass through the Royal Demon Roses surrounding the Sanctuary.”

“Is he guarding it alone?”

Shion asked Dohko, puzzled.

Little did he know, Dohko also turned to him in surprise; if Shion hadn’t mentioned it, he truly wouldn’t have known.

“I once heard a rumor about the Pisces Saint. The Royal Demon Roses are incredibly poisonous, and no one can resist them.”

“Therefore, the one guarding the Pisces Temple must possess an anti-poison constitution to coexist with those highly toxic roses. Albafica possesses this constitution; even his blood is now highly poisonous.”

“That’s why his beautiful appearance easily draws admiration, but he rarely approaches others voluntarily. Perhaps this is due to his poisonous constitution.”

Dohko heard this story about Pisces for the first time.

“Do beautiful roses always have thorns?!”

Shion’s gaze seemed to pierce through the boulders, fixed on Albafica,

“No, Dohko! Roses are aloof precisely because they have thorns.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Two big brothers, stop explaining so leisurely. You know Albafica is guarding it alone, so go help him!”

“Albafica is not only beautiful in appearance but also beautiful inside! He rarely approaches others, probably because he fears his poison will harm those nearby.”

'Roses are aloof precisely because they have thorns—' that’s a truly beautiful saying!

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

Aphrodite was stunned at this moment. Shion?! Isn’t that the Pope?! So this is the previous Holy War?!

Why did he live in the Royal Rose Garden without any issues, yet he didn't have the same poisonous blood…

“But the poison gas of these roses seems to be much stronger than mine.”

He recalled the Demon Rose Path he set up; Seiya and Marin only fainted after walking for a long time. Compared to Albafica’s, it seemed quite inferior.

Albafica’s Demon Rose poison gas could instantly make Specters spit blood, and his roses couldn’t do that just based on that point…

。。。。。

【 Facing Albafica’s provocation, Minos laughed wildly, about to step forward, but was stopped.

“Lord Minos, leave this to me, Niobe! Royal Demon Roses are useless against me.”

Niobe leaped down into the rose garden, then smirked triumphantly, taking a deep breath of the roses’ fragrance.

“The rose garden smells wonderful, hahahaha!”

A flicker of surprise crossed Albafica’s face, then he smiled again.

“I don’t think trash like you understands the scent of roses. Come on! I’ll play with you.”

Seeing Albafica’s arrogant mockery, Niobe gritted his teeth and charged forward, swinging a fist at Albafica,

“Let me thoroughly ravage that beautiful face of yours!”

Albafica effortlessly blocked a swift punch with one hand, holding a black rose; even the rose in his hand showed no change.

But then Albafica was surprised to find that the rose garden beside him had withered.

“Deep Fragrance, this sweet scent will directly invade your skin, paralyzing your five senses, and bringing death.”

Albafica looked at the scent gradually drifting towards the nearby village, realizing something bad was happening. He had to stop the spread of this poison.

He then inhaled all the poison floating in the air, his face turning purple, his body enveloped in poison, standing motionless.

Even when Niobe rushed forward and continuously punched Albafica, he showed no reaction, as if already dead.

But the next moment, Niobe realized a crimson blood mist unknowingly surrounded him.

Albafica’s face returned to normal, and he mockingly scoffed at Niobe’s foolishness,

“I have lived with this rose for a long time; even the blood flowing in my body has long been dyed with its poison.”

“CRIMSON THORN!!”

The blood mist floating in the air instantly transformed into tiny needles, so fast they were invisible to the naked eye, piercing directly through Niobe’s body!

Only after Niobe’s death did Minos, who had been watching the show, finally step down. He could no longer restrain himself,

“You will become a perfect puppet, Albafica of Pisces.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Now I finally understand why he refused to get close to others. Even his blood is poisonous; he’s afraid his poison will infect others.”

“What a magnificent air purifier! I almost thought he was poisoned to death by the opponent just now, thankfully he’s fine.”

Watching Albafica inhale all the toxins to protect the village, everyone held their breath for him. That moment when his face turned ashen, they all thought he had been poisoned.

It must be said that Albafica is truly beautiful and elegant. Even his opponents, at the end of their fights, seem unable to resist praising him.

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

“Ah… no, don’t talk nonsense… I don’t have that move!”

Aphrodite looked at the screen in surprise, then quickly shook his head upon hearing Albafica’s statement.

What does he mean by living in the Royal Rose Garden has already filled his body with toxins?!

You're inhaling toxins and remaining unharmed is purely personal behavior; please don’t generalize it to the group… Or could it be that my blood is also full of toxins, and I just don’t know it?!

Deathmask of Cancer was equally bewildered,

“Isn’t Pisces’ ultimate move the Bloody Rose… Could it be that Aphrodite is hiding something?!”

。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: I will add the specific AU on Saint Seiya verse with timeline to distinct their verse. If there's a Term or Name error, let me know; feel free to correct me. )

Chapter 252: The bones were broken into pieces...

Chapter Text

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“Hey, Albafica, dealing with these few Specter soldiers should be solvable with a light-speed punch; no need for that move.”

As part of the “Seafood Duo,” Manigoldo and Albafica had a good relationship.

They had even carried out missions together in the Gaiden, with Manigoldo expressing a strong desire to be Albafica's partner.

Manigoldo's surprise stemmed from the fact that all Gold Saints' punches could reach light speed, making it theoretically easy to deal with these small fries.

Albafica remained silent, but the Pope also frowned slightly,

“The next opponent is Minos, and he's not easy to deal with.”

Dealing with these Specters had almost exposed all of his trump cards to Minos.

The same move was basically useless against a Saint.

Crimson Thorn was a move that, if it merely grazed a strong enemy, would basically be fatal. Unfortunately, it was exposed too early! Minos would definitely be on guard against this move.

。。。。。

【 “WINGS OF HELL!!” Minos stretched his hands forward, and the wings that adorned his Surplice also spread, a fierce wind rising from the ground.

Centered on Minos, a massive Tatsumaki uprooted all the Royal Demon Roses from the ground! Even large rocks couldn't escape, floating into the air!

Just as Albafica was still wondering what kind of move this was, Minos was already right in front of him,

“How about it? The feeling of your poisonous roses, which you rely on for survival, disappearing?!”

“COSMIC MARIONETTE”

The fine threads formed by Minos's Cosmo entangle Albafica's body, causing Albafica, who had intended to attack, to lose control of his body.

“What... my body is moving on its own...”

Minos calmly glanced at Albafica, his body emitting a purple Cosmo.

“You can no longer follow your own will.”

“You can't even move a single finger. Everyone controlled by lines invisible to the naked eye has become my loyal puppet.”

“I heard there's a small village near the Sanctuary. Interesting. To boost morale before attacking the Sanctuary, let's kill everyone in that village.”

While Minos suppressed Albafica, the remaining Specters obeyed orders and began to advance towards the Sanctuary. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Cosmic Marionette... this move is too cheap. The strong control of these threads is simply unsolvable.”

“How could they fight now?! The intelligence was completely unequal. Albafica had no idea about the opponent's abilities, but Minos, thanks to the previous probing by the Specters, knew Albafica's moves inside out.”

First, 'Wings of Hell' directly cleared the poisonous roses, then 'Cosmic Marionette' controlled Albafica himself. This was too difficult...

And how strong were these threads?! Even Albafica, one of the Gold Saints, couldn't break free.

。。。。。

【 “WAIT!!” Albafica wanted to stop the Specters, but Minos simply moved his arm slightly, and Albafica's body flew up uncontrollably, then crashed to the ground.

“To toy with those who can't resist is the privilege of those with power. If you insist on resisting, I will shatter your bones.”

“Before attacking the Sanctuary, let me play a little. First, I'll destroy that beautiful face you're so proud of.”

Minos moved his finger slightly, and Albafica's fist, uncontrollably smashed into him, punch after punch.

“Hmph hmph hmph!” Minos seemed to be playing with a toy, his mood becoming joyful.

“Next, your hand? Or your foot? Or should I just twist your neck off? Ah... let's start with your defiant eyes!”

The next moment, Albafica found his fist uncontrollably extending two fingers, and to his horror, they plunged into his own eyes.

“Splurt...”

A large amount of blood gushed out, dripping onto the ground, but the blood was flowing from his shoulder.

“Minos, I'm not in the mood to play with you or be played by you here.”

Albafica's hand fell limply to the ground. To avoid the previous attack, he had broken his own right arm.

“My face, hands, and feet, you can destroy them as you please. But... I will never let you pass this point!”

Even with a broken arm, Albafica still smiled, looking at Minos with determined eyes.

Minos was only slightly surprised at this.

“As expected of a Gold Saint, but my subordinates will be able to destroy the entire village in no time.”

Facing such a dire situation, Albafica laughed.

“Foolish, it's your subordinates who will be completely annihilated. Do you think the Royal Demon Rose Garden only has one layer?!”

The scene showed the Specters heading towards the village, all lying motionless on the ground with a white rose stained with blood embedded in their bodies.

“Bloody Rose. Once an enemy is struck, they can only wait for death. It directly strikes the enemy's heart. When the white petals are dyed crimson, your subordinates are dead.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“So that 'wait' meant asking them to die slowly... I thought he was worried about the village before. His acting is too good.”

“Holy crap, I feel the pain just watching it. Breaking his own arm, that's too brutal.”

But he had to be brutal. If he didn't break his arm, he'd lose his eyes, and dealing with Minos would be even harder, as his roses basically lock onto their targets.

Bloody Rose. If this rose were used for assassination and sneak attacks, wouldn't it be a sure kill every time?! Wouldn't it be even better to use it against Minos?!

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“As expected of Albafica, he had already foreseen all of this and set up a deeper layer of roses in advance.”

Dégel pushed up his glasses, praising without reservation.

Albafica's roses were undoubtedly fatal. If Minos hadn't known the information, perhaps they could have fought, but now...

Manigoldo also saw the trick,

“Cosmic Marionette, it's too much of a counter to Albafica!”

Dégel nodded; that was the reason. If he were to fight Minos, he would have more of an advantage. He believed his freezing air could freeze the puppet threads.

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

“Hahaha, isn't that your Bloody Rose? He actually used it as an ambush.”

Deathmask's laughter sounded so harsh in Aphrodite's ears.

Aphrodite's handsome face couldn't help but be covered in black lines. His proud ultimate move, Bloody Rose, was actually just used as a means for the Demon Rose Garden.

Looking at Deathmask, who was still laughing, Aphrodite could only swallow his anger and clench his fists slightly...! Laugh, I hope I don't get a chance to mock you; otherwise, I'll mock you to death.

Aphrodite now understood that the previous generation of Saints definitely had moves that had not been passed down.

。。。。。

【 Minos indeed sensed that the Specters' Cosmos had disappeared, but he showed no pity for the death of his subordinates; instead, he burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, my apologies! As expected of a Gold Saint, truly worth destroying.”

Minos showed a fierce look, and his Cosmo erupted again. With just a flick of his hand, Albafica's left leg began to twist unnaturally, rotating a full circle.

“Ah!!”

Albafica's eyes widened. The intense pain still made him cry out in agony.

A large amount of bloody mist also floated in the air. Minos looked around, not paying much attention, and instead laughed,

“It wouldn't be fun otherwise.”

Blood flowed from Albafica's mouth. He tried hard to clench his fist, his eyes still filled with defiance,

“Break my hands, break my feet. Even destroy my face.”

Then, preferring to break his bones, he clenched his fist tightly, blood spilling from his hand, and let out the most resolute roar,

“I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT LET YOU PASS!”

“Hahaha, well said.” The more Albafica resisted, the more excited Minos became, and the threads began to pull at Albafica's arm.

Just as all his fingers were about to be broken, Albafica suddenly unleashed his Cosmo, breaking free from the restraints!

“CRIMSON THORN!!” Fine needles made of blood assailed Minos like a storm.

From a distance, the dense needles made it seem as if Minos was enveloped in blood.

As the smoke cleared, Minos retracted the wings blocking him, reappearing here unscathed.

“To be honest, it surprises me that a beauty like you possesses such a strong fighting spirit. But... your power is still insufficient.”

The Cosmic Marionette threads, formed from his Cosmo, had unknowingly re-entangled Albafica.

“Crack...” The sound of bones twisting came from Albafica's body.

“AH!!!”

Then he let out a scream, blood gushing everywhere; his arms, legs, and even all the bones in his body were forcibly broken.

“You truly are a very entertaining puppet, Albafica!”

Albafica was now lying in a pool of blood, his body and limbs twisted unnaturally. The Cosmic Marionette had just broken all the bones in his body. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hiss—”

The people from other worlds gasped, a pain so severe that just watching it hurt.

At this moment, everyone present had only one thought: 'Where were Dohko and Shion?! They knew Albafica was guarding alone; couldn't they have checked?'

The enemy had already reached the doorstep, but why didn't anyone come to help...? Damn it, those two wouldn't just stand at the door and watch, would they?

~ KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! ~

“Ow, ow, ow!!”

The masochist Kazuma tried twisting his arm, but stopped his foolish action halfway.

“This is just too painful.”

Honestly... he'd rather die than suffer such treatment. This kind of pain was no joke, except for Darkness, that pervert, who would get excited.

Megumin shivered instinctively, crouching by the side, trembling.

The outside world was too terrifying... Thankfully, she had teammates.

。。。。。

~ Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline ~

“Albafica has done his best.”

Shirou Emiya also turned his head, unable to watch anymore.

His will, to rather break his fingers than stop attacking, perfectly illustrated what it meant that beauty does not equal fragility.

It was just that the compatibility between Minos and Albafica was too poor; his abilities were completely countered.

Minos's skill was also a “first-sight kill.” Albafica didn't seem to be an offensive Saint; he would be better suited for defending the Sanctuary.

The most crucial point was... his moves were completely figured out by Minos!

。。。。。

Chapter 253: Using flowers for a burial... and this flower is all more beautiful.

Chapter Text

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“Didn’t I protect nothing!”

Albafica saw himself fall, and for the first time, lost his composure, punching the ground.

Behind him was the village…

As a Saint of Athena, he had no fear of death, and what he hated was not his defeat, but the fact that he couldn't stop the enemy even after fighting with all his might.

“Albafica, you’ve done enough.”

Sasha came to Albafica, who was kneeling on the ground, squatted down, and gently stroked Albafica’s head.

“Lift your head, Albafica! You have already shown your will and strength very well. You really did your best.”

Albafica looked at Sasha in surprise,

“Lady Athena… Please don’t come near me.”

Although he knew his poison couldn’t harm Lady Athena, Albafica still quickly stepped back a few paces.

At this moment, Manigoldo suddenly looked at the screen with cold sweat on his face,

“Oh, Albafica, it seems too early to say you’ve been defeated.”

What?! Is Albafica not defeated yet?! Everyone present looked at the screen in surprise upon hearing this.

。。。。。

【 Minos arrived at the village in the blink of an eye. Just standing on top of a house, the bursting Cosmos instantly destroyed the entire street.

Minos’s destruction continued. The once quiet and peaceful village turned into a mess, and the villagers fled in terror.

Among them, a girl named Agasha, with a rose on her chest, ran crying towards the Sanctuary, but she firmly believed that Albafica would definitely come; this was their promise.

《 Little girl’s memory 》

It was a rainy day, and Agasha was running through the Sanctuary holding flowers, looking troubled at the flowers in her arms as she ran.

“What should I do?! If I send them to the Pope like this, the petals will scatter.”

Albafica, who was passing by, said nothing and casually threw his cloak over Agasha, continuing to walk forward.

“Um, thank you!” The little girl ran up, wanting to express her gratitude, but heard a stern reprimand from Albafica.

“Don’t come near me…”

Later, Agasha learned from her father that because of Albafica’s years of poison resistance training, the toxins had already infiltrated his blood.

He was worried that his blood would bring danger to others, so Albafica actively avoided people.

“He is a very strong person, a very gentle person. Even if it’s just a little bit, I want to convey my respect or gratitude to him, even if it’s just a little bit…”

《 Little girl’s memory ends》 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“He is truly a gentle and strong person, which makes him even more beautiful.”

“He protects others with thorns, even if it means being pierced himself.”

Beautiful yet thorny like a vibrant rose, but unlike a rose, Albafica’s thorns were to prevent harming others, not to protect himself.

~ Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline ~

“His appearance would probably give people the impression of a cold, ruthless, and reclusive Pisces.”

Shirou Emiya, looking at the little girl’s memory, truly realized that Albafica had always been refusing others to come near…

Illya nodded,

“Yes, even so, he still optimistically conveyed his inner goodness to everyone.”

Living with poisonous roses, his entire body filled with poisonous blood, he chose such a solitary life.

Even if this was just Albafica’s feigned indifference, this method was the best protection for those who cared bout him!

。。。。。

【 “BOOM——!” The running girl encountered Minos, who was bursting through a wall, and Minos also noticed the rose on the girl’s chest.

“Ah… today I am truly fated with roses! That rose indicates that you are related to Pisces.”

“Then I’ll make you disappear just like him.”

Seeing Minos appear, Agasha felt fear for a moment, but still bravely looked directly into Minos’s eyes.

Even though a strong wind had appeared beneath her feet, and he could end her life with a slight movement of his finger, Agasha still used all her strength to shout loudly.

“Lord Albafica will not lose, no… I mean, Athena’s Saints will never lose to you, you idiot!!”

Even Minos was shocked, then put on a smile again, his eyes filled with ferocity,

“Is that so, but I don’t care, I’m still on my way, excuse me.”

“I don’t have time to listen to the nonsense of the weaklings.”

This time, with a gentle lift of his hand, the ground instantly exploded, and an invisible attack surged towards Agasha. At this moment, Shion of Aries blocked her with his cloak. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“This little girl is truly brave. At that age, facing such strong pressure, she still had the courage to retort.”

“Normally, at that age, being too scared to speak would be considered good! As expected… even the children in that world cannot be described by common sense.”

Everyone from other worlds felt a subtle sensation when they saw Shion appear; if he had been any slower, the little girl would have been gone.

But where is Manigoldo?! From the beginning of the video until now, haven’t you two been like inseparable twins, always together wherever you go?

。。。。。

【 Facing Minos’s attack on the village, Shion, who was usually good-tempered, was surprisingly furious this time.

“As the head of the Twelve Temples, it is only natural for me to fight, and… I personally dislike your actions!!”

Shion’s anger caused his golden Cosmos to erupt, even sending the shattered stones on the ground flying from the immense power.

However, the next moment…

“Sorry, you’re just like Albafica!”

As Minos’s words fell, with a slight movement of his finger, Shion’s arm was unnaturally twisted.

“What?!” This sudden situation greatly surprised Shion. He now understood why Albafica had lost.

“It’s too troublesome to torment you like this. I’ll just flow to your neck and finish you off in an instant.”

“Crack!!”

“Ugh… Aaaah!” Shion was startled at first, then a sharp pain came from his neck, and his neck began to twist uncontrollably.

It wouldn’t be long before he would meet the same end as Albafica. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Oh, Shion, can you put some effort into it? Such a cool entrance, not even three seconds of coolness, and you’re already falling apart.”

“Brother, don’t just throw yourself away like that… Even actors don’t act like this. At least exchange a few blows, but you were instantly defeated.”

Everyone’s emotions, watching Shion’s appearance, fluctuated like a roller coaster… He was so cool and angry just a moment ago, questioning Minos, but then he was instantly killed.

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

Hakurei, as Shion’s master, saw this scene and twitched the corner of his mouth, immediately feeling that he was losing face.

“Shion, where are your Crystal Wall and Telekinesis?! You must learn to use your techniques flexibly.”

Facing his teacher’s questioning, Shion lowered his head in shame, thinking that his appearance could avenge Albafica, but he only threw himself away for nothing.

However, it was precisely because of this that the Gold Saints also understood that the so-called 3 Judges of Hell truly could not be described by common sense.

“Heh heh, in that case, next time, this great me, Manigoldo, will meet him!”

Manigoldo laughed arrogantly, a blue light appearing on his hand.

Since Gold Saints like Albafica and Shion are completely restrained by Minos, then this great me will deal with him!

What Cosmic Marionette?! Let this great me burn him and his soul to ashes!

。。。。。

【 “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” Just as Shion’s neck was about to be twisted off, black roses descended from the sky, precisely cutting Minos’s threads.

Even Minos looked at the roses on the ground in surprise,

“BLACK ROSES?!

Agasha had already guessed who it was, covering her mouth with her hand in disbelief,

“Could it be…”

“Thump, thump, thump!”

Footsteps came from the smoke, making people instinctively look over. The person who came was none other than Albafica!

Albafica, whose bones were forcibly broken, walked over with a red rose in his mouth, his pure white cloak stained red with blood.

Making him look like a bloody rose.

“I’m so sorry, Shion, I’ve caused you trouble, but I can still fight! I have a request for you.”

“Except for the enemy in front of me, do not let anyone else come near me.”

Minos looked at Albafica standing in front of him, filled with shock. All his bones should have been broken!

What makes you fight so desperately, Albafica of Pisces? 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“He can still fight?! He can barely stand up. How strong is his willpower?”

Everyone from other worlds was shocked. His body had been twisted like a Rubik’s Cube by Minos before, and all his bones should have been broken.

Leaving aside what kind of belief supported him to walk from the outskirts of the Sanctuary into the village, just being able to stand up with such a body is difficult, let alone fighting.

His fighting spirit even made Minos, his enemy, feel awe.

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

Aphrodite, the current Gold Saint of Pisces, also looked at his predecessor with respect.

Is this… relying on the Seventh Sense to forcefully move himself?! What tenacious willpower, tragic yet powerful, a Pisces whose life is full of loneliness yet incredibly brilliant.

。。。。。

~ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline ~

“That’s unbelievable…”

Narancia, the little plane, stared blankly at the screen, not even noticing the spoon falling from his hand.

Even Giorno and the others were filled with shock. A person whose bones were all broken actually stood before his enemy again, purely by his willpower.

“But… this is useless!”

Giorno also understood that battles between Saints, like those of Stand users, were battles of information.

However, given the current situation, even if a solution were found, it would be futile. With Albafica’s current body, he couldn’t unleash any decent attacks.

。。。。。

【 “I… Albafica! For a long time, I have lived by hating my blood and avoiding others. Regardless of beauty or ugliness, this is how I have lived.”

Albafica’s right hand glowed with a red Cosmos, and his gentle voice gradually turned angry.

“The word ‘beauty,’ just like what you did, deeply hurt my pride. By what right do you evaluate me like this?”

“My power, my Cosmos, and my way of life. I have not yet intended to fully reveal them to you.”

With a roar like an outburst, Albafica, with the red rose in his mouth, had his Cosmos burning to its peak…

Minos also directly placed his wings in front of him, using them as a shield.

“CRIMSON THORN!!”

His blood began to turn into tiny needles, attacking like a torrential storm!

Shion, seeing this, quickly shielded Agasha with his cloak, also filled with surprise!

The quantity and power are extraordinary. Could it be that you intend to use all your blood, Albafica?! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Is he planning to die together… Although I really don’t want to admit it, I don’t think using all his blood can break through Minos’s defense!”

Everyone then understood that the word “beauty” was actually an insult to Albafica.

When a woman is stronger than a man, she is also avoided for her strength, and they try to belittle her as worthless because of her beauty.

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

The Pope glanced at Albafica, who was still keeping his distance and remaining silent.

“Truly worthy of Albafica, what tenacious willpower. But it seems he is still deeply troubled by the death of his master!”

A heart ailment requires heart medicine; Albafica’s emotional knot can only be untied by himself… However, through the video, he also thought of a candidate to deal with Minos.

“Dégel, if Minos appears from the screen, I’ll leave him to you.”

“Yes, Holy Pope!”

Dégel pushed up his glasses and agreed without hesitation, or rather, this idea coincided with his own.

。。。。。

【 Albafica, continuously using Crimson Thorn, could no longer sustain himself and knelt on the ground.

Minos, unharmed, didn’t even look at Albafica, who was kneeling on the ground, but instead said to Shion,

“Albafica is probably completely exhausted. Is your next opponent Aries?”

Shion merely glanced at Minos and knew that it was completely over; there was no reason to fight.

“No, there’s no need to attack someone who has already been dealt with. Look at your own chest.”

Blood flowed from Minos’s mouth, and he grabbed the red rose on his heart in horror,

“This is the Royal Demon Rose that guy had in his mouth.”

“No, Minos, that’s a white rose stained red by absorbing Albafica’s blood, a Bloody Rose!”

“You underestimate Albafica’s pride and his conviction.”

Minos reached out and plucked the rose from his chest, his face turning grim,

“This great me was actually defeated by a mere flower, a drop of poison…”

“Albafica, you arrogant fool, you bastards, along with the village, all of you scatter!”

A deep and gloomy Cosmos erupted from Minos’s body, or rather, this powerful Cosmos was his true strength.

“WINGS OF HELL!”

The fierce gale appeared for a moment, then dissipated completely, enveloped within a transparent Crystal Wall.

“Crystal Wall, this technique can reflect any attack.”

“You… you… bastard!” Minos fell down with indignation, as one of the Three Judges of Hades, he lost to Albafica.

“Is it over…” Albafica, kneeling on the ground, let out a weak voice. Agasha tried to approach but was stopped by his loud reprimand.

“Don’t come near me!!”

Albafica looked at the rose petals dancing in the sky. For a moment, he was filled with emotion.

“I… have always been with this rose, but now for the first time, I feel…”

“This flower… is so beautiful.”

After speaking, Albafica also collapsed on the ground… 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 254: Virgo Asmita!

Chapter Text

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Hehe, typical underestimation, just wasted himself away. Looking at Minos's incompetent and furious expression, I suddenly feel like laughing.”

“Minos only prepared to unleash his true power when death was imminent, but he ended up destroying nothing.”

People from other worlds also showed great respect for this man whose bones were all broken. He had truly exhausted all his strength, dying together with one of the strongest Specters…

He drained all his blood just to seize the opportunity for a fatal blow! Even if he ultimately faced death, due to the poisonous blood, he died alone, drifting away like a petal.

“No one waited, no tears fell. In the end, only the roses that accompanied him throughout his life bid him farewell and held his funeral.”

He truly exemplified elegance and cold arrogance until his life burned out. Minos's defeat lay in his underestimation of Albafica's conviction and self-respect.

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

At this moment, Minos's face in Hades Castle was so gloomy it was almost dripping. He never expected to be defeated by a Gold Saint.

Pandora's face also looked grim.

“Minos, you were too careless. With your strength, it shouldn't have been like this.”

Strategy is also a part of strength. Pisces defeating Minos and 13 others was a solid victory, but… the main reason was Minos's underestimation.

On the other side, in the Sanctuary, Tenma finally emerged from the reality of Alone, killing everyone in the town and killing him.

Watching Albafica's heroic sacrifice, he realized that this was not a game, but an incredibly cruel Holy War!

。。。。。

~ Delicious in Dungeon World ~

“Crystal Wall, capable of reflecting any technique…”

Marcille first murmured in repetition, then became a little frantic.

“Why didn't you use this move earlier?! If you had used it earlier, Albafica might have been able to save his life.”

It's called 'Crystal Wall', and this move is actually used against enemies. It's called a wall, so I thought it was for self-defense.

Laios, whose thought process was different from ordinary people, merely stroked his chin, seriously recalling the scene of Minos's death.

“Rather than being poisoned to death, Minos seemed more like he was enraged to death…”

He couldn't even destroy the entire village when he was dying. He possessed immense power but couldn't unleash it, which was truly frustrating.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline ~

“White roses stained with blood…”

Aphrodite felt a little regretful that he didn't have poisonous blood; he couldn't use this move.

“He's truly a person with thorns, beautiful, and arrogant, just like a rose.”

He exhausted all his blood, using Crimson Thorn as a feint against Minos, and then, taking advantage of Minos's carelessness, he plunged a white rose filled with his poisonous blood into Minos's heart, successfully killing one of the Three Judges of the Underworld.

“So… so powerful!”

Seiya and the other Bronze Saints were also deeply shaken.

They recalled Minos fighting against him, Shun, Hyoga, and Shiryu alone, easily defeating them with the Cosmic Marionettion, showing his immense power…

Compared to that, they were the ones who suffered.

。。。。。

【 As the bell of the Sanctuary rang, under the gaze of the villagers, Shion carried Albafica towards the Twelve Temples.

Agasha also trotted along. Albafica's death made her feel unbearable.

“Shion-sama, if the Holy War continues like this, will more Saints continue to die?”

Shion silently looked at Agasha, his eyes much more weathered, then slowly spoke,

“We… don't fight to die.”

“It's just that we have something we must accomplish at the cost of our lives, to protect love and justice on Earth. Never to die.”

“Even if death or something else accidentally awaits us ahead, we will continue to fight until the moment our lives burn out.”

At this moment, the scene shifted to Hades Castle in Italy.

Looking at the vanished stars in the sky, he realized the death of Pisces.

“Minos, and the Cosmos of his subordinates, have also disappeared.”

“But, I still don't want to do this. My Specters have already broken free from the shackles of life.”

Alone sighed, pulling back the curtain behind him. Shadows of Specters were carved on the walls on both sides.

“Now, awaken again! My Specters.”

Then, a purple light glowed in Alone's hand, shimmering with tiny stars like a universe, and he gently blew.

“Return from the shackles of death, from eternal tranquility, my Specters!”

“From the beginning, the Sanctuary had no chance of winning, Athena!”

The shadows on the wall suddenly began to materialize. All the Specters who had died were resurrected.

On the other side, Shion also learned the fact that Specters were immortal, and immediately clenched his fists in anger,

“Then what was Albafica's death for? What about our comrades who have died so far!”

The Pope looked at the enraged Shion and said in a deep voice,

“Calm down, Shion! Lady Athena has already taken action. A powerful barrier has now been erected around the Sanctuary!”

A giant barrier emitting a faint light enveloped the entire Sanctuary. Here, Specters cannot resurrect.

Yato also brought good news from Elder Hakurei, “As long as we hold out for one more day, when Pegasus is resurrected…” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“They are relying on burning themselves, using their lives to buy the possibility of human survival.”

“Damn, it turns out this battle was unequal from the start. How are we supposed to fight this?”

Everyone stared blankly at the resurrected Specters.

Now, not even a one-for-one exchange was possible. Or perhaps, this was the power of Hades, being able to infinitely resurrect the dead to fight for him again.

Given this, how did Athena's side ever win the previous Holy Wars against Hades's immortal army?!

Fortunately, Minos couldn't be resurrected within Athena's barrier; otherwise, Albafica's sacrifice would have been meaningless.

“Athena's side can also resurrect?! Wait… who is Pegasus?”

Everyone thought back and realized it was the young boy who got a bento box at the beginning of the video. But he was a Bronze Saint, so he shouldn't be the focus.

~ Record of Ragnarok World ~

“What?! Resurrection?!”

The usually calm older brother, Hades, almost had his eyes pop out. It turns out there's a difference even between gods.

Or rather, can I truly be considered a god? Compared to Hades in the video, perhaps I'm just a slightly stronger human.

Brunhilde and her sisters were even more bewildered. Facing such a terrifying Hades, do the Saints truly have a chance of winning?

。。。。。

【 The scene changed, and Tenma and the others, who had died, were now lively and jumping, arriving at the Blood Waterfall between the Sixth and Seventh Prisons of the Underworld. At the top of the waterfall was their target.

“And the tree at the top is one of the trees that have grown by absorbing this blood since the age of myths, the Mokurenji of the Underworld! It can suppress the Specters' infinite resurrection.”

As Tenma climbed, he noticed Yato and Yuzuriha behind him, maintaining their climbing posture, motionless, as if time had stopped.

“What?! This… it stopped?”

As Tenma looked around in confusion, an ethereal voice sounded in his ear.

“Ah! I thought another lost soul or Specter had wandered in.”

“BOOM—!!”

A blond man in a Gold Cloth, with his legs crossed in a meditative posture like a Buddha, flew out of the Blood Waterfall with his eyes closed.

“I am Virgo Asmita, Pegasus Saint! Have you come to fight Hades again in this era?!”

He didn't open his mouth, yet his voice was transmitted with incredible clarity. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Mokurenji fruit of the Underworld?! Such an important thing, and they don't send anyone to guard it, or has the guard already been taken out by this Virgo?!”

“Wait, so you're the one who made Yato and the others stop as if time stood still?!”

Great, another handsome guy. Is the qualification for selecting Saints based on looks?! From what's appeared so far, only Dohko seems to have average looks.

But no one expected that the means to counter the Specters would be found in the Underworld itself. Is this the legendary saying that within five steps of a highly poisonous substance, there must be an antidote?

“Also, big brother! Why are you, an Athena Gold Saint, in the Underworld?!”

We're in a war, don't mess around… Or is it that both your headquarters are like sieves, where anyone can come and go as they please, like visiting relatives?

。。。。。

Chapter 255: Great Sinner of the Celestial Realm, Pegasus Constellation!

Chapter Text

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“This time it's Virgo Asmita…”

Manigoldo sized up Asmita, who was still in his meditation posture.

He had never stepped out of the Virgo Palace, and it was rumored that he could communicate with gods and Buddhas. Even when he appeared in videos, he was never seen opening his eyes.

He really couldn't figure out what that guy was thinking.

What a mysterious man.

“Perhaps we can learn something about Virgo's thoughts from the video.”

Aldebaran thought this in his heart. He really didn't know much about Virgo Asmita, and there were even some bad rumors about him in the Sanctuary.

。。。。。

“Damn Athena!”

On the other side, Pandora in the Underworld also had an unpleasant expression.

Athena's Saints were one by one breaking into the Underworld. What did they take this place for? Their backyard?

Next time, they wouldn't be so lucky, Pegasus?! Hmph, he would surely make sure he never returned.

。。。。。

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“My Underworld isn't that terrifying!”

As the video played, Ereshkigal knew that people's impression of the Underworld would definitely worsen again.

Letting living people enter the Underworld was one thing; Ereshkigal endured that, but… what was this inexplicable blood waterfall? Didn't it feel a bit disgusting, terrifying? Was Hades crazy to use this as decoration?

“The most important point is, why can his Underworld grow trees?!”

Ereshkigal looked at her own Underworld with tears in her eyes. It was well-known that the Underworld was the land of the dead, where coldness and darkness were common, and flowers were out of the question.

Looking at the giant Koelreuteria tree in the video, Ereshkigal felt as if her Underworld was overshadowed by a patch of green plants.

。。。。。

【 At this moment in the Sanctuary, Dohko and Aldebaran were also discussing the mysterious Asmita, even somewhat wary of the possibility of him becoming an enemy.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Asmita, sitting in a Buddha posture, did not explain why he appeared. He merely acted as a riddle-teller, speaking to Tenma in words that others could not understand.

“The man called the great sinner of Heaven, seeing him now, he's just a mere brat… How disappointing.”

“Foolish Athena, has the long Holy War blinded you? Indeed, this time, the truth is not with the young Athena. Perhaps Hades holds the truth.”

Although Tenma couldn't understand Asmita's words, he could understand “foolish Athena.” He angrily questioned the other party.

“You, as a Gold Saint, actually want to betray Athena?”

Asmita floated in the air, enveloped in red light. In response, he instead questioned Tenma,

“If that were the case, what would you do?”

Tenma answered without hesitation,

“Of course, I'll fight you!”

“PEGASUS RYUSEI KEN!”

Hundreds of punches, exceeding the speed of sound, assailed Asmita. Each punch had the force of a million-ton meteorite impact, and the punch speed even surpassed the speed of sound!

“Kō!”

Asmita did not move, merely blocking the countless fist shadows with a soft exclamation.

“Do you think weak fists thrown out of emotion will work on me? Die again, and return to dust in time and space.”

Then, with a slight lift of his hand, Tenma let out a scream and flew backward.

“Pathetic…” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Good heavens, so your colleagues don't even have the most basic understanding of each other. You should organize a team-building event, get to know each other, and strengthen your friendship.”

Everyone looked at Dohko, who was still wildly guessing Asmita's stance, and felt a wave of helplessness.

They were supposedly in the same department, but they hadn't even exchanged two words. The guy was already beating your disciple; stop guessing.

However, one thing caught everyone's attention: the combat power seemed a bit high! Just with the physical body, even a Bronze Saint's punches could reach a hundred per second, each punch reaching the speed of sound.

Asmita was even more terrifying. He didn't move in the face of these punches, as if Pegasus's fists were air, and he didn't even open his eyes.

~ Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline ~

“Weak fists…”

Yuji and Megumi were dumbfounded. You call these fists that reach the speed of sound “weak fists”?!

Megumi was silent for a moment,

“How about we don't punch when we're exorcising Curses anymore?”

For some reason, it felt like someone was saying in his ear: 'If you don't even have the strength to hit people, what kind of Jujutsu Sorcerer are you?!'

“Huh?”

Yuji stared blankly at his fists. No punching… You still have sorcery, but what else can I do?

。。。。。

~ Gintama World ~

“Completely wrong! That's not how you do Pegasus Ryusei Ken.”

Gintoki shouted as if he had been provoked, his face full of disapproval.

Then Gintoki swung his arms and legs, starting to make strange movements, ending with a final rising punch,

“It should be like this! It has to follow the Pegasus constellation to be considered Pegasus Ryusei Ken.”

Kagura and Shinpachi's faces were full of black lines.

They were already in their twenties, still doing these chuunibyo movements like in Jump… Now, no matter how many boxes of biscuits they had, it wouldn't be enough to compensate Masami Kurumada.

“But then again, Mr. Asmita not only looks like Zura, but he also sounds like him.”

“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura!”

Zura, standing nearby, reflexively retorted, then prepared to leave with Elizabeth.

Shinpachi looked at him with some confusion.

Zura usually had nothing to do, so was there something going on now? He asked anyway.

“Nothing, but I'm preparing to go to the Sanctuary and wait. Maybe there'll be a chance to appear.”

Zura said, and without looking back, he left the Yorozuya with Elizabeth, leaving everyone with black lines on their faces.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

The atmosphere in the Pope's Chamber was oppressive at this moment. The heavy air seemed to solidify, making it impossible to breathe.

All of this started when Asmita, on the screen, uttered the phrase “foolish Athena.” If it weren't for Sisyphus intervening, a fight might have already broken out.

That being said, the other Gold Saints became wary of Asmita. His remarks could even be considered a betrayal of Lady Athena.

。。。。。

“It seems the Gold Saints are not entirely united after all. This Asmita might be able to be recruited to the Specters' side.”

Pandora also showed a smile. She greatly appreciated the phrase “the truth lies with Hades”!

Coupled with the strength of that Gold Saint, if he could be won over, it would be a great help.

。。。。。

【 Asmita looked at Tenma, who had fallen into the Blood Waterfall but still managed to stand up again, and praised him,

“Oh, as expected of the man who can slay gods. He won't die from this much?”

Tenma still hadn't figured out what was going on. He looked at Asmita with a bewildered expression,

“...You've been saying some inexplicable things since just now. The great sinner of Heaven, god-slaying, etc…”

“I don't know any of that!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Uh… What does 'won't die from this much' mean?! The problem is, isn't he already dead now, since he's in the Underworld?”

“I hate riddle-tellers. Let alone Tenma, I'm equally confused. What god-slaying great sinner of Heaven? Just explain it clearly.”

Riddle-tellers were the most annoying. People from other worlds secretly gritted their teeth. If they ever encountered a riddle-teller again, they would just beat them first, no matter what.

。。。。。

【 “But unbelievably, you have been fated with Hades since the age of myth. This fate will likely turn the tide of this Holy War.”

“Since the age of myth, Pegasus has always stood by Athena's side in several Holy Wars, that's right…”

A man resembling Tenma appeared on the screen, his body completely enveloped in sacred, pure white Cloth, adorned with azure-gold stripes.

Large, bright silver wings appeared behind him, and beside him stood Athena, clad in her Golden God Cloth, holding a staff!

“Pegasus is the only human who can injure Hades, who is a god.”

“But the current Tenma that I see in this world is merely dull, rough, and emotional.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

Everyone was stunned by Asmita's words. Who exactly was this Virgo to know so much?

Wait… what did he just say?! Pegasus was the only human who could injure Hades, who was a god!!

~ Record of Ragnarok World ~

“No wonder he's called the great sinner of Heaven. The sin of blaspheming a god deserves death ten thousand times over.”

Brunhilde and her sisters' mouths gaped open in astonishment.

They were still shaken by how Hades had killed Tenma with a mere flick of his brush on the painting.

The gods of that world were much stronger than those in their own world, and Hades, who could take lives with a raise of his hand and revive Specters with a wave, was actually injured by a human?!

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“!!!”

The other bewildered Gold Saints were slightly startled. They had no idea that the Bronze Saint Tenma had such a significant background.

At this moment, Sisyphus was silent, and El Cid merely looked at his arm blade, saying nothing.

“Lady Athena… Hades… the only human who ever injured Hades, and now they've all reincarnated together.”

Aquarius Dégel closed the book in his hand, feeling a strange sensation.

And at this moment, Defteros on Kanon Island also had a strange feeling,

“This brat…”

。。。。。

Chapter 256: Wheel of Heavenly Law

Chapter Text

【 Images flowed into his mind! Pegasus, who was about to launch another attack, felt immense surprise and was completely unable to move.

“This is… Buddha! Just who are you…”

In his eyes, lotuses appeared on the ground, and behind Asmita, a giant Buddha appeared, supporting Asmita with its hands.

“If you don’t defeat me, you won’t be able to defeat Hades. Now, show me your so-called truth.”

Asmita ignored Pegasus’s confusion, lowered his hands from the meditative posture for the first time, raised one hand slightly, and said softly,

“TENMA KŌFUKU—!”

This move accumulated the Cosmo in his hand, compressed it into a small galaxy, and then detonated it, creating a power as immense as a galactic explosion!

New illusions appeared behind Asmita, symbolizing the little angels of heaven and the grim reapers of hell. Pegasus once again fell into a waterfall of blood.

“Stand up. If you’re defeated by this level, your truth is also just this.” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“My goodness… compressing a small galaxy and then detonating it, that’s a bit exaggerated.”

Seeing this, everyone silently swallowed. It was truly not easy for the Earth in that world to still be alive, with a bunch of gods fighting each other.

And they fought once every 200 years. The Earth would be lucky not to be crippled… Could it be that the Earth in that world also had divine protection, which is why it was safe and sound?

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

Although it looked like Asmita was tormenting Pegasus, it made the surrounding Gold Saints slightly relax.

The oppressive atmosphere in the Pope’s Chamber also eased. As long as they weren’t fools, everyone knew that Asmita was testing Pegasus.

“He probably hasn’t even used 1/10th of his strength. Only a fool like Pegasus would believe that.”

A full-power attack from a Gold Saint was not something a Bronze Saint could withstand.

Manigoldo, after sensing the Cosmo emanating from Asmita beside him, was filled with awe.

What a terrifying Cosmo.

“You who have been meditating with your eyes closed, what have you seen? And for what purpose are you doing this, Asmita of Virgo!”

Although Dohko understood that Asmita didn’t intend to harm Pegasus, he couldn’t help but clench his fists.

On the other side, Defteros on Kanon Island also instantly understood.

As someone who had a relatively good relationship with Asmita, he revealed a somewhat wild smile upon seeing this.

“Does he really think so highly of this kid? Asmita, why don’t you send him to me? That’s not how you train someone!”

。。。。。

【 At this moment, Asmita seemed somewhat disappointed, unsatisfied with Pegasus’s performance in this life. A universe seemed to appear between his palms.

“This won’t convince me. The weak and powerless have no truth to speak of. As Hades said, rather than filling the world with the pain of life, it’s better to be liberated from the pain of life.”

“Pegasus, even if you are resurrected in such a world again, it will be of no use. May you be burned by the hellfire and turned to ashes.”

Asmita’s words fell, and his entire body suddenly erupted with a golden light, directly throwing Pegasus on the ground into the air.

“RIKUDŌ RINNE—!”

This move can send the opponent’s soul and spirit into one of the six realms: The Realm of Hell, the Hungry Spirits and Ghosts Realm, The Realm of Savage Beasts, The Realm of the Warring Asuras(demons), The Realm of Humans, and The Realm of Heaven, for infinite reincarnation.

Pegasus’s soul was thus led by Asmita through the Six Realms.

“Pegasus, as Athena’s Saints, you once wounded Hades’ physical body.”

“You also wounded Hades’ physical body. Perhaps for this reason, Hades hides his true form in the underworld paradise, the Pure Land.”

“Every time he attacks the Earth, he takes over the body of the boy with the purest soul of that era to reincarnate, just like your friend Aron…”

After experiencing this move, Pegasus lay on the ground, motionless, but his heart was filled with guilt, even believing that everything was his fault.

Is it my fault that Aron became Hades?! 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Sending the opponent’s spirit and soul into the Six Realms for infinite reincarnation?! How ruthless can you be? Are you a tour guide for the Six Realms?”

“This Gold Saint seems to be ridiculously strong. If he were to face Minos, wouldn’t he be a complete counter?!”

Everyone felt a headache looking at Asmita, who seemed to be on a different level from the other Gold Saints. His moves were more powerful than the last, and he possessed both physical and spiritual attacks.

Let him unleash any other outrageous moves. We can handle it. It’s just a pity for Pegasus, as it seems Asmita isn’t aiming to kill him.

If he were to go for the kill, everyone was certain he would instantly defeat him in one move.

Where would all this trouble come from?

~ Bleach World, Karakura Town ~

“The Soul Society is also considered the underworld, right? I really want to experience what heaven is like.”

Kurosaki Ichigo suddenly had a thought. If Asmita were to do this to him, wouldn’t it be equivalent to a free trip to heaven?

Shopkeeper Kisuke Urahara glanced at him exasperatedly,

“Don’t even think about it. We don’t even know if heaven exists, and besides… you’d die.”

Don’t forget that before this move, there were several realms of spiritual torture, which not just anyone could endure. If one’s spirit broke down, it would be terrible.

。。。。。

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“So it’s the previous life’s Pegasus that caused the current Hades to only be able to reincarnate…”

Merlin was a bit confused about Hades’ thoughts. Was he scared after being beaten?

By the way… how do you know where Hades hides his true form, and even the location? You know too much, don’t you? Logically, this should be Hades’ secret.

Does he hold the script, or does he possess a mystic eye that can see through the past and future?

。。。。。

【 Pegasus didn’t understand and struggled to get up.

All he knew was one truth: 'he knew who he was fighting for until now.'

“No matter how many times I reincarnate, I will only fight for the people I care about.”

An incredibly brilliant blue Cosmo erupted from Pegasus, and a winged Pegasus shape appeared behind him. Countless fist shadows flew towards Asmita.

“Futile, foolish, yet simple. But this is human nature. I see. I understand your truth.”

“But your fists can’t even scratch me while I’m meditating. However… I’m very interested in the strength within your heart.”

Asmita stood up for the first time and landed on the ground. A vast Cosmo, like a magnificent Stellery sky, appeared behind him.

“This is my respect to you for resisting Tenma Kōfuku and Rikudō Rinne.”

As Asmita approached Pegasus, the image of a Buddha appeared in his palm, and then the entire space was filled with the image of the Buddha.

“TENBU HŌRIN—!”

Once the opponent is trapped in this formation, they can neither attack nor escape. At the same time, the user can randomly deprive the opponent of their Cosmo sense, causing them to lose the five senses crucial for combat, as well as the sixth sense of spirit and thought!

( It can even deprive the seventh sense of the physical body and the eighth sense required for human reincarnation, which is not bound by the laws of the underworld. )

( In the Gaiden, Asmita defeated the Earthly Fiend Star Great Marshal, the King of Myōō, Atravasu, by depriving him of his eighth sense, and was called the man closest to god in the underworld. )

“Ah——” As Asmita’s words fell, Pegasus felt his body begin to numb, and his senses were disappearing.

Asmita directly deprived Pegasus of his five senses. Now, as a spiritual body, Pegasus, without his five senses, could not feel anything.

“You are left with only the sixth sense of mental thought. If I attack again, you will be annihilated.”

Asmita finished speaking and turned to leave, letting Pegasus sink there. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Such a powerful move, and it has no wind-up, no waiting time, and can be unleashed instantly… One word: EXAGGERATED!”

“When you can’t feel anything, living is equivalent to death.”

This is too perverse; this ability is too perverse, it’s like cheating. Everyone started to doubt if any Hades Specters would be his opponent in the underworld.

~ Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline ~

“Deprivation of the five senses, outrageously strong.”

Jogo experienced a similar feeling, which was Gojo Satoru’s domain.

That feeling of being able to sense everything but being unable to do anything…

But Tenbu Hōrin is the opposite; it’s unable to perceive anything. For a living person, this is no different from death.

“Is this really something a human can do?”

Mahito, a special grade cursed spirit, found it hard to believe that this was the power a human could possess.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“After depriving the five senses, the next step is the sixth sense.”

Regulus of Leo glanced at Asmita slightly. He didn’t expect him to think so highly of Pegasus.

The previous ones were tests, and now it could be considered special training.

Although Pegasus was the only one who had damaged Hades, it wasn’t always the case.

Now that his five senses were deprived, was Asmita helping him awaken his sixth sense?

。。。。。

After seeing the scene played in the video, the Saints all started to make noise.

The Gold Saints’ gazes were all fixed on Asmita, and even the Pope was troubled.

“Is Asmita playing this big?”

。。。。。

Chapter 257: Asmita traded his life for hope.

Chapter Text

【 When Pegasus, deprived of his five senses, seemed to perceive Asmita walking toward Sasha under the tree. A hand strike pierced through her chest.

Sasha's eyes gradually lost their light as blood flowed from her chest, staining her white dress crimson.

“A—Smi—ta—!” Pegasus roared in fury, his eyes wide with rage.

Seeing Asmita's still-dripping right hand, Pegasus' Cosmo, ignited by anger, shattered the limits of his five senses as he threw a full-force punch at Asmita.

“Kān—.”

Asmita turned calmly, uttering a soft chant that blocked Pegasus's fist.

“GRRRAAAHHH!!”

But with Pegasus' roar, a blue Cosmo enveloped his fist, breaking through Asmita's defense.

“Crack—”

A sound like shattering glass echoed.

The punch shattered Asmita's Gold Cloth and the Buddha statue behind him—yet when Pegasus regained his senses, he found his fist embedded in the trunk of the giant Mokurenji.

Pegasus snapped out of his rage, stunned by the gaping hole he had punched into the tree.

“The Mokurenji?! When did...?”

Hadn't he just been fighting Asmita? Where was he now? As Pegasus glanced around, Asmita's voice, tinged with admiration, reached his ears.

“Oh—to surpass the Sixth Sense even for an instant and land a blow on me, Asmita. I must acknowledge your truth.”

Pegasus looked up in disbelief, seeing Asmita floating above him.

“Was that entire fight just an illusion?!”

Asmita didn't answer, only chuckling.

“Now then, when did it begin to change?”

“Look... The tree has borne its final fruit in response to your heightened Cosmo. Take 108 of them back with you.”

As the tree shattered, Mokurenji fruits rained down like droplets. Pegasus was sent flying by the explosion's shockwave.

“Until we meet again on Earth, Pegasus!” 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Seems like this Pegasus has some potential, breaking the limits of his five senses through sheer rage. But... how did he see anything without them?”

“Hahaha, Asmita must have projected the images directly into his mind. He really pushed the kid to his limit.”

There was no denying Asmita's overwhelming strength, especially his mastery over the mind. From start to finish, he never truly fought seriously.

“Speaking of which... was Asmita just toying with the kid?”

Some even wondered if everything had been an illusion from the beginning. And if he had the time to spare, why not just punch the tree himself? Unless the tree required Pegasus to do it.

~ Cautious Hero World ~

“Tch. That’s far too reckless.”

Seiya Ryuuguuin clicked his tongue expressionlessly.

The tree was already destroyed—might as well take as many fruits as possible, including spares.

That’s just common sense.

After all that effort to bear fruit, leaving any behind would be a waste.

What if out of the 108 collected, some turned out to be rotten?!

。。。。。

~ Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea ~

“Provoking Pegasus to draw out his latent potential—well played, Asmita!”

Romani Archaman blew on his coffee.

It seemed his intentions weren't as he claimed. From the start, his goal was to help Pegasus obtain the Mokurenji fruits.

。。。。。

~ In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia ~

“Could you not have demolished the tree?”

Ereshkigal, the so-called “Flower of the Underworld,” was on the verge of tears.

Both realms were part of the underworld, yet one suffered drought while the other drowned.

“Just take the fruits—why destroy the tree?!”

At the very least, save it for the next Holy War. What if these Mokurenji fruits, the key to defeating Specters, were lost to time?

How would the next generation fight? This is the opposite of sustainable development.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline ~

“Though it was an illusion to provoke Pegasus, you went too far, Virgo Asmita.”

Scorpio Kardia glared at Asmita, his long crimson nails gleaming ominously, as though ready to strike at any moment.

Beneath his carefree demeanor, Kardia never forgot his duty as a Saint.

Unfazed by Kardia’s hostility, Asmita remained in meditation.

“As the vision showed, all I seek is truth.”

。。。。。

“The truth lies in Lord Hades' hands!”

In Pandora’s eyes, Asmita still had a chance to defect to their side.

Even if it was an illusion, his actions were a grave insult to Athena. The Sanctuary would never accept him—the Underworld was his only path.

。。。。。

【 Pegasus' soul returned to the living world, revived. But the Underworld's Specters, under Pandora’s orders, pursued him to reclaim the mokurenji fruits.

Now they raced across a mountain path, but something felt wrong.

“What’s going on? This path shouldn’t be this long...”

Then, an unknown voice halted them in their tracks.

“Consider this path a direct passage to your homeland—the Underworld!”

“Why...?! Why are you here, Virgo Asmita?!”

The Specters trembled in terror at the figure before them.

At the path’s end, Asmita appeared as if teleporting, helmet in hand. He raised a single serene gesture.

Behind him, celestial angels and cloaked reapers with scythes materialized—symbols of heaven and hell.

The sheer pressure of his Cosmo annihilated the Specters instantly. Mere foot soldiers stood no chance against Asmita.

In another blink, Asmita reappeared beside the elder.

To forge the fruits into weapons required a Cosmo elevated to its zenith—his final task.

“BOOM—!”

The resurrected Specters attacked the tower relentlessly.

Ignoring them, the elder handed the strung Mokurenji beads to Asmita.

“You must raise your Cosmo to harmonize with the Mokurenji.”

“The only one who can... is the blind Saint, Asmita!”

Noticing Pegasus' battered Cloth, Asmita resolved to do one last thing.

“Are you sure... Asmita?” The elder hesitated, eyeing the prepared Pegasus Cloth.

“It’s fine. This blood has served its purpose.”

The elder stared in shock as Asmita began shedding his own blood. 】

【 。。。。。】

~ Projection of All Worlds ~

“Seeing him in the Underworld hinted at it, but to think he truly possesses spatial abilities...”

“Specters' immortality is just unfair.”

Then, as Asmita bled to repair the Pegasus Cloth, realization dawned—what did he mean by “useless blood”? Was he planning to sacrifice himself?

With his power, handling Specters should be effortless. Even if they revived, sealing their senses would render them as good as dead.

Few had realized Asmita was genuinely blind. Most assumed he kept his eyes closed solely for meditation.

~ Bleach World, Hueco Mundo ~

“Is there a restriction to processing the Mokurenji? Elevating Cosmo to its limit...”

Aizen pondered.

What connection did ultimate Cosmo have with death?

Different worlds, different energy systems.

In that world, Cosmo was akin to spiritual pressure.

“What a waste for him to die here?”

Unable to decipher it, Aizen sighed, watching Asmita's resolve with regret.

。。。。。

~ Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Omega timeline ~

"I thought we both meditated with closed eyes to heighten our Cosmo...

Virgo Shaka touched his prayer beads—key to defeating Specters. With these, their immortality was nullified.

。。。。。

【 “Having meditated in endless darkness, hoarding my Cosmos... Today, it finally has meaning.”

Clutching blood-stained beads, Asmita ascended the tower alone and sat cross-legged at its peak.

Below, Pegasus and the others gaped at the dazzling crimson light—Cosmos beyond mortal limits.

Yato stared up in awe,

“How far is he pushing his Cosmos?!”

At the summit, Asmita clasped the beads, his ultimate Cosmos forcing his eyes open—revealing their azure hue.

“Athena... Blind Asmita never sought to change his view of this pained, lost world.”

“TENKŪ HAJA —CHIMIMŌRYŌ! ”

The crimson light condensed as demons from another dimension surged forth, blasting Specters away!

“Damn it!”

Revived Specters charged, only to find themselves encircled by Buddha apparitions.

Asmita raised the beads.

“Too late. TENBU HORIN—!”

“Now, fall into eternal slumber.”

The Specters' eyes dulled as their souls bound to the beads, blackening several. This time, they wouldn’t wake.

When Pegasus reached the top, Asmita gazed into the distance, beads in hand.

“The world is beautiful... Can you see the light?”

“People live together, bearing sorrow and joy.”

As his form faded, Asmita turned to Pegasus.

“You’re younger than I imagined.”

Kneeling, Pegasus wept helplessly as Asmita vanished.

“Pegasus... Athena is in your hands now.”

Only the Virgo Cloth, cradling the beads, remained.

Asmita was gone.

In exchange for his entire Cosmos, Athena’s army could now fight Hades on equal footing. 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 258: Clash of Cosmos - Aldebaran Vs. Kagaho

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It’s too painful. Both Albafica and Asmita are like this, willing to give up their lives for this battle.”

“The blind Asmita can see, but the first thing he sees is also his last.”

Everyone sighed a little. The strongest combatant died before fighting, but this was a necessary sacrifice to fight the Hades army on equal terms.

'Useless blood…' Asmita knew from the beginning that he would die to forge this string of prayer beads, and he would single-handedly determine the future of the Holy War.

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

“Don’t those Saints fear death?! They willingly sacrificed their lives.”

As a Cursed Spirit born from human hatred and fear, no one understood better than Mahito how much humans feared death.

But those Saints, one by one, seemed to have no fear and were incredibly calm about their own deaths. That kind of will, on the contrary, made Mahito feel fear.

。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Sealing the power of the entire Underworld, it’s really too strong!”

Kirito also felt sorrow. Asmita was like being forcibly banned.

If he were still alive, dealing with the Underworld would be much easier. Although it was a pity, Asmita was equivalent to destroying the opponent’s spring.

Now the situation was equal for everyone, and they had offset the advantage of the Hades army with their lives.

“The two Gold Saints who have appeared so far have both died heroically. What about next… Will it be another sacrifice?!”

Asuna also realized the brutality of the war.

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Asmita, how strong are you, you guy?”

Scorpio Kardia looked at Asmita in a daze.

That Cosmo, blazing with an intensity beyond anything they could have dreamed, was utterly unimaginable.

They also didn’t expect this guy, who always claimed to seek the truth, to sacrifice his life for Lady Athena willingly.

Hakurei said in a deep voice,

“We must master the means to fight Hades' army as equals.”

Though he hated to lose Asmita, only he possessed a Cosmos powerful enough to elevate the prayer beads to Yggdrasil's level.

Asmita remained in quiet meditation. He had been prepared for this decision ever since he met the young Lady Athena.

。。。。。

【 “What an impudent fellow. Let me teach you some manners.” The scene changed to outside the Sanctuary, where Taurus Aldebaran also encountered Hades Specter Kagaho, who had trespassed into the Sanctuary.

Kagaho, burning with black flames all over his body and with fierce eyes, said sternly,

“Teach me manners?! Get lost! I’m not interested in guys like you.”

Kagaho walked straight towards Aldebaran. The moment he passed by, Aldebaran turned around and grabbed Kagaho’s shoulder.

“Idiot, don’t you want that arm?”

Kagaho turned back and glanced at him indifferently, his eyes narrowing, and black flames instantly ignited all over his body.

Just as he was about to leave, Kagaho found the hand holding his shoulder getting tighter.

“Do you think this level of flame can make me retreat? Too naive!”

“BANG—!”

Aldebaran forcefully pressed Kagaho’s head onto the ground, and a huge spider-web-like crack instantly spread across the ground.

“First, you must bow your head!”

Then another shockwave, the ground continued to sink downwards, and the earth was disintegrated layer by layer.

Countless huge rocks shattered.

The originally flat ground was instantly transformed into a valley.

Kagaho directly transformed into flames, breaking free from Aldebaran’s restraint, appearing on the cliff, looking down at Aldebaran. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“There’s no time to mourn for Asmita. The next to appear is Taurus Aldebaran!”

“Damn, this strength, he lives up to the name of Taurus. It’s such a waste not to cultivate ten acres of land with this strength.”

Looking at this scene, everyone from other worlds almost dropped their jaws. Unlike previous battles, this time it only showed pure strength.

But just by the strength shown, look what Aldebaran did?! Without any assistance, he simply pressed a person to the ground.

He actually pressed a flat ground into a valley… This strength is ridiculously strong.

〜Record of Ragnarok World〜

The once-arrogant gods had long since lowered their heads in shame. It became clear that not only were they no match for the gods in the video, but they couldn’t even measure up to the humans.

“Aldebaran’s strength is astonishing, and Kagaho is fine, so his body is that hard too!”

Brunhilde bit her thumb, deep in thought. If they could be summoned, the battle between humans and gods might not be without a chance of winning.

Whether it was a Saint or a Specter, they were all abnormal geniuses. Was this really a realm that humans could cultivate to?

。。。。。

【 “You’re tougher than you look, but first, introduce yourself.” Aldebaran seemed to be looking at Kagaho with interest. He was unharmed in that situation, so he had some skill.

Kagaho stared at the Taurus below.

“I am Kagaho, Heavenly Violent Star, Bennu Kagaho.”

Upon hearing this, even Aldebaran was slightly surprised,

“I didn’t expect you to actually say it so obediently. I am Aldebaran, so it’s time.”

Then Aldebaran crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Kagaho,

“Come, let’s fight!”

Aldebaran’s posture, saying he would fight but showing such an indifferent stance, seemed to Kagaho like he was being looked down upon, and he angrily ignited black flames all over his body…

“Then you shall die like this!”

“CORONA BLAST—!”

A huge fireball appeared behind Kagaho. The scorching temperature was clearly felt even by Aldebaran far below.

Facing the huge fireball that struck him like a meteor, Aldebaran’s expression remained unchanged, still keeping his arms crossed.

“BUZZ—!”

An invisible shockwave appeared on Aldebaran, and the flames were directly repelled.

“What! He repelled the Corona Blast while keeping his arms crossed?!”

Kagaho looked at Aldebaran below in extreme shock. The flames surrounded him, but he could not get any closer.

Aldebaran smiled slightly,

“It’s my turn now… GREAT HORN—!!”

As Aldebaran roared, an invisible shockwave instantly formed, turning into a giant bull that knocked Kagaho flying, creating a huge, deep pit in the distant wall. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He didn’t get beaten for nothing; he really learned manners, he really introduced himself.”

“Good heavens, putting on this posture is too disrespectful, you know the opponent is someone who fought Dohko to a draw.”

Everyone didn’t forget the brief exchange between Dohko and Kagaho at the beginning of the video. Dohko personally admitted that the opponent had the strength of a Gold Saint.

But they didn’t expect Aldebaran to maintain this posture, looking down on others, actually repelling the opponent’s attack, and even counterattacking successfully.

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“He can not only defend but also attack. How does he do it with just this posture?”

Lucy was also puzzled.

If it was telekinesis, it did look a bit like it, but looking at Aldebaran’s strong appearance, plus that terrifying strength, it seemed more like a physical type.

“Taurus… sigh, forget it.”

Lucy thought about her unreliable Celestial Spirits and sighed.

Why are other people's Celestial Spirits so dependable, yet the Celestial Spirit of Taurus ends up being a perverted bull?

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“This time it’s Aldebaran…”

At this moment, Dohko had vaguely sensed that the Gold Saints appearing in this video seemed to be doomed to die.

First Albafica, then Asmita, and now it’s Taurus Aldebaran’s turn.

“Hahahaha!…”

Aldebaran himself didn’t seem to care, but instead laughed heartily at Kagaho’s appearance,

“Still too young, I didn’t expect this appearance to be my normal offensive and defensive stance.”

He never underestimated anyone, but sometimes teasing young people seemed quite fun.

。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Interestingly, Kagaho, who fought Dohko to a standstill, was defeated by Asmita in one move in the gaiden…

Chapter 259: Tough talk, with a body tougher than the constellation Taurus!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


【 “Damn it, I'll kill you!” Kagaho sat in the deep pit, angrily punching the wall as dark flames continued to burn around Aldebaran.

Aldebaran couldn't be bothered to pay attention. After a brief observation, he voiced his opinion,

“Your flames are too violent—black flames filled with denial and hostility, so intense they'd consume even yourself.”

Kagaho's tone turned icy. He had never fought for the sake of Specters or Athena or anything like that.

“So what? The only one who means anything to me now is Hades-sama!”

Kagaho's fist, wreathed in black flames, roared toward Aldebaran's face. The power behind this punch was beyond imagination, its speed making it nearly impossible to react to.

But... despite the ferocity of the blow landing squarely on Aldebaran's face, it failed to even make him budge an inch, let alone cause any damage.

It was like throwing a stone into the ocean—not a single ripple.

Kagaho maintained his punching stance with a stony expression.

“You’re looking down on me! Why didn’t you dodge?!”

“I just wanted to taste your fist. Though you’re fierce, you’re not truly wicked. I’ll correct that temperament of yours.”

It was for this very reason that Aldebaran chose to take the punch head-on. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn, that punch would’ve knocked anyone else flat, but Taurus didn’t even flinch. Built like a tank, huh?”

“What kind of god-tier lineup is this? Just by looking at the flames, he could tell the guy’s violent but not evil...”

Viewers from other worlds pondered the current situation. Kagaho’s strength was on par with Dohko’s, yet Aldebaran took his punch without a scratch.

Then they arrived at an equation—was Dohko just the baby of the Gold Saints compared to the others? The gap between him and the other Gold Saints seemed way too big.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Hey hey... Aldebaran! Are you serious? Normally, fine, but you’re actually planning to reform a Specter’s personality?!”

Dohko felt a jolt in his chest. Though Aldebaran was bold and straightforward, with a determination to protect and nurture the next generation’s hopes... wasn’t this scope a bit too broad?

That was a Specter! If they were so easy to persuade, the Holy War wouldn’t have been such a grueling fight!

But Aldebaran paid it no mind, replying nonchalantly,

“Haha, no harm in trying!”

He trusted his judgment. If his future self said the other wasn’t truly evil, then correcting his twisted personality was a good thing.

Sagittarius’s Sisyphus still felt uneasy but could only sigh.

“Just don’t get yourself in trouble. At the end of the day, he’s still a Specter, and... he’s no pushover.”

If they could pull him to Athena’s side, that’d be ideal—weakening the enemy while boosting their own odds.

。。。。。

【 Aldebaran’s gaze grew firm and blazing, an invisible pressure sending pebbles flying as the very air trembled!

“GREAT HORN—!”

A shockwave erupted before him, like a charging bull with unstoppable momentum, barreling toward Kagaho.

“Hmph!”

Kagaho scoffed, a faint smirk on his lips as he sidestepped, effortlessly evading the invisible impact!

But the wall behind him bore the brunt, leaving a massive crater as if struck by a missile.

“Fool, you think I’d fall for the same trick twice?”

Kagaho’s tone turned mocking. He’d already uncovered Taurus’s secret,

“Your arm position—that’s the stance for Great Horn!”

“A punch from that stance generates a shockwave at incredible speed. Speed is the essence of this technique!”

“Well spotted,” Aldebaran replied calmly, unfazed by having his move dissected.

“My punching speed is among the fastest of the Gold Saints. You haven’t even seen the full power or speed of Great Horn!”

“The question is—can your black flames keep up with what comes next?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

The viewers from other worlds felt utterly humiliated. While they were still puzzling things out, Kagaho had already seen right through it.

“Bro, are you cheating? You dodged after seeing it once, fine, but you even figured out the essence of the move?!”

And Aldebaran was no slouch either. That shockwave was just from a swing of his arm—imagine if he actually threw a punch with that terrifying force.

Wouldn’t it scatter someone into pieces?

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“I bet Taurus doesn’t dare swat mosquitoes at night...”

Da Vinci mused with an amused smirk.

“Uh...”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was at a loss for words, unable to refute because it made too much sense.

Imagine him swatting a mosquito and accidentally leveling the Sanctuary. Forget the Holy War—they’d be rebuilding from scratch.

Unlike the joking duo, Mash’s eyes flickered with concern.

“Kagaho-san is strong too... Will Aldebaran-san really be okay?”

After experiencing it once, he saw through a move honed through countless battles. That was no ordinary feat.

。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Katakura Town〜

“So it wasn’t that Aldebaran was looking down on Kagaho—that’s just his natural fighting stance?”

Ichigo felt his image of Aldebaran shatter.

Who’d have thought the big, honest-looking guy would pull something like this? And here Ichigo had believed it wholeheartedly.

Rukia bonked him on the head, leaving a lump.

“That’s not the point! The point is he wasn’t even going all out!”

Hadn’t Aldebaran said the true speed and power were far beyond that? The real deal was bound to be something else entirely.

。。。。。

【 Kagaho wasn’t intimidated in the slightest—he laughed.

“You think my only trick is black flames? My speed, the fastest among the Specters, is my pride!”

Meanwhile, Dohko sensed Kagaho’s Cosmo—a blazing, flame-like aura—and immediately rushed toward their battlefield.

Back to the fight.

Kagaho’s speed was indeed terrifying, his lightning-fast fists pounding relentlessly against Aldebaran’s arms!

“What...?”

Aldebaran’s earlier calm was gone. In his eyes, Kagaho had become like a swift bird, his fists raining down in a flurry on Aldebaran’s crossed arms.

“Guh!”

The force of the blows sent his helmet flying, and he could no longer maintain his stance.

“Your posture’s crumbling. Going to teach me manners now, big guy?!”

Kagaho sneered, landing a final heavy punch on Aldebaran’s chin before retracting his still-flaming fist.

Aldebaran remained standing but seemed unconscious, arms limp at his sides, severe burns covering them as white smoke curled upward.

“Burn those arms, and you can’t even strike a pose. Not so tough now, huh?”

“Hahaha! You’re something else,”

Aldebaran laughed heartily, openly admitting Kagaho was faster.

“Can’t underestimate a Specter after all. But... your fists don’t faze me! They lack weight—no penetration. Pathetic!”

As Aldebaran stood there, arms akimbo, taunting him, Kagaho’s expression darkened, his hands once more cloaked in black fire.

“Shatter!”

His fists rained down like a storm, yet Kagaho was stunned,

“This man’s Cosmo hasn’t weakened at all!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Seriously? He’s just tanking it? The wind pressure from the punches blew his helmet off! Is he just talking tough?”

“Damn, he’s not even fazed. If you can’t even hit hard, why even be a Specter?”

That said, everyone knew Kagaho’s punches weren’t weak—Aldebaran’s physique was just absurdly strong. It was like punching a wall…

Well, not entirely. His arms were charred. So it wasn’t completely one-sided.

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“High attack power, high defense—exactly what I’d expect from Taurus,”

Lucy nodded. This was more like it.

“Kagaho kinda reminds me of Natsu.”

“Yeah, yeah! Those flame-covered attacks are just like Natsu’s.”

The guild members chattered excitedly. Missions? Those were only for when they were broke.

But the next moment, the peaceful discussion devolved into a brawl, the guild hall turning into a chaotic marketplace.

。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

If fists don’t work, then stop using them,

Tohsaka Rin muttered, feeling like she’d spotted the obvious. Why obsess over punches?

Use the flames! Those black flames already burned Aldebaran once. Sure, he’s talking tough, but his body’s tougher.

If fists are useless—clearly his physical defense is maxed—switch to fire damage.

“Maybe he’s just provoked?”

Shirou mumbled.

Makes sense. Kagaho saw his punches doing nothing and got stubborn.

No effect? Then he’d just keep punching until Aldebaran admitted it hurt.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: Taurus’s part with Kagaho ends here. His death was kinda rushed, so we’ll gloss over it. Next up—Pegasus and Deathmask! )

Chapter 260: Titan’s Nova!

Summary:

( Translator:kun eyyyy, it's been a year since I started this translation. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY in this Project!! Right now I'm a bit busy, but I will have a surprise for everyone, maybe next month? ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “HAH!!” At this moment, Kagaho seemed to have gone mad, relentlessly attacking Aldebaran. His pride refused to let him accept the reality before his eyes.

“I told you, Kagaho! Your fists are useless against me.”

Aldebaran waved his hand, interrupting Kagaho's assault, then slowly advanced toward him. The previous attacks had left him unscathed.

“Your way of survival is to burn everything—your enemies and what you seek to protect—leaving only wasteland and yourself in isolation!”

“SHUT UP!” As if his thoughts had been exposed, Kagaho's face darkened with fury as he charged forward!

Aldebaran easily dodged, then seized Kagaho's wing and slammed him hard into the wall!

“BOOM—!”

The wall cracked under the impact, and another crater formed.

Still gripping Kagaho's wing, Aldebaran spoke, “You're just a child throwing a tantrum.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

The spectators could only think: 'Of course fists won’t work against Gold Cloth—WHY NOT AIM FOR THE FACE OR AT LEAST THE HEAD?!'

No one expected Kagaho to be so stubborn, targeting the most heavily armored part of the Gold Cloth. Forget the black flames—just change your aim, please?

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

Yuji and Fushiguro exchanged glances, then looked at Gojo and sighed in unison.

“Now that's a real teacher!”

Just look at his teaching—even when facing an enemy, he hopes for their redemption, spouting profound philosophical truths left and right.

Then there’s Gojo, grinning like an idiot while eating sweets, never serious and often pulling pranks—sometimes downright sadistic.

。。。。。

【 “I’m sick of your nonsense!” Kagaho twisted free from Aldebaran's grip.

Pointing at Aldebaran, his voice turned icy with hatred,

“I’ll make sure that blabbering mouth of yours never speaks again.”

“CRUCIFY ANKH—!”

Before anyone realized, black flames surged toward Aldebaran, encasing him in a fiery prison in an instant, pinning him in place!

Now, he was like a slaughtered ox in a butcher’s yard—utterly helpless!

“CORONA BLAST—!”

By the time Dohko arrived, his pupils trembled at the sight—a massive pillar of fire erupted ahead, its heat searing even from a distance.

“Don’t tell me—!!”

As the flames dissipated, Dohko rushed forward. What greeted him was Aldebaran, bound by the black flames…

His body covered in burns, one eye blinded, hanging lifelessly in the fiery prison.

“ALDEBARAN!!” Dohko leapt down from the cliff, throwing a punch at Kagaho, who effortlessly dodged.

Kagaho smirked.

“Dohko? Too late. That flame prison burns its victims to ashes—no escape.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn… Even with his durability, taking that head-on must’ve been too much for Aldebaran!”

Trapped and defenseless, Aldebaran had no choice but to endure Kagaho's ultimate attack. While fists couldn’t hurt him, Kagaho’s flames were a different story.

A shame—Aldebaran underestimated his opponent, never going all out before losing.

But seeing Dohko arrive was a relief. Despite his delay, he made it in time. Aldebaran might survive.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Fujimaru Ritsuka winced at Aldebaran’s horrific burns, even spotting faint smoke rising from his scorched body.

“With burns like that, even if he’s alive, he can’t keep fighting.”

Mash nodded in agreement. Unlike other injuries, burns inflict agony with every movement.

"Ritsuka, Mash… You're underestimating their willpower. Someone with that kind of personality won't be defeated by something like that,"

Da Vinci interjected.

The Gold Saints she’d observed shared one trait: 'unshakable resolve and faith.'

Albafica, with every bone broken, still killed Minos. Asmita willingly died to fight the Specters on equal footing.

She refused to believe Aldebaran’s will was any weaker. As Shion said, they’d fight to the end.

。。。。。

【 “WAIT—!!” Just as Dohko and Kagaho stood poised for battle, Aldebaran’s voice came from behind—despite having seemingly lost consciousness.

But before Dohko could rejoice, Aldebaran barked,

“Stand down! This fight isn’t yours to interfere in.”

Dohko stared in disbelief.

“What?! You’re gravely injured—how can you fight?!”

Aldebaran clenched his flame-bound fist, his expression cold but resolute as he glared at Dohko.

“Have you forgotten?! Saints fight one-on-one. As long as I refuse to yield, you cannot intervene!”

With a roar, Aldebaran strained against the flames, his face contorted with effort—until he gripped the black fire itself and shattered it!

“The Great Star Aldebaran… WILL NEVER BE BURNED TO DEATH BY FLAMES LIKE THESE!!”

True to his words, he tore through Kagaho’s prison with sheer force. The Great Stelle would not fall to mere fire. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Now I get why they let Albafica fight alone—there’s actually a one-on-one rule!”

“Gold Saints are monsters—not just in strength, but in willpower too.”

He brute-forced his way out of Kagaho’s “inescapable” flames. Is there even a limit to his strength?!

But why enforce such rigid rules? Shouldn’t minimizing casualties take priority when protecting humanity?

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“That oaf’s more than just talk,”

Kagaho muttered darkly from Hades’ Castle. To break his flames with raw power…

Minos, however, grinned eagerly. These Gold Saints would make excellent playthings.

Sanctuary - Pope’s Chamber

“Aldebaran is right. Until he yields, you cannot interfere!”

Sisyphos agreed. Besides, Aldebaran’s strength went far beyond this.

“But—”

Dohko tried to argue, but the others’ silence made him hold his tongue.

。。。。。

【 The battle resumed. Kagaho’s body ignited with black flames as he raised his arm high.

“RAAH—!!” With his roar, the flames coalesced into a searing light above his palm.

The ground quaked as the blazing pillar erupted, sending debris flying!

“CORONA BLAST—!”

Three sun-like fireballs materialized behind Kagaho, streaking toward Aldebaran like meteors!

Engulfed in flames, Aldebaran—already wounded—couldn’t withstand the heat. He collapsed to one knee.

“Three Corona Blasts at once… Is his power limitless?!”

Yet Aldebaran’s eyes blazed with defiance as he raised his arm and slammed it down,

“But… you can’t win!”

“TITAN’S NOVA—!!”

The earth split as Aldebaran’s strike carved a massive chasm, upheaving the battlefield!

“Impossible! He just… flipped the ground?!”

“GAH—!!” Kagaho’s shock was cut short as the shattered earth hurled him into the ground.

Soon, black flames flickered atop the rubble, revealing a battered Kagaho—bleeding, one wing shattered.

“Hah… hah…”

He staggered toward Aldebaran, teeth gritted.

“Why… didn’t you kill me?!”

Aldebaran met his gaze calmly.

“Because you’re not evil.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy—he just flipped the floor!”

“Damn, with skills like this, he should’ve helped Albafica plow fields. One tills, one plants—perfect teamwork!”

Others rubbed their eyes. They’d seen ground-pounding and rubberizing, but flipping the earth? That wasn’t just strength—it defied logic. Was he born with this power?!

And despite Kagaho nearly killing him, Aldebaran spared him simply because he sensed no true malice.

Are all the Saints this nice? Their kindness is unreal.

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Omega timeline〜

“What do you think, Aldebaran?”

Mu nudged his friend.

After a long pause, Aldebaran admitted,

“I… can’t do that move.”

He never imagined Taurus had such a devastating technique—massive range, colossal power.

He’d assumed it was just Great Horn, like his own…

Aphrodite shared the thought, feeling slightly better. At least he wasn’t the only one lacking ancestral techniques.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Wait! So the Omega and TLC Aldebaran aren't the same person? I thou they were the same person. )

Chapter 261: Draw the bow, nock the arrow, and shoot it straight at the divine commissar!

Notes:

( Translator:kun eyyyy, it's been a year since I started this translation. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY in this Project!! Right now I'm a bit busy, but I will have a surprise for everyone, maybe next month? ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “I don’t know whose shadow you see in the Underworld King, but... you’re just throwing a tantrum because you can’t find anything worth protecting.”

“The Underworld Army isn’t for you!”

As the first victim of Titan’s Nova, Kagaho knew full well its destructive power. If Aldebaran hadn’t held back, he would have died long ago.

“I’ve said it before—neither Saints nor Specters mean anything to me. Sooner or later, I’ll kill you all!”

With that, Kagaho clenched his fists, turned away, and swiftly departed after leaving those harsh words. Aldebaran watched him go, but suddenly felt dizzy, collapsing to the ground from exhaustion. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Who knew Old Ox would actually say it out loud? That’s outright rebellion!”

“They say ‘a fierce tiger still stops to smell the roses.’ He looks like a brute, yet he sees right through a person’s nature.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Not only did Taurus possess sharp insight, but his eloquence was also top-notch, instantly pinning Kagaho down.

。。。。。

【 The scene shifted to night. After returning to Sanctuary to report, Aldebaran was speaking with Sisyphus.

Suddenly, a bolt of violet lightning struck, and an overwhelmingly dark Cosmos surged forth.

Under Sasha’s stunned gaze, the barrier shattered violently as the black-robed Underworld King descended amidst the fragments!

Before Sasha could react, Hades reached out with his left hand and clenched the void, unleashing a torrent of violent Cosmos.

“BOOM—!”

The Twelve Temples were instantly obliterated, reducing Sanctuary to a sea of flames!

As the Gold Saints rushed forward, a purple gleam flickered in Hades’ hand, sending an invisible shockwave toward them.

“My body... ugh!” Dohko and Shion felt an immense pressure pressing down, rendering them immobile.

Even Aldebaran and Sisyphus, who had just reached the tower’s summit, were forced to the ground, teeth gritted as they struggled under the weight. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Can’t deny Hades picked the perfect moment. Athena had been maintaining Sanctuary’s barrier day and night—her body and mind were already at their limit.”

Even so, witnessing Hades’ display made everyone realize the gap between gods and men. The mighty Gold Saints couldn’t even stand in his presence.

“So this is a god. No matter how strong the Gold Saints are, they’re still just humans.”

That abyssal, overwhelming Cosmos sent chills down their spines. The sheer pressure made them question—

Could humans ever rival the gods?

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Fujimaru Ritsuku shared the same thought. Though they’d encountered divine-level Spirit Origins before—even witnessed Tiamat in the Seventh Singularity—

...The gods of that world were different, wielding something akin to Authorities.

Remembering how Hades could kill with just a painting still sent shivers down their spine.

Mashu whispered fearfully,

How did Pegasus from the Age of Gods even manage to wound Hades?

The gap felt insurmountable—like a dimensional chasm no amount of training could bridge.

。。。。。

【 Under the crushing pressure that even Aldebaran couldn’t withstand, Sisyphus of Sagittarius forced himself to rise, teeth clenched.

A golden bow materialized in his hand, an arrow nocked—though his movements were slow and unsteady.

Despite his trembling body, Sisyphus drew the bowstring and aimed at Hades.

“To dare point an arrow at a god. Foolish man.” Hades glanced at Sisyphus coldly and raised his hand again.

“BANG—!”

The ground beneath Sisyphus caved in, bearing ten times the previous pressure.

“Ah—!” Sisyphus let out a scream, blood flowed from his forehead, but he still did not lower the bow and arrow in his hand.

Hades’ gaze lingered—this was the man who had taken Athena away five years ago.

“Whoosh—”

The sharp arrow went straight for Hades, but the next second, the golden arrow directly penetrated the Underworld King’s palm, and then shot out again with the speed of light!

It directly pierced Sisyphus’s chest, and the power of the Underworld King made the latter instantly lose consciousness and fall to the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“As expected, when it comes to willpower, every Saint is a force to be reckoned with. The courage to confront a god for Athena and still draw a bow and arrow is truly admirable.”

“Even Aldebaran, renowned for his strength, couldn’t budge—yet Sisyphus stood up!”

Surprisingly, he managed to launch an attack even under such circumstances. It's worth noting that Hades had just increased the pressure on Sisyphus moments before.

Still, it was unfortunate—a man so formidable fell victim to his own arrow.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Invading Sanctuary so brazenly? Hades, you’re underestimating us!”

Pope Sage frowned, realizing Sanctuary needed more defenses.

Meanwhile, Sisyphus gritted his teeth in frustration. Was this really how he exited the stage?

He was the one who took Lady Athena away from Tenma and Alone, and now not only could he not protect Lady Athena, he couldn’t even help her…

El Cid glanced at Sisyphus silently, understanding his guilt.

。。。。。

“LORD HADES IS PEERLESS! THE GOLD SAINTS ARE LIKE ANTS BEFORE HIM!”

The Specters cheered, swelling with pride as if they themselves had crushed the Saints.

。。。。。

【 Seeing Sisyphus collapse, Sasha finally erupted in rare fury, her staff pointing at Hades.

“Ah~ Finally, you look a bit like the Goddess of War,” Hades sneered and also took out his Underworld King’s Sword. A great battle was about to break out.

Suddenly, a radiant blue light erupted between them—Tenma burst forth, prayer beads in hand, shielding Sasha.

The souls of fallen Specters within the barrier surged into the beads, staining them black, relieving Sasha of maintaining the barrier.

The trio reunited, childhood memories flashing by—yet everything had changed.

Fate had cruelly entwined them once more.

As Tenma pleaded, Alone remained unmoved. A mere flick of his wrist froze Tenma mid-air.

Hades’ sword thrust mercilessly toward Tenma’s heart.

In that instant, glowing runes lit up the ground, drastically weakening Hades’ power.

“What?! My power is—” Hades landed, realizing the temple was covered in Athena’s talismans.

“I won’t let you ravage Sanctuary any longer, Hades... You’ve fallen into my trap!”

From the shadows, the veteran Pope emerged, talismans in hand.

“The Sacred Cage of Athena’s Talismans—the Talisman Cage!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“As expected, having an old person at home is like having a treasure… He’s too reliable, the Pope didn’t become Pope for nothing!”

“Hahaha, Hades can be said to have shot himself in the foot this time. Charging into the enemy’s base camp so brazenly, maybe this is an opportunity to end the Holy War.”

Old people are indeed old people. You never know what an old man who has lived a long time will pull out.

And when Alone was weakened, seeing his somewhat flustered appearance, it was hard to tell who the villain was for a moment!

“Uh… When Hades and Athena were confronting each other just now, was the Pope secretly sticking talismans there?”

Everyone imagined the Pope’s stern face, yet stealthily sticking talismans with his butt sticking out… No, if they thought about it any further, the Pope’s image would collapse.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Indeed, having an old person at home is like having a treasure!”

Emiya Shirou couldn’t help but express the same sentiment. Reliable, truly reliable!

But as soon as these words came out, everyone present fell silent.

As for why…

Just look—Shirou, Archer, Rin, Sakura, Illya, Medusa... Not a single set of living parents among them.

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“As expected of the Pope! Always prepared.”

Manigoldo’s eyes flashed with a hint of brilliance. After all, he was his master, so it was normal to have a bit of personal bias in his words.

If things went well, this could truly end the Holy War.

“Hades dug his own grave this time, daring to trespass into the Sanctuary. Next time, I’ll be the one to hunt him!”

Kardia, the Gold Saint of Scorpio, showed a villainous grin, drawing a red streak in the air with his fingernails.

He’d been waiting for a battle worth burning his life for—and here was the perfect prey.

But the Pope felt no joy. The Twin Gods were still nowhere to be seen...

。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: Next chapter covers the painting in the sky, then it’s straight to Manigoldo. )

Chapter 262: Stand and die, Aldebaran!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The Pope had already scattered talismans left by Athena 200 years ago across the square, creating a protective barrier, but he never expected Hades to storm in so boldly!

Pope Sage had no intention of wasting this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He stepped forward, intending to seal Hades, the King of the Underworld.

Alone also realized that the opponent was a survivor of the previous Holy War, so he slapped him backhanded, sending him flying into the wall behind him, leaving a deep pit.

Although the power of the King of the Underworld was weakened, it was still not to be underestimated! The Pope, feeling horrified, cried out Athena's name.

Then, their Cosmos burst forth simultaneously, enveloping the entire Sanctuary Plaza. The next second! Like a phantom shift, everyone instantly teleported to a magic tower. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Having lived for over two hundred years since the last Holy War, the Pope must be quite an antique by now.”

“And it seems the Pope and Athena were well-prepared, even teleporting the entire plaza along with them.”

The King of the Underworld truly lived up to his name; even with his power significantly weakened, he was still incomparable to them, effortlessly sending them flying with a mere gesture.

Ever since learning that the Pope was over two hundred years old, the viewers from other worlds looked at him like a living fossil, their eyes gleaming!

They never expected someone over two hundred years old to still be so robust; truly, an old dog for a hard road!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Just how intense was the last Holy War, to leave behind so many talismans?”

Dr. Roman couldn't help but gasp, looking at the talismans spread across the square.

He considered two possibilities: either there was no chance to use them, or using them would have been futile, which is why so many were preserved.

And to create so many talismans, how much blood did the previous Athena shed for the current Pope to be able to squander them so freely…

One must know that the previous Holy War did not have the great weapon of the Buddhist beads created by Asmita. Facing the immortal army of the Underworld, the only way was to fight within Athena's barrier.

。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

“Are these talismans really okay? After all, they're over two hundred years old; their effectiveness must be somewhat reduced.”

As a top student in the magic world, Marcille's concerns were not unfounded.

These talismans were like pre-engraved magic circles; over time, some wear and tear was inevitable.

“Maybe they're trying to clear out some inventory?! After all, they're all bottom-of-the-barrel goods, no harm in using them…”

Senshi had a frugal mindset, similar to food: if there were leftovers from lunch, it would be a shame to throw them away.

“Hmm! That makes sense.”

Senshi's words received unanimous approval from everyone present; though crude, the reasoning was sound.

。。。。。

【 The screen continued to play. The place they moved to was none other than where the Saints sealed the 108 Specters over two hundred years ago!

“If we can seal the King of the Underworld's soul here, this Holy War can end early!”

Just then, they saw the clouds in the sky twist, and a bolt of lightning suddenly struck down. Three headless horses pulling a chariot appeared here.

Pandora, with her full elder sister aura, also emerged from the chariot, ready to draw swords with Sasha and the others!

Alone walked towards the chariot with a gloomy face,

“I'm no longer interested in the Sanctuary, or this place.”

Seeing Alone about to return to the Underworld, Tenma naturally couldn't agree. He charged forward, intent on stopping the other party.

But now, the power gap between the two was too great. Alone merely sneered, and Tenma was sent flying backward.

“Neither your voice nor your fists can reach me anymore, Tenma!”

Looking at the fallen Tenma, Alone seemed to regain interest. With a flick of his sleeve, wind and clouds surged, seemingly answering the call of the King of the Underworld.

The clouds actually transformed into a giant painting!

“O Athena, O Pope, O Gold Saints… Tell everyone in the Sanctuary that Hades, the King of the Underworld, is sending a painting to the world.”

“It is called Lost Canvas. When this painting is complete, everything in the world will disappear. This painting will cover the entire sky, and human souls will be sealed within it.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Lost Canvas… a massive painting capable of encompassing all of humanity, a gift from Hades, the King of the Underworld, to the world!”

Outside the video, some were stunned, some were terrified, and some lay flat with an indifferent attitude. Yet, despite such absurd words, not a single person thought Alone was exaggerating.

They didn't want this gift, did they? It was simply too precious. They might live to see it but not to receive it. Hades completing the painting meant the end of the world.

“So I said, never underestimate any art student, especially a failed one.”

Indeed, artists are all crazy. Now, everyone was confused as to whether the current youth was Alone or Hades controlling the body…

This painting and his attitude towards Tenma and the others clearly belonged to Alone, but was this inhumane concept really from that kind-hearted youth?

〜Record of Ragnarok World〜

“Gulp…”

Brunhilde nervously swallowed, suddenly feeling that the gods in her world were quite easy to talk to, unlike the King of the Underworld on the screen, who would destroy the world at will.

At least there was room for negotiation, rather than flipping the table at the slightest disagreement. Most importantly, they didn't have the immense power of Hades from the video…

“Using the sky as a canvas, what a grand gesture!”

Zeus's eyes widened. This method truly exceeded their imagination.

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Lost Canvas…”

Seiya and the others all changed their expressions, looking distractedly at the massive painting covering the sky.

They now desperately wanted to know what price the previous generation of Saints paid to win the Holy War!

That painting Hades was giving to humanity was a death countdown hanging over people's heads; once completed, no one would be spared.

。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“…”

As a user of Painting Magic, Reedus looked at his canvas, then at their painting.

His scope was ultimately too small. Their scope was so grand that they used the sea of clouds as their canvas, creating a masterpiece with a mere wave of their hand!

“Reedus, please retract that envious gaze of yours.”

Mirajane said with a smiling face, but it sent shivers down Reedus's spine.

He quickly corrected his gaze, looking disdainful of associating with them.

Honestly… if he didn't consider the consequences of the painting's completion, he actually thought it was quite beautiful.

。。。。。

【 Until Alone rode away in the chariot, Tenma tried several times but failed to stop him. The closest he got was jumping onto the chariot, but Pandora directly electrocuted him.

Upon returning to Hades Castle, Pandora was also punished by the Twin Gods. They were very displeased with the King of the Underworld's actions!

Thanatos and Hypnos even prepared a studio for Alone to complete Lost Canvas.

During this time, Pandora needed to sever anything that might shake Lord Hades's resolve.

So Pandora sent an assassin to the Sanctuary to assassinate Tenma!

On the outskirts of the Underworld, Tenma, who was training with Aldebaran, suddenly fell asleep. Aldebaran also felt a powerful drowsiness.

Soon, Taurus and Tenma were hypnotized and fell asleep by the sound of bats, becoming lambs to the slaughter.

Just as the Specter was about to take Tenma's head, in a critical moment, the prepared Aldebaran actually pierced his own eardrums beforehand!

Blood flowed down from his ears. The next second, Great Horn was directly activated, and the terrifying energy ripped open the ground. The Specter, hit head-on, directly fell to the ground.

But at this moment, a bat hidden in the darkness suddenly attacked, using Taurus's blind spot from his lost right eye to hide itself. Its sinister claws directly pierced Aldebaran's body!

Blood gushed out continuously. The Specter, who had been knocked down earlier, began to launch a fierce attack on Aldebaran.

The wounds from his previous fight with Kagaho also split open. Vicious fists landed on Aldebaran's face repeatedly, leaving afterimages!

But Aldebaran still stood tall. Then, another palm strike pierced Aldebaran's body, this time making him let out a painful scream!

But Aldebaran also took this opportunity to grab the opponent's neck.

“Nothing special about your fist, just like you. I won't let you kill Pegasus!”

With Aldebaran's roar, he slammed him violently onto the ground. In an instant, flames shot out, the earth cracked, and the Specter's head was pressed directly into the ground, losing consciousness!

And Aldebaran's gaze directly scared the Specter beside him. To save his life, he quickly unleashed his ultimate move.

“DEATH MESSENGER—!!”

A body holding its head in its hand suddenly appeared. The head was still chanting something, and strange symbols surrounded him, delving into his nerves until they enveloped his heart.

A moment later, Aldebaran, with zero magic resistance, could no longer hold on. His eyes bled, and he knelt blankly on the ground. His heart had stopped beating.

However, when the Specter approached him, the will to protect his comrade made him stand up again!

This directly scared the Specter beside him.

“How is this possible! This guy's heart has clearly stopped beating.”

Aldebaran, whose heart had stopped beating, now erupted with his Cosmos.

“This is his last, TITAN'S NOVA—!!”

As the smoke cleared, the Specter had long since turned to dust, but Aldebaran still stood firm, protecting Tenma behind him, even though he was now dead… 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: Old Bull was heavily damaged and had no magic resistance, and was ambushed. It's too frustrating that he died at the hands of these scoundrels. )

Chapter 263: Manigoldo makes his appearance!

Chapter Text

『 Viewers of Countless World 』

When the Twin Gods first appeared, everyone was curious about their identity, as they could punish Pandora, who commanded the Hades army.

It wasn't until everyone saw Aldebaran poke his own ears deaf to protect Tenma that they all fell silent... The Taurus, alone and severely wounded, held on until the very last moment.

Viewers from other worlds expressed their respect for this noble man in their own ways. Even if Aldebaran's heart stopped beating, his desire to protect others would not be extinguished. This determination deeply touched their hearts.

From beginning to end, he never fell. Even with his heart stopped, he could unleash Titan's Nova with his conviction, and even in death, he remained standing.

“The injuries suffered fighting Kagaho in the afternoon haven't healed yet, then he encountered Hades, and the next night he trained with Tenma... Plus the Specters' sneak attack! Even a body of iron can't withstand that.”

“Why do Saints have a one-on-one restriction, but Specters don't? Two against one severely wounded old bull, that's not honorable!”

Everyone felt indignant for Aldebaran. Such a formidable man didn't die on the battlefield, but in the hands of such scum.

And what about the others in Sanctuary? With such a big commotion, they should have woken up. This Sanctuary has truly become a sieve; Specters can come and go as they please.

。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“If Aldebaran lived in my era, he would definitely be an outstanding knight!”

Artoria's eyes seemed a little dazed, deeply regretting Aldebaran's death.

Next to her, Rin Tohsaka paced the corridor, pulling at her hair with a conflicted expression. She couldn't understand why every Gold Saint who appeared ended up dead.

“Calm down, Rin...”

Archer was made dizzy by Rin Tohsaka's swaying. He naturally knew what Rin Tohsaka was thinking at the moment, because he couldn't understand it either.

After fighting Kagaho earlier, Taurus was also severely wounded. The next step should have been to recuperate, as fighting in such a condition was highly unlikely.

So he also thought Taurus wouldn't die, at least not now, but then this happened...

。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“Aldebaran's body is indeed very strong, but his magic resistance seems to be lacking.”

The knowledgeable Master Makarov frowned slightly.

Although Kagaho's powerful punches couldn't harm Aldebaran.

But the black flames, sound waves, and the inexplicable death wail that went straight for the heart all caused effective damage to Aldebaran.

“How could this be...”

The usually lively guild also quieted down. They hadn't expected the warm-hearted Aldebaran to fall here, especially since this was the Sanctuary's main base.

。。。。。

〜Detective Conan World〜

Ai Haibara and Conan were currently looking at each other. In a world without superpowers, they could never understand the bodies of Gold Saints, which far exceeded their comprehension.

“His heart stopped... Generally, 5- 10 seconds is enough to make someone faint, but he actually managed to hold on until the Specter walked up to him and unleashed his ultimate move!”

And it was Titan's Nova, which relies heavily on strength! Ai Haibara was incredibly shocked by this, or rather, having any strength left at all was impossible.

As a researcher in biomedical science, she was all too familiar with the human body's structure. No matter how powerful Aldebaran and the others were, their bodies should still be human, making this feat impossible.

“Could it be that the selection of Gold Saints is based on willpower?”

Conan's eyeballs were almost falling out. What kind of monsters were these!

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

BANG—! DAMN IT! I'm still too weak... Why...”

Inside the Sanctuary, Tenma, who had watched the entire cause and effect, angrily punched the ground. Why... Why did he lose his life for a mere Bronze Saint?

The enemy's target should have been him. Aldebaran shouldn't have died here.

Aldebaran, as a Gold Saint, would have been more useful in the Holy War, yet he sacrificed himself for someone as weak as him!

And in the Pope's Chamber, except for the Gold Saints on duty, everyone present looked visibly downcast.

If Aldebaran had died at the hands of a powerful enemy, they wouldn't have said much, because that was the awareness they had long possessed... But Taurus died from a despicable sneak attack.

The Pope also felt bad, but at this moment, he couldn't show it. The Sanctuary's defense was too weak.

。。。。。

【 Although Aldebaran was already dead, an extremely ugly Specter emerged from the cracked earth and kicked the deceased Aldebaran fiercely!

Little did he know, a fist had quietly clenched behind him, and then dark purple flames enveloped him.

Unexpectedly, Kagaho had returned. Seeing this trash so shamelessly insult his opponent, Taurus, Kagaho was instantly furious.

“I really can't stand the way you do things.”

Kagaho stepped on the toad, and after extracting information, he crushed him to death with one foot.

When Tenma woke up, he saw Kagaho standing there and Aldebaran lying beside him, covered in wounds, already dead.

“Did you kill Aldebaran?!”

Tenma angrily threw a punch, but to his surprise, the punch, which contained all his strength, was blocked by Kagaho with one hand.

“I'm afraid I didn't kill Taurus.”

Kagaho looked at the weak Pegasus Saint, and thinking that Taurus had died for him, he became furious again.

So he reached out, grabbed Tenma's collar, and lifted him up, his face grim.

“Weakling, to assassinate you, the Hades army will constantly send assassins. This is just the prelude.”

Thinking that Taurus had died to protect him, Tenma's mind was instantly consumed by anger and guilt, leaving him at a loss.

“Is this Aaron?!... Is this Hades's order?”

As Kagaho was about to leave, Tenma still asked the question buried in his heart.

“It's Pandora. In fact, the current Hades army is not controlled by Lord Hades, but by that woman.”

And after saying all this, Kagaho turned and left without any lingering attachment. Taurus, I have repaid what I owed you.

Tenma's heart was filled with guilt, regret, and sorrow over Aldebaran's death! It made him feel that he could no longer stay in Sanctuary. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“That damn toad, the man's already dead, yet he still insults Taurus like that. You weren't around to make a peep when he was alive.”

“Compared to Tenma, I realize how terrifyingly strong Kagaho actually is. Pegasus Saint is too weak, after all, he's just a Bronze Saint.”

Everyone from other worlds watched with gritted teeth, wishing they could personally go up and punch that toad twice.

They had never seen anyone so despicable, waiting for someone to die before going up to mock them. Even the known "The great darkness" Gatanothor from the previous Inventory won't do something like that!

Seeing Kagaho's actions, everyone had to praise Taurus's unique insight. It proved that Kagaho was indeed as he said, brutal but not evil...

To repay Taurus's kindness, Kagaho not only provided some information about the Specters but also dealt with the Specter who looked like a toad. Otherwise, Tenma would have died in his sleep just now.

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

“None of this is your fault...”

Looking at Tenma, who was almost consumed by guilt, Shirou Emiya sighed almost imperceptibly.

Tenma was just an ordinary Bronze Saint. The mistake was being caught between Hades and Athena, and forming bonds with two great gods.

From that moment on, Tenma was one of the focal points of this Holy War; otherwise, why would the Specters have so much free time to assassinate a Bronze Saint?

If he didn't want anyone else to sacrifice themselves, what Tenma could do now was to become stronger, or perhaps leave here...

。。。。。

【 The next day, Dohko and Shion searched the entire Sanctuary but couldn't find Pegasus Saint. In this emergency, he might even be accused of desertion.

On the other side, Tenma left the Sanctuary and, accompanied by Yuzuriha and Yato, headed to Hades Castle!

The outskirts of Hades Castle were a Forest of Death, filled with decay, coldness, and the pervasive aura of death.

Here, Tenma was no match for the androgynous Specter, Celestial Star Specter, Veronica.

The corpses he summoned made them helpless. Just as the corpses surrounded them and charged, a blue light suddenly emanated from Tenma's body.

The immortal army's souls were directly extracted, and they fell to the ground, turning into scattered dust.

Tenma looked in the direction of the blue light.

Manigoldo, wearing the Cancer Gold Cloth, stood with his arm raised high, all the souls of the corpses gathered in his hand.

Then, with a flip, he landed in front of Tenma and introduced himself to the androgynous.

“Manigoldo of Cancer, guardian of these children!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Uh... Honestly, I want to ask if Dohko and Shion usually just wander around Sanctuary, they seem to be the most idle.”

“Holy cow, this Specter, neither male nor female, is absolutely disgusting, what a pervert.”

Everyone felt a wave of nausea listening to Celestial Star Specter, Veronica's way of speaking, and he could even summon corpses; he must be a lich.

Although they knew Tenma would choose to leave Sanctuary because he didn't want to implicate others, they hadn't expected Tenma to be so brave as to dare to trespass into Hades Castle!

“A new Gold Saint! Manigoldo of Cancer, he seems different from the previous ones, a bit wild and unrestrained.”

Even with just a few words, one could generally grasp his personality.

“What is this ability?! He directly turned the so-called immortal army of corpses into ashes.”

The Saints' techniques were endless. After a moment of thought, they still couldn't figure out Manigoldo's ability.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Oh, it's my turn, Manigoldo of Cancer, to appear now!”

Manigoldo seemed somewhat lazy and casual as he saw his own figure appear.

“Be serious, Manigoldo! It will be helpful later.”

The Pope reminded him and then watched intently.

Manigoldo said nonchalantly,

“Yes, yes... I didn't expect my opponent to be a androgynous, how disgusting.”

Manigoldo knew what the video's appearance meant. Based on previous deductions, the next part should be about his death.

He just wondered who his opponent would be. He didn't think this androgynous would be his match.

。。。。。

Chapter 264: Praesepe Demonic Blue Flames!!

Chapter Text

【 The Star mark symbolizing the god of death appeared on the forehead of Tenkyusei Veronica, and dense swarms of insects, under her control, madly rushed towards Manigoldo, carving ravines into the ground.

“Buzz buzz buzz—”

Looking at these disgusting flies, Manigoldo didn't even want to touch them, but as he moved and dodged, he was covered by the flies.

“Hehe~”

But in the face of this situation, Manigoldo actually laughed, then slowly walked towards the opponent, a blue light gradually illuminating his body.

“You... are not my type at all, but we're very compatible.”

In his hands, all the insects were enveloped in phosphorescent gas. Tenkyusei Veronica then realized that the phosphorescent gas had already spread all around her without her noticing.

“Snap—”

Manigoldo lightly snapped his fingers in a cool manner, and the flies turned into streaks of light, sent back to the Underworld.

Seeing her beloved servants disappear just like that, the enraged Tenkyusei pounced towards the Cancer Saint, but Manigoldo seized the opportunity, clamping her waist with his legs.

“ACUBENS—!”

Tenkyusei Veronica spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, which then dyed the entire screen red. At that instant, the Specter was directly severed at the waist on the spot. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“A cool finger snap, this Cancer Saint has some tricks up his sleeve, but is that really phosphorescent gas...”

“He's not called Cancer for nothing, turns out he really has pincers. What a forceful move.”

Everyone exclaimed “philosophy~” upon hearing the move, “Acubens.” Given the name and the utterly untechnical action, everyone even suspected the name was made up on the spot.

One could only say, as expected of a Gold Saint. The opponent who gave Tenma such a hard time was actually defeated so easily by Manigoldo.

 。。。。。

〜Detective Conan World〜

“Ugh... that feels so painful!”

Conan subconsciously clutched his waist. That amount of bleeding means he's beyond saving, right?!

He was also a bit unsure. Ever since he learned about the Saints, he no longer dared to deduce anything about the people in there using common sense. One or two of them were as tenacious as cockroaches.

As for gore and fear?! Are you kidding me? Having been in this business for so long, what kind of scene hasn't he seen? All kinds of deaths are available, without a hint of fear.

Haibara glanced at Conan indifferently, her expression a bit strange,

“With you looking like that, are you still afraid of someone clamping your waist?”

Conan took a deep breath before calming down.

“You don't even look at who caused this.”

He thought, always feeling inexplicably mocked.

 。。。。。

【 “What... so weak.” Just as Manigoldo was twisting his shoulders, shouting that he hadn't fought enough.

The next moment, a purple light burst forth, and the Surplice covered Veronica's body, making her instantly feel invigorated again, shouting that she was immortal.

“Let me lead you into the world where all things merge...”

“BURIAL FORT—!”

Purple light emanated from his body. The ground and trees affected by the light all began to decay. The decaying trees, like liquid, rapidly enveloped them, beginning to corrode their flesh.

“All life, through decay, re-merges with the world. This is true stability and tranquility.”

But in the face of this terrifying aura, Manigoldo showed no fear, still calm and collected,

“So that's it, immortality.”

“Hey, you guys, don't rot away before I get back!”

Blue light spread from his fingertips. The next second, Manigoldo had already taken the Specter's soul and together arrived at Yomotsu Hirasaka.

“Praesepe Underworld Waves, unleash the technique on that guy and yourself, even your own body flies away with it.”

In the real world, Yuzuriha looked at Tenkyusei Veronica's motionless body, which was all that remained, and explained to the bewildered Tenma.

And within Yomotsu Hirasaka, Veronica couldn't help but laugh at the surrounding environment: “This place, for us Specters, is like our backyard.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Now I understand, he's a master of souls. It seems to have a miraculous effect against immortals.”

“And isn't this move a complete counter against Minos?! Even if he binds his body with his Cosmic Marionettion, what good would it do? Just take him back to the Underworld.”

So that's Yomotsu Hirasaka. Then isn't this move the legendary ultimate forced one-on-one technique?! You can drag anyone in for a fight anytime, anywhere.

If you win, you can leave... No, Manigoldo seems to be able to leave without fighting! After all, it's a one-way ticket. Most people sent there would just have to wait for death.

Upon seeing this, the more everyone thought about it, the more they felt that Albafica was a pity. Among the Gold Saints who appeared, both Asmita's and Manigoldo's abilities seemed capable of dealing with Minos.

But... isn't the Underworld the enemy's lair? How did the fight end up in the Underworld? This is the enemy's home turf.

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline〜

Jotaro felt his DNA tingling when he heard Veronica's voice. Wasn't that Dio's voice? It was exactly the same.

So when he saw Manigoldo take Veronica's soul and leave her body behind, he couldn't help but say,.

“Seriously, can't you just twist his neck right now?”

Don't waste such a good opportunity. Although he didn't know the relationship between soul and body, if the body were gone, at least Veronica wouldn't be able to return to the living world.

Josuke Higashikata and the others looked at him with strange eyes, as if saying.

“We never thought the invincible Mr. Jotaro had such a brutal side.”

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“So Manigoldo went to the Underworld in the flesh?!”

Ereshkigal, as the mistress of the Underworld, was filled with envy. No one had visited her Underworld in a long time. (Except her annoying Sister, which she didn't count as a visit.)

Although living people couldn't enter the Underworld, souls didn't seem to have restrictions. How nice it would be to have someone visit.

And Merlin in the Uruk Temple also felt this move was terrifying. This method of extracting souls offered no means of resistance whatsoever.

“If you take a person's soul to the Underworld, leave it there, and then return to the living world to deal with the body there, it's basically an instant kill.”

Even if the enemy had powerful techniques, they couldn't use them, especially against physically strong opponents like Aldebaran of Taurus; it was a complete counter!

 。。。。。

【 In Manigoldo's opinion, whose backyard this was, remained to be seen.

Phosphorescent gas orbs once again floated in the air, gradually surrounding Veronica.

“Idiot, you're the one who's finished.”

Manigoldo directly put one hand on his hip, speaking casually, seemingly not looking the opponent in his eyes.

When the orb of light touched Veronica's soul, it suddenly transformed into a pale blue flame, which began to burn fiercely, using it as fuel.

And Manigoldo revealed a roguishly mischievous smile, looking like a big villain.

“This flame burns with the soul as fuel. No matter how immortal you are, brought here, you're just a soul.”

“Too bad, this is your backyard, but for me, this is a playground.”

Pale blue flames burned fiercely in Manigoldo's hand, then he flung them towards Tenkyusei Veronica!

“ PRAESEPE SOUL BURIAL WAVES—!”

“AH—!!!” The Specter, engulfed in raging flames, let out a painful wail. The agony of his soul being burned made him wish for death. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Manigoldo's ability targets souls, and he can pull people's souls out. Doesn't that make him invincible in a back-and-forth battle?”

“Awesome, for an immortal, he just burns their soul. The body is just a vessel; without a soul, it's nothing. He's practically the Specters' nemesis.”

This 'Praesepe Underworld Waves' combined with 'Soul Burial Waves' is absolutely perfect! He turned the Specters' backyard into his playground. But Manigoldo, can you please not make such a villainous face...

Since it can be a playground, do all Gold Saints like to casually visit the Underworld? This is practically both sides constantly raiding each other's homes, coming and going as they please.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“What?!—”

Deathmask was utterly stunned, his eyes almost popping out.

'Praesepe Underworld Waves' actually has a (matching) technique?! 'Soul Burial Waves', which burns the opponent's soul as fuel...

Aphrodite of Pisces chuckled. Good thing Deathmask doesn't know this technique; otherwise, who knows how arrogant he'd become.

Even with just the 'Praesepe Underworld Waves', he's already excessively obsessed with his own power, his mind twisted, killing innocent people and playing around in his Cancer Temple.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

At this moment, everyone in the Soul Society twitched their mouths. Isn't this just targeting them? Is the Soul Society a gas field in his eyes?!

“A technique that burns the opponent's soul, using the soul as fuel...”

Even Urahara Kisuke showed a very exaggerated facial expression. Good heavens, self-produced and self-consumed, the techniques are perfectly coordinated.

The Soul Society here was completely stunned, even afraid that such a Zanpakuto might appear, ready to blow them up like natural gas at any moment.

However, Ichigo Kurosaki and the others in the living world had a completely different focus. They were focused on Tenkyusei Veronica's high-pitched scream that could destroy the world.

“That scream is too demonic, the lung capacity is truly amazing, it's practically world-class singing!”

Ichigo and Uryu were covering their mouths with both hands. Although the scream was terrible, they couldn't laugh at such a serious moment!

Little did they know that even the usually kind-hearted Orihime Inoue could barely hold back a laugh upon hearing that sound.

 。。。。。

Chapter 265: Stomping on the chessboard, facing the twin gods, Little Ma...

Chapter Text

【 At the same time, Veronica's body in the Forest of Death gradually turned into dust, and a path appeared in front of Tenma.

Realizing that the opponent had been killed, the three of them, Tenma, saw this and continued to advance towards Hades City without hesitation!

And in Yomotsu Hirasaka, looking at the Specter about to burn out, Manigoldo flicked his cloak and turned around handsomely, preparing to return to the human world.

But at this moment, a huge black star appeared above Veronica, and the voice of the God of Death also sounded from the sky.

“Veronica, as a Specter and having inherited part of my power, twist that man's head off before you die.”

Here it comes! Manigoldo also noticed this unusual Cosmo and immediately turned around, looking at Veronica with a serious expression, sensing the God of Death's Cosmo from within.

“Yes, sir!”

Veronica whispered, then charged madly at Manigoldo, wanting to take him down with her.

Blue and white flames instantly filled the entire screen. Athena, far away in the Sanctuary, also noticed the vibration of Manigoldo's Cosmo and looked at the Pope with some worry.

The Pope, however, gave Athena a firm answer. He was full of confidence in Manigoldo's strength.

“He inherited all my techniques; he won't be killed so easily. For that guy, living is the best revenge.”

As soon as the words fell, above Hades City, above the heads of the Twin Gods, blue and white light emerged, and the Gold Saint of Cancer descended from it!

“Clang—”

Manigoldo landed on both feet, directly shattering the Twin Gods' chessboard, and stood before the divine throne in an extremely arrogant posture. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn it, when can His Holiness the Pope share some of this confidence with me? He's directly challenging the Twin Gods, and he's still fine?!”

“This uninhibited personality, sometimes appearing a bit arrogant, has completely changed my impression of Cancer Manigoldo.”

This is simply too cool! Directly landing before the divine throne, stepping on the chessboard between the gods, facing the two gods without the slightest fear... Has this guy always been so brave?!

It's like pushing the opponent's crystal alone. Whether he wins or not is unknown, but challenging a god with a mortal body is enough to be remembered... Speaking of which, this posture really looks like a tooth-and-claw big crab.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Really?”

Deathmask was dumbfounded at this moment. He thought he was crazy enough, but he didn't expect there to be someone crazier. Is Manigoldo blind?

You know, you are not facing some Specter, but a god, and two gods at that, whom you have offended completely.

Although he was equally arrogant and conceited, at least he had a good sense of self-awareness and never fought a battle he wasn't sure of winning.

“Is the previous generation's Cancer stupid or crazy? How dare he challenge the Twin Gods? If he's tired of living, at least leave behind the technique of 'Praesepe Demonic Blue Flames'.”

Deathmask cursed through gritted teeth. Having only 'Praesepe Underworld Waves' but not the 'Praesepe Demonic Blue Flames' was too much of a loss.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

〜In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia〜

“The gods in that world, facing such rudeness, didn't even get angry. They're too composed.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka recalled Ishtar's arrogant personality when she first arrived at the Seventh Singularity, which vividly demonstrated the unreasonable side of gods.

Mash, on the other hand, was a little worried.

“Thanatos and Hypnos... Is Manigoldo okay?”

Just by their names, you know that the powers they wield are not to be trifled with.

How can Manigoldo face the Twin Gods alone? Isn't he just throwing his life away?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Hmph... So, you've finally arrived, Thanatos!”

At this moment, Manigoldo in the Pope's Hall was not afraid at all, but instead, the corners of his mouth slightly curved, looking somewhat arrogant.

In his opinion, there was nothing more satisfying than beating up the God of Death.

“Manigoldo, don't be too careless.”

The outwardly cold but inwardly warm Albafica didn't want to see Manigoldo die due to arrogance.

Albafica, who had witnessed the strength of Minos, one of the three Hades Judges, in the video, would not naively think that the Twin Gods were easy to deal with.

“That Manigoldo!”

Sisyphus was shocked. He was openly mocking the Twin Gods right to their faces.

No... Sisyphus looked at Manigoldo, his face covered in cold sweat.

Although that guy seemed cynical on the surface, he was actually a brave and straightforward person, not a fool. His goal from the beginning was to target the Twin Gods.

The Pope and Sage nodded to each other. They watched Manigoldo's upcoming battle with extreme seriousness. The obsession of these two hundred years was about to be tested!

 。。。。。

【 Thanatos merely glanced at Manigoldo, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if looking at a dead man,

“Do you know this is before the divine throne?!”

“The divine throne? That's truly rude of me.”

“Clang...”

Manigoldo stood up straight, but his foot on the chessboard pressed harder, causing the already shattered chessboard to crack even more severely.

“Which one is Lord Thanatos?!”

Manigoldo looked left and right at the identical Twin Gods. Although he had already guessed, he still politely asked.

“I am!”

Hearing the answer, Manigoldo looked at Thanatos with contempt,

“Oh, it's you. From a personal perspective, you are the god I most want to beat the living hell out of.”

Their eyes met. Manigoldo didn't hesitate, throwing a punch. In an instant, blood splattered, and his cloak fluttered.

Blood dripped from his fist. To Manigoldo's surprise, his full-power strike was easily blocked by the opponent with a single chess piece.

My full-power strike...

Even though Manigoldo gritted his teeth and used all his strength, he couldn't move the chess piece in Thanatos's hand.

Seeing this, Thanatos mocked him mercilessly,

“You can't even break a single chess piece. You're hopelessly weak.”

Hypnos, seeing someone intrude, instantly lost all interest, leaving Manigoldo to him, and turned to leave. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This is no longer about being arrogant; he's just unbelievably cocky. He says 'rude' while simultaneously smashing your chessboard.”

“Good heavens, are they both so polite? One dares to ask, and the other politely admits it.”

Everyone looked at the incredibly arrogant Manigoldo. In this situation, it's hard to believe he wouldn't be beaten to death. How did he manage to act so freely in front of the Twin Gods?

Then, people from other worlds sighed slightly as Manigoldo's full-power strike was easily blocked. Although they had expected it, they didn't expect such a huge gap, unable to even break a single chess piece of the opponent.

“This taunt is really maxed out. The gods' prestige is truly something else.”

Thanatos's taunt was like a sharp knife piercing Manigoldo's heart.

But it's a good thing Hypnos left, otherwise one god would be enough to deal with; if there were two, it would be pointless.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“What!”

Manigoldo was also incredibly shocked at this moment. He had thought there might be a gap, but he hadn't expected it to be so huge.

Just one God of Death might be more than he could handle. In that case, his previous actions were indeed a bit arrogant.

The Pope was not very surprised by this.

“Perhaps, this is the chasm of power between humans and gods.”

He knew his disciple, who had learned all his techniques, very well. Precisely because he knew, it highlighted the immense power of the God of Death.

“He blocked a Gold Saint's full-power strike with just one chess piece!”

Sisyphus's face changed slightly. If such an existence appeared in the Holy War, who could face it? It would only lead to unnecessary sacrifices.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“It's a good thing Hypnos left... one God of Death is already terrifying enough.”

Even if Hypnos left or not, Shirou Emiya didn't believe that he could defeat Thanatos, the God of Death, in the face of such a huge power gap.

Although cruel, this was an insurmountable chasm between humans and gods. Now, Manigoldo was truly in danger.

“Thanatos, one of the Twin Gods said to serve Hades, the God of the Underworld, who presides over the destruction, life, and death of all things in the universe.”

Rin Tohsaka took a deep breath to calm herself, then slowly closed the book in her hand, her heart nevertheless going crazy.

How can they fight now?! It turns out Hades' side also has god-level beings.

Including Hades, there are now three gods. Speaking of which, how did Athena win against these opponents in the previous Holy War...

 。。。。。

【 After Hypnos left, the chess piece in the God of Death's hand shattered, and then a purple light impaled Manigoldo on the stone pillar behind him.

But Manigoldo seemed to know no fear. After standing up again, he roared and charged with another punch.

“What!”

In Manigoldo's disbelieving eyes, Thanatos blocked his attack with just one finger.

“Utterly foolish!”

As the words fell, Manigoldo flew backward again, the immense impact shattering the stone pillars along the way, and a mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth.

“Amazing... This is Thanatos!”

Even the arrogant Manigoldo had to admit that the God of Death possessed overwhelming power.

“As expected of a god, truly cool...”

Manigoldo slowly crawled up from the ground, still without the slightest fear, his gaze fixed on the God of Death,

“If I beat you, the ratings will surely soar.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, this 'ratings' thing is a bit out of place. Was television invented in the 18th century?”

“No need to beat him up, the ratings are already high now, even though you're the one getting beaten.”

That being said, watching the God of Death's performance, everyone couldn't help but marvel at his power. Even if Manigoldo was fearless, he was still no match for the opponent.

The gap between gods and humans cannot be bridged by mere passion.

 。。。。。

Chapter 266: Both powerful and trustworthy, Priest!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

“Manigoldo—what can I say about his personality? He comes across as quite mischievous...”

Shirou Emiya watched the screen with a wry smile. Even at a time like this, he didn't forget to crack jokes; he truly had character.

Rin Tohsaka, who was usually quick, was already rummaging through everything, turning things over here, then going to another spot to mess with things, leaving everyone stunned.

Illya looked at the CDs scattered everywhere by Rin Tohsaka, full of confusion, her large eyes filled with bewilderment.

So, she asked Rin Tohsaka, who was still burying her head, searching for something,

“Um, Rin... what are you trying to find?”

Rin Tohsaka didn't turn her head, answering as a matter of course,

“Didn't he talk about ratings? I'm looking to see if there are any tapes.”

“Oh, okay, you go on then.”

Illya nodded blankly, not understanding such a foolish act, but supportive nonetheless...

 。。。。。

【 Facing the boastful Manigoldo, Thanatos did not take him seriously. In his eyes, this was nothing more than a toy for amusement.

“You're quite good with words.”

As Thanatos placed a chess piece on the board, the shattered chessboard instantly repaired itself, and a dark purple light flashed.

A gigantic knight appeared out of thin air from the ground, thrusting its spear at Manigoldo, who raised his hand to block it.

Thanatos, seeing this, was incredibly leisurely, “You've interrupted my game. At least make me happy.”

As his words fell, the battlefield changed again. The entire sky palace transformed into a chessboard, and various chess pieces were summoned to attack Manigoldo.

“BOOM—!”

The scepter in the chess piece's hand fell heavily, kicking up clouds of dust.

“What? Checkmate so soon?” Thanatos's tone and expression were filled with disdain.

Just as Thanatos thought the game was over, the next moment, wisps of blue-white light drifted out from the dust. Manigoldo, struck by the scepter, was still unharmed.

“PRAESEPE DEMONIC BLUE FLAMES—!”

The blazing blue-white flames burned again, instantly incinerating the four chess pieces surrounding him into ashes, and with undiminished momentum, set Thanatos's chessboard ablaze.

Manigoldo gazed intently at Thanatos, the blue-white flames engulfing the palace,

“The game ends here. I will cremate your soul along with everything else!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I have to say, the Saint Seiya characters are incredibly tough. Their damage output is high, and their defense is absolutely insane. That massive scepter struck him, and he came out completely unscathed.”

“'Demonic Blue Flames' is undoubtedly a powerful ability, capable of targeting souls, but it might lose its effectiveness when facing a god.”

Thanatos truly displayed the arrogance of a god, treating Manigoldo, a Gold Saint, merely as a chess piece to toy with.

Even if Manigoldo seemed to have a fighting chance, everyone didn't believe he would be a match for the God of Death. It was clear at a glance that the other party was fighting purely out of a playful mood...

It couldn't even be called a fight; Thanatos was toying with Manigoldo.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Truly a foolish man.”

Before the throne above Hades Castle, Thanatos chuckled, toying with the chessboard in his hands.

There were always mortals who, not knowing their place, wanted to challenge the authority of the gods. Mere specks of dust, yet they blindly believed they could harm a god.

'Demonic Blue Flames'?! A mere mortal, yet fantasizing about harming a god's soul. It was nothing but a fool's dream.

The God of Sleep beside him said nothing, only chuckled lightly, perhaps because he thought the same.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

“The Cancer skill is indeed an invaluable divine technique against Specters... but it seems insufficient against Thanatos.”

Aizen remained wary of Manigoldo's soul-targeting techniques. They might have a miraculous effect against Specters, but he didn't believe the 'Demonic Blue Flames' technique could burn a god's soul.

That was an existence from a different dimension, something that couldn't be described by normal standards.

And many captains in the Soul Society shared similar thoughts.

Shunsui Kyoraku stroked his chin, observing the screen while contemplating their current situation,

“Since Hades has the Twin Gods, does Athena's side also have divine help?”

However, the video had yet to show any gods appearing on Athena's side. As he thought about it carefully, Shunsui Kyoraku grew more and more astonished.

Perhaps this was never an equal war from the start, with immortal Specters and gods with extraordinary power!

Facing these disadvantages, how did the previous Athena lead the Saints to win the Holy War...??

 。。。。。

【 “Truly a foolish man, still not understanding the difference between gods and humans.”

Looking at Manigoldo, who was still stubbornly resisting, Thanatos directly mocked him.

“Now, let me show you a glimpse of my power.”

As he spoke, Thanatos had already donned his God Cloth. A flash of light suddenly erupted above his head, and in the void, the Gods' Pathway was opened.

The Gods' Pathway was like a universe. From the vast starry sky, an extraordinary suction force emanated, constantly pulling the debris of the palace into it.

“This space is the Gods' Pathway, but... if an ordinary person takes a step inside, they will be torn to shreds.”

The debris sucked into the pathway was also continuously disintegrated until it vanished.

“You are not worthy of me personally acting. Just turn to dust.”

At this moment, Manigoldo showed panic for the first time, looking at his feet with cold sweat, using all his strength to resist the suction.

His body... was gradually being pulled in. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Gods' Pathway, what could be inside? The legendary dwelling of the gods?”

“If Thanatos didn't explain, would Manigoldo rush in headfirst? After all, if he wanted to attack Thanatos, Manigoldo might actually do that.”

The Gods' Pathway... everyone in other worlds could only say it was too unfair. This move, unless Athena herself, being a god, came in person, would mean death for anyone else.

That meant Manigoldo was now doomed. Athena, as the linchpin, shouldn't easily leave the Sanctuary, and Manigoldo had no countermeasure.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“The Gods' Pathway...!!”

At this moment, all the Gold Saints looked grim.

This was indeed something they couldn't deal with, but if things continued like this, let alone fighting, it was only a matter of time before Manigoldo was sucked in.

“Is this the difference between a god and a human... damn it!”

Sisypus's face also looked bad. He hadn't expected Manigoldo, a fellow Gold Saint, to exert his full power and still be unable to pose even a slight threat to Thanatos.

Regulus, the young lion who possessed all the Saint's skills, also voiced his thoughts,

“If Manigoldo used 'Praesepe Underworld Waves' to transfer his body and soul to the Underworld, I wonder if he could escape.”

At these words, even Manigoldo himself began to speculate. Only the Pope beside him shook his head; Thanatos wouldn't give him that chance.

And on Kanon Island, Defteros looked at the Gods' Pathway in deep thought,

“With Another Dimension, he should be able to escape the pull of the Gods' Pathway.”

 。。。。。

【 At the critical moment, a voice echoed in this starry sky.

“This won't do, Thanatos!”

Golden lightning opened a crack in the pathway, and Pope Sage, holding Athena's charm, calmly appeared in the pathway.

“We finally meet!”

In an instant, the charm was thrown by Sage, flying to both sides of the Gods' Pathway. The charm's power forcibly closed the pathway.

“Who are you? How can a human survive here?”

Sage stood beside Manigoldo, directly facing Thanatos,

“Pope Sage, the Gold Saint of Cancer from the last Holy War.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Pope!!! You are way too reliable! How can you be so cool at such an old age?”

“Holy crap, who's that hottie? I didn't expect him to be so handsome when he was young! Is the standard for a Saint Seiya really not based on looks?”

Having an elder in the family is truly a treasure! That was the thought on everyone's mind. They never expected the Pope to be so reliable, arriving grandly at such a critical time.

They hadn't expected the Pope to be a great beauty comparable to Albafica in his youth. No wonder he could be a Gold Saint; not only could he fight, but his looks were also out of this world.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Does such a Pope truly exist...?”

Mu of Aries could only say that this Pope was too reliable. The moment he appeared, he brought a sense of security.

Remembering how their own Holy War hadn't even begun but was plagued by internal strife, the Gold Saints sighed, wishing they could be united like the previous generation.

Deathmask looked at the two generations of Cancer Gold Saints side by side, his heart filled with complexity. Compared to them, he might be the weakest Cancer.

“But how did this Pope live for over two hundred years?”

This was what puzzled Deathmask the most. No matter how powerful he was, he was still human. How did he manage to live for over two hundred years and still have the stamina to participate in the Holy War?

 。。。。。

Chapter 267: Praesepe Soul Burial Waves!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


【 At this point, Pope Sage, facing the pressure of the God of Death, spoke of his long-planned chess game!

“As early as the Holy War two hundred years ago, we Saints were attacked by unknown Twin Gods, and the regret of not being able to save our companions cannot be forgotten even now.”

From that time on, Pope Sage had already set his sights on these two arrogant gods.

“And this time, having Cancer serve as Pegasus's escort, in addition to protecting Pegasus's safety, was also to find your Cosmo, which would one day interfere with it~.”

Thanatos, the God of Death, indifferently surveyed the Pope who had lived for over two hundred years below him.

“Are you saying that everything is within your expectations-?”

Pope Sage's mouth curved slightly upward.

“To be one step ahead of the gods is what a Pope is-.”

As they spoke, Manigoldo slowly came to Sage's side. Even he felt a lingering fear; honestly, he almost lost his life just now.

Then he twisted his body somewhat awkwardly, as if dissatisfied with the current inconvenience of his body.

“Tsk... the burden on my body is great. As long as there's no Hades' barrier, I'd instantly kill that kind of trash.”

Hearing this, the Pope unhesitatingly exposed Manigoldo.

“You're wrong, Manigoldo! This seems to be outside the barrier, above Hades Castle!”

Exposed, Manigoldo could only silently reach out and scratch his head, looking around somewhat awkwardly, indicating that the floor was indeed very floor-like. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“POPE! He's incredibly reliable, always strategizing in the command tent. With you here, there's no need to worry about the great cause thriving—oh, I mean, the Holy War.”

“Who would have thought that an old man harbored two hundred years of regret? Perhaps that's the reason that sustained his life.”

Everyone listened to the Pope's words and suddenly realized, could the current situation still be within his expectations? The sense of security this gave was simply too strong.

But is it really okay for the Pope to dismantle his own disciple's stage like that...

Now, everyone felt embarrassed for Manigoldo. Manigoldo had just set down a ladder, only for the Pope to kick it away, leaving him unable to get down.

“Face reality, Manigoldo... losing to a god is not shameful, it's just a simple difference in power, and has nothing to do with the barrier.”

Everyone from other worlds was somewhat dumbfounded. So Manigoldo always thought his power was restricted within the barrier, which made the power gap seem so large.

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Master, next time, can you save your disciple some face? Just let me go down the stairs.”

Manigoldo looked at the Pope with a wronged and bitter expression.

At this moment, even the straightforward Manigoldo felt that he couldn't maintain his composure. He never expected the ladder he found for himself to be kicked away by his master.

It would have been fine if no one else had been around, but the current situation was that even he himself felt embarrassed.

“I just hope you don't get too careless, MANIGOLDO!”

The Pope shook his head upon hearing this. If one faced the God of Death with such naive thoughts, they would truly die.

。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!〜

“Damn it... my habit of feeling awkward for others has returned, help, someone quickly break this awkward atmosphere!”

Kazuma shouted with both hands on his head, twisting his body in a rather grotesque manner.

One could only say they were truly master and disciple; when it came to dismantling each other, they were incredibly fast.

“Wait, since he wasn't suppressed by the barrier, even if the gods' Pathway was forcibly closed, the current situation hasn't changed.”

Kazuma, coming back to his senses, immediately stopped moving. The Pope's appearance didn't seem to change the current situation, only delaying it. Manigoldo was still in big trouble.

。。。。。

【 Facing the sudden appearance of the Pope, in the arrogant eyes of Thanatos, the God of Death, there was no difference.

“What if one more old man joins the battle?”

“TARTARO'S PHOBIA—!!”

As the words fell, the dark domain unfolded again, and the gloomy hell was summoned. Tens of thousands of spirits surged from behind Thanatos, pouncing and biting at the two below.

The moment he was bitten, Manigoldo understood that these were not ordinary spirits; both his body and soul would be harmed.

These spirits were even lower-grade than ordinary specters, the final form of life harvested by the God of Death, constantly suffering and wandering in Thanatos's mansion, which was connected to Tartarus, the underworld.

Under the siege of countless spirits, Manigoldo was tightly entangled, and at this moment, cold sweat began to stream down his face.

“I'm going to be dragged in!”

“Don't panic, if these are spirits, we won't lose either.”

The Pope's extremely calm words also calmed the somewhat flustered Manigoldo.

A black hole appeared in Thanatos's hand, aimed at Manigoldo below.

“You shouldn't have time to look around, should you?”

Caught off guard, Manigoldo was pulled by the specters towards the black hole; it seemed that was their destination.

“Damn it!”

Manigoldo frowned and cursed under his breath, then a strange smile reappeared on his face.

“Just kidding...”

“PRAESEPE SOUL BURIAL WAVES—!!”

The spirits in his limbs were instantly shattered and turned into fuel. Tens of thousands of spirits, like gunpowder in Manigoldo's eyes, enveloped his fist, which was covered in blue-white flames, and he slammed it violently into the utterly black abyss.

“BOOM—!”

The next moment, an explosion swept through the entire detached palace. The blue-white flames incinerated all the spirits, and the entire screen was gradually covered by light.

A small mark, a tiny scar, was left on Thanatos's face by the explosion.

Praesepe Soul Burial Waves, using spirits as gunpowder to make them explode and burn. The stronger the spiritual power, the more terrifying the power. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Pope is indeed the Pope. Manigoldo hadn't even reacted yet, and he instantly reminded Manigoldo of the countermeasure.”

“Holy cow, they're a perfect match! Praesepe Demonic Blue Flames, Soul Burial Waves detonates. I advise spirits not to appear before Cancer, otherwise, hehe...”

“The stronger the spiritual power, the greater the power of this move. So Thanatos essentially dug his own grave, giving them a powder keg for free.”

Everyone from other worlds was deeply shocked by this move. The spirits Thanatos originally used to attack increased the power of this move by more than one level, successfully harming Thanatos, the God of Death.

This move of the God of Death was completely countered by Cancer Manigoldo's technique. In front of them, spirits not only had no effect but would instead become their aid.

。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“No... Cancer has other moves?!”

Deathmask only felt indignant. Why do I only have one prerequisite skill, Underworld Waves?

He even once prided himself on the Underworld Waves, only to find out it was just an ordinary, unremarkable move.

These Demonic Blue Flames and Soul Burial Waves are Cancer's killing moves; why didn't you leave them for me, you bastards!

Especially since the power of this move was enough to harm a god of death, it instantly made his eyes red.

。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

The Soul Society was in an uproar at this moment. How could such a heinous move exist... In the eyes of their Shinigami, who were entirely composed of spiritual bodies, this move was somewhat inhumane.

Demonic Blue Flames is fine, but facing Soul Burial Waves, the Soul Society is a powder magazine.”

Shunsui Kyoraku also murmured to himself. What kind of demons and monsters are these Saints? Their abilities are one more peculiar than the last.

Ukitake added.

“Moreover, the power of this move depends on the number of spirits, which means this move has no upper limit to its power.”

It's a perfect match for fighting Specters! No wonder Yomotsu Hirasaka was a playground for him. With this kind of power, who wouldn't walk sideways?

。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Hmph—, this power seems a bit strong.”

Kirito was also somewhat dumbfounded, not expecting this move to actually be able to harm a god of death.

Asuna recalled the knowledge she had learned before.

“I remember Tartarus is the name of hell in Greek mythology.”

So Thanatos dragged over the wandering spirits from his next-door neighbor's house... and none of them could go back.

But to be able to leave a scar on Thanatos's body is enough to prove the power of this move. Truly worthy of a Gold Saint.

。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Of course, Aizen grew cautious of Manigoldo, knowing that the stronger he became, the more devastating the 'Soul Burial Waves' would be. What if Manigoldo suddenly got isekai'd into the Bleach universe? )

Chapter 268: Mortal dust! Little Brother Ma's fate is unknown

Chapter Text

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Above Hades City, Hypnos, the God of Sleep, casually ate one of Thanatos' chess pieces. After picking it up, he paused for a moment and looked at the screen.

“Heh, it seems you've played a little too much, Thanatos.”

Facing Hypnos' teasing, Thanatos stared absently at the wounds displayed on the screen, his face now so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

The chess piece he held in his hand suddenly shattered. A mere Gold Saint had actually injured him, a god.

“Unforgivable! Cancer Manigoldo...”

Facing the enraged Thanatos, Hypnos directly flashed away from there. After all, Thanatos probably wasn't in the mood for chess at the moment.

 。。。。。

【 Touching the cut on his face, Thanatos stared blankly at the bloodstains in his hand, sinking into an angry silence.

Below, Manigoldo reached out and tore off his cloak, his face full of emotion for his master.

“How far have you foreseen, truly a terrifying yet reliable master!”

Thanatos' face darkened as he clenched his fists, visible anger overflowing onto his face, and a deep purple Cosmo erupted from his fists.

“Don't get too arrogant, humans! To dare to injure me, a god, this is a grave sin... Divine punishment, you shall endure it with your body.”

The entire palace began to shake, and the ground started to crack into huge rocks, constantly flying upwards. Although Manigoldo feigned ease, his heart was already incomparably shocked... Thanatos' Cosmo was expanding.

Facing this intense pressure, Manigoldo, however, would not miss any opportunity to mock the God of Death.

“Eh, are you angry! Is His Excellency the God going to personally finish me off like a bird in a cage?!”

Facing Manigoldo's taunt, Thanatos' eyes were utterly indifferent.

“Don't be too narcissistic. To me, your lives are less than ants, merely dust. I wouldn't feel anything even if I trampled you underfoot.”

As Thanatos raised his hands, lightning flashed and thunder roared in an instant, a terrifying Cosmo gathered in his hands, and the light sphere of the God of Death continuously condensed and magnified.

“TERRIBLE PROVIDENCE—!”

The giant light sphere whistled as it swept towards the Pope. In a flash of lightning, Manigoldo darted out from the side, reaching out to block in front of his master.

“Master! STEP BACK!!!”

Just as he made contact with the Terrible Providence, his Gold Cloth instantly shattered, and blood spewed from Manigoldo's mouth.

Dust, huh... He sure can talk. The defiant Manigoldo had long been prepared to die, and at this moment, even a dying vision appeared, recalling his encounter with the Pope.

In a moment of crisis, the Pope once again stepped forward, blocking the explosive Terrible Providence.

Manigoldo, who had thought he was dead for sure, immediately snapped back to reality. I'm still alive! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Heh heh, his mouth is the toughest part of him. A Gold Saint is less than an ant in his eyes. I just want to ask him what it feels like to be injured by dust.”

“Little Ma Ge( Manigo ), stop being so cheeky. Direct face-to-face taunts are just too much, you almost got yourself killed trying to show off. Good thing the old Pope was there.”

Everyone watched Manigoldo selflessly block in front of his master, their hearts deeply touched. This subconscious act of protecting his master gave everyone a new understanding of the defiant Manigoldo.

“Taking on a god's ultimate attack alone... What a tough guy, brother, you actually dared to take that.”

The power of this Terrible Providence is simply too strong. Just a moment of contact, and the Gold Cloth shattered. Or perhaps, this is the true strength of Thanatos, the God of Death.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Manigoldo! I'm not so old that I need your protection. The Sanctuary needs young Saints, not us old guys.”

Although the Pope was deeply moved by Manigoldo's actions, fearing that Manigoldo would do such a foolish thing again, the Pope still gently reminded Manigoldo.

“Hai, hai Your Holiness,”

Manigoldo answered perfunctorily, but when truly faced with it, he would still unhesitatingly step up.

The Pope also sighed helplessly. In that instant, he truly thought Manigoldo would die from that move. Others might not know, but he and Hakurei were very aware of the power of that move.

There's no mistake, it was this Terrible Providence that attacked Lady Athena back then. One must know that even Lady Athena, exhausted after defeating Hades, dared not directly confront this move.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

Rukia looked at Manigoldo's flashing memories, also filled with surprise.

“Hiss~! Manigoldo's talent is quite formidable. Even without guidance, he naturally possessed the ability to manipulate souls from a young age.”

He looks only eight or nine years old, yet he can calmly accept the existence of souls.

At an age where he should be playing in the mud, he constantly witnesses the deaths of others.

Ichigo Kurosaki also felt that it was truly fortunate that Manigoldo met the Pope.

“If it weren't for the Pope, Manigoldo's mind would have probably gone astray long ago...”

From that, it could be seen that Manigoldo, constantly witnessing death, had begun to disregard life. It was only the Pope who guided him.

Ichigo just didn't expect that beneath Manigoldo's sunny and playful exterior lay such experiences... His entire village was wiped out, leaving only him. Despite his tragic background, he could remain optimistic, truly thanks to the old Sage.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS IS CANCER?!”

Mu of Aries felt his worldview starting to collapse, his face full of doubt about life.

This image of respecting his master, hating death, and valuing life truly elevated the status of Cancer. Deathmask was pressed directly to the ground and rubbed.

Aside from being a rebellious teenager in his childhood, attempting to rob the Pope, there's nothing about him that resembles the current Cancer.

It's all because of the stereotypical impression Deathmask of Cancer left on him, making him think all Cancers were the same, even more like Specters than Specters themselves...

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

“It's precisely because one sees too much death that one develops an immense hatred for it........”

Gintoki, picking his nose, watched the scene of the Pope picking up Manigoldo, his thoughts also returning to the past, just like back then, Shoyo-sensei...

“Really? Why don't I see Mr. Manigoldo hating it that much?”

Shinpachi pushed up his glasses. Manigoldo only showed optimism; he didn't seem to hate death that much.

Aside from initially going after the God of Death, he didn't show much of his inner thoughts.

“Idiot, that's why you're just Shinpachi-chi, you'll never become Shinichi!”

Gintoki looked at Shinpachi with a disappointed expression.

“True hatred never surfaces. Manigoldo truly hates it to his core.”

 。。。。。

【 “Don't be reckless. You almost got torn to pieces.” The Pope held a charm in front of him, scolding Manigoldo.

Blood flowed from Manigoldo's face, and he knelt on one knee on the ground. For a moment, he had lost consciousness, and even his helmet had fallen to the ground.

“Even if I'm considered useless by the gods. Even if I'm trash, I still want to shine brilliantly once.”

Although Thanatos was somewhat surprised that Manigoldo was still alive, “Saved by the Gold Cloth? A Cloth that has never been destroyed since the Age of Myths, indeed, it's not just for show.”

“But... you yourself are too fragile.”

The God of Death Thanatos' right hand emitted Cosmo, and gently clenched, a strange power instantly struck Manigoldo's abdomen.

Manigoldo's pupils immediately dilated, a gush of blood surged from his body, and then he heavily collapsed to the ground, his life hanging in the balance. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“LITTLE—MA—GE!! What exactly did Thanatos do? Did he directly bypass the Cloth and attack his body?”

“So the Cloth really isn't just for show. I was wondering why anyone would make clothes out of gold. Wouldn't it be heavy? Turns out it's actually useful!”

Since the Age of Myths, having gone through so many Holy Wars, the Gold Cloth, which had never shattered, somehow broke just by touching the Terrible Providence for an instant.

This also indirectly showed the immensely powerful strength of the God of Death. Or rather, it was already good that he didn't die just now.

It's just a pity for this playful Little Ma Ge. After all, his opponent is a god. Otherwise, if he had encountered other Specters, even one of the Three Judges, he might not have been without a fighting chance.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Damn it, and he said he wanted to shine once, stand up! What have you accomplished if you just lie there?”

Manigoldo looked at himself lying on the ground with some resentment.

Since you said you wanted to shine once, don't you dare die here... leaving Master alone to fight the God of Death.

Manigoldo wasn't afraid of death; he was just afraid of dying meaninglessly.

“Calm down, MANIGOLDO!”

The Pope looked at his beloved disciple, whose life was unknown, yet he remained calm.

“What needs to be done now is to carefully observe Thanatos' techniques, so that when you encounter them again, you'll have a chance.”

Instead of grieving over death now, it's better to remember Thanatos' techniques and prepare countermeasures, because future battles are the key.

 。。。。。

Chapter 269: Little Brother Ma's single punch invigorated everyone's hearts!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Facing this sudden turn of events, the Pope was powerless. Just resisting the Terrible Providence was enough to prevent him from helping Manigoldo.

He couldn't help but once again marvel at Thanatos's immense power, which sent shivers down his spine, a feeling he hadn't experienced in over two hundred years.

But Thanatos, the God of Death in the sky, was still pressing on, raising his hands again, and the second Terrible Providence began to coalesce.

If it hit them, both master and disciple would likely perish on the spot.

“HMM—?!”

At this moment, Thanatos noticed a new change. Countless talismans fluttered throughout the Pope's palace. These talismans, imbued with the power of the previous generation's Athena, were actually suppressing the God of Death's power.

Thanatos stopped his movements and looked at the numerous talismans beside him,

“Athena's talismans, mere parlor tricks...”

The Pope, at this moment, raised the talismans in his hand, and the area gradually became covered by a golden Cosmos.

“THE CAGE OF GUARDIAN TALISMANS—!”

“This formation even weakened your master's power. NOW, THE POWERLESS ONE IS YOU!!”

“I won't ever allow you to take the life of this unfilial disciple.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I say, Your Holiness... how much more do you have? Just take it all out. Are these talismans really not your coffin money that you've been saving for hundreds of years?”

Everyone from other worlds stared dumbfounded at the talismans fluttering everywhere. Was the previous generation's Athena a ruthless talisman-making machine? How much did she leave you? It's like you'll never run out.

Whether the previous generation's Athena was strong or not, people didn't know, but at least they knew her blood must have been thick enough; otherwise, how could she withstand such torment?

“How much blood did it take to draw so many talismans! The previous generation's Athena didn't bleed to death from writing talismans, did she...?”

 。。。。。

〜Detective Conan World〜

Haibara Ai looked at this scene with a somewhat dazed expression, then numbly put down her coffee,

“Was the previous generation's Athena really not captured by the Saints and bled dry?”

At this moment, Ai even wondered if the Saints were truly not villains. And Pope, you should be more frugal! Who can withstand such extravagance! Even if Athena didn't die, she must have been anemic.

The “Cage of Guardian Talismans” technique appears to require a substantial number of talismans, and the key is that the Pope actually possessed enough talismans to use this technique twice...

Conan shrugged helplessly,

“There's no other way. You can't even imagine how tough it was for the previous generation to fight. Without rosaries, how could they have managed without Athena's talismans?”

It's not like they didn't know how disadvantaged the previous generation was; without these, they couldn't fight at all.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

“Something's not right...”

Archer, observing this scene, frowned slightly. Although the Pope seemed to have regained the upper hand, there was a strange feeling.

Rin Tohsaka also nodded. Her keen perception also made her notice something unusual:

“Even though he's surrounded by talismans, Thanatos doesn't show the slightest tension.”

One could even say he didn't take them seriously. What was the source of Thanatos's immense confidence?! After all, these were talismans that could even weaken Hades's power.

Illya pondered for a moment, then continued:

“Or perhaps Thanatos is hiding some trump card?”

After all, he was a god; he might still be hiding some powerful ultimate move.

 。。。。。

【 He thought that with the power of the talismans, he could completely suppress the God of Death, Thanatos, but Thanatos in the sky still looked utterly disdainful.

“Heh heh... Do you think these ancient talismans can suppress me, the God of Death, THANATOS?!”

Thanatos's eyes narrowed, and a purple light suddenly exploded in front of him. In just an instant, all the talismans were completely destroyed.

The powerful impact sent the Pope crashing into the stone pillar behind him. The violent energy fluctuations even blew up the Pope's palace, and countless massive stones, along with the Pope's helmet, fell into the Forest of Death.

As the smoke cleared, the Pope, who had been hit head-on, emerged from the stone pillar, his figure stooped. At this moment, he truly looked like an old man.

But Thanatos's disdainful laughter came from the sky,

“The efficacy of these talismans only lasts for two hundred years at most. They've long been worn out. How many do you have left now?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Expired talismans are harmful! If these talismans were still effective, the situation wouldn't be like this.”

“Damn it, they actually have an expiration date! I should have known to ask the modern Athena to draw some more. Give him some freshly made talismans, let's see if he's still so arrogant!”

Everyone also never expected the problem to be due to expired talismans. As expected, you can't use the swords of a previous dynasty to deal with the officials of the current one; problems will arise sooner or later.

It's not that expired talismans have no effect, but they have little effect and simply cannot suppress Thanatos, the God of Death.

Everyone from other worlds looked at the stooped Pope, who had just been full of vigor, and then realized that the Pope was also an old man, over two hundred years old.

 。。。。。

【 Then Thanatos once again conjured a Terrible Providence. Purple light, accompanied by electric flashes, was clearly visible in the sky.

“How much longer can you last?! UNDER THIS TERRIBLE PROVIDENCE!!”

At this moment, the Pope knew that he might have underestimated the power of the God of Death. All the talismans had also been used up. Even the Pope didn't believe he could defeat Thanatos in front of him at this moment.

But...

“As the Pope, as a survivor of the previous Holy War, EVEN IF IT MEANS MUTUAL DESTRUCTION!!”

When he came here, he had already prepared for mutual destruction. Just as the Pope was about to use his final move.

Suddenly, a golden figure leaped high from the ground, then delivered a heavy punch to the arrogant face of the God of Death.

Bang—

“Don't touch my master, YOU STINKY GOD!!”

Thanatos, having taken a punch, his pupils dilated, his gaze blank. This sudden punch sent him into a daze, and the Terrible Providence in his hand also dissipated.

And after Manigoldo delivered this punch, as his body fell weakly, he looked at the Pope, like a child who had scored 100 points, eager for praise.

“Master, I punched the God of Death.”

After Manigoldo finished speaking in a weak voice, he fell back to the ground, motionless. Only the punch mark on the God of Death's face proved that everything that had just happened was not an illusion. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Manigoldo's unexpected punch directly struck everyone's hearts. Although Manigoldo could be a bit reckless, isn’t that just part of being a young man?

“Holy cow—that punch was just too cool! It proves that Manigoldo really did it. Ratings must be full!”

“I knew Manigoldo wouldn't fall so easily! One punch completely stunned the God of Death. CANCER IS AWESOME!!”

Manigoldo's punch, like a final burst of energy, couldn't cause much damage, but the psychological damage was immense. Being punched by a human, whom he considered dust, where would such an arrogant God of Death put his face?!

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

“That punch was indeed unexpected. I thought a new Gold Saint had come to save the day.”

Seeing this scene, Urahara Kisuke shook his head with a slight regret. The God of Death's previous attack had already left Manigoldo on the verge of death. The actual damage from this punch was actually very low...

But the symbolic meaning was different. This full-power punch, born from a hatred for death etched into his bones, was humanity's mockery and counterattack against death!

“Manigoldo of Cancer, he truly is a different person.”

His personality, how should I put it, he looks at life and death with indifference, and if you don't agree, he'll fight. Who cares what kind of god you are?! He'll hit you regardless.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“HAHAHA!!!, Master, I punched him, didn't I? DID YOU SEE THE GOD OF DEATH'S EXPRESSION?!”

Laughter echoed through the grand Pope's Hall. For Manigoldo, there was nothing happier than making Thanatos look bad.

“Yes, I saw it. No disciple can make me prouder than you.”

The Pope also rarely showed a slight smile.

The other Gold Saints looked at the wildly laughing man with complex emotions. The power of the God of Death was beyond their imagination, but Manigoldo actually punched Thanatos in the face.

At this moment, even those in the Pope's Hall could hear the excited shouts of the Saints outside.

Manigoldo's punch proved that gods were not out of reach. Gods could also be injured, bled, and hit. They were just slightly stronger humans!

On the other side, Thanatos's eyes were already bloodshot, and unspoken rage distorted his face.

If Hypnos hadn't stopped him, he would have probably rushed to the Sanctuary and dragged Manigoldo of Cancer into hell for some torment.

“Hmph... cherish your remaining time, MANIGOLDO OF CANCER! The price of angering a god will be something you'll thoroughly enjoy.”

Thanatos's face was gloomy as he uttered a harsh threat, only hoping for the start of the Holy War. Manigoldo had already become his target.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Deathmask, come out and get beaten! Look at Manigoldo, then look at yourself...”

Mu of Aries was utterly puzzled. Even though they were both Gold Saints of Cancer, why was there such a huge difference?

Only at this moment did he realize that it wasn't Cancer that was weak, but Deathmask.

And in the Five Old Peaks, the outwardly aged Dohko also showed a look of nostalgia. Manigoldo had experienced such a thrilling battle back then.

“Seeing my old comrades shine once again is truly exciting!”

Sitting alone on the Five Old Peaks for hundreds of years, he couldn't help but recall the past scenes.

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Next is Capricorn. After finishing the anime plot, the manga might be written for each Gold Saint individually, and some plot points might be skipped.

Chapter 270: The glorious Cancer, Manigoldo, gave his life!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “Unforgivable... MERE HUMANS—!!” This powerful punch directly ignited Thanatos's fury. At this moment, his eyes were wide with rage, his fists clenched, and his terrifying Cosmo erupted once more.

Black lightning filled the entire palace, and a strong gust of wind directly sent Manigoldo flying. The Gods' Pathway was opened again.

The entire palace floated in a void, surrounded by a vast starry sky, just like the universe.

“I will make both of you disappear, body and soul, INTO THE GODS' PATHWAY!!”

Thanatos's angry roar echoed through the vast space.

Manigoldo, stumbling, walked to the Pope's side and asked the Pope, who seemed to have everything planned: “Master, how many talismans do you have left for this place?!”

Facing such a crisis, Pope Sage still had a smile on his face and replied with great composure: “Unfortunately, not a single one.”

Manigoldo stylishly scratched his head, then also laughed: “Eh, well, we're dead then.”

The Pope smiled slightly, his gaze fixed on Thanatos: “Don't speak of despair so easily, I still have a trick up my sleeve!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Pfft, hahaha—he's panicking, he's panicking. Oh, Thanatos, God of Death, you've messed up this time, you've lost all face.”

“Human fearlessness in the face of death is the greatest insult to the God of Death.”

Everyone looked at the incredibly carefree master and disciple, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. At a time like this, they still looked so relaxed. No wonder they were master and disciple; Manigoldo's personality was cast from the same mold as his master's.

These two masters and disciples truly had no fear of death. Both had a defiant personality, coupled with their elegant composure in the face of death; it was simply amazing.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Isn't Manigoldo's personality a bit too erratic?”

Albafica looked at the two incredibly carefree individuals, only to say that they were indeed the Pope's disciples.

Little Lion Regulus, beside him, nodded obediently.

Sisyphus looked at the screen with some surprise. Under such circumstances, the Pope still had a trick up his sleeve?!

But how to break the Gods' Pathway was a problem... The Pope no longer had talismans, and a human body being sucked in meant certain death.

“Pope, do you still have any strategies left?”

Pope Sage and Hakurei exchanged glances, and both shook their heads, without much explanation: “Just keep watching, and you'll know.”

The hidden method they had now would probably be exposed. After this, it seemed they would have to think of new ways to deal with the God of Death... But even so, they wanted to know if this could seal the God of Death!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

“He still has a trick up his sleeve even now?!”

Miyu felt her head ache because, without talismans to break the Gods' Pathway, it was a dead end.

Indeed, having an elder at home was different; they had many ideas and rich experience. They even had a countermeasure for such a certain-death situation.

It was hard to imagine how strict the selection of the Pope was. It felt like Sage alone had raised the ceiling for the Pope, making it difficult for future candidates...

Illya also quietly complained,

“Powerful... intelligent, plus the Pope's identity, if he were in a TV show, he would definitely be a villain~.”

But he didn't play by the rules; this Pope was quite righteous!

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, Manigoldo, hearing the word despair, also fell into a flashback... (Won't write it out!)

As a child, Manigoldo, who was arrogant due to his powerful strength, was taken by his master Sage to Yomotsu Hirasaka, and only then realized what despair was. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Manigoldo really owes a lot to the Pope for being a good master; otherwise, he would have gone astray long ago.”

“You should discipline them when necessary, otherwise they'll become arrogant, right, some handsome guy from the next generation of Cancer?”

Everyone nodded at the Pope's teaching method. That's how they should be taught, but... why do they always throw people into the Underworld at the slightest disagreement, really treating it like a backyard to visit occasionally?

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Although I also die often and get resurrected by the goddess, it's not this frequent...”

Kazuma's mouth twitched at this scene. The Underworld is really a place you can come and go as you please! If I were the manager of the Underworld, I'd at least lock it up.

It's like a thief constantly breaking into an empty house, practicing daily in the enemy's stronghold, is that polite?!

“I have to say, Manigoldo was full of compassion even as a child.”

Trying to snatch people from the Underworld, Manigoldo, you are truly brave.

 。。。。。

【 “How dare you lay hands on me, a god? This sin shall be repaid by your bodies.” At this moment, the enraged Thanatos directly fired an energy ball from his hand!

“BOOM—!”

The energy ball exploded behind them, and the huge impact almost sucked Manigoldo into the pathway.

“Damn it, this suction is no joke!”

Manigoldo gritted his teeth, supporting his body; one slip and he would be annihilated.

As the palace was continuously sucked into the pathway, there was little space left for Manigoldo and the Pope to stand.

Looking at the two incredibly disheveled individuals, Thanatos began to boast and mock again, continuing to release his inner rage.

“Let's start with your arrogant disciple.”

In a breath, the floor of the palace collapsed again. Manigoldo was unable to dodge.

One leg was caught in it, blood splattered, his right leg was instantly severed, and he fell heavily to the ground.

“Damn it, THANATOS! PRAESEPE UNDERWORLD WAVES—!!”

In a flash, Pope Sage struck again, a blue light flashing from his finger, pointing directly at Thanatos in the air, attempting to peel Thanatos's soul from that body!

“WHAT—!”

The blue light symbolizing the soul danced continuously, and the black-haired body gradually appeared from the Surplice, the soul beginning to be peeled from the flesh.

“I heard your true body is in the Underworld's Elysium, so your current body is just a temporary shell.”

The Pope gritted his teeth, supporting his right hand. If he could peel it off, then he would see an opportunity.

But the power of the God of Death far exceeded his imagination. After only a brief moment of surprise, Thanatos's soul returned to his body...

“Mere humans, actually trying to shake a god's soul, HOW RIDICULOUS!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Manigoldo's leg!! The power of the Gods' Pathway is truly immense; one leg instantly evaporated.”

“Holy crap, this skill is too outrageous. I originally thought it was just a prerequisite skill, but it can even be used against a god...!!”

Although it was only for a moment, everyone from other worlds saw it clearly: the soul of the God of Death Thanatos was indeed peeled off!

Damn it, I originally thought this move was just a ticket for a trip to the Underworld, but I didn't expect it to work on a god. There really isn't a simple move.

It's just that having this power to deal with the God of Death is a waste; using it against Specters would be a massacre.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“...So this is 'Praesepe Underworld Waves—'.”

At this moment, Deathmask of Cancer, though unwilling to admit it, felt that compared to them, what he learned was street vendor trash.

Not to mention other skills that weren't passed down, even his not-so-proficient 'Underworld Waves' was surpassed by others...

Who would have thought that this move could even work on a god? Can someone tell me how these guys practice?

Aphrodite looked in the direction of the Cancer Temple with complicated eyes. How did this Deathmask manage to be so arrogant with his current strength?

“If you're bad, practice more...”

Look at them, you can't even compare with the same move, let alone this being your most proficient move.

 。。。。。

【 Just as Thanatos regained control of his body, and Sage fell into despair, another azure light shot towards Thanatos.

Manigoldo supported himself on the ground with one hand, dragging his crippled body back into the fight, and his power seemed to surpass the Pope's!

“Damn it, I've longed for death since I was a child, but more than longing, I FEEL HATRED!”

Then the master and disciple exchanged glances. Although Manigoldo didn't know why his master insisted on pulling out the God of Death's soul, everything was understood without words. The master and disciple attacked together!

“PRAESEPE UNDERWORLD WAVES—”

'Praesepe underworld waves' was launched again towards Thanatos. At this moment, Thanatos finally felt a slight panic at the tenacity of humans.

Energy bullets continuously attacked downwards from his hand, making the already shattered palace even more dilapidated.

“No matter what you do, my soul will return to this body! Until you are exhausted.”

But at this moment, even with his soul pulled out, Thanatos still believed that the master and disciple's attacks would not cause him any harm.

Until...

A golden light flashed, and Manigoldo of Cancer leaped from the ground on one leg, grabbed the God of Death's physical body, and pushed him towards the Gods' Pathway.

“Is that so?! In that case, you are nothing but dust...”

The next second, under Thanatos's shocked gaze, his physical body was pulverized by the Gods' Pathway.

And Manigoldo also vanished into nothingness at that instant, leaving only his last words.

“Holy Cloth, return to your original owner.”

The once defiant Manigoldo now only left the Cancer Gold Cloth floating beside his master.

“MANIGOLDO—!!”

The Pope's sorrowful cry echoed through this space. Everything that just happened was too fast, too fast for him to react. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Translator:kun eyyyy, it's been a year since I started this translation. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY in this Project!! I'm busy right now, but I have a surprise in store for everyone - maybe next month? ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧)- 14/11/25

Chapter 271: A Divine Priest is just one more step to becoming the Pope...!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“MA-NI-GOLD! Damn it, can't a Gold Saint live? Why do they all meet such tragic ends?”

“Everyone has flesh and blood. Watching them die with my own eyes really makes me feel terrible.”

Now, almost all the Gold Saints who appeared alone are dead, and each one died more heroically than the last. This war is simply too cruel for humanity.

Manigoldo truly gave his all, not even leaving a corpse. Only the still-glowing Cancer Cloth remained, guarding his respected master.

Aside from anything else, just watching Manigoldo's life-for-a-life maneuver was enough to shock everyone.

The path of the gods... a realm humans cannot tread, yet Manigoldo fearlessly took the body of the God of Death with him.

“He was still a bit too impulsive, wasn't he? Didn't the Pope say he had a trick up his sleeve?”

Everyone from other worlds felt that Manigoldo was a bit impulsive... but just exchanging his life for the God of Death's record was enough to make him stand out among the Gold Saints.

Perhaps in Thanatos's eyes, humans were as insignificant as dust, but Manigoldo's final sacrifice to destroy the God of Death's possessed body also proved to Thanatos that humans were not as weak as he thought.

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

“Besides the first time he resisted the terrifying Heavenly Fate, this is already the second time he's risked his life to protect his master, isn't it?”

Itadori's expression was somber as he looked at Manigoldo, who didn't even leave a corpse. Even in death, he still thought of putting the Cancer Cloth on his master.

“Yes, that's Cancer, the cool and powerful Manigoldo.”

Kugisaki Nobara nodded silently.

This master-disciple relationship is truly touching. Although Manigoldo didn't know the Pope's purpose in drawing out the God of Death's soul, he was filled with trust in the Pope.

Manigoldo learned the principles of life from the Pope, and therefore greatly respected him, willing to give his life for him! Although he appeared cynical on the outside, he was incredibly gentle on the inside.

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline〜

Giorno’s eyes widened as he beheld the radiant golden soul burning within Manigoldo—a brilliance that rivaled the sun itself.

“To praise humanity... is to praise courage itself! With pride and resolve like this, humans can momentarily surpass even gods!”

The difference between gods and humans is insurmountable, but Manigoldo's pride, this attitude of looking down even on gods, completely displayed humanity's fearlessness!

Mista slammed his fist into his palm, shouting:

“EVERY. GOLDEN. SAINT. IS A TRUE MAN!”

Thanatos, as a god, his arrogance that made him underestimate humans too much. Manigoldo was truly the first human to ever beat a god in the true sense.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

At this moment, Merlin noticed the power of that Underworld Wave.

“Manigoldo's 'Underworld Waves' seems to be even more powerful than the Pope's. Their combined strength directly separated the God of Death's soul from his body.”

As expected of Manigoldo, who could see souls since childhood. If he were still alive, he might very well become the next Pope.

The Wise King Gilgamesh watched Manigoldo's death scene and finally put down his clay tablet, slowly crossing his arms.

“Gods will ultimately fall due to their arrogance. The battle between gods and humans is not without hope.”

Although he didn't know what the Pope intended to do, his persistence in drawing out the God of Death's soul must have had its meaning, perhaps even being the most crucial step in defeating the God of Death.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“YOU FOOL! Manigoldo, what foolish thing are you doing?”

The usually composed Pope lost his usual calm as he watched Manigoldo die.

Everything happened too fast in that instant, even his screen self didn't react... or rather, Manigoldo's actions were beyond his expectation.

Although sealing the God of Death was his goal, he wanted Manigoldo to live more. He shouldn't have been so impulsive; he naturally had a way to deal with the God of Death's body.

Manigoldo laughed freely, scratching his head.

“Master, IT'S NOTHING! Taking the God of Death's body with me is worth it.”

Isn't it? Seeing the God of Death's look of impotent rage was simply worth the price.

 。。。。。

Manigoldo seemed utterly unconcerned, feeling he had profited, while Thanatos, on the other side, also looked satisfied, a truly win-win situation.

“Hahaha, this is the price for angering a god. Disappear in the passage, BODY AND SOUL!”

Thanatos felt a sudden enlightenment. This annoying Cancer was finally dead. All that remained was an old man who had lived for hundreds of years. Dealing with him would be effortless.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“I can't help but think the priest possessed by the God of Death seems rather pitiful... Surely someone should stand up for him?”

Tohsaka Rin, whose focus was different from everyone else, felt a bit strange. Perhaps having witnessed Ishtar descending by possessing her own body, watching the priest die like that gave her a sense of shared suffering.

He was inexplicably possessed by the God of Death while alive, and now, just as the God of Death's soul was stripped away, he hadn't even had a few breaths of fresh air before he was gone again...

This person was simply too unlucky. His death was more unjust than Veronica's.

As soon as Tohsaka Rin said this, everyone present was speechless, looking at each other, not knowing what to say.

The key was that what she said made a lot of sense!

This priest was truly a capital “tragic.” If Tohsaka Rin hadn't brought it up, they wouldn't even have noticed him.

 。。。。。

【 At the cost of his own life, Manigoldo finally destroyed the God of Death's body. Looking at the remaining Golden Cancer Cloth, Sage could no longer suppress his inner grief and let out a roar.

But at this moment, Thanatos, with only a soul remaining, was still incredibly arrogant. For him, it was merely the loss of a body, nothing painful or itchy!

He could have as many vessels as he wanted, and the Pope Sage before him was an excellent choice.

As he spoke, the God of Death's soul drilled into the Pope's body, and the black Star symbol, representing the God of Death's power, appeared on the Pope's forehead.

“With your body as the Pope, I can move freely within the Sanctuary and easily take Athena's head.”

The God of Death momentarily forgot himself, fantasizing about taking over the Pope's body and wreaking havoc in the Sanctuary.

But... the next moment! Thanatos heard the Pope's slightly mocking voice.

“What's wrong, Thanatos?! Do you find my body inconvenient to use?”

The Pope, who had been in pain, calmed down and stood up directly. Thanatos then discovered with horror that his possession had not succeeded.

“I already said, THE POPE IS ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE GODS!”

The Pope tore off the robe from his chest, revealing the Silver Altar Cloth of Hakurei, and Thanatos' soul was being sealed within it.

“This is my brother's Silver Altar Cloth. My brother and I spent over two hundred years continuously injecting power into this Cloth.”

“Now you are like a bird in a cage, unable to escape.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Watching the Pope being possessed just now, my heart almost stopped. I thought Manigoldo's sacrifice was in vain. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm.”

“The Pope is one step ahead of the gods. This damned sense of security, how reliable are you, YOUR HOLINESS!”

Everyone from other worlds felt a strong sense of security from the Pope, far exceeding the oppressive feeling brought by the God of Death.

He had probably anticipated this scene and had been wearing this Altar Cloth since he arrived, but he hadn't expected Manigoldo to die because of it.

Even though the Pope traveled thousands of miles to save him, Manigoldo only thought of exchanging his life for the God of Death's.

“Now I finally understand why the Golden Cloth Manigoldo left behind when he died wasn't worn by the Pope! It turns out he already had a set on.”

So, this Cloth thing can actually be worn interchangeably. People from other worlds thought that the Cloths, ranked by constellations, were fixed for each person.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Are we really wearing the same Cloth...?”

Deathmask routinely doubted his life.

One thing he knew was why he only had one move; it was because of a gap in the inheritance.

Manigoldo, you two master and disciple should at least pass on your skills before setting off! Now I only know one Underworld Wave with no killing power...

“It's a good thing he only knows one 'Underworld Waves', otherwise he'd want to be the Pope too.”

Aphrodite secretly rejoiced. Look how proud he is with just one 'Underworld Waves'.

If he learned all the moves, his tail would surely be wagging in the sky.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

Seireitei, Soul Society

“Excellent... This segment of sealing the God of Death was truly excellent. The strength and strategy of both master and disciple were fully displayed.”

Urahara Kisuke waved his fan, his brows filled with admiration. When faced with an unbeatable opponent, one can only compensate with strategy.

A Cloth infused with power for over two hundred years... From the end of the previous Holy War, they had already begun preparing for this day? What astonishing dedication!

This two-hundred-year plan could be said to have largely fulfilled the Pope's predictions, except for Manigoldo's death.

But it was truly too despairing. Thanatos displayed the arrogance and oppression of a god to the fullest.

Yet, humans fought so desperately, costing Manigoldo's life, using every possible means, and only achieving this result when Thanatos was careless.

They could only seal him. Can gods truly not be completely killed?

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator:kun eyyyy, it's been a year since I started this translation. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY in this Project!! I'm busy right now, but I have a surprise in store for everyone - maybe next month? ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧) - 14/11/25

Chapter 272: The Death God's seal is successful! The wish has been fulfilled.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 As a god, yet sealed by humans he had always looked down upon, Thanatos felt an unprecedented sense of humiliation, roaring in endless fury.

“In that case, I'LL COMPLETELY DESTROY YOUR SOUL FIRST! WHAT CAN TWO OLD GEEZERS' COSMOS DO?!”

As his voice fell, Sage's body began to splatter with blood, his body continuously being destroyed by the God of Death, attempting to break the seal. Even the Pope was tormented by the pain, letting out a muffled groan.

But... having come so far, how could the Pope give up so easily?

“It's not just the two of us; behind me are former comrades and the flowers of the next generation.”

As the Pope placed his hand on the Altar Cloth on his chest, a dazzling golden light burst forth from it. Accompanied by golden lightning, a box was pulled out.

“It is for them... THAT I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY LIFE!!”

Thanatos visibly panicked. Having always utterly disdained humans, Thanatos finally felt fear this time: “What?! There's actually something like this in a Cloth.”

“This is the Holy Ark Athena gave me in this life. If you are sealed by this, you won't escape even in a few hundred years.”

The Pope's words, however, were met with Thanatos's rage. His whole body began to crack, wounds appearing, and blood constantly gushing out.

“BASTARD!!! I am the God of Death; humans cannot control me.”

The Pope, who had no more strength to stand, knelt on the ground. Facing Thanatos's fury, the Pope instead smiled.

“Game over, God of Death!”

“Stop—!”

The Pope slowly placed his hand on the Holy Ark: “My plan this time might not be perfect, Manigoldo; it also cost you your life.”

As the Holy Ark was opened, a dazzling golden light shot up into the sky. Accompanied by the God of Death's screams, the God of Death's soul was successfully sealed inside the Holy Ark, and then the Pope slowly closed the lid.

“Lady Athena, brother, I leave the rest to you.”

With the Pope's dying words, in an instant, the world suddenly fell silent. The Pantheon channel dissipated, and the Pope looked up, quietly gazing at the clear blue sky. The Gold Cloth transformed into a golden light and shot straight into the firmament.

The Pope's body was also buried as the Palace collapsed. In the Sanctuary, at the cost of the Pope and Manigoldo's sacrifice, the Holy Ark, sealing the God of Death, returned to the Sanctuary.

“Sage, you've worked hard.” Athena, somewhat sadly, stepped forward and cupped the Holy Ark in her hands. Her Cosmos covered it, thoughtfully locking it.

Shion looked at the Holy Ark before him and also felt Sage's Cosmos disappear: “Finally, my long-cherished wish has been fulfilled.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“OLD—POPE—!!! Suddenly feels like I got bricks in my eyes... He's already so old, why be so hot-blooded! It almost made me cry.”

“This can no longer be called Cancer; both master and disciple are king crabs, truly strong!”

“How ironic, Thanatos, the God of Death, was sealed by the humans he always looked down upon.Even in his final moments, all he could do was rage helplessly.”

Carrying the regret of not being able to save his comrades in the previous Holy War, Pope Sage relied on this regret to sustain himself and live for over 200 years.

To prevent the same events from happening in the previous Holy War, he took one of the Twin Gods, the God of Death, with him before he left. For the flowers of the next generation, he was willing to sacrifice himself, forging a brand new path.

Everyone in other worlds couldn't help but sigh, these master and disciple are truly remarkable, or rather, humans are truly remarkable. The resilience and courage of humanity will be etched beneath the stars.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

“Is this the Holy War?!...”

The Saints are truly fighting for their beliefs, wielding their fists. Even with gods before them, Ichigo Kurosaki never saw any fear in their eyes.

Pisces with shattered bones, Virgo with self-sacrifice, Taurus with self-destroyed ears, Cancer with a broken leg... the brutality of war, coupled with unstoppable sacrifices.

“Eh... I hope the remaining Gold Saints all have a good ending.”

As Ichigo sighed, he could only silently pray for them to win this Holy War. They had paid enough.

Meanwhile, from the depths of Hueco Mundo, Aizen observed the scene, a faint, calculating smile gracing his lips.

“How intriguing... Athena proves herself a worthy equal to Hades. That she could bestow upon a mere human an artifact capable of sealing a 'God of Death'... It seems even gods are not above using pawns to transcend their own limitations.”

He paused, eyes glinting with cold amusement.

It seems she even added another layer of sealing. Does that count as an alternative way of adding a lock?! But just this alone shows that Athena is no ordinary person.

It's just a pity that the old Pope and Manigoldo died here; otherwise, with their techniques, they would have been a great weapon against the Hades Specter army.

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

“Phew—it's finally over.”

It was high-octane throughout, and Laios and the others, who had been holding their breath, finally relaxed after the Pope successfully sealed the God of Death.

“To seal the God of Death, Manigoldo's sacrifice was unavoidable...”

The experienced Laios immediately replayed the events in his mind.

Marcille nodded:

“That's right, one of the essential conditions for the plan's success was to destroy the God of Death's physical body.”

And the second essential condition... was that only the Pope's body remained in the space for the God of Death to choose, and Manigoldo had to be there.

Because without Manigoldo, the Pope alone couldn't pull out the God of Death's soul.

This might be one of the imperfections in the Pope's plan; Manigoldo's sacrifice simply couldn't be prevented.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Two people put their lives on the line just to seal the God of Death; they couldn't even manage to kill a god...”

Rin Tohsaka couldn't help but wonder if human power truly couldn't reach the gods. A plan thought out for over 200 years only managed to seal him, and it still took two lives to do so.

Illya shook her head:

“Rin, don't overthink it. If human power could kill gods, then so-called gods would just be powerful humans.”

Archer, beside her, frowned.

Just one God of Death costs a Gold Saint and the Pope. What about the other God of Sleep?!

Eh... how many more Gold Saints' lives would it take to seal him? This Holy War is too difficult.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Finally, my long-cherished wish has been fulfilled.”

The Pope, seeing that the God of Death was truly sealed, felt both joy and sadness.

He couldn't save his disciple. To seal the God of Death, he caused Manigoldo to lose his life.

“TRULY WORTHY OF POPE-SAMA—!!!”

“POPE-SAMA, YOU ARE AMAZING!!!”

The Saints outside the Sanctuary continuously cheered for the Pope, who had paved the way for them. The achievement of sealing the God of Death was enough for them to be proud.

And in the Pope's Chamber, Manigoldo walked up to the Pope, putting his hand on his shoulder like two brothers. This seemingly disrespectful act was not stopped by anyone.

“Master, although the God of Death is truly sealed, your plan is useless now.”

Manigoldo, with his arm around the Pope's shoulder like a brother, seemed slightly worried. The appearance of the video might disrupt his master's plan.

The subsequent action to seal the God of Death would not be so easy.

The Pope smiled calmly:

“Didn't I say? Perhaps my plan isn't perfect, so why not just think of a perfect one!”

The God of Death's abilities have also been mostly exposed. At this moment, he might utterly hate himself and Manigoldo. In the upcoming Holy War, he might even come looking for them to take advantage of this.

 。。。。。

【 And in Aries Temple, Shion noticed the change in the Pope's Chamber and was about to investigate when he met Manigoldo there.

The other party was holding the Pope's helmet, leaning against a stone pillar, but at this moment, there was no shadow on the ground.

However, he was still him, still as free-spirited and rebellious as ever, throwing the Pope's helmet to Shion.

“This is something from my old man for your old man; I'll leave the rest to you.”

After Manigoldo finished speaking, his figure dissipated, leaving only a still-glowing Cancer Cloth in place.

Watching Manigoldo dissipate, Shion was somewhat stunned, standing there blankly against the blowing wind. He didn't linger too long and continued towards the Pope's Chamber.

And Tenma, far away in the Forest of Death, also encountered the deceased Manigoldo.

Tenma, realizing what had happened, sadly turned his head away.

“Manigoldo? You're safe?”

“Sorry, but I can't babysit you anymore—goodbye...”

“You.....”

Seeing Tenma like this, Manigoldo was the first to tease,

“What, are you still a kid?”

“See you.”

Facing the sad and reluctant Tenma, Manigoldo didn't say much, just a free-spirited wave of his hand as he turned and left the place completely, fading into specks of golden light. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No shadow, the broken leg was also intact. The one who appeared before Shion was Manigoldo's lingering soul on the Cloth.”

“My Manigoldo! This farewell without tears, without many words, so free-spirited even in death.”

Big brother, you're already dead, just be serious, stop messing with Tenma...

Manigoldo truly lived a free-spirited life, seeing through life and death with utmost clarity. In the end, he still had to meet everyone in Yomotsu Hirasaka, jumping into that deep pit, falling into hell.

Shion once again witnessed a comrade die before him, not knowing what to feel. But this is war; there isn't even time to grieve. It's helpless.

Everyone in other worlds also liked Manigoldo's personality. Although seemingly rebellious on the surface, his actions were truly cool. In the Forest of Death, he told Tenma he would return, but unfortunately, only his lingering soul returned.

And he didn't expect that this return was for a farewell...

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: No time to mourn for him; the next one to go to the battlefield is Capricorn. Let them see what Sword Two is.)

( Translator-kun: I never watched the TLC series... So, every Gold Saint will die, except for those who show up in the Toeiverse of Saint Seiya? Or is this one different from the Toeiverse of Saint Seiya... what is called again? Shioriverse? )

Chapter 273: Capricorn El Cid!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts to Hades City, where Hypnos, the God of Sleep, reaches out to catch a chess piece falling from the sky. He has already sensed that Thanatos, the God of Death, has been sealed.

But at this moment, Hypnos is still leisurely sipping tea, showing no intention of saving the God of Death. Instead, he blames him for not being calm enough: “Thanatos, you fell into a trap because you underestimated your opponent too much.”

“You can stay in that Holy Coffin and cool down for a few hundred years. For a god, that's just a fleeting moment.”

Putting down his teacup, the Four Dream Gods appear out of thin air behind him, then respectfully kneel to await the God of Sleep's command.

“There's someone you need to deal with. Although that guy is as good as dead now, to prevent him from waking up, lock him in the prison you guard.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What truly fraternal brothers! Such a harmonious brotherhood... not only did he watch the God of Death get sealed, but he also mocked him.”

“Although I don't want to admit it, these few hundred years might just be like a short nap for a god.”

However, this is the most despairing part. Humans spent hundreds of years planning and risking their lives, at most only managing to get a god locked in a small dark room, which is neither painful nor itchy for a god.

In Hypnos's view, being sealed for a few hundred years is merely like a mortal taking a good nap and reflecting, which is quite equivalent to letting his brother sleep it off and reflect.

People from other worlds also vaguely sensed that something was wrong. The Holy War, for which humans fought to the death, might just be a game for the gods.

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Tsk... this just got even harder to fight.”

On the shores of the lake in the southwest region of Aincrad's 22nd floor, Kirito, who was living a leisurely married life in this beautiful environment, also frowned slightly.

Hypnos's demeanor is completely different from Thanatos, the God of Death. He is very calm and doesn't underestimate people... who can defeat such an opponent!

“Sigh... I fear that Hypnos alone might claim the lives of countless Saints.”

Asuna, who had retired from the (strategy group), also sighed.

Hypnos is like a boss on the first floor, ridiculously powerful like the God of Death, but crucially, he's smarter than the God of Death. He can't be dealt with by just a surge of passion.

Perhaps next, they can only make up for the huge gap in strength with human lives.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

There are more?! How difficult was the previous Holy War?”

Leo Aiolia looked at the re-emerging Four Dream Gods, somewhat lost in thought.

Four more gods have appeared. Perhaps they can't compare to the Twin Gods, but they are still called gods, so their strength should not be something ordinary Saints can handle.

What's more, the lurking God of Sleep, Hypnos, has not yet made a move. One wave after another, by the time Hades finishes his painting in the sky, the world will be over.

Aphrodite in Pisces Palace also held the same thought at this moment. The endless stream of gods in Hades' army added another layer to the difficulty of the Holy War.

“But... since I can still be alive here now, it means the previous generation must have won.”

What he couldn't figure out was how the predecessors of the previous generation managed to defeat these enemies; they were simply too difficult to deal with.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

In the laboratory, Da Vinci looked at this scene and started complaining in despair:

“There's no way to fight this!”

After so much effort to seal the God of Death, they hadn't even figured out how to deal with the remaining God of Sleep, Hypnos, and then four more Dream Gods popped up...

What on earth are they supposed to fight now?

“Does Athena really not have any gods on her side?! Someone come and support her!”

Athena couldn't possibly be a lone general with just 12 Gold Saints, could she... As for Bronze and Silver? Da Vinci didn't think they would be of any use against such power.

If they keep fighting like this, let alone 12 Gold Saints, even a hundred and eight heroes wouldn't be enough to fight the other side. They would eventually be exhausted, and who knows what other gods might pop up as they fight?

 。。。。。

【 Meanwhile, in the Sagittarius Temple, Athena pushes the door open and sees Sagittarius Sisyphus, who is still unconscious... Opposite him, Capricorn El Cid crouches on the ground, carefully watching over his gentle-hearted comrade.

“Hades's attack struck straight at his soul. This might be what's preventing him from waking up.”

However, no matter what injuries he sustained, El Cid still unconditionally believed that Sisyphus would surely wake up and join the battlefield.

Suddenly, the space around Sisyphus began to ripple strangely, and one of the Four Dream Gods appeared out of thin air before them.

El Cid immediately stood in front of Athena, vigilantly staring ahead.

“I am Icelus, one of the Four Dream Gods. I'll be taking this guy's soul.”

Before the two could react, Icelus had already pulled out Sagittarius's soul. In a flash, El Cid immediately stepped forward to stop him.

“No, you don't!”

El Cid swung his arm, and a golden stream of light shot towards Icelus, but it was displaced by the distorted space, and Icelus also left in an instant.

Dohko and Shion in the Sanctuary also felt this Cosmo and rushed towards the Sagittarius Temple.

At this moment, El Cid felt an unprecedented humiliation: “Although it's a god's trick, to brazenly appear in the Sanctuary...”

So he immediately asked Athena to permit him to go and rescue Sisyphus's soul. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So you know too, the Sanctuary really is a place where Specters can come and go as they please.”

“Good heavens, are they that arrogant? To just appear in front of Athena like that...”

People from other worlds looked at the arrogant Icelus in speechless dismay. The Goddess Athena, after all, is on par with Hades. Her strength should be similar to Hades... or rather, your boss's boss. How dare you be so arrogant?

But what made everyone even more speechless was that Athena just watched... No, big sister, at least try to save him! Why are you just standing there in a daze?

As for Dohko and Shion, no one wanted to say anything more, even feeling a bit like laughing. They just ran around the Sanctuary the whole time, like idlers playing bit parts.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Where high technology and superpowers coexist, there is no shortage of knowledge. At this moment, Misaki Shokuhou is in the library!

“Are they that brave, just the Four Dream Gods...”

Misaki Shokuhou looked at the records of Greek mythology in her hand with a surprised expression.

After reading it, she realized that Icelus was truly audacious. Four minor gods actually dared to jump around on the head of Athena, one of the Twelve Olympians. Are they tired of living?

And why can the Sanctuary be invaded so casually, like a public place? People can even come right up to their faces and capture someone.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

“It looks like it's Capricorn El Cid's turn now...”

Ichigo also understood that for Gold Saint, who never fights in groups, the next battle would be El Cid's.

“Is that sword energy coming from his arm?! It feels just like a Getsuga Tensho.”

To be able to achieve the same effect as wielding a sword just by swinging his arm, El Cid gave him the impression of a ruthless swordsman, with deep and bright eyes.

He exuded a cold aura from within, as if no matter what challenge he faced, he could remain calm and composed, making him impossible to ignore.

 。。。。。

【 Facing El Cid's plea, Athena finally agreed, “Then I entrust this to you. This will be a crucial mission that will determine the success or failure of the Holy War.”

Receiving the order, El Cid slowly walked out, not only for his dear friend Sisyphus but also for his own beliefs.

“Even if the opponent is a god, that cannot be an excuse for me, El Cid, to make a mistake.”

After El Cid left the Sanctuary, he relied solely on jumping, and in an instant, he traveled from Greece to Italy, guided by the faint Cosmo he sensed.

When he landed again, the ground shattered with a roar, and several Specters jumped out from it, laughing arrogantly as if they had found their prey.

“Hahaha, a rat from the Sanctuary is scurrying around here.”

Facing the Specters who surrounded him, El Cid also stopped, introducing himself expressionlessly: “I will be your opponent, Capricorn El Cid.”

The Specters clamored and rushed forward: “A Gold Saint delivering himself to us, we are truly grateful.”

The next moment, golden light exploded, and several golden sword energies ripped through the earth, accompanied by the screams of the Specters, instantly cutting them and the ground apart.

At this moment, a tall figure drilled out of the ground, looking down at El Cid.

“I once heard that there is an existence in the Sanctuary who has trained himself to the limit, whose sharpness is like a holy sword.”

“But it won't work on me. My Surplice's hardness is comparable to a diamond. Try to cut it if you can.”

The Specter rolled his body into a spherical shape and charged towards El Cid, trying to smash him into pieces.

El Cid's expression did not change at all at the sight of this. He held his arm out flat, a golden light flashed, and he was cut in half.

“What? Th-This is the holy sword Excalibur?”

“A sword of this level cannot be called a holy sword. My holy sword is not yet complete; it can be even sharper!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I'm not saying this, Athena... you actually let him go alone, one god is already tough enough, and he's fighting four!”

“Damn, this travel speed is incredible. Just a few jumps and he's in Italy. His physical strength is way too strong, faster than a high-speed rail.”

People from other worlds looked at the Specters, who were oblivious to their impending doom, with black lines on their faces. So you're not colorblind after all, you knew the opponent was one of the Gold Saints, and yet you dared to be so arrogant.

“A hardness comparable to a diamond,”

Indeed, yet he was cut in half without even a gasp. He wasn't even fit to be a whetstone, and judging by El Cid's tone, this wasn't even his true holy sword.

Sure enough, none of the Gold Saints were pushovers; they were not only powerful but also handsome.

“Do you, Specters, one by one, like to bury yourselves in the dirt when you have nothing to do?”

This was the question from the depths of everyone's souls. Good heavens, how many people have popped out of the ground now? Are they hiding in there to escape the summer heat, or is there something else going on?

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Will there be saber reference in the future chapters?? )

Chapter 274: Breaking through the spatial holy sword! Invading the dream realm!

Chapter Text

【 The Four Dream Gods also emerged from the distorted space, surrounding El Cid, and Phantasos, like a phantom, clasped El Cid's hand without him knowing.

“What a fine man, should I take him for myself?”

El Cid's expression remained unchanged as he slowly looked around. The presence of the Four Gods of Dreams here also meant that the path to the Dream World was not far.

Icelus: “I'll handle this guy. Get lost, Phantasos!”

The illusionist Phantasos leaned directly against El Cid. Seeing Icelus about to make a move, he reluctantly pulled away: “What's the matter... can't I play a little longer?”

El Cid then turned his gaze to Icelus: “Before I complete the mission of retrieving Sisyphus, I cannot casually throw away this life.”

He raised his hand and unleashed a golden sword qi. However, a grid-like pattern of threads appeared on Icelus's body, and he vanished into space. The sword qi passed directly through Icelus's body, slicing the giant rock behind him in half. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why is this little hand-holding so natural? It's hilarious. El Cid didn't react at all.”

“Good heavens, he even leaned directly against him. This is the first time I've seen a god and a Gold Saint so close without fighting.”

The people from other worlds had subtle expressions. This Capricorn El Cid seemed a bit too calm, didn't he? He didn't keep a safe distance between himself and the Specter. What if the opponent suddenly attacked?

Moreover, Phantasos had leaned against him, and El Cid's expression hadn't changed at all. If it were any other Saint, they would have punched him by now.

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

“Oh?! This Icelus plays with space. El Cid is going to have a tough fight.”

Satoru Gojo slightly adjusted his sunglasses, revealing his azure eyes.

El Cid, at first glance, was a physical attacker. Although being able to unleash such sharp sword energy with his hand was far beyond ordinary, how could pure sword energy defeat someone who manipulated space?

All the sword energy he unleashed was redirected, having no effect whatsoever.

Itadori was also a bit worried:

“The Four Dream Gods shouldn't attack together, right?”

Although Icelus intended to act alone, the others hadn't left. Who knew if Icelus couldn't win, the others would choose to join in.

 。。。。。

【 After El Cid attempted to unleash several golden sword qi, without exception, all of them were redirected elsewhere by Icelus through spatial transfer.

Icelus laughed without hesitation: “Hehehe, still don't understand the difference between a god and a mere mortal?”

When El Cid once again unleashed a golden sword qi towards Icelus, he was startled to find his own sword qi flying back at him from the side.

“What... why is my sword qi coming from the side?!”

The next moment, a bloody severed arm flew through the air. El Cid's wrist, along with his Cloth, was severed by his own sword qi.

Icelus looked at the silent El Cid, becoming more interested: “Not even a scream, El Cid!”

Then, in response to El Cid's question, Icelus thoughtfully explained how he twisted space to redirect El Cid's attack behind him.

Phantasos, standing nearby, picked up El Cid's severed arm with a perverse delight and rubbed it against his face: “A strong and charming arm, how wonderful~.”

The next moment, Icelus, no longer wishing to linger, delivered a powerful punch directly to El Cid's face. The latter skidded along the ground, raising a cloud of dust, flying hundreds of meters before plunging into a cliff, his fate unknown. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Space ability counters El Cid. Are all Gold Saints anti-attribute masters? Why do they always pick fights with those who counter them?”

“Just now I thought Phantasos was beautiful and El Cid was a bit unappreciative. My apologies, I misjudged big brother... he's a pervert.”

Indeed, those with “god” in their name are consistently arrogant, but equally powerful. This spatial ability alone is hard to deal with.

Although El Cid seemed to be defeated instantly, no one from other worlds thought he was weak. His sword qi had even cut through his own Gold Cloth.

After all, the God of Death had said before that this Gold Cloth had never been shattered since the Age of Myths. Now, El Cid, by his own power, had cut it.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

〜In the inner sea of the planet, in the furthest tower〜

“The situation is a bit tricky now, losing an arm right at the start...”

Merlin shook his head. The already difficult situation became even harder.

Although El Cid had fallen off the cliff and lost an arm, Merlin did not believe that El Cid's mission would end here.

The will shown by the Gold Saints before was never simple. This injury was considered minor compared to the previous ones.

Meanwhile, Doctor Roman, far away in Chaldea, put down his coffee:

“Although he shouldn't be dead, he should be out of commission.”

Although that indestructible sword qi could even cut through his own Cloth, it relied entirely on his right hand. Now, with his wrist severed, it was tantamount to crippling himself.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“El Cid... I...”

Sisyphus felt a pang of guilt. It was because of him that his friend had to challenge the Four Dream Gods alone and lost an arm.

“Don't worry, Sisyphus! My blade is still sharp.”

But Sisyphus's words were interrupted by El Cid. His expression hadn't changed at all, as if the person with the severed arm on the screen wasn't him.

“If I were to be defeated like this, it would only prove that my El Cid's sword is nothing special.”

Sisyphus looked at El Cid, who was as aloof as ever, and slowly relaxed.

Yes... after all, El Cid is the most arrogant Holy Sword in Sanctuary, he wouldn't be defeated so easily.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing that El Cid, below the cliff, had completely stopped moving, the Four Dream Gods quickly turned and rushed towards their next target, Pegasus.

The scene changed. The trio of Pegasus was still running swiftly through the forest.

Just as Hades's Castle was in sight, the world suddenly turned gray.

The Dream God lightly tapped his finger, and a brilliant light instantly lit up, opening the gate to the Dream World.

The Dream God looked at Pegasus, who had already entered a dream, and brought Pegasus's soul and body together into Morphia, a place where only kings and heroes could sleep.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Yato and Yuzuriha encountered Phantasos.

“Grim Phantasia—”

The Grim Phantasia unfolded instantly, rendering their bodies completely immobile.

They could only watch helplessly as their souls were extracted and taken into the dream world.

In this dream world, like a golden cage, many different purple orbs floated in the air. Phantasos looked at the orb in his hand and chuckled: “You two will stay in a beautiful dream... forever!”

Crack—

Just then, a golden light cleaved through the dream world. The next second, El Cid descended from the sky, like a golden Holy Sword, striking down towards the enemy.

Phantasos quickly dodged, and after regaining his balance, He couldn't believe what he saw before his eyes. A human being was able to enter the Dream World from the real world.

Phantasos's expression turned grim: “You should have been dealt with by Icelus. Why are you here?”

El Cid said in a deep voice, “The Gold Cloth you hold is calling out to me here. Even if it is cut off by the Dream World's barriers, the sound of the Cloth will not disappear.”

“I still have a blade in my hand, even if it is taken or severed.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, so he had a trick up his sleeve! This incredibly cool El Cid must not die; it would truly be heartbreaking.”

“What a brilliant stratagem! Since his arm was severed, he used that opportunity to find the Dream World through the resonance of the Cloth.”

The people from other worlds looked at the cold-faced El Cid with admiration. As expected of a master who didn't even cry out when his wrist was severed, he is both brave and resourceful!

Then everyone looked at Phantasos with immense pity. Why did you pick up such random things? Now you're in trouble; someone's come knocking on your door.

“This is directly cutting through space, entering the Underworld from the real world. Can a blade really do that?”

This is no longer just a physical object; it's directly tearing through space, almost a conceptual attack. As expected, the Gold Saints are ridiculously strong.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

At this moment, Doctor Roman looked incredibly awkward. He wanted to find a hole to crawl into during this moment of being proven wrong. Just as he was about to sneak away, he was called back by Da Vinci.

“Uh... Doctor, weren't you so certain that the armless El Cid was out of commission? How does he seem even stronger?”

Faced with Da Vinci's taunts, Doctor Roman had no words.

Who knew they wouldn't play by the rules? Not only could he unleash sword energy with a severed hand, but now he could even tear through space.

“What a cool Capricorn!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but praise.

“What a line: 'I still have a blade in my hand, even if it is taken or severed.'”

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Present Timeline〜

“Can space really be cut open?!”

Satoru Gojo's face was full of surprise. He never expected El Cid to enter the Dream World in such a way.

How sharp must this seemingly pure physical sword qi be to even tear through space... Looking at it this way, is my Limitless a bit unsafe?

“That's so cool!!”

Yuji Itadori, a slightly chuunibyou teenager, had stars in his eyes.

With his hand severed, it was as if a sword had been unsheathed, and the exposed blade was even sharper. It was incredibly cool.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Is this the true Holy Sword?! Cutting through space itself.”

Shura of Capricorn felt the gap between himself and El Cid.

He had always believed his Holy Sword was the strongest attack, that no one could withstand it. It wasn't until he witnessed it firsthand that he realized his Holy Sword was far from reaching its full potential.

But even with such power, El Cid still felt his Holy Sword wasn't sharp enough, wasn't a true Holy Sword, and even had further potential.

“Perhaps it's this mindset that allows El Cid to constantly grow stronger.”

Shura then realized that from the very beginning, their mindsets were not on the same level. Is this the former Capricorn El Cid? He truly is amazing, the only Holy Sword in Sanctuary.

 。。。。。

Chapter 275: Three gods left!

Chapter Text

【 It was precisely by the resonance of the Cloth that El Cid found the location of the Dream World, but Phantasos remained unhurried, confidently believing that he could not be defeated by a Saint in the Dream World.

“This is where people's dreams are managed in the Dream World, a fantasy... What do you want to do? Is there someone you want to see? Everything will be as you wish.”

“Grim Phantasia—”

The voice fell, and El Cid found that the environment of the entire Dream World had changed, as if he were in the vast universe and starry sky.

Then he also discovered his abnormality. The Cosmo surrounding his broken arm instantly dissipated, and his control over his body was also taken away by the opponent.

And Phantasos also came before El Cid in the blink of an eye. El Cid, unable to move, could only watch as his soul was extracted, falling into a dream. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Is this the power of a god? It's too buggy. This skill is a first-strike kill. Even if a Gold Saint came, they would suffer.”

“Especially since the dream develops as one wishes, who would truly be willing to leave a beautiful dream and return to the cruel reality?”

Seeing this, everyone gasped. This move felt like a compulsory skill, instantly losing control of one's body and being forced to fall into a dream, with no way to avoid it!

What is this? Forced sleep?! One is already so difficult to deal with, and there are three more. How is El Cid going to fight this?!

 。。。。。

【 Phantasos looked at El Cid, who had already fallen into a beautiful dream, not realizing the seriousness of the situation.

“What kind of desires are hidden behind that poker face?”

Phantasos watched the ball of light in his hand with a playful look, intending to see what kind of beautiful dream was hidden behind El Cid's cold face.

“What's going on?! There's nothing...”

Phantasos was full of shock because he saw nothing in El Cid's dream, as if it were a chaotic void where nothing existed.

Only in the deepest part of the dream, a golden flame was rising and burning, gradually forming the shape of a sword.

Then, El Cid's incredibly calm voice came from the dream: “My so-called dream is to make my fist the ultimate sword. I have no other dream besides that.”

Phantasos had never seen such a person in the world, and still didn't believe the fact before his eyes: “How can this be? Are you going to stick to your beliefs even in a dream?”

In an instant, the Holy Sword in the dream directly pierced through the dream and came to the real world, then slashed down, piercing through Phantasos' body along with the dream.

“Ah—” Phantasos covered his face with his hand and let out a painful scream. As his body retreated, his skin shattered like glass, revealing the rough, unkempt man hidden beneath the beautiful skin.

El Cid looked at Phantasos with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened:

“The mask has fallen off, too.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“El Cid is indeed an iron straight man. All those messy desires will only affect the speed of my sword practice.”

“Good heavens, he really is a desireless poker face. I'll give you the title of Archer. You are truly born for the sword in this life!”

El Cid is truly ruthless. He even dreams of practicing swordsmanship. Phantasos simply went with the flow and made his dream come true, only to be stabbed through reality...

In other words, he even dreams of killing them.

Phantasos's ability is indeed unsolvable, but unfortunately, he met someone who, even in his dream, would uphold his ideals. Not only was he not confused, but he could also counterattack with the Holy Sword completed in the dream.

It's just...

“How much foundation did that person use?!”

“THIS IS OUTRIGHT FRAUD!!”

Everyone in other worlds felt their dreams shattered. Who would have thought that beneath that beautiful exterior, there was actually a man? Give me back my beautiful sister from just now!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Artoria looked at the cold-faced El Cid with admiration:

“No wonder he kept saying his Holy Sword was not complete. I didn't expect a completed Holy Sword to be able to break through dreams.”

It was her first time seeing someone who would uphold their ideals even in a dream, and with just the physical body, could unleash a sword energy more powerful than Excalibur.

The King of Conquerors also nodded in agreement. Such a man is indeed rare:

“What an unforgettable conviction.”

El Cid's lifelong pursuit of the ultimate, day and night of training, finally paid off. His hands had been refined to the extreme.

His arm, without any enhancement, cut through souls and split space, and no matter where he was, El Cid always firmly believed that the Holy Sword was with him.

 。。。。。

【 Touching his damaged mask, Phantasos immediately fell into madness. Anger clouded his mind, driving his body to furiously punch El Cid.

“HOW DARE YOU RUIN MY BEAUTY!!!”

However, in terms of martial arts, Phantasos was clearly inferior to El Cid, arguably not even in the same league, and was directly crushed by the opponent with one hand.

El Cid sent Phantasos flying into the sky with a heavy punch, then looked at Phantasos indifferently.

Seeing that his attacks were ineffective, the completely insane Phantasos' face became distorted: “Bastard! In that case, I'll use Grim Phantasia to destroy your physical body too.”

A purple ball of light glowed in Phantasos' hand, rushing towards El Cid below.

However, El Cid didn't even look at him, instead quietly closing his eyes: “I still have a blade in my hand, taken away, cut off...”

“It will only make it sharper and stay with me!”

In an instant, Phantasos was cut in half at the waist, scattering blood as he fell towards the bottom of the Dream World, and with a flash of light, completely turned to ashes.

“Three gods left.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Uh... how should I put it, this god's martial arts are really weak. They were crushed by El Cid with one hand.”

“Thinking about it, El Cid has trained his fists to the extreme, making them like Holy Swords. How could his martial arts be poor?!”

Despite this, a hint of shock flashed in everyone's eyes. The battle with Phantasos could be said to have left him completely unharmed, not even a scratch.

El Cid even used only his left hand to completely overpower the opponent, practically using only basic attacks throughout.

Especially after dealing with Phantasos, there was no hint of excitement on El Cid's face, but rather a matter-of-fact expression.

When he calmly said there were still three gods left at the end, it was simply too cool.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

In just a few brief exchanges, Urahara Kisuke also got a general idea:

Phantasos' moves are a bit exaggerated compared to humans, but his offensive and defensive capabilities and combat awareness are far inferior to a Gold Saint.”

Once his special abilities are forced, he is easily defeated. His hard power is lacking, and he can't compare to a Gold Saint in close combat, but that's not to say Phantasos is useless...

After all, the Grim Phantasia move is indeed difficult to break. As long as one has selfish desires, they simply cannot defeat Phantasos. Unfortunately, he encountered El Cid.

Killed in one blow, what else is there to say?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Once Phantasos' mask is destroyed, he's practically lost his mind.”

Sisyphus nodded at the last scene. El Cid, that's great, it seems he wasn't injured at all.

In the Pope's Hall, all the Gold Saints also gained a clear understanding of the Four Dream Gods' strength and abilities.

Their personalities were also full of arrogance and conceit, just like the Twin Gods.

The Pope was also full of emotion:

“It seems sending El Cid to the Dream World was truly the right choice.”

Leaving aside how many people can fight El Cid in martial arts, if it weren't for El Cid, the Dream Gods' abilities would be troublesome. As long as one has desires, they will be permanently sealed in the dream world.

He truly lives up to being a man who trains himself to the extreme.

Although El Cid dealt with one so easily, Shion was still a little worried:

“There are still three gods left. I wonder if El Cid can deal with them and bring Sisyphus' soul back.”

After all, El Cid's right arm was severed during his battle with Icelus, and Icelus's tricky spatial abilities are not easy to deal with.

 。。。。。

Chapter 276: Two gods Left! Icelus dies...

Chapter Text

【 At the same time, Oneiros and Icelus, who were in the Dream World, also felt the disappearance of Phantasos' Cosmo. Icelus gritted his teeth, vowing to destroy all of El Cid's dignity and pride.

El Cid was still in place at this moment, using his Cosmo to stop the bleeding from his severed arm, and then thinking about how to deal with the remaining three gods.

“Even if the bleeding is stopped, it's just delaying time.”

Suddenly, El Cid heard a chilling roar, and the scene in this space changed once again.

Phantoms of giant beasts descended from the sky and violently charged towards El Cid, stirring up huge clouds of smoke. Icelus' figure also appeared with them.

Without many words, El Cid's right arm was once again enveloped in a golden aura, and with a raised hand, he unleashed a Holy Sword towards Icelus.

“Buzz—”

“I can easily connect space... just wait to be cut to pieces by your own sword!”

Icelus repeated his old trick, and space was distorted again. The sword energy also disappeared out of thin air, only to rush out from under El Cid's feet.

“Ugh...” Caught off guard, El Cid was once again injured by his own sword energy, and sword marks of varying sizes appeared on his legs and body.

Since the sword energy would be reflected, El Cid simply chose close combat, intending to fight hand-to-hand.

“If sword pressure doesn't work, are you just going to charge over and slash? ...But, that's useless too.”

Icelus directly mocked him, using the distorted space to block the blow, then his eyes widened, and a strong gust of wind suddenly swirled.

El Cid's body was once again cut by the wind blades, and many hideous wounds appeared on his body. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Indeed, El Cid against Icelus is really too difficult. Blade attacks are completely countered.”

Even though they are both Four Dream Gods, El Cid completely overwhelmed Phantasos without a single injury... But against Icelus, in just a few seconds, he was already covered in wounds.

All the moves he unleashed were turned back on himself, and the wounds on his body were basically self-inflicted.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“It's indeed a bit tricky to handle.”

Misaka Mikoto felt quite a headache just thinking about fighting such an opponent.

Icelus' moves are even more troublesome than Kuroko's spatial teleportation ability.

When fighting Icelus, one wouldn't dare to use full power with long-range attacks, or even dare to use them much at all. Who knows from which direction the opponent would distort space and send one's own attack back?

Shirai Kuroko's face flashed with a hint of shock, her eyes staring intently at the screen:

“Long-range attacks are useless, and in close combat, he can vanish into space. It's just way too unfair.”

Although the close combat abilities of the Four Dream Gods don't seem to match those of the Gold Saints, Icelus simply doesn't fight El Cid in close combat!

Now El Cid doesn't dare to attack from long range, and can't hit in close combat! The opponent can also hide in space and launch sneak attacks at any time. If this continues, he will eventually be worn down to death.

 。。。。。

【 Icelus looked at the large pool of blood under El Cid's feet and decided to use him for torture to pass the time: “Are you done already? Then... this time, I'll make my move!”

Then, Icelus' entire body disappeared into space, intending to completely drain the blood from El Cid's body.

At this moment, El Cid was cautiously paying attention to the changes around him, because he couldn't perceive Icelus' aura at all.

I can't sense his aura at all. Where will he attack from...

Suddenly, a giant beast emitting blue light appeared behind El Cid. Icelus' body was seated on top of it, and the beast bit towards El Cid.

“I'm going to torture you slowly!!”

“Ugh!” Faced with the sudden attack, El Cid could only barely endure it, and many new wounds appeared all over his body.

Having succeeded with one blow, the cunning Icelus seamlessly entered another space again, disappearing without a trace.

Time continued to flow, and El Cid's blood kept dripping. Suddenly, Icelus' figure appeared from below him this time.

This blow once again cut through El Cid's body, and a large amount of blood splattered across this space.

“This is the limit of humans, this is the fundamental difference between you humans and us gods.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Fortunately, Gold Saints are very resilient; otherwise, with these consecutive attacks, an ordinary person would have already collapsed.”

“No, unlike Phantasos, who was dominated by anger, this Icelus actually has a brain. El Cid can't find an opportunity at all.”

Everyone from other worlds looked on in shock at Icelus constantly jumping through space... Unbelievable, this god actually uses his brain in battle.

Good heavens, he appears out of nowhere from space to attack, gets a hit, and then doesn't linger, making it impossible to detect his whereabouts.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

“These Four Dream Gods may not seem to have strong combat power, but they all possess special abilities.”

Merlin's brows were tightly furrowed, unable to find Icelus' weakness either.

Hiding in space, making it impossible for anyone to sense his presence, attacking like an assassin at any time... and capable of defending by distorting space, this ability is truly tricky.

The Wise King Gilgamesh, while dealing with cuneiform tablet affairs, occasionally glanced at the screen. He detested troublesome opponents like Icelus the most.

“If this continues, El Cid will eventually be tortured by Icelus until he bleeds dry and dies from exhaustion.”

Although each of Icelus' attacks didn't seem to cause much damage, each time he took a large amount of blood from El Cid.

If this continues, he will eventually be worn down to death.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Hehehe, Phantasos was too careless after all. Watch how I torture Capricorn El Cid...”

Icelus, seeing this, also proudly bared his sharp teeth, as if he had already seen El Cid's miserable death from being tortured alive.

“Hmph...”

Phantasos, being mocked, snorted coldly, his face also turning ugly:

“It's better not to underestimate him.”

Seeing that he had already suffered a loss in the video, Phantasos would not be careless again. This man was someone who would carry out his will even in dreams, not as simple as they imagined.

“Then you just watch, Phantasos!”

Icelus didn't pay attention to what Phantasos said, but rather became interested.

After all, Phantasos lost to El Cid, so he might subconsciously exaggerate the opponent's strength a bit to save face.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing the situation becoming increasingly unfavorable, El Cid suddenly leaped high from the ground, a large amount of blood splattering from his severed arm, and a rain of blood floated in the space.

When Icelus saw El Cid jump, he thought the opponent wanted to escape.

“It's too late, besides... escaping is impossible anyway.”

But El Cid, upon landing, was like an old monk in meditation, quietly crouching on the ground, carefully feeling the pain from his body and the murderous intent spreading in the space.

Just a little more... just a little more!

“I'll bite you to pieces!”

Suddenly, Icelus appeared behind El Cid again, but this time, El Cid sensed Icelus' movements.

The subtle changes when the distorted space touched the blood in the air were clearly perceived by El Cid.

“BANG—!”

“BANG—!”

In an instant, a golden light flashed, and the sword energy finally hit Icelus, leaving a deep mark on his face.

Icelus hid in another space, covering his injured face with his hand, looking at El Cid in disbelief.

“Impossible, was it a coincidence?”

“O Icelus, it is true that we humans have insurmountable limits, but as long as we train ourselves with will, we can approach that limit.”

El Cid spun his body, and blood once again flew from his severed arm. It was then that Icelus finally understood what the other party was doing.

This was a blood array laid by El Cid using the blood flowing from his body! Whenever he distorted space, El Cid would feel the change in the blood mist.

The next moment, El Cid attacked again, two golden lights flashed, Icelus' Surplice instantly shattered, and he was struck through the throat.

“No... just a Saint, just a human... ah...”

Blood flowed from Icelus' neck, and he completely lost his life, falling to the ground.

El Cid, as always, calmly looked at the fallen Icelus: “Two gods left...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Icelus looked down on humans until his death. How arrogant are those gods!”

“Holy cow, he actually won! El Cid's strength is truly remarkable. To defeat Icelus with just basic attacks is too powerful!”

Even the people from other worlds looked at the victorious El Cid with incredulity. They had thought this battle was already lost, but unexpectedly, he turned the tide at the last moment.

This was exactly as El Cid said, a limit that can be reached by training with will.

“'Two gods left'... that line is simply too cool!”

Everyone looked at El Cid's calm face, and a thought involuntarily arose... Could he really defeat all four?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

At this moment, Dr. Romani and others in the Chaldea Security Organization looked at each other, their eyes wide with surprise.

“Is this level of bleeding really normal? Forget about shock; he’s still able to stand. He’s already way too strong.”

As a researcher and Doctor, Dr. Romani was completely dumbfounded. This amount of bleeding should have killed a person by now, but if it's on a Saint... then never mind.

He just wondered if the talismans left by Athena weren't actually written by El Cid with his blood. This amount of bleeding would be perfect for drawing talismans, like a sprinkler truck spraying water without a care.

“El Cid had no choice. Icelus's spatial abilities were too much of a counter to El Cid. If he hadn't used a strategy, he probably would have been doomed.”

Da Vinci spread her hands and shrugged, indicating there was nothing to be done. If El Cid wanted to lose weight, just by shedding blood, he could probably lose several pounds.

Fujimaru Ritsuka silently complained,

“With this amount of bleeding, I feel like I'd die from blood loss.”

Seriously, how long is El Cid's health bar? He couldn't understand the bizarre amount of bleeding these Saints had...

 。。。。。

Chapter 277: Divine Holy Cloth, One-Hit Kill!

Chapter Text

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Icelus, who had just uttered harsh words, gritted his teeth at the sight. Who would have thought that in such a situation, El Cid would actually be able to counterattack?

Phantasos, watching from the side, chuckled, not minding the trouble:

“I told you not to underestimate El Cid...”

Phantasos only felt much more balanced in his heart; at least it wasn't too embarrassing. After all, now everyone had lost to El Cid, so no one could laugh at anyone else...

Icelus's face was ashen at this moment, as if he had suffered a great insult. His eyes were filled with rage, like an enraged beast.

Then, a cold sneer played on his lips, and his body trembled slightly, as if trying to suppress his anger.

“Hmph... next time, you won't be so lucky!”

Dream God Oneiros frowned tightly.

“ENOUGH! Isn't it embarrassing enough to be defeated by a mere Gold Saint?”

“Instead of complaining here, why don't you think about how to explain this to Lord Hypnos?”

At the mention of this, both of their faces fell. Entrusted with heavy responsibilities, they were actually breached by a Gold Saint into the Dream World and even defeated within it. They felt they had no face to see Lord Hypnos.

 。。。。。

【 At the same time, because Icelus was defeated, Pegasus, who was in Morphia, also felt this small cosmos and gradually woke up from his dream.

The stone pillar embedded with Pegasus's body also began to fall off under Morpheus's shocked gaze. After returning to the real world, Pegasus saw Morpheus wearing a Surplice. Without hesitation, Pegasus Meteor Fist was directly thrown out.

Morpheus did not move a step, directly catching Pegasus's fist with one hand:

“What a fragile soul. This is a place where eternal dreams are offered to powerful heroes. It seems you are not qualified.”

“MORPHIUM COMA—!”

Petals suddenly appeared in the Underworld, beginning to flutter. Morphia's attack had arrived, and dark purple flames instantly enveloped Pegasus.

Eerie petals covered Pegasus's body, consuming his life, and these petals were poppies blooming in the Underworld.

And these flowers fed on his emotions. Each time a different colored flower bloomed, it represented Pegasus losing an emotion, and soon, he would turn into an empty shell.

Having done all this, Morpheus ignored Pegasus, turned around, and wanted to leave, intending to personally deal with El Cid: “How should I explain this to Lord Hypnos? It seems I have to go in person.”

“Wait...” Pegasus wanted to stop him, but found his consciousness blurring, his small cosmos unable to burn, and he couldn't even feel anger. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This is from Greek mythology, where the God of Sleep scatters poppies in the sky every night to make people fall asleep. It turns out he outsourced the work to Morpheus...”

“Poppies blooming in the Underworld... it seems the anti-drug efforts in this world aren't thorough enough. The Underworld actually cultivates this stuff; they'll end up in jail sooner or later.”

Everyone in other worlds secretly gasped in alarm. To be able to strip people of their emotions was truly outrageous. Getting hit by this move was equivalent to waiting for death, because there was no emotion left to resist.

Sure enough, the abilities of the Four Dream Gods are all bugged, very suitable for first-encounter kills. Phantasos's and Morpheus's moves are both guaranteed to kill if they hit, making it impossible for people to even resist.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Manigoldo, usually full of confidence, now had a somewhat forced smile.

“This ability seems a bit tricky...”

Without emotions, the Saints' cosmos cannot burn at all; they can only be slaughtered! However, this 'Morphium Coma' is also easy to break, as long as you don't get hit.

This is bad. El Cid, who doesn't have the information, might not be Morpheus's opponent. Once hit, it's completely over.

Sasha looked worried, reaching out to touch the wreath on her wrist.

“Pegasus...”

Pope Sage's mind raced, thinking it would be better to leave Morpheus to Leo Regulus. With his speed and strength, there should be no problem.

Alas, even El Cid might not be able to save Pegasus at this moment. Pegasus might really die here. These are the Four Dream Gods...

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

Watching Pegasus's emotions gradually disappear, and his eyes become increasingly vacant, Miyu shook her head.

“He was honestly way too reckless.”

Ruby, flying in circles in the air, also voiced her opinion.

“This move is a bit similar to Asmita's Six Senses Deprivation, but also different.”

One strips away sensory conditions from the outside in, the other destroys reactive senses from the inside out. Emotions are the meaning of thought for humans. Pegasus, deprived of emotions, becomes like a robot, leaving only emptiness...

Miyu thought carefully.

“So Pegasus-san seems a bit miserable, having tasted all sorts of bugged moves.”

Especially in the current situation, it is very similar to Asmita's 'The Treasures of Heavens' that time, only this time, the opponent will not go easy on him; he can only rely on himself.

 。。。。。

【 Anxiety, fear, sadness, regret, and other emotions were stripped from Pegasus's body. His consciousness became increasingly blurred, and his heart could no longer burn.

“I clearly don't have time to dally in such a place, even though I understand this, I slowly feel... nothing matters anymore.”

Soon, he would become, as Morpheus said, an empty shell, slowly rotting in the Dream World.

“Really?!...”

At the critical moment, a voice incredibly familiar to Pegasus reached his ears.

Pegasus tilted his head slightly to look, and a dream gate flashed with blue light.

The scene appearing in the door showed three people, twisted together by fate, confronting each other. Athena and Pegasus stood together, facing Hades.

“This scene... yes, I am...”

Pegasus murmured in his heart.

The dream in the door gave Pegasus an incredibly familiar feeling; it was a memory etched onto his soul.

The Hades in the dream suddenly transformed into Aaron, clad in his Divine Surplice, gently and softly saying to him: “Yes... You are...”

Suddenly, light shone, and the flowers planted on Pegasus's body began to spread forward, all white flowers devoid of emotion.

Morpheus turned his head in utter shock.

“How can this be? They're still blooming!”

Then Morpheus was startled to find that the newly opened poppies were all the same color. He felt a strong sense of unease from Pegasus.

At this moment, accompanied by a blue cosmos, a pair of huge wings actually appeared on Pegasus's body, and the ancient phantom of Pegasus emerged behind him.

The next second, the Cloth changed. The original Bronze Cloth became incredibly magnificent, appearing noble and elegant. Strange golden patterns were also imprinted on various parts of the Cloth until it covered Pegasus's body.

Feeling the pressure emanating from the reborn Pegasus, Morpheus was now sweating coldly: “Could it be that this guy's tenacious will was materialized in a dream?!”

“That Cloth... I see... this is why Lord Hypnos wanted to eliminate you.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap!! Is that really that idiot Pegasus? His eyes are completely different. Well, what a disdainful look!”

“This Cloth is just too cool! What's going on? I just feel like Hades was acting a bit strange towards Pegasus earlier.”

Everyone was now a bit confused. Just when Pegasus was about to fall into the dream, why did Hades suddenly appeared, and what he said was rather thought-provoking, almost as if he had deliberately come to save him.

Moreover, Pegasus with a different look is simply incomparable, impossibly handsome! This kind of commanding gaze, with a general's demeanor, is that really the original Pegasus whose eyes were clear and foolish?

 。。。。。

【 “From the Age of Myths, to protect Athena and the people of Earth, even against the gods. The willpower to draw a bow and arrow... the Saint of Pegasus!”

“Interesting. Let me try how powerful you are.” Morpheus repeated his trick, launching a Morphium Coma towards Pegasus.

In a flash, Pegasus leaped lightly, and then the Pegasus Meteor Fist, covered by the Divine Cloth, surged forth. In the face of such overwhelming power, Morpheus had no power to resist whatsoever.

“How is this possible!! How can this be human power...”

With just one blow, Morpheus's Surplice instantly shattered into pieces on the ground: “So this is what is etched into your soul... instinct, huh...!”

Just then, Morpheus, lying on the ground with one last breath, finally understood what awakened the source of Pegasus's soul. He clenched his fists in extreme reluctance,

“This power comes from the deepest part of the Dream World. Could it be... You who shook Pegasus's soul...?!!”

Morpheus died unwillingly, transforming into a purple light and vanishing in the Dream World! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn it, since you know this is the only human from the Age of Myths who ever harmed Hades, you still have the leisure to explain? Run, quick!”

“I have to say, Morpheus is truly brave. He still dared to attack even after seeing that the look in his eyes was different.”

Everyone in other worlds now realized the true value of Pegasus. From the Age of Myths, he was the only human who had physically harmed Hades. That disdainful gaze on the battlefield was earned through battle, not boasted about.

He was instantly killed with one punch, without even shouting the name of the move. It's unclear if it even counts as a normal attack, and the most crucial thing is that he used his left hand.

The disparity is indeed quite large. Previously, Morpheus looked down on Pegasus, blocking his Pegasus Meteor Fist with a raised hand. As for now... hehe!

Everyone looked at Morpheus with admiration. You knew this was someone your boss, Hypnos, feared, yet you still said “interesting”?! You wanted to test the opponent's power.

The result was “try and die”... instantly killed. What more is there to say? Lying on the ground, almost dead, and still explaining.

One can only say Morpheus is truly a professional!

 。。。。。

Chapter 278: Using Sword Qi to Send an Electric Shock Signal... Seckill!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka, seeing this final scene, felt a surge of pity for Morpheus. Who would have thought that the traitor was his own boss? She felt indignant on his behalf.

Archer, always one for a good show, spoke up,

“Morpheus is probably numb. This wave of Meteor Fist is completely different from before.”

After all, who would have thought that changing a skin would result in such a drastic difference in power? He lost fairly. It felt like the original Pegasus was a stand-in just now.

Shirou Emiya shook his head,

“Morpheus probably never understood why his boss helped Pegasus, even until his death.”

After all, he was also a bit confused. If he were Alone, he didn't understand why he killed Pegasus before... But if he were Hades, then awakening Pegasus here didn't make sense either!

So, what was Alone's true nature now? Was it Alone himself, or was Hades in control?!

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Present Timeline〜

“No wonder Hypnos repeatedly sent people to deal with Pegasus. So that's it!”

Yuji suddenly realized, wishing he could praise them for their brilliant insight.

Initially, he thought Hypnos might have overestimated Pegasus, when the Gold Saints were clearly the main force... Now it seemed Hypnos's concerns were not at all unwarranted.

Now he finally understood why Asmita placed such high hopes on Pegasus, even personally investigating this generation's Pegasus. So, there was such a hidden aspect.

Nobara Kugisaki's mouth twitched slightly,

“Hades, Athena, and Pegasus, who can harmed Hades' physical body... actually reincarnated together.”

She didn't believe this was a coincidence; it was too strange. And this love-hate triangle was a bit subtle.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Pope... what exactly happened to Pegasus just now?”

Sisyphus's eyes widened instantly when he saw the dazzling God Cloth, his pupils filled with shock and disbelief.

Although he knew the legend between Pegasus and Hades, it was just a legend. He never expected such power to be hidden within Pegasus.

Even the other Gold Saints present were full of surprise, except for Asmita, who was meditating and had a slight smile on his lips.

The Pope was silent for a moment,

“I'm not entirely sure... but Pegasus might be the key to winning this Holy War.”

The man who has been intertwined with Hades since the age of myths, is he going to awaken again in this era?

Sasha in the Pope's Chamber and Pegasus in the Sanctuary both felt a slight relief in their hearts. Although Pegasus didn't know what happened, he knew that Alone had helped him...

At Hades Castle.

Hypnos and Thanatos stopped their movements, their expressions slightly grim.

“That is the God Cloth, said to be the closest to a Divine Robe!”

“Indeed, Pegasus, known as the greatest sinner of the heavens, is the biggest menace... However, your subordinate Morpheus is quite brave, Hypnos.”

Thanatos solemnly remarked.

“...”

Hypnos was silent because even he thought Morpheus was remarkably courageous to dare such a thing.

Only Heavenly Violent Star Kagaho, hidden in the shadows of the Specter army, became excited after seeing Pegasus with the God Cloth. Soon... soon... he would get his revenge on the heavens.

 。。。。。

【 After defeating the enemy, the God Cloth on Pegasus also disappeared, leaving only Pegasus, who had no idea what had happened, standing dumbfounded, his eyes revealing clear stupidity.

But before he could figure out what happened, the Dream World began to collapse due to Morpheus's death, and the souls imprisoned in the gate scattered.

El Cid descended from the air. Just as he was wondering who had defeated Morpheus, he discovered Pegasus below, and a stone gate still standing in its original place.

As he landed, he casually saved Pegasus from being crushed by collapsing boulders. After a brief exchange, the two walked towards the stone gate where Sisyphus's soul was imprisoned. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So it was a trial card, expiring in just a few seconds. That look... It's that silly boy Pegasus, alright.”

“The importance of skins. Whether you're strong or not is one thing, but being handsome is for life. Without the skin, it feels like something's missing.”

Everyone sighed as they looked at the bewildered Pegasus. His heart was truly big...

He hadn't even figured out how he escaped death, and in the blink of an eye, he was looking at El Cid with admiration.

But El Cid's entrance was truly cool. He never strayed from talking about his blade... If you talked about his severed arm, he talked about his Holy Sword. He truly lived up to his reputation as someone who practiced swordplay even in his dreams.

“But the Holy Sword is fine, but your body is still bleeding, big brother, stop the bleeding first!”

People from other worlds looked odd.

“Put down your Holy Sword now, big brother, you're still bleeding!”

However, covering his severed arm with his white robe, not showing his injury to his comrades, was truly amazing. Walking with Pegasus, he made them feel that a Gold Saint could provide a full sense of security.

 。。。。。

【 Arriving at the gate, El Cid's Cosmo began to burn fiercely: “Even if Morpheus was defeated, your soul was not released; it is still trapped in this dream gate.”

“Then I will liberate your soul, SISYPHUS OF SAGITTARIUS!!”

The golden glowing arm swung down, but this Holy Sword, capable of tearing through the Dream World, did not affect the stone gate, only making it tremble slightly.

El Cid, having lost too much blood earlier, now knelt on the ground, feeling a bit powerless: “Even this sword, which defeated the gods of dreams, cannot harm it in the slightest.”

Just then, the voice of the Dream God suddenly rang out: “It's useless, because it is tightly closed by Sisyphus's own will.”

As space twisted, the figure of the Dream God Oneiros appeared here....

It was then that El Cid understood that Sisyphus had never come to terms with bringing young Athena back to the Sanctuary from Pegasus's side, which was why he had been sinking into the dream.

After knowing the cause and effect, El Cid said, “Perhaps only one person can save Sisyphus's soul.”

The next second, a brilliant golden sword energy rushed directly towards the barrier of the Dream World, stirring up a ripple before being swallowed by the void.

Oneiros immediately scoffed, “It seems you're too fatigued to aim at your target anymore?”

Little did he know that Athena, far away in the Sanctuary, immediately sensed this Cosmo and, in just one second, understood the entire situation from it.

“The Three Gods have been defeated, and now the Dream World is undergoing drastic changes, but Sisyphus himself refuses to release his soul.”

“This stone gate should also be a conceptual existence; it cannot be easily destroyed.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn, what kind of high-tech is this? This sword energy is like sending a battle report. Can it contain so much information?”

Everyone from other worlds felt their horizons broaden.

They never expected sword energy could be used this way. It was even more effective than sending a telegram; it was practically like handing the script to Athena... Does it need to be that detailed?!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

The people present were not surprised by El Cid's actions, but rather worried whether his decision was too risky.

None of the people present was a fool; anyone with eyes could see that El Cid intended for Lady Athena to act personally.

But... the Dream World is the territory of the Underworld. If anything were to happen, it would be no laughing matter.

“Lady Athena, it's all my fault.”

Sisyphus knelt on one knee before Sasha, his words filled with regret.

If anything were to happen to Lady Athena because of him, he would never forgive himself.

Sasha's eyes were filled with tenderness.

“Sisyphus, I told you before, I never blamed you for bringing me to the Sanctuary.”

Why was he still so hard on himself, to the point of allowing the Specters to exploit this weakness?

Sisyphus remained silent, his head bowed. If Lady Athena had to go to the Dream World personally because of him, and something happened, he would be a great sinner.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

“That's possible?!”

Uryu Ishida's glasses almost fell off in shock, his worldview shattered.

El Cid's action was tantamount to Ichigo Kurosaki firing a Getsuga Tensho in Soul Society to tell his present self in the Human World to remember to cook his dinner tonight...

Rukia also murmured in a daze,

“This is much better than a phone call...”

This was equivalent to making a cross-dimensional call, and the most outrageous thing was that one dared to send it, and the other dared to receive all the information in seconds.

Is this “Cosmo” thing really that useful?!

 。。。。。

Chapter 279: Athena's Location, Something Is Truly Up!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “El Cid, I will never let the path you forged to the Dream World go to waste. I will go!”

Athena, who received a call from El Cid, in order to save Sisyphus’ soul, unhesitatingly decided to personally go to the Dream World.

“Lady Athena, you are going to personally…” Hakurei was startled upon hearing this,

“Even if the Dream World’s defenses are weak now, it is still full of unpredictable dangers.”

Even if it's dangerous, she must go.

Athena looked at Hakurei with determined eyes: “Perhaps if I miss this opportunity, I will never be able to save him again!”

“I will bring Sisyphus back. Right now, the only one who can do this is me… Athena!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This Athena is alright, she really steps up when things get tough, she’s a bit like the Goddess of War.”

“Decisive, resolute… At first, when I saw Icelus snatch Sisyphus’ soul right in front of her, her indifferent look made me think she was just a pretty face, but I guess I misjudged her.”

People from other worlds, although they felt this tactic was a bit like sacrificing a rook to save the king, also saw another side of Athena, not letting El Cid's hard-won path go to waste.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Lady Athena—!!”

“Uwah… For Lady Athena, and for all the people on Earth, even if it costs us our lives, we must fight to the end!”

In the Sanctuary, almost everyone who believed in Athena was deeply moved by Athena’s actions.

And in the Pope's Chamber, the reactions of the Gold Saints varied.

Sisyphus' bowed head sank even deeper. If Lady Athena were truly injured because of him, he would deserve to die ten thousand deaths.

Regulus of Leo was in a daze, while Dohko and Shion were advising Lady Athena not to be so impulsive in the future, as it was their duty as Gold Saints to protect her.

El Cid was slightly moved. Although he was the one who conveyed the information to the Sanctuary, whether to go or not was entirely up to Lady Athena's decision.

Manigoldo just looked up at the ceiling, indicating that the ceiling was beautiful.

Since he was already dead, he wouldn't express an opinion.

Just as the Pope's Chamber was filled with a heavy silence,

“Hahaha, it’s as splendid as fireworks, truly worthy of Lady Athena!”

Finally, Cardia of Scorpio broke the eerie atmosphere. At this moment, Cardia also felt a touch of nostalgia.

The little girl he once took from the Sanctuary to play in America had now become a reliable Lady Athena… He remembered often even pinching the goddess’s cheek back then! Just thinking about it felt incredible.

 。。。。。

【 And at this moment in the Dream World, the Oneiros, God of Dreams, stirred up new waves. He spread his hands and shouted: “Gather, my brothers!”

White lightning exploded in different directions, and three stone gates appeared out of thin air. The souls of the three gods, who had already died, all merged into Oneiros’ body, creating a four-god fusion.

As they merged, their forms also changed, their bodies transforming into a centaur-like shape.

It turned out that what El Cid and Tenma had destroyed was only their physical bodies in the human world, while their souls remained unharmed.

El Cid showed no fear, suddenly leaping into the air. The next second, the holy sword directly pierced through Oneiros' body, splitting him in half.

However, Oneiros remained calm about this injury: “How foolish. No matter how much you harm this body, it is all in vain.”

The hideous wound shimmered with purple light, and accompanied by electric sparks, it healed as good as new under the astonished gazes of Tenma and the others.

“This body has four souls. Four gods are one god. How can mere humans contend?”

The next moment, Oneiros, whose body was bursting with a purplish-black Cosmo, pointed a finger at the two below. Light appeared from his hand, emitting energy that could destroy the world.

El Cid’s face became solemn. He had heard of this move: “If this move is unleashed, it’s over. It is said that it once annihilated a country in a flash.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So that’s the saying, destroying the body is futile against a god if the soul isn't destroyed. Now I realize Manigoldo's value is constantly increasing.”

“A single move that can destroy a country, hehe… As expected, the world of Saint Seiya is not something we can contend with.”

The three gods, whom they had finally eliminated, turned out to have their souls still alive, and even merged… Without destroying all four souls, Oneiros simply could not be defeated.

With a heavily injured El Cid and a Pegasus whose trial period had expired, the difficulty had increased too much. Facing such a move, they probably only had death awaiting them.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Soul Society〜

In the Seireitei, all the captains gathered to watch this battle between humans and the four gods.

Shunsui Kyoraku felt even more regret.

“Ah… Manigoldo died too early. His techniques could basically counter most of the Specters.”

Not only could he counter Specters, but he could also specifically deal with gods who had flashy techniques, as few could play with souls better than him.

If Manigoldo and the Pope had lived a little longer, one of them would probably be here now. Dealing with the four-god fusion Oneiros would be an absolute kill.

Retsu Unohana still smiled gently.

“El Cid is doomed now…”

A move that could destroy a country, in such a confined space, was impossible to avoid. Even if they managed to escape, they had no means to defeat Oneiros.

 。。。。。

【 “ORACLE OF THE GUARDIAN—!” As Oneiros' voice fell, in an instant, a massive energy orb shot towards the two. The ground shattered and disintegrated at this moment, and El Cid and Tenma could only endure it with their bodies.

The blow, said to be able to destroy a nation, kicked up a large amount of smoke and dust from the ground. Oneiros looked down with a mocking expression.

“May your bodies and souls vanish together.”

Oneiros, convinced that the two could not survive, turned to leave. But just as he turned, a voice that sounded at any moment caught his attention.

The next second, Oneiros’ pupils contracted. He saw a golden staff standing between Tenma and El Cid, shining with a golden glow.

Athena's staff? Impossible...

A phantom of Athena in white robes also descended from above the staff, and after blocking the attack for the two, she walked directly into the gate where Sisyphus’ soul was imprisoned.

Only then did Oneiros, the God of Dreams, understand that El Cid's slash at that time was a gap created to allow Athena to enter the dream.

After seeing Lady Athena go to the Dream Gate, El Cid’s Cosmo burned.

“In that case, there is only one thing I should do now… protect Lady Athena to the end.”

Even if it cost him his life, he would protect Lady Athena. Then, three brilliant golden sword energies were unleashed, aimed directly at the wall behind Oneiros, causing cracks to reappear in the space barrier.

“Look behind you!”

Only then did Oneiros realize that El Cid had torn a hole in space behind him:

“What?!”

Seizing this opportunity, El Cid’s body erupted with powerful energy, kicking the God of Dreams squarely in the chest. He wanted to push the enemy out of the Dream World to create an opportunity for Athena.

Understanding El Cid's intention, Tenma also leaped into the sky, becoming the last straw that broke the camel’s back. The belief in protecting Athena seemed to provide strength to both of them.

The next moment, the sky in the real world shattered like glass fragments, and the God of Dreams was successfully pushed out of the Dream World by their combined efforts. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It has to be Athena. Her combat power is good. A single staff blocked this attack, and she didn’t even glance at the God of Dreams.”

“By the way… is Athena wearing shoes?!”

“Both leaders don’t care about the other side’s home turf. They just walk in and charge in.”

However, everyone still had black lines on their faces… If possible, why don't you deal with the one outside before going in? Leaving such a big risk outside.

If not, at least heal El Cid! At least give him some blood back, he's almost bled dry!

His current physical condition is not good.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“The previous generation's Athena, Sasha, seems a bit different from Miss Saori.”

Seiya was silent for a moment. She was a bit different from the Athena he remembered.

Sasha really steps up when things get tough. This feels more like what Lady Athena should do.

Ah… Thinking of Miss Saori being captured for no reason, Seiya sighed with a tired heart. Miss Saori really has a hard life; she’s either a hostage or on her way to becoming one.

There's no helping it. Who knew the current Gold Saints couldn't compare to the previous generation?

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

“So, the act of tearing space earlier wasn't accidental…”

Aizen also looked at El Cid with some surprise.

He hadn't expected that with his half-crippled body, he could still tear open the Dream World, meaning that space could truly be split open at will for him.

However… personally, going to the Underworld is not a wise move, especially as a soul. One should know that the previous invasion of the Sanctuary by Hades almost ended in failure.

In the real world, Ichigo and the others naturally saw this scene, but Uryu Ishida, whose focus was different, had a conflicted expression.

“Are the Gods of Dreams so honest? El Cid said 'Look behind you,' and he actually looked.”

One dared to speak, and the other dared to look. It felt just like Ichigo Kurosaki, a fool.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: NO!! I can't unsee now... when El Cid and Tenma team up, all I can see is Zoro and Natsu fighting together to push Itachi into the void. )

Chapter 280: Athena's Realization!

Chapter Text

【 Oniros was pushed out of the dream world. Under the blue sky, his body became more distinct, and the expression on his face became more playful.

“Do you think you have a better chance of winning by coming out of the dream?”

Just as the Dream God was mocking El Cid and Tenma for being clever, three Silver Saints rushed out of the forest: “Lord El Cid!”

El Cid quickly told them to retreat. Such opponents were not someone they could deal with; they would only lose their lives in vain.

But as El Cid's subordinates, the glory of being Saints made them want to fight alongside El Cid.

The three leaped into the air, igniting their Cosmos, drawing constellations in the sky. Ignoring El Cid's obstruction, they launched a combination attack at the Dream God.

“Housing Argo—!”

The law of “no damage with smoke” was fully demonstrated by them. The Dream God, completely unharmed, raised his arm and mocked disdainfully.

“Hmph, what a cute move... but to make me feel a momentary chill, you can die without regrets.”

In a breath, the Dream God pointed his finger down.

“Guardian's Oracle—!”

“NO! RUN!”

A huge explosion instantly slammed into the three of them. The Clothes were torn to shreds in an instant, and the forest was directly leveled.

El Cid could only watch as his three subordinates were killed before his eyes. Embracing his fallen comrades, El Cid's anger was beyond measure.

“I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry... It's my fault.”

“YOU BASTARD!!” Tenma angrily wanted to rush forward, but was bound by the Dream God with a backhand, just as he was about to die here.

A golden light flashed, and El Cid rescued the bound Pegasus.

“Don't get agitated, you'll die.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“War is so cruel. A god instantly kills ordinary Saints... These three didn't seem weak, what a pity.”

“This combination technique is actually quite strong. To make a god feel a hint of coldness shows it's not weak. They just chose the wrong opponent. There's nothing they can do; the actual gap is too big.”

Everyone shook their heads and sighed, looking at these three Silver Saints who had delivered themselves to their deaths. If they had listened to El Cid and retreated, they wouldn't have lost their lives here.

Also, El Cid, you said one thing wrong. It's not that you didn't protect them well, but that you protected them too well in normal times, so they didn't understand the gap in strength during a real battle and seemed a bit overconfident.

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios nodded quite affirmingly.

“The most furious El Cid didn't lose his sanity and still maintained his rationality. This is a wise choice.”

Facing a powerful enemy, if he were to be overcome by anger like Tenma, that would truly be the end.

However, what interested Laios the most was the Dream God's current beast form. Although there were four souls, he was really curious how many hearts this body actually had.

“Here we go again...”

Seeing Laios's expression gradually becoming more excited and perverted, Senshi and Marcille subtly took a few steps back.

 。。。。。

【 El Cid's clenched fists trembled continuously as he tried to suppress the rage in his heart.

“Turn your heart into a blade, Pegasus. Don't lose your way, the path of righteousness!”

“That path is built from countless lives.”

The next moment, El Cid's Excalibur burned fiercely again, and golden light reappeared in his hand. He raised his hand and cut off the Dream God's arm.

Pegasus followed closely, interrupting the Dream God's attempt to counterattack. It was during this opening! El Cid completely locked onto the location of the four gods' souls.

So, these two golden lights flashed, clean and decisive slashes, cutting the Dream God into four pieces along the four gods' souls. The severed limbs heavily crashed onto the ground.

Having done all this, El Cid could no longer support his body and knelt on the ground, but a smile appeared on his face.

“Well done!”

They thought it would end here, but they underestimated the gods' recovery ability.

The severed body began to reassemble in the air under El Cid's shocked gaze.

Oniros also looked at El Cid in surprise.

“To cut off the souls of us four gods in that instant.”

His gaze slowly turned to El Cid, who seemed unable to move.

“But you're maintaining your body, which has lost too much blood, with your Cosmos. You must have little power left, like a rusty, dull weapon.”

No matter how outstanding El Cid's will was, he had reached his limit at this moment and could no longer drive his body to attack. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He hit all four souls, so why is the Dream God still alive? Does he have to hit all four simultaneously?! That's too unfair.”

“El Cid has lost too much blood and can't hold on anymore. Rather, he couldn't hold on long ago. Even a cow would have bled dry by now.”

Watching the Dream God, Oniros, gradually recover his body truly made people despair. The sword that hit the four souls didn't work. The conditions to defeat the Dream God were too harsh.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“It's too much, El Cid, you've... reached your limit.”

Sisyphus felt a pang of sympathy; he had simply lost too much blood.

El Cid, who hadn't experienced it and didn't know his own state at that time, still said with absolute certainty:

“I will fight until the very last moment.”

Lady Athena was still alone in the dream world. If he didn't fight until the last moment, his righteousness would be nothing. Even if he couldn't kill the Dream God, he would drag him down here.

The Pope was also constantly pondering the future Holy War:

“How to deal with the Four Dream Gods...”

Their combined performance was not as brilliant as their individual ones, not even as astonishing as Phantasos's, but their recovery ability was indeed formidable. Even a Gold Saint might not be their match.

And the condition of destroying four souls at the same time was too strict. It seemed that only he and Manigoldo, who possessed the means to deal with souls, might have a chance to defeat him.

 。。。。。

【 At this time, Yato and Yuzuriha also arrived here, delaying the Dream God's body recovery with Tenma.

Meanwhile, Athena entered the Dream Gate and saw a raging sea of fire. Sisyphus was still troubled by the events of five years ago.

In his view, if he hadn't taken the young Athena away, then, perhaps Alone's body wouldn't have been taken by Hades... and the Holy War might not have happened.

Thinking of this, Sisyphus concluded that he was the fuse of the Holy War. In an instant, the Sagittarius Gold Cloth automatically detached and aimed its arrow at him.

The self-reproach and guilt deep within him made him unable to distinguish between reality and dream.

Blood tears flowed from Sisyphus's eyes, and the Sagittarius Gold Cloth gradually turned black. Black armor had covered his entire body.

Sisyphus had completely lost himself: “Lady Athena... DON'T MIND ME!!”

The attack launched by Sisyphus, with its immense power, turned the ground into lava. Fortunately, Athena blocked it and was not harmed.

But the next second, Sisyphus pulled out an arrow and aimed it at Athena.

“You, who are so steady and full of justice, have fallen into such a dark space.”

Athena raised her staff without any fear: “In that case, as the Goddess of War, I should also make the resolve I ought to.”

“...Come, Sisyphus, shoot your arrow at me!”

Sisyphus breathed rapidly, and his hand loosened. The golden arrow pierced Athena's chest, but Athena felt no anger, only sadness.

Sisyphus saw that he had hurt Athena, and his emotions became even more out of control, but after being gently embraced by Athena, he calmed down.

Her gentle voice reminded him of the truth from five years ago! And the promise he made to the young Pegasus. Sisyphus's eyes finally regained clarity.

The black Surplice began to fall off, and the Sagittarius Gold Saint's Cloth emitted a brilliant light. Sisyphus knelt on the ground again and swore to Athena:

“Until the day my life ends, no... even if my life has ended, I will definitely protect Lady Athena!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why is Sisyphus so stubborn? The person involved doesn't care, but he won't let himself off, putting everything on himself.”

“Excessive benevolent responsibility leads to overthinking, self-CPUing.”

To feel pain like humans, and not just be arrogant, perhaps this is what differentiates Athena from other gods, and why the Saints are willing to give their lives for her.

Everyone looked at Athena with surprise. What gentleness, and what extraordinary courage and resolve. Truly worthy of being a goddess.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Was that Chiron's Sierra...”

Young Regulus looked at Sisyphus with surprise. He even used that move, how ruthless! He didn't expect his uncle to have moments of confusion.

Usually, Sisyphus was responsible for ideological work in the Sanctuary, but it turned out that he was the one with the most internal problems.

Sisyphus saw things clearly after this scene... but he was incredibly furious at his own actions:

“I promised Pegasus, and now I've hurt Lady Athena!”

Just as Sasha was at a loss, the Pope slowly walked up to Sisyphus, raised his hand, and punched him, sending him flying. He sternly rebuked:

“Sisyphus, you, who were entrusted with such high hopes, have disappointed me greatly.”

“How could the Holy War be triggered by just one person? Don't overestimate yourself.”

Chiron's Sierra, Light Arrows—such powerful techniques were all unleashed against Lady Athena, making this two-hundred-year-old veteran Pope furious.

He was truly afraid that Sisyphus would continue to dwell on his thoughts, and he had to knock him out of it today.

All the Gold Saints present were startled, and even the unrestrained Scorpio Kardia straightened up slightly.

Looking at Sisyphus lying in the ruins, the Pope's anger also subsided a little:

“Don't forget what you said, Sisyphus. Protect Lady Athena until your life ends.”

Young people just overthink things, burying problems in their hearts and dwelling on them alone, never coming to talk to him, the old Pope.

 。。。。。

Chapter 281: The Sacrifice of Airgetlám... The Unprecedented Holy Sword!

Chapter Text

【 In the Sanctuary, a dazzling light suddenly bloomed before El Cid's eyes, as Athena and Sisyphus finally returned to the present world.

Upon learning that El Cid was confronting the Four Dream Gods alone, Sisyphus hoped to borrow the power of Lady Athena to assist El Cid.

The scene shifts.

Beneath the colossal statue of Athena, Sisyphus drew his bow and notched an arrow. Athena's left hand glowed, sweeping over the arrow, imbuing it with her divine power, completing the enchantment!

“BUZZ—!”

In an instant, the arrow left the string, a fierce wind erupted, tearing through the air and whistling from the Sanctuary, flying towards Hades' Castle in Italy. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, an arrow shot from home base to support El Cid in Italy?! Isn't that a bit too far…”

“But that archery pose is just too cool.”

“This strike will pierce the stars, Stella!… Almost went to the wrong set.”

Everyone from other worlds looked at Sisyphus's actions with bewildered expressions. Although they knew that Saint Seiya couldn't be described by normal standards, this was just too abnormal.

What kind of arrow was this? Might as well just fire a cannon. It's like an intercontinental missile, flying from Greece to Italy. Does it really need such a long range?!

The most crucial thing was that it was a blind shot, without even looking, not knowing the location, yet still firing there. It seems to have an auto-locking function.

 。。。。。

【 Meanwhile, near the Cathedral of the Forest, Tenma and his two companions were still locked in a stalemate with the unrecovered Dream God, while El Cid, eyes tightly shut, knelt on the ground, his Cosmo faint, as if already dead.

“My blade… has it broken?”

Just as he thought this, El Cid suddenly opened his eyes. He heard Sisyphus's message and instinctively clenched his fist.

“You're truly battered, El Cid! You wielded your blade alone and ventured into the Dream World for me. Thank you… Now it's my turn to lend you a hand.”

“Just now, I shot a sharp arrow filled with Lady Athena's power. It is the power that guides us, Saint, to victory.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Golden Saints have such abilities?! Or is it Sisyphus's technique?! Damn, that long-distance call is incredible.”

“Just a reminder, that's not a sharp arrow, it's an intercontinental missile. What kind of sharp arrow can achieve precise cross-country strikes…”

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Seireitei〜

Seeing this scene, for a moment, the captains in Soul Society couldn't figure out what kind of outrageous beings Saint was.

Byakuya Kuchiki murmured,

“Telepathy?! Isn't that a bit too far?”

To put it in a phrase from the modern world, even international phone signals aren't as good as yours, nor as fast.

Recalling the various miraculous abilities between the Golden Saints and the Specters, he now wondered if this was a basic operation among the Golden Saints.

But it seemed a bit off. If all Golden Saints could do it, they wouldn't have seemed so unfamiliar with Asmita.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, the power of belief filled El Cid's entire body, making him stand up again, and then he abruptly turned his back to the Dream God.

“Broken or shattered. Only to manifest the one sword I wield!”

At this moment, El Cid, with his back to the Dream God, waited only for the arrival of the Arrow of Victory. His Cosmo reached an unprecedented height, his Sacred Sword honed to extreme sharpness.

Sisyphus in the Sanctuary gazed at the distant sky, as if looking at that solitary figure: “Carry it through, El Cid! Your path, like a sharp sword, you are… THE SACRED SWORD!!”

The arrow, injected with Athena's power, was split into four by El Cid's Sacred Sword. The four arrows simultaneously struck the Dream God's four souls.

“How is this possible? In an instant, he split the golden, sharp arrow and pierced all our souls!”

Terror finally appeared on the Dream God's face, followed by an explosion. Light enveloped everyone's faces—this was the glow of victory. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, a golden arrow is one thing, but this is an arrow imbued with Athena's power, and you can cut it?!”

“El Cid, who could barely stand, actually reached an unprecedented height. This is the Sacred Sword!”

Everyone from other worlds was dumbfounded. The Sagittarius arrow, which could fly from Greece to Italy, arrived here in a few seconds. Its speed was unimaginable!

El Cid was even able to precisely split it into four pieces in an instant amidst such terrifying speed. Who could do that?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“What the—”

Rin Tohsaka was stunned, a hint of shock and confusion in her eyes. Her hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, and the teacup slipped from her fingers, but she paid it no mind.

What kind of monsters were these? El Cid, who could barely stand, could still perform such a feat…

“The battles he experienced before became his whetstone!”

Red A looked blankly at that sword strike.

A broken arm, dried blood, a body covered in wounds—the sword strike he wielded was even more powerful than ever before.

Was this the Sacred Sword El Cid had always pursued? It seems he finally completed it at the very last moment.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“El Cid—perhaps I truly underestimated you before.”

The faces of the Four Dream Gods fell, their expressions grim, but at this moment, none continued to underestimate El Cid.

Although he had Athena's help, to be able to defeat them, the Four Gods combined, El Cid's performance was indeed not to be underestimated.

 。。。。。

In the Pope's Chamber, the other Gold Saints looked at the resolute El Cid. He seemed to have finally achieved what Asmita did, burning his Cosmo to its limit!

El Cid, beside them, looked at his clenched fist, somewhat lost in thought:

“It's not enough… The Sacred Sword I pursue!”

But I'm still not enough. My blade isn't sharp enough; I can become stronger. To constantly pursue the Sacred Sword of my dreams, that is El Cid!

 。。。。。

【 However, the barely surviving Dream God suddenly rushed towards Pegasus.

“In that case, at least…”

In a flash, El Cid blocked Pegasus. El Cid's hand was broken, and there was no Cosmo to form a Sacred Sword.

But his broken right arm became his best single blade, pushing the Dream God high into the sky. El Cid's path of justice also reached its end.

“We have something that we must uphold, even if gods slay Buddhas, and that is what you mock and disdain…”

At the last moment, El Cid looked down at Pegasus.

“Pegasus of the Pegasus Constellation, after this, you have a path you must walk yourself…”

Accompanied by the light illuminating the earth and Pegasus's desperate shout, the God-Slaying Sword finally completed its last swing.

Sisyphus, far away in the Sanctuary, also felt El Cid's Cosmo disappear.

“I will not grieve, for you have finally completed the Sacred Sword you pursued!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“El Cid, rest in peace… The path you forged will not be wasted. The Pegasus Constellation hides the power to change this Holy War!”

This is Capricorn, a true warrior, loyal to the end, with unwavering faith. A great righteousness carried to the end of life!!

Previously, everyone didn't understand, but after seeing Pegasus in his God Cloth, they understood why they were all protecting Pegasus.

Because Pegasus's body hides the only soul that can inflict real damage on Hades.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“If El Cid hadn't pushed the Dream God high into the sky, Pegasus and the others would probably have died.”

Ritsuka Fujimaru looked at the dazzling explosion in the sky with lingering fear.

A god's self-destruction is no joke. Luckily, the power didn't explode on the ground; otherwise, it would have been truly dangerous.

Da Vinci sighed:

“Even if he didn't die with him, El Cid probably wouldn't have survived.”

That was the 18th century; medical methods were rudimentary. Moreover, the Dream God had said that El Cid was only supporting his body with his Cosmo.

With his Cosmo exhausted, El Cid couldn't even support his body. At the last moment, this was all he could do.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“What a powerful Sacred Sword, El Cid!”

Shura slowly closed his eyes, as if bidding farewell to this respectable senior.

El Cid, with his Cosmo exhausted, in order to protect Pegasus, could only use his broken hand as a sharp blade to stab the Dream God. This will is worthy of respect.

Worn or broken, even so, he will carve a path to victory. This is El Cid, a sharp sword!

The previous generation of Gold Saints truly had no cowards; every single one was powerful, but also too cruel.

Even Athena was a fierce person who led the charge.

 。。。。。

Chapter 282: I don't even know you well enough to be your enemy...

Chapter Text

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Present Timeline〜

“It's already good that El Cid can deal with two dream gods alone. You know, when mortals fight gods, they basically have to pay with their lives.”

Gojo Satoru also felt extremely sorry for El Cid's sacrifice. His sword light, which could tear through space, left a deep impression on him.

“Sensei, I have a question.”

Itadori suddenly raised his hand, looking a bit foolish.

“Since Sagittarius and Athena can cooperate to shoot an arrow all the way to Italy, why can't they just do long-range attrition?!”

As soon as Itadori said this, everyone present suddenly looked at him in a new light.

He looked foolish, but unexpectedly, he was a man of great wisdom disguised as a fool.

Kugisaki Nobara also applauded,

“Exactly! Anyway, Sisyphus can still communicate telepathically and then send another Gold Saint to pinpoint the location, directly achieving precision strikes. Itadori, you're a genius.”

Itadori's idea was indeed feasible. Athena's Cosmo, combined with Sisyphus's Golden Arrow, was like a nuclear bomb. Even gods couldn't stop it. It could hit wherever it was aimed!

Anyway, the Golden Arrow consumes Sagittarius's Cosmo, which is similar to Cursed Energy.

So they could just stay in the Sanctuary all day long, shooting arrows. There would be no life-threatening danger, and it would greatly reduce the sacrifices of the Saints.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

“It's really not easy... It's only just begun, and five Gold Saints have already died.”

Illya pursed her lips, controlling her emotions.

Miyu and Luvia, who were beside her, also nodded silently.

Pisces Albafica transformed his entire life into thousands of poisonous needles, perishing with Minos, one of the Three Judges, with flowers as his burial.

Virgo Asmita sacrificed all his Cosmo to create the Seal Rosary, making the Specters fall into eternal slumber.

Taurus Aldebaran, controlling his already dead body, fought to protect Tenma, with the Titan's Nova shining for the last time in the night sky.

Cancer Manigoldo took off his Gold Cloth in the Gods' Passage, sealing Thanatos at the cost of his life.

Capricorn El Cid fought fiercely against the four gods of the Dream World, eventually falling to protect Tenma.

Five Gold Saints sacrificed their lives to open a path for Tenma, guiding him forward with their own will.

 。。。。。

【 As El Cid died, the barrier of the Dream World was broken, and the gates of Hades Castle finally opened. Hakurei wore the Pope's robes and declared the final battle.

After that, Sisyphus, with the help of Athena's power, shot another arrow towards the Forest Cathedral, shattering the eternal dream surrounding it.

The Saints began to gather, preparing to launch the final battle against Hades Castle. At this point, Hakurei, who had no more worries, also took off the Pope's robes.

Meanwhile, Hypnos found the place where Hades created the Lost Canvas. He concluded that it was definitely not Hades himself inside, but Alone, who had stolen his power.

“You call yourself Hades, you play Hades, this is the most evil act.”

Hypnos allowed Alone to enter the Dream World to interfere with Pegasus's soul because doing so would greatly consume Alone's soul power. Now, the time was ripe.

“Eternal Sleep—!!”

A beam of purple light instantly struck Alone. Hades, hidden within his body, was finally awakened. Hypnos respectfully knelt down to the phantom in the sky.

“I have been longing for your return, my master.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No wonder we couldn't find Hypnos just now, and he watched the four gods die without intervening. So he was waiting for this moment.”

“Holy cow, so the previous Hades was actually Alone pretending?! It's a shame if he doesn't get an Oscar.”

If everyone hadn't seen this scene with their own eyes, they would have even doubted if they had heard wrong. Killing his beloved friend Pegasus mercilessly before, it didn't look like an act at all.

“No wonder the boss of the Underworld would help his arch-enemy. So it was Alone... But why did he kill Tenma before?”

A human soul actually suppressed the soul of the Lord of the Underworld. This was simply an act against heaven! Sure enough, no one who lived with Pegasus and Athena was simple.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Damn it—”

Thanatos's muscular face darkened, becoming incredibly ferocious. A mere human dared to steal the power of a god and even impersonate Lord Hades.

Then he looked at Hypnos with ill intent:

“Hypnos, you knew all along, didn't you?”

Facing Thanatos's questioning, Hypnos took a sip of red tea, then elegantly placed the cup down:

“I didn't know... But now I do.”

Then the two gods exchanged glances and, without another word, disappeared from the detached palace. Although Alone's soul was not weakened, the combined efforts of the two gods should be able to awaken Lord Hades's soul.

Tenma and Sasha in the Sanctuary were stunned. If he were still Alone, was his desire to lead the whole world into death real or fake?!

Even Athena in the video had believed that Alone had completely disappeared within that body.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment in the Sanctuary, Sisyphus had gathered the Saint army. A group teleportation instantly began, and in a flash, they arrived at the foot of Hades Castle.

And Tenma was still struggling to climb up because of Hades Castle's barrier; any Saint who entered there would have their Cosmo suppressed, and their power would be difficult to exert.

At the foot of the mountain, Sisyphus, also wary of the barrier's power, gave the order to wait in place, awaiting the opportune moment.

Because at the top of the mountain stood many Specters, a cloaked figure also arrived before the gates of Hades Castle.

“So many people for just one opponent.”

After taking off his cloak, old man Hakurei directly activated his Musou mode. His fists were his best weapons. Carrying the corpses of Specters on his shoulders, he pushed open the gates of Hades Castle.

The Specters filled the entire corridor, watching Hakurei with grim determination.

Hakurei, holding his ancestral sword, paid no attention to these Specters. The next second, Hakurei turned into a phantom and rushed into the enemy ranks, blood splattering wherever he went.

“To block my path, you must have a more resolute belief than mine. This is a battlefield!”

Another punch landed, and the entire mountain peak trembled. The castle even exploded violently. When Hakurei looked back again, all the Specters had fallen. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This teleportation is absolutely amazing. In just a short moment, they arrived at Hades Castle, which Tenma had painstakingly run for most of the time.”

“Holy cow! So the Saints don't just have one elder, but two! This combat power is a bit ridiculous.”

Everyone from other worlds exclaimed in amazement. Without even wearing his Cloths, he single-handedly stormed into Hades' Castle, activating Musou mode, one after another, trying to secretly clear the way.

One punch, one kid. It was practically a warm-up. They almost forgot that he was also an old man over two hundred years old. What was this? An old man's hot-blooded anime?

 。。。。。

【 And at this moment, at the foot of the mountain, Sisyphus was still waiting in place, with the young and well-behaved Leo Regulus quietly standing beside him.

Scorpio Kardia and Aquarius Dégel were nowhere to be seen.

“How can I keep waiting?! The prey is right in front of me.”

The scene shifted to Scorpio. He was currently planning to go alone. With a wave of his hand, he flattened an obstacle, only to find that Aquarius, who had anticipated his arrival, blocked his path.

“I knew you'd come, Scorpio Kardia. Are you defying orders?”

Kardia looked at him, annoyed, and his smile gradually turned twisted.

“I'll go scout ahead. If I accidentally run into Hades,... I'll just hunt once.”

But Dégel told him there was no need, because someone was already clearing the way ahead. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“...Are Gold Saints really not chosen based on their looks?!! Holy cow, each one is handsome than the last. This is ridiculous.”

“Hahaha, the Gold Saints are all restless individuals. Except for that young Leo, they all want to charge in.”

Everyone from other worlds was curious about Leo's youthful appearance. This tender look, his age felt similar to Tenma's. Could he be underage?

But everyone laughed at themselves at the thought. How could that be?!... How could someone be a Gold Saint at that age?

“Don't make that handsome face look like a villain, Kardia...”

Good heavens, he's a Gold Saint with a handsome face, but... that smile would make children call the police and say there's a bad guy.

 。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“That kid is Leo?!”

Leo Loke looked at the screen with disappointment,

“He's so well-behaved, not like me at all.”

Lucy pressed her hand on Loke's shoulder and retorted,

“Why did you suddenly come out again!”

It was a good thing Aquarius, who liked Scorpio, wasn't around; otherwise, it would be trouble. If she came out and saw Kardia, that would be something.

After all, even she thought Scorpio Kardia was really handsome, except for looking a bit like a villain.

( Translator-kun: Oh, right, Aquarius and Scorpio were in a romantic relationship in Fairy Tail; I almost forgot. And in the current inventory, Aquarius and Scorpio somehow show that they are at odds with each other, but aren't. )

Makarov, the Guild Master, on the other hand, felt a sense of empathy for Sisyphus. They were all difficult to manage, and they all liked to charge in on their own.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“???”

At this moment in the Pope's Chamber, the Gold Saints present, including Athena and the Pope, all looked at Kardia and Dégel with subtle expressions.

Aren't you two inseparable? Why are you calling each other so unfamiliar, and acting like you don't know each other?! Are you trying to avoid suspicion? There are no outsiders here.

Only Sisyphus looked at Regulus with satisfaction. At least not all of them were disobedient. At least some people listened to what he said.

 。。。。。

Chapter 283: A move that costs one's life!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After dealing with all the Specters, Hakurei pushed open the heavy door in front of him, and a heavy, turbid air emanated from within.

“This is the center of the barrier.”

In the dead, silent room, a huge purple pentagram was located in the center. As long as he inserted the sword in his hand into it, he could destroy the barrier.

But just as the holy sword was drawn, Hypnos appeared behind Hakurei. After a brief moment of surprise, Hakurei erupted in a blazing fire.

Time returns to two hundred years ago... (This will not be written.) 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hypnos has also appeared. I should have guessed it earlier. The wish of Sage and Hakurei, the two brothers who survived, was to defeat the Twin Gods.”

“Good heavens, so they've been formidable since two hundred years ago. In the previous Holy War, you two brothers were also the main damage dealers.”

“Each generation is worse than the last. The previous Athena was clearly a powerful fighter; her physique alone showed it.”

As the images were released, everyone finally understood why these two brothers were willing to live until the next Holy War, determined to find a way to defeat the Twin Gods, as the threat was simply too great.

Because of the Twin Gods, only the two of them survived the previous Holy War.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Although it was only a fleeting image, Seiya clearly saw a scene that shocked him.

“Grandpa Hakurei was so strong when he was young?! He punched out Minos.”

Minos was one of the Three Judges of the Underworld. Even Aphrodite, a Gold Saint, only managed to trade his life for Minos's when Minos was careless.

But Hakurei, who was a Silver Saint at the time, directly punched them out one by one.

He was simply too strong!

“The Athenas of the previous two generations didn't need our protection, did they?!”

Shiryu felt that this was a true Valkyrie, not someone who was captured every day, but someone who went directly into battle. And they could also let loose and deal with the Specters.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the inner sea of the planet, in the furthest tower

Merlin carefully scrutinized the scenes from Hakurei's memory, then nodded.

“Now I finally know how they won the Holy War without their rosaries.”

So they fought directly within Athena's barrier. As long as the barrier was open, the Specters couldn't revive. But doing so was too passive.

“And Hades, the King of the Underworld, is too careless. He didn't even wear his God Cloth...”

They've fought so many Holy Wars over the years, and lost so many times, why hasn't Hades learned his lesson?! He always underestimates humans; no wonder he always loses.

After all, with Athena's army configuration, it would be ridiculous for them to win every time...

 。。。。。

【 Two hundred years of regret, Hakurei dared not forget for a moment. This obsession with revenge, however, earned him a trace of admiration from Hypnos.

“Using your brother's power to seal Thanatos, that obsession, is truly wonderful. Accept my respect with gratitude.”

“I have always been fascinated by the various things you humans weave...”

A chilling smile appeared on Hypnos's face. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and two figures descended from the dark sky.

When Hakurei saw their faces, he was startled to find that they were Shion and Yuzuriha from before, so he quickly stepped forward to catch them.

“How moving! It makes one feel pity. Then I shall grant your wish.”

In an instant, the ground disappeared, and the three plummeted rapidly. With a flash of light, they found themselves in the sky, ten thousand meters high.

“Another Encounter With Reality—!”

“I can turn created dreams and fantasies into reality... First, experience the height of 10,000 meters.”

In a flash, the three of them slammed into the ground like cannonballs. A moment later, the thick smoke dispersed, but Hakurei still stood firm. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, your brother Thanatos was sealed, and you're still praising them. You two brothers are really harmonious!”

“So Hypnos is actually a human lover?! He has quite an artistic flair. Thanatos just seems like a brute.”

“'Another Encounter With Reality'...another absurd move. 'I think, therefore I am,' right? It's pretty much whatever you imagine comes true.”

Although they had Hypnos as a baseline before, seeing Hypnos in person still made everyone feel a sense of oppression.

Perhaps because of the barrier, even Shion, a Gold Saint of Aries, was powerless before him, grabbed like an ant.

However, it seems that Hypnos and Thanatos have completely different attitudes. Hypnos doesn't hate humans; instead, he is full of curiosity about them.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“You're telling me that's how many meters high?!”

Touma Kamijou thought he hadn't heard correctly. 10,000 meters high, wouldn't they be smashed to smithereens?

Index carefully removed her hands from her eyes and secretly peeked at the screen:

“You heard right, 10, 000 meters!”

When she moved her gaze back to the screen, her eyes instantly widened. She wasn't dreaming, were they all still perfectly fine?!!

Logically speaking, at such a height, let alone being alive, even having a complete corpse would be something to be thankful for. How strong were their bodies?!

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Looking at Hakurei, who had smashed out deep craters, Kirito silently complained:

“Leaving aside their absurd body structure, the floor of Hades Castle is really hard.”

He was met with Asuna's speechless gaze:

“Is that the point?!...”

But Kirito was right, the floor was really hard. Falling from that height was like a cannonball, yet it only created a deep crater.

They couldn't be killed by a fall of tens of thousands of meters; their bodies were like diamonds. It's hard to imagine how they managed to be both tanky and deal damage, and their health bars were thick, too.

 。。。。。

【 Hypnos narrowed his eyes at Hakurei, his face filled with disdain for Hakurei's two hundred years of obsession, then lightly raised a finger.

Purple-black light flickered, and an incredibly massive meteor suddenly appeared in the sky, hurtling towards Shion and Yuzuriha with lightning speed!

In a flash, the holy sword slashed and pierced into his abdomen. Hakurei stood in front of them, single-handedly enduring Hypnos's attack...

Relying on Athena's divine blood, Hakurei unleashed terrifying power, and the giant meteor instantly dissipated!

A gust of wind dispersed the thick smoke. Hakurei stood firm, holding a long blade, his abdomen stained with blood.

“Clang—”

Hakurei pressed the tip of his sword to the ground, and a blue cosmos spread out from him. Here, he would stake two hundred years of obsession to fulfill his long-cherished wish!

“Shion, Yuzuriha, this is my ultimate skill, exchanged for my life—”

As the light spread, the souls of the Saints from the previous Holy War appeared.

Shion looked at the surrounding souls of the previous warriors in shock.

“Could it be... that he summoned back the warriors of the previous Holy War through Praesepe??” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The old man is too strong. A meteor really falling is no different from a nuclear bomb.”

“Moreover, this meteor is imbued with Hypnos's divine power. If Hakurei hadn't immediately dyed his body with Athena's divine blood, he would have been done for.”

“But, Shion, where's your Crystal Wall?! You should have used it to block. It can't be that you can't even use that move.”

Everyone from other worlds watched the battle intently, without strategy or tactics, purely enduring Hypnos's attacks head-on.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Seireitei〜

Soul Society

“The Praesepe technique is really useful...”

Unohana Retsu's smile became a bit stiff.

She didn't expect to see this technique again now. The Praesepe technique, which their Soul Society considered a nemesis, was it actually easy to learn?!

Why did everyone know one or two moves? She initially thought it was a Cancer-exclusive ability.

“The souls of the previous Holy War have been summoned. Manigoldo probably doesn't even know this move.”

Is this what they call a part-timer outdoing a professional?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

At this moment, Manigoldo was staring intently at the screen, afraid of missing any details. As someone who knew the prerequisite moves, he had pretty much understood this technique.

The other Gold Saints exchanged glances. They had never heard of the Praesepe having such a move... Unbeknownst to them, the honest-looking Leo silently nodded at the screen.

Finally, it's come to this!

Hakurei quietly clenched his fists. Two hundred years of longing, success or failure depended on this one move.

From the very beginning, there was no turning back. The Twin Gods were their sworn enemies, and it was up to them, the brothers, to resolve this. This was their reason for living.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Deathmask was speechless. How many moves did his proud Praesepe have?! And why did everyone know how to use it...

Pope Sage, of course, was the Cancer Gold Saint of the previous generation, but Hakurei, you're an Altar Silver Saint. Why are you joining in the fun?

This move is even more powerful than the original Praesepe. Among those who also use Praesepe, am I the weakest?!

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: I don't really feel like writing the manga content anymore. I want to take a break. It's getting a bit long. I want to write about things I haven't written before... the Calabash chapter, The Grand Temple of Time: Solomon... A Certain Magical Index World... )

( Translator-kun: TLDR; don't worry, this one 'Saint Seiya: TLC' will continue.... )

Chapter 284: The Descent of the King of the Underworld, A Sacrifice That Won't Fade Away

Chapter Text

【 By using the Praesepe, Hakurei summoned the souls of the warriors from the previous Holy War to this place, confronting the God of Sleep alongside his comrades.

However, the God of Sleep on the opposite side remained disdainful, his expression unchanged.

“Truly insignificant, merely a group of useless dead people. I just need to cast them back into the Underworld.”

As he spoke, the God of Sleep waved his large hand, stirring up a fierce gale, which Hakurei easily blocked.

“It's not that simple, Hynos! Two hundred years of obsession...”

As Hakurei raised his arm, the warriors' souls gradually converged in the air into a massive energy orb. With the continuous influx of souls, the terrifying pressure it emitted caused Hades Castle to tremble.

“Take this, PRAESEPE RETURNING SPIRITS WAVE—!”

( Note: This move can directly erase the opponent's soul and body. )

With Hakurei's shout, the 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave' instantly blasted towards Hypnos.

But... the God of Sleep merely raised his arm slightly, easily deflecting this terrifying blow, even letting out a disdainful scoff:

“Is this all the warriors of the previous Holy War are capable of?!”

“Indeed, they are just humans.”

Even with the combined strength of everyone, they still couldn't seal Hypnos. The God of Sleep's power truly exceeded Hakurei's imagination!

“Is it still not comparable to a god's power?!” Hakurei's eyes showed no hint of retreat, still gritting his teeth and holding on.

“If that's the case, THEN ADD MY SOUL AS WELL!”

The next moment, he unhesitatingly sacrificed his own soul, adding it to the 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave', concentrating all his power into his fist, and smashing it heavily towards the God of Sleep.

“Comrades, disciples... this is my obsession.”

At this moment, a look of astonishment finally appeared on the God of Sleep's face.

Hakurei's all-or-nothing punch struck the God of Sleep's hand, and the God Cloth on the God of Sleep began to crack and disintegrate.

To unleash this attack against me purely through obsession... indeed, humans are hopelessly foolish.

But... truly magnificent!

The God of Sleep's God Cloth continued to shatter. Although he still disdained human power at this moment, he couldn't help but praise Hakurei's actions in the end.

The God of Sleep was gradually engulfed by a purple light, and a trace of blue light merged into Hakurei's body from the air. The latter's tightly closed eyes slowly opened.

Hakurei slowly rose, taking out the cabinet that once sealed the God of Death from his body, a rare smile appearing on his face: “I've finally sealed you, Hypnos.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave', hehe, another move. I have to say, Cancer's techniques are really useful. Using one's own soul as a mark, concentrating power at a single point, truly well done...”

“This move might not be effective against the God of Sleep's true body, but his earthly body couldn't withstand it. This move is equivalent to directly destroying the God of Sleep's earthly vessel.”

At this time, people from other worlds also felt a long-lost surge of passion. As expected of an old-school shonen anime, Hakurei truly sealed the God of Sleep with real swords and guns, and the key thing was that he was still alive, which was amazing.

“This is the coolest battle. Humans defeated a god! To be able to achieve this level, he is truly too strong.”

But everyone also understood that the God of Sleep had held back quite a bit. After only using an illusory domain from beginning to end, he basically didn't make any other moves.

Moreover, he didn't even move... one could only say that he truly was an artist, indeed elegant.

And even when defeated and sealed, the God of Sleep's attitude remained self-satisfied, a complete contrast to the God of Death's frantic screams when he was sealed.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

The Underworld...

Ereshkigal looked at the God of Sleep with a hint of surprise, as if seeing a rare animal:

“His attitude towards humans is completely different from the God of Death's.”

This was the most general-like god she had seen in that world. From beginning to end, he never harbored any murderous intent, seemingly not wanting to fight at all, and Hakurei's fighting style simply caught him off guard.

Above the Underworld, in Uruk, the Wise King Gilgamesh was also somewhat surprised by the God of Sleep's defeat:

“Was he too lazy to extend a second hand? Or would using two hands against a human compromise a god's dignity?!”

It's just unknown if he could have blocked it if he had extended another hand. After all, the God of Sleep's earthly body, like the previous Hades, had reached its limit before he was defeated...

Merlin, however, had a good impression of the God of Sleep:

“The God of Sleep's final meaning should be that while human emotions are ridiculous, the actions taken for them are truly beautiful.”

The God of Sleep mocked the fickle nature of human emotions but appreciated the actions they took for them.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Seireitei〜

In the Soul Society, the captains watched the God of Sleep being sealed, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes:

“This time, it wasn't a life for a life?! Is it because he's not a Gold Saint?”

After all, the previous rule of “one Gold Saint dies for one god” was deeply ingrained in their minds. They had just assumed Hakurei would pay with his life to seal the God of Sleep, but it turned out they had overthought it.

Even the knowledgeable Head-Captain was incredibly surprised:

“He actually defeated the God of Sleep with a mortal body.”

The power of the gods had been fully demonstrated before, an unbridgeable chasm for humans.

While the God of Sleep certainly had suspicions of holding back, let's not forget that Hakurei was an old man who had lived for over two hundred years.

How long can a human life span?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

In the Sanctuary, after seeing Hakurei's 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave' defeat the God of Sleep in one blow, all the Saints were dumbfounded. Why did their generation not have any such powerful figures?

“Deathmask, you should just quit the group...”

Aphrodite was completely speechless. How many techniques had Deathmask missed out on?

He walked around with a 'Praesepe Underworld Waves' all day, acting like he was incredibly strong, only to realize in the end that he hadn't even graduated from kindergarten.

The unjustly scolded Deathmask also felt bad. He also wanted to understand how deep the Cancer's skill set was, with all the powerful ones being gone.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Do Saints hide things in such hardcore ways?”

Misaki Shokuhou tightly closed her eyes, swallowing nervously.

Seeing Hakurei directly pull out the sacred cabinet from his abdomen just now—that was a self-disembowelment! The bloody scene truly scared her, and she felt pain just watching it.

“But now I finally understand why those guys in Academy City are so obsessed with Level 6!”

The power of a god is an unbridgeable chasm for humans.

Humans spent such a huge price, meticulously devising such profound strategies and tactics, just to seal a god.

If the god had started with the mindset of complete annihilation, humans would have had no chance of winning. The final result of being sealed was due to the god underestimating them.

 。。。。。

【 The two-hundred-year-old wish was finally fulfilled, but the Holy War was not yet over. Hakurei picked up the holy sword and walked to the center of the barrier.

“With this, the barrier will disappear, Lady Athena. My brother and I have finally fulfilled our promise to you.”

Just as he was about to plunge the holy sword, suddenly, crimson blood spurted from his body, and Shion's pupils sharply contracted.

Hakurei, who had just fought fiercely against the God of Sleep, collapsed without any resistance, his blood staining the ground.

Hades' cold voice also resounded.

“Hypnos, you got careless because your opponent was human, didn't you?”

Hades descended from the sky, exuding an aura completely different from before. That unattainable aura was that of a genuine god!

“So-called humans, the only beautiful thing about them is this crimson blood.”

Hades reached out, dabbed the blood on the ground, and smeared it on his face, looking at Shion with cold eyes.

Shion couldn't believe the scene before him. His master, who had just been fighting, had fallen right in front of him.

“HADES!!”

The surging anger, accompanied by his shout, made his body tremble uncontrollably. His Cosmo burned wildly:

“STARDUST REVOLUTION—!”

Golden-glowing stardust blasted towards Hades. The latter merely waved his sleeve lightly, revealing a vast universe within.

The stars roaring out from within made Shion realize what true stardust was. Feeling the awe-inspiring dark Cosmo from it, he finally understood that it was the power of a god. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Old man Hakurei ultimately couldn't escape the fate of death. He talked too much just now; if he had plunged it in earlier, it might have been different.”

“That alluring pose, is Hades that flamboyant? Even wiping the blood on the ground onto his face.”

Although Hakurei also couldn't escape the fate of death, the two brothers sealed the two brother gods with their respective lives, fulfilling their long-cherished wish with no regrets.

Removing the Twin Gods from Hades' side was a feat worthy of pride for all Saints. They proved that gods were not invincible and that there was a way to deal with them.

However, the true Hades had now awakened, and Shion was probably going to fall here as well.

That awe-inspiring, terrifying power, merely returning Shion's attack, had already rendered the latter utterly helpless.

“It seems that whoever shows up more in the early stages really does have to die.”

People from other worlds secretly lamented, Why do even the protagonists die from talking too much... Old man, it wouldn't have been too late to slowly ramble after you plunged the sword in!

 。。。。。

Chapter 285: The Holy Cloth of the Pegasus Reappears!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Shion, who was easily knocked to the ground, felt the pure cosmos emanating from Hades. It was an overwhelming power!

However… Shion struggled to his feet, his eyes flickering, and rushed towards the Holy Sword on the ground. Even if he couldn't defeat Hades, he would risk his life to dispel the barrier surrounding Hades' Castle.

“So that's it, this sword of Athena can nullify my barrier.”

But Hades moved first, shattering the Holy Sword. Then, a dark cosmos erupted again, pouring terrifying power onto Shion.

Instantly sent flying, Shion's heart was filled with despair. Perhaps they would have to stop here.

Suddenly, an emerald green light descended from the sky. Dohko and Tenma arrived in time, blocking Hades' attack.

Tenma ignored Hades, who was off to the side, and walked straight towards Hakurei, who was already dead behind him, until he brushed past Hades.

Hades suddenly froze for a moment, then lowered his eyes, and once again showed an indifferent smile.

“Elder… even you… was Alone responsible for this?” Looking at Hakurei's corpse, Tenma squatted down, his face gloomy, and anger surged within him.

Hearing Tenma's question, Hades smiled instead, “Hmph… Tenma of Pegasus! Who exactly is this Alone you speak of?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Dohko and Shion are a curious pair. It seems they always team up, but this time they might be giving it their all for nothing.”

“Something's wrong, this reaction is a bit off! Hades' expression just now didn't look like Hades awakening.”

“It could also be that as long as I don't admit I'm Alone, Hades is the one who did the bad things.”

Everyone from other worlds sensed something unusual from Hades' astonishment. When Tenma completely ignored him and walked past him, the expression on his face was clearly one of loss.

This expression solidified the fact that Hades hadn't woken up at all, but everyone couldn't guess Alone's thoughts. Even though the Twin Gods had been sealed, why was he still going down this path?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

“This human soul is too strong… Can it really suppress a god's soul throughout?”

Although Ishtar usually messes up, as a goddess, she also descended into the world by possessing a human body.

The thought of her own divine consciousness being suppressed was too terrifying. She wouldn't even know who was possessing whom.

Even Ereshkigal in the Underworld felt a chill down her spine. The power to govern the land of the dead in the Underworld couldn't be misused. She patted her chest with lingering fear:

“Fortunately… the body I possessed didn't cause any trouble.”

If she were truly messed with like Hades, the trouble would be immense.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

In the Pope's Hall, the other Gold Saints had various expressions and felt a strange sensation, but couldn't quite put their finger on it. However, they didn't believe Hades was Alone.

After all, Shion in the video said that the current Hades had a pure cosmos, giving him the feeling of an unreachable god, not something a human soul could suppress.

Only Asmita, who was meditating beside them, slowly spoke:

“Pegasus, who has been intertwined with Hades since the Age of Myths, Hades will only remember constellations, not human names.”

Sisyphus looked a bit dazed:

“Are you saying the current Hades is still Alone acting?!”

Asmita smiled faintly, as cryptic as ever:

“Who knows…”

This tone didn't sound like Hades. The real Hades should only refer to them as humans.

Hades doesn't remember human names.

The Pope beside him was contemplating Hades' performance in the previous Holy War.

After Asmita's reminder, he also noticed something unusual.

“Could it be that Hypnos' Eternal Sleep actually hit Hades' soul?!”

The true Hades wouldn't have such an attitude towards humans. Logically, he would have started a massacre long ago… If it's really Alone, what exactly does he want to do?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

Giant Hero Emiya also had the same thought as the Pope: what did Alone want to use Hades' power for?!

“Does he also want to destroy all of humanity?!”

Once the “Lost Canvas,” that ultimate weapon painted in the sky, is completed, all humans will be doomed. According to Chaldea, this is definitely a Human Evil.

 。。。。。

【 “PEGASUS RYUSEI KEN—!” Tenma's fist disappeared into Hades' robe, only to be returned at an even more terrifying speed, shattering his Pegasus Cloth.

“It's useless. A mere Bronze Saint's punch cannot harm me.”

Alone showed no mercy. The Hades Sword appeared, accompanied by purple lightning, and he turned to strike at Tenma. In a flash, Dohko once again blocked the blow for Tenma.

However, the legendary shield, said to be the sturdiest among the Gold Saints, was directly shattered into pieces.

“If that were Alone, I wouldn't plan to intervene, but it doesn't seem to be the case.”

So the master and disciple attacked together, unleashing the Rozan Hyakuryu Ha and Pegasus Ryusei Ken in unison, charging towards Alone with terrifying momentum!

Hades, however, effortlessly wielded the Hades Sword, and their attacks were instantly disintegrated. A violent storm swept forth, knocking everyone to the ground in an instant.

“All of you here, fall to the path of the Underworld.”

Before Dohko could even get up, the Hades Sword once again flashed with black light.

Dark purple cosmos surged and churned on the Hades Sword, and the next strike would take everyone's lives. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This time, it might truly be the end. The gap is just too vast, and with them trapped inside Hades' barrier, the Saints' power is far too weakened!”

“What about the army outside Hades Castle? At least come and save them! Logically, they should have felt Hades' cosmos.”

With just one sword strike, the shield, known as the sturdiest among the Gold Cloths, was shattered. Such a huge disparity in strength, perhaps as he said, a Saint's punch cannot harm him.

 。。。。。

【 In the nick of time, Tenma's flower wreath glowed with golden light, and Athena's soul descended from the sky, appearing beside Tenma.

The three intertwined by fate met again, but Athena's arrival this time was to declare war.

“To prevent the countless Saints from sacrificing themselves in vain, this is the time for us to fight with all our might.”

“Hades, who devastates lives and attempts to dominate the earth with dark death, I will fight alongside Tenma, in the name of the Goddess of Wisdom.”

Facing Athena's declaration of war, staff held high, Hades seemed somewhat disdainful. The necklace on his chest transformed into a pitch-black Surplice, and he pointed his sword at the two of them.

“What can your illusory body do?! You've dug your own grave, Athena!”

Black lightning crackled around the black sword, and a massive energy ball instantly blasted towards Tenma and Sasha.

At this moment, Tenma stood in front of Athena, supporting the attack with both hands. His eyes suddenly narrowed, and his pure white wings spread out again, shielding Athena just as in the Age of Myths.

Tenma, clad in the Pegasus God Cloth, murmured: “Hades…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Don't the Saints feel Athena's cosmos? What are the people below waiting for? Go!”

“Holy crap, another outfit change! This time, he should be able to fight Hades, right? I just don't know if it's the original Pegasus Saint!”

Although not everyone didn't understood how Tenma put on the Pegasus God Cloth this time, perhaps this time they could end this Holy War.

However, Athena's current illusory body cannot be a fighting force, and she hasn't put on her God Cloth. The outcome of this Holy War is still unknown.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Shion, Dohko, and the others were moved by Lady Athena's assistance:

“Lady Athena, this was too reckless!”

Lady Athena, who hadn't fully awakened, was unprotected by her God Cloth and exposed to Hades. It was too dangerous, and a slight misstep could lead to losing this Holy War!

Manigoldo's expression hardened:

“Master, what exactly is that on Tenma?”

Manigoldo's question made all the other Gold Saints look at the Pope, trying to find an answer from him.

Among the Saints, they had never seen such a Cloth.

“That is a God Cloth… said to be the closest existence to a God Robe.”

This was the only thing Pope Sage knew; he was unclear about the rest.

Manigoldo smiled again:

“A God Cloth, huh? This Tenma guy really gives surprises. It seems I'll have to be Tenma's guardian (and money-grubber) again.”

Manigoldo was certain that Tenma would become the key to this Holy War, and what he had to do was clear the obstacles for him before he grew up.

The Pope murmured:

“Pegasus…”

The Specters' repeated targeting, the Twin Gods' apprehension, and the sudden appearance of the God Cloth all proved that this generation's Pegasus Saint was extraordinary.

 。。。。。

【 Hades looked at Tenma's transformation, his eyes narrowed, and he said through gritted teeth: “Though not yet complete, that is a God Cloth.”

Tenma, clad in the God Cloth, leaped up, his right fist glowing with an ethereal blue light, and descended like a meteor, directly striking Hades!

“BOOM—!”

The moment fist and sword collided, an explosion erupted. The immense impact sent Tenma flying backward, but blood flowed from Hades' forehead.

The bright red blood made Hades' face incredibly grim: “A mere Bronze Saint, to actually harm me, a god! Pegasus, indeed you… in this era too…!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

Author-san: I'm so conflicted. If I continue writing the manga plot, I'll have to write it separately. For example, after writing the Sagittarius battle, the next one would directly be the battles of other Gold Saints, with each Gold Saint's heroic sacrifice written individually.

This way, I can omit some plot; otherwise, writing everything at once would be too long. The downside is that it might not be very coherent.

Chapter 286: He's sticking to his own convictions... Is he sacrificing himself?!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

『 Viewers of Countless World 』

Blood was actually shed... The people from other worlds all became dumbfounded at this moment, as if they had witnessed an unbelievable miracle. Their eyes stared fixedly at the screen, their entire bodies seemingly frozen.

After a moment, everyone came back to their senses and immediately became excited. Unlike the Four Dream Gods, the Twin Gods and Hades, who were so powerful they were almost impossible to defeat, had never been seen bleeding before.

“Manigoldo, with all his strength, could only graze the Gods of Sleep vessel, yet this kid Tenma managed to wound Hades! Incredible.”

“If Tenma knew how to maintain this state, he could turn passive into active, and he might not be without a chance to fight Hades.”

Although the God Cloth had only appeared twice, its power was obvious to all. Once, it instantly killed the Dream God Morpheus, and this time, it directly injured Hades. It was simply an existence beyond common sense.

One must know that they were still within Hades' barrier. Although Tenma had the resistance of the flower wreath, his strength should still have been suppressed to some extent.

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Seeing this scene, Kirito, who was originally lying on his back with Asuna in the shade of a tree, suddenly sat up straight, his face a little surprised and questioning:

“Alone, is your eyesight okay? You call this thing a Bronze Saint?!”

Whose Bronze Saint injured you, old man... Or has Pegasus, who has been injuring you since the Age of Myths, always been a Bronze Saint?!

But open your eyes and look at the magnificent armor covering Pegasus's entire body, the huge wings shining with light. How does that resemble a Bronze Saint? I don't see any Bronze components at all.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“The importance of fashion...”

Misaka Mikoto silently took on the role of complaining.

One second ago, he was beaten so badly he couldn't take care of himself, but after changing clothes, it was different. He instantly perked up, and even Hades' defense was broken.

It can both increase appearance and damage. In a game, it would definitely be a pay-to-win item, and it's also an exclusive item, the kind you'd lose out on if you didn't buy it.

A thoughtful look crossed Kuroko's face as she chimed in.

“I just don't know how long this sudden power can last...”

After all, it wasn't gained through self-training, and there's a possibility of it being sealed at any time. If it dissipates at a critical moment, then the situation would truly be dire.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Seeing Tenma, once again wearing the God Cloth and injuring Hades, Manigoldo's face was covered in cold sweat at this moment:

“It seems this guardianship is truly set.”

He could already imagine that with the broadcast of this scene, the Specters would definitely try every means to eliminate the hidden danger of Pegasus. Only his praesepe series of techniques was not easily countered, making him the best candidate to protect Pegasus.

“Sigh...”

The Pope also sighed.

What Manigoldo could think of, the Pope naturally also thought of.

Countless troubles would follow one after another.

“Dohko, bring Tenma to the Pope's Hall.”

The special existence of Pegasus would change the situation of this Holy War, but he was too weak now and still needed time to grow.

After all, not everyone had the talent of Regulus, the Leo Saint, who became a Gold Saint at a young age... Now, before Pegasus grew, they still needed to escort him.

Above Hades' Castle, the appearance of Pegasus forced the Twin Gods to take him seriously. Once was a coincidence, twice was an accident... But they would never allow a third time.

“It seems we need to find an opportunity to get rid of Pegasus first.”

Pegasus's existence, whether it was his special relationship of growing up with Hades and Athena in this life, or his identity as a great sinner of the Celestial Realm, did not allow them to continue to let him be.

Seeing this, Kagaho punched the stone pillar, his face livid, obviously enraged to the extreme:

“Damn Pegasus and Dohko!”

 。。。。。

【 The crimson blood made Hades' eyes suddenly turn cold. The next second, his wrath transformed into a sky full of black light, sweeping towards Tenma and Sasha.

Such terrifying power, even with Tenma's desperate resistance while wearing the God Cloth, Sasha, behind him, was still blasted back by the impact.

“Tenma—!!”

The illusory figure immediately disappeared from Hades Castle. As Athena retreated, Tenma's God Cloth also vanished, and he collapsed powerlessly to the ground.

Everyone once again faced the threat of death, and it was highly possible they would all die here together.

In this moment of crisis, Shion propped himself up, looking at Hades with a horrified expression, his mind racing, analyzing the current situation: unfathomable power, an existence of a completely different dimension. This way, they would be completely annihilated.

But here, the young man who had a connection with Hades must not die. Since the Age of Myths, he was the only soul to have injured Hades' body... At least, Pegasus must not...

So he had to find a way to create a loophole right under Hades's nose, to create an opportunity for Tenma to escape.

“Clap—”

Just then, Dohko reached out and slammed his hand onto the ground, slowly standing up; 'Shion, I'll create that loophole!'

“BANG—!”

Dohko's Cloth suddenly burst open, a vibrant green Cosmo emanating from his entire body, and a tiger tattoo appeared on his back. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So it was another trial card. Now it's really over. Athena only came as a soul; she has no combat power to speak of.”

“Shion is right. In this situation, we can only desperately create an opportunity for Pegasus to escape. At least, he must not die here.”

Having personally witnessed Hades' unfathomable Cosmo, Shion understood that Pegasus's power was essential to the Sanctuary. He had to be protected until his power truly awakened.

“As expected, Gold Saints can communicate telepathically, right? Shion only needed a glance to know what the other person was thinking and could respond.”

“But I understand all that. What does it have to do with you taking off your cloths?”

It seems Dohko and Shion have both made up their minds, even if it means sacrificing themselves, Tenma must live... Why take off the Cloth?! Could the existence of the Cloth restrict your performance?

But the people from other worlds also had a great change in their perception of these two hardship-sharing Gold Brothers who ran everywhere. Shion was truly calm, and Dohko could also make judgments about the current situation.

It can be said that so far, no Saint has been afraid of death, only afraid of dying without value.

 。。。。。

【 “Tenma, you must inherit the dying wishes of your comrades. Do not look back, just keep moving forward. AS AN ATHENA SAINT!!”

Dohko silently bid his final farewell to Tenma in his heart, rushing towards Hades with a resolute determination to die, even if it meant sacrificing himself, to create a loophole for escape.

“Rozan Ryuu Hi Shou—!”

A golden giant dragon appeared out of thin air, radiating brilliant golden light, roaring as it charged towards Hades. However, Hades felt no energy fluctuations from it, disdainfully thinking it was a mere illusion.

But the Golden Trident hidden behind the light was the true killing blow. The explosion came crashing down, and the terrifying shockwave swept the shattered stones from the ground, along with Tenma, towards Shion.

When the dust cleared, Hades was still unharmed. The Golden Trident stopped in front of him, then was casually thrown to the ground by Hades.

“Clang—”

But this was enough. Shion seized the opportunity, grabbed Tenma and the other two, and teleported out of Hades Castle, leaving Dohko alone to face Hades.

“No—DOHKO!!”

Only now did Tenma realize Dohko's plan to send them out at the cost of his own life.

“It's not over yet! Hades...”

An emerald green Cosmo surged around Dohko as he charged towards Hades like a moth to a flame. Tenma and the others had already teleported out of Hades Castle, and the castle below suddenly exploded.

“To escape right under my nose, well done!”

Inside the castle, Hades slowly retracted his Hades Sword.

Hades Castle then began to collapse. In the crumbling castle, Dohko and Hakurei both lay in pools of blood, and huge rocks began to roll down, burying them. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It turns out that from beginning to end, besides Pegasus wearing the God Cloth, we've never seen anything that could cause damage to Hades.”

Seeing the death of yet another Gold Saint, everyone felt a sense of oppression.

Even by risking their lives, the Gold Saints could only create an opportunity to escape right under Hades's nose.

Perhaps it no longer mattered whether Hades was Alone or not; everyone only needed to know the fact that he wanted to eliminate all humans in the world.

“Although I don't want to ruin the atmosphere in this situation, I still want to say, why does the Golden Trident make the sound of a hollow steel pipe when it's thrown on the ground?”

Everyone who was originally sad suddenly had strange expressions. It couldn't be that when the Cloth was forged, the unscrupulous craftsmen skimped on materials, could it?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Dr. Romani also found it somewhat amusing:

“Its name is Libra, the tattoo on its back is a tiger, but the special move it unleashes is a dragon.”

How are these seemingly unrelated things connected?

Mashu looked at the doctor with a hint of anger:

“Is this the time to be saying such things, Doctor?”

In her eyes, Dohko and Tenma, master and disciple, were more like brothers, rushing towards Hades with a resolute determination to die, so that Tenma could continue to live.

If Saints could become Heroic Spirits, she believed that the Gold Saints would definitely become Heroic Spirits of exceptional rank, willing to sacrifice themselves to protect the people of the Earth.

( Translator-kun: Don't worry, Mashu, your Chaldea also has a Gold Saint, and not a normal Gold Saint, it's Grand class. )

Da Vinci looked bewildered:

“That sound isn't right. The Golden Trident actually made the sound of a hollow steel pipe.”

Looking at the Golden Trident falling to the ground, both the speed of its fall and the sound it made made Da Vinci feel incredibly strange.

“This is definitely a fake and shoddy product; no wonder it didn't work.”

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Meanwhile, the Saints were not saddened by Dohko's death, not even Shiryu. After all, they had an open-book exam; hadn't they seen Dohko still alive and well on Mount Goroho?

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Let's continue writing then. However, it will be more like a separate battle summary for each Gold Saint.

Chapter 287: I'll accept your mission at a time of crisis!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 At the cost of the sacrifice of Hakurei and Dohko, the Sanctuary finally broke through the Hades' barrier and destroyed Hades City. However, Hades didn't care about any of this.

The moment the castle collapsed, Hades, greeted by Pandora, walked towards Elysium in the sky. There, he would overlook the land about to be swallowed by darkness.

In the days that followed, the Sanctuary army all safely retreated, and after a few days of peace, a terrifying anomaly suddenly descended. The distant sky began to thunder and lightning without warning, and the ground beneath their feet shook violently.

Athena in the Sanctuary was stunned to discover that the distant Italian peninsula began to slowly float towards the sky, gradually merging into Elysium.

And the original ground instantly became a vast ocean, with floods surging and lightning intertwined. The scene was like the end of the world.

Perceiving the anomaly in heaven and earth, Shion and Sisyphus quickly rushed to Athena's side. The giant painting in the sky had become Hades' new stronghold.

“As the Goddess of War, I cannot let Hades continue to wreak havoc on the earth.”

To protect the living beings of the earth, Athena immediately decided to march towards Elysium in the sky. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Is this the divine power of the God of the Underworld? It's truly awe-inspiringly powerful. And how strong was Pegasus in the Age of Myths to actually injure the God of the Underworld's body?”

Everyone from other worlds turned pale the moment they saw Hades' actions. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, and their eyes were filled with incredulous horror.

With Hades' power alone, he uprooted the entire land of Italy. This apocalyptic scene truly matched their understanding of gods.

“Can humanity really defeat such a terrifying God of the Underworld?!”

Everyone from other worlds became a little unconfident. The strength Hades had shown so far was already something that couldn't be compensated for by numbers. It was probably even a problem to go to Hades' base, Elysium, now.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Misaka and Kuroko Shirai looked at each other with dazed expressions. As atheists who believed in science, their worldview had also collapsed at this moment.

“Do these gods just change the layout of continents whenever they want?!”

If there were no Athena, wouldn't the world have been swallowed by Hades long ago?! This level of power was no longer something mortals could face.

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 5: Golden Wind Worldline〜

“This... this... is this real or fake?!”

Mista screamed hysterically. Was it too dangerous to live in Italy now?

What they were doing was just child's play; what Hades was doing was war, the kind that could destroy the world in an instant. A slight mistake could lead to the extinction of all humanity.

Narancia muttered blankly,

“Bucciarati, Italy is gone...”

“Noooo! I don't want to be a gangster in the Underworld, it's too scary!”

Narancia hugged Bucciarati's leg and cried. Hades took the entire Italy. In that world, they weren't even cannon fodder.

Bucciarati expressionlessly pulled Narancia off his leg:

“Narancia, calm down. This isn't our Italy.”

If it were their Italy, they wouldn't be able to resist even if they wanted to.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Hueco Mundo〜

“This is a god....”

Even the powerful Aizen felt a huge gap when facing such immense power.

“The reason we find the flowers on the cliff beautiful is because we stop at the cliff, unlike those fearless flowers that can take a step towards the sky.”

The strength of the gods is indeed breathtaking, but it cannot stop me. It's also quite good to be able to see the power of the gods in advance.

No one stands in the sky from the beginning, not even gods! As long as I have the Hogyoku and continue to take that step forward, I believe I will evolve step by step to his height.

 。。。。。

【 At the same time, in the Libra Palace, Tenma recalled the scene of Dohko's life being taken, and a feeling of unwillingness and self-hatred quickly climbed into his heart, turning into an endless roar.

“I'm not reconciled... I'm really too useless, I want to become stronger... stronger... stronger!!”

As if hearing Tenma's roar, the Aquarius Gold Saint Dégel suddenly appeared in the Libra Palace, in front of Tenma.

He waved his hand and pointed in the distant direction: “If you're seeking strength, you might consider venturing there. A demon resides in that place, offering either immense power or a fatal end.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Dohko had just brought Tenma to the Pope's Chamber when he saw this scene. He reached out and rubbed Tenma's head hard:

“Don't blame yourself for this! Tenma, I told you, don't look back.”

Constantly looking back won't lead to growth. Tenma must step over his comrades' bodies and continue to move forward. Thinking of this, he was somewhat grateful that Dégel could guide Tenma in his absence.

“But, Dohko...”

Tenma was still blaming himself for Dohko's death. Several Gold Saints had already died because of him.

He desperately wanted to become stronger now, strong enough to protect others from Hades.

And at this moment on Kanon Island, Defteros, dressed like a savage and known as the demon, showed a villainous smile:

“Come on, Pegasus! Will you gain power or death? It's up to you.”

 。。。。。

【 After guiding Pegasus, Dégel received Athena's summons and went to the Pope's Chamber.

“Dégel, you've worked hard.” After a simple greeting, Athena stated the reason for summoning him.

“I want to ask you to go on a diplomatic mission to the frozen land, Bluegrad.”

To march towards Elysium in the sky, they needed a powerful force that could rival Hades. To defeat Hades, they now had to borrow the power of that god.

Meanwhile, Pegasus also arrived at Kanon Island. When he reached a cave entrance, he heard a strange laugh.

“A very energetic fellow has arrived. Should I eat his bones too?”

Instead of being afraid, Tenma immediately knelt down and begged to be his disciple. This action stunned Defteros.

Where was the backbone of a Saint?! Why kneel as soon as they met?

Defteros, regaining his composure, gently waved his arm, shattering the wall and revealing a bottomless abyss: “If you want to be my disciple, jump from here.”

Looking at the bottomless abyss in front of him, Tenma's pupils constricted, and he froze in place. If he really jumped from here, there would probably be nothing left of him.

But Tenma, to gain power and no longer see his comrades die, was willing to pay any price. Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated and leaped.

“I—will not die!”

Seeing Tenma actually jump, Defteros was also stunned: “He really jumped!”

After waiting for a while and not seeing Tenma come up, Defteros also thought he was dead: “Foolish boy, regret it in the Underworld.”

Just as he was leaving, Tenma actually climbed up again, asking him to take him as a disciple.

At this, Defteros became interested. The next second, he threw the box containing the Pegasus Cloth down the bottomless cliff.

“You don't need such a thing... If you want to become stronger, don't rely on the power of the Cloth.”

“Huh?... The Cloth—” But this action startled Tenma, who was beside him. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I didn't expect there to be other gods?! It's really a world where gods walk everywhere.”

“Hahahaha, Tenma kneeling down as soon as they met even stunned the demon of Kanon Island.”

A bottomless abyss. People weren't surprised that Tenma could climb out of the abyss; after all, with the previous examples of Hypnos and Bai Li, the powerful bodies of the Saints were already deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Just kidding, Shion and Yuzuriha, who only had one-tenth of their strength in Hades' barrier, managed to survive. They were already used to the Saints' inhuman performance.

But the demon, looking like a savage, being stunned by Tenma's actions multiple times, that contrast in expression was indeed quite funny.

And the most important point is, although what the demon said makes a lot of sense, but... don't throw the Cloth away!! What will the next generation Pegasus Saint wear?!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

The other four Bronze Saints all looked at Seiya with relieved expressions, patting his shoulder, their voices full of emotion:

“You still have a Cloth to wear, you're really lucky...”

 。。。。。

【 As he spoke, the demon led Tenma to a molten lava waterfall. The crimson scene before them shocked Tenma.

Suddenly, the earth began to shake, and the surging lava became more intense. Seeing the volcano about to erupt, Pegasus turned to run.

But the demon's actions made him freeze in place!

“Quiet down—KANON ISLAND!!”

The demon's roar and the rumbling of the earth truly ceased after this, as if even the earth feared the demon's power.

Then, in Tenma's horrified gaze, he jumped into the scorching lava, demanding Tenma follow. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

As this scene aired, everyone from other worlds stared blankly at the screen. No... Saints finally stopped being human, too? Could they swim in lava now? That was lava!!

“A roar stopping a volcanic eruption, this demon isn't some god too, is he?! Don't tell me this is a human...”

You know, a famous vampire lord once said, humans... have limits—that's why he stopped being human!!

But, does this look like it has limits?! That's f***ing lava, not a swimming pool.

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: From now on, I'll follow this writing style, omitting unimportant details. Next up are Cardia and the Three Judges, Dégel freezing the entire Atlantis, and one person resisting the awakened power of Poseidon. It's truly ridiculous!

Translator-kun: We are almost there, just a little more push... like 20ish chapters? ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Chapter 288: The One Who Holds the Power to Crush Galaxies!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Timeline〜

Kars, who had given up thinking and turned into a stone, drifting endlessly in the vast universe, felt incredibly heartbroken after seeing this scene.

I finally became the ultimate being, yet I can’t even swim in lava. Is this demon of Kanon Island really that powerful?

The more Kars thought about it, the more he felt bitter. Ever since the light screen appeared, he realized that there was always someone stronger. Just a roar could stop a volcanic eruption, the temperature of lava meant nothing to him, and he could jump into a bottomless abyss without a second thought…

Kars sometimes wondered what had happened to Earth during all those years he spent drifting in space. How did all these monsters and demons appear? He thought he was the ultimate being!

 。。。。。

【 Seeing Tenma’s terrified expression, Defteros seemed to understand. “Indeed, your method of using Cosmo is extremely clumsy.”

So he immediately began the first lesson. He casually scooped up some lava and easily molded it into a spherical shape.

“I’ll give you three days. During this time, control your Cosmo to my level. If you can’t, you’ll forever be a weakling, and I’ll kill and eat you.”

Just like that, two days passed in the blink of an eye. Tenma was still practicing in the scorching lava, but he hadn't succeeded even once so far.

“BANG—!”

With another bang, the lava in his hand exploded again, and Tenma’s arm instantly turned crimson, already covered in burns.

“I can’t do it… I’m so unwilling!”

The dejected Tenma climbed up the valley, feeling the cool wind on his face, and thought of his lost companions. A stubborn force drove him back to the lava.

He carefully felt his Cosmo and gathered it in his palm. At this moment, the incredibly hot lava was actually tamed by Tenma.

“I succeeded—”

Before he could cheer, Defteros kicked him directly into the lava. Just as he was about to fall into the lava, Tenma immediately extrapolated, using the same principle to spread his Cosmo throughout his body, forming a protective shield.

Then Tenma shot out of the lava like a cannonball.

However, after Tenma emerged from his excitement, Defteros took him to the crater, where the scorching temperature seemed to distort space.

“This is the final test. You must use your own power to stop the eruption of Kanon Island’s volcano. Show me!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“They say strict teachers produce exceptional students, but I’ve never seen one this strict. This is training someone to death, yet I have to admit the results are remarkable.”

“Hahaha, Kanon Island, the quick success stage of power! Come if you dare, but remember to buy accident insurance first.”

No wonder Dégel told Tenma, when guiding his training, that whether he gained power or died was entirely up to him… Under the guidance of that demon, ordinary Saints, let alone getting stronger through training, would have trouble just staying alive.

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Present Timeline〜

“Buzz—!”

Jogo’s face instantly darkened, and hot steam billowed from his head and ears in anger.

“Can you show some respect to volcanoes?!”

The thought of Gojo Satoru treating him as a teaching tool for that brat, Itadori, earlier instantly enraged him. He had never been so underestimated in his life.

When did scorching lava become a training tool? Everyone, one after another, treated volcanoes as nothing, with every Tom, John, and Harry coming to the volcano for special training.

“Didn’t underwater training used to be popular?! Go train there!”

As a Cursed Spirit born from people’s fear of volcanoes, Jogo now felt that people weren't as afraid of volcanoes anymore.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

“I thought bathing in lava was hardcore enough, but now they have to practice this for two and a half days, not even three full days, for a trainee like Tenma to stop a volcanic eruption?”

Rukia’s eyes showed a clear stupidity, looking somewhat bewildered, because to her, it was no easier than Kurosaki Ichigo, an outsider, mastering Bankai within three days…

Then Rukia’s face straightened. It seemed Ichigo really did it. With that precedent, Tenma might not be able to do it in three days.

Ichigo could empathize with Tenma’s feelings.

“Eh… Time is tight, and Tenma doesn’t have much time to train.”

Hades has gone to Elysium. The longer it drags on, the more dangerous the survival of the world becomes. Tenma can only use this remaining time to quickly become stronger.

 。。。。。

【 “Wha… what——?!” Hearing Defteros’s demand, Tenma was instantly dumbfounded.

Looking at the volcano continuously spewing hot lava, he still doubted whether he could really do it. However, if he didn’t take action, the surging lava would surely engulf the island’s residents.

At the foot of the mountain, the villagers had fallen into panic, crowding and fleeing. Seeing this, Tenma no longer hesitated, and his Cosmo instantly covered his entire body.

He leaped into the crater, falling towards the scorching lava! And at this moment, the demon’s voice rang out behind him.

“MAKE KANON ISLAND SUBMIT!!”

Even with the demon’s reminder, Tenma felt helpless after jumping into the lava. He had no idea how to make Kanon Island submit.

“Don’t surge out, lava…”

“Stop, STOP!!!”

Gradually, Tenma’s power began to deplete as he dealt with the scorching lava. The sensation in his body gradually disappeared, and if this continued, his body would also be swallowed by the lava.

At the critical moment, Tenma understood that the demon could stop the volcano’s rampage not by brute force, but by the perception of Cosmo.

“I can understand Kanon Island…”

At this instant, Tenma’s Cosmo received a substantial boost. A power beyond the five senses, even the sixth sense, was born within him.

“The me now…!”

As his Cosmo permeated Kanon Island, the entire island seemed to merge with him. At this moment, Tenma felt he could do it!

“STOP IT!!!”

With Tenma’s roar, Kanon Island truly stopped shaking, and the volcano ceased its eruption.

The scene changed, and the demon was seen pulling the exhausted Tenma out of the lava, holding the Pegasus Cloth in his hand. “I never thought you would actually stop the volcanic eruption.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“In three days, Tenma achieved unimaginable growth, and his mastery of Cosmo reached a height he had never even dreamed of.”

He actually did it… He really stopped the eruption of an entire volcano by himself. In this situation, everyone from other worlds was filled with surprise…

In just three days, he went from being a novice in using Cosmo to being able to precisely utilize the Cosmo within him. Could he be a genius?

The awakened power beyond the five and six senses, according to the Saints, meant he had reached the Seventh Sense… Now it was Dohko’s turn to be embarrassed; his own disciple was making rapid progress under someone else’s tutelage.

 。。。。。

【 Under the night sky, Defteros also dispelled the gloom on his face, revealing a handsome countenance, and his whole person became calm.

“There have been many rare guests recently… Asmita!”

Beside him, the soul of Virgo Asmita, who had already died, appeared from the Pegasus Cloth, standing next to Defteros.

“Thanks to you, he reached the Seventh Sense, even if only for an instant.”

Asmita also felt a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Defteros to inject his own blood into the Pegasus Cloth.

Asmita was already dead, but he still wanted to persuade Defteros. “Don’t be confined to one island. Aren’t you the man who possesses the power to shatter the stars of the galaxy with a single blow?!”

“Go fight, and fight for me too.”

As his words fell, Asmita’s body became ethereal again, disappearing beneath this starry sky.

Defteros then stood up, a slight ripple in his eyes. Perhaps it was time to leave this small island.

In the Sanctuary, Dégel closed the book in his hand. He had a general understanding of the mission’s information, then walked towards the Scorpio Temple. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Asmita is dead and still has to come out as an advocate. What exactly is the origin of this Defteros?!”

“To possess the power to shatter the stars of the galaxy, although it shows he’s strong, it’s not so outrageous!”

Everyone from other worlds immediately called it impossible, absolutely impossible! How could humans possess such power?

If it were truly possible, then apart from not having the authority of gods, his strength would be almost on par with theirs; even the Gemini Gods weren’t said to be able to crush the stars of the galaxy.

 。。。。。

〜Record of Ragnarok World〜

“Are Saints really still human?!”

Zeus stared blankly at the ongoing Ragnarok, occasionally glancing at the screen.

Compared to the strength shown on the screen, they were actually just playing around, not even worth mentioning.

Fortunately, Saints didn’t exist in their world, and Brunhilde couldn’t summon them. Otherwise, the real danger would be to them, the gods.

Saying they would destroy humanity in front of those monstrous Saints?! Might as well just go to sleep. That’s like lighting a lamp in a toilet – asking for death. It would be good if they didn’t come to destroy us.

Even the incredibly arrogant Odin, with two birds perched on his shoulders, held the same thought. After all, what was being said? A man with the power to shatter the stars of the galaxy…

Although it sounded somewhat exaggerated, coming from Asmita’s mouth, its credibility was surprisingly high. He thought it might be true.

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Tenma’s training course is over. This part couldn’t be skipped. Next up will be the main stage for the Gold Saints.

Chapter 289: Kardia vs. Rhadamanthys

Chapter Text

【 “Ugh ah ah ah—” Standing at the entrance of the Scorpio Palace, Dégel had already heard the painful wails coming from inside. When he walked into the Scorpio Palace,

He realized the sound was coming from the Specter Frog Zelos, the one who had insulted Taurus earlier. Regulus' kick hadn’t finished him off.

But now, the Specter was living a life worse than death. Kardia's fingers, like a scorpion's poisoned stinger, repeatedly slashed across his body.

“To find the way to 'LOST CANVAS', just ask the Specter.”

At this moment, Dégel walked up behind him and invited him to the frozen land of Bluegrad, hoping he would accompany him.

“Are you talking about Siberia?” Kardia immediately waved his hand in refusal upon hearing about going to such a cold place.

“Sea God—POSEIDON!!”

When he heard this name, Kardia stopped in his tracks. Kardia's Cosmo instantly boiled, and a grin spread across his lips: “A god?! Is there any better prey than this?!!”

“Let's go, Dégel!”

Just like that, Kardia, who had just sworn he wouldn't go even if it killed him, instantly changed his expression and, contrary to his usual self, urged Dégel. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This Specter is truly miserable. Looking at Kardia, who resembles a villain so much, it's hard to tell who the Specter is for a moment.”

Kardi probably just found an excuse to torment this Specter. Otherwise, to find the way to 'LOST CANVAS', are you sure this small fry would actually know? You're giving him too much credit.

What surprised everyone the most was why Kardia always showed a villainous look with his handsome face. Wake up, big brother, you're a protagonist.

“Kardia, upon hearing the mission was to find a god, was not only not afraid but instead showed a look of seeing prey, eager to depart immediately.”

Everyone exclaimed in surprise, “Good heavens, didn't he just say he was afraid of the cold and wouldn't go? How did he suddenly get so energetic!”

It feels like none of the Gold Saints of this generation are afraid of gods. They even treat gods as prey. They're truly arrogant, Scorpio Kardia…!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Ishtar sighed and complained,

“Can't you show some respect to the gods? THEY ARE GODS AFTER ALL!”

How rude! Not only unwilling to address him as Sea God-Sama, but they are also showing the eyes of someone looking at prey. It's simply outrageous and unacceptable.

And in Uruk, Gilgamesh, the wise king who disliked gods, admired Kardia greatly:

“Huahahaha, this is how humans should be! What value do mere gods hold anyway?”

The gods that appeared before were all arrogant, and coupled with his inherent dislike for Hades' evil deeds against humanity, Gilgamesh naturally wouldn't miss an opportunity to mock a god.

He didn't dislike Kardia's arrogance. Arrogance without strength is merely foolishness, but… Kardia, being a Gold Saint, naturally possessed the strength.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

As the saying goes, those involved are confused, while bystanders are clear-sighted.

At this moment, Kardia looked at Dégel with a strange expression:

“I feel like you've tricked me.”

Dégel's expression remained unchanged as he closed the book in his hand:

“No, you're overthinking it.”

Although Sea God Poseidon was indeed there, they were going to persuade him to assist with Athena's side, meaning they weren't going there to fight…

Kardia's words made all the Gold Saints except Dohko look sideways, with only one thought in their minds… It's not easy, Kardia finally realized.

The Pope coughed twice, placing his hand over his mouth, diverting Kardia's attention from Dégel:

“Next time you interrogate a Specter, remember to find a better reason.”

This scene of a major villain tormenting someone, when broadcast, indeed harms the image of the Saints. From now on, do it in private, don't be too blatant.

 。。。。。

【 The scene changed, and Kardia and Dégel arrived in Siberia. The desolation before them was completely different from Dégel's memory.

Here, Dégel also met his childhood friend Unity. Under his guidance, they arrived at a town not yet destroyed by the Specters.

Half an hour later, led by Unity, they arrived at an underground library. When he opened the large door, a huge wall formed by countless books came into view.

“???” Kardia, not interested in books, looked around.

As the two continued deeper, they soon found a spot ahead where the bookshelves on both sides, the ceiling, the floor, and the large door were all covered with Athena's seals!

Unity slowly tore off one of Athena's seals. The door, engraved with a trident, opened, and a terrifying aura rushed out.

Dazzling golden light instantly enveloped the three of them. A mysterious force pulled them in.

When Kardia opened his eyes again, he found himself in an underwater world.

The shimmering surface of the sea appeared above their heads, and this was the place the Ice Saints had guarded for generations, the capital of Sea God Poseidon!

“Atlantis—!”】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“These books truly illustrate what 'knowledge is power' means. They could literally bury a person alive. How many books must there be!”

“Holy cow, the Sea God's gate is covered with Athena's seals, and now they're asking him for help?!”

Everyone now had a bad feeling. Sea God Poseidon was clearly sealed by Athena. Now they want to persuade him to help… Hmm! How could that possibly work?!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“The legendary capital, Atlantis, actually exists beneath the sea.”

Da Vinci flipped through related books in her hand, filled with emotion as she read the records.

To be honest, she was more curious about what knowledge those wall-like books contained. That would be a paradise for researchers!

Dr. Roman once again posed a profound question:

“An underwater city, do they fish?!”

After all, it's hard to cast a line underwater, and it's like an open-book test; you can see if the fish are biting. A paradise for fishing enthusiasts.

“...”

Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others all stared at the doctor with an expression like he was an idiot. Everyone else was marveling at the existence of Atlantis, and you're concerned about whether they fish?

 。。。。。

【 Knowing this was Atlantis, Kardia's fighting spirit once again burned intensely. He was already eager to challenge Poseidon.

After another dozen minutes, guided by Unity, they reached an ancient palace. Their target waited within.

Just as they turned to proceed towards the palace, blood splattered from behind them. A hand encased in black armor pierced directly through Unity's chest!

“Dég…el!” Unity coughed up blood, calling out his friend's name.

“WHO'S THERE!!”

Radamanthys, one of the Three Judges of the Underworld, had appeared behind Unity at some unknown point: “It is I, Radamanthys of the Wyvern, ONE OF THE THREE JUDGES OF THE UNDERWORLD!!”

Seeing his friend spitting blood, Dégel's eyes instantly turned icy. Before he could make a move, Pandora also appeared.

“I, Pandora, will personally negotiate with Sea God Poseidon.” Pandora looked at the two with a playful expression.

Watching his friend slowly lose his life, Dégel finally erupted: “Pandora… RADAMANTHYS!!”

“AURORA EXECUTION—!”

Dégel clasped his hands together, and the Aurora Execution instantly blasted out.

The cold, infinitely close to absolute zero, cracked the earth with deep fissures. Pandora and Radamanthys were instantly frozen into ice sculptures.

Before Dégel could lower his guard, Radamanthys, in the ice sculpture, let out a roar:

“ROAR OF THE WYVERN—!”

With his roar, he actually shattered the ice, stirring up gusts of wind. Pandora and Radamanthys had seemingly suffered no substantial harm.

“MAXIMUM PRECAUTION—!”

His wings generated violent winds, roaring and howling like an awakened giant dragon, clashing once again with the Aurora Execution.

“BOOM—!”

A massive explosion swept out, clearing away the dust and snow from the ground. Dégel flew backward like a cannonball.

At the critical moment, Kardia stood in front of Dégel with one hand on his hip. Radamanthys still looked disdainful:

“Just another bug.”

“Really?!” Kardia's face revealed a sinister smile.

Radamanthys was startled to find that his body had been pierced with holes by Scorpio at some unknown point.

Kardia spoke his thoughts to Dégel behind him: “I want to—make that guy my prey. If I can hunt him, that feeling would be the best.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Here it comes, the battle between one of the Three Judges of the Underworld and a Gold Saint. Don't forget that Minos, one of the Three Judges, already gave everyone a hard time.”

“Kardia can actually pierce holes in Radamanthys' body without being noticed. His strength is not to be underestimated.”

As expected, the Three Judges of the Underworld were terrifyingly strong. Dégel's Aurora Execution, with its terrifyingly low temperature, couldn't even faze him.

Dégel's attack collided with Radamanthys, sending him hurtling backward.

The strength of one of the Three Judges of the Underworld is truly not an exaggeration.

“But Kardia's move shouldn't be as simple as just poking a hole in the enemy, right?”

One must know that even Dégel's terrifying cold air couldn't faze Radamanthys, nor did it cause any substantial damage. In the clash, he even fell at a disadvantage.

Everyone also noticed a characteristic: those wearing Surplices with wings were all terrifyingly strong.

But even so, Kardia, the Gold Saint who knew no fear, became even more interested, treating Radamanthys as his prey.

 。。。。。

Chapter 290: Scarlet Needle Katakeo Antares!

Chapter Text

【 “To fight in such an uncharacteristic way, it's truly disgraceful...!”】

The fierce combat power displayed by Radamanthys made Kardia's blood boil. And in his opinion, Degel was clearly consumed by anger!

“What you should be doing now is entering the Central Temple and stopping Pandora! This is what Unity protected!”

Hearing Kardia's scolding, Degel gradually regained his composure, and the calm Aquarius returned, but a difficult problem lay before them: how to break through Radamanthys's obstruction?!

Radamanthys spread his huge wings fiercely, blocking the doorway: “Do you think you can crawl past my wings, little worm?”

Feeling the terrifying Cosmo emanating from Radamanthys, the two had to admit that before Radamanthys's wings, there was a hurricane that could tear everything apart!

“MAXIMUM PRECAUTION—!”

Radamanthys's body erupted with brilliant black-horse-colored light, and behind him, a huge winged dragon's phantom emerged, roaring like a primordial beast as it charged towards the two!

And at this moment, Pandora, walking in the center of the temple, also heard the roar from the entrance: “Hmph... Is it over?!”

In her opinion, the battle should have ended; even two Gold Saints couldn't pose any obstruction to Radamanthys.

At the same time, the ground at the entrance cracked inch by inch due to the giant dragon's impact, but to Pandora's surprise, Aquarius and Scorpio were still stubbornly resisting, not falling due to Radamanthys's furious attack.

Looking at their disheveled appearance, a mocking and playful smile once again crept onto Radamanthys's face, but this smile didn't last long.

He was shocked to find that the left half of his body was gradually becoming numb and unable to move!

“Don't die!” Degel seized the opportunity to enter the palace, leaving Kardia to face him alone! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Half his body is numb, is it caused by the Scorpio's nail? It really lives up to the constellation's name, a formidable poisonous scorpion.”

“No... at this time, Aquarius and Scorpio should attack together while the opponent's body is numb; that would be the best choice.”

This time, everyone hated the Saints' rule of not ganging up.

What kind of rubbish rule is this?! Clearly, at this moment, both going together to deal with Radamanthys and then entering the temple together would be the best choice.

As long as Radamanthys is dealt with, the remaining Pandora poses no threat to them at all.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Inside the Pope's Chamber, the Pope, while collecting information on the Three Judges, looked at Degel:

“Because of the death of your childhood friend, Unity, you lost your original composure. This is not your style, Degel.”

The seemingly calm Degel is more prone to impatience, while the seemingly impatient Kardia is actually the calmest. These two teamed up not only because of Kardia's physical condition but also because their personalities complement each other.

Anger can bring strength, but it can also make one lose reason. Radamanthys's strength is indeed immense, but a calm Degel might not be without a fighting chance.

“Yes, Pope!”

Degel bowed slightly, releasing his clenched fist.

He had clearly understood the strength of the Three Judges. Leaving Kardia alone to face him might not be a good choice. He only hoped that the guy's heart could hold out until he returned.

 。。。。。

【 When Aquarius entered the palace, Radamanthys fell into a complete rage. Someone had actually broken through his blockade, which was undoubtedly a trampling of his dignity!

“ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE—!! Scorpio, I'll sacrifice you first!”

The huge winged dragon, carrying a terrifying aura, once again roared and charged towards Kardia! Facing this blow, Kardia grinned, mobilizing his entire Cosmo, and met it with a backhand strike.

“BOOM—!”

A huge roar echoed throughout the temple, and the powerful impact sent Kardia flying into the sky. The originally calm seawater was also shaken into a huge vortex, falling as rain.

Looking at the collapsed dome, Radamanthys confidently believed that Scorpio had been dealt with, so he turned to pursue Aquarius's tracks!

The moment he turned, Kardia's figure appeared on the dome, looking mockingly at Radamanthys below: “Whether it's the underwater temple or my duel with you, I feel like there will be something that will make my blood boil!”

“Something that can make my heart...”

For a long time, he had been searching for an opponent who could make his heart burn with flames, and Radamanthys seemed to be such a person.

And seeing the ferocious Scorpio, Radamanthys's face instantly darkened, and his body shot out in an instant: “This time, really turn to ashes, little worm!”

“This time, I will definitely pierce your heart!”

Facing the charging Radamanthys, Scorpio also bared his fangs, and his black finger, imbued with potent poison, once again stabbed towards the Specter.

“SCARLET NEEDLE—!”

The Scarlet Needle fiercely pierced into Radamanthys's body. In an instant, the latter felt an extremely hot power rampaging within him! It felt as if it would burn all his blood to ashes!

“Scarlet Needle Katakeo, all your blood is boiling!”

This move, at the cost of burning his own heart, poured high temperature into the enemy's body, making the opponent's blood boil until it was completely burned out.

At this moment, Kardia's Cosmo's heat burned along with the temperature of his heart! The next strike would be his full-power blow. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“At the cost of burning his heart, Kardia's move can be said to be a suicidal attack, but if it hits, it's deadly!”

Everyone in other worlds understood that Kardia was now determined to die, burning his life for his choice, turning it into the cornerstone of victory.

His personality is similar to Cancer Manigoldo's, belonging to the type who is so arrogant that he doesn't even put a god in his eyes, but challenging stronger individuals is precisely his pursuit.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

“Now I finally understand why Kardia's personality is so arrogant...”

Miyu seemed to understand Kardia's pursuit at this moment.

It turned out that Kardia had been waiting for a battle that would make him burn his life and sacrifice everything... But why?! Why would Kardia, who is not a martial arts fanatic, have such a pursuit?

As if understanding what Miyu was thinking, Illya said somewhat hesitantly:

“Could it be that beneath that arrogant and unruly exterior, there's also a heart of a martial arts fanatic hidden?!”

After all, who among normal people would crave to meet an opponent they could die with? Isn't that just pure madness!!

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

Recalling Kenpachi, Ichigo Kurosaki felt goosebumps all over:

“He feels a bit like Kenpachi, craving a worthy opponent to fight!”

Although he knew that Gold Saints were not afraid of death, was it really okay to give up their lives so easily?

The kind-hearted Orihime couldn't bear it:

“The pain of a burning heart is arguably the same feeling as the enemy's.”

Although this move can make the enemy's blood burn, he also has to endure the pain of his heart burning; both can only die in pain.

Or rather... from the very beginning, Kardia was aiming for death, just wanting to shine one last time before dying.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Kardia...”

Degel was about to say something when he saw Kardia extend his hand to him, signaling him to stop.

Kardia once again looked at the screen with a ferocious smile, his eyes filled with excitement, not fear:

“An opponent who can make my heart burn, I've finally waited for him!”

“Is this really okay...”

Sasha, above, lowered her eyes, remembering Kardia, who had dared to take her young self away from the Sanctuary to play.

Kardia had an indelible “contribution” in helping her young self integrate into the Sanctuary family.

The Pope next to him also recalled Kardia's previous outrageous actions, and his mouth twitched involuntarily. Fortunately, Lady Athena was fine; otherwise, this Holy War would have been lost before it even began.

 。。。。。

【 “Come on, your final blow!” Radamanthys, enduring the pain of his blood burning, was also tired of the back-and-forth battle.

His incredibly furious combat power erupted once again, and the earth began to crack, breaking into pieces of rubble. This was also Radamanthys's final blow.

The next moment, two figures split out like lightning, causing the surrounding air to produce sonic booms.

“Take this, the essence of Scorpio's needle—”

At this moment, Scorpio's life was burning, his heart was moving, and the poisonous needle of his right hand pointed directly at Radamanthys's heart.

“SCARLET NEEDLE KATAKEO ANTARES—!”

In a flash, the two collided, but Radamanthys's palm instantly grabbed Kardia's poisonous needle.

Then, his left hand exerted force, actually breaking Kardia's finger clean off. A blow containing all of Scorpio's power was easily neutralized by Radamanthys.

Kardia, however, was the first to give a wicked smile, and then his left hand stabbed out like lightning, directly piercing into Radamanthys's chest.

“Ahhh—!!” Radamanthys let out a painful wail.

From the very beginning, Scorpio had used his right hand as bait, and the left hand, closer to the heart, was the true secret of the Scarlet Needle.

“Damn it... ah... in this place...”

Feeling the fleshy, poisonous needle, Radamanthys's face was filled with shock. His eyes were full of unwillingness, but at this moment, his body was completely unresponsive. He knelt heavily on the ground, and the vitality in his body was rapidly dissipating. 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 291: Kardia's Past, Degel vs. the Sea Fighter

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

This unexpected scene, however, made everyone's eyes reveal an unbelievable look, as if they had seen the most incredible thing in the world.

“Holy shit! It only took two moves from start to finish to end the battle. This is the fastest battle between a Saint and a Specter I've ever seen.”

“I didn't expect that at the last moment, he would use his right hand as bait, like a scorpion, to launch a fatal blow. Well done!”

There were no fancy moves, only fist-to-flesh attacks. Both gambled their full power, and the final victor was Kardia, who single-handedly killed Radamanthys, one of the Three Judges of the Underworld!

He even only used two moves from start to finish, but the combat wisdom displayed was enough to prove that Kardia was not as anxious as he appeared on the outside... on the contrary, he was full of rationality.

A certain General once said, “It's better to break one finger than to injure ten.” Pain is contagious... especially when Kardia's index finger was brutally broken, everyone winced!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Kardia's moves don't seem to have much destructive power, but they can make the opponent's blood boil. It can be said that if you hit, you die...”

Da Vinci saw the clue at a glance. In terms of destructive power, among the Gold Saints who appeared, Kardia's moves might be at the bottom.

However, in terms of actual lethality to people, that's another matter... Scarlet Needle can basically be compared with Aphrodite's Bloody Rose. A hit means death. It can be said to be a treasure specifically for humans.

Dr. Roman also sighed:

“Alas... Although he won, Kardia won't live either.”

Kardia's terrifying heart temperature at this moment, even if he didn't die, he wouldn't live long, but... the record of single-handedly killing one of the Three Judges of the Underworld is indeed impressive.

You know, the Three Judges of the Underworld can be said to be the number one person in Hades' faction besides the gods.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Watching Kardia's one-for-one record with Radamanthys, the Pope gently nodded.

As expected of the only Saint who dared to pinch Lady Athena, his strength is indeed outstanding.

Manigoldo, who had already figured out Kardia's personality, even joked directly:

“Hey, hey, hey, why is he the only one who got such light injuries?”

Yes, a broken finger was considered light in Manigoldo's eyes. After all, among the Gold Saints who appeared, besides Asmita, breaking an arm or a leg was considered normal operation.

In Hades Castle, Minos, one of the Three Judges of the Underworld, immediately felt much more balanced. Although he lost to Albafica due to carelessness, at least he had a crushing victory against the Gold Saints.

“Tsk tsk... Radamanthys, that guy, couldn't even deal with a mere Gold Saint.”

The most crucial thing was that Radamanthys used his full power and still lost to a mere Gold Saint, which was too pathetic.

 。。。。。

【 After an extremely fierce battle, Kardia finally defeated Radamanthys, and his own life also came to an end.

“I'll leave the rest to you...”

He could feel the heat in his heart gradually disappearing, but his face still held a smile. Perhaps this was his most magnificent curtain call!

When he was young, he suffered from congenital heart disease. At the age of ten, doctors diagnosed him with only one year to live. Unwilling to wait for death in bed, he secretly ran out to “enjoy life”.

But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He met the old gold saint Aquarius, Krest, and obtained the divine blood of the previous goddess, which allowed him to prolong his life and be trained as a Gold Saint in the Sanctuary.

His heart actually couldn't bear the power of the goddess's blood. Once his Cosmo burned to its limit, his heart would overburn. So, throughout his life, he was searching for an opponent worthy of burning his life for.

Perhaps in his consciousness, he was a being with not long to live, which is why he wanted to see the prosperity of the outside world, even taking the young Athena Sasha from the Sanctuary to America to play, and almost messed things up... and he also often pinched the goddess's face.

But at the same time, he did not forget his mission as a Saint. The meaning of life is not in eternity, but in the splendor of a moment, like a fireworks display.

So he urgently needed a battle that would allow him to burn his life and sacrifice everything. Now... he could finally rest well. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So under Kardia's arrogant exterior, there was such a past... suffering from congenital heart disease, but surviving due to a blessing in disguise.”

“Not seeking eternal life, only seeking the splendor of a moment, Kardia did it. The glorious record of single-handedly killing one of the Three Judges is already dazzling enough.”

Now everyone's expressions were a bit low. They finally knew why Kardia, who wasn't a martial arts fanatic, was so obsessed with a battle where he could give his all!

Because from the beginning, his heart couldn't bear his full power. Once his Cosmo burned to its limit, his heart would also burn. The life he barely saved also restricted him.

“Huh?! Wait... something seems wrong...”

Everyone who was still sighing was stunned. Taking the young Athena to America to play, almost messing things up, and even often pinching the goddess's face?!

As expected of you, Kardia... Just this one sentence, “almost messed things up,” and not being beaten to death by the other Gold Saints, truly shows he's incredibly lucky.

It's also thanks to Athena's good temper, or that she hadn't awakened yet. No one else would dare to pinch the goddess's face.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Take Lady Athena to America?!”

Sisyphus's eyes were bewildered. Just the act of going out privately without permission was enough to brand him a defector, let alone taking Lady Athena with him.

“And often pinch Lady Athena's face?!”

El Cid, who was close to Sisyphus, had a cold glint in his eyes.

Could these be things a Saint would do?! Just these actions alone could qualify him as the boldest Gold Saint in the Sanctuary.

“I think I can explain...”

Even the cynical Kardia felt a little guilty at this moment, facing the glaring eyes of the other Gold Saints.

“Fend for yourself, Kardia,”

The Pope sighed inwardly while covering his face. He knew that Kardia had almost made him die of anger back then.

 。。。。。

【 “Along with Wyvern's Cosmo... Kardia's Cosmo also disappeared...”

In the corridor of the temple, Dégel also felt Kardia's rapidly dissipating Cosmo. His eyes were filled with sadness. In just a short moment, he had lost two friends.

“Your life has burned out...”

Dégel quickened his pace, then found Pandora fallen in a strange posture at the end of the corridor. His gaze shifted upwards, discovering a massive Cosmo emanating from the giant door ahead.

As Dégel continued forward, he found a familiar figure hanging on the wall ahead.

“What?! Impossible!!”

When Dégel approached and saw the figure clearly, his pupils constricted. That person was none other than Unity's sister, Seraphina!

Just then, several corals attacked him, pinning him firmly to a rock pillar. A Marina General calling himself “Sea Dragon” emerged.

“I can help you obtain Poseidon's legacy. In exchange, you need to help me transfer Poseidon's soul into Seraphina's body.”

Hearing this, Dégel instantly burst into rage. His Cosmo erupted, shattering the corals that bound him: “I FORBID IT!!”

The immense impact directly blew off the opposing Marina General's helmet, and the face beneath the helmet appeared before Dégel.

Looking at the incredibly familiar face, Dégel was filled with astonishment and horror, because it was Unity, who had just died at Radamanthys's hands! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiss—Pandora's long legs are truly amazing. Fortunately, it was a Gold Saint who came, otherwise... hehe.”

“Good heavens, without a word, a sneak attack, pinning someone to a stone pillar, and then stating your request... You call this asking for help?!”

Everyone was a bit confused by this Marina General's way of thinking. Asking for help from someone, yet offending them severely first. Could it be that their brain are full of water?

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Wait... Didn't Unity just die?!”

Kirito slapped the table, utterly bewildered.

Although they knew some gods could resurrect the dead, wasn't this speed a bit too fast? It takes time to create a new character.

And not only did he not create a new character, he even logged in from a different location, directly switching factions to become a Marina General.

“Who resurrected Unity then?”

Asuna's eyes were full of questions.

The only god known there at the moment was Poseidon, but could Poseidon, who only had his soul left, really have the power to resurrect others?

After all, he himself wanted to resurrect using Unity's sister's body.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“What?! What on earth happened?”

Among those present, Dégel was undoubtedly the most surprised. His recently deceased friend, Unity, had actually been resurrected as a Marina General.

He even tried to use his sister's body to resurrect Poseidon.

“Is there a problem with Poseidon's seal?”

The Pope couldn't help but think of the worst-case scenario. If he were truly resurrected, this Holy War would be unwinnable.

“No... the seal shouldn't have any problems yet, otherwise he wouldn't need Dégel's power to break the seal.”

All the Gold Saints' expressions became solemn. They had finally cleared the obstacles of the Twin Gods, and two of the Three Judges had been dealt with. The Holy War had shown signs of victory.

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: After Aquarius is Sagittarius Sisyphus, who gouged out his eyes and tore out his heart.

Chapter 292: The Freezing of Atlantis!! Your enemy sacrifices...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 But Unity clearly had no intention of explaining to Degel. He eagerly took out the golden urn that sealed Poseidon's soul.

And demanded that Degel unseal Athena's seal and release the soul of Sea God Poseidon.

“This is for Bluegrad's spring. In exchange, I will give you the unique Orichalcum personally infused with power by Lord Sea God!”

But Degel was unmoved and sternly refused: “I refuse! Such an act would defile the gods, IT WOULD DEFILE THE SOUL OF LADY SERAPHINA!!”

However, Degel's reaction seemed to be within Unity's expectations.

The latter's mouth curved into a strange smile, and countless cold-glowing corals burst out, piercing into Degel's body.

These corals would assimilate with the Aquarius' body, eroding his nerves and muscles. The next second, Degel was horrified to find his palm slowly reaching for the golden urn under Unity's manipulation.

However, as the corals invaded Degel's body, he seemed to have also seen Unity's memories.

Reading through all the books on the wall to save the residents of Bluegrad from freezing to death, and then, after falling into despair, personally killing his father, Garcia.

After watching the memories, Degel's face was filled with shock and anger. In an instant, a cold Cosmo burst out, turning the corals wrapped around his body into powder.

The next second, the enraged roar of Aquarius echoed throughout the palace:

“DIAMOND DUST—!!”

The extreme cold, carrying over minus one hundred degrees, instantly blasted out, and the brilliant light enveloped Unity. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Understandably, coral can paralyze nerves and muscles; after all, some are poisonous corals, but being able to control a person's body is beyond comprehension.”

“Unity's original intention was good, but after despair, he went to extremes, or rather, was misled by Poseidon, which sounds a bit better.”

Everyone from other worlds twitched their mouths slightly. How could he see Unity's memories through coral?! Gold Saint, give us some basic logic, damn it!

Isn't this like a computer virus, truly invading your computer through the network cable, and even checking your browsing history... It's simply deadly.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Even though the previous Gold Saint was inhuman, don't be so inhuman now!”

Tohsaka Rin looked at the screen with a frantic expression.

The key is that Degel himself was completely bewildered, yet he could see the other person's memories. Do you think this is reasonable?! Forget science; even metaphysics can't explain it.

Besides the frantic Tohsaka Rin, everyone else had given up, looking calm, even leisurely sipping tea. After all, no matter how unscientific something was, if it happened to a Gold Saint, it was perfectly reasonable.

In short, just attribute it to the omnipotent Cosmo; is there any better explanation than that?

 。。。。。

【 Degel felt that this punch didn't hit, but was bounced back by a mysterious force. As the light faded, a trident blocked the space between them.

“The Sea God's giant statue moved?!”

The statue charged towards Degel with huge strides, and two massive water pillars appeared out of thin air. The once calm sea churned into a huge whirlpool!

“Ugh—” Degel was instantly sucked in!

A moment later, Unity was surprised to find the water pillars beginning to freeze inch by inch! Even the Tatsumaki in the sea was frozen by Degel.

The next second, the ice cracked, and Degel, with blood at the corner of his eye, stepped out of the ice pillar: “As a close friend, I cannot ignore you in your current state!”

“AURORA EXECUTION—!”

Accompanied by Degel's roar, a beam of light with unparalleled power rushed towards Poseidon's statue. With an explosion, the statue's right arm was directly shattered, and its entire body began to collapse.

And Unity, having lost the protection of the statue, also seemed to have lost its combat power. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This Aquarius is a bit tragic. He lost his childhood friend on a mission, then lost his comrade Kardia, and now he has to punch his resurrected friend!”

Everyone looked at Degel, who instantly froze the underwater tornado, and exchanged glances. How low was the temperature, really? It felt like he alone could create the South Pole.

This freezing aura was truly amazing. No wonder Kardia teamed up with Degel; one burned his heart, the other physically cooled things down—a perfect combination.

 。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“Such a huge range... doesn't he get exhausted?!”

Gray stared blankly at the giant ice pillar. Compared to magic, how much magic power and precision would that require!

“Why does Degel have the image of an elegant nobleman, while Aquarius... sigh~”

A sigh was enough to convey Lucy's current mood.

Aquarius, also an Aquarius, wasn't bad in terms of strength, but her personality was... how to put it... a bit violent! And she felt particularly fierce when it came to herself.

 。。。。。

【 Unity, who had regained his sanity, walked over to Degel and sadly told him the reason for everything.

His sister had died long ago, and he had preserved her body with Orichalcum.

So Unity handed the Orichalcum, which had been on Seraphina's neck, to Degel:

“Take this back to the Sanctuary...”

At this moment, an unexpected change occurred. Pandora had arrived here at some point. A giant snake rushed out, snatched the Orichalcum, and returned to Pandora's hand.

“Athena must never obtain this powerful force!”

Pandora's trident in her hand smashed down without hesitation, and the patterns wrapped in energy crystals instantly shattered.

Unity's pupils constricted sharply at this sight, and he cursed Pandora as a fool.

Orichalcum was a divine artifact personally infused with power by the Sea God; doing this would cause its power to go out of control!

Thinking of this, Unity suddenly turned his head. He was horrified to find that Seraphina, behind him, had already put on the golden Cloth. A vast power was slowly awakening within her body.

Then, with a single punch, he sent Pandora flying. The next second, Seraphina in the sky suddenly grabbed the Sea God's trident. Poseidon's power was completely awakened, and that power would turn into a torrential flood to destroy the earth. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I said that when Pandora was unconscious, he should have acted to eliminate future troubles. Now, things have really gone wrong.”

“The Sea God won't really revive, will he? The difficulty is already high enough, don't add more...”

Good heavens, this update is happening too quickly. The Underworld King hasn't been dealt with yet, and now a Sea God shows up to flood the earth.

You know, the current Gold Saints are already struggling to deal with the Underworld King.

They can't spare any effort to deal with the Sea God. How can this Holy War be fought?

 。。。。。

【 Seeing this, Degel's eyes flashed with determination, and he whispered to Unity: “I will hold back the flood here... You take the Orichalcum back to the Sanctuary!”

When Unity heard that Degel was going to stay behind alone to resist the Sea God's attack, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he flatly refused.

“UNITY!! We must do this. The power of Orichalcum will determine the course of the Holy War! If this power crystal is not sent to the Sanctuary, then the entire World will be destroyed!”

Hearing this and seeing Degel's resolute eyes, Unity finally stopped hesitating and turned to rush out of the temple.

And just as Unity rushed out, the Sea God, carrying a monstrous flood, surged towards Degel. The latter, however, showed no trace of panic, as if life and death no longer mattered.

Looking at Seraphina, who was rapidly approaching like lightning, Degel seemed to see a hint of pain in her hollow eyes.

“You are in great pain, aren't you... Lady Seraphina...”

In an instant, an incomparably icy Cosmo roared out from the Aquarius' body. Wherever it passed, the flood was instantly frozen.

In the sky, the flood and ice constantly intertwined and devoured each other amidst earth-shattering roars, making cracking sounds. The monstrous flood gradually turned into a sky full of ice crystals.

And Degel and Seraphina, at the center of the power vortex, were also enveloped by this vast power, gradually being frozen.

“Unity...” As the ice was about to cover the Sea Empress's shoulders, some warmth seemed to return to her eyes.

And Unity had now arrived outside the temple. Behind him, the once magnificent Atlantis was completely frozen. Above it, a giant ice pillar connected to the vast ocean, as if the sea itself had been solidified! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“Ur...”

Upon witnessing Dégel's sacrifice, Gray's usual relaxed demeanor instantly vanished. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the scene as if he were watching a ghost.

The sight of an ice user sacrificing everything to freeze a catastrophic force and save the world was a direct, painful mirror of his master, Ur's, final, selfless act.

He saw Dégel's resolute expression, his immense power, and the terrifying yet beautiful spectacle of an entire place being transformed into ice.

It all brought back the moment Ur used Iced Shell to seal Deliora, a memory that still chills him to the bone.

 。。。。。

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“!!!!”

Such a shocking sight left the people outside the video stunned, their faces blank, their pupils dilated to their limits, as they seemingly scrutinized everything before their eyes in disbelief.

Their hands trembled involuntarily, as if they had witnessed an incredible miracle.

Notes:

( Author-san:: Next will be Sagittarius's eye-gouging and heart-digging... Sigh... )

Chapter 293: The Lion Cub and Thunder Beast, Leo's debut!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Oh my god, is freezing the entire Atlantis necessary to be so exaggerated?! No, it can no longer be described as exaggerated, it's too shocking.”

“The Gold Saints' achievements are a bit impressive. They relied entirely on them to deal damage, and their opponents were tougher than the last!”

Indeed, just look at what kind of monsters the Gold Saints are fighting! Two of the Three Underworld Judges, Minos and Radamanthys, the Four Dream Gods, Hypnos, and even Hades, and Seraphina, who possesses the power of the Sea God...

Unfortunately, in order to protect the World from being submerged by floods, Aquarius Degel chose to sacrifice himself, burying himself, the Sea God, and this ancient and magnificent Atlantis here.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Let me see...”

Misaki Shokuhou quickly flipped through the books in her hands, checking information related to the ancient city of Atlantis.

“FOUND IT!!”

Looking at the description above, Misaki Shokuhou couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise. The more she understood this city, the more she understood the terrifying power of Degel.

According to Plato's writings, the Sea God Poseidon created Atlantis, with a population of about 20 million and a land area of 400,000 square kilometers.

“NO WAY!! Atlantis covers a larger area than Japan, which means Degel directly froze the entire Japan?!”

After making the comparison, she realized how much weight Degel's feat of freezing the entire Atlantis by himself carried!!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Watching the original ocean instantly turn into a giant ice crystal like Antarctica, Dr. Romani and Fujimaru Ritsuka in the Chaldea Security Organization were speechless for a long time.

“Is this... really the work of humans?”

Da Vinci's face turned pale. This scene, even a Servant with divine power, might not be able to accomplish.

But Degel did it, and even kept Seraphina, who had awakened the power of the Sea God, here, solving the worries of this Holy War.

Dr. Romani and the others were well aware of how terrifying the gods in that world were, and it was precisely because of this that they felt so shocked.

Fujimaru Ritsuka put down the literature in his hand:

“According to mythology, the Sea God Poseidon and the Underworld King Hades are brothers, and their strength... should be similar.”

The Sea God is a main god of the same level as the Underworld King, and they are brothers. Even if he only awakened his divine power, he is not someone that ordinary people can deal with.

It should be known that the two masters and disciples of Cancer sealed the God of Death with their lives, Hakurei sealed Hypnos with the power of his companions from the previous Holy War, and Degel successfully sealed the Sea God with his life alone!

This generation of Gold Saints is truly brilliant.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

Although Degel sealed the Sea God and Kardia dealt with Radamanthys, Aizen felt that it was not worth it.

“Sacrificing two Gold Saints for an inexplicable Orichalcum is too unworthy if the Orichalcum doesn't play a big role.”

The Sea God's awakening and breaking the seal was an emergency. Degel didn't actually deal with a single Underworld Specter, but exhausted his life here.

This battle directly took the lives of two Gold Saints here. Fortunately, it was not without. Radamanthys, one of the three giants, was also successfully dealt with.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“Freezing himself and Seraphina with powerful ice power, stopping the resurrection of the Sea God. He is truly a remarkable Senpai.”

As the contemporary Aquarius Saint, Camus, is filled with respect for his Senpai. As someone who also cultivates ice power, he naturally knows how difficult it was for Degel to achieve such a degree.

Freezing a god-level existence, and also freezing all the floods that submerged the World, Degel not only had to expand the range of his cold air, but also ensure the duration of the cold air!

At least, to ensure that the Sea God would not cause trouble in this Holy War...

“I just don't know if the remaining Golden Saint Senpai's can make good use of this hard-won Orichalcum.”

 。。。。。

【 After Degel and Kardia sacrificed themselves, on the other side of the Himalayas, Yato and Yuzuriha also found the giant sailboat left by the previous Holy War!

This will become their warship to attack the Underworld King's location in Heaven, but... due to years of accumulated snow, the sailboat had already frozen and could not be used.

Just as the group of them were frowning and thinking about how to get the ship out, a young man in a Golden Cloth... no, it should be said that a teenager came here.

“Long time no see, Yato, it's really great to execute a mission together.”

The newcomer was none other than the young lion, Leo Regulus!

Regulus, walking out of the crowd, didn't say a word and came to the frozen sailboat. His Cosmo quickly erupted.

“LIGHTNING PLASMA—”

Amidst the flashing light, the Lightning Plasma instantly blasted out. The huge glacier that had just made everyone frown instantly began to crack, and in the blink of an eye, it destroyed all the ice.

“The ice... turned into particles from the edge!!” Everyone couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes.

“So-called geniuses! They are different from us ordinary mortals!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Big brother... no, it should be called little brother. How old are you this year?! You're already a Gold Saint.”

“I don't hate geniuses, I just hate that the genius isn't me. Damn it... this kid looks even younger than Tenma, and he's already a Gold Saint.”

Everyone looked at the young-faced Leo in astonishment.

This was definitely an underage little lion. Call the police! Sanctuary is illegally employing child labor, and they're doing the most dangerous work.

Although young, the strength displayed by this single move alone was enough to leave people speechless. Even with slow motion, apart from some powerhouses, no one even saw the punch's afterimage.

“Lightning Plasma... I have nothing more to say. Let it be whatever it wants. Anyway, it's not like it hasn't been inhuman for a day or two.”

That being said, everyone still had an ominous premonition. According to the law that one Gold Saint dies after another, could the next one to die be this young Leo?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Hahaha, is Sanctuary out of people? Who are you trying to scare with a snot-nosed brat in a Gold Cloth!”

“It seems this Holy War is already won. The strong Gold Saints in Sanctuary are almost all dead.”

Looking at Regulus in the Leo Golden Cloth, the Specters immediately began to scoff disdainfully, unanimously believing that Sanctuary had no one left.

Radamanthys, one of the Three Underworld Judges, silently looked at Regulus in the Gold Cloth, making it impossible to know what he was thinking.

And in Sanctuary, the young Regulus still stood obediently beside his uncle Sisyphus, until he saw his own appearance, and a smile appeared on his lips...

“Finally, it's my turn...”

Unlike Regulus's excitement, his uncle Sisyphus's expression was somewhat worried, which was an unavoidable human emotion.

And the other Gold Saints also knew about this Leo, who was known as a once-in-a-century genius in Sanctuary!

Aside from being young and possibly lacking experience, he had no flaws. It was truly exciting to see what kind of performance he would bring.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, the Saints are repairing this warship that can sound the counterattack horn, but it has also attracted the attention of the Underworld Army.

And in the Star Temple, one of the Three Underworld Judges, Aiacos, revealed a ferocious smile and then announced an attack on the Himalayas!

And acting as the vanguard was Violate of the Heavenly Lone Star.

Aiacos directly lifted her and threw her towards the Saints.

“GARUDA FLAP—”

With Aiacos's ultimate move, Violate instantly shot out, at a speed comparable to light, and instantly arrived at the Saints' base!

The moment she landed, the violent impact knocked all the Saints to the ground.

As the smoke cleared, Violate, full of killing intent, appeared before everyone:

“You are truly vulnerable! Athena's Saints...”

She took a step forward, and the immense force shattered the ground. She then threw another punch, sending all the Saints flying.

The next second, Violate's fist aimed at the giant sailboat:

“Disappear without a trace!”

Just as her fist was about to land, an arm suddenly stretched out and firmly grabbed her wrist, rendering her unable to move.

And the one who stopped her was Leo Regulus! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“None of the Three Underworld Judges are pushovers. This Aiacos can throw someone at light speed just by swinging his arm.”

“Among the Saints, besides the Gold Saints, their strength doesn't seem to be very good. They were directly crushed. ”

However, after seeing Aiacos's Surplice, everyone once again confirmed their guess: none of those with wings on their Cloths were to be trifled with; each one was terrifyingly strong.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“This is bad...”

Tohsaka Rin secretly contemplated. One of the Three Underworld Judges, Aiacos, was heading their way, and Violate was merely the vanguard.

Looking at Leo Regulus, who seemed to be about the same age as herself, she didn't believe that he alone would be able to deal with Aiacos.

“This sailboat is crucial for Sanctuary to go to Paradise Lost. Sanctuary shouldn't have only sent Regulus to guard it.”

Emiya Shirou also felt that Sanctuary might be a bit too careless. Violate's strength didn't seem weak, not to mention Aiacos, one of the Three Underworld Judges, was coming later!

Illya was a bit uncertain:

“It seems that Gemini has never appeared. Will he also appear here?”

Among the twelve constellations, except for the never-before-seen Gemini, almost all the Gold Saints have appeared, so he will likely appear here to help Leo fight Aiacos!

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: The battle between Leo and Violate of the Heavenly Lone Star will also be written, as this is to show his genius side. It can be said that he completely crushed Violate of the Heavenly Lone Star.

Chapter 294: Your move is not bad, but it's mine now!

Chapter Text

【 Looking at the young child in front of her, who was only in his teens, Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, immediately became interested. She hadn't expected such a seemingly frail body to possess such immense strength.

So, she extended both arms, intending to compete with Regulus in a test of strength. The latter, never one to refuse a challenge, extended his hands and grasped Violate's arms, and they began to vie for power.

A wild and fierce power poured out from the small body of the Leo, instantly pulverizing the ground where the two stood. A gigantic, deep pit appeared beneath their feet.

The next second, Regulus took advantage of the momentum to flip over, directly kicking Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, towards the ground. He then quickly followed, creating distance from the giant ship to prevent the aftermath of the battle from damaging the hull. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“If I'm not mistaken, Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, was the Specter who emerged from Hades' shadow and clashed with Aldebaran, the Taurus!”

“Oh my goodness, you really can't judge a book by its cover. This small body actually matched Violate in strength without falling behind, and arguably even gained the upper hand.”

Everyone looked at the young Leo with some surprise. It was well-known that Violate's strength had been personally acknowledged by Aldebaran, the Taurus, as exceptional.

And now, they witnessed Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, losing in a contest of strength to this Leo. What did he eat to grow up? He didn't even seem to have much muscle.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Is he really around the same age as me?!”

Tenma looked at Leo with a head full of question marks.

Yato, however, proudly patted his own chest:

“I'm sure Regulus is my friend, and he's from the same class as me...”

“...”

Tenma was speechless. What are you so proud of? It's as if you're the strong one. Our strengths are all pretty much the same.

Yuzuriha looked a little surprised:

“So, from the same class, one became a Gold Saint, and one became a Bronze?”

It was equivalent to Yato, from the same class, still being in his first year of high school, while the other had already graduated from university and was even pursuing a master's degree.

As soon as these words were spoken, Yato instantly deflated. It was truly bringing up a sore subject. Only when he and Regulus, both from the same class, stood together did he truly understand the immense pressure!

Regulus was the legendary “child from another family,” simply incomparable.

 。。。。。

【 Looking at Regulus, who was hot on his heels, Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, wasted no words. She unleashed another powerful and heavy punch, rushing towards the former.

The immense power stirred up a huge gust of wind from the punch, and dust scattered everywhere. Their figures constantly intertwined in the air, then another punch rang out, but the little Leo nimbly dodged it again.

“I've seen through your striking techniques and movement habits. Next, I will surpass them.”

Regulus's body floated in mid-air, looking at the opponent with utmost calm, as if he didn't take him seriously.

Hearing this, Violate merely dismissed it as a child boasting and scoffed, “TRY TO SURPASS THIS PUNCH THEN!!”

But the next second, her pupils constricted. A punch that had gathered her strength was actually blocked by Regulus with a single finger.

His innate talent, coupled with keen insight and abnormal flexibility, allowed Regulus to clearly perceive the direction of his opponent's power and then neutralize the enemy's attack with the least amount of Cosmos.

Subsequently, Leo swung his fist with the momentum, and the violent power directly blasted the Specter into the sky. Violate, who had been full of disdain just moments ago, now had scattered eyes, and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

But even at this moment, Violate, the Heavenly Lone Star, remained calm. Just as Regulus pursued his advantage, rushing towards Violate, the latter gave an enigmatic smile.

The next second, a colossal warship, obscuring the sky, had already docked above them. On the warship, waves of Specters were descending from above, charging towards the location of the Saints. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Goodness, he completely crushed Violate! The arrogant guy just now had her attack blocked by Regulus with a single finger.”

“He saw through the opponent's attack completely in just two rounds of engagement. Truly impressive.”

What surprised everyone the most was that the Leo hadn't used any special techniques from beginning to end. He had simply relied on his flexible body to defeat Violate. This was true genius!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“He saw through the opponent's moves in an instant. What keen insight this young Saint possesses.”

Artoria also marveled at his strength.

Both his strength and speed surpassed Violate's, coupled with his keen intuition and judgment, making her wonder if Regulus was truly just a teenager in his teens.

On the other side, the King of Conquerors frowned slightly, feeling a bit regretful:

“That young man is still too young; he lacks experience.”

The Specters' target was the warship. Since Regulus had the power to overwhelm his opponent, he shouldn't have moved the battle. Now, he's fallen for the enemy's diversionary tactic.

With swarms of Specters rushing towards the warship, the Leo was spread too thin and was now in a passive position. He might even be affected by his distraction and concern for the warship, impacting his performance.

 。。。。。

【 “I must defeat... this guy... immediately and go help everyone!”

The increasingly anxious Leo unleashed a punch filled with killing intent, unhesitatingly attacking Violate. The next instant, he was horrified to find that his body was unable to move.

“Shadow?...”

A black shadow spread out from the ground, sealing all of his movements.

“Precisely!”

Violate seized the opportunity to approach the Leo, reaching out and pinching the latter's chin: “Next, you can only listen to the wails of your companions, and the sound of your own bones shattering!”

Violate unleashed a punch, hitting the Leo squarely in the face. What followed was a barrage of attacks, raining down on the Leo's body.

Streams of blood splattered, and Violate's face became increasingly distorted. She wanted to kill the Leo and offer him to Lord Aiacos in the sky...

“Farewell, LEO—!!!”

Violate intended to pierce the Leo's head with this punch, but amidst the fierce assault, the Leo instead revealed a smile!

The next moment, Violate found her fist stopped in front of Leo's forehead, unable to get any closer!

“My body can't move...”

Violate was horrified to find that it was her turn to be unable to move, and a growing sense of unease filled her heart: “Could it be...”

Beneath Violate's feet, the Leo's black shadow slowly emerged, and a surge of fear and disbelief welled up in her heart.

“I'VE SURPASSED YOU...!!!” The Leo, Regulus, smiled wildly, his face splattered with blood.

Violate couldn't believe that her proud Shadow Bind technique had been learned by Regulus in such a short time! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“!!!! What kind of genius is this?! This is a monster! He learned a technique that others practiced their whole lives in just a few minutes?!”

“Holy crap, using the opponent's own methods against them! Regulus is practically a ruthless move-copying machine!”

It's no wonder everyone was so surprised. A shadow-related technique, by all accounts, doesn't seem like something that could be learned in a few minutes, especially while constantly being beaten.

If it weren't for the fact that the Leo was genuinely anxious to go back and rescue the other Saints, everyone would have suspected that he was intentionally taking a beating just to learn the opponent's moves.

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline〜

“Yare yare, it seems like a similar type of Saint...”

Jotaro reached up and adjusted the brim of his hat.

This remark drew a speechless look from Josuke Higashikata, who retorted,

“Mr. Jotaro, please stop saying everything is 'the same type'.”

The Leo's small stature is nothing like Violate's! And “the same type”... Shadow-related techniques seem completely unrelated to Regulus.

It was clear that Regulus was perfectly learning the opponent's technique in a few minutes.

“The most important thing is that he not only learned it, BUT HE SURPASSED IT!!”

In the time it takes to make instant noodles, he had appropriated the opponent's technique, and the power he unleashed even exceeded the original. Violate must be utterly devastated.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“You... you didn't learn all the moves that appeared on the screen, did you?”

Manigoldo looked at Regulus with a subtle expression.

Regulus gave a somewhat shy smile, extending a finger, and the blue light of Praesepe emerged, with several blue lights of souls floating in the air.

“Alright, alright—put away your divine powers.”

Manigoldo covered his face with his hand. The Praesepe technique felt a bit too common now; even the Leo, who was in a different profession, knew it.

Sisyphus asked with some concern,

“You didn't... learn the Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave too, did you?”

Sisyphus did not doubt Regulus's talent; his talent was enough for him to comprehend any technique with just a glance.

“Crystal Wall?! Stardust Revolution?!”

“He knows Excalibur, too?!”

“Minos' Cosmic Marionettion?!”

All the other Gold Saints eagerly questioned Regulus.

“I learned them all...”

Regulus nodded silently. In fact, he had tried to learn all the techniques that appeared on the screen, but he hadn't used them yet, so he didn't know if he could actually perform them.

Hakurei quickly said,

“Don't use the Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave carelessly!”

He didn't want this extremely talented young Saint to die because of his own reasons. Such a rare talent, seen once in a century, no wonder he became a Gold Saint at such a young age.

 。。。。。

Chapter 295: Sisyphus vs. Aiacos, the Third Great Specter!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Just as Violate was utterly bewildered, the Lion Cub had already arrived in front of her.

A punch, imbued with anger and a surging cosmos, was instantly thrown, fiercely smashing into Violate's face and sending her crashing heavily to the ground.

Violate, her face streaming with blood, shakily got back up. Even so, her expression was still filled with disbelief.

“You even saw through my shadow techniques, LEO REGULUS—!!”

Facing Violate's angry questioning, the latter smiled nonchalantly: “Ah, I saw it very clearly!”

The so-called Shadow Bind was merely a technique that hid the deceased of the Underworld within shadows, controlling them with cosmos. To break it, one only needed a stronger power to control them in reverse! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Let's not even talk about Regulus. Violate is already questioning her life. If we keep talking, she might just die of anger.”

“Easier said than done. Controlling the dead and all, knowing it doesn't mean you can do it!”

Holy cow, is this the world of geniuses? Seeing through the principle at a glance, instantly learning and surpassing it. These are the people whom God chases after to feed, practically spoon-feeding them.

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Past Timeline〜

“This type of genius is simply the disciple a Sensei dreams of, an opponent that strikes fear into enemies!”

Gojo Satoru's eyes gleamed as he watched the screen.

Such unreasonable talent is truly rare in a century, coupled with extraordinary insight, allowing him to discern the principles of techniques.

“The key is that he's still very young, with plenty of room for growth!”

Yuta Okkotsu mused.

Based on the power he's displayed so far, it's far from the peak strength of Leo. He can still continue to grow!

 。。。。。

【 Listening to Regulus's relaxed tone, Violate couldn't help but feel a chill of fear: “In the future, he will surely become a terrifying warrior!”

Therefore, Violate decided to eliminate Leo at all costs. A wild cosmos erupted from her body, shattering the specters on her.

“Only you... I will not bow!! Then I will fight with my own body!”

Violate's Underworld Surplice instantly shattered, revealing her body covered in scars. Then, the Heavenly Lone Star clashed her fists together, and a giant beast's phantom appeared behind her!

Her techniques didn't work on Leo, so she would use her monstrous strength to fight him, fully utilizing her physical advantage. Regulus couldn't learn this, right?!

Regulus, naturally unafraid, mercilessly punched towards her: “If I don't fight, I can't move forward ahhh—!~”

“LIGHTNING—PLASMA!”

The cosmos transformed into a ferocious lion, its fist swifter than lightning, even distorting space. The earth was torn apart, and strong winds whipped up dust everywhere!

When the smoke cleared, two figures stood in place, still in the posture of having thrown a punch. A moment later, Violate collapsed onto the ground.

“Aiacos-sama...”

Violate murmured a sentence before completely losing consciousness. She had fought with all her might, yet she still couldn't stop Leo's advance. This young man's power was too strong. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Don't let Regulus's young age fool you; his combat power is astonishing, practically crushing the opponent.”

“Violate was very smart. Knowing that any technique she used would be learned, she decisively planned to use her immense strength! Unfortunately...”

Unfortunately, Leo hadn't used his true strength before. This Lightning Plasma Fist was not only astonishingly fast but also terrifyingly powerful!

Everyone's faces were a bit stiff. Ever since the world of Saint Seiya appeared on screen, they realized that there was no limit to what humans could do. Light-speed fists were being thrown...

But is there some kind of tradition in battles in that world? Why do they like taking off their armor so much? Wearing a Surplice shouldn't restrict your monstrous strength!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“This isn't scientific at all... No, it's not even occult.”

Misaka Mikoto played with the game coin in her hand.

Her Railgun could reach the speed of sound in a single shot, but air friction would cause the coin to turn to ash before it could fly very far.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, if anyone told her that humans could throw light-speed punches and be perfectly fine, she would definitely call them uncultured.

“After all, those are Saints who can fall from 10,000 meters and be unharmed...”

It makes sense. They can freeze Atlantis alone. Besides giving birth, what else can't they do?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Watching the scene, Merlin's mouth twitched. He was careless; he had only focused on Leo's talent before.

Initially, when he saw Violate planning to face Leo with a physical disparity, he thought Regulus, unable to replicate the opponent's techniques, was in danger.

But he forgot that the other person also had their own exclusive skills, and with outstanding talent, how could their own strength be poor?

“If possible, could I temporarily swap my Clairvoyance for slow-motion eyes... Even with the video slowed down, I still can't see clearly.”

For the first time, Merlin felt his Clairvoyance was so useless that he wished he could replace it with slow-motion eyes.

Who knew how many punches Regulus threw in that instant? The speed was simply too fast, so fast that space was distorting.

The Wise King Gilgamesh couldn't help but sigh:

“Speed is power...”

That punch was not only fast, but its destructive power was astonishing. In his opinion, Violate not being instantly smashed into meat paste was a testament to her tough body.

 。。。。。

【 Before Regulus could even rejoice, he was suddenly astonished to see Aiacos, one of the Three Judges, swooping down from a black battleship, instantly embracing Violate!

With another flash, he charged into the Saint's formation, a ferocious and sinister smile gradually appearing on his face.

In an instant, Aiacos shot out like lightning, his fierce energy directly causing hundreds of Saints to vomit blood and be sent flying!

Then Aiacos swung his right hand down, and the giant black battleship roared from a distance, heading straight for the ancient sailing ship. If it hit, the hope of the Sanctuary would be shattered!

However, in this flash of lightning, a golden figure suddenly appeared before the giant ship, like a god of war descending from the heavens, blocking Aiacos's terrifying attack.

It was Sagittarius Sisyphus and Pegasus who appeared here: “How regrettable, Specters, I will not let you have your way anymore!”

After Sisyphus took over the battlefield, he turned to order Pegasus and the other Bronze Saints to enter the giant ship to start it, while he remained outside to continue his duel with Aiacos. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No wonder El Cid said Sisyphus's strength was indispensable to the Sanctuary. His gentle face truly brings a sense of security.”

“So, next is Sisyphus's battle with one of the Underworld's Three Judges. Thankfully, Leo should at least not die.”

Everyone nodded knowingly. Regarding the Gold Saint's law of certain death upon appearance, Leo actually survived. No matter what, it was truly not easy.

However, the worst off were still the Bronze and Silver Saints. It felt like every Specter who appeared treated them as experience points to farm, always beating them up first.

Violate was the same just now, and Aiacos was also like that, as if they were uncomfortable if they didn't beat them up.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“It's my turn now!”

Sisyphus's heart was solemn. To be honest, after seeing the previous performance, he himself didn't have much confidence in fighting one of the Underworld's Three Judges.

But no matter what, he would fight with his life for Lady Athena, giving his companions enough time to reach Elysium!

“...”

Kardia also stared intently at the screen. The strength of the other two Judges was already clear; now only Aiacos remained!

A Golden Saint facing a Judge alone was something they understood all too well.

A slight misstep could lead to complete defeat. It was an opponent to be faced with twelve parts of the spirit.

 。。。。。

Notes:

Author-san: Finally got to this part. The loyal Sagittarius!

Chapter 296: Sisyphus is too merciful!

Chapter Text

【 Just as all the Saints entered the ship's cabin, Tenma and the others ran for a few minutes before finally finding the spaceship's core.

As long as the Orichalcum was placed inside, the ship would activate, but... since the hull was made of divine wood from Mount Olympus, perhaps to test their will, the path to the core was covered in thorns.

At this moment, the Jackal Saint gritted his teeth and stepped forward, turning his body into a shield, smashing through the thorns ahead, and opening a blood-soaked path of hope for the Saints.

By the time they successfully reached the central hub, the Jackal Saint could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground, his unyielding soul merging with the ship's hull!

Outside the ship, Sagittarius Sisyphus, holding his golden bow, was still locked in a bitter struggle with Aiacos:

“This is the ship everyone has protected until now!!”

Suddenly, the ship shook violently, and the next moment, this giant ship, which had been dormant for hundreds of years, soared into the sky.

Aiacos was slightly surprised to see this: “How beautiful! Has that broken ship also soared into the sky...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It really flew up! What a brilliant will.”

Everyone silently watched the Jackal Saint, who had carved out a path with his life, deeply moved in that instant. This emotion, like a surging wave, swept away everyone's thoughts.

Did the Saints never fear death, willingly using their bodies to smash through thorny paths?

“So... it's never just the Gold Saints who shine. Even those who are considered weak never yield.”

Although the stars scattered across the sky were not as dazzling as the bright moon, the light they emitted in that instant was blinding.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Seeing this scene, Mash's eyes dimmed a little,

“We were too focused on the splendor of the Gold Saints, but we overlooked that this Holy War was never a one-person battle.”

Under the shining light of the Gold Saints, many other Saints still flocked, like moths to a flame, doing their utmost to contribute their strength to the Holy War.

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded:

“Yes... even the Bronze Saints give a feeling of being flesh and blood.”

Although they were not as powerful as the Gold Saints, their will was not weak. They were willing to use their bodies as the cornerstone of victory in the Holy War.

 。。。。。

【 Although Aiacos was somewhat astonished that this ancient giant ship could actually soar into the sky, however...

“You still don't seem to understand. You are only fit to crawl on the ground!”

The black ship below had already aimed its massive, dark cannon barrel at the giant ship in the sky, and Aiacos stood on the cannon barrel with a contemptuous smile.

“Snap—”

“GARUDA FLAP—!”

With a snap of his fingers, a Specter stepped forward and began to burn with raging flames. Aiacos unhesitatingly shoved him into the cannon barrel, using his flesh as a cannonball.

“SURENDRAJIT—!”

A roar echoed through the heavens and earth, and a huge fireball shot towards the ship of hope in the sky. Yato sharply turned the rudder, narrowly avoiding it, but the cannonball transformed into a rain of fire in the sky.

In a critical moment, Sisyphus drew his bow and shot an arrow into the sky. The golden arrow transformed into a myriad of streaking lights, intercepting all the fire rain.

Tenma looked back and saw Sisyphus standing on the ship's railing, spreading his massive golden wings, protecting the hull as it continued to advance. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, using his subordinates as cannon fodder is something else. Why would Specters willingly follow such a boss?!”

“I want to know if Asmita's rosary beads only work when a Saint defeats a Specter, and if Specters killing Specters has no effect?”

Aiacos's actions were quite explosive, even making everyone wonder what exactly was so appealing about the Underworld that so many people willingly became Specters, only to be utterly used as cannon fodder.

 。。。。。

〜Konosuba World〜

“Hiss—how ruthless...”

This scene made even the sadistic Kazuma gasp. Compared to this, the Demon King's army was truly simple and pure in its customs.

“Is Yato really driving a spaceship for the first time?... His luck is comparable to Kazuma's.”

The carefree and foolish goddess Aqua, sprawled on the sofa, seemed a bit surprised.

She really wanted to say to Yato, “Why are you so skilled?!” You're not driving a ship for the first time, yet you manage to narrowly avoid attacks every time. Your luck is unparalleled.

 。。。。。

【 A moment later, the relentlessly pursuing Aiacos, driving the black ship covered in raging flames, suddenly accelerated, transforming into a giant black bird, aiming for the ship of hope in the sky.

At the critical moment, Sisyphus stepped onto the bow, his Cosmo erupting, directly clashing with the black ship. The intense flames scorched his body, making him clench his jaw!

But through the flames, he saw Aiacos throwing Specters into the sea of fire one after another as fuel. The wails of the Specters sent chills down his spine.

Sisyphus's eyes instantly turned cold. He vowed to defeat this demon who slaughtered his subordinates,

“CHIRON'S LIGHT IMPULSE—!!”

A violent hurricane swept out from Sisyphus as its center, followed by a thick beam of energy that instantly blasted out, directly repelling the massive black ship.

The hurricane unleashed by Sisyphus swept towards Aiacos, pushing the black ship back several hundred meters, and extinguishing the flames on its hull instantly.

The Specters who were previously in the sea of fire were thus saved, and they looked at their bodies in astonishment,

“Lord Aiacos's flames have disappeared...”

“Why... are we being pitied by the enemy? We...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What a feat, resisting a ship with just his body. The Saints' bodies are truly hardcore; he wasn't even flattened.”

“Are you sure Aiacos isn't a mole?! It feels like he's sacrificed more Specters than the Saints have defeated. That's impressive.”

Everyone looked at Sisyphus with some surprise. While repelling the black ship, he didn't forget to extinguish the flames on the Specters. Was his heart perhaps too merciful? Those were enemies; why save them?!

“A certain 1,000-year-old Elf once said, 'Once a Specter, always a Specter...'”

He seemed to have said it, anyway, in everyone's eyes, the Specters would eventually be dealt with, so there was no need to save them. Would they save them only to beat them up again? Wouldn't that be redundant?

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

Shunsui Kyoraku frowned:

“Is this the unique magnanimity and benevolence of Sagittarius? But... being too gentle isn't always a good thing.”

He didn't dislike gentle people, but this was a battlefield, and being overly gentle wasn't good. Mercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself.

Unohana Retsu's eyes narrowed slightly:

“No wonder he gets into a rut; too soft a heart can easily be hurt.”

Although usually kind and amiable, none of the captains present were easygoing when facing enemies. They all viewed Sisyphus's action with a hint of concern.

 。。。。。

【 Sisyphus's action even drew a mocking smile from Aiacos, his enemy: “How utterly ridiculous!!”

“They are nothing but slaves, only valuable when sacrificed for me.”

As he spoke, a dozen more Specters were incinerated into fireballs and thrown into the giant cannon. The black ship accelerated again, directly colliding with the ship of hope.

Aiacos, believing the ship of hope to be destroyed, revealed a sinister smile: “It's over, Sagittarius!”

Suddenly, his smile froze. He found that the black ship was actually losing ground: “What...”

Aiacos looked back and saw that the Specters behind him were filled with confusion and bewilderment, seemingly no longer intending to serve him.

Seeing this, Aiacos's face twisted into a ferocious expression: “As long as I, the master, am here, it's enough.”

Vast power surged out, carrying the black ship and the Specters as it crashed into the ship of hope. The immense impact carved a deep gash in the ground.

Above the gash, Sisyphus and Aiacos still stood in mid-air, facing each other. For them, this great battle had perhaps only just truly begun. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No wonder they rebelled. Aiacos's emotional intelligence is too low. Just think it, don't say it out loud! If you say something like that, only a fool wouldn't rebel against you.”

“It seems Sisyphus's mercy wasn't in vain; it actually worked. Although there was an element of gambling, he gambled correctly.”

Aiacos's cruelty and Sisyphus's mercy were a stark contrast. Since they were all going to die anyway, the Specters weren't fools; everyone knew how to choose.

Looking at the two figures facing each other in mid-air, everyone clearly understood that the struggle between the ships was over.

Now, the real battle, the battle between Sagittarius and one of the Three Judges, was about to begin.

 。。。。。

Chapter 297: Eyeball gouging, Sisyphus's eighth sense!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Aiacos reached out and dragged over a dying Specter, grabbing him by the neck.

The Specter pleaded desperately for his life.

“Aiacos… sama… please spare me, I can’t take it anymore…”

But Aiacos ignored his pleas, brutally tearing his soul out and offering it to the sky.

In an instant, the sky darkened, and three giant eyes slowly opened in the heavens, exuding an ancient and evil aura.

“Eyes…”

Sisyphus gazed at the giant eyes in the sky, somewhat lost in thought.

Aiacos suddenly revealed a sinister smile.

“Galactica Death Bring—!!”

The next moment, Sisyphus’s body suddenly froze, unable to move. An evil beam of light from the giant eye surged into his body, burning every nerve within him.

But Aiacos had no intention of ending his attack there. His Cosmo erupted again:

“Garuda Flap—!!”

He swung his hands violently at Sisyphus, and a raging hurricane, like steel blades, fiercely pierced into Sisyphus. Then, a ferocious giant bird, like a thunderous army, slammed into Sisyphus’s body!

Sisyphus’s body was blasted into the mountains behind him. Looking at the huge crater still swirling with dust in the distance, Aiacos sneered, then turned and walked towards Tenma on the Ship of Hope. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, I didn’t expect Aiacos to be a Yu-Gi-Oh! duelist, special summoning the 'Galactica Death Bring' with a Specter as a sacrifice! The destructive power must be astonishing.”

“Aiacos really doesn’t waste any Specters. Even a half-dead one is dragged over for sacrifice.”

A gaze that can burn an opponent’s nerves is too overpowered. Nerves are the most fragile part of the human body, and even minor damage can have unimaginable consequences.

Although the prerequisite is sacrificing a soul, this move is essentially a forced hit! In other words, its value comes at a cost.

Tsk tsk… Thinking about it, Specters are truly miserable. It seems life in the Underworld isn’t easy. They have to fight the Saints and also guard against backstabs from their leaders. It’s really tough.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Sacrificing a subordinate’s soul to summon a gaze that can burn an opponent’s entire nervous system to death… Sisyphus is probably in danger.”

The Pope frowned slightly. Aiacos’s strength was beyond his imagination. Sisyphus might not be a match for one of the Three Judges.

Leo Regulus also looked worried. If he only took that one hit, his uncle might still have a chance to fight, but…

El Cid calmly analyzed the current situation,

“Not only was he hit by the Giant Eye’s gaze, but he also took a full-force blow from one of the Three Judges head-on, completely unprepared. The odds are stacked against him.”

Even someone as strong as Sisyphus, taking consecutive ultimate attacks from one of the Three Judges, even if he doesn’t die, he probably won’t have the strength to fight again.

“Damn it…”

As the person involved, Sisyphus instinctively clenched his fists.

He wasn’t afraid of death; he just didn’t want the life that El Cid fought so hard for and that Athena-sama helped him regain… to be worthless.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Based on my understanding of Saints, Sisyphus should still be alive…”

Rin Tohsaka was somewhat unsure, as the damage caused this time was different from before.

Even if nerves are burned, and one doesn’t die, there’s a high chance of becoming a vegetable. What’s more, another 'Garuda Flap' came right after! If he’s not dead, he’s definitely crippled.

"And it seems like everyone is after Tenma. He's practically on the same level as Athena on the assassination list."

Although Tenma is at risk, it’s not to the point where everyone is targeting him. It feels like there are more attempts on Tenma’s life than on Athena’s.

 。。。。。

【 Just as Aiacos took a step, his body suddenly froze. Behind him, a golden light erupted, and a terrifying aura quietly awakened.

The next second, Sisyphus, covered in blood, his brain nerves completely destroyed, still stood firm with resolute eyes. Even Aiacos couldn’t help but exclaim.

“As expected of a Gold Saint, to still be able to move after taking two of my attacks… But this time, your end has come.”

Then he attacked again. The three giant eyes in the sky reappeared. This time, he intended to burn away all of Sagittarius’s nerves!

However, a smile once again appeared on Sisyphus’s face: “As long as it’s for them, I will do anything.”

Images of his fallen comrades flashed in his mind, and he slowly raised his right hand: “Protecting their future, protecting the future they live in.”

The next second, Sisyphus plunged his fingers into his own eyes, forcibly severing his vision. Blood streamed from his eye sockets.

“Listen up, Aiacos! In this battle, even if my body is shattered, I will not surrender!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Sisyphus’s brain nerves were destroyed, and he can still stand up? That’s just unbelievable. He’s practically inhuman.”

At this moment, everyone expressed their respect for the resolute Sisyphus.

Saints are indeed ruthless. For the Holy War, Taurus destroyed his own ears, and Sagittarius forcibly gouged out his eyes.

In their hearts, there were no words like surrender or giving up. What kind of will was it that allowed him to continue fighting, dragging such a body?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, G̶̘̏̕͜ṟ̶͠a̵̹͂̆n̵̻̤̎d̶̞͐ ̷̫͇͑C̸̛̪̬ȃ̴̯r̵̓̓͜n̸̜̋͗î̷̭v̸̱͆ȃ̷̫̚l̵͚̋ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Ouch, ouch, ouch…!”

Ritsuka Fujimaru instinctively covered their eyes, as if their own eyes were being gouged out.

After all, there are many things in the world that just hurt to look at, like treating ingrown toenails, let alone gouging out one’s own eyes.

Da Vinci felt her scalp tingle.

“S-ss-s, does Aiacos’s 'Galactica Death Bring' work through vision?! If so, just closing your eyes would solve it!”

If it doesn’t work through vision, then wouldn’t gouging out his eyes be for nothing?

Can’t he hesitate a little? He gouged out his eyes like clipping fingernails, without a trace of hesitation.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline〜

“Tsk tsk, with brain nerves destroyed, being able to stand up is already a miracle. Now he’s gouged out his own eyes, he can’t possibly still be thinking of fighting, can he?”

At this moment, even the well-informed Aozaki Touko was somewhat speechless. As someone deeply researched in the human body, she even wondered if this was an illusion.

“You are human… not a doll.”

As a human, having brain nerves destroyed is equivalent to a doll’s magic circuits being destroyed. Let alone fighting, being able to move at all would be a miracle.

But Sisyphus completely defied common sense. Under these circumstances, he even prepared to continue fighting.

What was the principle behind this?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Being able to continue fighting is enough.”

Sisyphus breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as he hadn’t completely fallen, there was still hope.

It seemed that the move wasn’t uncrackable. Just eyes. As long as he could defeat Aiacos, he didn’t need them.

In Hades Castle, Aiacos grew somewhat interested in this Sisyphus, who had taken two of his attacks and still intended to fight.

“He can still move… That’s quite interesting.”

He believed that his screen counterpart hadn’t held back at all, fighting with full power. Yet, even that couldn’t extinguish the will of this Sagittarius.

“Hmph… Aiacos, I advise you not to be careless.”

Minos taunted, having witnessed the Saints’ tenacity before.

As long as they weren’t completely defeated, they would keep getting back up like roly-poly toys.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, in this extreme state, he felt the essence of the Cosmo, crossing the Seventh Sense.

“The Eighth Sense…”

The vast Cosmo surged wildly within Sagittarius’s body. The 'Galactica Death Bring' in the sky could no longer harm him.

The golden light, like a storm, rapidly engulfed Aiacos. Aiacos was powerless to resist within this light.

“BOOM—!”

A deafening explosion echoed across the heavens and earth. Aiacos’s body, like an arrow released from a bow, flew hundreds of meters across the ground, leaving a deep gully.

Even the black ship behind him was reduced to ruins. The battle between Sagittarius and one of the Three Judges finally drew to a close.

When the smoke cleared, Aiacos struggled to rise from the ruins, his Surplice tattered, with only one wing remaining. He looked at the shattered ship and the battlefield where he was the only one left.

An accidental glance, however, revealed the deceased Violate still sitting on a stone bench, waiting for him.

“I am one of your wings!” Violate’s previous words echoed in Aiacos’s ears. Even as one of the Three Judges, he felt a flicker of emotion.

Aiacos caressed Violate’s face, his gaze gradually softening: “Perhaps there truly was a bond between you and me…”

The tenderness lasted only for an instant. The deceased Violate’s right arm suddenly pierced through Aiacos’s chest. The sudden attack left Aiacos momentarily stunned.

But the immense Cosmo around him instantly made him realize that Hades-sama was controlling Violate’s body.

“To execute me for my defeat…”

Seeing Hades-sama personally descend, Aiacos gave up resistance. Rather than dying in solitude, he preferred to die by the hand of his cherished wing.

Just as Violate’s fist was about to land, her fist suddenly froze. Tears actually flowed from the eyes of the supposedly deceased Violate.】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: The upcoming battle between Tenma and Alone will be skipped. )

( Translator-kun: Almost There, Just a little bit more push... )

Chapter 298: Blind Eyes, Tear Out Sisyphus's Heart!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He really won... With that body, losing his eyes actually allowed his power to advance further!”

“What a powerful blow. The moment he reached the Eighth Sense, the destructive power was worlds apart from before, capable of instantly taking down even the Three Judges.”

Just one strike completely destroyed the Aiacos, but I didn't expect that technique, the 'Galactica Death Bring', could really be broken by blinding the eyes. If he was truly struck through his vision, Sisyphus, blinding your eyes was pointless! Couldn't you have just closed them?

But Hades is simply inhuman; he personally goes to eliminate his most capable subordinate just because he lost once.

This is one of the Three Judges, whose strength ranks among the best in the Underworld, not some random nobody, and you decide to kill him just like that!

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline〜

“Has Aiacos lost his mind?!”

Josuke Higashikata reached out and rubbed his eyes, simply unable to believe what he was seeing. He never imagined that the incredibly ferocious Aiacos would show such an utterly gentle expression!

Just moments ago, he had sacrificed Specters as cannon fodder without batting an eye, but this current display of tenderness almost made Josuke suspect that Aiacos had been swapped out.

“Friendship, bonds, and all that—are those words that actually come out of the mouths of these Specters?!”

Holy cow. If he hadn't watched from beginning to end, Jotaro Kujo would have almost believed that Aiacos and Violate were positive characters.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Why do I get the feeling that the special bond between Aiacos and Violate is kind of heartwarming?!”

Doctor Roman felt foolish, thinking that something between two great villains could be moving.

Especially since Violate said she was the other half of Aiacos' wings, and the current state where Aiacos' Surplice only has one wing remaining is just too fitting—it completes the set.

This time, Mash did not refute the Doctor's words:

“That’s true…”

Even though the deceased Violate was under Hades' control, her eyes still showed sadness and tears, yet her fist ultimately never landed on Aiacos’ head.

Hearing their discussion, Da Vinci realized:

“Judging by what you’re saying, it turns out Hades is the only true villain here.”

She even started to doubt whose side Hades was on... Isn't that right? Hades is certainly going to great lengths just to weaken his own Underworld forces; Aiacos, one of the Three Judges, lost only once, and he has to personally step in to resolve him.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“We won—!!”

Even the normally composed Sisyphus could barely contain his inner excitement.

Lady Athena, El Cid, I... Sisyphus! I did not fail your expectations.

Regulus thought of his father:

“The Eighth Sense! Was that the final sight in my father's eyes…”

He had only sensed a similar aura on Virgo Asmita before, and in his youth, he didn't know what it was. Now... so that was the Eighth Sense, the realm his father reached!

Meanwhile, in Hades Castle, Aiacos was also somewhat unable to believe that his cold self would show such an expression.

“Violate, perhaps there truly is some kind of bond between you and me...”

As for Hades executing him? ...He failed to stop the Saints and lost to the Sagittarius Saint. This is simply the punishment he deserves.

 。。。。。

【 Afterward, Pegasus could no longer stand it and stopped Hades’ meaningless action. Following this, Athena also arrived, and the three began a new round of confrontation.

The battle between the three ended with Hades' soul being burned by Athena's blood. Pandora rescued Hades, and Hades stopped the battle, stating that this was not the location for the final decisive fight!

Then, with a snap of his fingers, a massive stone gate appeared before everyone—it was the gate to the Star Temple, and also the only path leading to Elysium!

After giving his instructions, Hades walked toward the giant gate. He would wait in the heavens for the arrival of Pegasus, awaiting the day of their destined battle!

Returning to Elysium, Sphinx Pharaoh, Hades, and Rhadamanthys, who should have long ago been buried at the bottom of the sea, appeared here.

Sphinx Pharaoh questioned the loyalty of the already defeated Rhadamanthys. The way to prove his loyalty was through the Pharaoh’s Balance of Curse.

On one side was the Feather of Ma'at, symbolizing truth, and on the other, the latter merely needed to pull out his own heart.

Rhadamanthys spoke with some disdain: “You talk too much. A heart? Losing one or two is nothing to regret!”

The next moment, a large amount of fresh blood sprayed out. In his hand, he held a heart, and fierce flames were still burning upon it.

Rhadamanthys placed the heart upon the scale, and it maintained an eerie balance.

Hades expressed his deep appreciation for his loyalty, then dripped his own Divine Blood onto the heart, extinguishing the flames. Rhadamanthys also felt a far more powerful strength gradually awakening within his body. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“In that case, Aquarius and Scorpio died in vain. Rhadamanthys was saved by Hades and even gained Divine Blood.”

Although that is true, everyone was still incredibly surprised watching the heart still burning fiercely. How long did Cardia's final technique last?!

Even after being pulled out, the heart is still burning now. This is only the result of Cardia transferring the heat of his own heart. How terrifying was the temperature his heart normally endured?!

“This cursed scale must be a conceptual existence, right? A feather symbolizing truth, but requiring a heart for the weighing!”

I feel like there's something slightly wrong with this scale. To verify a person's loyalty, they have to pull out their heart and place it on the scale. Even if they are telling the truth, isn't the person who pulled out their heart dead for nothing?

No wonder it’s called the Balance of Curse; whether you pull it out or not, the result is the same—a dead end.

It could be said that if Hades had not intervened this time, Rhadamanthys, having pulled out his heart, would have died!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“That Rhadamanthys guy...!”

Cardia's face instantly became ferocious. He was saved by Hades and didn’t die...

While feeling indignation, he also held respect for his opponent's loyalty. Even though they were in different camps, they, as Saints, would not dislike a loyal person.

Aquarius Degel also had a question:

“How did Pandora and Rhadamanthys manage to escape from the frozen Atlantis?”

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. In front of the Star Temple gate, the army of Saints, piloting the Ship of Hope, also arrived.

Surging battle intent constantly boiled and churned within their hearts. Just as they were impatiently rushing toward the gate, they suddenly heard an ominous sound of a lyre.

“Ugh…” The hearts of the Saints, rushing ahead, eerily burst out of their bodies and fell onto the ground.

Sphinx Pharaoh, clad in his Surplice, slowly walked out, cradling a giant lyre: “I am Sphinx Pharaoh of the Divine Bestial Star (Terrestrial star)!”

The ominous music continued to play, plucking out the hearts of the Saints one by one. Pharaoh placed them on the scale to weigh them!

Without exception, none of them could balance the scale against the Feather of Ma'at, which symbolized truth! When the scale tipped down, the owners of the hearts were engulfed in strange flames, turning to nothingness moments later.

“Your hearts are the key to opening this gate. Allow me, Sphinx Pharaoh of the Divine Bestial Star (Terrestrial star), the gatekeeper, to weigh them!”

Watching numerous Saints fall before her eyes, sadness welled up in Athena’s heart, and her gaze gradually became resolute. She then took a step forward, intending to use her own heart to weigh against the Feather of Ma'at!

The sightless Sisyphus hurriedly stopped Athena, then shielded her with his body.

“Life is the last weapon, the location of hope.”

Before Athena could react, a bright red heart was personally dug out by Sisyphus himself and resolutely placed upon the scale.

Moments later, the scale emitted a hoarse creaking sound, and then…

Pharaoh was astonished to find that the Feather of Ma'at and the heart maintained a delicate balance: “Impossible!!! This scale should absolutely never balance.”

Sisyphus, having just dug out his heart, had already arrived before Pharaoh. His right fist instantly smashed out!

“To be able to stay by your side…”

A dazzling light shot into the sky. Sphinx Pharaoh, who had just been showing off his power, was struck down without any ability to fight back, all his defenses crumbling.

The massive stone gate behind him slowly opened. The body of Sphinx Pharaoh fell before the stone gate, spilling his blood upon the door and establishing a curse:

“Don't think you are safe yet, Saints… To pass through, there is no other way than to destroy the gate!!”

To shatter the gate, they would need to unleash a force comparable to the Big Bang, which is absolutely impossible for the Saints. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Which one do you, the readers, prefer? Is this one or the old ones? Should I refrain from using this "  。。。。。" transition? Just use it after "〜Projection of All Worlds〜" and before the 【 】. Or should I continue using it for every world? )

Chapter 299: Blinded plus gouged out heart, AE, Sisyphus's sacrifice......

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Blinded and then heart-gouged, Sisyphus has sacrificed enough for this victory. He said... 'life is the ultimate weapon,' and now, even the ultimate weapon has been deployed.”

“The loyalty of Sagittarius Sisyphus is truly admirable, balancing the scales of the curse with his own devotion.”

“But this Athena is genuinely capable; when things get serious, she truly steps up.”

Everyone was startled just now when they saw Athena step forward, intending to use her own heart.

“Big sister... can you stop being so reckless?!! If you die, opening the gate will be meaningless. Who else can fight Hades besides you?”

Fortunately, Sisyphus stepped in front of her first, demonstrating his loyalty without a word... truly fulfilling his previous promise to Athena: even if he died, he would continue to protect Lady Athena to the very end!

“WTF—! This Divine Bestial Star Pharaoh has no martial ethics! He said the gate would open once the scales of the curse were balanced, but he cast another curse right before he died.”

This final scene made everyone grit their teeth. It requires energy comparable to the Big Bang to open this gate. Why don't you just say this gate can never be opened?!

Energy comparable to the Big Bang... What the hell, who can achieve that?

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“This scene is a bit unsuitable for minors, no... it should be rated 18+! Is this really something we minors should be watching?”

Misaki Shokuhou hugged her head tightly, shrinking into a corner, her face utterly pale!

Although she had only glanced briefly before closing her eyes, the wails of the Saint still echoed in her ears. This sight would probably take a lifetime to heal.

Hearts scattered everywhere, pools of blood, and the corpses of the heart owners being incinerated when the Saint's heart was placed on the scales became unbalanced—THAT SIGHT ALMOST SCARED HER TO DEATH!!

When she could no longer hear the screams of the Saint, she morbidly looked over again. What greeted her eyes was the scene of Sisyphus tearing out his own heart.

In an instant, her brain crashed on the spot. Her body trembled, and she felt her stomach constantly contracting, the urge to vomit growing stronger.

“I probably won't be looking at this awful screen again anytime soon... Ugh...!”

This is quite unfriendly to minors. Couldn't they have blurred it out or something? It's far too bloody!!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Within the security organization, Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others, who were already accustomed to such bloody scenes, felt only slight discomfort and were otherwise fine.

“The ultimate technique of Divine Bestial Star Pharaoh should be derived from the ancient Egyptian god of death, Anubis.”

Da Vinci flipped through the related documents in her hand. She noticed that the gods in this seem to correlate with various mythological legends.

“The god of death, Anubis, is responsible for weighing the hearts of the dead. If the heart is heavier than a feather, the heart will be devoured by Ammit, the monster with a crocodile head. That feather is actually the symbol of Ma'at, the Goddess of Truth.”

After hearing the information Da Vinci had researched, Romani also lowered his head in contemplation:

“In other words, except for the part where the heart is incinerated if it’s heavier than the feather, it’s basically identical to the legend.”

The password lock on this gate is way too difficult to open! The prerequisite is having to take out your own heart and gamble on your inner self. Whether it balances or not, it means death!

Mash suddenly had a flash of inspiration:

“Can't Athena use her own divine blood to save Sisyphus as well?!”

After all, even Rhadamanthys was saved after his heart was taken out. The blood of a god can save people!

“Probably not...”

Romani shook his head regretfully.

It was mentioned at the beginning that Athena reincarnated into the human world, and her divine power has not fully awakened.

If Athena had truly awakened her power, she would have been able to enter and exit this gate as freely as Hades long ago. She wouldn't have been moved to take out her own heart just now when she couldn't bear the death of the Saints.

〜One Punch Man World〜

At Saitama’s home, Genos, watching the video with Saitama, nearly had his brain crash. When he recovered, his face was full of disbelief.

“Energy of the Big Bang?! Exaggerated. Why don’t you just say there are so many people they’re standing on the waves?”

Genos even suspected whether Pharaoh had ever read a book! Anyone who had studied wouldn't say that; you’re being a bit too dramatic!

Saitama, wearing his yellow uniform, looked at Genos:

“Uh... Genos, do you think a machine heart could pass the scales of the curse?!”

“Sensei, you are a genius.”

At this remark, Genos was instantly awestruck. Constrained by the era, the technology in that world likely hadn't advanced to this level.

What about a machine heart? Ultimately, it's just an object. If placed on the scales of the curse, it might confuse the scales entirely. It might balance, or it might not... he couldn't be sure either.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

In the Sanctuary Pope's Hall, the Gold Saints fell into silence, watching this expected, yet unexpected, ending.

Athena’s low, gentle voice sounded:

“Sisyphus... you...”

“LADY ATHENA!!”

Sisyphus knelt on one knee, interrupting Athena's words. There was no confusion or hesitation in his eyes:

“If it is to protect Lady Athena, I, Sisyphus, WILL HAVE NO REGRETS!!”

“The path ahead shall be opened by us, Gold Saint. Please, Lady Athena, do not act rashly...”

Athena's actions on the screen had startled everyone present. If Lady Athena had died there, the Holy War would have been completely over.

Except for Tenma, the reckless youth, the rest of the Gold Saints exchanged glances. Even the Pope knelt alongside Sisyphus:

“Our deaths hold no regret. We ask Lady Athena to prioritize her own safety.”

The destiny linking Pegasus and Lady Athena with Hades is like fate twisted together, and it must be solved by their current generation.

And the path leading to Hades shall be carved open by them, THE GOLD SAINTS!!

That gate requires energy equal to the Big Bang to explode open. They are not without a method... the forbidden technique passed down through generations of Gold Saints: THE ATHENA EXCLAMATION!!

However... Sisyphus, having lost his heart, has collapsed in a pool of blood. Only Leo and Aries Shion remain.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Aries Shion, a Gold Saint, looks at the gate before him and has figured out a way, but his gaze remains solemn: “This method cannot be completed without the assembly of three Gold Saints.”

“Me and you... We still need one more person.”

Shion thought of a way that requires three Gold Saints to execute, but Sisyphus, who took out his heart, has completely collapsed in a pool of blood.

Now, only he and Leo remain; they cannot execute this technique at all.

Just as morale was sinking, Sagittarius Sisyphus seemed to hear their words and struggled to rise.

“SISYPHUS...!!!”

The wings of the Gold Cloth shielded the gloom in the sky, shining with the light of hope.

At this moment, it would not be an exaggeration to say Sisyphus was dead. His brain nerves were burned, his eyes were blind, and his heart was gouged out. He was sustaining his body's actions purely through a Cosmo that transcended the Seventh Sense.

But even so, he must continue to fight for Lady Athena, to protect the little girl he brought back to the Sanctuary.

And to uphold the promise he made to Tenma: “Young man, there is at least one thing I can swear to you: I will absolutely protect her with my life.

The next second, the three Gold Saints stood together, ready to unleash the ultimate Shadow Fighting technique, which was forbidden by Athena because of its immense destructive power!

“ATHENA EXCLAMATION——!!!”

In an instant, light flashed across the land, the giant gate collapsed in response, and debris rained down. But falling with it were the golden wings of Sagittarius Sisyphus...

Meanwhile, on Kanon Island, Defteros sensed the disappearance of Sisyphus's Cosmo, and his eyes dimmed.

“Has he passed away?... Sisyphus...!”

Then his gaze became resolute, his body radiating fighting spirit.

“That's right, we will all fight with all our might! Dying without regret!”

He subsequently arrived in the cave, where Dohko, who had seemingly died, appeared with his eyes closed, surrounded by various Gold Weapons. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Everyone watched speechless as Sisyphus, even after dying, dragged his body back up to join the combined attack. What kind of indomitable will is this...

“Blinded, heart-gouged, and still dragging his dead body to unleash a combined ultimate move—no one but Sisyphus could achieve this level.”

“A technique forbidden by Athena because its power is too strong, the 'Athena Exclamation,' which equals the energy of the Big Bang. Now we finally know why it was banned.”

Sisyphus can be said to have fulfilled his promise to the extreme, just like the pledge he renewed to Athena when he awoke from his dream: even if this body dies, he will continue to fight for Lady Athena.

However, there is one point everyone finds very confusing: where exactly did Gemini, one of the 12 Gold Saints, go?! If he had appeared, they wouldn't have almost failed to gather enough people for this technique.

Moreover, they are now launching a full-scale assault on Hades, yet Gemini still hasn't appeared. Could it be that he died before the Holy War began?

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san:: Regarding The Lost Canvas, I will end this arc after writing about Gemini and Tenma's God Cloths... I won't write the ending! The Gemini Saint is ridiculously strong in every generation... )

 

( Translator-kun: I don't know if that's bad or not, but well, the next one after this was also a PEAK' one. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ )

Chapter 300: The Gemini Cloth! Now is the time to wear it!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

“To be able to unleash such a powerful move with a body like that... tsk tsk!”

Merlin felt that Sisyphus's injuries were so severe that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he should have died long ago, yet he could still work together to break through the gate.

He then looked at the Wise King Gilgamesh on the throne and understood... blinded eyes and a dug-out heart were merely minor fatal injuries, not a big deal!

“It's just... with Sisyphus awakening his Eighth Sense, wouldn't it have been better to just take care of Pharaoh directly, or blast open the gate from the start? It doesn't seem necessary to dig out a heart.”

This was where Ishtar had doubts. With the strength he displayed, or with the combined efforts of the three, they could have blasted open the gate. What was the point of a heart?

Wise King Gilgamesh glanced indifferently at Ishtar:

“That's why I say you're a foolish goddess!”

“Pharaoh's actions made the Saint doubt their own hearts, causing a wavering of morale. Sisyphus digging out his heart exposed the deception, which has a different effect than directly eliminating him!”

In truth, it was because they didn't react quickly enough, leading to a delayed attack. Pharaoh's lyre music was imperceptible, and by the time Pharaoh appeared at the gate, the Saints' hearts had already been pulled out by the music.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

At this moment, Tenma was a mix of joy and sorrow. The sorrow was that Sisyphus had ultimately sacrificed himself, and the joy was that he hadn't expected Dohko to still be alive!

“How did he manage to survive Hades' hands...”

Dohko was certain he hadn't done wrong. At that time, his heart had clearly been pierced by Hades!

Sisyphus, however, took it in stride:

“But no matter what, Sanctuary has gained another force!”

Asmita, who was meditating nearby, also heard the battle-filled voice of Defteros from the screen:

“That guy, he's finally going to join the battle...”

The Pope stood beside Asmita. Some things only they knew:

“Indeed! This way, Sanctuary has a few more chances of winning.”

Sisyphus had also passed away. Only the Leo and Aries Gold Saints remained, along with Dohko, whose situation was still unknown.

Defteros's willingness to participate in the Holy War was undoubtedly the last pillar of support, especially the Gemini's power, which was enough to shatter galaxies, an indispensable force in this Holy War!

 。。。。。

【 In the cave, Defteros looked at Dohko, who was sitting on a rock with his eyes closed: “It's time. You should wake up now~.”

However, Dohko still showed no signs of waking up. Defteros stared closely at the wound on his chest: “So that's it, this is the scar left by Hades!”

Hades' lingering Cosmo still bound Dohko's heart, preventing him from ever waking up!

“If I want to sever the bindings...”

Defteros pulled out a golden bottle and poured the crimson liquid onto his finger, then stabbed it into Dohko's heart!

Dohko suddenly opened his eyes. He felt a powerful force erupting within his body, like a sleeping tiger.

“Defteros...” The awakened Dohko appeared very confused. He then learned from Defteros that he had been unconscious for a month.

Now the Saints are launching their final attack on Hades in the sky! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What could possibly suppress Hades' power? It must be the divine blood of Athena!”

“Thankfully, he woke up at the critical moment. If he had remained unconscious, the Holy War might have already ended!”

Seeing this, everyone couldn't help but sigh at how effective divine blood was. It felt like a cure-all and could even further enhance one's strength, a truly versatile existence.

Now, Dohko, infused with divine blood, like Radamanthys, had the blessing of divine blood. Who knows if they will have a battle in the future!

 。。。。。

【 Just as Dohko was about to rush to help, Defteros stopped him and threw the bottle containing Athena's blood at Dohko:

“Take this to Athena's temple, take this blood of the previous generation of Athena.”

Defteros wasn't entirely clear about the secret of this blood, and what Dohko had to do would determine the ultimate direction of this Holy War.

Hearing this, Dohko no longer hesitated and accepted the task of going to Athena's statue: “What about you?”

Defteros's eyes sharpened, and the magma behind him began to churn: “This... I'm waiting for the right moment.”

The Gemini Gold Cloth slowly rose from the magma like a brilliant sun, and its dazzling light instantly burst forth. Defteros once again donned the Gemini Gold Cloth.

“Now is also the time to wear this Gemini Gold Cloth!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The blood of the previous generation of Athena... just how much blood did the previous Athena shed?! There's so much that it can even be bottled.”

“Athena's statue must hide a secret, and it's related to this blood.”

“Good heavens, so Defteros is Gemini! He's been hiding deep enough! Thinking about it, the other Gold Saints seem to know him.”

Now, everyone finally understood. No wonder Degel guided Tenma, and Dohko recognized Defteros the first time he woke up... so they were colleagues.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Eh...”

Seeing the secret exposed, the Pope had no choice but to step forward.

After all, from the video playback, this generation of Gold Saints was all incredibly loyal, so speaking out wouldn't matter much.

Facing the questioning gazes of the many Gold Saints, the Pope still revealed the secret.

“...Lady Athena's divine cloth itself is the giant Athena statue, and it requires the blood of Athena herself, as a god, to activate. This is also a secret passed down through generations of Popes.”

The secret of Athena's Divine Cloth had always been known only by the Pope, hidden in the Star Tower of Sanctuary. And when the Gemini incident happened, Defteros was also present, so it's not surprising that Defteros also knew!

“!!!”

Except for Sisyphus, who already had some understanding, Aldebaran and the others, who heard these secrets for the first time, all widened their eyes.

So Lady Athena's divine cloth had always been hidden within Sanctuary.

“Uh, Your Holiness, this... can I also hear this?”

Tenma was a little awkward. Here were all the Gold Saints, and he was just a small Bronze Saint.

The Pope waved his hand. After all, anyone who wasn't a fool could already guess that the statue held a secret.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Speaking of which... is Athena really not dead from excessive blood loss? She drew so many talismans, and now it's bottled up!”

Tohsaka Rin was a little dumbfounded. Isn't rarity supposed to make things precious? It feels like it's everywhere now.

Perhaps Athena should just assign someone to specifically collect her blood whenever she gets injured in battle. Since it's so useful, don't waste it.

Emiya Shirou was a little surprised:

“So Defteros is Gemini!”

Defteros, as a Gold Saint, didn't stay in Sanctuary, as if he were a rebellious maverick who didn't obey orders, living a wild life on Kanon Island.

Even this general offensive against Hades didn't seem to include him, and the Saints seemed unaware of his existence, maintaining a delicate balance.

Did something happen before?! Or is this a hidden power of Sanctuary?

。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: The part where Dohko goes to retrieve Athena's Divine Cloth will not be written in detail, because... next will be Gemini's main stage!! )

( Translator-kun: Wait, what?! It's already 300 chapters?! Once again, I want to give a HUGE 'THANK YOU' to everyone who continues to support this project of mine. I truly appreciate it. Without you all, I might have stopped this a long time ago. )

Chapter 301: The One Who Betrayed the Sanctuary, Aspros!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts, and Dohko has already returned to the Sanctuary without stopping, where he encounters the Specters sent by Pandora to search for Athena's Cloth!

First, he defeats the Celestial Star Specters Minotauros Gordon, whose arm swings are as powerful as a Minotaur's axe, while bare-chested!

Then, during his fight with Celestial Star Specters Alraune Queen, his constant action of covering his shield was noticed by the opponent, who detected Athena's blood hidden tightly beneath it!

Caught off guard, Dohko takes a direct hit from Alraune's Blood Flower Blade Scissors, suffering severe injuries and leaving terrifying scars on his body, while the bottle containing Athena's blood also falls to the ground.

Alraune reaches out to pick up the bottle, feeling the immense power contained within it, and instantly realizes that it holds Athena's divine blood, which must be the key to obtaining Athena's Cloth.

He then raises his hand and crushes it. Seeing this, Dohko's eyes instantly lose their light. Already severely injured, under the influence of rage, another gush of blood sprays from his wound.

Just as Alraune rushes forward, intending to end Dohko's life, a powerful force erupts from Dohko!

“ROZAN HYAKURYU HA ——!!!”

Hundreds of azure giant dragons burst forth from the severely injured Dohko. Only then does the astonished Alraune finally understand: “Could it be... You have Athena's blood in your body?!”

In an instant, the Specter Alraune's body is annihilated by the Rozan Hyakuryu Ha, vanishing from the ground with a scream.

But Dohko presses his hand to his chest, his expression somewhat pained: “My heart is pounding at an abnormal speed!!”

Although the enemy is dead, the power within Dohko has not receded. If this continues, he will not live long.

Just as Dohko is fully suppressing the power within him, another Specter appears behind him... It is Rhadamanthys' subordinate, Celestial Star Specter Basilisk Sylphid!! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiya, did he just poke a hornet's nest of Specters?! I thought this was the Saints' stronghold (Santuary), where did so many Specters come from!”

“It's one wave after another, never-ending! After fighting Terrestrial Star Specter, another Terrestrial Star Specter appears, and after dealing with the Terrestrial Star Specter, here comes a Celestial Star Specter...”

Everyone exclaims in shock; Dohko is truly miserable. He had barely recovered from his injuries when he was severely wounded again, and the bottle containing the divine blood was also destroyed. Forget the mission, he's barely clinging to life.

It's clear that Dohko's heart is experiencing a problem similar to Scorpio Kardia's; a human heart cannot withstand the blood of a god.

With his heart problem unresolved, another Heavenly Fierce Stelle, whose strength doesn't seem weak, appears. Dohko can be said to be pushed to the brink this time.

。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Katakura Town〜

Watching this scene, Urahara Kisuke becomes even more convinced of his theory:

“Indeed, whether it's the Three Judges that appeared before, or Kagaho... the Celestial-ranked constellations are all stronger than other Specters.”

It seems the Celestial-ranked Specters' strength is only below that of Gold Saints, especially those with wings... No wonder Celestial Solitude Star Violate had a crushing demeanor when facing other Saints.

And Celestial Violent Star Kagaho was even acknowledged by Dohko himself to possess the strength of a Gold Saint.

“Tsk tsk... I didn't expect Dohko to encounter only Celestial-ranked Specters now.”

With one battle after another, a severely injured body, and an overburdened heart, can he really defeat the not-weak Celestial Star Specter Sylphid?

〜Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline〜

“Under these circumstances, Athena's blood, which originally saved his life, has instead become a burden.”

Aozaki Touko skillfully picks up a cigarette with her fingers, lightly touches the faint flame, instantly lights it, and takes a deep drag.

The divine blood is too powerful, and Dohko, unable to bear it, his body instinctively rejects it!

“It's just... there aren't any other Specters lurking after the Celestial Star Specter, are there?! If so, they might as well all come out.”

One after another, Aozaki Touko even feels a bit stressed. These Specters are truly something, always trying to act mysterious, usually hiding somewhere unknown, and then popping out to cause trouble at critical moments.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Kardia, acting like a veteran, claps Dohko on the shoulder:

“That feeling, you'll get used to it slowly.”

“...”

Dohko looks speechlessly at Kardia, who has an “I've been there, I have experience” look.

Get used to it?! Get used to what? I don't have divine blood now, and I might not even need it in the future, so I really can't understand your feelings.

The Pope looks at Kardia and Dohko, who are arm in arm, looking like “good brothers,” with a relieved expression.

Since the video was broadcast, everyone has gained some understanding of the Gold Saints' personalities, greatly narrowing the distance between them.

Unlike before, when they were all Gold Saints guarding the 12 Temples but didn't know each other well, it seems they need to organize more team-building activities.

 。。。。。

【 Dohko tries to stand up and counterattack, but finds his body already paralyzed. The opponent has unknowingly laid out a sky full of poison gas around him.

Wherever the poison gas passes, not a blade of grass grows. Sylphid reaches out and chokes Dohko's neck, then throws him down heavily.

When Sylphid approaches, intending to take the latter's head and offer it to Rhadamanthys, Dohko suddenly stands up, extending his arms to tightly embrace him.

The poison gas does not affect Dohko. A vast cosmos erupts, and the Specter is instantly crushed, completely losing his breath.

Dohko finally breathes a sigh of relief, then stumbles towards the statue. He still has divine blood within him, and he wants to sacrifice his blood to the statue.

But suddenly, another black light flashes, and Kagaho appears before him. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Libra Dohko's 'Hug-a-Girl-to-Death' move, this is probably the first Specter to die in a Saint's embrace.”

“His luck is truly something... encountering four Specters in one day, each stronger than the last.”

Everyone then sighs helplessly, their eyes full of exasperation. Damn it, there really is someone else lurking; it's never-ending, isn't it?!

Even Kagaho has appeared; who knows if anyone else is lurking behind him? One after another, even a tank couldn't withstand this kind of attrition.

 。。。。。

【 Dark flames instantly surge forth, and the Soul-Sealing Eternal Mark tightly binds Dohko's body. Under the scorching flames, the blood Dohko spits out turns black.

“Uwaaa——!!”

He is then fiercely slammed against the statue, blood spraying from the wound on his chest, drenching the statue. The blood then merges into it and disappears.

At this moment, Dohko is filled with despair. If Athena's Cloth truly appears, he will become the great sinner for the failure of this Holy War.

After the blood merges into the statue, it glows brightly, then transforms into a palm-sized doll, which is none other than Athena's Cloth.

Kagaho is overjoyed, reaching out to retrieve it: “Then it's time to finish up.”

But he feels a strong wind assault him from behind, accompanied by the roar of a dragon. Dohko's figure transforms into a giant dragon and rushes from behind him, snatching the Cloth into his hands.

“I... even if I die, I will deliver the Cloth to Lady Athena.” Dohko then swiftly rushes towards the distant sky.

Kagaho recovers and strikes out in anger: “You... YOU BASTARD...!!”

In a flash, the space before them suddenly writhes. The next second, the Hyperdimension opens.

Defteros, wearing the Gemini Cloth, embraces the severely injured Dohko, looking down at Kagaho: “Sorry, this isn't something for you to play with.”

He will go with Dohko to the Lost Paradise in the sky, and then the Hades Army will surely be defeated!

In the Lost Paradise, Pandora asks Hades with great confusion: “Lord Hades, how did you know where Athena's God Cloth was hidden?”

Hades, however, smiles eerily: “Because someone betrayed the Sanctuary.”

That man who betrayed the Sanctuary was also brave enough to seek him out after death, requesting to be resurrected. In exchange, he revealed a secret known only to the Pope. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I didn't expect the Saints to play this game too, truly a mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! How long has Defteros been spectating?”

“So Gemini plays with space, this is going to be interesting.”

Everyone even suspects that Defteros might have been watching Dohko get beaten the whole time! Just waiting for the God Cloth to appear and then snatch it away.

“Wait!! Did I hear that right? Someone among Athena's loyal followers in the Sanctuary actually betrayed her?!!”

Everyone even suspects their ears were mistaken. Those Saints who were willing to die for Athena, would someone among them actually betray her?!

And this was a secret known only to the Pope, so the betrayer's identity must be significant!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

The Gold Saints present weren’t naive. Even if some were unaware of what had happened in the past, they understood! The only one who could have known the Pope’s secret, and who was already dead, was that person!

“The only one who could know the secret is the former Gemini Aspros!! The man who was qualified to become the next Pope, but how is this possible...”

Manigoldo exclaims.

Being a candidate for the next Pope already speaks volumes about his strength, but why would such a man betray the Sanctuary?!

Even Manigoldo, as the Pope's disciple, didn't know about this, let alone Regulus, Dohko, and others who had just become Gold Saints at that time.

And on Kanon Island, Defteros feels immense sadness. The scenes from back then still seem vivid:

“Aspros, were you resurrected at all costs to seek revenge on me, your shadow?”

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: After Gemini, it's Pegasus God Cloth, then Little Lion, then Aspros vs. Pegasus's father... and that's where it ends. )

( Translator-kun: The final verdict is here. We're almost at the end—this one's a long one, isn't it? Well, expect the next Inventory to be just as long. )

Chapter 302: The Technique That Shatters The Stars....『Galaxian Explosion』!

Chapter Text

【 “Is it coming?...” The scene shifts, and Defteros in the alternate dimension also seems to have sensed a subtle feeling: “Finally... this moment has arrived.”

Defteros turns to Dohko and says, "Hold tightly to Athena's Cloth, the one you always protect."

“The guy who's coming soon is very strong! I need to slightly alter your memory.”

After speaking, he placed his right hand in front of Dohko. To protect the secret of the Cloth, Defteros had to modify Dohko's memory.

After doing all this, Defteros backhanded Dohko out of the alternate dimension, then turned and crossed his arms, waiting for that man's arrival. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It feels like someone he knows. The aura alone is enough to reveal their identity— and a very powerful one at that!”

“I can't believe Defteros actually has such a skill... Dohko is truly miserable. He just finished getting beaten, and now his memory is going to be modified again.”

Good heavens, today should be called Dohko's Day of Suffering. He's either getting beaten or on his way to getting beaten.

In the alternate dimension, the severely injured Dohko didn't even have time to catch his breath a few times. After Defteros finished his instructions, he casually threw him out again. It's really—a bit tragic.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

Urahara Kisuke also found their abilities somewhat peculiar for a moment:

“The Saints' techniques are as diverse as the Shinigami's Zanpakutō.”

According to the Gold Saints who appeared before, their techniques should all be related. It's quite peculiar that only Gemini is set this way.

It's both an alternate dimension and memory modification; these two things are completely unrelated, making it hard to imagine they would appear on one person simultaneously.

 。。。。。

【 A moment later, the space ahead rippled, and a man wearing a helmet similar to the Pope's appeared.

The two met without any hesitation or probing. Defteros's fist instantly struck out, directly knocking the latter's helmet to the ground.

It revealed a handsome face identical to Defteros, but at this moment, it was distorted with rage: “I am Aspros of Gemini!!”

Aspros was no pushover either. He extended his arms to block Defteros's attack and even dragged Defteros from the alternate dimension back into one of the Eight Demon Palaces he guarded!

“You are merely my imitation!! Whether it's the alternate dimension or the Gemini Cloth... they were originally all mine.”

Before Defteros could retort, Aspros waved his robe and vanished, leaving only a mask dropped on the spot.

And when Defteros saw the mask on the ground, his pupils constricted, and his thoughts returned to the Sanctuary 16 years ago! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The world of Saints is practically a gathering place for twins! But it really fits the definition of a Gemini Saint, a pair of twin brothers.”

Everyone realized that the number of times twins appeared in this world of Saints was extraordinarily high, and there was a rule: as long as they were twins, they were terrifyingly strong.

Pope and Hakurei, Hypnos and Thanatos, Defteros and Aspros...

 。。。。。

【 From childhood, the elder brother was considered to represent light and hope, while the younger brother lived only as a harbinger of disaster.

So, from a young age, Defteros could only live wearing a mask, dwelling in the shadows, suffering bullying from those around him.

However, Aspros, as the elder brother, cared deeply for his younger brother, always protecting him by his side.

And to allow his younger brother to live honorably, and for Defteros to no longer live under a mask! He vowed to become even stronger.

14 years passed in a blink of an eye, and Aspros had honed his mind, technique, and body to the extreme, and inherited the Gemini Cloth! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait, something's not right! How did Aspros, who was so good at caring for his brother and was determined to become stronger, get corrupted and go over to the Specters' side?!”

Aspros's growth could be said to be quite inspiring, like an excellent, ambitious young man, but why does he seem to have gone astray now? His personality has deteriorated into this state.

Logically speaking, Defteros should be the one to be corrupted! Abused from a young age, forced to live under a mask, he perfectly fit the conditions for corruption. How did the situation reverse?

Defteros, who should have been corrupted, instead became the righteous one, while Aspros, who was originally determined to become stronger to let his brother live in the sunlight, is now physically abusing his brother!

 。。。。。

【 But the Holy War was about to begin, and before the official start, the Sanctuary had to elect the next Pope. There were two candidates: Aspros of Gemini and Sisyphus of Sagittarius.

Defteros felt uneasy listening to the rumors in the Sanctuary. At night, relying on the telepathy between twins, Defteros easily found his brother!

However, the place where Aspros was located was a forbidden area where no one except the Pope was allowed to enter! And at this moment, it was a mess.

But at this time, Aspros was clearly blinded by power. What he did was no longer to let his brother take off his mask and live honorably, but to gain greater power and let the world see his existence.

He used the “Genrō Maō Ken” to control his younger brother Defteros to go to the Pope's Chamber to assassinate Pope Sage.

Although Defteros's consciousness kept resisting his body's actions, his steps still walked uncontrollably towards the Pope's Chamber.

Perhaps it was because of the betrayal of a loved one, or perhaps it was a lament for the injustice of fate, tears continuously streamed from Defteros's eyes: “I chose a destiny in the shadows, but was this wrong?”

Aspros thought everything was going smoothly when Asmita of Virgo suddenly appeared in the Pope's Chamber as the Pope's “ambush”!

Clearly, all of this was within the Pope's expectations.

And this Asmita of Virgo, known as “the man closest to God in the world,” sensed Defteros's inner emotions during their battle!

Defteros's inner world was wrapped in sharp thorns, and these thorns were formed by the Genrō Maō Ken. If no one died in front of Defteros, this Genrō Maō Ken could not be resolved.

But Asmita of Virgo, inside Defteros's inner world, saw through his deeper thoughts: “Coming here, I confirmed it. There's no need to be hit by any Genrō Maō Ken; you have always been your brother's puppet.”

“Your brother's fall also has its reasons. As a shadow, you willingly became your brother's puppet.”

After hearing Virgo's words, Defteros no longer retorted but instead loudly questioned him: “THEN WHAT SHOULD I BECOME FOR MY BROTHER!!!”

Asmita, however, turned and left his inner world: “You should have understood by now. Now, please find the answer yourself.”

After an unknown period, the thorns binding Defteros's heart broke, and he gradually began to awaken. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

What an irony!… The brother who once shone in the sunlight fell into darkness, while the brother in darkness never gave up his pursuit of light!

But why did Aspros's personality change so drastically for no apparent reason?!

Everyone wondered if the Pope's power wasn't that great. Aspros, who had always doted on his younger brother, actually chose to attack him.

“Asmita is still being a riddle-solver as usual. Can't he just speak clearly! Defteros understood something, but I don't.”

As expected, Virgo's strength is truly formidable. What's most surprising is Aspros, whose power is so great that he can single-handedly choke the Pope!

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Hueco Mundo〜

“As expected of the Pope, as a backup, he didn't choose Sagittarius Sisyphus and Cancer Manigoldo, but instead chose Virgo Asmita.”

Aizen loves dealing with smart people like these.

It's likely that the Pope had already sensed what Aspros was secretly doing on the Star Hill and had long anticipated this rebellion.

It's not that Virgo is stronger than Sagittarius and Cancer combined, uh... maybe that's not necessarily true.

But the Pope should have known that only Virgo could undo the control of the Genrō Maō Ken, and combined with Virgo's immense power, it was undoubtedly the optimal solution.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Tohsaka Rin frowned, brimming with frustration:

“What on earth did Virgo mean? I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”

Honestly, why do some people insist on talking in riddles? It’s infuriating! Is it really so hard to just say what you mean clearly?

Archer, arms crossed and expression distant, reflected quietly:

“Asmita’s words likely struck the rawest, most unbearable truth buried deep in Defteros’s heart…”

“In other words—he doesn’t need his brother controlling him at all. He’d willingly submit himself as his brother’s slave!”

And worse still—turning a blind eye to evil is itself a sin. That is the guilt carried by the younger twin of Gemini: standing by as his elder brother fell.

It was precisely because Virgo saw through his soul that Defteros found the resolve to tear himself free from those thorns—and finally cast off the haze clouding his heart.

 。。。。。

【 “If there is neither light nor shadow, what should I become?!”

“Let me... BECOME A DEMON!!!”

And so, the unsuspecting Aspros was counterattacked by the rational Defteros, ending this rebellion!

Only in his dying moments did Aspros realize that Sisyphus of Sagittarius had already refused the predetermined position of Pope. Had it not been for this rebellion, the Pope's position would have been his for the taking.

Defteros carried his dead brother and walked out of the Pope's Chamber. The Pope, seeing this, asked him where he was going: “Where are you... going?”

Defteros, his face covered in blood, now looked like a demon: “I will go to Kanon Island. Until that moment arrives, I will continuously pursue power... power like a demon's.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So this is the origin of the Kanon Island demon. It's truly a heartbreaking story.”

“The younger brother, who always lived in the shadow, was at a loss after leaving his brother, yet he still chose the side of justice.”

Everyone sighed, lamenting that the two brothers, possessing such immense power, died due to internal strife. Even the Three Judges of Hell probably wouldn't have been a match for Aspros!

Now, the resurrected Aspros has returned, and Defteros must once again face the situation of fratricide.

 。。。。。

【 The flashback ends here. The resurrected Aspros once again appeared out of thin air before Defteros: “Do you remember, Defteros?”

Now clad in a Surplice, he had long forgotten the glory of being a Saint. Even facing his own brother, he showed no hesitation.

“Take this, Defteros!”

“This technique that shatters the stars...”

“Galaxian Explosion—!!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 303: I'll trade my life for your soul!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Facing his biological younger brother, Aspros raised his right hand high, and the Gemini's ultimate technique, Galaxian Explosion, blasted towards Defteros!

But... that fist, powerful enough to shatter the stars, was caught by Defteros with a single hand: “Laughable, I once sent you to hell!”

“No matter how many times, as long as you revive as evil, I will kill you!”

Almost instantly, Defteros rushed to Aspros's side, a swift punch already poised, striking towards his brother's face!

Aspros sneered, slowly extending his right hand, making a familiar gesture: “Just a mere shadow...”

An almost imperceptible ray of light struck Defteros's forehead. It was the Genrō Maō Ken, capable of controlling an opponent's mind.

“Genrō Maō Ken! Recreated by me, Aspros, the Illusionary Demon Imperial Fist that dominates the opponent's brain!”

“Here, you will once again be at my, your elder brother's, mercy... There is no Virgo here, nor the Pope! You alone cannot break free from control!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiss—!!”

The people from other worlds couldn’t help but draw in a sharp, cold breath—gasping in awe.

This power… if the Saints hadn’t turned on each other, how could the Specters have ever hoped to defeat them?

Though Galaxian Explosion was halted by Defteros with just one hand, everyone present keenly felt the sheer terror coiled within that attack!

A fist capable of shattering the stars? That might not even be an exaggeration…The only reason Defteros could block it was that their strengths were nearly equal—or, more precisely. After all, their Cosmos shared the same origin… and because he knew this technique all too well.

It had to be said: the Gemini Saint who had just appeared was frighteningly powerful!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Doctor Roman's eyes were somewhat complex:

“The moves and appearances are identical, one bright and one dark... This is more like a battle between the good and evil within one person!”

Aspros, who once wanted his younger brother to stand in the light, fell into the Underworld, while Defteros, who grew up in the shadows, became the side of light!

For the two, already of the same origin, this battle was also a struggle for existence between individuals.

Da Vinci shook her head and sighed:

“How ironic, brothers who were once so close, meeting again as sworn enemies...”

It was as if destiny had played a joke on them; the two human brothers were powerless to resist, only to be toyed with.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Misaka Mikoto pouted and mumbled:

‘Genrō Maō Ken’... How is that a fist? It's clearly a ray of light.”

Let alone a fist, he didn't even extend a finger.

It must be said that a technique that can control an opponent's brain with just a ray of light is indeed startling, but... isn't giving it such a name really just to confuse the opponent?!

As a top Esper, Misaki Shokuhou naturally knew the horror of a controlled brain:

“Virgo and the Pope are both gone. Who else can help Defteros break free from this technique?”

The horror of a controlled brain is that you don't even know you're being controlled, unbeknownst to anyone.

 。。。。。

【 Aspros looked at the controlled Defteros and issued his first command: “First, bring me Athena's head.”

“Hehehe...” Aspros laughed, seemingly already anticipating victory.

However, the next second, he was astonished to find that he was surrounded by scorching lava, and the entire palace had become an ocean of lava.

Aspros then realized that his Genrō Maō Ken did not affect Defteros.

Defteros slowly raised his head, his eyes looking at his brother: “My outline will no longer collapse, A SELF THAT WILL NOT WAVER NO MATTER WHAT I FACE!!”

“A power that makes everything... makes even the self surrender.”

“Mavros Eruption Crust—!!”

Defteros slammed his right hand onto the ground, and the lava enveloping him began to surge violently, rushing towards Aspros with an unstoppable momentum.

“Aspros, I AM ALREADY JUST MYSELF!!”

The incredibly scorching temperature warped space, but Aspros still looked grim, not paying it any mind: “Just a half-baked effort.”

“Galaxian Explosion—”

Aspros leaped into the air, unleashing the Star-shattering technique once more.

Incredibly brilliant light instantly enveloped everything, and the power of the lava explosion was instantly neutralized by him.

This time, Defteros, who bore the full brunt of the attack, was also severely injured, crashing heavily onto the ground. The floor of the demon palace cracked inch by inch, and Defteros lay in a colossal crater. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

Seeing this, Miyu nodded:

“It seems the ‘Genrō Maō Ken’ isn't omnipotent after all. With a strong will, it can be resisted. Defteros has long since surpassed himself.”

There was just one thing that made her somewhat disbelieving: in the clash of techniques, Defteros actually lost?!

Defteros had been cultivating on Kanon Island ever since he killed Aspros before, yet he was no match for the newly resurrected Aspros!

"Is it possible that Aspros was also training in the Underworld?!"

Defteros cultivated diligently on Kanon Island for several years, yet he still couldn't compare to the recently resurrected Aspros. Just how strong was Aspros before he died?

 。。。。。

【 Aspros quickly stepped forward, without a moment's hesitation, he stomped on the latter: “The gentle brother in your memory was nothing but a fantasy.”

“I will exploit my own brother, kill the Pope, and even deceive the gods... No, I'll kill them to show you!”

These evil words made Defteros's anger continuously rise: “Don't use that face to say such evil things!”

The Cosmos burned wildly, and the Galaxian Explosion began to gather power in Defteros's hands. Aspros, seeing this, also took the same stance.

Two Galaxian Explosions of identical power formed in their respective hands, and the two brothers roared like beasts, charging towards each other.

“BOOM—!”

In an instant, two identical violent forces collided, like the creation of the universe. Destruction was constantly reborn, and the violent energy was chilling.

Two powerful forces are continuously intertwined, a violent storm tearing through the clouds in the sky, making the entire firmament gloomy.

After a long while, the battle of the Gemini constellation finally came to an end.

Crimson blood gushed from Defteros's mouth, clearly indicating severe physical injury, but there was no trace of fear or panic.

“With a long-lost sense of peace, felt since childhood. My blow truly pierced your heart.”

Aspros didn't know what the latter was babbling about: “What are you saying...”

Suddenly, blood tears flowed from Aspros's eyes, his black hair gradually faded, and his gaze returned to its usual clarity.

But at this moment, Defteros had already vanished into thin air, leaving only the Gemini Cloth returned to his brother. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“That's wonderful...”

On Kanon Island, Defteros, known as the demon, couldn't help but shed tears as he watched Aspros's eyes gradually regain clarity.

My thoughts have finally reached the depths of your heart through my fists.

The brother he once yearned for, who lived in the sunlight, the true strongest Gemini Gold Saint, was finally about to return!

In the Sanctuary, upon hearing that Aspros was about to return to normal, Asmita, who was meditating, felt regret for Defteros's passing.

However, he also subconsciously let out a sigh of relief. If Aspros were an enemy, it was likely that none of the remaining Gold Saints would be his match.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

“I understand...”

Merlin’s eyes flickered with sudden clarity. The fated clash between the Gemini brothers had at last reached its conclusion.

Ishtar floated beside Merlin, looking at him with a puzzled expression:

“What do you understand?! Didn't Defteros just lose...”

Merlin let out a quiet sigh inwardly. He really did prefer conversing with people who grasped things without needing every detail spelled out.

“I said before that the ‘Genrō Maō Ken’ can only be undone through death…”

“Aspros cast the ‘Genrō Maō Ken’ upon himself before dying during his rebellion—binding his very soul to it even after resurrection. Defteros gave his own life to sever that curse and free his brother from its chains.”

And in their final exchange of Galaxian Explosions, one emerged untouched, while the other bore grievous wounds. But… did Defteros truly lose?

He broke the ‘Genrō Maō Ken’ hold through his own will—and even caught Aspros’s Galaxian Explosion with a single hand. The gap between the two brothers wasn’t nearly as vast as it seemed.

After all… do you really think Defteros spent all those years on Kanon Island idling away his time?! The truth is, Aspros had sealed the ‘Genrō Maō Ken’ onto himself before death, and the spell could only be lifted if an enemy perished before him. So his younger brother chose—willingly—to die in his place.

Ishtar’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected so much hidden meaning beneath the surface of that battle.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: The one who will soon stand before the Underworld King is none other than this generation’s strongest Gold Saint—Aspros!

The mere fact that Defteros caught Galaxian Explosion with a single hand already proves just how terrifyingly powerful that technique is—it’s a move capable of punching straight through the constellations themselves.

After defeating the Underworld King, I’ll write about the battle against the Youma, then shift to Tenma’s God Cloth, and finally… the little lion...)

Chapter 304: Galaxian Explosion to the face!! Hades is blasted away

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 When Aspros’s hair color finally shed the darkness, he realized in convulsions that what Defteros had pursued throughout his entire life was not defeating the self that had been consumed by darkness.

Quite the opposite, Defteros’s obsession was actually pulling his own brother back from the darkness and breaking the evil obsession he once held.

And perhaps the reason he took the Gemini Cloth was not to inherit any of Gemini’s abilities, but merely to preserve the most important thing for his brother, who would one day return to the light.

For this, Defteros even integrated himself into the Cloth, finally pulling his darkened brother back to reality. At the same time, Defteros’s death also broke the Genro Mao Ken that Aspros had used on himself.

Restored to clarity and understanding everything, Aspros looked at the Gemini Cloth before him with immense sorrow: “My foolish little brother…”

“You claimed you were training yourself to defeat me, yet you vanished so easily!”

Aspros silently put on the Gemini Cloth once more, feeling his brother’s soul contained within the Cloth. His eyes held a trace of sorrow and resolution: “This life, which has merely been struggling on… let me cherish it properly and use it to its fullest!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It was truly arduous. Defteros traded his own life for Aspros’s awakening. At last, ‘Light’ and ‘Shadow’ have become entwined in this very moment”

Watching the rational Aspros put on the Gemini Cloth again, everyone understood that he would no longer be a Specter, but the Gemini Gold Saint, undertaking the mission belonging to himself and his brother.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“The two have become one. Now, Defteros has truly become Aspros’s shadow.”

Pope Sage sighed softly in the Pope’s Chamber. Perhaps he had already had a faint premonition when Defteros took the Gemini Cloth away.

The difference in strength between the two brothers was actually not great, but regretfully, the Pope still couldn't understand why Aspros, a Saint who was once so bright, outstanding, and highly anticipated, would fall into darkness.

Otherwise… with the combined strength of the Gemini brothers, Defteros and Aspros, if they had participated in this Holy War together, perhaps the Gold Saints wouldn't have suffered so many sacrifices.

One must know that the strength of these two brothers caused even Asmita, the man hailed as having power closest to a god in the terrestrial world, to be astonished!

 。。。。。

【 Aspros, carrying his brother’s last wish, returned to Hades’ presence, looking somewhat nonchalant and unguarded.

Aspros revealed his fist and lunged madly toward the Underworld King.

“So that’s it!” Hades’ power as a god was indeed not something mortals could easily shake. He merely used the brush in his hand to gently point, stopping the Gemini Saint’s movements.

“Still a bold and fearless man.”

Aspros’s rebellion seemed to be entirely within Hades’ expectations. Even at the moment Gemini struck him, there was not a hint of surprise in the latter’s eyes.

“Your color is hideous and unsightly. Now, return to the ranks of my fingers!”

As Hades waved the brush in his hand, blazing black flames instantly engulfed the Gemini Saint, scorching the entire space until it warped.

But beneath that terrifying high temperature, Aspros remained completely unharmed. This surprising scene caused the Underworld King a moment of shock.

And when he saw the Gemini Cloth on Aspros’s body, his astonishment was even greater: “A Gold Cloth?! How can the body I gave you wear it?”

“No matter what life form you take, YOU CAN NEVER SURPASS MY BROTHER’S LIFE!!”

The Gemini Cloth was almost materialized by Defteros and had become a part of Aspros. Defteros’s soul appeared beside his brother: “We finally… became what we should be.”

The two who were once pitted against each other by fate could finally punch the enemy together at this moment, in the form of the complete Gemini Saint.

“If that’s the case, I’ll stake this life… and as the Gemini Gold Saint, I shall defeat you!”

“Vanish at the end of the galaxy.”

“Galaxian Explosion—!!”

Gemini, fused with the power of both brothers, unleashed a strike of astonishing power, far exceeding the Underworld King’s imagination. The savage attack blasted Hades high into the air. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, this power is too strong! He actually dared to face Underworld King Hades head-on, even knocking the Underworld King flying with one punch while Hades was completely caught off guard.”

“The bond between the two Gemini brothers is incredible. This strike was a combined effort; their fists are finally no longer aimed at each other.”

Everyone from the other worlds felt a different aura emanating from Aspros—never dithering, meeting the Underworld King, and immediately unleashing a close-range Galaxian Explosion. It was too cool.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“That guy… is that strong?”

In the Pope’s Chamber, Tenma stared blankly at this Gemini Saint, who might be his future master. So this was the true strength of the complete Gemini!

Alone was actually blasted away. One must remember that in the previous videos, even Sisyphus could only barely bend his bow and notch an arrow in front of Alone.

“?!”

Sisyphus looked around suspiciously. His intuition told him someone was speaking ill of him.

However, seeing Aspros finally return to the right path and fight as the Gemini Gold Saint, Sisyphus showed a relieved smile.

“That’s wonderful, Defteros!”

The two brothers were finally reconciled, Aspros was restored to his proper form, and Defteros had finally fulfilled his long-held regret.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma felt completely bewildered:

“A blow powerful enough to send a god flying—Gemini's Aspros must be the mightiest individual in the Sanctuary.”

He truly lived up to his name; Aspros had honed his physical strength, intelligence, and technique to the extreme when he was young, and now he had also fused with the soul of his brother Defteros.

Among the Gold Saints who have appeared, aside from Asmita, who hasn't shown his strength, Aspros is undoubtedly the strongest.

And to be able to hit Underworld King Hades in the face with a Galaxian Explosion is something no other Gold Saint has done.

 。。。。。

【 Just as the Underworld King was blasted away, in that very instant, everything seemed to be paused; everything stopped.

Even Aspros felt immensely startled: “What… stopped?!… Everything, just for an instant…”

A white-hatted man riding a Pegasus suddenly appeared overhead.

Mephistopheles Yōma looked at Aspros with a hint of regret: “I spent years painstakingly sowing chaos between you two Geminis, yet you somehow managed to resolve it without me knowing.”

Below, the Underworld King also shouted the name of the newcomer: “Father of the Underworld King’s rival, Heavenly Chief Star Mephistopheles Yōma!”

Aspros was instantly shocked upon hearing this. The father of the Underworld King’s rival?! That meant the father of Pegasus? And what did he mean by sowing chaos between the Gemini brothers?

Seeing Aspros’s startled and hesitant gaze, Mephistopheles Yōma boastfully recounted his deeds.

When Aspros was still in the Sanctuary, Mephistopheles Yōma constantly tempted Aspros, saying that Defteros would take his place.

Aspros was furious at the slander against his brother, but… Mephistopheles Yōma took the opportunity to plant a Seed of Darkness in Aspros.

And in his dreams, he constantly repeated the suggestion until he guided Aspros toward the path of darkness.

Returning to reality, Aspros finally understood that the culprit who caused him to fall into darkness was the man before him.

“YOU FILTHY DEMON!!!”

Aspros’s rage transformed into savage power, attacking Mephistopheles Yōma, who offered a strange smile and gently pointed his finger.

The Gemini Saint’s attack came to an abrupt halt. Aspros instantly realized that this mysterious man could manipulate time!

“It’s time for Gemini’s curtain call.”

“Marvelous Room—!!”

Mephistopheles Yōma extended his right hand, and a massive vortex of wind appeared. Aspros’s body actually began to particleize, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the depths of the vortex.

“Ahead is a world without time or matter. Let the brothers be decomposed, even their souls.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn it, the wicked Specter Mephistopheles Yōma. As the father of Pegasus, it turns out you were the source of all the trouble.”

The crowd finally understood why Aspros, whose goal had always been to let his brother Defteros live in the light, had fallen into darkness.

It turned out that Mephistopheles Yōma was behind everything, planting the Seed of Darkness in Aspros and guiding him step by step toward darkness until the two brothers fought each other.

“How many talented individuals are hidden in the Underworld?! Now, another time-manipulating Mephistopheles Yōma has appeared. He feels even stronger than the Three Judges.”

Everyone was somewhat dumbfounded. Another astonishingly powerful Specter suddenly appeared in the Underworld without warning. How much hidden power do they still possess beneath the surface?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“This is my dereliction of duty…”

In the Sanctuary, Pope Sage felt it was all his responsibility. He hadn't expected the Specters to launch an invasion of the Sanctuary so early.

And as the Pope, his lack of awareness led to such an outcome for the highly anticipated Aspros.

“What’s wrong?!… An earthquake?!…”

At this moment, the villagers living on Kanon Island suddenly felt the entire island shaking, and the trend of the tremor grew increasingly violent.

At the source of all the shaking, the unkempt Defteros radiated a terrifying Cosmo throughout his body, his face incredibly ferocious, revealing a hideous grin like an evil spirit:

“SO IT WAS YOU!! MEPHISTOPHELES YŌMA.”

The man who caused his brother’s temperament to change, the culprit who led to the brothers fighting each other—this filthy demon, he must eliminate him personally!!

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: The battle between Gemini and Mephistopheles Yoma that follows is what I believe to be the most exciting part.

In the manga, Aspros goes offline for quite a while, so I’ll skip that for now… I’ll finish writing the battle between Mephistopheles Yōma and Gemini first! Then I’ll return to Tenma’s God Cloth. )

Chapter 305: Gemini vs. a Thousand-Mile Horse, let's have a Physics lesson first!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

“'Marvelous Room', a world without time or matter! It seems this Mephistopheles Yoma, is no ordinary opponent.”

Merlin, watching this scene, felt a dull ache in his teeth. Gemini Aspros could practically be considered exiled by the Mephistopheles Yoma.

What was more terrifying was that, unlike 'Another Dimension', which is eternally isolated, the place where Gemini was exiled had no physical matter; it was an utter void. An ordinary person would wait for death!

The Wise King Gilgamesh also wore a solemn expression:

“In just an instant, he displayed the super ability to stop time, create space, and influence memories.”

For an ordinary person to possess even one of these would be a miracle. It was hard to imagine these rule-level abilities appearing on an obscure Specter.

Ishtar gasped:

“Could it be another subordinate god under Hades’ command…”

The Wise King Gilgamesh had considered that possibility, but then shook his head in denial:

“No… If he were a subordinate god, he wouldn’t refer to himself as the 'Heavenly Chief Star'.”

Gods are very arrogant. If he were a god, upon appearing, he would introduce himself as “God of X,” rather than claiming the title of a Specter under Hades.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. After an unknown passage of time, the exiled Gemini Saint walks out of the distorted space, holding Shion in one arm and dragging Dohko with the other, looking down disdainfully at Youma below.

Youma looked at the scene before him and immediately became interested: “Hmmph?! There’s actually a guy who can forcefully pry open space through counter-rotation... Gemini boy, Aspros!”

Tenma, clad in the God Cloth, looked suspiciously at the figure who suddenly appeared: “Who... who is that?!”

Before Tenma could ask, Aspros casually tossed Shion and Dohko into his arms, then clapped his hands indifferently: “I picked them up on the way here. Consider them a farewell gift for you.”

He ordered Tenma to quickly take the people and leave, while Aspros stood opposite Youma, seemingly ready to take over the battlefield!

Seeing this, Tenma immediately objected: “I have every reason to never forgive that demon! How could I easily just—”

But before Tenma could finish his sentence, a scorching energy burst forth from Aspros. The ground instantly vaporized, and the resulting blast of air pushed Tenma away, propelling him toward the sky!

Aspros then turned back and told Tenma, “I don’t care how much hatred you have for that demon! Don’t let any of your comrades die. Wasn’t that why you came to Kanon Island?!”

Tenma now understood the identity of the newcomer and also understood the mission he needed to shoulder. Without further hesitation, he flies toward the apex of the sky, holding Dohko and Shion. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait!! What did I miss? How is Tenma wearing the God Cloth?! I didn’t even blink. Did someone use King Crimson to skip time...”

“It seems the Pegasus God Cloth isn’t a trial card this time. He’s conscious enough to run while carrying people. Which Specter could possibly stop him now?”

Although they said this, everyone’s mouths twitched when they heard Aspros say he “picked up” Dohko and Shion. You were exiled; where exactly did you pick up two Gold Saints?

And couldn’t he have a better attitude? Handle them gently! They are your teammates, after all. To carelessly toss these two severely injured men like that... one can only say that the friendship exists... but not much of it!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

“It feels like someone edited a segment out of the video. What kind of feud do Tenma and Youma have?!?”

Rin Tohsaka was going crazy, feeling uncomfortable all over.

This vague presentation made Rin Tohsaka feel like she had missed an episode.

Illya was equally bewildered, her crimson eyes full of confusion:

“How did Tenma suddenly put on the God Cloth?!”

Shirou Emiya said somewhat doubtfully:

“Maybe they wanted to broadcast the fight between Aspros and Youma directly, so they skipped some parts, which gives it a feeling of discontinuity.”

Although they didn't know Tenma's grudge, it was clear that Aspros didn't want to listen to his nonsense, because “My hatred surpasses yours!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

In the Sanctuary, Dohko felt a bit ashamed:

“I was saved by Defteros again...!”

How many times had he been saved by him now? He saved him on Kanon Island using divine blood... then Defteros saved him again when retrieving Lady Athena's Cloth, and now, after merging with Aspros, he saved him yet again.

Moreover, being a fellow Gold Saint, the word “picked up” made Dohko a little sad.

Although it was demeaning, he couldn't refute it, as it wasn't the first or second time this had happened.

The Pope, however, noticed another point:

“Tenma is already able to maintain the state of the God Cloth!”

Pegasus, the man eternally entangled with Hades across generations. Although he is still naive now, they believed he would surely grow into a presence capable of influencing the direction of this Holy War!

 。。。。。

【 Seeing Tenma about to leave, Youma was naturally displeased: “How troublesome. Stop right there!”

Just as Tenma took a step, Youma pulled out his pocket watch, intending to stop time and make Tenma obediently stay put.

However, when he pressed the button, Tenma's movements did not stop; instead, he left his line of sight even faster, vanishing into the sky.

“Time... can’t be stopped?!”

This bizarre sight astonished Youma, but after seeing Aspros smiling nearby, he instantly understood: “Did you do this?”

Aspros smiled faintly, an aura of academic mastery emanating from him: “The speed of light remains constant for all observers, but time varies between different observers.”

“The rate of time flow slows down as speed increases. The limit of speed is the speed of light; the closer the speed is to the speed of light, the closer time is to stopping.”

“And the space we are currently in has been cut away by me, moving at the speed of light within a different dimension!”

“In other words, time itself cannot fully operate here. You can no longer manipulate time as you please.”

“Demon... It’s time for your exit.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This specialization is perfect! A strong academic aura assaults the senses. As the saying goes, knowledge truly is power.”

“I didn't expect the Gemini Saint to have research into this. The scope of knowledge involved is too vast!”

“He spoke eloquently, but besides understanding that Youma’s time stop didn’t work, I understood nothing else!”

Yare yare, everyone was dizzy listening to that. Who would have thought that among the Sanctuary's bunch of fist-fighting brutes, an academic genius would appear? Aspros had to spend time training his strength, yet he still had time to study!

First in academics, first in martial arts—what kind of monster is this Gemini Saint!

Fortunately, it’s Gemini fighting Youma. Otherwise, the other Gold Saints would be completely helpless against the two bug-like abilities of exile and time stop...

“Thinking about it like that, Aspros seems to be quite the counter to Youma.”

Relying on Aspros’ superb spatial abilities and his rich knowledge reserve, he immediately thought of a countermeasure after only witnessing Youma’s time stop once.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Shirai’s mouth twitched:

“He’s fighting in a Holy War, yet he has such deep research into physics. Where did he find the time to study...”

As a Gold Saint, he actually needed to understand physics. What surprised her most was that the irrational techniques used by that group of Saints still had to comply with Einstein's theories.

Misaka Mikoto shook her head:

“What’s strong isn’t just the Gold Cloth, but Aspros’s extensive knowledge.”

She just hadn't expected that before fighting someone, he would first deliver a physics lesson.

Listening to it made her feel lightheaded, and she nearly fell asleep.

“Wait...”

Kuroko Shirai, recovering her senses, noticed something wrong, her face showing surprise:

“Did Einstein’s theory exist back then?”

“Uh... he hadn't been born yet.”

Misaka Mikoto paused. Kuroko’s point seemed valid. It couldn't be that Aspros wrote a book later and someone picked it up, could it?

〜Bleach World〜

Kisuke Urahara nodded:

“Yosh, I get it! If I get the chance, I’ll study relativity properly too, and try to train for three years to open up an alternate dimension for fun.”

Knowledge truly is power. The Gemini Saint’s unparalleled composure made Kisuke Urahara realize that you must score perfectly on the relativity exam to become the Pope!

“You idiot!”

Yoruichi shattered Kisuke Urahara’s fantasy with a punch.

“You have to be strong yourself to forge iron. You need to reach the speed of light first.”

It must be said that Aspros is truly a polymath. His mastery of dimensional skills, the laws of time flow, physics, and mental power was all demonstrated perfectly!

As the successor to the Pope, Aspros’s academic knowledge was also top-tier!

It's hard to imagine that if the rebellion hadn't happened back then... the Hades Army would be the ones with the headaches now. Just look at the group of monstrous Gold Saints they are facing.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: He only saw the time stop once and immediately figured out a technique. It must be said that the academic aura and confidence surrounding Aspros are truly awesome. )

 

( Translator-kun: I know Misaka is also a genius, part of the reason why she is LV5, but remember, Theory of Relativity is a college-level concept while she was still a middle schooler. )

Chapter 306: Demon, Disperse into the galaxy!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Although Yoma's ability to stop time was indeed outrageous, he ultimately suffered from a lack of knowledge, for he encountered...

“Aspros, a Saint who understood relativity before anyone, a physicist delayed by his cosmos.”

Da Vinci felt it was a pity. If Aspros had decided to become a physicist, he would undoubtedly have made a significant impact in his time.

Even the theory of the constancy of the speed of light was brought up by Aspros...

When an object's speed reaches the speed of light, its spatial dimension shortens to zero, and time slows to a stop.

Dr. Roman nodded in agreement with Da Vinci's view:

“Not only that, Aspros's ability to move space at the speed of light is truly astonishing!”

The uncertainty and instability of space make it difficult for anyone to precisely divide a piece of space like Aspros, let alone apply external force to make this piece of space move at the speed of light...

It's truly hard to imagine how strong Aspros, with both brains and brawn, really is!

 。。。。。

【 Hearing Aspros's words, Yoma showed no sign of panic, still with a gloomy and cunning expression: “Hmm, haha, it seems I occasionally have to participate in someone else's performance.”

Although Yoma was trapped in Aspros's, he would not be manipulated. His cosmos condensed numerous dark arrows around him, and his pitch-black Surplice covered his body!

Yoma's mouth was full of sarcastic praise for Aspros: “As expected of an elite capable of becoming the Pope!... But!”

“Your condescending and pretentious tone makes me very uncomfortable. Is that how all big brothers are?”

At this point, Yoma's emotions seemed to reach a breaking point. His left hand shot out like lightning, and a strange force locked Aspros.

A giant clock face appeared behind Aspros!

Looking at the clock face appearing on his body, Aspros was momentarily stunned: “Wh-what...! A clock appeared in my body?!”

Yoma, having successfully struck, said triumphantly: “So-called time does not exist only on objects moving in space!”

“Your very body is an accumulation of time... So, what happens if I reset it all to zero?!”

“Rewind Bio—!”

The next second, amidst Yoma's eerie laughter, Aspros's body, and even the clock's dial, spun backward until Aspros's body completely disappeared.

Aspros's life was completely ended by Yoma's time reversal, leaving only the Gemini Gold Cloth still in place. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“How could this happen...!”

Everyone's faces were filled with surprise and disbelief, their entire bodies frozen in place as if nailed down.

Just now, they thought Yoma suffered from a lack of knowledge, but it turned out the opponent's knowledge reserves were not much worse than Aspros's. In the blink of an eye, he reversed Aspros's body time.

“Holy crap... Having the ability to stop time is one thing, but to be able to reverse time, too? Are you sure you're a Specter and not a god?!”

( Translator-kun: Well, technically, he was a former God. )

After the people from other worlds recovered, their pupils were still filled with shock. Such a method of reversing a person's body time might not even be achievable by gods.

 。。。。。

〜Detective Conan World〜

Conan's eyes flashed with understanding:

“Regarding what Yoma said, I learned it in Hawaii!”

“He's right, the growth of the human body itself is a result of time's accumulation...”

Actually, Conan wanted to say that if Yoma used that move on him, perhaps his body could get rid of its childish appearance.

Haibara Ai looked at Conan:

“You mean, Yoma reversed this result to before birth?!”

The ability to manipulate time is indeed terrifying. Aspros's existence was directly erased from its source; no wonder only a Gemini Gold Cloth remained.

However, isn't Hawaii a vacation spot? It's strange that someone would teach such useless knowledge there.

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Worldline〜

In a dimly lit room of an ancient castle in Egypt, Dio fell into deep thought:

“First time stop, then time reversal... This world truly makes it hard for me to feel at ease.”

Ever since he saw the screen, he understood that time stop was not a rare thing.

He had already seen Stands with time rewind and time deletion abilities on the screen.

Initially, he wasn't too surprised, because they only lasted for about ten seconds and didn't go too far beyond common sense.

However...

“Why does this Yoma's time stop seem to have no time limit, and even more outrageous, he can rewind a person's time by decades.”

This was what Dio found most unacceptable. They all had super-spec time abilities, so why could theirs only last for a few seconds?!

And Yoma could rewind a person's time without limits, wouldn't that make him invincible!! Who among the Saints would be his opponent??

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“It's over...”

Manigoldo felt a sense of powerlessness upon seeing this scene.

Even if Aspros was strong, he couldn't resist such natural laws. An existence like Yoma, among the Gold Saints, probably no one would be his match.

The Pope muttered to himself:

“Time, oh time!...”

Where did this Heavenly Chief Star Yoma come from?! Such a powerful existence should have been recorded in the Sanctuary, just like the Three Judges.

Sisyphus also frowned deeply:

“The Hades Army's true strength is truly unfathomable!”

The Three Judges had been dealt with, the Four Dream Gods were all gone, and even the Twin Gods were sealed. With the return of Gemini, the Sanctuary gained another boost of power.

They originally thought the Sanctuary would usher in an unprecedented great opportunity, but then such a powerful opponent appeared! Even someone as strong as Aspros found it difficult to resist.

 。。。。。

【 The place was terrifyingly quiet at this moment. Yoma looked at the Gemini Gold Cloth in front of him triumphantly: “Annihilated, returned to the state before a fetus.”

Then, he turned and left with arrogant steps, still muttering: “Next life, treat your brother well again. Goodbye, little brother...”

But the moment he turned around, Aspros's voice, which should have been annihilated in time, sounded again, full of sarcasm.

“Demon, where are you going? I have not disappeared yet!”

“Unfortunately, that move of yours doesn't seem to work on me!”

Hearing Aspros's sarcasm, Yoma's eyes widened sharply, and for the first time, an astonished expression appeared on his face: “How is that possible? You! Why...”

Yoma quickly turned back, only to see Aspros standing there wearing a Surplice, completely unharmed! He instantly froze: “Why weren't you annihilated? Ah!”

Aspros, clad in his Surplice, looked at Yoma with cold, clear eyes and explained: “My original body died two years ago.”

“For a Specter, who has become an immortal, the passage of time is completely meaningless.”

But soon, Yoma felt his brain was about to burn out: “Didn't you become a Saint again? How could you wear a Surplice!”

A wicked smile once again appeared on Aspros's face: “I am neither good nor evil! Hades and Athena have nothing to do with me, only myself!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yooo, I didn't expect Aspros to be such a master of tricks! He constantly switches between being a Saint and a Specter, completely countering Yoma.”

“Yoma's move could instantly kill any Saint, but unfortunately, he encountered Aspros, who had already become an immortal.”

From this perspective, the quality of the Surplices given by Hades is guaranteed. After all, a skill like time reversal is impossible for any human to escape.

The duel between Yoma and Aspros effectively turned into two lessons on special relativity.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

If time allowed, Fujimaru Ritsuka would definitely review his textbooks again:

“Indeed, knowledge is far more powerful than something like the Eighth Sense.”

Neither good nor evil! Hades and Athena have nothing to do with him; it's clear he's here for revenge, Heavenly Chief Star Yoma!

Da Vinci analyzed the current situation:

“Actually, Gemini is quite effective against Yoma. If it were the regular Aspros, he would definitely have been taken out by that last move.”

“But this is Gemini, where Aspros and Defteros are one, possessing a physical body that can wear the Gold Cloth, and also the 12 hours of life given by Hades, completely unrestrained by time.”

One can only say that Yoma chose his opponent too well; he's completely countered. Aspros is essentially exploiting a bug with two lives!

Lost a Saint's life? No problem! I'll just change into a Specter's uniform and return to battle. This move is quite impressive.

 。。。。。

【 The next second, Aspros's eyes turned cold: “Wicked demon! You dared to toy with my life. Absolutely unforgivable!”

As his words fell, Aspros raised his right hand, and a furious power gathered in it:

“Disperse into the galaxy!”

“Galaxian Explosion—”

A brilliant light instantly engulfed this space, and the explosive energy directly merged into Yoma's body...

In just an instant, the Surplice on the latter's body shattered, and his flesh was torn into fragments by this violent force.

“Ahhhhhh—!!”

The demon's screams echoed through this space, but Yoma's cries brought a smile to Aspros's lips: “Hmph... The demon's end, is it!”

A moment later, Yoma's screams completely subsided in the space. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: Brothers, I'm not writing it all; I'm writing it in reverse, because Gemini has been offline for too long, so it's better to finish Gemini first. Then I'll go back and write about Leo and Radamanthys's battle! )

( Translator-kun: Just finish it already.... )

Chapter 307: What kind of monster is Gemini fighting?!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, he was instantly killed with one punch! Both his body and Specter Surplice were directly turned into dust.”

“No wonder he could shatter Yoma into skin fragments. You know, that move can even blast the King of Underworld away.”

This battle is estimated to be a win for only Aspros. To deal with Yoma’s techniques, one not only needs extensive knowledge but also strong spatial abilities.

The battle between Aspros and Yoma, these two overpowered individuals, was more like a battle of wits, constantly showcasing their knowledge and understanding of the passage of time.

Fortunately, by a stroke of luck, the current Aspros is someone who shouldn't exist, allowing him to be immune to the latter's techniques; otherwise, it would have been truly impossible to fight.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

Looking at Yoma, who had been blasted into dust, Urahara Kisuke pondered for a moment:

“Uh, how should I put this? It’s gratifying… but is it really that easy?”

Although Aspros had dealt with Yoma, his intuition told him that things shouldn't be that simple.

Especially since Yoma, whose abilities were at a Law-level, would he really be defeated so easily?! But Yoma, having become skin fragments, made him believe what was before his eyes.

Yoruichi looked at Urahara Kisuke strangely:

“He’s already dust. Can he still jump up and down?!”

Sisyphus, who was previously blind and had his heart dug out, could still unleash a powerful move because, at least, he still had a body and had reached the mysterious Eighth Sense.

But now, this Yoma is already dust. Can he still repeatedly jump around?!

〜Fairy Tail World〜

Lucy cautiously moved her hands away from her eyes and looked back at the screen:

“No wonder Aspros often uses the Galaxian Explosion. It’s no joke.”

Other people's Cancer can face the God of Death, while her Cancer key can only summon someone to comb hair.

Sagittarius is also about shooting arrows… but can Sisyphus’s arrows be called arrows?! They are humanoid magic cannon launchers, with an incredibly long range.

The Celestial Spirit World’s Twelve Golden Zodiac Keys clearly correspond to their twelve Gold Saints, but the combat power is just too far behind…

At this moment, Natsu excitedly leaned next to Lucy:

“Lucy, don’t you have a Gemini key?! Quickly summon them to perform a Galaxian Explosion!”

Lucy rolled her eyes at Natsu speechlessly. Can Gemini do these things?! Forget it, they are still children; summoning them might scare them away.

( Translator-kun: LMAO, They are both Zodiac signs, but one is blasting a galaxy while the other is cutting hair. )

 。。。。。

【 “Click… click…” Just as Aspros thought the battle was over, he suddenly heard the sound of a clock: “What?! The sound of a clock…”

“That guy should have been completely torn to pieces, but… this constantly expanding Cosmos is…”

Aspros’s confusion didn't last long before he saw a dark vortex appear in the sky before him.

As the shadow continuously expanded, a soul covered in sealing talismans stepped into this space, like a demon, with huge, grotesque horns on its head!

His entire body was covered in black, and behind him, a giant clock dial was slowly turning!

And below him, Yoma’s body began to be slowly covered by countless eerie runes.

“Damn it… that Cosmos… that appearance, could it be… a god?!…”

Seeing this scene, Aspros couldn't help but cry out, his brain even beginning to guess the identity of the demon before him!

“Is it the God of Time! Chronos?!”

Listening to Aspros’s slightly trembling voice, Yoma’s hoarse laughter echoed in the space: “Hehehe, as expected, you’ve read a lot of books.”

“But unfortunately, that is not me. My name is Kairos, another God of Time banished to Earth by his brother.”

“It’s natural that you don’t know, because my existence was long ago erased from mythology by Kronos…”

“So, I’ve been annoyed ever since I first saw you, brother…!”

Aspros, having reacted, his eyes became even fiercer: “So, for revenge against your brother… you’ve been toying with other people’s fates for such a trivial matter?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Everyone from other worlds stared blankly at the demon-like figure, instantly losing all sound, becoming numb.

“Chronos?! Is he a primordial god from ancient Greek mythology? I almost confused Chronos with the Titan King Kronos…”

Everyone felt a herd of alpacas stampeding in their hearts. Damn, if it’s the mythological system of Chronos, then the power is even more formidable!

And Kairos, as Kronos’s brother, shouldn't be far off in strength.

After all, Kronos is a primordial god, while Kairos is just a second-generation god-king, but there’s no difference; they are all big shots you can’t mess with!

Although they knew that a bunch of gods would come out of the Underworld to fight the Holy War, it shouldn't be this outrageous. How are they supposed to fight this?!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Is Yoma, this pervert, from such a powerful background?!”

Misaki Shokuhou’s face was somewhat dazed, never expecting yet another god.

Misaki Shokuhou, who had been soaking in the library, had almost worn out all the books on Greek mythology. Yet, she found no trace of Kairos.

Perhaps, as he said, he was erased from mythology by his brother.

“But looking at how he can freely manipulate time, it doesn’t seem like he’s lying.”

With sealing runes on his soul, and his body destroyed yet still able to survive as a soul, coupled with Aspros’s perception, it’s very likely that Yoma is telling the truth.

Thinking of this, Shokuhou somewhat resignedly threw down the book and began to dramatically read with a blank expression:

“Heh, what’s the point of fighting now? Give up, Aspros, there are gods everywhere.”

〜Bleach World〜

Similarly, Ichigo Kurosaki and others in the Human World had also worn out their books; while flipping through them, they didn't forget to complain:

“It feels like the gods of the Underworld can all sit at one table.”

Hiya, another god whose name sounds awesome has appeared. If this continues, even more Gold Saints won’t be enough for you all to fight.

Uryu Ishida read from the records in his hand:

“Chronos and his consort Ananke are gods found only in the Orphic cult; other cults have no record of them…”

But no matter what, there was only one thought in their minds: it’s truly impossible to fight! The power gap is too wide!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“This is impossible!!”

Pope Sage continuously denied it.

Because in their world, Chronos is a non-corporeal, super-divine existence, so almost no one knows where or how to meet him!

Not to mention that he even has a brother, such an unheard-of thing.

Manigoldo looked at the screen, cold sweat running down his face:

“Master, now is not the time to dwell on these things, but how to deal with him…”

Whether Yoma is telling the truth or not, he is at least a god! Otherwise, there’s no explaining how Yoma, with his body destroyed, could still be alive.

And in the Underworld, the Twin Gods also caused a huge uproar, falling into silence, until the God of Death broke the silence:

“Hypnos, what do you think…”

Even they didn't know about the existence of such a god. This uncertain factor in the Specter Army is always a great hidden danger. Who knows what the other party truly wants to do…

Hypnos pondered for a moment, then put down his teacup:

“First, let’s see the other party’s objective. Under seal, he won’t be our opponent.”

 。。。。。

【 Aspros still didn't forget to mock the other party: “You’re truly a petty god. Not only can you not defeat Kronos, but you can’t even defeat me!”

However, in the face of Aspros’s bold words, Yoma was completely unfazed, his mouth curving into a strange arc.

“You say that I, as a god, not only can’t defeat my brother, but can’t even defeat you?!”

“You lowly human!”

The slowly rotating clock suddenly stopped, and dozens of dark arrows burst out with Yoma’s hoarse voice.

Aspros’s body, however, seemed to be confined in place, unable to move: “An overwhelming force, this is a god’s attack… I can’t dodge it!!”

He could only watch as the arrows continuously magnified in his eyes, then pierced through his Specter Surplice and his body, blood instantly flowing from Aspros’s mouth. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I have to say, Aspros is truly brave. He dared to mock the other party even after knowing their identity, which shows how much he hates them to the core.”

“Confirmed, Yoma really is a god. Although there are no records, what he said should be true, after all, that arrogant demeanor is exactly like a god.”

Yoma’s attack, Aspros himself admitted he couldn’t dodge; it truly was an attack from a god!

Everyone felt a toothache. What kind of monsters are the Gemini fighting? First, they bombed the King of Underworld, and now they are fighting a suspected God of Time…

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: Kronos is the son of the Titan King, Uranus, the primordial God of sky, the second-generation God-King, also Athena’s grandfather, and Hades and Zeus’s father.

And the God of Time, Chronos, has an even more formidable origin as a primordial god and has no blood relationship with them. )

 

( Translator-kun: People, Kronos, and Chronos are not the same. )

Chapter 308: With a human body, forcefully open the gods' passage!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!〜

“Completely powerless, huh...”

Kazuma sighed, resting his head on his hand on the sofa.

Kronos's younger brother, an existence erased from mythology – it was obvious at first glance that he wasn't someone to be trifled with. He must have done something to be sealed by Kronos!

Not only was there an unbridgeable chasm between gods and humans, but... Kazuma looked at Aqua beside him, a sneer escaping his lips:

“Heh...”

There were also huge disparities in divine laws.

Kazuma's expression provoked Aqua, a vein popping on her forehead:

“What's with that?! While I can't reverse time, I can bring you back to life!”

Aqua believed that while she might have a tiny, just a tiny, gap compared to the gods appearing in there...

At least her revival spell was top-notch, capable of bringing you back to life in various poses anytime, anywhere, leaving you with no worries.

 。。。。。

【 Watching Gemini's heavily injured body, Yoma couldn't help but burst into laughter.

“You're so flustered like this?! Isn't it about time you behaved?!”

When Yoma saw Aspros's mouth bleeding, yet his eyes still filled with disdain, Yoma grew even angrier.

“You still dare to show that look... You won't see anything once your head is separated from your body.”

Just then, Aspros's only movable hand shot out like lightning, and a beam of light silently struck Yoma's forehead.

After doing all this, Aspros's mouth curved into another arrogant and wild smile.

“It seems... my hand can still move.”

Yoma, not understanding what was happening, instantly flew into a rage upon seeing this. A mere human dared to resist a god: “Just die already! Brother...”

Dozens more black arrows condensed before him, piercing towards Aspros with a whooshing sound!

But... the Gemini Gold Cloth mysteriously moved in front of Aspros, blocking the fatal blow for him.

This sudden scene left Yoma bewildered: “The Gemini... Gold Cloth?!”

“Weren't you the one who killed Aspros?!”

“Are you an idiot?! Why would you need to protect that guy? Wasn't it Aspros, your older brother, who took away your existence?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“That sneaky move just now was our old friend, the Genrou Maouken, right! Did it not work?”

“Yoma, in his arrogance, would never understand everything Defteros did for his brother Aspros. Don't underestimate the bond between Gemini!”

Aspros, as the elder brother, had constantly strived to become stronger so that his younger brother could live in the sunlight without a mask!

And now, it was the deceased younger brother's turn to protect his older brother; even if only his Gold Cloth remained, it resolutely stood in front of him.

Regarding Yoma's words, everyone from other worlds scoffed, saying that Defteros once killed Aspros, but ultimately, wasn't that because of the seed of darkness you planted!

Otherwise, Aspros, with his excellent strength and top-notch knowledge, would have long become the new Pope.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

The Pope sighed softly.

“It seems the Genrou Maouken doesn't work on gods.”

The forbidden technique “Legendary Genro Mao Ken” sealed in the Star Hill could completely control the opponent's brain, making the affected person obey the caster's commands as if hypnotized.

However... Yoma, despite being hit by this move, was still able to attack Aspros. Perhaps this move did not affect the gods.

Sisyphus's hand clenched slightly,

“This is all Aspros can do now.”

Sisyphus was naturally very familiar with the strength of his former comrade, Aspros.

But now, with his body pierced by arrows and pinned to the ground, a heavily injured Aspros could only move one hand. This was the only move he could attempt.

 。。。。。

【 Defteros's actions seemed to provoke Yoma. He became even more frenzied, pointing his hand at the unknown sky! He began to wildly vent his thoughts.

“The fully grown God Slayer is already in my hands... Then I can pass through God's Path with the God Cloth and replace you.”

“Of course! I will also ruthlessly kill you, Kronos!”

“Round and round... dying... resurrecting, dying and resurrecting!”

Suddenly, Yoma snapped out of his frenzy and realized something was wrong, quickly covering his mouth with both hands: “What am I saying...?!”

It was then that he realized the attack he had just launched hadn't actually been launched. The Gemini Gold Cloth remained in place, not having moved.

Aspros suddenly gave Yoma a mischievous smile: “Genrou Maouken! It's a Genro Mao Ken that directly controls the opponent's brain.”

“Although it might not be effective against you, a god, I took a gamble... So that's it, dying and resurrecting...”

Aspros reached out and pulled out the arrows piercing his body, his smile growing even more rampant: “I truly heard some good information.”

“You, as a god, are imprisoned in a human body! After all, you can be injured and die just like us.”

“If you are not a complete god, then I can defeat you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, so it wasn't ineffective, but rather the effect was allowed to 'fly for a while.' Now I finally understand why villains die from talking too much.”

“I declare Aspros the 'Charity Gambling King' of the year! What a life-or-death gamble!”

Although no one knew what countermeasures Aspros had thought of after hearing this information, his incredibly calm confidence subconsciously made people believe him.

Thus, everyone from other worlds, watching Yoma continuously reveal his secrets, also showed Aspros's signature mischievous smile...

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

“Hehehe, what an idiot, revealing all his intentions and secrets.”

Aizen couldn't help but let out a light chuckle upon seeing this.

The Genrou Maouken, which could manipulate people's brains, had a similar effect to my Kyoka Suigetsu. It's like the sky, which is actually colorless; it doesn't deceive you, but your own eyes deceive you.

“Even a god trapped in a human body is not so easily defeated...”

Aizen was very curious about how Aspros, with his heavily injured body, could possibly defeat such an existence.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

The Pope's tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly:

“It seems the opponent's goal is to obtain the Pegasus God Cloth.”

What a heartless father. He appeared devoid of any familial affection, even scheming against his own son, Tenma.

What he wanted, presumably, was for Tenma to awaken the God Cloth, so that one day he could go to the heavens and take revenge for himself.

“Similarly, as long as he's not a true god! Then there's a way to defeat him.”

An unknown enemy is the most terrifying. Now that Yoma's secrets were clear, the Pope felt less alarmed than before.

Moreover, there was one thing the Pope had to admit: the Genrou Maouken was truly effective...

 。。。。。

【 Saying this, Aspros pulled out the rosary left by Asmita before his death from his waist!

Looking at the rosary in front of him, Yoma panicked, his heart pounding, a bad feeling rising within him: “What do you want to do...?!”

Aspros stared at Yoma: “Kairos, I will sever your fate.”

Yoma grew even angrier. He had reached his limit: “Presumptuous human, daring to peek into a god's heart.”

“Real Marvelous—!”

Countless eerie whirlpools surged from the clock dial, connecting end to end to form a black chain, smashing towards Aspros!

The latter's body was firmly bound, and a huge pulling force instantly tore Aspros's right arm to shreds, blood splattering across the ground.

When Aspros raised his head again, there was still no fear or panic in his eyes, and his face still bore his familiar arrogant smile.

He then threw the rosary, binding Yoma's body. Aspros's revenge truly began now.

Under the effect of the rosary, Yoma's body and soul merged once again: “What... my soul actually returned to my body!”

The killing intent on Aspros grew even more intense, as if he had become a Shura on the battlefield: “It's time for you to dance, Kairos... as a garbage actor!”

The next moment, the starry river shimmered, and space fluctuated eerily once more.

To Yoma's utter horror, Aspros, with his human body, actually opened the gods' passage! 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: After Gemini, I'll write about Leo. )

Chapter 309: Gemini's Sacrifice!! Aspros is Liberated

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aspros, as a human, was actually able to open the gods' passage...?!?”

Everything happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that everyone was stunned, swallowing two or three times in a row, as if their throats were dry, looking at the gods before them, who resembled something from the universe.

“Is this Aspros a human or a ghost?! Just based on Yoma's few words, he instantly thought of a way to deal with the latter!”

This wasn't the key; the most crucial thing was that Aspros, even severely wounded with a severed right arm, managed to open the gods' passage by himself!

It could be said that this feat was unprecedented and unmatched, very likely the closest humanity has ever come to godhood!

Now, everyone had a new understanding of him: Gemini Aspros was a Gold Saint who was proficient in physical, spiritual, and spatial abilities!

He was primarily knowledgeable, and his IQ was remarkably high.

Facing the unreasonable techniques of Yoma, the younger brother of the God of Time, he twice instantly came up with countermeasures, making him a true all-rounder.

Asmita's prayer beads, anyone who used them knew how effective they were; they could even firmly suppress a god's soul back into a Specter's body!

Although they didn't kill many Specters, the prayer beads, bought with his life, gave him 108 assists, making him the strongest support in this Holy War.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

“Tsk, tsk... I haven't seen any human capable of opening the gods' passage; Aspros is truly unique.”

Urahara Kisuke was also full of wonder, looking at Aspros as if he were a monster.

With top-tier strategy, outstanding strength, and decisive action, Aspros was an all-rounder. If Yoma hadn't interfered, he would have undoubtedly been a Pope-level figure.

Yoruichi couldn't help but exclaim,

“Damn, how strong is Aspros?! Could it be that he can still cultivate in the Underworld?”

Does Aspros have no limits? She now even suspected that the reason Defteros was able to defeat Aspros back then was largely due to a sneak attack.

Even among the monstrously powerful Gold Saints, Aspros might be someone they couldn't handle.

To open the gods' passage as a mortal, one could already say the latter had become a god!

〜Bungo Stray Dogs World〜

Although his world didn't possess such outstanding power, Dazai Osamu believed his mind was quite good.

“Aspros was able to push Yoma to a desperate situation, but it took many coincidences to achieve that.”

After all, Yoma's strength was evident. Anyone hit by the Genro Maoken was supposed to remain unconscious until they killed their designated target.

Yet, Yoma, in his madness, uttered a few words he shouldn't have, instantly noticed something was wrong with himself, and then regained consciousness.

“It seems that technique is either ineffective or greatly diminished when used on a god.”

There was one thing Dazai Osamu also couldn't understand: what made Yoma so confident that after passing through the gods' passage, he could pummel his brother, Kronos?!

He was beaten even in his prime and then removed from myths and legends. What could he do upon returning? Get another beating?!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

As a goddess, Ereshkigal rubbed her eyes, her face pale, her expression somewhat flustered.

“This is simply impossible! There's a huge chasm between gods and humans that cannot be crossed.”

Aspros's feat was as absurd as someone telling her that humans could open the gates to the Underworld and pass through the seven stone gate trials. It was utterly impossible!

And in Uruk, above the Underworld, Ishtar also showed a bitter smile.

“Now, humanity's reverence for gods will definitely be greatly diminished.”

Aspros's action was essentially telling the world that gods were not out of reach, and that humans could even reach the gods' dwelling place with their own power.

“The gods of that world are truly something. Descending to the human world is one thing, but couldn't they lock the gods' passage when they come? The gods' passage just opens for anyone who wants it.”

Is Aspros really not some reincarnated god?! The path to the gods is truly hard to believe a human could open.

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“This...”

Mu of Aries was incredibly conflicted at this moment, a thousand words converging in his heart, not knowing how to speak.

Opening the gods' passage alone, without divine blood, purely by his own strength.

Deathmask of Cancer also wore a bitter expression.

“Gemini really doesn't tolerate failures, no matter the generation; they're all ridiculously strong.”

Sometimes Deathmask even wondered if he was useless, feeling like none of the Gold Saints inside were cowards; they fought harder than the last.

Even more ruthless was Gemini, who even brought out this thing called the gods' passage.

So, we're the ones lowering the bar, right?! Can't you leave some room for your successors?! Why raise the bar so high? We can't keep up!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

After seeing this scene, the God of Death's lips curled into a cold smile again,

“Heh, it seems this brother has been largely sealed; he's truly not worth fearing.”

Constantly experiencing life and death in the human world, even needing a God Cloth to return to the heavens, he's at best a pseudo-god now.

Yoma's time reversal ability does not affect their souls; at most, handling the possessed body might be slightly troublesome, but not overly difficult. A single one of them can easily take care of him.

Hypnos's eyes flickered with an unknown light.

“The focus is on this human, Gemini; he's truly interesting.”

They had lived for so many years and had never seen any human capable of opening the gods' passage, but... it was only opening it. To pass through, that's still impossible!

Meanwhile, in the Sanctuary, looking at Yoma suppressed by the prayer beads, the Pope frowned instead.

He had thought that after understanding the opponent's general strength through the video, Asmita's sacrifice wouldn't be necessary, but... it seemed unavoidable.

After all, to defeat Yoma, the soul-targeting property of these prayer beads was essential. Without them, even Aspros probably couldn't deal with the latter.

Manigoldo recovered from his surprise and said in a deep voice,

“Yoma panicked the moment he saw the prayer beads. Without them... we can't win.”

This could be said to be the most difficult battle of this Holy War. He admitted that if it were any of the other 11 Gold Saints, they wouldn't be able to fight it.

Sisyphus was speechless. The single ability to reverse a person's physical time destined this battle to be handled only by the deceased Aspros.

 。。。。。

【 It was at this moment that Yoma finally understood Aspros's plan, looking at the latter with horror and dread: “You bastard!! Did you open the gods' passage?”

Aspros's face grew even more frantic: “Aside from gods and those wearing God Cloths, anyone who takes even one step in will have their soul and body turn to dust.”

The shadow of death instantly enveloped Yoma. He still couldn't believe he was about to be buried by a human he despised, and even more ironically, he was to die within the gods' passage he had always wanted to reach.

Yoma no longer put up a tough front and began to beg Aspros to stop: “Stop it! If you continue, even you will disappear in there.”

Hearing Yoma's plea for mercy, Aspros instantly flew into a rage, roaring at Yoma almost hysterically: “Even a trash life is an irreplaceable one for humans!!”

“Because of you, I broke the promise I made with my brother Defteros, and now only I, a dead man, stand here!!”

Our irreplaceable lives have been completely corrupted because of a demon like you. Now, you still want me to let you go?!

“Farewell... you arrogant, foolish... pathetic pseudo-god...!”

With Aspros's roar, Yoma was completely flung into the gods' passage!

“Ugh ah ah ah——”

Agonizing screams were incessant, then abruptly ceased, becoming silent. Yoma had been annihilated by the gods' passage, and his soul was sealed within the prayer beads!

His endless spiral of life and death finally ended. He would undergo a painful baptism in the prayer beads, regretting everything he had done.

The great battle was over. Aspros stared blankly at his surroundings: “The space is constantly shrinking, indicating that my Cosmo is continuously weakening...”

“But I lived my life the way I wanted to!”

Aspros's eyes held a hint of loneliness. A gust of wind blew, and his already unsustainable body became even more ethereal.

“Athena...”

And carried by the wind was an incredibly familiar Cosmo. Athena, clad in her God Cloth, appeared behind him.

“So badly wounded!” Sasha instantly understood everything upon seeing the severely injured Aspros and rushed forward, wanting to heal him.

Aspros stubbornly turned his head away from Athena: “Please don't come near me, Athena!”

In Aspros's heart, he was merely a sinful traitor: “If you touch me, your hands will be soiled, won't they? As the goddess of justice... You cannot understand someone who willingly embraces evil.”

However, in Sasha's eyes, Aspros's stubborn tone was like a child who had made a mistake, asking for forgiveness.

So, hearing Aspros's sorrowful and self-reproaching words, Sasha did not stop but came to his side: “I also don't believe that you, as you are now, are an evil being...”

“You are neither good nor evil, just a human who lived their life to the fullest, aren't you?”

Aspros instantly froze in place, then a gentle smile once again appeared on his face: “You truly are...”

Aspros didn't expect that in the final moments of his life, he would find true peace and liberation.

“Indeed, you've had this human-like quality since your time in Sanctuary.”

As another gust of wind blew, Aspros's figure had already dissipated, leaving only the two battle cloths, one of light and one of darkness, behind.

The two battle cloths, just like the two brothers once were... 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Author-san: Gemini arc ends, Leo's battle begins. )

( Translator-kun: I never read the Manga of TLC, but ngl, the end part makes me a little emotional... )

Chapter 310: Leo vs. God-blood Rhadamanthys!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“As expected of the strongest Gold Saint, the most versatile existence in the Sanctuary, truly dazzling!”

“Aspros is a top student. To become the Pope, he studied all the knowledge of the Pope, and even learned the forbidden knowledge of the Sanctuary due to Yoma's Dark Seed!”

Everyone was wondering if Yoma had dug his own grave, but everything he did, Aspros calling him a demon was not an exaggeration.

“Gemini is incredibly strong!! With the cost of only one hand, he dealt with the troublesome Yoma!”

Although Yoma was a pseudo-god, he was still a god after all! All of his abilities were god-level!

Which Gold Saint could withstand his skills? Besides Aspros, none would be his opponent.

It's a pity... even such a powerful Gemini couldn't escape the fate of dissipating, but thankfully, at the last moment, he found salvation with Athena!

He also accepted his past self, letting go of everything he had done. Regardless of good or evil, Gemini remained the Goddess's Saint, worthy of the title of strongest Saint.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

Rukia shook her head and sighed,

“It feels like Gold Saints can't do anything without killing a god. Every one of them exchanges blows with a god at their limit.”

Gemini truly leaves a lingering feeling. These Gold Saints are indeed ridiculously strong, showing no fear of gods, and some even go after gods intentionally.

Orihime Inoue silently counted on her fingers:

“Cancer's master and disciple killed a Death God, Hakurei fought the God of Sleep, El Cid challenged the Four Dream Gods with his sword, Aquarius froze the Sea God, Gemini soloed the pseudo-god of time, Yoma...”

Listening to Orihime's murmur, Ichigo Kurosaki felt a wave of speechlessness and asked from the depths of his soul,

“Wait!! Aren't there too many gods in the Underworld?!”

No wonder they all went after gods; it was truly out of necessity, with no other opponents to choose from! With so many gods on the other side, you could hit one just by throwing a brick, so all they could do was fight gods, right?

〜Konosuba World〜

Even the dim-witted goddess Aqua couldn't help but complain after watching:

“This is outrageous... According to that world's perspective, theoretically, that's a passage only gods can open.”

How could this human possibly touch the realm of the gods! It's too much of a cheat.

Kazuma's expression also became a bit more serious after hearing Aqua's words. Although Aqua was a dim-witted goddess, she was still a god, and what she said made some sense.

So he asked in confusion,

“Are you saying Aspros has the talent of a god?!”

Aqua shook her head,

“Perhaps it's because he's proficient in 'Another Dimension'!”

His 'Another Dimension' space's environment itself was very similar to a god's passage. In her opinion, a god's passage was more like an upgraded version of an 'Another Dimension'!

Other Gold Saints were already impressive enough, but Gemini was incredibly strong. It felt like there wasn't a single weak Gold Saint.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Having witnessed the arrogance of the gods within, Da Vinci was also very curious about the goddess who could command the loyalty of the Gold Saints:

“Perhaps only Athena can empathize with mortals and embrace all the light and darkness of humanity.”

Growing from a girl in the slums to the goddess of the Sanctuary, she had experienced human growth from a young age!

And her childhood experiences had already imbued her divinity with human emotions, destining her to become a goddess who could resonate with humanity!

Mash had a hint of sorrow:

“Yes... Aspros's brilliant life finally received affirmation from the goddess he once served.”

There are no people who are solely good or evil in this world. Aspros was not just evil, despite the many mistakes he had made.

But he was also a human who lived with all his might! In the last moments of his life, Gemini entrusted his hope to the next generation and left this world with a sense of relief.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

On Kanon Island, looking at his brother who ultimately dissipated, Defteros felt a touch of sadness, but more so, relief:

“You finally won, brother... I sincerely thank you, Lady Athena.”

The demon who once made our lives a mess finally died by our hands! The mistakes made in the past also received the Goddess's forgiveness.

But thinking that it was only the future, and the demon was still alive in the present, Defteros showed a cold smile again:

“Heh... Demon! Your good days are coming to an end.”

Perhaps he wasn't an opponent now, but the opponent's weakness had been exposed!

And what he needed to do now was to train specifically for Yoma's abilities, to make himself stronger! And then await the Holy War.

 。。。

And Yoma, mixed among the Specters, no longer had his former calm and composure. His face twisted with uncontrollable rage:

“BASTARD!!”

He never imagined that he, a god, would actually lose to mere humans, and to the two brothers he once toyed with!

Now all his cards were laid bare. Forget about seeking revenge on the heavens; he might not even get the Pegasus God Cloth!

 。。。。。

【 As Gemini dissipated, the scene shifted, returning to a short while ago, in the House of the Earth Star!

Radamanthys, empowered by divine blood, looked at a pillar nearby: “Since just now, you haven't hidden your gaze, only constantly looking at me. What exactly do you want to do?”

As Radamanthys spoke, Regulus of Leo emerged from behind the shadows, Radamanthys's figure reflected in his pupils: “Wyvern, all of it! All your movements, every gesture.”

“I merely observe and then firmly remember. And those whom I remember will all be surpassed by me.”

Radamanthys sneered, “So, you're just a brat who's surpassed those incompetent fools and gotten carried away?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Oh?! Now it's Leo and one of the Three Judges? But the height difference and age gap are too big.”

“Hahaha, Regulus seems a bit amusing. He doesn't hide himself at all, just stares openly at others. Isn't that a bit too arrogant?”

Everyone looked at Leo with a mix of laughter and tears. What could you possibly observe like that? You can't just watch someone walk a few times and discover their weakness, can you?

 。。。。。

【 The next second, the Wyvern bared his fangs and let out a roar: “Don't compare me to those incompetent fools... I have surpassed humanity!!”

“Roar of the Wyvern—!”

A terrifying roar emanated from his mouth, and wherever the powerful shockwave passed, the ground was all torn up. The little lion was also caught in it, pressed under the rubble.

Radamanthys looked at the scene of ruins before him, disdainfully turning his head: “Crushed to dust?!”

So he intended to turn and leave!

But...

Just as he turned around, a move identical to his, carrying immense power, struck him from behind!

That was... Roar of the Wyvern?!!

Radamanthys was filled with shock, but unable to dodge, he took the full force of the blow with his body! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No... Brother!! You're serious. Even a genius needs to follow basic laws. Can this really be learned just by watching?!”

“Heh, while others are still stunned and amazed watching someone use a move, he's already learned it and can counterattack!”

Everyone in other worlds was dumbfounded. Although there had been a precedent when fighting Violate!

But this time it was one of the Three Judges! The speed and power of the attacks far exceeded Violate's. And you can still learn it just by looking?!

When fighting Violate, he at least put on a show, taking a skill head-on and then silently taking a beating! That was considered courtesy... But now, he's not even pretending, is he?

“Surely not every move can be learned at a glance? What is this, Full Counter?! A certain captain has something to say...”

Damn, not just anyone can be a Gold Saint. No wonder he became Leo at such a young age. With this ability, who else would be?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Seeing this, Manigoldo didn't stand on ceremony, putting his arm around Regulus's shoulder in a brotherly fashion:

“Tell me honestly, do you always secretly watch people...”

Regulus scratched his hair, a little embarrassed:

“Uh... what aspect are you referring to?!”

Seeing Regulus's expression, Manigoldo's mouth twitched. He was certain this kid had learned all the Gold Saints' techniques!

Sisyphus, suddenly remembering something, quickly leaned into Regulus's ear and whispered,

“You learned the Genro Maoken, didn't you! It's a forbidden technique, don't use it carelessly...”

As Regulus's uncle, Sisyphus did not doubt that Regulus had learned all of Gemini's techniques shown on the screen!

Everyone present was a Gold Saint, so their whispers were no different from speaking loudly. The other Gold Saints pretended not to hear.

And the Pope, caught in the middle, didn't know what to say. The Genro Maoken was indeed a forbidden technique, but did Regulus count as secretly learning it? Yes!

But he didn't go to the Astrological Tower, so it wasn't really secretly learned; he learned it himself just by watching!

Sigh... forget it. He'd pretend not to hear. After all, he had high hopes for this once-in-a-century genius of the Sanctuary.

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Trust me, this one is almost done....)

Chapter 311: The man who conversed with the earth welcomes his end!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I know that move, ‘Return Evil Unto Evil’! Is that you… the legendary Northern Murong, Regulus, who stands alongside Southern Qiaofeng?!”

“Those eyes are even better than Copy Ninja Kakashi’s, aren’t they surprising, aren’t they exciting? I can do everything you can do!”

“Are you sure those eyes don’t have the Sharingan?”

The previous Celestial Solitary Stelle, Violate, had already told them with her life: 'never use techniques against Leo! Just like with Zetton, don’t use beam attacks.'

Don’t look at Leo’s young age; in everyone’s eyes, he’s a merciless copying machine. Any technique thrown at him can be thrown right back.

 。。。。。

【 Rhadamanthys, empowered by Hades’ divine blood, was no longer the same. Leo’s unexpected attack did not cause him much harm.

Seeing this, Regulus also felt a hint of regret: “What a shame, if you were the one from my memory, that attack just now should have finished you off!”

But at this moment, he was still full of confidence. If the opponent were only at this level, he could surpass him!

And Rhadamanthys looked at Regulus, who walked out of the ruins, with some surprise, his expression becoming slightly more serious: “To reach this level just by observing and imitating, it seems your ability to observe opponents is not an overly confident boast!”

However—

“In the end, it’s still within the scope of the human species!”

“This is the power bestowed upon me by Lord Hades… the power of a god that humans cannot surpass!!”

With that, Rhadamanthys took a step forward, his body slightly crouched, and an incredibly terrifying Cosmo erupted from within him. The phantom of a Wyvern appeared behind him.

“Roar slider—!”

His twin wings furiously flapped down, accompanied by the sound of thunder. His figure flashed, moving at a speed comparable to light, leaving Regulus nowhere to hide!

“Uwah—”

The tremendous impact hit him squarely. A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his body shot backward like a cannonball, piercing through the wall behind him, turning it into a pile of ruins and kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

Rhadamanthys looked at the enormous dust cloud before him and said indifferently, “After all, he is human.”

As the smoke dispersed, Rhadamanthys discovered that in the pitch-black ruins, the sharp, beast-like eyes, cold as a lion’s, still stared fixedly at him, like a hunter eyeing its prey!

Regulus pushed away the stone slab pressing down on him. Blood dripped onto the Gold Cloth, yet his face was still filled with excitement: “Although I bled a little.”

“But, hehe, I saw it very clearly—!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Didn’t Rhadamanthys stop being human after gaining Hades’ divine blood?! He doesn’t even see himself as human.”

“Damn it, compared to him, it seems Dohko, who also gained divine blood, is a bit weak…”

Rhadamanthys, with divine blood, was arrogant beyond measure, while Dohko, who also gained divine blood, was either severely injured or on his way to being severely injured.

Such a huge disparity, could it be that Athena’s divine blood expired?! After all, it was the previous generation’s blood, and it had been in a bottle for over 200 years. It really might have expired.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

“No… you saw it again?!”

Deathmask looked on in confusion,

“You got a beating, and you’re excited now?”

He really wanted to ask, What exactly did you see again? If you could see the opponent’s moves, why didn’t you dodge that attack?

Although he knew this incredibly young Leo Gold Saint might be a genius, he couldn’t possibly just get a beating and then be able to use the opponent’s move, right?

Even if you take a step back and assume you can perfectly replicate this move, it would be fine if you were Sagittarius, but you’re a Leo! Your Cloth doesn’t even have wings!!!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Fujimaru Ritsuka’s eyelid twitched upon seeing this, and he thought to himself,

“Divine blood is really effective… he’s practically a demigod now!”

Leo’s very first move already stated that if Rhadamanthys had taken that attack head-on before, he would have been killed just now!

And Rhadamanthys, empowered by divine blood, whether it was the aura he exuded, the power of his techniques, or the strength of his body!

It all seemed significantly higher than when he fought Cardia previously.

Da Vinci’s eyes flickered with a hint of light:

“I just wonder if the blood of Servants who descended with a Divine Core has any effect.”

There’s no helping it; divine blood, which can both heal and increase combat power, is truly useful! It really makes one unable to resist the urge to research it.

Dr. Roman heard this and immediately broke into a cold sweat, waving his hands:

“Please stop your suicidal thoughts…”

 。。。。。

【 “But, I can still surpass this level!” Regulus softly muttered. And this whispering, Rhadamanthys still heard it.

To him, it was like a thunderclap exploding in his ears!

“…What?!” An incredulous expression quickly crept onto Rhadamanthys’s face, but before he could recover from his shock!

Regulus’s body slightly crouched, already assuming the same stance as before:

“Next, it’s my turn!!”

Like a hunting lion crouching on the ground, the next second, he suddenly charged out, roaring like a phantom towards Rhadamanthys at an incredible speed!

Facing an identical offensive, Rhadamanthys’s eyes narrowed: “Did he really imitate it… but!”

“It’s just last-minute practice, the goal is too superficial!”

However, in a trance, he saw a familiar figure appear behind the young man before him!

Regulus’s fist had already slammed into his face, and in an instant, blood splattered!

Rhadamanthys’s helmet was knocked off by Regulus, and one of the horns on the helmet was broken!

Rhadamanthys ignored the blood flowing from his face and loudly questioned Regulus: “I saw someone’s figure on you just now. What is your relationship with that man?!!”

“That man who could communicate with the earth, Leo Ilias! To me, he is someone I can never forget!”

Regulus’s face seemed to be etched with sadness: “Of course you can’t forget! Because… he was the first one to break your horn!”

Speaking of this, the hatred hidden deep within his heart made Regulus’s face contort with anger: “HE IS MY FATHER!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, he actually pulled it off. If I remember correctly, your Cloth doesn’t have wings, so how did you perfectly replicate his move?!”

“How can he be so incredible, to even copy that move? That’s why I keep saying, never use techniques against Leo, but no one listens!”

Everyone couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Rhadamanthys’s move should have involved using the wings of his Cloth, so it was a bit unreasonable that Regulus could pull it off.

“When will he remember that he’s Leo, not Sagittarius! His Cloth doesn’t have wings!”

Even a genius has limits. To perform a move that requires wings with just his body is already beyond specification. Be careful, you might get banned!

 。。。。。

【 Thoughts return to 10 years ago, the day Regulus’s father was killed by Rhadamanthys!

As the son of Leo Ilias, Regulus had always believed his father was an incredible person. He could converse with forests, gentle breezes, and rivers!

When he was little, Regulus planned to catch a fish for dinner, but after trying for a long time, he not only caught nothing but also accidentally fell into the river.

Ilias pulled him out of the water and placed him on his shoulder. Then he put one hand into the water, concentrating, as if communicating with the fish!

The fish… really gathered?!

Little Regulus looked at the two fish in his father’s hand with amazement, then asked in confusion, “Why did you summon two fish?!”

Ilias looked at Regulus with loving eyes: “The earth told me an old friend would come to see me!”

Taking the two large fish, the little lion prepared a meal on the spot. Just then, a burly man entered their sight!

It was the young Taurus Hasgard!

Taurus Hasgard found the reclusive Leo father and son and immediately got straight to the point, asking Ilias to return to the Sanctuary! To help them resist the restless evil stars!

“Sagittarius, Gemini, and I are all still very young, and it hasn’t been long since we became Gold Saints… The current Sanctuary needs your power!”

“The power of the strongest Gold Saint, Leo Ilias!”

Ilias shook his head, pointing to the distant starry sky: “That star shining in the distance—it seems to have already died.”

“Huh?!” Hasgard turned back in confusion; the Star was clearly still shining with brilliant light. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, being able to communicate with nature, did the Great Lion commit incitement to crime, tricking the fish into his hands for dinner!”

Although no one knew how the Great Lion managed to communicate with forests, rivers, and even the earth! Everyone knew these two fish definitely lived long enough.

Everyone was a little curious about what the Great Lion said to these two fish that made them willingly sacrifice themselves.

“Did he tell the fish he wanted to eat them, and then they just bit the hook themselves?! If that’s true, eating them would feel like it lowers your IQ.”

“What does the Great Lion mean by that? Don’t be a riddle-man! What does ‘the shining star is already dead’ mean…”

Everyone from other worlds was stunned at this point. Did he mean that he looked alive, but was actually already dead?!

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: About those two, the legendary Northern Murong and Southern Qiaofeng are from Wuxia 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils', and I almost forgot HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!! And with that, I have a gift to everyone who is reading this, so keep looking forward to it (つ≧▽≦)つ )

Chapter 312: Using his own methods to repay his body!

Chapter Text

【 Such profound words were naturally incomprehensible to Taurus Hasgard, who looked at Ilias with a puzzled expression, always speaking in riddles.

“Please don't change the subject with incomprehensible answers!”

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Ilias to return to the Sanctuary, the straightforward Taurus decided to use force, even if it meant tying him up and dragging him back!

“Gigantic Ho—”

Before he could finish shouting, little Regulus stood in front of his father, stopping Taurus: “Dad didn't do anything wrong!”

The tender tone made Taurus even more ashamed, so he could only sit down helplessly, grab a grilled fish, and start eating, saying that he wouldn't give up easily. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Even Taurus knows to hate riddlers, can't he just speak openly instead of being so mysterious?”

“Hahaha, the young Taurus seems a bit reckless. Since the other party is the strongest Gold Saint, are you sure you can really beat him?!”

Everyone looked at Taurus, who was stopped by Regulus, and couldn't help but chuckle. Fortunately, he was stopped early; otherwise, the one lying down just now might have been... you.

 。。。。。

【 Early the next morning, while Taurus was still sound asleep, Ilias asked his son to cut his hair short! Revealing his handsome and weathered face—!

“Dad, why are you cutting your hair?! You're still going, aren't you? To the Sanctuary—.”

Ilias neither denied nor affirmed, only speaking in words that no one could understand: “Just this once, stepping back into the form of a warrior.”

“Cough, cough...” As Ilias coughed, his hands were stained with the blood he coughed up.

He was already terminally ill.

“The earth tells me that the man of destiny has arrived.”

After an unknown amount of time, Ilias, with short hair, put on the Leo Cloth and sat quietly in front of the tent, waiting for the enemy's arrival.

Soon, a group of Specters emerged from the forest, shouting that they would kill everyone here, only to find the village empty.

“Did you do this?! There's not a single soul in this village.”

Facing the Specters' question, Ilias instead asked them: “You claim you want to kill everyone, are you not even sparing children?”

The Frog Specter laughed even more wildly, scoffing with a loud laugh: “Of course, we are the immortal Specter army! The earth will be our territory sooner or later!”

Upon hearing this, Ilias fell silent. With his silence, the entire earth became quiet until a leaf slowly drifted down from the air.

The moment the leaf landed on his hand, the eerie silence was broken, and space was torn into fragments by countless rays of light!

The Specters, who were just showing off their power, also turned into fragments along with the shattered space, emitting painful screams, blood splashing like blooming flowers, and then falling into silence again.

Ilias understood that his enemy was never the Specters in front of him, but... “Right, Wyvern!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Now I finally understand what it means when a seemingly shining star is actually dead! It's not that he doesn't want to return to the Sanctuary, but his body won't allow it.”

“Holy cow, he truly lives up to his reputation as the strongest Gold Saint. With a body full of injuries, the punches he throws while sitting can even tear through space!”

Everyone from other worlds couldn't help but gasp. My goodness, at that speed, let alone punch shadows, I'd believe you if you told me he didn't move at all!

As for the power... Heh, a punch that can shatter space, could its power be weak?! Among the Specters who were just cursing, anyone who's still in one piece would be impressive.

 。。。。。

〜One Piece World〜

“Even someone as strong as that person can't escape the torment of illness?!”

Whitebeard, hooked up to an IV, watched Ilias cough up blood with a sigh.

Without Devil Fruit abilities, sitting on the ground without moving a step, and under the torment of injuries, he could unleash such powerful punches with just his physical body, which was truly admirable!

Marco, with his pineapple-shaped hair:

“So, the little lion was so angry before because Ilias lost to Wyvern?!”

It seems that Ilias can't even move his body now, so it's not surprising that he lost to Radamanthys.

It's a pity, this seems like a curse, every man hailed as the strongest carries a body full of illnesses!

But there's one thing Marco didn't understand: are those Specters colorblind?!

With such a gleaming Gold Cloth right there, what gave them the courage to face a Gold Saint directly?

 。。。。。

【 Wyvern Radamanthys appeared from behind Ilias, bringing a monstrous black flame down into the forest!

On the other side, Hasgard walked with the sleeping Regulus and the evacuating villagers. Regulus slowly woke from his slumber.

What met his eyes was the forest burning fiercely, and at this moment, Radamanthys' subordinate, Balron Lune, appeared before them, also holding back Hasgard.

The little lion, worried about his father's safety, took advantage of this gap to run towards the village!

“My heart is pounding fiercely, a bit like fear... but what am I afraid of?!”

A vague, ominous premonition enveloped him, the same feeling as when his mother left him!

After a long search in the jungle, Regulus pushed aside the dense foliage, and what met his eyes was Radamanthys stepping on Leo's chest.

He mocked Ilias with a wide grin: “You truly underestimate the battlefield. With your terminally ill lungs, do you still think you can beat me?!”

“Absurd!”

With that, he kicked Ilias away. Seeing this, Regulus cried out and ran from the jungle to his father's side: “Dad!! Please wake up!”

Ilias lay weakly on the ground, looking at his son's face: “The old star is about to disappear, and the new star is right here!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This must be late-stage lung cancer. He was already spitting blood before the fight. Illness and injury are always the most troubling problems for veterans!”

Everyone was helpless. Even if Ilias could communicate with the earth, even if he was the strongest Gold Saint Leo, he still couldn't escape one point... he was still just a human.

As long as he was human, he couldn't escape birth, old age, sickness, and death. He possessed immense power, but due to his already terminally ill body, he couldn't wield it.

If it weren't for his illness, it's believed that even if Radamanthys was one of the Three Judges, he wouldn't have been able to defeat Ilias so easily!

And now, as Ilias said, the old star is about to fade; this is the inheritance between father and son. An incredibly talented star is rising!

Regulus later truly inherited his father's Leo Gold Cloth, radiating a dazzling light.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing the sudden appearance of Regulus, Radamanthys showed no mercy, immediately preparing to kill both of them!

In an instant, a gigantic Wyvern phantom appeared behind him, its horns carrying a violent and ferocious aura, rushing towards the two Leo Saints with boundless power!

But Ilias smiled and said, “Wyvern, your horns cannot kill this child!”

“Lightning Plasma Fist—!”

At this moment, space instantly shattered, and wild winds howled! Even the forest fire consuming the trees was extinguished by Leo's attack.

Then, a faint and gentle voice reached Regulus's ears: “Run, Regulus, your light will shine in the night sky after today!”

Suddenly, a brilliant light illuminated the earth. The forest was already a mess, and Ilias's heart was pierced by the Wyvern's horn!

But his right hand broke off the Wyvern's other horn, and the vanished Regulus was thus saved!

And in a place invisible to Radamanthys, the gentle breeze brought Ilias's final message to Regulus: “Regulus... my physical life has reached its end, but! I still exist everywhere in the world!”

“I exist in everything you observe and feel. Go anywhere freely, that is...”

“What I mean by conversing with the earth!”

The scene returns to the present, and the gears of destiny have brought the former little lion face-to-face with his father's killer! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy cow, to be able to unleash techniques with such a body is already a miracle, and he even managed to break one of Radamanthys's Surplice horns.”

Everyone from other worlds also noticed that Ilias hadn't actively moved from the beginning... or rather, his body no longer supported his movement.

His physical body had died, yet he still existed everywhere in the world and could even convey his final wishes to Regulus through the wind. This was the final curtain call for Leo, who could converse with the earth.

 。。。。。

 

( Author-san: Next up is Leo's high-energy moments, solo Exclamation, and the Zodiac Twelve Roars. )

 

( Translator-kun: HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone—again! The gift 🎁 I mentioned is finally here! Starting right now, I’ll be releasing one chapter every hour until midnight. That’s right—you’ll get a new chapter each hour, for a total of 13 chapters! Happy reading ( ˘▽˘)っ♨ 

Chapter 313: One person opens A.E.! Regulus's terrifying genius

Chapter Text

【 In the Palace of the Earth Demon Star, only now did Radamanthys finally understand: “So that's it, you were the one back then!...”

Even after knowing the opponent's identity, Radamanthys showed no fear, but instead mocked the opponent's overestimation of his own strength: “Foolish, I am no longer the same as I was ten years ago!”

Having received the blessing of divine blood, he was no longer what he used to be. A mere Leo Gold Saint was no longer in his eyes.

But for Regulus, it was completely different. Now the enemy was right in front of him, and the scene of his father being killed was still vivid in his mind!

“I kept recalling the scene of that day, Dad's voice, his moves, the flow of your power, the speed of your punches... I don't know how many times I've thought about it... how many times...”

The scene of revenge had played out countless times in his mind, and today he was going to surpass it: “I've seen those differences too, whether you're human or god! As long as you're still you, I'LL SURPASS YOU AND SHOW YOU!!”

“LIGHTNING PLASMA—!!”

Light gathered around Regulus's body, and the ultimate technique of the Leo Gold Saint was once again unleashed!

In an instant, space was torn into countless fragments as if cut by a sharp blade, including the spot where Radamanthys stood!

The ruthless blades silently cut through space and landed on Radamanthys's body, but the moment they touched his body, they all bounced back!

They couldn't cause any substantial damage to him at all!

The little lion's eyes widened when he saw this scene, his face full of disbelief!

But the experienced Wyvern wouldn't miss this opportunity, and a powerful punch heavily struck Regulus's body!

Blood accompanied Regulus's body as he was sent flying backward, finally falling heavily to the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Even though Dohko, who also possesses divine blood, didn't get much of a power boost, why did Radamanthys strengthen so much!”

“Now the Lightning Plasma can tear through space, but can't harm Radamanthys's body. Did Hades' divine blood really make him a god?!”

Everyone saw the shadow of Thanatos, the god of death, in Radamanthys. Back then, Manigoldo also barely grazed the god of death by detonating countless undead...

It can't be that a single drop of Hades' blood made Radamanthys's body so powerful! The Lightning Plasma, which can tear through space, had no effect at all.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Sisyphus also frowned when he saw this:

“How could this be... The power of this punch should have surpassed the punch from 10 years ago!”

Back then, his brother Ilias's punches were not at their peak due to his physical condition!

But... with Regulus's talent, plus the moves he constantly recalled, imitated, and practiced day and night in his mind, the punch he just threw should have been even stronger than before!

Why did it have no effect instead...!!

Regulus also clenched his fists at this moment, extremely unwilling. The enemy he had longed for was right in front of him, but the punch he threw couldn't cause him even a bit of harm.

Cardia placed his hand on his chest, feeling the hot beating heart inside:

“That's because Radamanthys has adapted to the divine blood...”

Because his own heart also had divine blood, but it couldn't withstand the power of the goddess's blood. Once his Cosmos burned to the extreme, his heart would overburn!

He just didn't expect that Radamanthys could use Hades' divine blood to extinguish his burning heart, and also benefit from it by enduring the erosion of the divine blood!

Degel, holding a book, also had a solemn expression:

“If I'm not mistaken, this move should be Leo's ultimate technique! Then next...”

Degel didn't say the rest, but everyone knew what he meant.

With the ultimate technique having no effect, they couldn't think of a way for Regulus to win!

 。。。。。

【 “It was clearly the Lightning Plasma used with full power...”

Regulus, lying on his back on the ground, spat out blood, his eyes filled with unwillingness: “In the ten years after Dad was killed by that guy... I always thought I would definitely beat him to a pulp...”

But the next second, his eyes became even fiercer, staring at Radamanthys with sharp, beast-like eyes, once again looking for an opportunity to attack!

Radamanthys, however, sneered: “I haven't even gotten serious yet.”

“There's a world of difference between the power of a god and the power of a human!”

The little lion instantly sprang up from the ground upon hearing this, retorting:

“You're just a human yourself, yet you're so arrogant!”

“Then...”

“LET ME SHOW YOU A TECHNIQUE THAT SURPASSES THE POWER OF YOUR GOD!!”

Regulus knelt on one knee, his Cosmos beginning to boil around him: “This technique is one that I, my master, and Shion could only perform when we broke through!”

“Though small in scale, IT IS AN ULTIMATE TECHNIQUE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RIVAL THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait, this can't be... No matter how much of a genius Regulus is, he can't break through the limit of the number of people!”

“Is it going to be that exaggerated!! It was already a miracle that he could use Radamanthys's moves without wings on his Cloth, and now he wants to perform a three-person move by himself?!”

Everyone suspected that their ears were playing tricks on them. This was a move that even Athena had forbidden, and it had only been used once... and you can do it too?!

Even if you can do it, do you want to do it alone?! If another saint were here to hear you say that, they would definitely yell... Bragging!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Leo Aiolia was half-skeptical:

“No... no way...”

He had used it once with Scorpio Milo and Aries Mu and understood that such power could simply not be unleashed by a single person!

Could this Regulus really break through common sense?!

You know, this is a three-in-one technique that requires three Gold Saints to condense their Cosmos into a single point!

It fundamentally rules out the possibility of single-person use!

But his genius level of becoming a Gold Saint at fifteen, and his ability to learn any move at a glance, seemed to be telling everyone... he really could!

 。。。。。

【 “ATHENA EXCLAMATION—!!!” In an instant, accompanied by Regulus's roar, brilliant light carrying unparalleled power tore through the sky, and the entire Palace of the Earth Demon Star was instantly ripped apart, blasting towards the Wyvern!

Even light! Could not escape, and was swallowed up at this moment.....

“So that's it, worthy of Ilias's son! But... It's still powerless before the power of a god!”

To Regulus's astonished gaze, an attack capable of creating an explosion comparable to the universe in a very small range was split in half by the latter! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap... he actually used it, how old is he! He can learn even this level of forbidden technique at a glance and even unleash it?!”

Everyone was struck by lightning, frozen in place, forgetting to breathe, their blood seeming to instantly congeal, their eyes filled with shock and confusion, as if completely stunned by the scene before them!

The scene before them gave them an unreal feeling! What did they see?!

“The little lion Regulus unleashed the Athena Exclamation by himself, and Radamanthys actually split the move in half!”

Two impossible things mixed together, giving people a feeling of doubting life... Is the divine blood's blessing effect that great?! This move didn't even work!!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

After seeing this scene, everyone in Chaldea was instantly speechless:

“This...”

Da Vinci slowly let out a long breath:

“A fifteen-year-old boy, not yet an adult, became a Gold Saint, unleashing a combined technique by himself... If you give him a few more years, wouldn't he solo the Underworld Army?!”

This can no longer be called a genius; this is God chasing after him to feed him! If he were allowed to grow, he might become the strongest Gold Saint in history!

Fujimaru Ritsuka frowned slightly:

“The divine blood Radamanthys is ridiculously strong...!”

He could even split such a powerful attack with his bare hands. Is the blessing of divine blood that great?! How can Regulus fight... he can't even break through his defense!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Aries Shion looked at Regulus with a ghost-like expression:

“This kid, he really used it...”

The essence of AE is the instantaneous explosion of a large amount of Cosmos concentrated together. Theoretically, it can be performed by a single person...

However, that's only in theory. The Sanctuary has produced geniuses over the years, but no one has been able to do it!

Although Degel had heard of Leo's genius, he didn't expect it to be this exaggerated:

“To what extent is his talent exaggerated!”

He can even understand such moves directly through his talent, and then dismantle and absorb them! He's simply a prodigy.

Compared to the astonishment of the other Gold Saints, Regulus was extremely unwilling. Did even this move not work!!

Although the move was unleashed, there was still a gap between an Athena Exclamation unleashed by one person and one unleashed by three people working together!

After all, one person's Cosmos can never compare to the Cosmos of three Gold Saints.

 。。。。。

Chapter 314: The Screaming of the Finale of the Twelve Zodiac Gold Saints!!

Chapter Text

【 And Radamanthys launched a counterattack the moment he split the attack, and a divine pressure erupted from his body.

A powerful storm lifted the ground, and Regulus's body was thrown high into the sky!

Regulus's heart sank slightly in mid-air, filled with unwillingness: “That guy neutralized A.E... Is this the power of a god! I'm not reconciled...”

“No... It's not over yet!!”

The feeling of disappointment lasted only for an instant, and the unwilling Regulus spread his arms and roared to the sky: “This is not my limit yet!!”

Regulus, flying towards the sky, seemed to turn into a star, and behind him, the guardian constellations of the 12 Gold Saints were slowly emerging!

“Since even Athena's Exclamation can't defeat you...”

A giant astrolabe was slowly rotating like a brilliant sun.

And on the astrolabe, the figures of the twelve Gold Saints also emerged from their constellations, standing proudly on their corresponding constellations, looking down at Radamanthys below!

“Then I'll combine the strongest moves of the 12 strongest humans!! To defeat you!!”

“They possess the strongest bodies, strength, and the essence of sensation among humans!”

These are the people Regulus has been looking up to ever since he came to the Sanctuary!! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, you're kidding me, THE STRONGEST MOVES OF THE TWELVE GOLD SAINTS CAN ACTUALLY MERGE INTO ONE!!!”

“I can only say that Leo Regulus really isn't a reincarnation of some god?! He must have forgotten to wash away his memories from his previous life!!”

Leo Regulus, a genius rarely seen in the Sanctuary for a hundred years, once again made everyone exclaim in admiration.

It must be known that the premise for merging the strongest moves of the twelve Gold Saints into one... is that he must know the moves of all the Saints in the Twelve Zodiac.

It's just... the abnormal skills of the Gold Saints, for others, it might take a lifetime to learn even one move!

And Regulus is only 15 years old! No matter how talented he is, if he practiced one move from other Gold Saints each year, it would still take twelve years!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

The Sanctuary, all the Gold Saints watched dumbfounded, instinctively looking towards the Leo Palace in the Twelve Palaces.

After all, if Athena's Exclamation could be performed by a single person, everyone had to believe that this Regulus could really pull it off!

And Aiolia in the Leo Palace had a dazed look in his eyes, his expression somewhat blank:

“Does this young senior have no limits... Even a genius has a bottom line!”

If the Gold Saints' moves were so easy to learn, they wouldn't just learn the moves of their exclusive constellations!

And this young senior not only learned all the moves of the Twelve Palaces, but he even ingeniously combined them into one, creating his own unique moves!

〜Bleach World〜

Ichigo Kurosaki stared at the shimmering figure on the screen:

“How did Regulus learn all the moves of the Twelve Palaces in the Sanctuary...”

For people like El Cid, it's understandable that Excalibur requires constant practice and refinement! Regulus's talent for learning at a glance is still comprehensible.

But... for mental moves like Virgo Asmita's, how did Regulus learn them? He couldn't have just learned them by watching how they walked or meditated, right?

Rukia slowly shook her head:

“Ichigo! That's not the point; the point is he's only 15 years old, he's not even an adult yet...”

It seems Regulus joined the Sanctuary when his father died at the age of seven or eight, and now he's 15! That's only seven or eight years in total.

His good friend Yato, who was with him at the same time, is still a Bronze Saint, while he has become a Gold Saint.

In such a short time, not only did he learn his own exclusive moves, but he also mastered all the moves of other Gold Saints...

Ichigo Kurosaki, who mastered Bankai in three days, was thought to be a rare genius! But he never expected there to be such a prodigy in other worlds.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“Although it's not the concentrated physical power of the 12 Gold Saints, but the power of the twelve constellations concentrated together... but... IT'S ENOUGH!!!”

Seeing this scene, the Pope didn't know whether to be happy or regretful. This could be said to be the best generation of Gold Saints he had ever led.

He was happy that with Regulus's genius, if he continued to grow, there might not be anyone in the Specter Army who would be his opponent...

The pity was that the Holy War was imminent, and there was no time for Regulus to continue growing, reaching this level at 15 years old.

It's hard to imagine what terrifying extent his strength would reach if he became an adult and his body reached its peak!

Manigoldo of Cancer, who considered himself a genius, was also a little frightened... He stared suspiciously at Regulus's small figure, wondering if he was really not a god reincarnated?!

Learning our moves, that's understandable! After all, they, the Gold Saints, usually practice their moves, but Virgo Asmita is a mystic.

Normally, let alone seeing him practice moves, you rarely even see him, so how did you learn?!

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, the positions of man and god seemed to be reversed, and the light of the twelve constellations would illuminate this land!

“Light—THE TRUE STRENGTH OF HUMANITY!!”

“ZODIAC CLAMATION—!!”

The Zodiac Clamation instantly blasted out, and the 12 guardian constellations transformed into fierce beasts at this moment, surging towards Radamanthys below with the force of thunder!

Wherever it passed, even space was shattered, and everything would be annihilated by this move. In an instant, dazzling white light filled the entire screen.

It was as if starlight had fallen to the earth, and the brilliant light instantly engulfed Radamanthys, furiously destroying his armor and body!

“Ugh ugh ugh...”

At this moment, it seemed as if the earth was trembling and fearful, and Radamanthys, who had been so arrogant just now, finally let out a painful roar!

Regulus's eyes also became more ferocious: “Go... JUST LIKE THAT!!! Surpass even a god—”

The Cosmo continuously outputted into the center of the storm, like a brilliant sun illuminating the earth, and Radamanthys's armor in the center of the light also began to shatter! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He really... pulled it off...!”

Everyone in other worlds exclaimed, all staring intently at the screen at this moment, their hands trembling involuntarily, as if witnessing an unbelievable miracle.

This was the ultimate light of humanity, the shimmering brilliance of the twelve Gold Guardian Constellations, the ultimate limit Regulus could reach as a human.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Deathmask showed a bitter smile:

“Zodiac Clamation... This is genius!”

He thought that Regulus's single-handed Athena's Exclamation was already miraculous enough, but he never expected him to surpass the limit once again.

Are the previous generation of Gold Saints all this competitive? Each one is more formidable than the last, and this even more formidable one isn't even an adult yet...

Aphrodite of Pisces was also somewhat astonished at this moment:

“This guy seems a bit abnormal!”

That guy Deathmask only knows one move, while Regulus has so many moves he can barely use them all.

To... to learn all moves just by watching them once, and to be able to combine them! That's just too amazing.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

The Wise Gilgamesh's eyes were filled with praise:

“This is definitely the most talented person this king has ever seen!”

Merlin nodded silently beside him:

“Indeed, if you told me he was the reincarnation of a god, I'd believe it...”

This can no longer be described as merely exceptionally talented, after all, Regulus's age is frighteningly young, and his training time is pitifully short.

One wonders if his mysterious father, the man who could communicate with the earth, foresaw this scene?!

Merlin recalled Ilias's last words:

“The aging stars are about to disappear, and the new star is here, and he will shine in the night sky from now on... Is that it...”

Did this father already foresee this scene, the inheritance and succession among the Leos, and Regulus indeed shines in the night sky as he said...

 。。。。。

【 Just as Radamanthys was about to be annihilated, an invisible force enveloped him in space, preventing the storm from advancing further.

Then Regulus was astonished to find that Radamanthys had actually blocked the Zodiac Twelve Star Ultimate Roar!

“It was blocked... even 12 ultimate techniques...”

“Not... not yet...!!!”

Seeing this, Regulus became even more frantic, beginning to squeeze out the last bit of strength from his body, pushing towards the center of the storm!

But at this very moment, blood actually sprayed from his body; his body had reached its limit and could no longer bear it!

Finally, he fell helplessly. This was the limit of humanity; his body could no longer withstand more power being poured in!

“Did your immature body collapse first instead?!”

Radamanthys, who was enduring the attack, also noticed the change in Regulus's body!

At this moment, even Alone's gaze was fixed on the battle in the Palace of Earth Demon Star; for him, this battle was more like a microcosm of the war between man and god.

“Human history constantly pushes the boundaries of what is believed to be the limits set by God.”

“Leo... can you surpass Radamanthys?” 】

 。。。。。

And now the answer seems to have been revealed. Regulus, like the humans who challenged gods in Greek mythology, ultimately failed and died...

 

Chapter 315: The disintegrating body of Regulus!

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“How is this possible... he actually blocked the Zodiac Clamation! You know, this is a move that combines the strongest 12 Gold Saints.”

Everyone looked at the scene before them in disbelief. Such a terrifying and extreme move was actually blocked!

Strictly speaking, Scorpio had already killed Radamanthys, but Hades' divine blood saved him! But... is the amplification of this divine blood so great?!

He endured two super-standard moves in a row and was fine. Radamanthys must have activated a health lock cheat. Dohko, who also received divine blood, didn't get such a significant power boost.

On the other hand, Regulus's body couldn't bear it and collapsed first.

“No matter how strong Regulus is, he's still just a 15-year-old boy. His body has reached its limit!”

Everyone sighed at the sight. His body hadn't developed to its peak, so he couldn't withstand such terrifying power output. Not only did he fail to kill Radamanthys, but he was the first to collapse.

Such a talented young man dying before adulthood would definitely be a great regret for the Sanctuary!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

In the Sanctuary, Regulus, seeing this scene, could no longer control himself and angrily punched the ground, shattering it:

“I've thought about it thousands of times in my mind, but I still can't avenge my father...”

The newly learned Athena Exclamation was useless, and even the fusion of the twelve Gold Saints' moves had no effect!

“My enemy is right in front of me, but I can't do anything!!”

Sisyphus let out an almost inaudible sigh, reaching out to pat the latter's shoulder:

“Regulus, cheer up!”

Even so, Sisyphus was actually a little unwilling in his heart. Was Radamanthys, empowered by divine blood, truly unbeatable?!

Regulus's genius performance, he almost forgot, he was still just a fifteen-year-old boy. His body couldn't keep up with his techniques! Instead, it collapsed first.

Albafica, who was nearby, saw the truth:

“Although Leo can learn moves at a glance, he can't unleash the full power of all moves.”

Each Gold Saint's move is mastered through countless hours of rigorous practice, and while Regulus could learn them, he didn't have time to practice...

Age was his biggest weakness. What he unleashed were ultimately just techniques, techniques with form but lacking the powerful Cosmo and body to support them.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Hmph—!!”

Touma Kamijou gasped, never expecting it to end this way.

Regulus lost because of his body. If he had held on a little longer, he might have been able to completely finish off Radamanthys.

It's like drawing water from a pond; if the water volume suddenly surges, the pipe will be the first to burst!

In the Tokiwadai dorm, Kuroko's gaze was subtle:

“Is Hades really that idle? While they're fighting for their lives, he's actually spectating?!”

Doesn't that mean even if Regulus won against Radamanthys, this spectating Hades would end his life?!...

However, one thing is true: In Greek mythology, humans who challenged the gods rarely met good endings; their attempts always ended in failure!

 。。。。。

【 All power has been exhausted, and Regulus's consciousness returned to a void.

Vaguely, he seemed to see a figure sitting on a cliff. From that person, Regulus felt a familiar sensation: “Is that Dad sitting there?!”

As he got closer, he realized it wasn't his father, but Sagittarius Sisyphus. So he asked in confusion: “Is that Sisyphus?! What are you doing?!”

Sisyphus turned his head and looked at the young figure before him with gentle eyes: “Talking to the wind... talking to my brother... no, talking to your father.”

Hearing this, Regulus's face was filled with melancholy: “Where is Dad... did he say anything?”

Then, sadness slowly crept onto Regulus's face, his voice a little choked: “I've clearly... always been searching for Dad's traces!”

He had clearly always followed his father's last instructions, meticulously observing everything around him!

“Why... can't I hear it, Dad's voice! Neither in the wind nor on the earth.”

Looking at Regulus's incredibly sad face, Sisyphus's voice became even gentler: “Just let it be, because I am everywhere! That's what he said.”

“One day you will understand, because that person exists not only in the wind, but also in your heart...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Sagittarius and Regulus are actually relatives?! No wonder when they attacked Hades' Castle, he stood by so obediently. So it was bloodline suppression!”

“A family of three loyalists. Ilias died at Radamanthys's hands, Sisyphus dug out his heart to open the gate, leaving only Regulus as the sole heir.”

Everyone was a little confused as to why Regulus could still see the deceased Sisyphus at this moment, or rather, why Regulus was still alive...

Or perhaps, those who have awakened the Eighth Sense are just that powerful? Even the dead Sisyphus could still come to guide his descendant!

“But... just explain it clearly, it's already this late, don't be a riddler. He's the last remaining heir, save him!”

Everyone was practically dying of anxiety. Regulus was almost gone, and his father and uncle were still pulling this stunt.

 。。。。。

【 It was as if a light shone into Regulus's mind, and he instantly realized, a murmur slowly emerging.

“Dad has always been by my side!”

At this moment, the explosion in the Palace of Earth Demon Star continued, the immense sound thundering in their ears, lasting for a long time before finally dissipating.

On the entire battlefield, only Radamanthys remained alone, recalling the battle just now, he felt a sense of surviving a catastrophe.

Looking at the huge crater in Elysium made by the Zodiac Clamation, Radamanthys had to admit one thing: “In terms of pure power, it truly surpasses humanity!”

“Little Leo! Did you vanish completely, leaving only your Cloth behind...?”

On the cliff formed by the huge crater, Regulus was nowhere to be seen; only the Leo Cloth remained. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Even Elysium was pierced by that move, but why is Radamanthys unharmed?!”

“A move that surpasses humans, but is limited by the body. The limit of humanity can probably only reach this level...”

The Zodiac Clamation piercing Elysium already proved the value of that move, but it was as if Radamanthys had activated a health lock cheat.

Everyone sighed slightly. The imagined counter-kill didn't happen. Regulus's body had dissipated like Cancer Manigoldo's, leaving only the Gold Cloth. The scene just now felt more like a dying vision!

 。。。。。

【 Just as Radamanthys was lamenting, an unintentional glance made him freeze!

Just then, a figure slowly appeared next to the Gold Cloth. Regulus, who had previously vanished into thin air, was now sitting cross-legged on the cliff.

The scene before him made Radamanthys's eyelids twitch: “Is he still alive...?”

However, what surprised Radamanthys the most was that he couldn't feel any aura from Regulus, nor any fluctuation of his Cosmo!

Radamanthys, filled with doubt, asked Regulus: “What else do you plan to do?! You've even taken off your Gold Cloth, and you're turning your back on me, your enemy!”

Regulus didn't turn his head: “Nothing, I'm just looking at my homeland.”

“In that case, say goodbye to the earth!”

In a flash, the Wyvern's fist had already slammed towards the latter's back, but before the punch's wind could even touch the latter's body, the latter had already vanished!

The next moment, he appeared behind the Wyvern like a ghost, an intense sense of crisis enveloping the latter's heart!

“What's wrong with that guy?! His entire demeanor seems to have changed!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He's dead, right? Radamanthys said Regulus had no aura, and even his Cosmo couldn't be felt.”

Such a miraculous scene naturally caught everyone's attention, but they also didn't understand Regulus's current state. Was he dead or alive?

If the latter was already dead, what was the Regulus appearing before Radamanthys?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Illya muttered to herself:

“Although I don't get it, do Leo and his family all have a hobby of sitting on cliffs?!”

Ilias did, Sisyphus, who just appeared, did, and now even Regulus can't escape it. Is a cliff really that attractive?

Rin Tohsaka chimed in:

“They are male lions after all, maybe they all want to stand on high ground and survey their territory?!”

Only Archer bothered to acknowledge Illya and their banter, instead pondering the current situation:

“Regulus should be in a soul state now, similar to a Heroic Spirit...”

Taking off the Cloth is very likely because he can't wear it anymore. His physical body is dead; he is just a soul now.

But, no aura, no Cosmo also means he can't attack...

 。。。。。

Chapter 316: I truly wish you could have lived. Among us, Gold Saints.

Summary:

(Author-san: Next up is Pegasus God Cloth, Pegasus God Generation 2!)

Chapter Text

【 Without any more wasted words, Rhadamanthys struck the figure behind him again, but the result was the same as last time!

Regulus's figure dissipated like smoke, making Rhadamanthys stare in bewilderment: “What in the world is going on?! I didn't feel like I hit anything.”

“It felt... like fighting the wind!”

Rhadamanthys felt as if he were lost in a perilous forest, with a ferocious lion lurking in the jungle.

Suddenly, it seemed as if a gust of wind blew past...

The next second, Regulus's figure had already appeared before him, his right fist still in a striking pose!

At the same time, the armor on Rhadamanthys's chest began to crack, and in the exposed area, the heart infused with divine blood was directly revealed!

Rhadamanthys stared at his exposed heart, momentarily stunned. When exactly had he been hit?!

“Ugh ah ah ah—”

A moment later, an intense pain surged through him, and Rhadamanthys hysterically questioned the little lion: “You... what did you do...!!”

“Why does it have such power... without a Cloth!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This must be a haunting! Rhadamanthys's fists can't hit Regulus, but the latter can actually cause damage.”

“And the little lion seems to have gotten stronger. A punch as light as a breeze didn't even give the Wyvern time to react, directly striking him through the heart!”

Regulus's current existence is very peculiar, as if he has long since dissipated, yet is everywhere... making everyone feel that he is now integrated with nature, just like his deceased father!

It's not that he isn't wearing a Cloth, but that his physical body was annihilated in that technique, the Zodiac Exclamation, and he can no longer wear a Cloth.

Moreover, everyone also discovered that those who don't wear Cloths are even more powerful. Is a Cloth such an inconvenience?!

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World, Seireitei〜

“Regulus can hit people, but others can't hit him?!”

In the Soul Society, the captains were also very surprised to see the miraculous scene before them.

This... is cheating!

The little lion who couldn't cause effective damage with all his previous techniques now, without a Cloth, punches Rhadamanthys through the heart?!

It's almost like an illusory existence, visible but untouchable, yet Regulus can still attack!

The Head Captain narrowed his eyes, leaning on his long sword with both hands:

“Unity of Heaven and Man, feeling like the wind, able to gather and disperse, untouchable, yet omnipresent.”

He was a born warrior, able to learn various combat skills like child's play with just a glance! He was a true genius.

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

Yuji Itadori exclaimed in surprise:

“Isn't that the Void Monster Greeza!... Uh... Regulus!”

There were also some tokusatsu shows in their world, and Yuji watched plenty of them when he was a child. Regulus's current state was exactly like the Void Monster.

“It is completely 'nothing,' 'non-existent,' a life form without any material or energy reactions.”

Nobara Kugisaki, who never watched such things, was full of questions:

“Uh... what does that mean?!”

Seeing Yuji struggling to describe it, Satoru Gojo took over the conversation with interest:

“To put it simply, it means I can hit you, but you can't hit me! It's such an unreasonable existence.”

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Although he understood that Regulus had actually passed away, Sisyphus felt deeply comforted:

“Regulus... has finally reached the realm of his father, Ilias!”

Regulus had achieved what he had always dreamed of. Now, he must be able to hear his father's voice!

The Pope sighed slightly:

“The Eighth Sense... Regulus is now like the wind; it is not any form, and it can be any form.”

This was the state of Leo's father, Ilias, without illness, and for Rhadamanthys, who possessed divine blood, it was just a punch!

To reach such a level at such a young age is truly unprecedented!

 。。。。。

【 However, when Rhadamanthys saw Regulus's somewhat erratic body, he finally understood: “So that's it, a body like the wind, you...!”

Regulus looked back at him: “Yes, I am already a part of the earth!”

“I can also hear my father's voice!”

His physical body had returned to the earth, becoming one with it, and his soul was omnipresent in the sky, drifting with the gentle breeze.

“This is the world my father felt! I took a long detour, but I finally reached it...”

“Speaking with the earth!”

“Lightning Plasma—!”

The little lion's simple and unadorned punch struck out again, easily hitting Rhadamanthys's chest!

Although this punch was far less spectacular than the previous two divine techniques, the latter was completely unable to dodge, or rather... had nowhere to hide!

The destructive power directly pierced through all of Rhadamanthys's defenses. Wherever the light reached, everything was destroyed!

Including that heart infused with divine blood!

Blood spurted from the latter's body, his pupils filled with shock: “I couldn't dodge his punch... I was watching him... I... actually...”

From his back, the little lion's fist pierced through, but it carried no color, as if even the blood had evaporated!

“Lightning... Plasma... For killing a Wyvern, it's truly a simple technique!”

As the little lion's fist was pulled out of the Wyvern's body, a huge hole appeared in the latter's chest. The Wyvern finally realized his defeat.

“Truly magnificent, you have surpassed the power of a god and reached this realm...”

The powerful yet ruthless Rhadamanthys couldn't help but acknowledge the little lion's abilities displayed in this battle!

The little lion's eyes no longer held the previous hatred, and he told the Wyvern with a smile: “I could hear it throughout the battle, just as I was seeking my father...”

“You, too, are just searching for someone's figure!”

As the vitality in Rhadamanthys's eyes rapidly faded.

Regulus's figure also began to dissipate. Finally, he walked to his comrade, the Leo Gold Cloth.

“Sorry, Tenma, Shion! I originally wanted to play a bit longer...”

“Oh, it seems I'm about done too... But I'll be everywhere, right... Father!”

His thoughts would drift further with the breeze, existing with all things in the world! The gentle breeze brushed past his illusory body, taking away his last gaze.

Only the Leo Gold Cloth remained, lonely on the ground! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This is his father's realm. It seems that if he hadn't been ill, dealing with the divine-blooded Rhadamanthys would have been a single punch!”

“The Leo family has three Eighth Senses. This bloodline is truly amazing, truly surpassing the power of a god...”

Everyone felt sadness at the passing of Leo. A 15-year-old boy achieving such a level was truly astonishing and brought them too many incredible things.

In the end, everyone realized that the little lion had already died. The last punch he threw was just a remnant of his consciousness.

He saw it clearly, yet couldn't dodge it, and its power was astonishing.

And this was the Eighth Sense that the little lion had just comprehended, but his father had comprehended it for many years. From this, it can be seen that if he hadn't been ill, the old lion could have instantly killed Rhadamanthys!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Da Vinci sighed slightly:

“His departing back was still just a child!”

He performed one incredible technique after another, making them forget that this powerful warrior was just a gifted young man.

He spent his entire life pursuing his father's footsteps, and only upon his departure did he finally hear his father's voice!

Dr. Romani's voice was low:

“Yes... It's hard to imagine how strong Ilias, known as the strongest Saint, Leo, would have been if he hadn't been ill!”

To maintain the Eighth Sense in a normal state for so many years... but, even with the power of the Eighth Sense, one still cannot escape birth, old age, sickness, and death. Humans are still human after all.

It is truly heartbreaking that such a young and gifted little lion died like this.

〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜

Leo Aiolia looked at the screen with dissatisfaction:

“Tsk, if it weren't for the divine blood, Rhadamanthys would have died long ago!”

This Rhadamanthys is simply a tank. He survived Scorpio's Antares and lasted until Hades gave him divine blood.

He also blocked a solo Athena Exclamation and the Zodiac Exclamation without much trouble! He's too resilient.

It's a pity... if Regulus had a few more years, perhaps this gifted senior could have become the strongest Saint!

Reaching the Eighth Sense at fifteen! And if Regulus, who mastered all the Gold Saints' techniques, hadn't died, the twelve Gold Saints' ultimate techniques might not have been lost.

 。。。。。

【 After an unknown amount of time, Aries Shion finally arrived from the Mars Demon Palace!

Looking at Rhadamanthys's corpse, the surrounding ruins, and the lonely Leo Gold Cloth on the cliff edge!

Shion instantly understood everything that had happened. He staggered forward, slowly knelt before the Leo Gold Cloth, and gently stroked the Cloth: “Well done...”

A great sorrow and pain surged through him: “I truly wish you could have lived. Among us Gold Saints, weren't you the youngest!”

Tears streamed down Shion's face, his sadness lingering, but suddenly he heard a strange sound from behind him!

Rhadamanthys, whose heart had been pierced, actually staggered and moved. Shion turned his head, no longer able to hide his shock: “Why can you still move!”

Shion quickly regained his composure and rushed forward, wanting to annihilate him again. Rhadamanthys's eyes were devoid of any light, and his body transformed into a black shadow, rushing towards the sky! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Shion is right, perhaps in the hearts of the Gold Saints, they all wished Regulus, this young genius, could have lived!”

“Holy crap, no way! He's moving even without a heart!”

Sisyphus, after having his heart dug out, was still able to launch an Athena Exclamation, but he eventually couldn't hold on and died!

But Rhadamanthys, whose heart had been pierced for so long, even until Shion arrived, can still be alive?!

It was bad enough that the Saints weren't human before, but now even the Specters aren't human! It's like grinding biological knowledge into the ground!

 。。。。。

Chapter 317: Pegasus's Identity, Alone's Betrayal!

Summary:

( Translator-kun: Ngl, the last scene and the comments make me laugh so hard. ꉂ(≧▽≦) )

Chapter Text

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Even the usually calm and collected El Cid couldn't help but exclaim in shock,

“How is this possible! Is the blessing of divine blood invincible?!”

Regulus, the Leo who had given his all, should have completely dealt with him, so why is he still alive even after all that?!

Has he also reached the same realm as Sisyphus, the Eighth Sense?!!

Confusion enveloped everyone's hearts. They couldn't understand why Rhadamanthys, who no longer had a heart, could still fly into the sky.

Cardia of Scorpio gritted his teeth and said,

“Is this guy unkillable?!”

He didn't die from the Scarlet Needle Katakeo, and now he's still alive even without a heart! This is simply too hard to kill.

Shion closed his eyes slightly:

“Even Regulus is gone... Sanctuary only has Dohko and me left as Gold Saints!”

This generation of Gold Saints is unprecedentedly powerful, but the enemy should not be underestimated either.

The Pope, looking at the intelligence and techniques recorded in his hand, once again revealed a confident smile:

“The details of the Underworld Army are almost clear. This Holy War will be different!”

Many unnecessary sacrifices can be avoided. Then, the Pope's gaze fell upon Regulus, who had closed his eyes to sense the Eighth Sense after Leo died in the video...

Hehe, Rhadamanthys, the upcoming Holy War! I'm afraid you will be facing the Eighth Sense, Leo!

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, time returns to when Gemini was banished to the Marvelous Room by Yoma!

Outside the Water Demon Palace, Shion, Little Leo, and Tenma, carrying the sealed Athena, stood before this ancient giant gate.

As the gate opened, what greeted them was endless darkness, but the three did not find any traces of Specters.

In the dark space, the ticking sound of a clock echoed. Tenma, sensing danger, quickly called out to Shion and Little Leo, but was shocked to find that their movements had all stopped in place!

However, Sasha, whose divine power was sealed, woke up!

“Time, please wait! You are so beautiful! Aren't you, my dear son!”

Then, Yoma, with a beard and an excited smile, embraced Tenma with great emotion: “I've missed you so much, Tenma!”

Tenma was full of resistance. Since he had consciousness, he had been wandering with his mother: “Don't touch me casually!!”

For the father he had never seen, who had left his mother alone, Tenma had no other emotion but disgust.

Almost reflexively, he kicked at Yoma, and the latter cooperated by falling to the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It seems this is what happened when Yoma threw Gemini into the Marvelous Room. At this time, Leo hadn't died yet!”

“Time stop is really useful. Here, I'm afraid no one will be Yoma's opponent right now!”

This grand scene of a loving father and son really amused everyone.

They secretly thought... You can be arrogant now, but when Gemini comes out, your good days will be over, Yoma... Eh, no Kairos.

 。。。。。

【 However, Yoma was not angry. Instead, he picked up a cigarette butt from the ground and, with a smile, began to tell stories from the past!

Under the spotlight, like a stage play, Yoma showed Tenma scenes of their family of three together in the past.

What surprised Tenma even more was that his mother and Yoma had both once served as servants in the Pandora family! And knew Pandora.

When the evil star awakened in Yoma's body, the peaceful era suffocated him. He wanted to disturb the world and revel in the chaotic land!

So he came to Italy in the West and gathered with other awakened Specters.

At the same time, Yoma's face outside the stage gradually revealed a playful smile: “In the birthplace of Hades, Pegasus, the only one who can defeat Hades, was born as the child of Mephistopheles Yoma!”

Yoma's words plunged Tenma into deep self-doubt. If what the other party said was true, then he was a genuine Specter and had no right to step into Sanctuary!

Yoma ignored the suffering Tenma and continued to speak to himself, saying that Pegasus was just a seed he had planted, but... it wasn't interesting enough!

“To give you a dance partner, I planted another dark seed...”

It was a snowy night, the day before Pandora's brother was about to be born!

Once Hades descends, the Holy War will begin, but such a bland opening was somewhat boring for Yoma.

So! Under the cover of night, he actually stole Hades' soul, abducted it to distant Italy, and placed it in the body of a boy with the purest heart, which was Alone's body. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, Yoma, who has done all sorts of evil, turns out to be behind everything! What kind of sick humor is this?”

“Tenma's parents were both servants of the Pandora family, and Tenma, as a child, was even held by Pandora! How did this turn into a family drama?”

Everyone was stunned. Although you were very powerful before, you have been demoted to the mortal world and are constantly reincarnating, unable to even pass through the divine passage. Are you still so bold?!

He even dared to tamper with the soul of Hades... This Yoma is a typical troublemaker who loves to stir up trouble, and he can be called the biggest screenwriter of this Holy War!

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

On Kanon Island, Defteros, seeing the information related to Yoma, stopped his training and snorted:

“Does messing with other people's lives make you so happy! Demon...”

And in Hades Castle, an indescribable fear and shock surged into Pandora's heart. What the hell was this bastard talking about?

“It wasn't Partita who stole my brother... IT WAS THIS BASTARD!!!”

Could it be that she was really deceived?! If Yoma was telling the truth, then everything she had done would be worthless and meaningless!

This belated truth would have been better left unknown! Because she had already killed her servant, and also her friend, Partita, in her rage.

Thinking of this, Pandora slumped powerlessly to the ground, as if she had fallen into an abyss, her heart tormented by endless pain.

 。。。。。

【 Yoma guided Tenma to the town, and then Alone and Sasha became good friends with Tenma, which was exactly what he wanted to see!

However, one thing exceeded his expectations. Perhaps sensing Yoma's act of stealing Hades' soul, Athena actually descended to the human world as Alone's sister!

She wanted Hades to live as a human and hoped that the Holy War would naturally disappear...

But in Yoma's eyes, this approach was completely wishful thinking! Instead, it made his chess game even more exquisite!

And now all the mysteries have been revealed by Yoma, and the initiative of the plot has fallen into the hands of Tenma, Alone, and Sasha. Yoma then flew into the sky again, leaving here!

He will quietly watch this drama, which bet on all life on Earth, from above the clouds. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Now I finally know why Kronos kicked his own brother out of mythology. This is simply a pyscho, WHO CAN STAND IT?!!”

“Athena's approach is not incomprehensible. It's naturally best to stop the Holy War from its root, assuming no one interferes.”

Yoma truly is the most damned existence. He actually fools everyone; everything is under his control, and everyone's fate is just his toy.

 。。。。。

【 On the other side, all the Specters gathered in Hades' grand hall! Pandora and Alone stood side by side.

“The time has come to realize my ideal!” Alone looked at the Specters below:

“Are you willing to pay with your lives for this day?!”

Hearing this, the Specters expressed their willingness, shouting!

Hearing these loyal voices, tears of emotion actually flowed from Alone's eyes:

“This is my revered Underworld Army... my...”

The next second, Alone, still emotional, suddenly drew a large X in the air with his paintbrush, just like the move he once used on Tenma.

In an instant, all the Specters immediately spewed out blood mist from their mouths, and then all lost their lives, the crimson blood staining the space red.

“Wh-what...” Only at this moment did Pandora realize that the person in front of her was not her brother Hades at all!

“ALONE!!!”

Rage replaced reason, and Pandora's trident angrily stabbed towards Alone!

Hades' soul had not awakened at all, and it was Alone himself who controlled Hades' divine power from beginning to end!

She still couldn't believe that a mere human could manipulate herself, the Underworld Army, and even the Twin Gods! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap!! There's another twist?! I never would have thought of this...”

“Damn, this is too much acting. He's practically playing the gods in the palm of his hand.”

This sudden scene left everyone dumbfounded!

It can only be said that when flattering your leader, don't go too far; otherwise, you'll end up like the Specters who said they were willing to give up their lives, and the leader took it seriously, leading to an instantaneous demise.

Coming back to their senses, everyone suddenly realized that in this Holy War, the one who eliminated the most Specters was actually Hades himself! He should be awarded the MVP of the entire event.

It's just... everyone would rather he be Hades, otherwise, how to explain why he killed everyone in the town, not even sparing his good friend Tenma...

 。。。。。

Chapter 318: Alone's Cards Revealed! Pandora, the Most Tragic of All...!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“No... you're saying this is Alone, not Hades?! That makes absolutely no sense!”

No... what was he thinking?! Alone's sudden and bizarre actions completely crashed Da Vinci and the others' brains.

Even Dr. Roman was exasperatedly complaining,

“First, he massacred the townspeople, and now he's killed the Underworld Army. Whose side is he on?!”

He killed Tenma in an Italian town, saved Tenma's life in the dream world, and then killed Elder Hakurei...

Da Vinci pondered,

“All rational choices can be calculated by others, only sudden madness is unpredictable... right?!”

This was no longer just a simple back-and-forth; who could understand Alone's thought process?!

However, one thing was certain: everything he did was undoubtedly an evil act!

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Upon hearing this news, the usually impulsive and reckless Tenma was surprisingly calm, though his eyes held an unresolvable sadness.

“Although I had somewhat anticipated it, it's still hard not to feel sad when you truly know.”

Though Tenma was reckless, he wasn't a fool. By now, he had already made some guesses from the video, but he was unwilling to think in that direction.

Even the well-informed Pope couldn't help but frown.

“So, all of this was Alone's doing?!”

What was he doing all this for? He fought against the Saints, and then he went and dealt with the Specters himself. It was truly impossible to understand what was going on in his mind.

He had never seen such a contradictory person... if Alone could even be considered a person.

〜Bleach World〜

Even Aizen looked at the scene before him with a sense of disbelief.

“To be able to suppress the god Hades with a human soul... that is indeed quite strange.”

The power of the gods displayed in the Saint Seiya world was definitely not something humans could contend with. How could Alone suppress Hades' soul...?

Gin Ichimaru showed his signature (squinted eyes).

“To wield the power of a god with a human body is undoubtedly the greatest blasphemy against a god!”

In his opinion, Alone, who could kill his former friends without batting an eye, was by no means an ordinary person.

He had been hiding for so long, and now he was finally exposed! It seemed his true objective was about to be revealed.

 。。。。。

【 Pandora's trident was easily struck down by Alone, using Hades' divine power!

“...Why...” At this moment, Pandora's body and mind were greatly shocked, and she could only sit helplessly on the ground.

Even the orphanage children who grew up with him were slain by him. If Hades hadn't descended, what was Alone doing?!

Pandora suddenly shouted at Alone, “YOU ARE THE TRUE EVIL!!”

Alone did not deny it.

“You can blame me as many times as you want; this is salvation!”

“I am an evil human pretending to be a false god, I already knew that!”

Only now did Alone speak the thoughts hidden in his heart: “They have escaped from the spiral of battle. Both Saints and Specters should be granted equal death!”

“I will continue to save humanity with death. Only then can poverty, war, discrimination, and suffering truly disappear!”

“That's why I laid hands on the orphanage children who were my childhood friends... and those close to me...”

“For this purpose, I will continue to use the power of Hades!”

After speaking, Alone turned and left, no longer paying attention to Pandora. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“An actor who deceived even a god, the best Oscar winner! Ever since the Twin Gods were sealed, he's been getting crazier and crazier.”

“But what he's doing is no different from Hades! They both intend to eliminate all humans, and yet he calls himself the purest soul in the world... Heh, laughable!”

What kind of bizarre logic is this? To prevent you from dying painfully, I'll gently kill you first, right?

Everyone suspected that Alone's head was filled with water. Could such a foolish thought process be conceived by a human?

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Kazuma was dumbfounded. Even the Goddess of Stupidity wasn't as insane as him.

“This... I find it hard to comment!”

I understand the reasoning, but the problem is that people are living perfectly fine, so why should they die prematurely? Eliminating all of humanity with the thought of “I'm doing this for your own good”?!

Megumin felt goosebumps all over her body.

“Is it because he's been suppressing Hades' soul for too long that he's gone a bit mad?!”

Who told him that death could save all of humanity?! Don't impose your will on all of humanity, you bastard!

 。。。。。

【 “I can't forgive... Alone...” As Pandora raged, a figure engulfed in raging flames arrived.

Instantly, all the Specters were reduced to ashes. Even Pandora was swept in, her clothes torn and tattered, and Kagaho's voice rang out, “If you don't want to be burned with them, leave here quickly!”

Only then did Pandora realize that Kagaho had always known that Hades was actually Alone.

“You traitor! When did you ally with that imposter god?”

And Kagaho's answer was something that even Pandora found incredibly ironic: “From the moment we met!”

Hearing this, Pandora refused to leave unwillingly!

From childhood, Hades' soul was stolen, her mother died because of it, and her unborn brother, which almost shattered her young heart!

The Twin Gods, who arrived later, became the last straw, killing all her servants and telling Pandora that Hades was the meaning of her existence!

“To me, if he's not Lord Hades, then everything is meaningless!”

Therefore, obsessed with retrieving Hades' soul, Pandora raised her trident again in the raging inferno: “TAKE IT BACK!!”

The ground collapsed under Pandora's obsession, and cracks appeared in the sea of fire. But to her surprise, Kagaho opened a path of fire for her.

Kagaho snorted coldly, “Hmph, you show your pain to Lord Alone for your brother! Take this path with that feeling, Pandora!”

Hearing this, the calmed Pandora probably realized that she was not yet strong enough to reclaim Hades' soul, so she elegantly turned and stepped onto the stairs leading to the sky.

“Though it's a rough path, I will walk it!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“From this perspective, the most tragic one is Pandora. Because Hades' soul was stolen by Mephistopheles Yoma, her mother is gone, her brother is gone, and she's the only one left in her family.”

“Mephistopheles Yoma truly did all sorts of evil; he's simply the root of all suffering. If it weren't for his meddling, Pandora wouldn't be so miserable!”

Although Pandora was somewhat tragic, everyone felt that her mind wasn't quite right either. She was clearly a pawn of the Twin Gods and Hades, yet she was so deluded.

It was clearly the Twin Gods who killed all her family's servants, yet through the Twin Gods' deception, she believed that the stolen Hades was the meaning of her existence.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline〜

Miyu was somewhat surprised,

“So, from the very beginning, Kagaho knew that the person in front of him wasn't Hades, and he was loyal to Alone?”

The relationships are truly messy. This undercover game is really elaborate. It's hard to tell who is truly loyal anymore.

The most unexpected thing was that Kagaho was the one who allied with Alone from the very beginning! And they reached a consensus right under the gods' noses.

Illya quietly complained,

“Suddenly, I feel like without the Twin Gods, they're all like wild horses, drifting everywhere.”

When the Twin Gods were still around, how could such a mess happen in the Underworld Army? Each one is crazier than the last!

Alone is already so insane, it feels like it doesn't matter whether Hades wakes up or not, it's all the same...

 。。。。。

Chapter 319: Pandora's long legs, loyal dog Rhadamanthys!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 To fulfill her ideal of reclaiming Hades' soul, Pandora, having changed her clothes, rushed into the Earth Demon Palace, searching for Wyvern Rhadamanthys!

“Aaaah—!!”

Before she even got close, she heard screams emanating from within. At this moment, Rhadamanthys was still struggling with the divine blood bestowed upon him by Alone.

And Wyvern's most loyal subordinate, Valentine, was guarding the door: “Please go back, Lady Pandora!”

“Until my master defeats that blood, I will absolutely not let anyone through here.”

Hearing this, Pandora was furious. Without giving any face, her long leg stepped onto the latter's head, and she insulted him: “Your master Rhadamanthys is merely a loyal dog I keep. Say it again, open the door!”

Hearing these words, Valentine's eyes instantly turned cold, and he warned Pandora: “Please do not trample on my master's dignity because of your twisted obsession with Lord Hades!”

Seeing Valentine's resolute attitude, Pandora intensified her actions.

Subsequently, countless venomous snakes appeared around, baring their fangs and biting at him.

“If Rhadamanthys hasn't disciplined you, then I will discipline you!”

“Sublime Poison—”

Seeing this, the latter no longer gave Pandora any face, and his Cosmo began to gather, with the phantom of a Harpy appearing behind him!

“You can say whatever you want about me, but my master is not some dog—!”

In an instant, all the venomous snakes coiled around him were shattered! In his heart, Rhadamanthys's loyalty was noble and pure!

He could offer his life for his liege, and even offer his heart for the King of the Underworld, but never for a malicious woman like Pandora!

Just as the two were still entangled in battle, an earth-shattering roar came from behind the giant door.

The next second, the door was pulverized! A Wyvern burst out like a primeval beast, and the two on the ground were shocked by the terrifying power emanating from Rhadamanthys!

Rhadamanthys slowly emerged from the ruins, his eyes cold and sharp, as an Asura returned from hell: “I heard all of your conversation!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Listening to Rhadamanthys's painful wails, it seems that divine blood isn't so easy to suppress!”

“Good heavens, did Pandora forget she was wearing a skirt? If Valentine had just looked up, he would have gotten an eyeful!”

Everyone from other worlds was stunned by Pandora's inexplicable actions!

What was this?! She was asking for help, yet her attitude was so terrible, openly calling someone's master a loyal dog in front of their loyal subordinate...

Valentine, who was faithfully protecting his master, was still humiliated by Pandora.

The most awkward part was that the conversation between Pandora and Valentine was overheard by Rhadamanthys himself. Now, she was truly in a difficult position.

 。。。。。

〜Demon Slayer World〜

“She sure knows how to talk...”

Shinobu Kocho felt a little embarrassed seeing this scene.

Even the most good-tempered person would be furious if someone called them a loyal dog! Moreover, Rhadamanthys didn't seem like someone with a good temper.

“Tsk tsk, Pandora's in trouble now! Forget asking for help, she's even in danger herself.”

She not only humiliated Rhadamanthys but also his subordinate. Forget about getting revenge on Alone. Now she'll be dead or crippled.

However... this ability to instantly provoke anger, there's a strange sense of déjà vu, as if she's seen it somewhere before!

 。。。。。

【 Rhadamanthys looked at Pandora with a cold expression, then slowly spoke to Valentine in front of him: “You step back. I will clarify things with Lady Pandora!”

Hearing this, Valentine looked at Rhadamanthys, who appeared like an undefeated war god, admiration overflowing in his eyes, and slowly retreated.

He thought to himself: My lord will surely understand me! Lord Hades is not here now, that woman is not even a Hades Army cadre...

Not only that, but many comrades have been wantonly trampled upon by her!! And she insults us as dogs.

Rebel now!!

He believed that Lord Rhadamanthys would abandon Pandora just like him!

At this moment, Rhadamanthys had walked in front of Pandora, raising his arm high, and on his arm, destructive fluctuations were contained: “Let this fist do the talking!”

The next second, the fist instantly shot out!

But the fist did not hit Pandora; instead, it hit Valentine, who had just been defending Rhadamanthys's dignity, his most loyal subordinate—Valentine!!

Blood gushed uncontrollably from the latter's chest, and Valentine's eyes were filled with disbelief: “I... don't understand...!”

Rhadamanthys said coldly, “To offer one's life to the Hades Army, that is loyalty, Valentine!”

Then, in Valentine's disbelieving eyes, Rhadamanthys slowly knelt on one knee before Pandora: “Please allow me to participate in the war once again in the name of the Hades Army, as your Wyvern!”

And Pandora generously raised her leg and stepped on Rhadamanthys's shoulder: “From now on, you shall serve Lord Hades to your heart's content as a loyal dog!”

Subsequently, Rhadamanthys unhesitatingly unleashed a Greatest Caution on his most loyal subordinate, completely obliterating him—!!

Then, Rhadamanthys and Pandora no longer lingered, intending to go with Alone to settle scores, but at this moment!

Little Lion, Pegasus, and Athena also arrived here: “Before your Lord Hades gets beaten up, you'd better hurry back!”

Enemies meeting again, their eyes were red with anger, and the atmosphere instantly became tense! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Seriously... are the Hades Army people's brains all so weird? Why did you hit Valentine?! Normally, wouldn't you hit Pandora?!”

“Oh no, am I confused, or is the Wyvern confused? I completely can't understand!”

Everyone almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. Is this what you meant by letting your fist do the talking?! You should have punched Pandora and said that...

Not only did Valentine not understand, but even the viewers outside the video who watched from beginning to end didn't understand why Valentine had to be eliminated?!

The most incomprehensible thing was why Rhadamanthys was willing to kneel before Pandora, and even be humiliated as a loyal dog again!

Does he really enjoy being trampled under Pandora's long legs...?

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

In the alley, Natsuki Subaru, watching this scene, was also completely baffled:

“I completely don't understand...”

He racked his brains but couldn't find any reason why Rhadamanthys would kill Valentine. Just now, that person was desperately defending your Wyvern's dignity!

“Could it be that attacking their own people has become a tradition? Most of the Hades Army's forces are actually dealt with by people from the Underworld!”

Aiacos, one of the Three Judges, sacrificed Specters like objects, and Rhadamanthys directly executed his most loyal subordinate.

As for their leader, Hades, he was even worse, killing most of the Hades Army himself.

Although their stances were different, Natsuki Subaru felt that Valentine, this warrior, was wasted; he died a truly unjust death.

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Seeing Pegasus's ill-timed appearance, Kirito asked from the bottom of his heart:

“No... why are you stopping them?!”

If they want to fight Alone, let them fight! Why fight again? Anyway, their destination is the same, and you can clear fewer demon palaces!

Asuna was a little puzzled:

“If Pandora had communicated with Pegasus and the others here, would the Little Lion not have to die?!”

Pegasus and the others have been clearing demon palaces; they're a version behind in information! But Pandora could have told them, their goals are the same after all.

Kirito shook his head at the words:

“The battle between the Little Lion and Rhadamanthys is inevitable; it's a vendetta for his father.”

Regulus has been training ever since he recalled his father's death! All for the sake of finding Rhadamanthys; their battle is unavoidable.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Merlin was also astonished seeing this scene:

“Tsk tsk, anyone whose thought process isn't bizarre enough isn't fit to be in the Hades Army, huh...”

All rational choices would be calculated by others; only sudden madness cannot be predicted. Rhadamanthys's move indeed caught them off guard.

Even Ishtar, a goddess, was full of question marks:

“Did Rhadamanthys's head get fried during the fight against the divine blood?!”

Killing his most loyal subordinate to show loyalty to Pandora, who humiliated him?!

She finally understood why Minos, one of the Three Judges, exited so early; he seemed out of place among the Three Judges.

He was the only one who didn't kill his subordinates, so he couldn't get along with the Three Judges. Although he was a bit flamboyant, at least his thought process was relatively normal.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: I'm catching up on anime recently. What do you all think of Re: Zero? I'm thinking of writing about it... )

Chapter 320: The long-buried truth! The mastermind....

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Facing Tenma’s ridicule, Pandora glanced at the three of them disdainfully: “Little girls, you can just quit here obediently!”

Radamanthys silently walked up to Tenma and the other two, but… his unparalleled oppressive aura was impossible to ignore!

“Hey… Regu…!” Tenma also noticed that Regulus was a little off at the moment, as the latter’s expression suddenly became incredibly ferocious.

Before Tenma could ask about his condition, Radamanthys, who was standing in front of them, suddenly opened his mouth, and a destructive power condensed before him!

In an instant, the rampant power poured out towards everyone without reservation, instantly tearing up the ground. Regulus and Tenma were directly embedded in the wall by this wild force!

“What… just a roar could have such…”

Feeling the pain coming from all over his body, Tenma was somewhat surprised by the power of this attack!

Seeing this scene, Pandora was in a great mood and couldn’t help but mock them:

“Hahahahaha, it’s nothing more than this, you can’t even withstand a Wyvern’s breath!”

But in the next second, a golden ray of light shot out from the ruins, revealing a dangerous aura that made even Pandora shudder.

As the dust settled, Sasha stood in the air holding her scepter, with the Athena statue silently standing before her: “I won’t let you harm Tenma and Regulus, Pandora!”

Pandora’s eyes instantly turned cold, and she thought to herself, “The Goddess statue?!… Could that be the one that can obliterate all evil…!”

Before Pandora could make a move, another dazzling light descended from the sky, as the Goddess of War had already donned her God Cloth!

However, it was not easy for Sasha, whose divine power had been sealed, to wear the God Cloth. Large beads of sweat continuously rolled down her forehead!

The sacred and brilliant God Cloth not only failed to bring power to Athena, but instead felt like a thousand pounds of weight pressed upon her.

Tenma realized that something was wrong and became worried: “Sa…sha?!”

In just a few seconds, Sasha was actually crushed to the ground by her own God Cloth!

Pandora was already laughing so hard that she was shaking like a flower branch:

“Hahaha, this is truly a masterpiece!”

“Now you’ve lost both your divine power and your Cosmos, you’re just an ordinary little girl!! Right?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“She’s one of the Twelve Olympian Gods, yet she’s being openly mocked. If Hades hadn’t sealed her divine power, could Pandora and Radamanthys still be so arrogant?!”

“Is this path so wild? It’s the first time I’ve seen someone crushed by their own Cloth.”

Everyone was a little speechless at this point. They thought Athena would unleash her divine might after putting on the God Cloth, but they didn’t expect such a scene.

Big sister, if your divine power is sealed, don’t be so arrogant! What if Radamanthys focuses his attack on you? Even if the little lion can resist, he probably won’t be able to account for the aftermath.

As an ordinary person now, even a single aftershock could probably take your life.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Uh… this~”

Misaki Shokuhou felt embarrassed for Athena watching this scene. Who would have thought there would be such a reversal?

This is probably the most awkward famous scene in the Saint Seiya world. The Goddess of War is actually crushed by her own armor, unable to even stand up.

It’s like Sun Wukong in Journey to the West suddenly can’t lift his Ruyi Jingu Bang. Absurdity opens the door for absurdity; it’s utterly ridiculous.

In the Tokiwadai dormitory, Misaka Mikoto’s mouth also twitched slightly, but not at Athena, but at Pandora, feeling speechless.

“Earlier, when she realized it was a God Cloth, her expression was panicked, and in the blink of an eye, she’s laughing so hard she’s shaking like a flower branch…”

Your mental reversal is too fast, isn’t it?!

And… isn’t your goal to reclaim Hades’ soul? As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Why are you wasting time with Athena here?!

 。。。。。

【 Pandora obviously wouldn’t miss this great opportunity. Seeing Sasha on the ground, she directly delivered a long-legged kick!

“LADY ATHENA!!”

“Sasha… Even if you can wear the God Cloth, your current body cannot fight!”

Seeing this, the little lion and Tenma cried out in distress and instantly rushed in front of Pandora!

“Pandora! I will never let you act so wantonly!”

The little lion’s Plasma Lightning Fist and Pegasus’s Meteor Fist merged in mid-air, blasting towards Pandora.

But Radamanthys wouldn’t give them this chance. His figure instantly appeared before them, and a chilling roar instantly resounded: “Listen! The Wyvern’s Flap!”

“Behold, The Unfurling Of The Wyvern's Wings—!”

Tenma and the little lion’s combined attack was instantly reflected back onto themselves!

“Ugh… it all bounced back?!”

The power of this combined attack was indeed strong; it directly knocked both of them down! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiss—, when will Pandora realize she’s wearing a skirt?! She loves kicking so much.”

“Tenma and the little lion said: Don’t we know how strong our combined technique is?! We just knocked ourselves down.

But… everyone was even more confused as to how the little lion’s Plasma Lightning Fist combined with Pegasus Meteor Fist?! The punch speeds don’t match at all.

Or did Tenma’s punch speed already catch up to a Gold Saint after training on Canon Island with the Gemini Saint for a few days?!

If that’s the case, Tenma seems to be a genius as well.

It’s just that among a group of incredible Gold Saints, Tenma’s brilliance was overshadowed, making him seem somewhat ordinary.

 。。。。。

【 Pandora also took this opportunity to lock Sasha’s throat, and countless venomous snakes crawled onto her body, tightly binding Athena’s body.

Seeing the helpless Tenma and the other, Pandora laughed even more wildly:

“Ahahahahaha, base souls like them can only possess pathetic and short lives!”

Hearing Pandora’s contemptuous words about human destiny, a faint light began to condense around Sasha’s body!

Seeing this, Pandora’s laughter abruptly stopped, and she couldn’t help but freeze in place: “Something faintly emerging from Athena, who has lost all her Cosmos…”

Just then, a gentle yet firm voice came from Sasha’s mouth: “Precisely because of this, as long as humans have life, they will continue to nurture their Cosmos!”

Although humans have fragile and short lives, as long as there is life… even if her power is sealed now, she will still nurture her Cosmos!

Pandora quickly raised her trident, and Sasha, who had previously been gasping for breath under the pressure of the God Cloth, was now able to directly confront her!

“Compared to gods, humans always bring shock to her heart! Their lives will be passed on infinitely, and their lives are full of freedom and hope.”

“You should know this, too! At least… You once lived as an ordinary girl!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So that’s it! I understand, I’m going to feel the Cosmos now. If no Cosmos is born, I’ll accuse you of deceiving the audience!”

“Hahaha, to put it simply, Sasha means: although it’s sealed! It doesn’t mean you can’t relearn!

It has to be said that Sasha’s mind actually works quite fast. It’s just being sealed, so she’ll just relearn! After all, the foundation of a deity is there.

Everyone found this scene somewhat peculiar! A Cosmos nurtured in just an instant could actually directly confront Pandora.

This is the confidence of a god!

 。。。。。

【 Hearing these words, Pandora felt as if she had been struck hard, and a memory that seemed to have been sealed for a long time began to slowly surface in her mind!

“What… what is this memory…?”

An ancient memory merged into her mind, and at the same time, in the deep darkness, Yoma watched this scene with interest: “It’s time to stir things up!”

In Pandora’s memory, when she was young, the world in her eyes was colorful!

She was so happy she danced when she learned that Partita was pregnant, and when Tenma was born, Pandora was even more overjoyed!

She surprisingly loved this child and even began to imagine living together with her brother after he was born, believing that the world would then shine brilliantly!

However, on the day Pandora’s brother was born, her beautiful wish was completely shattered. Hades’ soul was stolen, her mother died, and Partita’s family disappeared without a trace!

Pandora pointed the finger of suspicion at Partita, and the Twin Gods even came out to fan the flames, telling Pandora unequivocally!

“Pandora, that faint and suspicious Cosmos is the Cosmos of our sworn enemy, Athena’s Saint!”

The culprit was that maid, and her child also had the Cosmos of their sworn enemy, Athena’s Saint!

From that moment on, Pandora’s world turned ash. She ordered the Specters to immediately pursue them and tear that child to pieces!

Pandora could no longer suppress the anger in her heart and thrust her trident at Tenma: “THAT WOMAN IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL!!”

While dodging, Tenma quickly tried to explain: “No! Pandora, Mom didn’t do that…”

A strange vortex appeared out of thin air, and the true mastermind, Yoma, embraced Pandora, but… his hands were a little dishonest: “That’s right, it wasn’t his Mother, it was I, this father, who did it!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait… where are your hands?! Let go of her, you old pervert!”

“Tsk tsk, combining with the information Yoma gave earlier, everything connects. It can only be said that everything is Yoma’s fault.”

Pandora was once just an ordinary human girl, longing for a beautiful future.

But because of Yoma’s drama, everything shattered! Almost all tragedies were born because of him. It can only be said that being sealed by the Gemini Saint was a cheap punishment for him.

“So Pandora was tricked and now has to work for someone else? What the heck!”

No wonder Pandora gritted her teeth in hatred every time she saw Athena. It turns out that Athena inexplicably bore the blame without realizing it.

If Yoma hadn’t interfered, judging by Pandora’s attitude towards Tenma when he was just born, they might have even been considered siblings now…

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: The showdown between Tenma and his biological mother is finally coming. )

Chapter 321: Mother And Son Duel

Chapter Text

【 Everyone present was stunned into petrification by the sudden scene, while Yoma, the instigator of it all, wore a sinister smile on his face.

He leaned playfully towards Pandora's ear and whispered, “The one who abducted your brother was me!”

“The more people dance, the livelier the atmosphere, isn't it?”

Hearing this, Pandora's pupils constricted, and an indescribable shock and fear surged through her heart: “It's all your fault, YOU BASTARD!!”

“At this point, I don't want to know, I don't want to know any of those so-called truths!”

This belated truth might as well not have come. Pandora, who had lived with the hatred of her brother's being taken, was now on the verge of collapse.

Even Partita, who was once close to her, was killed by her, unaware of the truth. Thinking of this, Pandora's heart felt as if it had fallen into an abyss.

However, Yoma paid no heed, continuing to push the drama forward, and a black vortex reappeared.

“My beloved wife, whom Miss Pandora cherished so dearly, was cherished to the point of being cruelly murdered!”

“Let me reunite you two.”

Accompanied by a ripple in space, Yoma pulled a tattered figure from the temporal vortex.

“Let the curtain rise—!”

And the person who appeared was Tenma's mother, Partita. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This Yoma, what a troublemaker, truly enjoys a spectacle, not caring how big the mess gets. Pandora's heart is almost shattered!”

“This time thing is really useful. It can even pull out Partita, who has been dead for years!”

It makes sense. She always thought that Partita, her once dearest servant and only friend, had taken her brother.

She also believed that it was all Partita's fault that she lost everything, so she killed her out of hatred.

However, reality now told her that Partita hadn't done any of it, that she was innocent, and Pandora had mistakenly killed her only friend...

Carrying so many years of hatred, only to discover that she had hated the wrong person from the beginning. One can only say that truth is a sharp blade; who could endure that!

 。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

Looking at the somewhat dejected Pandora and the “meddlesome” Yoma, Kugisaki Nobara looked puzzled:

“Wait... where did Radamanthys go at this moment? He wouldn't have become a mere spectator, would he!”

Where did Radamanthys go, who was just willing to be trampled under Pandora's feet, even killing Valentine to show his loyalty?!

Although he might not be Yoma's match, he should at least make an effort.

Itadori Yuuji said uncertainly,

“Uh... he should have had his time stopped.”

Pandora was almost collapsing, yet Radamanthys showed no movement. Perhaps at this moment, his time was stopped by Yoma.

After all, Yoma cared deeply about his drama and wouldn't allow anyone to disturb it.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, Pandora, looking at the appearing figure, was already on her knees, questioning life, holding her head with both hands: “Am I... once again being toyed with by the gods...?!”

A fear of being dominated and manipulated by the gods surged into Pandora's heart. She already understood that she was nothing more than a chess piece, constantly being used.

“For me, I can no longer tell if the world before me is real or fake.”

“Truth is always twisted and hidden. I am the one who has been most fooled since the Holy War!! That's why I even killed you...”

However, just as Pandora was sinking into endless self-blame and confusion, Partita gently embraced her from behind.

Whispering words of comfort, sympathizing with her plight: “It's alright, Miss Pandora, Partita is right here!”

And Pandora, in this care, gradually let down her guard and the heavy burden she had placed on herself. For a moment, it made her feel as if she had returned to her childhood...

“Because the innocent you, when you were young, killed me, which is also an undeniable truth...”

The warmth lasted only for an instant. Partita's hands transformed into ruthless blades, slicing across Pandora's chest. Blood instantly splattered, and she fell heavily to the ground, unconscious.

The bloody scene stung the eyes of Tenma and the others, and Radamanthys was also deeply shocked...

But it drew a hearty laugh from Yoma: “Hahaha, what's this... The ending of the first act is too dramatic!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“One can only say that even hateful people have pitiable aspects. Pandora, who was originally a wealthy young lady, was tormented to such an extent... Alas!”

“Huh?! Radamanthys, what are you shocked about? Why are you just standing there blankly, openly watching the show?”

Everyone couldn't understand what Radamanthys was thinking, or whose side he was on.

To say he was on Pandora's side, he just stood there watching, doing nothing. But to say he was on Alone's side made even less sense.

Plus, Yoma directly admitted that he was the one who stole Hades' soul...

For Radamanthys, known for his loyalty, whether it was Pandora or Hades, he shouldn't tolerate Yoma's actions! Yet, he just stood there watching, which was truly incomprehensible...

 。。。。。

〜Overlord World〜

In the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown sat upon his throne, his fingers gently tapping the armrest:

“Even Pandora, the commander of the Underworld Army, is incredibly fragile before the gods.”

Pandora was born into a prominent family, but everything was ruined due to Yoma.

She entered the Underworld Army at a young age, not only having to face the surveillance of the God of Death and the God of Sleep but also dealing with the covetous gazes of the Three Judges of the Underworld.

At such a young age, experiencing so many changes, her heart must have long been twisted, even unwilling to believe the facts before her.

“Fearing the gods yet hating them, despising humans yet being human... But the worst are still the gods within!”

In Ainz's view, the gods of the Underworld were more or less deranged, and Pandora was merely a tool used by the gods, a tragic girl whose fate was not her own!

There was Hades Alone, who would suddenly go mad from time to time, and the Twin Gods, who would “accuse” Pandora from time to time.

Caught between Hades and the Twin Gods, she could not offend either side and still had to face accusations and the stigma of betrayal. Being a “secretary” to the gods was truly difficult!

 。。。。。

【 Yoma clearly had no intention of stopping, but turned to Tenma and said, “The second act is about to begin, Pegasus Tenma!”

As his voice fell, another vortex descended from the sky, instantly sucking Tenma in and transporting him to another space!

“Mother...?!”

And before him, his mother Partita stood quietly, her gentle eyes seemingly waiting for Tenma to embrace her!

“Don't take me as your mother, take me as Owl Partita, the guardian of Uranus. So Tenma... fight me!”

Looking at Partita, clad in Underworld battle attire, Tenma couldn't believe that his once gentle and loving mother could be a Specter!

Seeing Tenma like this, Partita seemed to feel a bit of reluctance, and her stern expression softened.

She gently cupped Tenma's face and carefully examined it for a moment. One would have expected a tender moment to unfold, but...

In an instant, the scene changed drastically. A fierce power erupted from the Specter's body, tearing the hard ground to pieces, and a massive impact sent Tenma flying into the sky!

Looking at Tenma, who was blasted into the sky, Partita still wore a slight smile on her face, but her eyes were filled with murderous intent: “I will... take your life.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare... What a strange family you have, Pegasus. Both parents were Specters, yet they gave birth to a Saint.”

“This Yoma is truly evil. He's such a perverse father, and now he even wants Tenma and his mother to kill each other...”

Everyone looked at the scene before them, not knowing what to say.

Pandora and Tenma's connection is too complicated. Tenma's mother, Partita, was a friend, but his father was the culprit who took everything from her. It's hard to say if they are even enemies.

 。。。。。

Chapter 322: The Pegasus Saint wearing the Golden Cloth!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Compared to the physical pain, Tenma's heart was even more severely wounded.

“A mother protecting her child is exceptionally strong... it should have been like that.”

The mother who once protected him at all costs now wants to kill him with her own hands! Could it be like Pandora, where everything that happened before was just an illusion?

Partita smiled, looking at the dejected Tenma, and cruelly shattered his illusion with a gentle tone: “I'm sorry, Tenma, I did sincerely protect you once, never giving up even when Pandora chased us to the very last moment.”

“But all of this had a purpose. I need your soul! The great sinner of the Celestial Realm, the God Slayer Pegasus!”

“Now, your soul as a Saint has overflowed with Cosmo, and that is the revolution humanity has launched against the Olympian Gods!”

“So that we, husband and wife, can become the creators of a new mythology...!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So that's how it is, I finally understand. Turns out both of Tenma's parents are lunatics, absolutely audacious.”

Everyone felt this plan was simply preposterous. Two Specters who couldn't even cross the divine path, actually fantasizing about obtaining Pegasus's soul and then eliminating the Olympian Gods?!

Were this couple not fully awake?! They spoke as if getting Pegasus's soul would allow them to kill any god they encountered.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka couldn't help but cover her face with her hand, looking at this ridiculous reason:

“This one is hard to comment on...”

Indeed, according to mythology, Pegasus is a God Slayer, but what can you, a Specter, and a pseudo-god whose divine body and most divine power have been sealed, do with his soul?!

Pegasus's soul is like a knife, but is it useful in your hands? This is no different from a three-year-old holding a knife and telling an adult they want to be the head of the household.

Shirou Emiya's mouth twitched slightly:

“You have to be strong yourself to forge iron.”

Even your boss, Hades, might not be able to defeat them, yet you want to be the creator of a new mythology.

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Tenma, watching all of this, had an ashen face. His mother, who once died protecting him, turned out to have done so for this purpose:

“Now she wants to take this life back?!”

Both his parents are Specters, and even the culprits behind all of this. Does he still have the right to stay in the Sanctuary with a clear conscience?

Sasha looked worriedly at the downcast figure beside her:

“Tenma...”

The Pope shook his head:

“Don't worry, Lady Athena! Pegasus should be safe and sound.”

Let him calm down for now. When Gemini came out of the other dimension before, the God Cloth Tenma was wearing must have been where he grew!

It's just... his heart will inevitably suffer a heavy blow. This is the price of growth, and something the young Pegasus must experience.

Before, the Gold Saints paved the way for him. Now, it's finally his turn to stand on his own! Constantly advancing under the protection of the Gold Saints will not lead to growth.

 。。。。。

【 As soon as her voice fell, Partita grabbed Tenma's neck with both hands and squeezed hard: “Goodbye, Tenma! Let your soul be with us forever.”

A faint light floated out from Tenma's body. Partita was already impatient to extract the soul of Pegasus, the great sinner of the Celestial Realm!

At the critical moment, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, exploding around Partita. Pandora, who was previously unconscious, had also arrived in this space.

“It took so many wounds to finally realize...”

Pandora was covered in wounds at this moment, but the desire for revenge became the source of her power, making her roar like a mad beast and charge towards Partita: “The so-called truth, I actually don’t need it—!”

But in Partita's eyes, Pandora's combat power was almost negligible. She merely dodged the attack with a sidestep.

Then, accompanied by a dazzling light, an explosive force struck Pandora like a lightning bolt!

“Ugh—!”

In an instant, the roar of lightning and Pandora's screams echoed through this space, then returned to silence. The latter had fallen to the ground, barely clinging to life.

However, just as Partita was about to send Pandora completely to the Land of Death, Tenma hugged Pandora in his arms: “That's enough... Stop this, Mother...!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiss—, now I can't tell who the villain is anymore. Pandora really became his sister this time!”

“Infighting among Specters... blocked by the Saint Tenma. This is truly hard to describe!”

Everyone's expressions were a bit subtle. The development of events became somewhat blurry. It felt like Tenma's family of three was all taking advantage of Pandora one by one!

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. You save me, I save you! It's hard to believe Tenma and Pandora were just fighting to the death.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Kazuma felt a headache coming on, gently pressing his head:

“It feels like watching a family drama...”

Pandora is a rich young lady, needless to say. Partita and Yoma were directly her servants.

As for Tenma, if it weren't for all those troubles, it wouldn't be impossible for Pandora to consider him her brother.

Aqua tilted her head in confusion. The constant plot twists and turns had her brain still catching up...

 。。。。。

【 Seeing Tenma protect Pandora, Partita couldn't help but sneer: “You can't wait to get involved yourself?! Well, that's fine, you've suffered quite a bit from her too!”

Tenma still held onto unrealistic fantasies about Partita, unable to accept the truth that his mother wanted to take his soul.

“This guy is indeed an enemy... but I can't just stand by anymore... what's fake, what's real, I can't tell anymore!”

Partita's eyes instantly turned cold: “If you can't decide, then this is the end!”

Partita, like a ghostly woman of death, thrust her sinister claws towards his chest. At this moment, Tenma felt undisguised killing intent.

But...

“I must accept...”

Tenma didn't dodge. The next moment, blood splattered, crimson blood stinging Tenma's eyes. Partita's hand had pierced his chest.

Feeling the pain in his body, Tenma slowly placed his hand on Partita's. There was no hatred on his face, but rather a sorrowful smile: “This is... the pain of being hurt by Mother!”

It turned out that being deceived and hurt by one's closest kin was this heartbreaking, a pain that penetrated to the bone, a pain to the soul.

“I'm sorry, I can't give you my soul, Mother!”

Because too many companions had already imprinted their will deep within his heart, and he had to bear all of it, he had to fight!

Golden light slowly emerged from Tenma's body, once again bearing the promise with Athena. To save the terrestrial world, even if it meant striking his mother!

Amidst the flickering light, a layer of ethereal wings condensed, and Tenma's Cloth gradually turned golden. At this moment, Pegasus donned the Gold Cloth!

Partita also praised without hesitation: “Amazing, your realm is already the Seventh Sense Cosmo!”

Tenma, clad in the Gold Cloth, slowly felt the Cloth woven from the blood and tears of his companions: “It's the blood of Virgo Asmita!... Unknowingly, this Cloth feels like my soul!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Defteros: Tenma, do you think what you said is appropriate? In the end, it was all for naught... your Cloth sounds like it doesn't have my blood in it!

“Holy cow, sure enough, even Gold Saints can't escape this rule. As everyone knows, it's only natural for there to be 13 Gold Saints among the 12!”

What is this?! Gold Saint Pegasus?! Who would have thought that a Cloth could actually upgrade? The Sanctuary should build him a palace overnight for Tenma to sit in...

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

The Pope also looked at this scene with slight surprise:

“The Gold Cloth has appeared... He truly lives up to his reputation as the man who can harm Hades in legends! Truly full of miracles...”

Cancer Manigoldo also looked at Tenma thoughtfully. If he thought about it carefully, Tenma indeed was full of possibilities.

El Cid's cold face also showed a hint of a smile. To grow to this extent in such a short time.

On Kanon Island, Defteros's mouth curved into a slight smile as he looked at Tenma in the Gold Cloth:

“Hmph, he can already stabilize at the Seventh Sense. Is this the resolve of Pegasus?! Not bad, kid.”

Just keep punching with the will and resolve of your companions, even if it's your mother, keep moving forward with big strides.

It's just... Tenma of Pegasus, what do you mean by only mentioning Asmita? So the blood I shed for you without wearing the Cloth doesn't count?!

Thinking this, Defteros's smile grew even wider. When you come to Kanon Island, I'll make sure you know what “love” from your master feels like!

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: Overlord feels pretty good too...)

( Translator-kun: Poor Defteros, Tenma forgot to mention him... )

Chapter 323: The Divine Cloth of Pegasus awakens! Let my soul pour forth

Chapter Text

【 The Pegasus, clad in the golden Cloth, put down Pandora, whom he had been holding, and charged towards Partita with a roaring bellow.

Partita's expression grew increasingly ferocious, facing Pegasus's full-force attack with fearless confidence: “IF THAT IS THE CASE! HOW ABOUT I JUST RIP IT RIGHT OUT OF YOU?!”

The next moment, their fists collided, creating a terrifying sound like a meteor falling to earth. A massive surge of energy erupted from their center, sweeping outwards!

Wherever it passed, the earth was ripped apart. The stalemate lasted only for an instant!

Moments later, the meager cloth of Partita's Surplice on her arm began to shatter in large chunks. In this round, Pegasus clearly had the upper hand!

However, after they exchanged blows, Partita's face was still filled with disdain: “It's not good to show off with a gilded Cosmo! And your chest wound is clearly just being endured.”

She believed that with Pegasus's current injuries, he couldn't last much longer.

By the pillar below the battlefield, Pandora was also startled awake by the intensity of their duel. The grey world was instantly broken by golden light.

She felt Pegasus's fervent yet sorrowful Cosmo, then looked towards the center of the battlefield, understanding already: “Is that so… those two are still fighting?! Mother and son…!”

“!!” But the next second, Pandora was startled. She sensed a sinister and dangerous aura emanating from Partita, who was falling behind.

“What's going on?! I feel something unfathomable from that woman…”

“Come to think of it, who exactly is she?! To my knowledge, there are no Saints or Specters named after owls!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I was just brainwashed by the complex plot development, and suddenly realized that Pegasus's mother's Surplice seems a bit revealing!”

“Huh?! Wait, what does Pandora mean by that? Is there a twist to the situation?...”

Everyone was surprised by this revelation, yet also somewhat speechless towards Pandora. Good heavens! After being knocked down several times, Pandora finally calmed down, and her clever mind was back online.

But… if you had this information, why didn't you say it sooner? They've been fighting for so long, and now you're only just considering us. There's no such person among the Specters and Saints?!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma, seeing this scene, speculated about Partita's identity:

“Since she doesn't exist among the Saints or Specters, Partita must be some kind of deity.”

“It's also very possible that, like Yoma, her divine power was sealed by the gods, so she plans to seek revenge on the heavens!”

Only this explanation seemed very reasonable. After all, someone who planned to pass through the Divine Gate with Yoma to launch a revolution against the Olympian gods shouldn't be an ordinary person.

Hearing Kamijou's guess, Index also had a sudden realization:

“I see, that guess is very likely.”

“But… Pegasus only has one God Cloth. How will Yoma and Partita both pass through the God Passage?!”

“Uh… why did your brain suddenly become so sharp?”

Kamijou was slightly stunned. Index seemed to have a very good point!

Why hadn't he noticed this before? Yoma and Partita's so-called grand plan would probably leave them staring at each other in front of the God Passage, after all, there was only one God Cloth, so who would wear it?

〜Overlord World〜

In the Great Tomb of Nazarick's throne room, the Guardians of all floors gathered. Ainz wanted to hear their opinions on the information Pandora had provided.

Sebas bowed to Ainz and slowly said,

“Since Partita doesn't exist on either side, the only guess is that she's a deity!”

He had some confidence in his guess. After all, Pandora, as the commander of the Underworld, had both insight and experience.

Only a god could make Pandora feel something unfathomable. After all… gods in that world weren't exactly rare.

Shalltear was somewhat surprised:

“If that's the case, there are quite a few gods on the Underworld's side!”

Albedo shook her head:

“The main thing is that the Twin Gods aren't here, so all sorts of stray cats and dogs have come out. Haven't you seen how the entire Hades' army is in disarray?”

Within Hades's army, Yoma, a false god, and Partita had their own agendas.

Pandora, along with Radamanthys, rebelled. Alone stole Hades's power, intent on destroying all humanity…

Above them, on the throne, Ainz listened quietly to his subordinates' words, appearing as steady as an old dog, but in reality, he was a bit flustered.

Who knew if his own world would have such strangely-minded gods!

 。。。。。

【 Just as Pandora was pondering, Pegasus and his mother fiercely clashed again!

But…

This time, Pegasus's powerful punch was easily blocked by Partita, whose sharp eyes fixed intently on Pegasus!

Then something strange happened. An eye suddenly opened on Partita's shoulder, and wherever her gaze fell, the Pegasus Gold Cloth began to shatter!

“Stop…”

Partita ignored Pegasus, slowly raising her right hand. A suction force surged from her palm, firmly pressing onto the wound on Pegasus's chest: “Let me painlessly extract your soul!”

In an instant, Pegasus distinctly felt something being pulled from within his body.

The next second, a graceful and strong Pegasus with massive wings appeared before Partita: “This is the soul capable of slaying gods!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Pegasus Gold Cloth shattered so easily, is it really ripped out as Partita said?!”

“So the soul of Pegasus really is a Pegasus, just like his name! It doesn't even have a human form!”

Everyone was stunned. Painlessly extracting a soul?! There's a little motherly love, but not much. How unlucky is Pegasus to have encountered such deranged parents?

And what is Partita's background? To be able to so easily shatter a Cloth infused with the blood of Asmita, who awakened the Eighth Sense, if she truly is a god, her rank should not be low.

 。。。。。

【 Just as Partita was about to take Pegasus's soul, she found that he had firmly grasped his own soul!

“It can't end like this. Because the cloth you destroyed along with this soul is both part of me...!”

Partita sneered: “Heh, you're still saying such things in this situation?!”

Then she attacked Pegasus again, as if the boy before her was just a stranger. Blood continuously gushed from his body…

Again and again, Pegasus was brutally slammed into the ground. Finally, Pegasus's strength gave out, and he could no longer stand up!

“Asmita… everyone… I'm sorry!”

Partita was like a killing machine, her furious attacks constantly landing on Pegasus. Now, Pegasus had no strength left to stand, but his hand still firmly held onto his soul!

He was unwilling to give up like this, unwilling to have the soul protected by everyone snatched away.

In a trance, the companions he had lost reappeared before his eyes. This unbreakable bond, connecting life and death, once again awakened the power of Pegasus!

The soul of Pegasus seemed to hear the summons, beginning to neigh towards the sky, turning and pouring into Pegasus's body!

This action caused Pandora to be greatly alarmed, and she quickly warned the reckless Pegasus: “What are you doing! Damage to the soul will backlash onto the body.”

“You… this isn't a minor injury that the Pegasus Saint can just shrug off!!”

But Pegasus ignored her. Blood once again sprayed from his wounds, and the immense pain made him cry out in agony again and again!

“Ugh, ahhh—!!”

But the infusion of the soul did not stop. For his fallen comrades, he had to endure this pain; he had to reclaim his power: “Pour forth… my soul!”

Under Pandora's shocked gaze, the previously shattered Cloth began to glow, gathering onto Pegasus!

A brilliant Cloth shimmering with divine light appeared before the three of them. The power that had been extracted returned to Pegasus's hands!

At this moment, the Cloth and his soul merged into one. Pegasus's God Cloth was finally awakened! Pure white wings spread across the sky.

Pegasus now looked down at Partita with an unmatched gaze.

“The legendary Sacred God Cloth, which only the Olympian gods are worthy of wearing, and the ultimate Cloth closest to these Fabled Cloths, is the Divine Cloth!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“If they didn't say it, it would be truly hard to imagine that Partita and Pegasus are mother and son. She's treating Pegasus like a stranger with such ruthlessness!”

“Did Pandora forget the scene where she was at loggerheads with Pegasus the moment they met? Now she's actually warning Pegasus! She truly loves him so much…”

“To merge one's soul with the Cloth, the Divine Cloth, which is closest to the Olympian gods, this awakening method is far too painful!”

Everyone from other worlds found Pegasus's actions incredible. As Pandora said, if something went wrong with the soul, the damage wouldn't be simple.

It would directly feed back to the body. A slight mishap could lead to complete annihilation, just like Veronica, whose soul was burned by Manigoldo's technique, causing both her body and soul to dissipate.

Now Pandora truly became like an older sister, actually worrying about Pegasus…

 。。。。。

Chapter 324: Only the Pegasus continues forward!!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Bleach World, Karakura Town〜

Looking at the scene before him, Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes were a little bitter, not knowing what he was thinking,

“The pain of having one's soul reforged into a Divine Cloth is probably still less than the damage Tenma has suffered inwardly!”

Even Pandora could feel the unresolvable sorrow in Tenma's Cosmo. After all, what could be more painful than punching the mother who died protecting you...

But even if he had to punch his mother, Tenma had to move forward. This soul, protected by countless companions, already carried a weight that didn't belong to it.

Virgo Asmita, Taurus Hasgard, and Capricorn El Cid... Tenma also carried the will of his fallen comrades.

Orihime sighed softly,

“I wonder how Pandora will view Tenma after all of this ends...”

Speaking of which, Pandora seemed to have held Tenma when he was little, and they had even dreamed of a happy future together. Now that the hatred was gone, they had a common enemy.

What attitude would Pandora take to face Tenma... to face the child of her former friend?

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Seeing Tenma wearing the sacred and magnificent Cloth, Kirito was genuinely happy for him,

“This time it's no longer a trial card, but a result Tenma achieved through enduring pain and growth step by step!”

This time, there was no help from Hades Alone, nor the blessing of Athena. It was Tenma alone who crossed the threshold of the Golden Cloth and grew into the Divine Cloth!

It's just that this growth... was so hard to accept.

Asuna, however, felt a pang in her heart,

“Yes, after the painful baptism of his soul, Pegasus finally successfully awakened the Divine Cloth...”

Whether from his body or his soul! Tenma must have endured unimaginable pain.

And at this moment, Pegasus, wearing the Divine Cloth, how would he face his former mother... could he really throw a punch?

〜Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline〜

Seeing this scene, Aozaki Touko's eyes widened,

“His soul was extracted, and he can actually grab his own soul?!”

Pegasus gave her a very strange feeling. When a normal person's soul is extracted, let alone grabbing their own soul, even preserving their consciousness is a miracle.

As a Grand Puppeteer, what puzzled Aozaki Touko the most was the Divine Cloth formed by Pegasus's soul... His soul had come out and merged into the Cloth, and he could even move!

“Could it be that Tenma and Pegasus's souls are two different individuals?!”

His soul went into the Cloth, so it can be said that Pegasus's body is now soulless, and it doesn't seem to affect him at all.

This strange phenomenon was almost making her head dizzy.

 。。。。。

【 “Divine Cloth! That is my ultimate goal!” Partita looked at Tenma, who was wearing the Divine Cloth, and instead smiled, “Tenma, I'm so happy! That is the appearance of a god-slayer... The Great Sinner. Now it's time for you to die!”

Although traces of childhood affection for his mother still lingered in Tenma's mind at this moment, the Pegasus Ryuseiken had already been unleashed!

The power of this blow was far beyond Partita's ability to resist. With a devastating force, it instantly destroyed all defenses on Partita's body!

Dense fist shadows rained down on her body like a storm. In the vortex where their powers converged, Tenma actually saw a gentle smile on her face.

The next second, Athena's divine statue appeared behind Partita, followed by a memory from her. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It seems no one has been able to withstand a single punch from the Divine Cloth's power so far. The Four Oneiroi were also defeated in one punch.”

“What's going on?! Partita, a Specter, actually has Athena's statue appearing behind her... Coupled with that genuine-looking gentleness, it feels a bit like an undercover agent.”

They say a dying person's words are kind! Partita's gentle smile when she was defeated seemed to be from the heart, happy that Tenma could possess such power.

But the more everyone looked, the more surprised they became. The Saints' Cosmo was truly versatile. They could even see each other's memories during a fight.

This was simply incredible.

 。。。。。

【 This thought, sealed away for who knows how long, unexpectedly squeezed into Tenma's mind, stirring up huge waves in his heart!

“This is...”

In this memory, the previous Athena decided to reincarnate as a human to prevent the next Holy War from breaking out.

Below Athena, a woman was kneeling, pleading with her not to do such a reckless thing.

Tenma realized that it was his mother, Partita!

Seeing that she couldn't stop Athena, Partita raised her head with determined eyes, “Please allow me to also reincarnate as a human and embark on this journey with you!”

“And to protect the soul of your most important warrior, to bring him to your side, even if you reincarnate as a human, the bond with Pegasus will not be severed!”

“I will surely... raise Pegasus and protect Pegasus's soul!”

Only now did Tenma finally understand that Partita's extreme and bloody methods before were all to make him awaken the Divine Cloth!

“You... YOU STUPID MOTHER!!” Tenma caught the falling Partita, holding his mother again just like when he was a child.

When Partita saw Tenma's Cloth, she knew how Tenma had fared after their separation. And how many important people he had lost...

However, in Partita's eyes, even though Tenma had suffered a lot of pain, it wasn't enough to awaken the power of the Divine Cloth!

So, she used Yoma's plan to help Tenma obtain the power of the Divine Cloth!

Understanding everything from beginning to end, Tenma could no longer control his emotions, and tears streamed down his face, “Even so... I don't need it, you didn't need to do this!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Another twist, so that's how it is! The main point is to go with the flow, using Yoma's plan to achieve her own goal.”

“Partita, I didn't expect her to be Athena's attendant and also a god! So, Tenma is actually a child of a god?!”

Everyone from other worlds suddenly felt a sense of surprise as they thought about it. With both his father and mother being gods, Tenma seemed to be a second-generation god!

Does he inherently possess divine blood?! If so, he's suffered a huge loss; he's shed far too much blood from the beginning until now.

It can only be said that the soul of Pegasus, the great sinner of the heavens, is truly special. It has always been in Athena's hands and was not allowed to reincarnate separately.

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

Manigoldo reached out and patted the sobbing Tenma to comfort him,

“I didn't expect you, Tenma, to have such a background... Since you bear such a mission, then don't cry like a child anymore!”

Tenma wiped his tears. Although his eyes were red, he couldn't hide his happiness,

“I'm not crying, it's just that the wind was too strong and I got sand in my eyes!”

Manigoldo chuckled, secretly calculating in his heart that Tenma, this kid, was a second-generation god. He wondered if using his blood to draw talismans would be useful against the God of Death.

After all, he always seemed to be getting injured and bleeding, so why not use it? Don't let it go to waste!

Thinking of this, Manigoldo looked at Tenma with a strange gaze, his smile growing more rampant,

“Tenma, I'll accompany you to train when I get a chance!”

Tenma, not understanding, naturally agreed. Getting guidance from a Gold Saint was naturally the best, but he didn't notice Manigoldo's ill-intentioned gaze.

“Lady Athena, this is indeed too reckless! To reincarnate as a human, what if something goes wrong...”

The Pope and Hakurei finally understood at this moment why Lady Athena did not descend into the Sanctuary but was born in an unknown small town.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“I just don't understand, since Partita had this goal, why didn't she tell Tenma the truth directly after he awakened the Divine Cloth?”

This was what Kazuma found perplexing. It was as if Partita deliberately went to her death.

Aqua, as a goddess, seemed rather unconcerned,

“Maybe she wanted to end her own life. No one mentioned she would be wearing a surplice!”

Darkness, beside her, nodded in agreement with Aqua's point of view,

“Yes, Kazuma, never underestimate the loyalty of some believers!”

As an attendant serving Athena, she ended up wearing the Surplice of Athena's archenemy, Hades. Partita might not have been able to bear it inwardly.

 。。。。。

【 Tears fell on Partita's face, but she managed to force a faint smile, and then a weak voice entered Tenma's ears.

She told Tenma not to be sad, not to cry...

For her, being able to embark on this wonderful journey with Athena and raise Tenma, bestow him with power, and guide him onto the right path, as a mother, she already felt extremely happy!

Now that the Divine Cloth had been delivered into Tenma's hands, her mission was completely over! She could leave this world in peace!

As soon as her words fell, a brilliant light enveloped Partita. In Tenma's arms, his mother's body gradually dissipated, finally transforming into pure white feathers!

Along this path, Tenma had experienced too much and lost too much. Many important companions had also left him!

His falling out with Alone also clouded his heart, but none of these could be reasons for him to continue to waste away in despair!

On the contrary, those pains and hardships would all become trials for him to constantly grow stronger. Now, his closest kin had dissipated before him!

Looking at the Divine Cloth, which his mother sacrificed herself to obtain, Tenma wiped away his tears and stood up, telling himself, “Keep moving forward!

Only by continuing to move forward will he not let down the hopes of his fallen companions. 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

(Author-san: The next chapter ends The Lost Canvas, finally, I can write about other things...)

( Translator-kun: Finally, the next chapter brings this to an end. The upcoming one is quite good.)

Chapter 325: If Wisdom Had a Color, It Would Be Blue!

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Well, I said I would only give an additional 5 chapters as a gift, but that ended on a cliffhanger, didn't it? So I came up with an idea—why not just release one more chapter? It won't hurt me, right? ( ˘▽˘)っ♨ So here is the last gift, Happy Reading! )

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Tenma really grew from a hothead. To reach this point, he must have experienced too much and lost too much. All that’s left for him is to keep moving forward.”

“Looking at it this way, if it weren't for Yoma causing trouble, Athena’s active reincarnation as a human might really be able to stop the Holy War at its source!”

Everyone watched as Tenma’s solitary figure slowly departed on the screen. Even though he was clad in the sacred yet magnificent Divine Cloth, at this moment, he appeared so desolate.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijo, being a kind-hearted person, felt sad for Tenma as he watched this scene. He sighed slightly,

“I never expected the appearance of the Divine Cloth to be so demanding. It seems not every Pegasus Saint of every generation can awaken the Divine Cloth…”

Since the Age of Mythology, Pegasus has been the only human capable of injuring Hades, a god. Therefore, the Underworld would not idly watch Pegasus grow.

On his first mission, he was personally killed by his friend, Hades Alone, under the pretext of severing their past, but was fortunately protected by the goddess’s garland!

Then, Pandora sent assassins Cube and Weinber to infiltrate the Sanctuary and assassinate Pegasus. Fortunately, Taurus protected Tenma with all his might, allowing him to escape.

Seeing that they couldn’t kill him, Hypnos then ordered Morpheus to imprison Pegasus, who had a connection with Hades, in the Dream World cage, completely sealing him and preventing his reincarnation… Wait!

All these trials only made Tenma’s body and mind gradually stronger!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“This time it won’t be a trial card. It’s a pity we didn’t encounter the God-blooded Radamanthys; otherwise, the little lion wouldn’t have died.”

Tenma first materialized the Divine Cloth using the power of the Dream World, and the second time, he awakened the Divine Cloth through the connection between him, Athena, and Hades.

The third time, his mother fought Tenma in an almost merciless manner, intending to force Tenma to grow strong enough to wear the “Divine Cloth”…

Although God-blooded Radamanthys was formidable, Da Vinci doubted he could endure Tenma’s punch. It’s worth mentioning that Tenma, clad in his Divine Cloth, once struck Hades so hard that the god bled.

 。。。。。

【 Wiping away his tears, Tenma walked out of the Hades Palace gate and continued towards the Heavenly Stairway. His figure was exceptionally resolute yet slightly sad!

At this moment, a heavy hoofbeat came from behind, followed by Pandora’s mocking voice entering his ears: “Wearing the Divine Cloth yet still looking so disheveled. At least wipe your tears, Pegasus Saint!”

Perhaps because long-sealed memories were stirred, Pandora recalled her sibling-like affection for Tenma, and the atmosphere between them became much more harmonious!

“You’re one to talk, didn’t you cry so much your makeup ran!” The two also started bickering like ordinary people.

Then Pandora told Tenma that Alone was still alive and had stolen Hades’ power, using it to commit widespread slaughter!

After finishing her words, Pandora waited with anticipation for Tenma’s speechless expression. But the latter first fell into silence.

Then Tenma showed a relieved smile: “I vaguely guessed it would be like this… We grew up together, Sasha must have also noticed!”

“Precisely because of that, that guy must be defeated by me!”

Seeing this, Pandora also showed a strange expression. This determination to fight against fate, no matter what, moved her!

Then Pandora whipped her horse, driving the headless carriage high into the sky! Her distant voice then came from the sky!

“Don’t worry, Pegasus Saint! I won’t let you bear the sin of killing your dearest friend, because the one who will defeat Alone is me!”

The battle at Uranus’s Demon Palace ended with Tenma obtaining the Divine Cloth! At the same time, Pandora also found a distant, non-blood-related younger brother.

Then the screen gradually darkened. The story of the Divine Saints had been seen by everyone, and the world of Saint Seiya came to an end. 】

【 。。。。。】

( Translator-kun: Well, looks like this is the end for TLC here. An open-ended one. )

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So this is why Gemini came out of the alternate dimension and saw Tenma wearing the Divine Cloth? It’s truly so difficult…”

“I never thought Tenma had already noticed Alone’s situation. The three once friendly individuals probably couldn’t escape the arrangements of fate in the end!”

“Hahaha, I never expected Pandora and Tenma, these two who always bickered upon meeting, would actually have a day of mutual banter.”

Pandora might really become a good older sister. Her attitude towards Tenma after their misunderstanding was cleared shows it!

She saved Tenma several times, and didn’t forget to remind him of Alone’s current situation, even not wanting Tenma to bear the sin of killing his dearest friend.

Watching the world of Saint Seiya until now, everyone finally understood that besides Yoma, there was another great villain, and that was Alone!

Alone could be said to be evil from beginning to end, wanting everyone to die, a purely evil person.

He believed that all sentient beings suffer, and only through death could they transcend, so he planned to kill all of humanity… Isn’t this just plain insanity?

 。。。。。

〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜

“It seems it’s over…”

The Pope looked knowingly at the darkened screen. The real battle was next for them.

Manigoldo showed a somewhat flamboyant smile:

“Now, the Specters might already be in chaos!”

The Specters would not be loyal to a human, let alone Pandora. They were probably busy stirring up rebellion.

And the Twin Gods would not idly watch Hades’ power being arbitrarily used by a human. He really wanted to see the twisted expressions of the Twin Gods when they learned the truth.

Scorpio Cardia sat cross-legged on the ground, feeling a bit regretful:

“It’s a pity I couldn’t see the ending!”

Degel glanced at him indifferently:

“That’s not important. From the moment the video appeared, no one could foresee the direction of this Holy War!”

Even knowing the ending, what good would it do? The current Holy War has gone astray to who knows where. The truly difficult one to deal with is Yoma! The mastermind behind everything.

Although the latter’s divine power and body were sealed, existing only as a Specter, his time manipulation ability was indeed troublesome.

The Pope and Hakurei looked at the young Saints below with some relief. Because of the video’s appearance, they were filled with confidence for the upcoming Holy War.

Just as they were full of fighting spirit and preparing for the Holy War, a new video quietly appeared on the screen.

 。。。。。

【 Appearing on the screen were several dazzling, gilded characters:

『 KONOSUBA: GOD'S BLESSING ON THIS WONDERFUL WORLD 』

As the video began to play, in a dark space, a brown-haired boy in a green tracksuit curiously surveyed the area.

Then, a blue-haired goddess, Aqua, with scarves floating around her, slowly walked out: “Satou Kazuma, welcome to the afterlife!”

Kazuma recalled the previous scene: when a tractor was about to hit a little girl, he pushed the little girl away!

So Kazuma sat in a chair, somewhat hesitant: “I just want to ask you one question, the girl I pushed away…”

Aqua, with her legs crossed, gently told Kazuma: “She’s still alive.”

Hearing this news, Satou Kazuma visibly breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s great, I didn’t die in vain…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So he died to save someone, I’m sure Satou Kazuma is very kind-hearted!”

“So this is what the afterlife is like. Such a gentle goddess, I wonder what she presides over!”

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“NO!!! PLEASE… YAMERO!””

Kazuma himself, outside the video, watched this scene with his hands pressed to his head, flopping on the ground like a dried fish.

Kazuma was in tears at this moment, feeling his brain tremble. Once the reason for his death was revealed, he would truly have no face to show anyone!

“Why are they showing our world all of a sudden? We don’t have high combat power like the Saint from Saint Seiya!”

Normally, we just fight frogs and do some manual labor. What’s worth watching?

Aqua covered her mouth with her hand, but her smile couldn’t be hidden: “

Pfft…kushukushu, that’s not my business.”

And in the tavern, the other adventurers all looked at them in astonishment. This perverted Kazuma is actually a hero?!

And that seemingly silly and intellectually challenged Archpriest is actually a goddess?! Reality isn’t that magical, is it…

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

The young Rudeus looked excited:

“Oh oh oh!! I’m familiar with the next steps.”

As expected of someone who spent 5 hours buying a new game, I understand you! Rudeus gave a thumbs up, showing his approval of his actions.

“That’s nice, to be able to see a goddess. If you reincarnate, you should be able to bring a cheat!”

Although he himself reincarnated as a newborn baby in a sword and magic fantasy world, the process seemed different. He didn’t see a goddess.

Is this the difference between following the process and being a stowaway?

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Rimuru, who also reincarnated, looked at his slimy body, then at the screen:

“I’m really envious… I just wonder if his hard drive was wiped clean!”

This was the only thing he was currently thankful for: that before he died, he asked a friend to destroy his computer; otherwise, he would truly be socially dead.

Looking at Satou Kazuma in his tracksuit, Rimuru, who thought they were from the same world, suddenly realized that there really are gods in our world.

 。。。。。

【 Hearing this, Aqua was stunned for a moment, then opened the book next to her:

“If you hadn’t pushed her away, that girl wouldn’t have been hurt at all.”

“That tractor was originally going to stop in front of that girl…”

Hearing something different from his memory, Kazuma quickly questioned Aqua:

“Ha, a tractor?! So I was hit by a tractor and died?!”

“No, no, you died of fright! You thought you were going to be run over by a tractor…”

At this point, Aqua couldn’t hold back her laughter, tears streaming down her face:

“Pfft… Kushukushu! I’ve been in this line of work for a long time!”

“This unique way of dying, you’re the first. You thought you were going to be run over, (and) you peed yourself out of fright!… Hahaha…”

“After losing consciousness, you were sent to a nearby hospital, and you had a heart attack amidst the laughter of doctors and nurses!”

“I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to hear it!” Kazuma felt as if he had taken a hundred points of damage, pressing his hands to his ears, trying to escape reality.

Seeing this, Aqua slowly leaned into Kazuma’s ear, delivering the fatal blow: “Now your family has arrived at the hospital, and regarding your cause of death, even your family couldn’t help but laugh…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, this… way of dying is truly rare to see throughout history, it’s absolutely hilarious!”

“Now I finally know why it made it onto the screen, this is too funny!”

At this moment, even the people outside the video started to burst into laughter. They never expected things to turn out this way; who could have imagined it!

“Hahahaha… I take back what I said about her being a gentle goddess; she’s actually a trash goddess. She’s already like this and still adding insult to injury… Hahaha!”

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Subaru Natsuki also couldn’t help but burst into laughter at this scene, tears almost coming out:

“Hahahaha, there’s actually such a ridiculous way to die…”

Looking at Satou Kazuma, who was also wearing a tracksuit, Subaru felt that his sudden (transmigration) to another world was already quite good.

At least he didn’t suffer social death like him. If it happened to him…

Just thinking about it, Subaru felt a chill and got goosebumps all over. Even death would be a relief.

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: Next, I’ll write some comedy…)

( Translator-kun: Lets welcome the Devilish Kazuma!! )

Chapter 326: The Brick-Moving, Ash-Beating Expert, Aqua!

Chapter Text

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

The golden-haired goddess Ristarte barely suppressed her laughter, her face a little twisted.

“Cough, cough… this goddess business doesn’t seem to be doing so well, huh?”

How should one describe this personality? Not at all as gentle as herself, lacking any goddess-like decorum.

Seiya Ryuuguuin glanced indifferently at Ristarte.

“Well, six of one, half a dozen of the other.”

The pot calling the kettle black, they felt the same, with no difference. And their personalities… even less so.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“He said it…”

Kazuma’s face was ashen at this moment, feeling as if his entire world had turned gray.

The gazes from around the tavern sharply stung his young heart.

The worst part was that Megumin and Darkness tactically shifted away, moving further and further from him.

They even whistled an inexplicable tune, pretending not to know him, but this act was useless; who didn't know they were on Kazuma’s team!

Only Aqua, with a sacred expression, patted Kazuma’s shoulder.

“It’s fine! You’re famous now, after all. Maybe you can even make the Demon King laugh himself to death, and then we can go back.”

Kazuma, his face crumbling, grabbed her neck and shook her.

“But! I don’t want this kind of fame!”

 。。。。。

【 Aqua flicked her hair, nonchalantly ending the topic.

“Alright, that’s enough tension relief for now!”

“This guy…” This made Kazuma grit his teeth in anger, looking at Aqua, who had just been wearing a sly, ill-intentioned grin!

“My name is Aqua, a goddess responsible for guiding the deceased!”

Aqua first introduced herself, giving Kazuma a chance to choose a new life, then secretly badmouthed Heaven to him.

“Heaven isn’t as good as you imagine. There’s no TV, no manga, no video games, and you can’t do anything lewd!”

After dispelling Kazuma’s idea, she then offered the remaining choices: “In a world different from this one, an alternate world, a long peace is threatened by the Demon King’s army!”

“The population is continuously decreasing, so there’s a method of sending people who died in other worlds, preserving their bodies and memories, to that world!”

Aqua then took out an instruction manual, kindly introducing it to Kazuma, dispelling all his worries and questions!

“Come, choose! Let me bestow upon you an invincible ability!”

Aqua finished speaking, and sheets of paper with abilities or weapons written on them floated before Kazuma, letting him choose one to take to the alternate world. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“One hundred percent confirmed, this goddess is trash. Rubbing salt in someone’s wounds to relieve their tension—is that something a goddess would do?! If it’s not intentional, then she’s an idiot.”

“She says there are two choices, but Aqua’s way of putting it makes it seem like there’s no choice at all. She sounds like a salesperson!”

It was like signing a voluntary responsibility form for your safety when school let out for summer vacation… do you really think it’s voluntary?

Everyone from other worlds watched, their mouths twitching slightly, as the goddess secretly badmouthed heaven and even talked about lewd things. It was truly hard to imagine such words coming from a goddess.

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

Satania, who wasn’t very bright to begin with, looked at the expressionless Gabriel with a puzzled look.

“She’s slandering your heaven, how come you’re not reacting at all?”

Forget about anger; there wasn’t a single expression on her face, completely like an ancient well with no ripples, a centaurian.

Gabriel propped her head with one hand, lying sideways in the room, looking at the screen with an expression.

“Although I really don’t want to admit it, what she said is very true, heaven really has no video games…”

Only after coming to the human world did Gabriel truly realize how boring heaven really was!

〜So I'm a Spider, So What? World〜

Kumoko hugged her two front legs together and nodded.

“Mm-hm, this is the normal process for reincarnating into an alternate world as I know it!”

She could even guess the upcoming development for Satou Kazuma; he would probably obtain a holy sword and reincarnate in an alternate world.

Then, like in Dragon Quest, he would clear dungeons, defeat Demon King generals, and rampage everywhere! After that, he would defeat the Demon King, marry the princess, and reach the pinnacle of life.

“Instead of living like a savage… oh no, living like a wild beast, like myself.”

With this thought, Kumoko tearfully took another big bite of an unknown monster’s meat… This was the difference!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma lay on the ground, picking and choosing, a bit indecisive, because his gamer’s intuition told him that these were all overpowered abilities and equipment.

“Since I’m going to an alternate world with magic, I absolutely must try using magic!”

With this thought, Satou Kazuma picked up another introduction about a magic ability.

Aqua sat on a chair, not even looking at Kazuma, and began munching on snacks, growing a little impatient.

“Hmm? Hurry up, it’s all the same what you choose anyway, I don’t expect a NEET to do anything…”

Kazuma’s voice trembled as he quickly denied.

“I, I’m not a shut-in…! And I died outside, I’m not a hikikomori either!”

After chewing her potato chips, Aqua licked her fingers nonchalantly.

“It doesn’t matter if you are or not, can you just hurry up?! There are many more deceased waiting for me to attend to after you!”

Kazuma grew increasingly irritated… This guy, even though it was their first meeting, shamelessly mocked his cause of death. Just because she was a little cute, she was always so arrogant.

Kazuma stretched out his hand and pointed at Aqua, saying, “Then… you it is.”

Aqua looked at Kazuma, still munching on snacks, suddenly paused, and didn’t think anything was amiss.

“Hmm, then stand in the magic circle in the center, don’t come out…”

At this point, Aqua’s movements suddenly stopped.

“What… did you say?!”

Just then, with a flash of brilliant white light, a winged woman appeared like an angel.

“I understand. Then, I will take over Aqua-sama’s duties from now on.”

Aqua suddenly panicked completely, her whole body screaming refusal, her eyes welling up with tears.

“Wait, huh, huh, this isn’t real, is it? Wait a minute, that, that’s too strange! Taking a goddess is cheating, right? This should be invalid! Wait! Wait!”

Kazuma showed a villainous expression.

“How does it feel to be taken away by a man you looked down on? Since you’re a goddess, you should use your divine power! Make it easy for me!”

With a bright light enveloping Kazuma and the constantly crying Aqua, they departed for the alternate world! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…………”

This utterly frustrating scene made everyone cover their faces. Why was nothing going according to plan!

Kazuma, can you tone down your smile? You’re going to fight the Demon King, you look more like a Demon King than a hero, seriously!

“Is Aqua really a goddess?! Her ability to annoy people is quite something. I almost feel sorry for Kazuma!”

“How come Aqua seems a bit slow-witted? When he pointed at her, she didn’t even react.”

That being said, everyone was stunned by Kazuma’s quick wit. They never imagined such a choice was possible. After all, what ability could be more reliable than bringing a goddess?

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Looking at this unbearable memory, Kazuma silently covered his face.

“I made the most regrettable decision of my life…”

Watching himself laugh maniacally in the video, Kazuma couldn’t laugh at all, only feeling how foolish he was at the time. Who would have thought this idiotic goddess would be completely useless?

Everyone else in the guild looked at Kazuma, who resembled a villain, with admiration.

“As expected of Scumzuma, that smile is unmatched!”

By the way, it turns out Goddess-sama also has to work, and she can even eat snacks during work hours, which is a bit down-to-earth.

The most crucial thing is that she can be seamlessly replaced; that’s too amazing.

 。。。。。

【 After crossing over to the alternate world with the goddess Aqua, she proved to be of no use. Instead, due to a lack of money for food, they ended up working odd jobs!

Every day, they would wake up early and move bricks and mix cement with the goddess, sleeping in a horse stable at night!

That night, after Kazuma picked out straw that hadn’t been soiled with horse manure to make a bed, he immediately lay down. Aqua, quite naturally, slept beside him.

“Well, good night then—”

“Alright, good night, huff… Today was another day of hard work…!”

So, Kazuma, with a much more comfortable sense of exhaustion, gradually drifted into sleep…

“No, WAIT A MINUTE!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“My goodness, he’s a genius! It’s been days… he finally realized something was wrong. What kind of alternate world adventure life is this?!”

“Moving bricks and mixing cement every day, sleeping in a horse stable—this is the most miserable alternate world life I’ve ever seen… The goddess adapted too quickly!”

Everyone’s minds were beyond speechless. Normally, shouldn’t they be recruiting teammates, then fighting monsters to level up, and embarking on a thrilling adventure?!

Why were they so naturally living the life of ordinary laborers?! No, why did Aqua, as a goddess, adapt to this life without any questions whatsoever…

“Are they crossing over to an alternate world to work?! Go and defeat the Demon King, you bastards!”

“This is the world that was invaded by the Demon King and is in crisis?! This is completely peaceful!”

What made everyone even more distraught was Aqua. She was a goddess, after all, so why was she so skilled at laying bricks…?

She could even calmly and contentedly live in a stable full of horse manure; her mindset was too laid-back!

After crossing over, she still worked like a beast of burden; wasn't that a wasted transmigration?

 。。。。。

Chapter 327: The Mentally Deficient Goddess Aqua! Unable to exert the power of a god at all...

Chapter Text

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Rimuru's forehead dripped with a cold sweat:

“I've transmigrated, and I still have to do manual labor and sleep in a stable. This is too miserable!”

It felt like they didn't transmigrate to another world to defeat the Demon Lord, but rather to make a living... What about the promised thrilling and exciting adventure?

“If it describes living from hand to mouth, it's indeed quite thrilling and adventurous... After all, you could accidentally starve to death!”

This kind of development is too far from the work and life of an adventurer in another world that I imagined. The skill points for civil engineering, however, are maxed out.

“Forget it, to avoid living the same life as them, I must continue to work hard!”

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte burst into laughter, pointing at Aqua on the screen:

“Wahahaha... I'm really dying of laughter. What kind of goddess is this, sleeping in a place full of horse dung!”

If it were me, absolutely no way... I'd rather be killed than that. Not all goddesses are as thick-skinned as Aqua.

Seiya Ryuuguuin maintained his usual indifferent expression:

“Truly not cautious enough. Going to another world without making preparations, not even bringing money.”

So reckless. It seems they'll have trouble even leaving the (novice village), let alone defeating the Demon Lord.

〜A Certain Magical Index, Academy City〜

Misaka looked at Aqua, who was living contentedly, and didn't know how to describe her:

“This goddess... can no longer be described as down-to-earth! it can even rival Goddess Athena from the previous one.”

If it weren't for the opening scene, no one would believe you if you told them Aqua was a goddess. Which goddess would carry bricks and mix mortar, and so skillfully at that...

Kuroko Shirai hugged her pillow and mumbled:

“Onee-sama, can they really defeat the Demon Lord...?”

She had never seen a hero who had been working for more than two weeks in another world, not even in games or on TV!

Let alone defeating monsters, they hadn't even had that thought. They were simply born laborers, single-mindedly wanting to work.

 。。。。。

【 Just after arriving in the other world, Kazuma and Aqua caused a commotion when registering for adventurer jobs.

Kazuma's stats, except for his ridiculously high luck, were all within the normal range. As for Aqua's card data, it caused the counter lady to exclaim.

“? What! What's with these stats? Except for intelligence being below average and luck being incredibly low, all other attributes are significantly above average!”

Aqua shyly puffed out her chest a little: “What, what, does that mean I'm amazing?!”

And so, two weeks after arriving in the other world, Kazuma and Aqua were still diligently building walls: “By the way... we're not here to do manual labor, are we!”

Aqua paused her mortar-mixing motion, with a “What are you talking about?” expression.

“Oh, oh! Now that you mention it, there was something like that! That's right, I was so immersed in the joy of labor that I forgot. If Kazuma doesn't defeat the Demon Lord, I can't go back.”

Hearing her idiotic answer, Kazuma remembered her below-average intelligence stat. It seemed that was indeed the case.

“Alright, a subjugation, right? Let's go subjugate them! Don't worry, with me, it'll be over in a jiffy! Just look forward to my performance!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, intelligence below average, and luck incredibly low. I'm starting to wonder how she even became a goddess!”

“She can even look proud. As expected of the useless goddess, she didn't even realize those words weren't praising her!”

It's not easy... two weeks after arriving in the other world, the useless goddess Aqua finally realized they were supposed to defeat the Demon Lord!

Still immersed in the joy of labor? What's joyful about this besides getting paid?

It can only be said that she truly lives up to her below-average intelligence stat.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Under a clear blue sky with not a cloud in sight, Kazuma and Aqua immediately took a quest at the guild and arrived at the wide plains outside the town!

However, the situation didn't seem too optimistic...

“Help! Aqua, save me!” Kazuma, holding a short sword, was being chased by a giant toad, yelling for help towards Aqua, who was supposed to handle everything.

Aqua, however, was bursting with laughter: “Kushukushu... This is bad, super funny! Kazuma, your face is all red and you're crying...”

Kazuma, running, saw this and his anger flared up. He decided he would bury this guy after everything was over!

Aqua shouted at the figure running ahead: “Kazuma! If you want me to save you, first address me as 'Sama'!”

Kazuma was almost in tears: “Aqua-sama—”

Aqua, looking helpless, then smugly said, “Well, I can't help it, I'll help you. But as a price, starting tomorrow, you must worship me!”

Aqua, hands on her hips and chest puffed out, was muttering, completely unaware that the giant frog had changed direction and was now beside her.

“You have to pray to me three times a day, and also...”

When Kazuma looked back, he saw only the toad where Aqua had been, with a leg dangling from its mouth.

“How did you get eaten—!” Kazuma drew his short sword and charged at the toad. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, completely useless! A goddess solo-defeated by a frog, I can only say this world is beyond saving.”

“This is what Aqua meant by 'leave it to me,' and 'look forward to my performance'... The result was just watching Kazuma get chased, and this goddess even took the opportunity to make demands.”

Everyone had seen the gods in the Saint Seiya world. Now, looking at this goddess, she was truly unique in style, standing out from the crowd.

Let alone being useless, it would be good if she didn't cause trouble. To be solo-defeated by a frog, Aqua must be a peculiar existence even among gods.

 。。。。。

【 “While eating Aqua, the giant frog couldn't move. That was a big help!”

Kazuma slowly panted next to the dead giant frog.

In front of him, Aqua was squatting on the ground, hugging her knees, covered in wet, sticky toad mucus, and continuously sobbing.

“Waaah... sniff... Th-thank you... Kazuma, th-thank you... Waaah!”

Even a goddess couldn't endure the shock of being eaten. She cried and hugged Kazuma, constantly rubbing the mucus on him.

Then, the frustrated Aqua, covered in mucus, stood up, glistening, and charged towards another toad further away.

Before Kazuma could react, she had already rushed out: “Wait... Aqua!!”

Aqua closed the distance between herself and the toad. Following the momentum of her charge, her aura began to glow with golden light!

“Experience the power of a god! For blocking my path and attacking a god, repent properly in hell!”

“God Blow—”

“The so-called God Blow is a deadly iron fist carrying the wrath and sorrow of a goddess! The opponent has only one fate: DEATH!!”

The fist, glowing with dazzling golden light, struck the frog's soft abdomen and sank in. Besides the fat jiggling a few times... nothing happened!

Kazuma wasn't surprised by this scene. He remembered the guild staff telling them that blunt attacks were useless against giant toads.

Aqua and the frog stared at each other, the atmosphere a bit awkward: “If you look closely, frogs are quite cute!”

“Aao—” The frog showed no mercy and swallowed her whole again!

And so, Kazuma defeated the second giant frog that was motionless while trying to swallow its prey, and then, taking the goddess covered in mucus and crying hysterically, ended the day's subjugation. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This... isn't completely useless, is it? At least she's a pretty good decoy. Since she doesn't have many other advantages, let's praise what we can!”

“What a powerful God Blow! Is this what they mean by 'hit, and the opponent has only one fate: death'?! It almost made me die laughing... Hahaha!”

Everyone laughed so hard they couldn't straighten up. Kazuma's choosing this goddess was worse than choosing a more practical ability for reincarnation. She was completely useless!

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Asuna was trying to hold back her laughter:

“Actually, it's not completely useless. That punch's effect against undead should really be as she said... a hit means certain death!”

It's just that the frog was immune to physical attacks, so blunt attacks were completely useless.

Kirito also shook his head helplessly:

“She's quite skilled at being a decoy.”

It must be tough for Kazuma to team up with Aqua. With Aqua's abilities, it would take forever for them to level up.

It was completely different from the classic otherworld development he imagined, after all, what kind of hero with a goddess, almost couldn't even defeat a frog?

 。。。。。

Chapter 328: Explosive Magic! Explosion!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

The Wise King Gilgamesh's mouth twitched slightly as he watched the attack that was 100% effective but dealt zero damage. Then, his gaze turned playful as he looked at Ishtar.

“So, you're another useless goddess...”

Ishtar clenched her fists, wishing she could punch Gilgamesh.

“I'm not that useless!”

Why the personal attack? Don't think I didn't heard you emphasize that word “useless.”

Although she sometimes messed things up, she wasn't completely useless. At least her damage output was still quite high!

Merlin, on the other hand, was deep in thought.

“What do you think would happen if someone with extremely high luck and someone with extremely low luck teamed up…?!”

A negative times a negative equals a positive?! The normally average Satou Kazuma suddenly lost his only advantage, becoming truly ordinary.

And based on Merlin's understanding of magic, the reason the goddess's move was useless might be because it did not affect living beings. After all, given Aqua's intelligence… It's not impossible that she forgot this detail.

“So, those frog monsters probably never imagined in their lives that they would receive the same treatment as higher-ranking monsters…”

 。。。。。

【 That night, back in town, Aqua insisted that it was due to a shortage of personnel. After all, other adventuring parties usually had four members!

Kazuma was a little skeptical: “Even if we're looking for companions, do you think anyone would want to team up with us, who are just starting out and don't even have decent equipment?”

Don't let their successful frog subjugation today fool you; they barely earned any money!

The purchase price of one toad, after deducting the transportation service fee, was actually not much different from the wages for civil engineering part-time work.

Aqua, her mouth full of toad leg meat, took a sip of sparkling wine and said confidently,

“I'm an Arch-Priest, the highest-ranking profession! No matter what party it is, they'll surely be scrambling to join us!”

So Aqua came up with a brilliant idea: post a recruitment ad on the bar's bulletin board… or rather, a false advertisement!

“Those who wish to adventure with the beautiful and noble Arch-Priest Aqua-sama, please come here! Conditions… only advanced-class adventurers accepted!” Below it were a bunch of comments Aqua wrote herself.

Things like: 'Every day is happy after joining the party,' 'Won the lottery,' 'Illnesses cured,' 'Popularity increased,' and so on…

As a result, the next day at the Adventurers' Guild, they waited for half a day, but no one came knocking.

Aqua's entire demeanor turned gloomy, and she muttered to herself with a hint of loneliness, “No one came.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What was Kazuma thinking… letting a goddess with below-average intelligence come up with ideas?! Anyone can tell her ideas wouldn't be normal.”

“It's impressive she even came up with that idea, even if the ad is a bit outrageous…”

Everyone couldn't help but want to laugh as they looked at the recruitment notice, which resembled a pyramid scheme, especially Aqua's self-proclaimed benefits of joining the party—those were truly astounding!

And it also contained a lot of personal bias. It truly is you, the idiotic goddess Aqua! It's impossible to keep up with your thought process.

Things like “won the lottery,” “illnesses cured,” and “popularity increased”—who would have thought a goddess would resort to fraud? You can be down-to-earth, but not to the underworld!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma couldn't help but retort,

“It would be strange if anyone came with those conditions....”

The recruitment ad said a lot, but didn't explain the main composition of their party. And… just that pile of pyramid-scheme-like comments was enough to deter anyone.

No one who wasn't an idiot would believe that, right?!

“The most outrageous part is 'only advanced-class adventurers'…”

Two rookie adventurers who almost couldn't even defeat frogs, yet they demand only advanced-class adventurers as companions. They should really look at their own conditions before adding such a restriction!

〜Boardtop World, Disboard〜

Sora was dumbfounded, looking at the recruitment ad.

“If I remember correctly, they're in the starter village, right?”

How many adventurers in the entire starter village would have advanced professions?! That last condition essentially shut out everyone in the village, didn't it?

It's truly hard to imagine such a shocking idea coming from a goddess…

“No money, no equipment, and the ad doesn't even mention benefits. It's hard to imagine anyone actually showing up…”

A party like this should honestly just focus on grinding and leveling up for a while first. No one will come, even if they wait until they die.

 。。。。。

【 Just as Kazuma was about to persuade Aqua to lower the bar, they unexpectedly waited for someone!

“This encounter is a destiny chosen by the world. I have been waiting for people like you to appear!”

Looking back, they saw a girl wearing a black cloak, a pointed magic hat, dressed like a typical mage, and with an eye patch covering one eye!

“I am Megumin! My profession is Arch Wizard, and I use the strongest attack magic, Explosion magic…”

At the same time, a heartbreaking rumbling sound came from Megumin's stomach: “…I haven't eaten anything for three days. If possible, could you please treat me to something first…?”

Kazuma looked at the girl in front of him with some concern: “Treating you to a meal is fine, but what's with your eye patch? If it's an injury, let her heal you!”

Although Megumin was almost fainting from hunger, she perked up when this was mentioned: “Hmph… This is a magic item that suppresses my powerful magic… If I remove it… It will bring a great disaster to this world!”

Kazuma was a little surprised: “Is it like… a seal?!”

Megumin said nonchalantly, “Oh, that was a lie. I just wear it as an accessory.”

Kazuma, expressionless, tugged at the latter's eye patch.

“Ah… please don't pull my eye patch… I'm sorry, don't do that, don't pull it! YAMERO!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This one looks like she's got a screw loose, too. One could say, where there's a Sleeping Dragon, there's also a Young Phoenix!”

“Is this chuunibyou?! But this is another world, and she really can use magic, so I don't think it can be entirely called chuunibyou.”

Everyone immediately had a bad feeling. This one also seemed a bit off in the head.

But upon closer inspection, it didn't seem like a big problem. After all… would anyone attracted by that kind of recruitment ad be a normal person?

 。。。。。

【 After Aqua read Megumin's adventurer card, she realized that Megumin was indeed a powerful mage! Recruiting her would definitely not be a loss!

Kazuma pondered for a while and finally decided to take her out to the wilderness to test Megumin's abilities!

So, after eating their fill, they returned to the previous plains, planning to seek revenge on the frogs from before!

Megumin pointed her staff at the giant frog in front: “Explosion magic is the strongest magic. Therefore, using the magic requires a considerable amount of time to prepare. Please hold off that toad until I'm ready…”

It's said that enemies meeting again makes their eyes red with anger. Aqua, this time also holding her staff, rushed out without a word after seeing the giant frog!

“Kazuma, watch closely, TODAY I'LL DEFINITELY SHOW YOU THE POWER OF A GODDESS…!!”

Aqua took a running start, gathered her strength in one swift motion, and golden streaks of light converged on her staff: “Slumber in trembling, GOD'S REQUIEM—!!”

“The so-called God's Requiem is the ultimate form of a goddess's love and sorrow; the opponent has no choice but to die!”

Although Aqua described it as very powerful, she was once again bitten by the giant frog, with only her two legs sticking out. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…………”

Everyone was speechless at this point. When would this idiotic goddess learn her lesson?

Aqua truly lived up to her reputation as a top-tier bait, successfully immobilizing a giant frog… uh, with her own body.

And God's Requiem, and certain death upon hit… It feels like all of Aqua's skill descriptions are like this. Did you really add personal bias when describing them?

It feels like I've never seen your skills deal any damage.

 。。。。。

〜Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? World〜

Hestia, facing Bell's inquisitive gaze, panicked and quickly waved her hands in denial:

“No… no, Bell, we are goddesses, NOT CRAZY GODDESSES!!”

Aqua, by herself, managed to lower the dignity of all goddesses. No one else could do that.

Now, Hestia only felt that all goddesses' reputations had been ruined. Walking on the street felt like daggers in her back, making her somewhat embarrassed to go out.

Facing Hestia's explanation, Bell nodded thoughtfully:

“Could it be that this giant frog is actually very strong! After all, it managed to defeat a goddess twice.”

Aqua, after all, was a goddess. Being defeated twice by a giant frog without any resistance showed that the giant frog's strength must be incredibly “powerful”!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma looked expressionlessly at Aqua being bitten: “As expected of a goddess, she's willing to put herself on the line to buy time.”

Just then… the air around Megumin was powerfully vibrated by intense magic. A torrent of dark magic frantically surged into the staff in her hand!

“Darker than black, deeper than darkness, the time of awakening, the absurd doctrine of the fallen church! Manifest as an invisible distortion!”

Such a terrifying display, even Kazuma, who was unfamiliar with magic, could tell how astonishing the magic Megumin was about to use was.

“The collapse of the source of nothingness's will, an unparalleled collapse! Burn all creation to ashes, descend from the abyss!”

Above the giant frog's head, a vast torrent of magic, like the cosmos, was continuously gathering. The air was constantly agitated by the vibrations of this magic, and fierce winds howled!

“This is the most powerful attack method that humans can perform… This is the ultimate magic…”

“EXPLOSION—!!”

As Megumin swung her staff, brilliant splendor erupted in the direction she pointed. With a blinding flash of intense light, the source of magic gathered like a galaxy in the sky descended towards the giant frog below!

“BOOM—!”

Accompanied by a colossal roar, a dazzling pillar of fire shot up from the ground, followed by a fierce blast that almost uprooted Kazuma!

After the explosion's smoke had settled, a meteor crater more than twenty meters deep had formed where the giant frog had been, and the surrounding rocks were scorched red! 】

【 。。。。。】

Chapter 329: There's not a single normal person in the team!

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“HOLY CRAP!! I never expected this seemingly chuunibyou little girl to be a genuine Arch-Wizard!”

“Humanity’s strongest attack, the ultimate magic… This giant frog probably never imagined in its life that a mere monster from a beginner’s village would encounter such an attack!”

Everyone stared in awe at the magic, which resembled a nuclear bomb… They never expected that the unreliable recruitment conditions would actually lead to recruiting a reliable Arch-Wizard!

Although the wind-up for her ultimate skill was a bit long, its power was worthy of her chanting time, and her incantation, you could tell it was incredibly grand just by hearing it!

Isn’t this much more useful than that useless, idiotic goddess?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka was a bit dumbfounded. Did this giant frog commit arson or violate heavenly laws? To actually use a magical nuclear bomb to wipe out the area!

“It’s all about origins and source collapse again. It’s just a frog; does it have to be so exaggerated?!”

Illya felt a bit overwhelmed internally. This was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito; it was just a slightly larger frog! No need, really no need.

Archer felt admiration for the giant frog:

“This frog lived a full life. First, it endured Goddess Aqua’s so-called fatal blow, and then it endured this Explosion magic…”

Shirou Emiya quietly reminded everyone.

“Isn’t anyone concerned about Aqua…? She’s right at the center of the explosion!”

That must have been horrible, and judging by the power and temperature, could Goddess Aqua still be alive?!

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

“…EXPLOSION—!!”

Rudeus struck the same pose as Megumin, but nothing happened. He could only awkwardly retract his arm.

“It shouldn’t be like this. I clearly recited her strange magic incantation word for word!”

After all, Megumin’s magic power was indeed quite appealing. Although the incantation was a bit chuunibyou, isn’t all magic like that?

After several failed attempts, Rudeus could only give up on the idea, but it still made him sigh… Kazuma finally recruited reliable teammates this time!

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte suddenly felt a bad premonition.

“This method of using an ultimate skill to kill a mosquito… gives me a strong sense of déjà vu.”

She looked suspiciously at Seiya Ryuuguuin. He also used ultimate skills to kill slimes. Could it be that this Megumin was actually a very cautious person?!

After all, what kind of normal person would spend a massive amount of magic power to fight a beginner village frog?!

Anyway, her intuition told her that this seemingly powerful Arch-Wizard was probably not a normal person either.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma stood before the deep crater, filled with awe: “Amazing! Is this magic?!”

Just then, perhaps awakened by the sound and impact of the magic, another giant frog slowly crawled out from underground.

“Megumin, let’s get out of here first!”

Kazuma turned around and was stunned because Megumin had collapsed powerlessly on the ground.

Megumin lay on the ground, explaining in a weak and powerless voice: “My ultimate secret, Explosion magic, due to its immense power, also consumes an extremely vast amount of magic!”

“To put it simply, because I used magic beyond my limits, I can’t move now. This is bad, I’m going to be eaten… I’m sorry, please save me a little…”

Just like that, two frogs, each with one person in their mouth, remained in a swallowing posture. Fortunately, the frogs were also immobilized as a result!

Kazuma could only rush forward, sword in hand, shouting: “Don’t get eaten!!”

And so, Kazuma dealt with the two frogs that Aqua and Megumin had immobilized with their own bodies, finally completing the quest to defeat five giant frogs within three days. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Didn’t the Explosion magic just now kill the frogs? Why is Aqua still being held in a frog’s mouth?!”

“I apologize for previously thinking Megumin was a very reliable Arch-Wizard… Another large bait. It turns out Kazuma’s two teammates are two monster-luring artifacts!”

Everyone else was a bit speechless. If she knew the Explosion magic consumed immense power, then don’t use it, hey! A small fireball spell could deal with a few frogs.

Looking at it this way, Kazuma is actually quite strong. For a quest of five frogs, Kazuma fought four of them alone, purely by himself.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“These giant frogs are practically the lifelong enemies of their team…”

Ristarte covered her face with her hand. Almost wiped out just dealing with a few frogs. At this rate of growth, when will they ever defeat the Demon King?

The goddess is unreliable, and the wizard teammate also seems untrustworthy. Can such a combination really save the world?

Seiya Ryuuguuin made a professional judgment.

“That’s too reckless, not even leaving a bit of magic power for herself.”

He highly approved of Megumin’s method of using an ultimate skill against the giant frog, as it’s always good to be cautious. However, he disagreed with Megumin not leaving any magic power at all.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been helpless against the giant frog that appeared later.

 。。。。。

【 As the sun set, Kazuma carried the sticky Megumin on their way back to town, with the slime-covered Aqua whimpering behind them.

Megumin, on Kazuma’s shoulder, shared some knowledge that others didn’t know: “Although a frog’s insides are stinky, they are warm.”

Kazuma sighed helplessly: “I really don’t want to know that kind of knowledge… From now on, except in emergencies, no more Explosion magic! Please try your best with other magic from now on.”

Hearing Kazuma say that, Megumin, who was lying on his back, gripped his shoulder with more force: “I can’t use anything else, I only know Explosion magic! I don’t know any other magic.”

Kazuma thought he misheard: “Really?”

Kazuma and Megumin immediately fell into silence, just quietly looking at each other; the atmosphere solidified.

Aqua, somewhat puzzled, joined the conversation: “If you can use Explosion magic, then you should be able to use other magic too. For example, I first learned all the party trick skills!”

Megumin started to get excited: “I only like Explosion magic. Even if I can only cast it once a day, even if I collapse after casting it, even then, I only love Explosion magic!”

Seeing this, Aqua excitedly praised her: “That’s amazing! Although it’s inefficient, pursuing romance so single-mindedly, I’m moved by such a stance!”

The two’s thought processes just clicked. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Strange knowledge increased! She can even share her thoughts on being inside a frog!”

“As expected of the idiotic goddess Aqua, she learned party trick skills first… But what’s the use of that?! Performing for the Demon King when fighting him?!”

Now, everyone clearly realized that no one in Kazuma’s party was reliable; only Kazuma was a normal person!

A versatile goddess with no combat power, who often drags them down, and a humanoid nuclear bomb of a mage… but just a nuclear bomb. Once launched, she’s useless.

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Frieren, who had lived for a long time, couldn’t figure out Aqua’s thoughts at this moment.

“Learning party trick skills first… is indeed unfathomable.”

If a goddess had joined the party back then, perhaps the journey to defeat the Demon King would have been much easier.

Fern was a bit speechless.

“What’s so unfathomable about it? It’s just because she’s not very smart and simply didn’t think that much.”

But Megumin’s extreme pursuit of Explosion magic made her somewhat yearn for it.

Leaving aside the fact that she can only cast it once a day, her magic power will eventually grow enough to cast it multiple times. But looking at her attitude, this is the pursuit a mage should have.

 。。。。。

【 And so, through Megumin’s unreasonable persistence, she successfully joined the party, unaware that the scene just now had been witnessed by a blonde female knight!

The next day, Kazuma sighed as he looked at the pile of difficult quests on the bulletin board: “It’s not easy to survive in this world!”

The blonde female knight came up behind Kazuma: “Excuse me, are you still recruiting members…?”

Kazuma turned around and was speechless. It was a beautiful blonde girl, a female knight, who was now looking at him expressionlessly.

“Um… we are recr—… but I don’t really recommend you join!” Kazuma stammered. A female knight, and a beautiful one at that! He was a bit nervous because she was an older beauty.

Hearing that they were still recruiting, the latter visibly relaxed: “That’s great, I’ve been waiting for someone like you!”

With a series of inexplicable gasps, the female knight continued: “My name is Darkness, and I am a Crusader! …Hoo… Please… please, please… add… add me… to your party!”

Darkness’s face was flushed, as if she were having a difficult time uttering the plea to join the party. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Something’s wrong… very wrong. It feels like it’s heading in ‘that’ direction!”

“A Crusader, another top-tier adventurer, is actually coming to them proactively. Her tone sounds a bit off!”

Everyone had a bad premonition. This beautiful female knight was probably not a normal person either; she felt more like a pervert.

Moreover, everyone also realized that no one in Kazuma’s party was normal. In other words, only people with slightly abnormal minds could join!

 。。。。。

Chapter 330: Truly Demonic, a Famous Scene!

Chapter Text

【 “Um…” Kazuma, who was vaguely aware of the danger and genuinely intended to politely refuse, suddenly had his hand grabbed by Darkness.

She then brought her proper face close to Kazuma, who was sitting in the chair: “Those two people covered in slime just now were your companions, right? What exactly happened…?”

Because her face was so close, Kazuma became a little shy: “It’s because they were preyed upon by giant frogs!”

“Slime!! Beyond my imagination.” Darkness’s pupils contracted, and her face turned crimson, as if she had thought of something!

Her grip on Kazuma’s hand tightened, and her breathing became increasingly rapid: “No, no… To let two young girls encounter such a thing as a knight, I cannot ignore it!”

Kazuma looked at her increasingly dangerous eyes and realized that this person was the type who had something in common with Aqua and Megumin.

So he quickly tried to persuade her to leave: “We are a good-for-nothing team. One companion is useless, and another can only use magic once a day. Please seek another party elsewhere!”

“That’s even better!!” Darkness’s hand gripped even tighter.

“Actually, though it’s hard to say, I am very confident in my strength and endurance, but I’m clumsy… So… my attacks completely miss the enemy…”

“Therefore, I will try my best to stand at the front of the team. Feel free to use me as a shield!”

To use a beautiful woman as a shield, the current Kazuma wasn’t that perverted yet: “No, using a woman as a shield…”

Darkness, on the other hand, became excited: “THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I HOPED FOR!!”

Kazuma looked at the female knight, whose cheeks were flushed and who was gripping his hand tightly, and understood one thing… This person was also the type who was not only useless in performance but also in character. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So, she’s a pervert… For some reason, I don’t feel much surprise, because she fits perfectly into Kazuma’s team!”

“This one is even more significant. The others are just a bit slow-witted, but this female knight is a pure masochistic pervert!”

Everyone finally understood why she wanted to join the team. As expected, none of them were normal people; they were perverts attracted by frog slime.

Just to say, how could a normal female knight join Kazuma’s team for no reason? It turns out she wasn’t normal either… But in a sense, Kazuma’s intuition is really strong!

。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka’s mouth twitched:

“The perverted female knight whose attacks miss.”

What kind of abstract existence is this? This is the first time I’ve heard of a knight whose attacks completely miss! Is she really not doing it on purpose to satisfy her perverted desires?

Shirou Emiya stood still:

“Guess why she rushes to the front even though she can’t hit anyone!”

What kind of different world is Kazuma in?! Why does he only encounter people with such strange personalities?

A knight who can’t hit anyone, a goddess whose purpose is unknown, a mage who can only cast one spell a day… Let the world be destroyed; this world is beyond saving.

Still hoping such a team can save the world?! With a team like this, they probably can’t even leave the beginner’s village…

〜Gintama World〜

Inside the Yorozuya, Shinpachi was silent as he watched the scene unfold:

“Gin-san… Why are all the good-looking ones perverts?”

He thought it was bad enough that everyone around him was a demon or a god, but why are even other worlds full of such people?! Are there no normal people left in this world?!

Gin-san nonchalantly picked his nose:

“Perverts are great, aren’t they? The team just happens to need a shield!”

Then he quickly pulled out the Toyako Bokuto from his waist and threw it at the TV.

Sarutobi Ayame, who was mixed in, immediately fell out of the TV with circles in her eyes.

Shinpachi’s face was covered in black lines:

“Asking you was a mistake, you S-type masochistic glass sword!”

Forget it… He already has perverts around him, and they are at least reliable in critical moments.

But Kazuma is miserable; it’s already good if these teammates don’t drag him down in critical moments.

。。。。。

【 Time came to the next day. Aqua was performing her newly learned skill in the adventurer’s guild… Uh, it was still a party trick.

Kazuma also took the opportunity to ask Megumin how to learn skills using skill points on the card.

At this moment… two figures walked up behind them!

“Hey, you’re the one Darkness wants to join, right? Do you want to learn useful skills? Then do you want to learn thief skills?”

“Not only do they require few points to learn, but they’re also very useful! How about it, right now, for just one glass of soda?”

“I’ll give you a beer!”

The one speaking to Kazuma was a silver-haired girl in leather armor, dressed like a thief! The other was Darkness from yesterday.

After some self-explanation, Kazuma followed Chris and Darkness to the square behind the adventurer’s guild.

Chris pointed her hand at Kazuma: “My specialty is this… I’m going to use it now, watch carefully!”

“STEAL—!” As Chris shouted, Kazuma’s money bag appeared in her hand.

“This is the Steal skill. If successful, you can randomly take one item from the opponent!”

“Want to compete with me? You also learn the Steal skill and try to steal this wallet back!”

Kazuma, encountering something more like an adventurer’s task for the first time, readily agreed. He gently tapped his adventurer card and learned the skill!

“Alright! Don’t cry if something gets stolen!”

Chris showed me a fearless smile, grabbing many stones with both hands to interfere! This greatly reduced the probability of Kazuma stealing the wallet!

Kazuma, who had been taught a lesson, stretched out his right hand and shouted:

“STEAL—!”

With a flash of blue light, Kazuma spread out what he had taken. It was a piece of white cloth: “What is this?!”

Then Kazuma pulled open the cloth with both hands and looked at it against the sun… “I won the lottery… I won the grand prize!!”

Chris, while pressing down her skirt, shrieked with tears in her eyes: “No—Give, give me back my panties…”

Kazuma, with a perverted expression, excitedly waved them above his head.

Darkness, who had been watching all of this, turned crimson: “What a devilish act, I really didn’t misjudge him!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, learning this skill is too simple. Just a gentle tap on the card, and he learned it?!”

“Hahaha, for someone with ridiculously high luck, this move is simply a divine skill. I have to say, he really did win the grand prize!”

Everyone looked at Kazuma, who was waving the panties like a pervert, and sighed inwardly… Although they knew it would happen sooner or later, they didn’t expect it to come so soon. Kazuma has finally gone mad, too!

And this scene is simply too twisted. From now on, there isn’t a single normal person in this team.

A lecherous and twisted leader, a low-intelligence goddess who can’t harm any creature except evil spirits, a female mage who only knows one spell, and an M-type female knight who can’t attack but only defends and enjoys it…

。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“NOOOO!!!”

Kazuma and Chris both covered their faces, flailing around like dead fish, contorting in frantic despair.

If it was just in the adventurer’s guild before, not many people knew, but now it’s all exposed. The name “Perverted Kazuma” probably can’t be shaken off.

Kazuma was on the verge of tears:

“Didn’t they say I had extremely high luck, but now I only feel misfortune…”

Thinking that if he really did defeat the Demon King one day, and heard everyone cheering the name “Perverted Kazuma,” Kazuma felt he might as well die…

。。。。。

Chapter 331: The person who should have resisted being persuaded was instead persuaded to retreat!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka slowly spoke with a poker face,

“He's a pervert...”

Illya took her hand away from her eyes, revealing a flushed face,

“Yep, he's a pervert!”

Rider also felt a bit exhausted,

“I was wondering how a normal person like Kazuma ended up in there. Now everything makes sense.”

They were now certain that the world was beyond saving... and they wanted to defeat the Demon King with a hero party made up of such weirdos?!

They might as well pray for a god to descend, at least that would offer some hope.

After all, what hero, when learning a skill, accidentally steals a little girl's panties and not only doesn't apologize, but swings them around?!

Seriously, men would be silent, women would shed tears, and even perverts would probably think he's a pervert for such behavior.

Shirou Emiya was sweating profusely, yet still held some positive views of Kazuma,

“This... perhaps it's just an accident, Kazuma is still very reliable!”

He wasn't entirely confident in his words, but seeing Kazuma's performance earlier seemed somewhat normal, so he decided to trust him once.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, Kazuma returns to the guild with Darkness, who seems subtly satisfied, and Chris, who is sobbing with tears in her eyes.

Aqua stood with her hands on her hips, looking at the returning group, “Kazuma, where did you go? You didn't even see my spectacular performance... And what's wrong with this person?”

“Actually...” Just as Kazuma was about to explain, Darkness stepped forward and spoke first.

Darkness spoke the most perverted words in the calmest tone, “Hmm, when Chris was teaching Kazuma thief skills, not only did Kazuma take off her panties, but he also extorted money from her, and now she's feeling down...”

The more Kazuma listened, the more panicked he became, now sweating profusely, “Hey!! What are you saying!”

After hearing Darkness's statement, Aqua and Megumin were a little scared, and their gazes made Kazuma uncomfortable.

Chris also started to cry, “It's not enough to just return my wallet, I said I'd pay any amount, just please return my panties...”

“He actually told me that I get to decide the price of my own panties....” At this point, Chris, like a girl who had been bullied, buried her face in her hands and cried.

“Otherwise, he'd enshrine my panties as a family heirloom or something...”

At this moment, as if they had heard their conversation, even the female adventurers other than Aqua and Megumin looked at him with cold eyes.

The male adventurers on the side, however, gave Kazuma a thumbs-up for his perverted behavior. Kazuma was simply the ultimate fighting machine among men! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What a concise description, picking out only the highlights, and it was said publicly... tsk tsk.”

Although everything said was true, everyone felt that after it came out of Darkness's mouth, even they couldn't help but want to beat Kazuma up.

“The price of her own panties is hers to decide... otherwise, he'll treat them like a cherished family heirloom! How should I say it? it's just like you! Sadistic Kazuma.”

Now, everyone looked at Kazuma differently. How low was this guy's moral bottom line? It was practically invisible.

Can you believe this is something a hero would do?! His integrity had completely fallen to the ground.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Rudeus gave a thumbs up to the screen,

“Brother Kazuma! I'll call you brother now, you're truly a role model for us.”

Although he himself was a bit lewd, Kazuma, you're the first one to be exposed publicly and not get beaten to death. I can only say, as expected of a hero, truly brave!

“However, you should move to another city as soon as possible. In this small town, in a sense, you're already dead.”

And it was in a crowded adventurer's guild; he was sure these things would spread throughout the town within a day.

 。。。。。

【 After Chris exacted her small revenge on Kazuma, she left.

Megumin looked at Kazuma with some confusion, “So, did you successfully learn the Steal skill?!”

“Heh heh...” Kazuma smiled proudly, then extended his right hand towards Megumin, “Just watch, Steal!”

Megumin suddenly seemed to feel something, grabbing her clothes with both hands and pulling them down, her eyes filled with tears and her face flushed, looking like she was about to cry.

Kazuma tugged at the black cloth in his hand, “What's this?!”

Undoubtedly, it was still panties...

Megumin lowered her head and extended her hand towards Kazuma, “After leveling up... did you change your job from adventurer to pervert...? That... It's cold... please give me back my panties...”

Kazuma was a little flustered, “Wh-what? How could this happen? It should be a skill that randomly steals one item!”

Darkness rushed forward and stood in front of Megumin, “To take off a loli's panties in front of so many people, that's too sadistic, I can never forgive... Please, you must add me to your party!”

Kazuma refused without even thinking, “No need.”

This woman was undoubtedly beyond saving; he couldn't add any more strange people.

“Hmm...” Darkness heard Kazuma's refusal and instead got excited, her face turning red and her body trembling slightly. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“In front of everyone... this, it's probably impossible to explain! Are panties the default option for the Steal skill?”

“Damn it, even rejecting her made her happy. Kazuma's intuition is really accurate. This knight is indeed beyond saving.”

Everyone gasped, exclaiming that this team was full of talent! One who steals, one who gets stolen from, one who wants to be stolen from, and one who is suspected of not wearing any... an outrageous lineup.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte shyly pressed down on her skirt, as if afraid of being stolen from,

“They said the Steal skill randomly picks one item... how did it become a targeted skill for 100% panties?!”

Could this really be a skill a hero would have? Shouldn't they be learning things like Holy Sword, Holy Light, and so on? Why did he learn a thief skill instead?

Seiya Ryuuguuin crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at the frightened goddess,

“If you're afraid of being stolen from, then just don't wear any.”

Ristarte's eyes lit up,

“You're right! Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius.”

The delighted Ristarte didn't notice Seiya Ryuuguuin's somewhat disgusted look. Her intelligence seemed to be about the same as Aqua's...

 。。。。。

【 Although Kazuma thought Darkness was an incorrigible pervert, his teammates saw her adventurer card and believed that adding her to the team was a huge gain!

After all, an advanced class was rare here, and it clearly seemed like a win for them. The helpless Kazuma thought of a good way to discourage them.

Kazuma suddenly became serious, “Darkness, don't look at Aqua and me this way, we genuinely want to defeat the Demon King!”

“As a female knight, if you get captured by the Demon King, it would be terrible; you would definitely receive very extreme treatment.”

These seemingly dangerous words, however, received strong agreement from Darkness, “Hmm, that's right! From ancient times. A female knight's job has been set as being used by the Demon King for erotic things, and for that alone, I have a reason to go!”

Upon hearing this, Kazuma found it incredibly troublesome and could only change direction, “Megumin, listen carefully, we are going to challenge the strongest being in this world! You don't have to...”

Before he could finish, Megumin excitedly stood on the table, dramatically flinging her cloak. Far from being dissuaded, she became even more enthusiastic!

Aqua, on the other hand, quietly leaned into Kazuma's ear, “Hearing your words, I'm a little nervous! Is there an easy way to defeat the Demon King...?”

Kazuma was speechless, “You're the one who should be most motivated!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, it's a waste that Kazuma didn't become a doctor; he's practically prescribing the perfect medicine. Saying nothing is fine, but saying it makes it even harder to dissuade them!”

“Pfft... Haha, is Aqua trying to make me laugh to death? The one who shouldn't retreat the most is actually nervous!”

Everyone almost died laughing at this scene. The funniest part was that he didn't dissuade Megumin and Darkness; instead, he made them even more excited.

And the most absurd thing was that he scared the idiotic goddess, even though she was the one in the team who most needed to defeat the Demon King.

 。。。。。

〜Isekai Quartet World〜

Ainz Ooal Gown looked at the frightened Aqua with some surprise, asking a question from the depths of his soul,

“Is she really a goddess...?”

It's one thing for her intelligence to be below average, but she's also a coward, a master at physical labor, and particularly fond of party performances. She doesn't look like a goddess at all.

“I can't believe I'm completely suppressed by this goddess...”

Ainz wanted to cry without tears. Although Aqua's God Blow and Sacred Requiem seemed to do no damage before, they only dragged them down.

But only Ainz, as an undead, knew that the skill effects were exactly as Aqua said: a guaranteed kill if hit.

 。。。。。

Chapter 332: Flying Cabbage! The Unique Party is officially established!

Chapter Text

【 Just as Kazuma was feeling weak and dejected, the sound of a broadcast echoed throughout the town!

“EMERGENCY QUEST! EMERGENCY QUEST! ALL ADVENTURERS IN TOWN, PLEASE GATHER AT THE MAIN GATE IMMEDIATELY! ADVENTURERS, PLEASE GATHER AT THE MAIN GATE IMMEDIATELY!”

The sky outside also grew dim, and the town's residents became somewhat flustered: “How could this be... I didn't hear it was today!”

“Don't let the children go out!”

Residents closed their doors and windows one after another, and merchants on the streets began busily packing up their goods, as if they had already anticipated the arrival of danger.

And after hearing the broadcast, the adventurers, without a word, grabbed their weapons and came to the town gate, their faces stern as they stared ahead! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What's with this serious atmosphere?! And it's an emergency quest. Looking at the residents' panic, could it be the Demon King has arrived?!”

“Oh my goodness, it's a bit unsettling to suddenly become so serious.”

Everyone felt a faint unease in their hearts. For all the town's adventurers to be at the gate, armed and serious, no matter what, it was not something Kazuma, still in the beginner village, could handle.

 。。。。。

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Rimuru, the Slime-san, looked at the scene before him with some surprise:

“Such a grand display, what kind of danger are they facing?”

To mobilize all the adventurers in the entire town to deal with it, even if it's not the Demon King, it's at least a cadre-level threat.

But... it doesn't seem to make sense. Which Demon King's cadre would come to a beginner village?! That's just too unfair.

Kazuma's party was already odd enough; if a beginner village were to be blocked off again, this world would truly be beyond saving.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma, feeling uneasy, squeezed through the crowd to get a look at the situation, only to see the horizon gradually turning green: “What... what's happening! Are monsters attacking?!”

Aqua walked behind him, holding a basket of vegetables: “Didn't I tell you? Cabbages! Cabbages...”

It was then that Kazuma clearly saw the overwhelming green objects were actually made up of countless flying cabbages, surging towards them.

Then he heard the cheers of the adventurers: “HARVEST TIME! GO FOR IT...!!”

As Kazuma stared blankly at the scene before him, Aqua came to his side and said solemnly: “The cabbages in this world... can fly!”

“It is said that once their flavor approaches the concentrated harvest season, unwilling to be easily eaten, they will cross continents, fly across oceans, and finally, in unknown secret inland areas, quietly breathe their last, untouched by anything, silently ending their own lives.”

“In that case, we'll try to catch as many as we can and eat them deliciously!”

At this time, the Adventurer's Guild also offered to buy cabbages for 10,000 Eris each!

The adventurers all cheered up, using all sorts of methods to desperately chase after the cabbages!

Kazuma, watching all this, murmured blankly: “Can I go back to sleep?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Give me back my worries from earlier... these otherworldly cabbages can even fly!”

“The perseverance of these cabbages is astonishing. They cross oceans and vast distances simply because they don't want to be eaten, only wishing to die in obscurity!”

Seeing this scene, people from other worlds showed black lines on their faces and covered them with their hands! They had made such a big fuss, thinking it was a Demon King invasion, but it turned out to be a festival.

Is this world truly, as Aqua said, plagued by the Demon King's invasion, with people living in misery?! No danger was seen, only peace and harmony.

Or rather, in such a peaceful and beautiful world, does a Demon King truly exist? There's a feeling that Kazuma was initially fooled by Aqua.

 。。。。。

【 Darkness also drew the longsword from her waist and charged forward: “Kazuma, now's a good chance, watch my abilities as a Crusader!”

As her words fell, Darkness, with an indomitable spirit, charged into the cabbage swarm with her longsword, constantly swinging her blade!

But...

Even in such a dense swarm of cabbages, Darkness didn't hit a single one with her sword.

The number of cabbages was beyond imagination, and many adventurers were injured. So Darkness threw away her longsword and directly stood bare-handed in front of the injured adventurers!

Her armor was also battered, and Darkness's cheeks were slightly flushed, her body trembling slightly: “How could I abandon... injured people!!”

Seeing such a heroic scene, the adventurers behind her praised her one after another: “A knight's role model!”

“She protects people even when she's so injured. As a knight, I must learn from her!”

But Kazuma, who saw the truth, had beads of sweat pouring down his face, and could only refute in his heart... She's getting excited, everyone's misunderstood! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So not hitting people wasn't your humility! Not hitting in such a dense swarm of cabbages, you're already a miracle!”

“In a sense, she is indeed very strong... referring to her defense, of course, enough to be a meat shield!”

As for the abilities of a Crusader... everyone's mouths twitched slightly.

What abilities are there to speak of? Setting up a street stall, blindfolded dart throwing would definitely make money, because she simply can't hit anyone.

She managed to miss every single cabbage that, even with her eyes closed, she should have hit. To achieve that, you're truly something else!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Artoria's face was dark at this moment:

“A knight's role model... and to be taken as an example to learn from?!”

What could be learned by taking this female knight as an example? To learn her inability to hit people, or to learn how she enjoys pleasure amidst painful torment...

Thinking of this, Artoria rubbed her forehead with a headache:

“It might be due to a preconceived notion, but now, seeing this female knight heroically blocking in front of others, I even suspect she's doing it on purpose.”

Shirou Emiya silently retorted:

“It's not a preconceived notion, she's absolutely doing it on purpose...”

After all, have you ever seen a knight who doesn't go to the front lines but takes the meat shield route! Coupled with Darkness's strange preferences, she's clearly just enjoying herself there.

 。。。。。

【 Megumin also had a flushed face, her hand caressing her staff: “Facing such a large army of enemies, how can I resist the urge to cast Explosion magic... I can't resist!!”

Kazuma quickly turned around and shouted: “RESIST IT!”

Unfortunately, it was already too late, or rather, she never intended to stop. Megumin had already closed her eyes and was chanting a spell!

“Darkness enveloped by light, in the name of the Crimson Demon Clan, manifest the primal collapse...”

A dazzling red magic circle appeared at her feet, and destructive magic power gathered towards her staff, emanating an aura that sent chills down one's spine!

“Show yourself before me, EXPLOSION—!”

Following the direction of her staff, the ground emitted an orange glow, then the range continuously expanded, even encompassing some adventurers!

What followed was a towering pillar of fire that rose from the ground, its vast range and immense power dropping everyone's jaws!

After the cabbage capture quest ended, Darkness, Megumin, Aqua, and others, sharing similar eccentricities, officially had Darkness join their party!

Aqua revealed a composed smile, looking very satisfied: “Hehehe... our party is getting more and more luxurious! A party of four with three advanced classes isn't common, you know.”

“Kazuma, do you know how lucky you are? You should thank us properly.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It's cool, but it's overkill for cabbages, isn't it? I remember the quest was to capture them, you fool. After that Explosion magic, is there even any left?”

“Why did the chant change... how many versions are there? Besides the last word 'Explosion,' I suspect she made it up just to look cool.”

As for Aqua's talk of luck... everyone almost died laughing. Is this bizarre party not Kazuma's ultimate misfortune?!

A mage who can only use magic once a day, a frontline attacker who can't hit anything, and an incredibly stupid, unlucky, and useless Archpriest... truly “lucky”!

 。。。。。

Chapter 333: Living with true craftsmanship and a city on the verge of collapse every day!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Dungeon Meshi World〜

Chilchuck’s eyebrow twitched, his face full of black lines:

“You call this luck...?”

In all his years, he’d never seen a party with such bizarre stat allocation—a Knight who dumped all points into defense, and a Mage who only allocated points to Explosion magic!

Marcille looked on with envy:

“As expected of a mage specializing in a single spell, the destructive power is astonishing!”

One went all-in on attack, the other all-in on defense! In a sense, this party actually seems... not bad.

Laios, whose focus was completely different, watched the flying cabbages, practically drooling:

“They look so tasty...!”

 。。。。。

【 During the cabbage harvesting event, everyone earned a good amount of money and upgraded their equipment.

Kazuma, whose luck stat was incredibly high, earned a direct 1 million, while in contrast, all Aqua managed to capture were worthless lettuce...

Upon hearing this news, Aqua flashed a bright smile and ran up to Kazuma, flattering him: “Ka... Kazuma-sama! You are truly... well... good, for some reason I can't quite pinpoint!”

Kazuma didn't even lift his head: “If you can't think of anything to compliment me on, don't force it!”

Aqua immediately slumped onto the table, eyes watering, grabbing Kazuma's shoulders and shaking him, pleading tearfully: “Actually, I thought I was going to strike it rich, and I ended up owing nearly 100,000 Eris in this bar! Please, lend me the money!”

Saying this, Aqua pointed to a burly man with a fierce expression in the corner of the bar, who looked ready to sell Aqua off in minutes if she didn't pay the debt!

Kazuma irritably slapped Aqua's hand away. She was the one who insisted their rewards be calculated separately: “Shut up, useless goddess! It's about time we used this money to move out of the stables, isn't it?”

Aqua suddenly turned her head, hinting suggestively: “Well, Kazuma is a man after all. I know you occasionally do things quietly next to me at night....”

“Until you want to find some private space quickly...”

Before she could finish, a thoroughly flushed Kazuma clapped a hand over her mouth, stammering incoherently: “I get it... Fine, fine! I'll lend you the money, alright? Now, can you just shut up!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The gap in luck is really showing now. One netting over 1 million, the other having negative assets—only Aqua could manage that. She really is dead weight.”

“Hahaha, typical Aqua. This is the most miserable goddess I've ever seen. She's almost getting sold off because she took out a loan shark debt...”

“Tsk tsk, what made her think she could strike it rich with her abysmal luck... With that IQ, it wouldn't be surprising if she got sold off one day.”

Afterward, everyone was stunned by the massive revelation Aqua dropped... As for what he was doing secretly? Anyone who wasn't an idiot understood, which is why they admired Kazuma.

This was the most down-to-earth Isekai hero they had ever seen. A typical hero, following the usual tropes, should have already established a massive harem by now.

But Kazuma's style was completely different; he could only secretly “do manual labor” next to Aqua at night, and the key thing was that the subject of his activity actually knew about it.

But what everyone wanted to know more about was why Aqua reacted so calmly to this?! Forget shyness, she could even use it to blackmail Kazuma...

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Asuna, who hadn't understood the underlying meaning, looked at Kirito confusedly:

“What does Kazuma secretly do at night? Is he perhaps stealing the blanket?”

But can small things like fighting over a blanket really be used for blackmail?

Kirito looked around awkwardly, secretly cursing in his heart:

Did this goddess have no integrity at all? Could she really use something she was directly involved in to blackmail someone else?!

Unable to resist Asuna's persistence in seeking the answer, Kirito leaned secretly toward her ear:

“Well...”

Asuna's eyes widened instantly, and her face flushed red. She slapped Kirito:

“Pervert!!”

Kirito touched the slap mark on his face, looking bewildered. Wait... I'm not the pervert. Why did you hit me? You were the one who asked.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma, having bought new equipment with his money, looked at the quest board, confused: “Hey... what's going on? Only high-difficulty quests are left!”

Just as they were full of confusion, a guild employee approached them: “I apologize, but someone suspected to be a Demon King's Army General has recently taken up residence near the town! As a result, the number of available jobs has drastically decreased!”

Helpless, they had to give up on taking quests. Kazuma spent every day accompanying Megumin, who was severely depressed because she couldn't use her Explosion magic without a quest, out for a walk.

Because Megumin had one essential daily task: she absolutely had to cast Explosion magic once per day!

After walking a certain distance away from the town, they stopped, looking at a ruined castle atop a distant hill: “Let's choose that place. Even if we massively destroy that kind of abandoned castle, no one should complain!”

“Crimson flame, when the fires of heaven and earth roar... EXPLOSION—!”

After Megumin blasted the abandoned castle on the hill with her familiar Explosion magic, she fell to the ground, completely satisfied: “Be consumed in the crimson lotus... That was awesome!”

And thus, Kazuma and Megumin's new daily routine began!

The penniless Aqua worked hard at a daily job, while Kazuma and the idle Megumin constantly cast Explosion magic near that ruined castle!

“EXPLOSION—!”

Whether it was a cold, rainy evening, after a peaceful lunch, or during a refreshing morning stroll, they always made a trip to the castle to fire off an Explosion!

Kazuma folded his arms, giving a highly experienced critique of the Explosion magic: “ 60 points, I guess! The sound pressure wasn't enough.”

Just like that, day after day, they released magic onto that abandoned castle, and Kazuma gradually came to understand... the quality of that day's Explosion magic!

“EXPLOSION—!”

After an unknown number of days, Kazuma gave this particular Explosion a very high rating: “Today's was good!

“The impact of the blast heavily permeates the melody of the heart, coupled with that delayed air tremor, almost like touching the skin!”

Kazuma gave a thumbs-up to the collapsed Megumin: “Good Explosion!”

Megumin returned the thumbs-up: “Kazuma understands the path of Explosion now, too!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“...This is insane! Who the hell bombs a castle every day? And seriously, how durable is this castle?! It's been over a month, and it still hasn't collapsed....”

“He can even critique it now! It's like the saying goes, 'A long illness makes a good doctor.' He's watched it so much he's practically mastered it!”

People from other worlds watched these two bored idiots, dumbfounded! Kazuma's critique of the Explosion magic was so professional that even Megumin couldn't help but praise it.

But... if you have that much free time, go save the world, you bastards! What are you doing all day?

Can you believe the goddess is working a part-time job to pay off debt?! Kazuma does nothing every day but take the mage to bomb a castle, and they do it without fail... They're not even that diligent about clocking in for work.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern stared blankly at the repeated explosions:

“Didn't they say a Demon King's Army General appeared near the town?! But what are they doing...?”

Kazuma's party, whose goal is to defeat the Demon King, isn't even gathering intelligence... Just sitting around doing nothing, or working part-time. Aren't they underestimating the enemy a bit too much?

Even Frieren was puzzled:

“Megumin... does she have a disease where she'll die if she doesn't cast Explosion magic once a day?”

In all her years, she had never seen a mage so bored, nor had she ever seen a castle so incredibly sturdy.

The power of Explosion magic goes without saying, but for it to withstand an explosion once a day is simply absurd...

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte reached out and covered her face:

“Before, I just thought they were eccentric... but I didn't realize they were this eccentric!”

What are you doing every day? Hero Kazuma, go save the world already! Knowing that a Demon King's General might be nearby, how can you still live so leisurely every day?

And that useless Goddess Aqua, working part-time at a time like this?! Have some sense of crisis, you bastards.

As the saying goes, “the tallest among the short,” the weary Ristarte suddenly felt that while her own Hero Seiya was a bit cautious, at least he was honestly and diligently saving the world.

“Compared to them, I feel much better mentally!”

Exactly, being just a little cautious isn't a huge problem, is it? At least he's much better than that empty-headed party.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Folks, remember Aqua has a passive skill 'Night Vision', so she knows what Kazuma is doing ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )

Chapter 334: The Headless Undead Knight Driven Mad with Rage!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Although Kazuma and Megumin enjoyed blowing up the castle every day, hand in hand, rain or shine, they never imagined that they would cause such a huge disaster because of it!

It was on this day that the receptionist, Luna, suddenly issued an emergency notice:

“Emergency Notice! All adventurers, please immediately prepare your gear and assemble at the main gate of the town in a combat-ready state!”

After hearing the notice, numerous adventurers fully armed themselves and gathered at the town's main gate, where they saw a monster emanating an astonishing sense of oppression!

“That is... no laughing matter!”

In the dim sky, a bolt of lightning descended, allowing the crowd to finally clearly see the monster's figure.

Standing before the town gate was a knight clad in pitch-black armor, holding his own head tucked under his left arm, the entire figure radiating an incomparable sense of dread.

That was the Headless Undead Knight! A monster that announces death and brings despair to people.

Subsequently, the monster's head, held by his waist, emitted a muffled voice: “...I am an executive of the Demon King's Army... who recently moved into the castle nearby...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, I thought this was just another harvest festival similar to the Cabbages before, but this time, it's serious!”

“No way, the Demon King's Army actually sent an executive to blockade the beginner village?! This Demon King is way too savvy.”

“Wait... what did he say?! THE CASTLE...!!”

The corners of everyone's mouths twitched upon hearing this. It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it? The only castle that had appeared so far was the abandoned one that Megumin and Kazuma blew up every single day.

 。。。。。

【 Speaking up to this point, the head began to tremble slightly, as if struggling to conceal the fury in its heart, its voice shaking, clearly enraged to the extreme.

“EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY! WHO IS THE BRAIN-DAMAGED IDIOT WHO FIRES EXPLOSION MAGIC INTO MY CASTLE WITHOUT FAIL, DAY AFTER DAY—!!”

Looking at the furious Headless Undead Knight, the adventurers present hadn't yet understood what was happening.

“...Explosion Magic?! When you talk about someone who uses Explosion Magic, that would be...”

The surrounding people's gazes naturally converged upon Megumin, who was standing next to Kazuma!

Megumin, who had attracted the surrounding attention, suddenly turned her head sharply to look at the magic-user girl next to her. The people around them also shifted their gaze to look at that girl!

The magic-user girl, who had inexplicably been saddled with the blame, hurriedly denied it: “Eh? Me? Why are you looking at me? I can't use Explosion Magic!... I'm still a beginner...”

Wait... Don't tell me that abandoned castle we go to cast magic on every day... Realizing something, cold sweat was already streaming down Megumin's face! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Pfft... Hahahaha, I can't hold it in, this is just too much... A perfectly normal Demon King's Army executive is about to be driven insane!”

“Hahaha, I can't stop. You can feel the Headless Undead Knight's overflowing grievance even through the screen. Who exactly is the real villain here!”

Seeing this scene, people from other worlds laughed so hard they almost couldn't breathe, clutching their sides and shaking over their desks.

Even they couldn't help but feel sympathy for the Headless Undead Knight. Despite being a Demon King's Army executive, he wasn't causing trouble or planning to invade the town; he was just peacefully staying in his temporary residence...

Yet, he suffered daily, repetitive bombardments. No sooner had he repaired the castle than it was blown up again, and by the extremely powerful Explosion Magic, no less! Who could endure that?

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Looking at the Headless Undead Knight, Ristarte in the Divine Realm had a face full of black lines, feeling a headache coming on:

“What is this... I, a Goddess, actually feel pity for a Demon King's Army executive...”

This Headless Undead Knight, who was about to be driven crazy, was simply a pure victim! After all, Megumin's daily bombardments, like clockwork, made it seem entirely reasonable that he would come seeking retribution now. Ristarte even felt it was deserved!

“I really don't know whether to call Kazuma lucky or unlucky...”

The lucky part was that even when doing nothing, he managed to accurately find a Demon King's Army executive. The unlucky part was that the timing seemed completely wrong.

Kazuma, who was still a beginner adventurer, was he supposed to fight a Demon King's Army executive with his head?!

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios looked at the Headless Undead Knight, his eyes shining:

“He's called the Headless Undead Knight, but he has a head! The one without a head is actually the horse he's riding.”

This strangely fascinating monster completely piqued his interest. Whether it was flying cabbages or whatever else, he found that world to be quite interesting.

Chilchuck looked at Marcille, cold sweat breaking out on his face:

“You don't have this kind of strange hobby, do you? Or is it that all mages have something slightly wrong with their heads?!”

This was outrageous. Having lived for so many years... this was the first time he had ever seen a monster about to be driven insane by humans! Sure enough, there wasn't a single normal person in Kazuma's party.

Marcille drew a boundary expressionlessly:

“Please do not generalize the individual actions of a mage to the entire group!”

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

Illya struggled to suppress the upward curve of her mouth:

“I knew that castle was surprisingly sturdy! So someone was living there.”

Tohsaka Rin, however, felt admiration for the Headless Undead Knight:

“Is this Headless Undead Knight really a Demon King's Army executive?! His temper is astonishingly good! To be able to endure that much.”

Think about it: as an executive of the Demon King's Army, having his base bombed every day, normally, he would have immediately sought revenge.

Yet, the Headless Undead Knight managed to endure it for so many days. His temper is simply too good! He's definitely a genuinely good person!

Emiya Shirou's filter for Kazuma completely shattered:

“In such a problematic party, Kazuma has finally become abnormal, too.”

After all, accompanying Megumin every day to blow up a castle for entertainment—is that something a normal person would do?!

 。。。。。

【 Although Megumin was slightly afraid, she took a deep breath and slowly walked toward the Headless Undead Knight.

Seeing the main culprit step forward, the Headless Undead Knight poured out all the grievances he had bottled up in his heart.

“It's you...! Are you the big idiot who runs over and casts Explosion Magic at my castle every single day!”

“If you knew I was a Demon King's Army executive and wanted to fight me, then come at me honorably! If you didn't mean to fight, you should have just obediently hidden in town and trembled!”

“Why use such a despicable method to harass me? I thought, since this town is full of rookies anyway, I wouldn't bother with you! But you got arrogant and kept bombing me every day, boom, boom, boom.”

“Are you mentally ill?!”

He was likely driven past his breaking point by the continuous Explosion Magic. Everyone could feel his sheer frustration just by watching the Headless Undead Knight's movements.

Megumin refused to be outdone: “I am of the Crimson Demon Clan, and also the number one arch-wizard in this town. The reason I constantly use Explosion Magic is a tactical plan intended to draw out an executive of the Demon King's Army like you...!”

“To come to town so foolishly and alone, your fate is sealed!”

At this, not only were the surrounding adventurers stunned, but even Kazuma was completely bewildered; he had never heard of this “tactic.”

Unexpectedly, the Headless Undead Knight didn't seem to care after hearing this. Instead, after letting out his tirade, his anger subsided: “Hmph... Fine. I didn't come here to fight small fry like you, even though I will be temporarily residing in that castle!”

“Don't use Explosion Magic anymore, understood!”

Having said that, the Headless Undead Knight turned and prepared to leave. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Headless Undead Knight's temper is genuinely good. If it were me, I would have already thrown the thing I was holding onto the ground while yelling!”

“The hardest part of Megumin's entire body is her mouth; she'll probably maintain that stubbornness until death.”

“Holy crap, his anger is gone just like that? Are you really that easygoing? Is the Demon King's Army this magnanimous?!”

Now it was the viewer's turn to be dumbfounded. The Headless Undead Knight had been driven to frenzy, yet he just cursed them out and left?! Judging by this, he was actually a surprisingly nice guy.

However, this script seems wrong... Normally, shouldn't he start a massacre to vent the rage in his heart!

But his anger dissipated after just a few curses?! Are you really the Demon King's Army executive, the Headless Undead Knight, and not some Holy Knight? Even a Holy Knight probably wouldn't be this forgiving.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Frieren was stunned at this moment; the Headless Undead Knight's personality was genuinely better than she could have imagined.

“This is a Demon King's Army executive?! His moral character is so high, it makes me wonder is that really a demon...?”

He was completely different from the demons she had defeated in her memory. Despite suffering such harassment, he didn't even start a massacre, let alone inflict minor punishment.

The Headless Undead Knight was like an old executive who had been harassed by youngsters but merely reminded them that he was retired and they shouldn't cause trouble for him!

Fern was also at a loss for words, instead growing suspicious:

“Does a world like this really need saving?!”

A Demon King's Army executive who doesn't cause trouble everywhere, doesn't engage in pointless slaughter, and even talks about fighting honorably... Does that sound like something a demon would say?

This world is unbelievably kind; even the Demon King's Army executive is so easy to talk to...

To be annoyed to this extent and only settle the matter with a couple of insults! This kind of character would make even a hero feel ashamed.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: Haha, the Headless Undead Knight, Verdia truly got the raw end of the deal....)

Chapter 335: The Headless Undead Knight Mistaken for a Pervert!

Chapter Text

【 Regarding the Headless Undead Knight's warning, Megumin refused without hesitation, her face serious: “No way. A Crimson Demon will die if they don't use Explosion Magic once a day!”

The Headless Undead Knight was nearly going mad. He had never heard of anything so ridiculous: “Don't just casually lie! Are you absolutely determined to use Explosion Magic?”

Seeing Megumin nod, the Headless Undead Knight emitted a dangerous aura: “Although I have fallen deep into the demonic path, I was originally a knight. I have no interest in slaying the weak... BUT...!!”

The head tucked under his left arm revealed a scarlet gaze, looking toward Megumin.

Megumin, who knew deep down that teammates were meant to be sold out, displayed an arrogant smile: “Hmph... this is the only time you'll have the confidence. Sensei, I'm counting on you!”

Megumin pointed at Aqua, unhesitatingly dumping the entire situation onto the latter.

“Guess I have no choice.”

Aqua, who was called Sensei, looked quite pleased and rushed confidently toward the Headless Undead Knight: “I don't care what Demon King Army General you are, choosing to pick a fight when I'm present means your luck is terrible!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Seriously... is she insane? The guy wasn't even planning to pursue this and was about to leave, yet you pull this stunt. 'If you don't kill me, you won't be allowed to leave,' is that it?!”

Everyone was dumbfounded. Although they knew Kazuma's party had no normal members, they never expected their insanity to be this extreme.

Why provoke the guy at a time like this?!

Moreover, only the slightly dim-witted Aqua would fall for this kind of excessive flattery!

。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

The villagers of the Crimson Demon village were all very confused at this moment.

“Eh, eh... do we really have a disease where we die if we don't use Explosion Magic once a day?!”

Fortunately, they weren't normal people either. With their unique thought processes and advanced stages of chuunibyou, the villagers universally declared that what Megumin had just said was completely correct!

Meanwhile, in the Adventurer's Guild, facing the red-glowing stares cast by the surrounding adventurers, except for Darkness, who looked utterly blissful—

Megumin and Kazuma sat on their chairs, not daring to lift their heads, constantly breaking out in cold sweat, looking guilty as sin.

“Hey, kid... if I remember correctly, you're the party leader, right?”

A burly man with a gloomy face patted Kazuma's shoulder...

Kazuma shivered, then stammered.

“Y-y-yes... I think so....?!”

“Then you better keep an eye on this little girl who has some lost screw in her head. Otherwise...”

Saying this, the burly man clenched his fist, letting out a sharp cracking sound.

“I'll let you know what an explosive fist feels like!”

。。。。。

【 Seeing Aqua appear, the Headless Undead Knight was somewhat surprised, but still didn't take her seriously: “Oh?! Is this a High Priest?”

“No matter what, I am one of the Demon King Army's Generals. I haven't fallen so low that I would be purified by a High Priest residing in a low-level town like this!”

“For now, let the Crimson Demon girl suffer!”

The Headless Undead Knight acted first while Aqua was preparing her chant. He extended a finger, filled with the aura of death and curses, aimed at Megumin: “Declare your death! You shall die one week from now!”

“Ah...!!” At the exact moment the Headless Undead Knight cast the curse, Darkness shielded them, her body emitting black light.

“For you adventurers who possess such a strong sense of camaraderie, this method is far more effective!”

“Crimson Demon girl, that knight will die in one week, and it is all your fault. For the next week, take a good look at your comrade's suffering, and regret your actions!”

“Hehehe, wouldn't it have been easier just to do exactly as I said?”

The Headless Undead Knight's smug words made Megumin's face turn impossibly pale. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Death Sentence—this Headless Undead Knight seems pretty strong. A curse that can declare someone's immediate death is no simple thing.”

“Honestly, I really think the knight is right. They truly brought this upon themselves!”

Even though the opponent was the villain, for some reason, everyone felt that the Headless Undead Knight's actions were perfectly justified, receiving their unanimous agreement. This was incredibly awkward...

。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

This strange feeling made Illya pause:

“Mr. Headless Undead Knight seems to have done nothing wrong. After all, they were the ones who provoked him first, and they kept relentlessly pestering him...”

That's exactly right. The guy wasn't planning on pursuing it, only giving a verbal warning... but Megumin insisted on causing trouble, even claiming she had a disease where she'd die if she didn't cast Explosion Magic once a day.

What else could such an obvious lie be but looking for a fight? And even if what Megumin said was true, couldn't she cast Explosion Magic somewhere else? Why insist on slamming it into his castle?

Tohsaka Rin also agreed with Illya's assessment:

“The Headless Undead Knight only asked them not to cast Explosion Magic near his castle. That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request...”

Ultimately, all of this was Megumin's own doing, setting up her teammates.

。。。。。

【 Darkness, knowing she was cursed, stood up, trembling as if suppressing something: “So you cast a Death Curse on me?! If I want the curse lifted, I have to obey you?!”

The Headless Undead Knight, who had been about to leave, turned around, looking confused: “Eh?!”

“A mere curse... I won't submit... Although I won't submit...” Darkness suddenly became excited and turned her head toward Kazuma: “W-what should I do... that lewd look beneath the Headless Undead Knight's helmet!”

The Headless Undead Knight, who had suddenly been called a pervert, continuously broke out in cold sweat: “Eh...”

“That's the look of a pervert who plans to take me back to his castle, demanding I obey him to lift the curse, forcing me into insane perverted play!”

Hearing Darkness's description, the surrounding female adventurers hugged themselves fearfully.

Darkness's face was flushed red, and she continued, panting heavily: “Even if you can do whatever you want with my body, don't think you can steal my heart! A female knight imprisoned in a castle, subjected to unreasonable demands by the Demon King's subordinate...”

“What should I do, Kazuma!” Darkness grew more excited as she spoke, then eagerly headed toward the Headless Undead Knight: “Although I don't want to leave, I have no choice. I will resist until the very end! Please do not interfere with me.”

“Eeeh...!!” This sight terrified the Headless Undead Knight, causing his voice to crack: “A-anyway, you are forbidden from casting Explosion Magic at my castle! And if you want to lift the Death Curse, Crimson Demon girl, just come to my castle!”

“If you can make it all the way to my castle, I will lift that curse, but... can you really fight your way to me? Hahaha...”

The Headless Undead Knight left the area laughing like that. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, the Headless Undead Knight was completely terrified! They're both knights, but I never expected Darkness to be so depraved. Even I, a pervert, think she's a pervert.”

“That's absolutely hilarious! Darkness's monologue forced the Headless Undead Knight into becoming an unforgivable, massive pervert. She completely bewildered him!”

Everyone remarked that their eyes had truly been opened. They never expected Darkness, this seemingly harmless beauty, to be so knowledgeable!

'Although I don't want to leave...' Darkness's words and her actions were completely contradictory!

Her lips were practically twitching upwards. If Kazuma hadn't held Darkness back, she would have eagerly rushed over there already!

。。。。。

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Seeing this scene, Rimuru stood still, looking utterly bewildered:

“...The Headless Undead Knight... is practically overflowing with resentment!”

He hadn't fought anyone, just stayed home, getting hit by Explosion Magic every day. He wanted to just endure it, but when he gave a warning, the other party took an inch for every mile.

Now it was even worse. Thanks to Darkness's depraved speech, the Headless Undead Knight now had to bear fabricated charges, and the title of pervert would likely stick forever...

。。。。。

【 Seeing the Headless Undead Knight leave, Megumin, whose face was ashen and body trembling, tightly gripped the staff in her hand and walked silently toward the edge of town.

Kazuma grabbed Megumin and her cloak, sighing. After all, he shared some responsibility for this: “Of course I'm going too. If you go alone, you'll use your magic on some small fry, and then it'll be over, right?”

Perhaps because she heard Kazuma's suggestion, Megumin's expression gradually brightened.

Kazuma and Megumin turned to look at Darkness: “We will definitely find a way to lift your curse, so... you can rest assured...”

Just as the three were still comforting each other, Aqua's magic chant interrupted their conversation!

“SACRED BREAK SPELL—!!”

A rainbow-colored light emitted from the staff, reaching Darkness, and her expression became saintly.

A skull head phantom was pulled out of Darkness' body, crying, by two small angels.

Aqua looked proud: “With me here, lifting the Headless Undead Knight's curse is as easy as pie!”

Megumin and Kazuma, who had just made a big decision, were stunned. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Aqua, who doesn't have the ability to blow things up, said that you three were whispering about something...”

“Although Aqua is a fool, she's still a goddess, her skills are overpowered!”

Everyone watched this scene, their lips twitching... this was not following the routine!

Normally, the remaining team members would try to lift Darkness' curse and then start to challenge the castle, fighting the Headless Undead Knight.

Then, they would level up, shouting about friendship and bonds, and finally win in the end.

But now, they hadn't even taken a few steps, and the curse was already lifted... it was too easy!

。。。。。

Chapter 336: Aqua Who Wants Money More Than Life! Purifying the Lake

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Just like that, a week after the attack by the Demon King's army cadres, a peaceful day finally came and went.

Inside the tavern, Aqua slammed her hands on the table, expressing her dissatisfaction: “I've reached my limit, this life of being hounded by debt! Let's take a quest, I want money…!”

Actually, besides Aqua, the last cabbage quest had left their wallets quite full, and Kazuma didn't want to take on any dangerous quests.

Seeing Kazuma's lack of enthusiasm, Aqua finally hugged Kazuma's leg and cried,

“Please, I don't want to work part-time in the shopping district anymore, the manager gets angry if the ice cola doesn't sell out!”

Looking at such a pathetic goddess, Kazuma reluctantly compromised and told Aqua to choose a quest.

But Aqua, who only looked at the rewards, immediately picked the most dangerous quest. Fortunately, Kazuma, who had followed her out of concern, stopped her. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So… after the Headless Knight incident, a whole week passed, and you didn't take any quests?! You guys are way too laid-back!”

“And Aqua, you're a goddess! Where's your goddess dignity? You don't do any proper work all day, and working part-time to pay off debts is one thing, but you even get scolded by the manager!?”

The manager probably never imagined that one day a goddess would be working in his shop.

Everyone looked at this laid-back team, their eyelids twitching… When would they ever do anything serious?! They wouldn't forget about defeating the Demon King, would they?

And is this really the beginner's village? What's with all the skull icons on the quest board! There isn't a single easy quest; they're all dark red.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Looking at Aqua, who was hugging Kazuma's leg with snot and tears streaming down her face, Ishtar's face was covered in black lines:

“This… I'm truly impressed by this goddess.”

It was simply a reversal of heaven and earth; as a goddess, she had to seek help from humans, and on top of that, she was heavily in debt, living a life of working part-time to pay it off.

This was the first time she had seen a goddess who could be so miserable… The current life of debt perfectly matched Aqua's intelligence level.

Merlin's mouth curved slightly upwards:

“This greedy appearance is somewhat similar to a certain goddess.”

To choose quests based on rewards, truly worthy of you, Goddess Aqua, not even looking at the danger level… A slight lapse in attention and you almost led the team into a hellish dungeon.

 。。。。。

【 Then Aqua saw a quest that was perfect for her: “The water quality of the town's lake is continuously deteriorating, and savage alligators have begun to inhabit it, so a request has been made to purify the water source!”

“As long as the water quality is purified, the monsters will leave, so there's no need to defeat the monsters!”

Kazuma asked a soul-searching question: “Can you purify water?!”

Aqua began to grow confident, tossing her hair slightly: “Who do you take me for! Just by the name and appearance, you should know that I'm a goddess who presides over something!

Kazuma retorted without changing his expression: “The goddess of parties, right…”

“I'm the goddess of water! Haven't you seen my beautiful watery blue eyes and hair!! And a goddess of my level can purify water just by touching it!

However, when purifying the water, monsters might interfere, so Aqua could only seek Kazuma's help.

Kazuma lowered his head in thought for a moment and quickly came up with a method that could both avoid monster harassment and purify the water! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma's retort is so accurate, Aqua, who put all her points into party skills, what else could she be but the goddess of parties!”

“What… she's actually the goddess of water? I thought she was the goddess of idiocy! After all, I've never seen a goddess with such low intelligence.”

Everyone from other worlds was stunned, because before, in every sense of the word, they really thought Aqua was the goddess of idiocy!

After all, what kind of goddess do watery blue eyes and hair resemble? Besides idiocy, what else could it resemble? One could only say that if wisdom had a color, it would definitely be blue.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Shirai Kuroko slapped her forehead:

“Aqua was so down-to-earth before, I almost forgot she was actually a goddess!”

She couldn't be blamed, after all, Aqua was someone who didn't care about working part-time with Kazuma to earn money and sleeping in stables.

She even had no integrity, capable of occasionally kneeling down, hugging legs and crying, living a life burdened with debt… Any normal person seeing such an Aqua would forget that she was a god.

Misaka Mikoto's mouth was slightly agape:

“She can purify water just by touching it, she's a proper large-scale water purifier!”

She never expected Aqua, as a deity, to possess such a trait; she had truly underestimated her before.

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Not far from the lake, Aqua sat in a special cage with a wronged expression, hugging her knees, her voice a little timid: “Um… do we really have to do this?!”

Kazuma turned his head and glanced at her: “What's wrong with the foolproof plan I came up with?”

Aqua's heart was filled with unease: “I feel like a rare monster that's been caught and is about to be sold…”

Her unease was justified because Kazuma and Darkness worked together to throw the cage containing Aqua into the lake, and a sturdy iron chain was locked onto the cage.

Aqua, sitting with her legs hugged, had her toes and buttocks immersed in the lake water. Kazuma and the others waited quietly under a distant tree.

Aqua, hugging her knees, felt somewhat numb: “I feel like a teabag whose essence is being extracted.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Aqua's strange analogy is too vivid.”

“Does anyone remember that Aqua is a god, yet Kazuma locked her in a cage and unceremoniously threw her into the lake?”

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle. It must be said that Kazuma treated Aqua as if she weren't a goddess at all, and perhaps not even a human.

 。。。。。

【 After two hours passed like this, Aqua's panicked voice suddenly came: “Ka… Kazuma, something's coming!”

Purple-skinned alligators began to appear on the lake surface, staring at Aqua with glowing red eyes, as if looking at prey. And the few people on the shore still watched everything calmly: “A whole bunch of them came!”

As the alligators continuously gnawed at the cage, after several hours, Aqua, who initially only wanted to purify the lake water with her inherent abilities, was now wholeheartedly chanting purification magic!”

“Purification—!!”

“Purification—!!”

“Purification—!!”

The alligators outside kept crashing into the cage. Aqua's desire to purify the lake water grew more urgent, and she continuously used purification magic.

The alligator bit the cage and performed a death roll. Aqua spun continuously inside the cage, her voice filled with panic: “The cage… the cage is making strange noises!”

Kazuma shouted at Aqua: “If you want to give up, just say so! We'll use the chain to pull you and the cage away and escape!”

Aqua refused without thinking: “No… If I give up now, won't I get the quest bounty?!”

So, after Aqua continuously used purification magic for several hours, the sounds quieted down, and the lake water became incredibly clean.

And the battered cage was left alone by the lake. The cage, gnawed by the savage alligators, had teeth marks everywhere.

“Quest completed! Let's go back.”

A total of 7 hours had passed from the start of purification until now. Aqua was now expressionless, her eyes vacant, looking as if she had been broken.

“...Just leave me like this…” Aqua hugged her legs and buried her face between her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly: “The world outside the cage is so scary, just take me back to town like this…!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I admire Aqua's spirit of valuing money over life, even though she's a goddess; she truly stands out!”

“Putting everything else aside, this cage is really sturdy; it managed to withstand the alligator monsters' gnawing for so long!”

Seven hours…!! Everyone looked at Aqua on the screen with some pity. Although her intelligence was a bit low, and her luck was also a bit low, it shouldn't be this bad!

A perfectly good goddess was now completely broken, and she would probably have a lifelong psychological trauma from alligators.

Kazuma had clearly asked her if she wanted to give up, but Aqua refused, choosing money over life. One could only say, truly worthy of you…

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Ayoooo... Konosuba season 4 just got announced yesterday, let's go!! )

Chapter 337: The True Hero Kyouya Mitsurugi! And a Truly Excellent Party?

Chapter Text

【 On the other side of the screen, in a place with a completely different atmosphere, a hero, holding a cursed sword, was facing an ancient dragon alone.

“If we leave this guy alone, many people will get hurt, or even lose their lives. Only we can defeat him!”

He was actually a reincarnated person attracted to this otherworld by Aqua, bestowed with the exclusive divine artifact, the cursed sword Gram. Monsters below level 80 were instantly killed by him.

With a single slash, the ancient dragon was instantly obliterated, leaving no trace.

Such powerful strength also caused two girls nearby to bicker out of jealousy.

Little did they know, in the hero's heart, he cared more about the beautiful goddess: “I will definitely save this world for you to see, because this is a promise with that person!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I'm in tears... There's actually a normal person in this world. A true hero, someone genuinely saving the world!”

“This is how a shonen manga protagonist should act—powerful strength and equipment, soloing an ancient dragon, and surrounded by fangirls.”

Everyone was moved to tears at the rare sight of a normal hero... This was a true hero who came to save the world, defeating monsters and saving the people.

In contrast, what was Kazuma doing?! Bringing a goddess to haul bricks and cement, sleeping in a stable, idling all day, only taking quests when broke, with no sense of urgency whatsoever.

As for defeating the Demon King?! Aside from hearing them mention it once, there was no action at all. The goddess even went to work every day to pay off debts. They seemed more like they were just living their lives here!

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Natsuki Subaru nodded slowly upon seeing this:

“Now this feels right, just like the RPG games I used to play.”

So this was the true hero. A normal person actually appeared. He almost thought everyone in that world was crazy.

Kazuma, take a good look. This is the orthodox path of a hero. You need to learn what it means to do serious work!

“As for the beautiful goddess... this hero's eyesight might not be very good.”

“Eh?!”

Emilia, whom he had just met, let out a gasp:

“Isn't Aqua-san beautiful?!”

Natsuki Subaru was expressionless:

“While her appearance is beautiful, would a human fall in love with a monkey?”

To even make a promise with Aqua to save the world... Heh, Natsuki Subaru could guarantee that with her touching intelligence, she had probably already forgotten it.

 。。。。。

【 “In a cage~ a goddess is confined~” Just then, the hero seemed to hear the goddess's familiar voice. He rushed through an alley, heading towards the source of the sound.

Then he saw the goddess he had been longing for, paraded in an iron cage. He immediately couldn't hold back: “GOD... GODDESS-SAMA!!!”

The hero shouted and rushed to Aqua, who was locked in the cage, and grabbed the bars: “Go- Goddess-sama! Isn't that Goddess-sam?”

The iron cage was forcibly bent by the hero, who reached out to Aqua: “What are you doing in a place like that...”

Kazuma leaned closer to Aqua, who was still in self-isolation, and whispered: “Hey, that's someone you know, right? He even called you a goddess. Say something to him....”

Aqua showed empty eyes, her face blank, then gradually regained her sparkle: “...Yes, a goddess! I am a goddess!”

Aqua, who had climbed out of the cage, tilted her head at the hero in blue armor: “What do you want with me, a goddess! ...Who are you?”

The hero's eyes widened: “It's me! Mitsurugi Kyouya! Mitsurugi Kyouya, who received the cursed sword Gram from you and was reincarnated into this world!”

Aqua tilted her head, paused, then had a sudden realization: “Ahaha!! So there was such a person. I completely forgot, I've sent quite a few people over...”

Although his expression was a bit awkward, Mitsurugi Kyouya didn't mind: “Long time no see, Aqua-sama! By the way... why were you locked in a cage?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This hero's arm strength is amazing. The cage that those ferocious alligators couldn't bite through, he bent with his bare hands.”

“Hahaha, why was she in a cage? Can I say Aqua did it voluntarily?”

Even if they said it, this hero probably wouldn't believe it. After all, who would have thought that Aqua, a goddess, would be driven to self-isolation by mere alligators? Only in a cage did she feel a sliver of security.

“Mitsurugi Kyouya is working so hard to save the world... yet for some reason, I feel so sorry for him....”

Everyone covered their mouths, trying hard to stifle their laughter. This serious hero seemed a bit pathetic.

His longed-for goddess was treated by Kazuma as if she were nothing, paraded in a cage, and dragged along.

He had always remembered his promise with the goddess, constantly striving as a hero... but Aqua, let alone remembering the promise, didn't even remember him. She didn't take it seriously at all.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“How many people did Aqua throw into this world... to have no impression of Mitsurugi Kyouya at all.”

Shirou Emiya opened his mouth, sighed helplessly, his eyes full of speechlessness. As expected of you, Aqua-sama.

He suddenly felt sorry for the Demon King of this world, because countless heroes had descended upon it. Perhaps every village had a hero.

Rin Tohsaka silently shook her head, a difficult-to-describe helplessness on her face, also feeling deeply speechless:

“Aqua probably uses the same set of lines to trick every reincarnated person, doesn't she...”

Aqua's every action always exceeded her expectations, yet it seemed perfectly reasonable when it came to Aqua.

At first, she thought it was just forgetting some promise. Now... she didn't even remember the person.

 。。。。。

【 After Kazuma explained to Mitsurugi how he and Aqua came to this world, and everything that had happened so far...

Mitsurugi suddenly grabbed Kazuma's collar and said indignantly: “Ha, you brought a goddess to this world, and then locked her in a cage and soaked her in a lake? What are you thinking?!”

Aqua quickly stopped him: “Wait... wait, I'm actually having a pretty good time every day, and I don't mind being brought here!”

Kazuma also felt a bit angry at Mitsurugi Kyouya's questioning. This guy was truly tactless, clearly knowing nothing about Aqua!

“By the way, where does Aqua-sama live now?”

Aqua thought for a moment: “Um... in the stable...”

Upon hearing this answer, Mitsurugi became incredibly furious, tightening his grip on Kazuma's collar!

Darkness, who had been quiet, rarely got angry. She grabbed Mitsurugi's hand: “Hey! You should let go! There's a limit to rudeness.”

Megumin also raised her staff towards Mitsurugi, seemingly ready to chant Explosion magic at any moment: “I feel like casting one!”

Mitsurugi let go and noticed Kazuma's two companions: “A Crusader and an Arch Wizard! I see you have good luck with teammates.”

“You have such an excellent party, yet you make Aqua-sama live in a stable. Aren't you ashamed?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Not at all ashamed... Before, Aqua was useless, and not being a burden was already good enough! She only deserved to live in a stable.”

“Heh heh... It seems we need to redefine what an 'excellent party' means.”

A perverted masochistic Crusader with 0 attack power because she can't hit anyone, who didn't learn any greatsword skills, putting all points into defense.

A crazy Arch Wizard with some loose screw in the brain who claims she'll die if she doesn't cast 'Explosion Magic' once a day, and can only use magic once a day, which is somewhat insane.

And a low-intelligence, troublesome goddess who doesn't do any serious work, running around doing part-time jobs to pay off debts, plus the gradually perverted party leader, Kazuma... You call such a party excellent?!

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios, however, agreed with Mitsurugi's assessment, nodding and saying:

“It is indeed an excellent party!”

This statement drew scrutinizing gazes from his companions. Chilchuck looked at Laios with concern:

“Has eating monster meat for so long finally made you blind...”

“This bizarre party, I can't see anything excellent about it.”

Laios gave an awkward smile:

“This unified act of protecting Kazuma isn't that quite excellent?”

There was also something he didn't say: although Darkness had no offensive power and couldn't hit anyone, her defense was high enough to sit in the front row.

Although Megumin was a bit crazy and could only cast Explosion magic once a day, its power was strong enough to instantly kill most monsters.

Aqua might seem useless, but she was absolutely invincible when it came to curses, eliminating any worries.

As for Kazuma... although he was a bit perverted, he had a good brain. Being able to gather such a strange group of talents and keep them from falling apart was also a skill!

In a sense, this party was indeed excellent: Kazuma for command, Darkness for defense, Megumin for output, and the goddess for dispelling curses.

 。。。。。

Chapter 338: The True Scene of Brutality! Instantly Defeating the Sword User

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After hearing Mitsurugi speak, Kazuma scanned his opponent's gear and attire, feeling even more annoyed.

“This guy must have had a carefree life because of the reincarnation bonus, the cursed sword Gram!? Why should I, who started from scratch, be lectured by someone like him?”

Besides, are these guys even good...?

Kazuma's mind was filled with images of his useless teammates, and he kept cursing under his breath.

Mitsurugi didn't notice Kazuma's displeasure. Instead, he turned to Darkness and Megumin and said, “From now on, you two will follow me, the Sword Master! I'll buy you all top-tier equipment.”

Hearing the latter's conceited proposal, the Aqua trio began to whisper, “This is bad, that guy is genuinely disgustingly bad, and a bit of a narcissist, it's quite scary!”

Darkness also hugged herself in repulsion, “Physiologically, I can't accept that man. Although I prefer to be hit rather than hit others, seeing him just makes me want to hit him for some reason!”

Megumin even gripped her staff tightly, looking like she was about to lose it, “Can I unleash one? Can I unleash one?!”

Although Kazuma was furious, seeing his companions unanimously disgusted, he decided to take his teammates and leave!

But Mitsurugi blocked his way, “Excuse me, I cannot abandon Aqua-sama in such a predicament. Let's have a decisive battle!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What Kazuma said seems to make sense. Looking at it this way, Kazuma has no equipment and no cheats. Not only is he an adventure starting from scratch, but he also brought a burden...”

“Yare yare, this guy's judgment is really poor. Kazuma, the only somewhat normal one in this team, was actually directly excluded!”

“Fortunately, Megumin still has some sense. Unleashing that explosion magic in town would be disastrous. One wrong move, and the town's residents would find themselves reunited in heaven.”

The people from other worlds looked at this Mitsurugi hero with some pity.

In a sense, to be able to physiologically disgust Darkness, this masochistic knight, and even make her want to hit someone, you're quite something!

Indeed... compared to this Mitsurugi Kyouya, everyone preferred Kazuma more. Although the latter was a bit perverted, he wasn't as conceited as Mitsurugi.

Although Mitsurugi Kyouya's intentions were good, for someone of your strength to duel Kazuma is simply unreasonable... It's completely bullying the weak.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern was also stunned by this scene:

“I can understand the others, but Aqua-sama, wasn't this hero chosen by you...? Why are you also secretly badmouthing him?”

Fern didn't think Mitsurugi Kyouya's proposed treatment was bad; it was just his tone that was a bit uncomfortable.

Moreover, following Mitsurugi would likely make it easier for Aqua to achieve her wish of defeating the Demon King, allowing her to return to heaven.

Frieren patted Fern's head and said softly,

“Didn't you hear Aqua? She's very happy now.”

Although she's troubled by money every day, her life is filled with laughter, and every day is very fulfilling. Perhaps her desire to return to heaven isn't that strong.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Hearing Mitsurugi Kyouya's challenge, Mash couldn't help but frown:

“Isn't this blatant bullying?!”

Mitsurugi Kyouya's favorability towards her plummeted. To have the strength to instantly kill a dragon and challenge Kazuma, who struggles to even fight a few frogs... he really has some nerve.

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded along,

“Exactly! He doesn't even look at how high his own level is! And he can still say such things.”

Don't forget, when Kazuma reincarnated into the other world, he didn't take any weapons, just Aqua. You could say he started from scratch, completely on his own!

Now it's like a famous high-level player on the server challenging a newbie who hasn't even left the 'Newbie Village'. People would laugh if they heard about it.

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Marcille gripped her staff.

“It's no wonder Kazuma's entire party dislikes him...”

This kind of self-centered behavior, making decisions for others under the guise of caring for them, is indeed annoying...

Doesn't he have any sense? Doesn't he even ask if others are willing? Doesn't he see that everyone is repulsed by him? Even the masochistic knight wants to hit him.

Chilchuck's mouth twitched.

“Among that bunch of abnormal people, Mitsurugi Kyouya actually seems even more abnormal.”

Just give up. The goddess you admire is badmouthing you behind your back, and with your normal way of thinking, how can you keep up with the thought processes of those perverted oddballs!

 。。。。。

【 “Do you want to have a decisive battle with me?! If I win, you'll give Aqua-sama to me. If you win, I can promise you anything.”

“Alright, bring it on! Let's go.” Kazuma, whose patience had reached its limit, attacked without another word.

Kazuma quickly drew the longsword from his waist while simultaneously extending his left hand.

“Huh... EHHHH!!” Mitsurugi hadn't expected Kazuma to immediately agree to his proposal, and looked at him while replying.

Although Mitsurugi seemed quite flustered, he was a high-level adventurer after all. He immediately drew his cursed sword and held it horizontally, preparing to block Kazuma's short sword with it.

But just as the short sword was about to hit the cursed sword, Kazuma extended his left hand and shouted, “STEAL—!!”

The cursed sword in Mitsurugi's hand instantly appeared in Kazuma's hand. Then, because his left hand couldn't support the heavy weight of the sword, the magic sword smashed onto the latter's head.

Mitsurugi Kyouya, struck heavily on the head, immediately lost his combat ability, rolled his eyes, and fainted on the ground. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, he got one-shot directly! What else is there to say! Kazuma's little combo is so smooth, he must have secretly practiced it many times.”

“Hahaha, fighting someone without integrity and still expecting chivalry, don't even think about it!”

This unexpected scene left everyone wide-eyed, and many didn't even react. The duel was over too quickly.

And this Steal skill, combined with Kazuma's luck, is truly divine. Of course, the premise is that the opponent isn't female; otherwise, what he might steal goes without saying...

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Even Kirito, a high-level player, was dumbfounded; it was truly unexpected:

“He got one-shot?! Does he even know how to play...?”

Although Kazuma's sneak attack came first, the huge gap in level and equipment was there, so there's nothing to be dishonorable about...

But this defeat was too quick, you fell in just the blink of an eye?! Does that mean you can't play without your cursed sword...?

Just relying on your level and stats should be enough to defeat Kazuma, who struggles even with frogs. And what about your dragon-slaying power?! This simply doesn't make sense.

Asuna also gave an embarrassed smile,

“How could the shameless Kazuma allow an opponent clearly stronger than himself to prepare?!”

 。。。。。

【 Mitsurugi's two female companions began to scold Kazuma, “You despicable scoundrel! Despicable scoundrel!”

Kazuma remained unmoved, looking speechless. “You, the cheater with a cursed sword, challenging me, a newbie with trash equipment, that's what's despicable.”

Although the cursed sword was exclusive to the narcissist, Kazuma still took it as a spoil of war.

Mitsurugi's two female companions quickly shouted, “You, you, you... You stop right there! We don't accept this kind of win!”

Kazuma stopped, his voice sounding a bit low, “As a true advocate of gender equality, I am a man who would even use a flying kick on a girl!”

“Don't think I'll go easy on you. In a public place like this, my Steal skill will explode!”

Kazuma looked at the two girls with a mischievous smile, while extending his hand and constantly making gestures, his fingers moving very flexibly up and down...

The two girls looked at Kazuma's hand, feeling very concerned for their safety, and began to retreat constantly.

“NOOOOO—!!!”

Although he successfully drove away the annoying girls, Megumin, next to him, quickly pulled down her clothes, looking at Kazuma with the eyes of a pervert. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What Kazuma said makes perfect sense. If anyone's truly despicable, it's Mitsurugi. To challenge a newbie Kazuma, who's in the beginner village, with high-level equipment, he really has some nerve!”

“This... you're the first person to make such harassing gestures in broad daylight! I can only say it's truly you, 'Pervert Kazuma,' you'll never shake off that title.”

Regarding the gender equality advocate point, no one doubted it, after all, he's the kind of person who could casually throw a goddess into an iron cage to purify lake water...

But looking at Kazuma's actions, the people from other worlds' mouths twitched slightly. Is this really something a hero would do? Not being immediately labeled a pervert, one would have to praise the local customs as simple and honest.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Seeing such an astonishing scene, a commotion also broke out in the Adventurers' Guild.

All the female adventurers shyly pressed down their skirts,

“Pervert Kazuma, PERVERT KAZUMA!!”

Only some male adventurers all gave Kazuma a thumbs up, looking like “I knew I hadn't misjudged him,” truly a role model for men.

As for Kazuma, the person involved, he was already sweating profusely, 'lying prostrate' on the table. Without even looking up, he could already feel those piercing gazes.

Tearfully, he could only curse his future self,

“What in the world are you doing?!”

And his “excellent” teammates also subtly performed a tactical shift, looking like they weren't too familiar with him, after all, his last action was indeed a bit perverted...

 。。。。。

Notes:

My bad, my bad. I mixed match those two, hahahahahaha

Chapter 339: The Headless Knight Can No Longer Endure!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “W-why—I didn’t break the cage, so why do I have to pay for it?!”】

Early the next morning, Aqua’s loud voice echoed from the guild. She was tearfully grabbing a guild receptionist, Luna, refusing to let go.

Aqua dragged her heavy feet, sitting next to Kazuma, utterly dejected: “After paying for the broken cage, I only have 100,000 Eris left. I didn’t even break it.”

Aqua then slumped over the table, growing angrier the more she thought about it, and let out an unwilling wail: “That man… Next time I see him, I’ll definitely hit him with my God Blow!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It just goes to show, you get what you pay for. A 300,000 reward for the quest, but the cage repair alone costs 200,000. No wonder it was so sturdy.”

“Hahaha, what a pathetic hero. He bent the iron bars to save Aqua, and now Aqua resents him for it.”

Even people from other worlds felt a bit of sympathy for Mitsurugi Kyouya. He wanted to save Aqua from her misery, but Aqua just wanted to hit him with a God Blow and beat him up.

For a goddess who was short on cash, Mitsurugi had accurately stepped on Aqua’s landmine.

After all, Mitsurugi Kyouya's bending the cage was truly an unexpected disaster for Aqua, costing her 200,000 for no reason.

A 300,000 quest, but she only earned 100,000 Eris. Not even enough money to see a psychologist. It would be strange if Aqua didn't hold a grudge!

 。。。。。

【 “I found you, Satou Kazuma!” Just then, Mitsurugi Kyouya, the main culprit, arrived, panting and accompanied by two girls: “A certain thief girl told me about your past deeds.”

“I heard you love to randomly pull off girls’ underwear and have a hobby of getting girls covered in slime. There are quite a few rumors about you! You perverted Kazuma!”

The two girls Mitsurugi brought with him were currently huddled together, trembling, fearing that the perverted Kazuma would suddenly strip their underwear in public.

Mitsurugi ignored the enraged Kazuma, turning to the goddess and softly saying: “Aqua-sama, I swear I will defeat the Demon King, so please, form a party with me…”

“GOD BLOW—!!” Aqua’s eyes glowed red as she delivered a punch, sending Mitsurugi flying on the spot.

Before Mitsurugi could even react to why he was hit, Aqua grabbed him by the collar: “Hey, quickly pay me for the cage repairs, 300,000! 300,000!”

Kazuma watched speechlessly as Aqua took the opportunity to extort him. Didn’t she just say 200,000?

As if intimidated by Aqua, Mitsurugi obediently took out his money pouch and handed it over. Only then did Aqua pick up the menu again, satisfied.

Mitsurugi then regained his composure, bowing to Kazuma and pleading: “A-although I know this is selfish, please, I beg you, return my Cursed Sword. As compensation, I can buy you the best sword in the shop.”

Megumin suddenly tugged on Mitsurugi’s sleeve and pointed to Kazuma’s waist:

“First, let’s talk about the fact that the Cursed Sword is no longer on this person.”

Hearing her say that, Mitsurugi finally noticed the incongruity, cold sweat breaking out on his face: “Sa-Satou Kazuma. Where’s the Cursed Sword? W-where did my Cursed Sword go?!”

Kazuma naturally raised the money pouch in his hand, his expression calm: “Sold it!”

“Damn it…” Mitsurugi cried and rushed out of the guild. He had to redeem it before it was bought. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“As for the rumors about Kazuma, there’s really nothing to say, since they’re all true! I just didn’t expect the name ‘Perverted Kazuma’ to have spread so widely.”

“Speaking of which, how much does Aqua hate the hero Mitsurugi? She just goes straight for a punch, without any hesitation, and even manages to extort him in the process.”

This hero can no longer be described as pathetic; it’s just sad. Who told him to encounter such an abstract party as Kazuma’s?

Selling a cursed sword just like that, Kazuma felt no guilt at all. After all, you can’t expect someone who can perform such perverted actions in public to have a high moral bottom line…

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Seeing Mitsurugi burst into tears and run off, Tohsaka Rin laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes:

“Haha…haha…I never expected it to be sold!”

What a pathetic, cursed sword, what a pathetic hero! First, he was beaten up by the goddess he admired, and then he learned that his strongest equipment had been sold. He probably suffered a complete mental breakdown at that moment.

It’s as if the Knight King’s holy sword, Excalibur, was sold as scrap metal. Who could endure that?!

Emiya Shirou looked at the screen with some pity:

“Kazuma’s lack of integrity is well-known.”

After all, for a hero who goes to learn thief skills, how much integrity can you expect him to have?

One can only silently hope that this somewhat normal hero, Mitsurugi Kyouya, doesn’t go insane. Otherwise, this world is truly beyond saving. There’s no help for it… Who told him to be the only one doing things properly!

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Watching Kazuma’s actions, Frieren’s dot eyes showed some confusion:

“Uh… selling the cursed sword isn’t very good, is it? If they’re all heroes, why can’t they work together?”

After all, in her world, there wasn’t just one hero. It was through everyone working together that Himmel was finally able to defeat the Demon King.

Compared to this perverted hero, Kazuma, Frieren realized that Himmel’s minor habit of calling himself a handsome man, despite also being a hero, was absolutely childish!

Fern, however, thought Kazuma did nothing wrong. After all, the cursed sword was his spoils of war, and he couldn’t use it. It was too heavy to carry, so selling it was a good idea.

“And Hero Mitsurugi… seems a bit too reliant on the cursed sword.”

It’s not that those who possess a holy sword are heroes, but rather that the sword wielded by the hero who defeats the Demon King is called a holy sword! Although Kazuma is a bit perverted, he at least started from scratch and worked his way up.

 。。。。。

【 Just then, the familiar broadcast voice sounded again: “EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT, EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT!! ALL ADVENTURERS ARE TO IMMEDIATELY ARM THEMSELVES AND GATHER AT THE TOWN’S MAIN GATE!!”

“Especially, adventurers Satou Kazuma and his accomplices, please rush to the scene!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…Here it comes again. How many emergency gatherings have there been? This beginner town certainly has a lot going on every day!”

“Wait, what did the broadcast just say?! ‘Especially Satou Kazuma and his accomplices’… Did they cause trouble again?”

Everyone almost burst out laughing. Being singled out by name was one thing, as they were used to it by now, but… what kind of strange designation was that?

Being called “accomplices” instead of companions, did Satou Kazuma’s insane party rob a bank or hijack a princess?

 。。。。。

【 By the time Kazuma arrived at the main gate, many adventurers had already gathered there, gazing at that familiar figure from afar.

“It’s this guy again…” Indeed, it was the Demon King Army executive, the Headless Undead Knight, who had come calling again a week later.

“You bastards, why didn’t you come to the castle… You… you’re not even human!” Verdia could barely suppress his inner rage, his entire body trembling slightly.

As the Headless Undead Knight’s anger flared, black flames engulfed his body, and crimson eyes peered through the flames, staring intently at Kazuma and his group.

“Eh…” Kazuma asked, puzzled, addressing the Headless Undead Knight: “Why? We haven’t used Explosion magic again!”

Hearing Kazuma say that, the Headless Undead Knight couldn’t help but smash the head he was holding in his left hand onto the ground… then, remembering it was his own head, he quickly rubbed his left side.

“You say you haven’t?! That red demon girl with a few screws loose in her head has been showing up every single day since then.”

Kazuma looked at Megumin beside him, who, along with Aqua, quickly averted their gaze. So Kazuma angrily grabbed Aqua’s face: “So it was you!”

Aqua quickly pointed at the Headless Undead Knight, shifting the blame: “It’s all because of that guy! He made it so I couldn’t find any decent quests, so I wanted to get back at him!”

The Headless Undead Knight was beyond furious, emanating a terrifying aura:

“Listen well, fools! My name is Verdia!”

“The real reason for my rage is, don’t you have any intention of avenging your comrade?! Though I have fallen into demonhood, in life I was a proud and honorable knight!”

“If you ask me… that Crusader who was cursed to protect her comrades, to be indifferent to the pointless sacrifice of such a model knight…”

At this point, the Verdia froze, because he actually saw Darkness alive and well. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“They’ve been bombing his castle every day behind Kazuma’s back?! This is seriously messed up…”

“The three of them probably forgot about the curse, didn’t they? I didn’t expect this Demon King Army executive to be quite humane. The reason for his anger was actually because he thought they were abandoning their comrade.”

Everyone from other worlds looked at Verdia with admiration. What a righteous knight he was! His noble character made everyone a bit skeptical—was he really a Demon King Army executive?

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte was also dumbfounded:

“Your reason for being angry is this?! You’ve got it wrong, you’re a Undead Knight, not a Holy Knight!”

What to do? This Verdia is outrageously righteous. Even she, a goddess, felt reluctant to harm him. Could these truly be words spoken by a Demon King Army executive?

Continuing to have his castle bombed daily wasn’t the reason for his anger; instead, he was furious at Kazuma for being indifferent to Darkness, who was suffering from the curse.

“This Verdia, Sir, he wouldn’t have really just waited patiently in the castle for a week, would he?”

And it seems he didn’t even intend to make things difficult for Kazuma and his group if they dared to come. He just wanted to see their attitude before lifting Darkness’s curse…

His temper was unbelievably good. Could all Demon King Army executives be like this?

Honestly, Ristarte felt at this point that Kazuma was more like the villain. There wasn't a single member of their party who wasn't a handful.

 。。。。。

Notes:

LMAO, It's fixed now

Chapter 340: The Righteous Villain Devil King's Executive Army, the evil hero, and the idiotic goddess

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Beldia is probably fuming. He brewed tea, yet his house still got blown up, and he was stood up for an appointment.”

“A role model for knights... No, no, this can only be called a wonderful misunderstanding. She just simply enjoys the pleasure of being tormented.”

Everyone corrected Beldia's view with blank expressions. If Darkness were a role model for knights, then the world would truly be beyond saving, filled with nothing but perverts.

Beldia probably never expected a goddess to exist in that team of crazy people, easily breaking his curse.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Watching the scene unfold, even the kind-hearted Mash's eyes became dull:

“Did Beldia-san destroy the galaxy in his past life...? This level of bad luck is unbelievable!”

He didn't do anything, and as a Devil King's General, he didn't even want to kill anyone. Yet his house was blown up every day. Although he was a bit angry, he only gave a warning! His temper was surprisingly good.

And couldn't Megumin blow up somewhere else? Why insist on blowing up Beldia-san's castle? He's such a kind-hearted knight, how could you all lay your hands on him?!

Da Vinci was equally speechless:

“Honestly, I actually see a shadow of a Paladin in Beldia!”

Both his moral standards and code of conduct are far superior to Kazuma's team, which makes Kazuma's situation so awkward... He's actually been outshone by a monster.

 。。。。。

【 As Darkness slowly walked out from the crowd, Beldia, who was just incredibly furious, looked as if he had seen a ghost. The atmosphere instantly became awkward.

And hearing Darkness, who was praised by Beldia as a knightly paragon, seemed a bit embarrassed: “...Well, I wouldn't presume to call myself a perfect example of chivalry...”

“WHAT—!!” Beldia was so scared that he let out a strange cry, completely unable to believe that Darkness, who had been cursed, was still alive.

Aqua, however, was overjoyed and burst out laughing: “Was that Headless Knight waiting for us all this time? He doesn't even know that the curse was already broken when he left, hahahaha... I'm dying of laughter!”

Aqua's provocation finally pushed Beldia to his limit, and his voice became deep: “If I intended to, killing everyone in town would naturally be an easy feat for me.”

Magic light glowed in Aqua's hand: “Just a mere undead, what are you so proud of? TURN UNDEAD!!”

Beldia showed no intention of dodging, looking as if retreating even a step meant he lost: “How could a novice adventurer's magic be effective...?”

“Eeeeeek—!~!”

The moment he was hit by Aqua's magic, the headless horse was immediately purified and disappeared from the spot. The originally confident Headless Knight rolled on the ground, screaming.

Aqua saw Beldia stand up again and suddenly panicked: “Hey, Kazuma, it's strange, the magic didn't work!”

Kazuma's face was covered in cold sweat: “No, it looks like it worked pretty well; he was screaming like crazy.”

Beldia looked at Aqua with lingering fear. He was almost purified just now: “Are you really a novice adventurer?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Darkness isn’t the tank—Aqua is, isn’t she? She’s the one pulling all the aggro.”

“Don't look at Aqua like that, she's still a god! Especially against undead monsters, she's their natural enemy. One purification spell almost sent a General away.”

Everyone looked at Aqua speechlessly. They originally thought she was just brain-dead, but it turns out her eyes and ears weren't working either.

Didn't she see that Beldia's horse was gone after being hit once? Beldia himself screamed so loudly, did she not hear it? You call this magic not working?!

Does it have to be an instant kill for it to be considered effective? No matter what, he's still a General, so give him some face.

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Marcille let out a long sigh:

“So this is her purpose. She's a god after all, capable of granting salvation to the undead.”

It had no effect on frogs, but now, with a single spell, she can purify Beldia's mount and even injure Beldia. So she specializes in attacking evil spirits!

But her personality is a bit too nasty. She was in the wrong first, yet she still mocked Beldia. Are you sure this is something a goddess should do?

Poor Beldia is clearly the victim; when he tried to reason with them, he was attacked. It seems like he's being bullied, doesn't it?

 。。。。。

【 Beldia tilted his head in his hand and asked a question from the depths of his soul.

“This town is a gathering place for novice adventurers, right?”

But what was that spell just now? He almost died on the spot.

“Forget it, there's no need for me to do it personally... Undead Knights, let this guy taste the flavors of hell!” As his voice fell, black mist appeared at Beldia's feet, summoning a large number of Death Knights.

“Oh!” Kazuma suddenly shouted, “That guy must be scared because Aqua's magic surprisingly worked.”

Beldia stomped his foot anxiously: “No, no, it's not! How could I let the boss fight right away? First, the small fries...”

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Aqua, who had regained her confidence: “Sacred Turn Undead!”

A huge white magic circle appeared at Beldia's feet, followed by a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky!

“Eeeeek—My eyes, my eyes...” Beldia screamed directly, rolling on the ground, black smoke rising from all over his armor.

Aqua's face was again covered in cold sweat, a bit flustered: “Wh-what should we do, Kazuma! My purification magic isn't working at all.”

Kazuma didn't understand why Aqua thought so. After all, the other party was howling like that, so it felt very effective. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Is this a novice? No, this is a killer. Beldia, run! You probably can't win against those perverts.”

“Aqua... are you selectively blind? He's spewing black smoke and digging into the ground, and you still call that not working?!”

Everyone was almost dying of laughter at Aqua's flustered appearance. She was seriously injuring someone while saying her magic wasn't working... Satan would probably get her tattooed on him; she's a pure demon.

They really wanted to ask Aqua how her little brain connected “not instantly killing” with “not working.” If she had just cast two more purification spells, she probably could have sent him away on the spot.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Beldia is a true man; he's not even flinching.”

Inside the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Bone King Ainz Ooal Gown instinctively flinched when he saw Aqua's purification magic, wiping non-existent cold sweat from his face.

Shalltear's face was pale, and she patted her chest with lingering fear, thinking for a moment that she was done for.

If those two purification spells had hit her, it wouldn't have been a joke. They could have sent her away in minutes. Weaker undead would probably have instantly knelt.

He didn't expect this Headless Knight to be so capable. He actually withstood two purification spells from a goddess. He really has something.

The world outside is too terrifying. I will never go out until I figure out if there are such gods out there!

The Bone King, who had started to battle wits with the air, also began to worry if there were goddesses outside. It would be truly uncomfortable if he encountered a goddess who countered him.

( Translator-kun: Foreshadowing?? )

 。。。。。

【 Beldia, covered in black smoke after taking two purification spells from the goddess, also reached his limit: “Forget it, kill everyone in town!”

With Beldia's command, the Undead Knights all charged towards the town. Although they wore ragged armor, they were equipped with defensive gear, which was enough to pose a threat to novice adventurers!

“Quick... quick, call a priest out...”

“SOMEONE GO TO THE CHURCH FOR HOLY WATER!!”

Adventurers' anxious shouts rose everywhere, trying to stop the undead.

The Death Knights began to laugh loudly: “Hahahaha, let me hear your cries of despair...”

Before he could finish speaking, he froze because all the undead were chasing Aqua, and not a single one went towards the town.

“Why are they only coming for me! I'm a goddess, AND I DO GOOD DEEDS!”

Darkness looked at Aqua, who was being chased by the undead, with envy: “How cunning, I also do good deeds, why...”

Kazuma understood in his heart that the lost undead were probably seeking salvation from the goddess according to their instincts! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, you must attack the goddess with aggro first! Aqua indeed has extremely low luck.”

As for Darkness's envious behavior, everyone expressed incomprehension, but they were greatly shocked. The protagonist group was more perverse than the last, while the villain was incredibly proper!

The righteous villain Devil King's army, the evil hero, and the idiotic goddess, the chuunibyo and masochistic teammates, finally understood.

As for Aqua's claim that she did good deeds... Heh, everyone said they didn't see it at all.

And not long ago, she just extorted Mitsurugi. Where was the “good” in that?!

 。。。。。

Chapter 341: Merciful Sword Style, Darkness!

Chapter Text

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Kirito sighed helplessly as he watched Aqua being chased by the undead,

“As expected, Aqua's role is to attract monsters...”

Whether it was the giant frogs before, the ferocious alligators, or the undead, all of them were precisely taken care of by Aqua alone.

He had been playing games for so many years, and this was the first time he had seen someone—uh, a god!—who could taunt monsters just by standing there. Perhaps her luck was too low, automatically attracting monsters.

Asuna had a loving expression, radiating maternal glow,

“It's really not easy for Aqua-san to still be alive and well.”

She speaks without thinking, has terribly bad luck, and is also an idiot! It's really thanks to Kazuma's care that she's still alive.

 。。。。。

【 While Aqua was being chased, Kazuma wasn't idle either, taking on the important task of commanding: “Megumin, can you cast explosion magic on that group of undead?!”

Megumin looked a bit troubled: “They're so scattered...”

While they were still discussing, Aqua screamed for help while leading a large group of undead knights towards Kazuma: “Waaaah! Kazuma-san—, KAZUMA!”

The adventurers gathered at the town gate immediately scattered, spreading out in all directions.

Kazuma also quickly led Aqua out of town, making sure as many undead knights as possible followed Aqua along the way: “You idiot, don't come over! Get away, I'm treating you tonight!”

Kazuma glanced at the large number of undead knights behind him, then led Aqua towards the Death Knight, jumping left and right at that instant.

“MEGUMIN, QUICK...!!”

Hearing the command, Megumin looked at this great opportunity in front of her and immediately became excited, throwing off her eye patch: “I am Megumin! The foremost magician of the Crimson Demon Clan, user of explosion magic!”

“Witness my power! EXPLOSION—!”

Accompanied by starlight that exploded like a rainbow, Megumin's signature explosion magic detonated directly in the army, and dazzling flames rose from the ground!

With the Death Knight's screams, a huge crater was created in front of the town's main gate, and all the undead knights were reduced to ashes.

The adventurers in the town all cheered: “It worked, the Crimson Demon little girl with a few screws loose in her head!”

“Only her name or screws loose in her head, but she still acts when she needs to!”

“I'm impressed with you, little girl with a few screws loose in her head!”

At this moment, Megumin, lying on Kazuma's back, had a vein popping on her forehead, growing angrier the more she listened: “Sorry, please remember those people's faces, I'll blast them next time!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Facts prove that even if all your teammates are liabilities, as long as the captain's brain works well, Kazuma's command ability is quite good!”

“No wonder, I practiced and learned explosion magic for so long without using it; it turns out all those words before were made up by you! Only one word, 'Explosion,' is real.”

Everyone looked at Megumin with black lines on their faces. So, such powerful magic only required such a simple incantation.

It turns out it can be cast instantly. Why didn't you say so earlier? Why add so much drama to yourself?

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Rudeus's breathing became rapid at the sight, and he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart:

“Every time I see explosion magic, it gives me an extraordinary feeling!”

That huge mushroom cloud, the crater like a meteor impact, no wonder Megumin loves explosion magic so much. With such power, who wouldn't love it!

But what's most amusing is the attitude of those adventurers. Are you praising Megumin or belittling her...

“The little girl with a few screws loose in her head, it turns out that she and the perverted Kazuma have also become widely known!”

However, those words aren't wrong; Megumin must have some kind of problem with her head to get along so well with Aqua.

 。。。。。

【 The Headless Knight, a high-ranking member of the Demon King's army, was not a mere figurehead. He slowly rose from the ruins, laughing maniacally: “Hahahaha, interesting, interesting! I shall personally be your opponent!”

Kazuma's mind raced. Megumin had no magic power left, and Aqua's magic couldn't deal a fatal blow! What should he do...?

The adventurers nearby looked at Beldia without fear: “What's there to be afraid of! The ace of this town is coming soon. Who cares if you're a high-ranking member of the Demon King's army!”

Then, several adventurers, holding their swords, charged forward as if pumped up, intending to tie down Beldia: “If we all go together, we can force him into a blind spot!”

“It seems you all wish to rush to your deaths.” Beldia snorted, then threw his head into the air.

Kazuma realized something was wrong and quickly shouted: “Stop, don't go over!!”

Accompanied by an eerie light, a fiery red giant eye suddenly appeared in the sky. In just the blink of an eye, it struck down all the adventurers who were attacking him.

“Who's next!”

People who were alive just a moment ago lost their lives instantly before Kazuma, an illogical situation that made him realize the true nature of this world.

None of the adventurers present dared to make a move. Suddenly, a sharp voice came from the crowd: “Someone like you, if Mitsurugi were here, he'd cut you down with one sword!”

At these words, Kazuma's face instantly turned pale, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Mitsurugi? The one whose magic sword I stole and sold... 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Don't wait, your town's ace is still looking for his sword. Who knows who Kazuma sold it to.”

“This Demon King's army executive has some tricks up his sleeve; he took two goddess's purification spells, plus an explosion spell, and is still incredibly fierce.”

Only then did everyone realize they had underestimated this chivalrous executive. His strength was indeed formidable, and Kazuma's party, being new to the village, was no match for him.

And Mitsurugi, this tragic hero, was actually the town's ace... How could they possibly win?

Because the ace you're talking about has already been defeated by this rookie adventurer in front of you, and even his magic sword was sold.

 。。。。。

【 Darkness directly blocked in front of everyone, holding her greatsword in both hands and striking a pose, as if she was no longer a pervert, but a reliable crusader knight!

“So, until the person you speak of arrives... can you hold out!” Beldia's greatsword slashed down towards Darkness.

The moment their longswords clashed, the ground instantly caved in. Darkness, cold sweat on her face, gritting her teeth and holding on: “How dare you... How dare you treat everyone... As someone whose duty is to protect, there are some things I absolutely cannot concede!”

The deaths of the surrounding adventurers filled Darkness with anger, and uncharacteristically, with aggression: “Do you want everyone to see themselves being indecently abused under brute force?!”

“If you have the guts, try it, or rather, show me now!”

Beldia panicked immediately, no longer in a stalemate with Darkness: “What nonsense are you spouting? Others will misunderstand me!”

Although Darkness was aggressive and had great momentum, all her attacks perfectly missed.

“Ha...” Even Beldia himself was very confused.

Seeing this scene, Kazuma's face turned red. He felt ashamed for Darkness, who couldn't even hit someone standing still. How embarrassing, this child is my companion! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I'm truly looking at you in a new light, perverted knight. I didn't expect you to have such determination, even though you're still a pervert.”

“Holy cow, I really can't believe it! Darkness can actually contend with Beldia purely with strength.”

Everyone looked at the aggressive Darkness with some admiration. At least in terms of aura, she wasn't inferior to anyone, but... why did she keep missing? This is not the time to mess up!

Thinking this, everyone became a little frantic. She was so cool just now, but the coolness didn't last three seconds.

The most incomprehensible thing is that the opponent was standing still, yet every single one of her swords landed in an unexpected place. She unleashed a torrent of attacks, but they all missed.

How did you manage such an inconceivable sword technique? Did you learn some kind of merciful sword technique? This is a bit too merciful!

 。。。。。

Chapter 342: You call this the Novice Village?!

Chapter Text

【 “How disappointing... Enough!” Beldia, utterly disappointed, raised the greatsword in his hand and casually swung it downwards at Darkness!

Kazuma, carrying Megumin on his back, felt his heart tighten and shouted with great concern: “DARK—NESS!!”

Beldia then continued to slash at an extremely fast pace. If it were a normal adventurer, even if they were reduced to a pile of meat, it would not be surprising.

However, all of Beldia's fatal attacks were blocked by Darkness, who remained motionless, only leaving countless sword marks on her armor.

Kazuma, however, noticed several places where blood was flowing from Darkness's cheeks and the gaps in her armor, and he quickly called out anxiously: “Hey, Darkness! You're injured, right? Enough, quickly retreat.”

Darkness still spoke cool lines as she continued to resist: “A Crusader cannot retreat when protecting others; that is a principle! And... and...”

At this point, Darkness's face flushed with excitement, and she looked at Beldia with great satisfaction, filled with pleasure.

“This Headless Knight is indeed skilled. He's been shaving away my armor one piece at a time. Instead of stripping me nude, he's left only parts of my armor intact.”

The surrounding adventurers all stood frozen in place, watching the battle in front of them with cold sweat on their faces. This was the most~ bizarre battle they had ever seen.

However, the more Darkness spoke, the more pleased she became. She even put down her longsword, appearing somewhat impatient and incredibly excited as she watched Beldia gradually approaching!

“Which only makes it an even more provocative state to publicly shame me in—, bring it on! Is this the disgrace defined by the Demon King's army? Then be even more presumptuous— Hit me more! More!”

“Ha...” Beldia listened to Darkness's perverted description and was so scared that he took a step back. He held his greatsword, unsure whether to strike or not.

Kazuma, carrying Megumin, finally couldn't help but curse: “Know the time and place, you brain-damaged pervert!”

“P-p-pervert!” Darkness became even more excited when she heard Kazuma's curse, a strange flush on her face.

“You're the one who needs to know the time and place! Being in public has already made me miserable! What are you and Beldia planning to do to me!”

Kazuma, who had put Megumin down, and Beldia, who could no longer tolerate it, cursed in unison: “Do your head in!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Her words started out so cool, but why did her description become so perverted later? The strange buff on Beldia increased again...”

“Hahaha, Darkness's pervertedness even scared Beldia. If they keep fighting, he'll be described as a heinous perverted lecher in no time.”

Kazuma's worries seemed a bit excessive because Darkness became even more excited after being injured!

Everyone looked at Darkness, who was having an episode, with a bit of embarrassment. Pay attention to the occasion... She even confused Beldia. He'd lived for hundreds of years, and this was the first time he'd encountered such an odd person!

Although odd, she was truly tanky! Others were instantly killed by a single blow, but Darkness took several blows and still had plenty of leeway. Aside from being a pervert, she was indeed a qualified tank.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

Ainz rubbed his head, feeling a headache, and was completely puzzled:

“So this is what current beginner villages are like? Am I out of touch with the times?!”

A mage with terrifyingly high attack power, a crusader with unbelievably high defense, a goddess who almost instantly killed a Demon King's army executive... They're all talented individuals. You call this a beginner village?!

In this bizarre team, it seemed that none of them were beginners except for Kazuma. If it weren't for the fact that they were all a bunch of crazy people, he would suspect they could directly fight the Demon King.

Shalltear looked at the screen with some pity:

“Beldia is really having a tough time. Darkness's physical attacks also contain mental damage.”

Although she can't hit him, the damage seems quite high, especially the mental damage, which is incredibly destructive! Even I, a pervert, find her perverted.

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Seeing such a perverted knight for the first time, Emilia's face flushed red:

“Darkness-san... is she really a knight? She seems a bit different.”

Puck, floating in the air, also had a worried expression and didn't know how to explain it for a moment, as he also found it difficult to understand Darkness's magical thought process.

Subaru Natsuki, however, seemed to be deep in thought:

“Is it possible that each person in their team focuses on maximizing one attribute, and then the entire team collectively has all attributes maxed out?!”

Thinking about it carefully... it seems to be true! In this team, attack and defense are maxed out. As the team leader, Kazuma's role is to give commands, so his skills aren't important. The only one he can't figure out is Aqua, who is a goddess!

What's the meaning of maxing out party skills instead of learning other skills?! That's completely useless.

 。。。。。

【 However, Darkness's pervertedness also bought Kazuma time. After putting down Megumin, he cast water magic.

“Create Water—!”

As dark clouds appeared above their heads, a large amount of water poured down on them like an overturned bucket.

Darkness was directly drenched in water, while Beldia quickly jumped back, avoiding the pouring water.

Darkness, drenched in water, blushed and said softly: “Coming at me like that suddenly, although I don't dislike it... Please know the time and place!”

Kazuma didn't want his reputation to get any worse, so he quickly waved his hand: “No... that's not some strange play I want to do, Freeze—!”

Saying that, Kazuma used ice magic again. Beldia's feet, standing on the puddle, were instantly frozen. Kazuma's real killing move was yet to come!

“Steal—!”

At the best moment when Beldia couldn't dodge, Kazuma used the Steal skill on Beldia's greatsword, but it had no effect whatsoever. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma's brain is indeed good. It's another smooth combo, but unfortunately, the level difference is too great. It's completely useless against a Demon King's army executive.”

“Darkness... you're the one who needs to know the time and place! Don't have an episode now! You're drenched in water. Why are you getting excited?”

Looking at Kazuma's unreliable teammates, everyone felt pity for Kazuma. After all, it's not easy to lead such a group of troublesome teammates.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Go ahead and use any other strange plays you have!”

Seeing this scene, a tall adventurer with a greatsword on his back patted Kazuma's shoulder, gave him a thumbs-up, looking like he understood.

“...”

Kazuma felt his entire life lose its color. He was almost traumatized by people patting his shoulder now. He already said it wasn't some strange play!!

On the other side, Mitsurugi Kyouya was stunned after seeing Kazuma's little trick:

“He... is he addicted to stealing swords now?!”

Could it be that Satou Kazuma practices his sword-stealing combos every day? Looking at it this way, no wonder he lost to him back then. It wasn't an unfair loss!

Mitsurugi, who was already imagining things, came up with a good excuse for losing to Kazuma...

“This Demon King's army executive is a bit strong. His sword wasn't stolen?!”

Kazuma's absurd Steal skill was capable of even taking his own magic sword, Gram, but he was surprised when it did not affect Beldia.

 。。。。。

【“This is the difference between heaven and earth. So... let's end this farce!” Beldia directly lifted his leg and walked out of the ice.

Darkness, to protect Kazuma, rushed towards Beldia, who, annoyed, unleashed another barrage of attacks on her.

Kazuma, at his wits' end, his brain spinning rapidly. Based on the latter's behavior of avoiding water magic just now, he deduced that the opponent was probably very afraid of water.

Seeing Darkness in imminent danger, Kazuma fired a water cannon at Beldia. The latter's immediate evasive action confirmed Kazuma's guess!

So Kazuma quickly shouted to the adventurers behind him: “Release the water—!!”

“Create Water—!!” Mages from all directions also chanted water magic, but Beldia dodged them all.

Even though they knew this might be the opponent's weakness, the key problem was that they couldn't hit him!

Just then, Aqua, who had appeared from who knows where, slowly walked over and said something stupid to Kazuma: “Hey, what's going on here, Kazuma? What are you playing at! Are you stupid?”

Kazuma immediately gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, wishing he could punch her: “This guy...!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma's brain is indeed good, and his command ability is also decent. He's suitable to be a leader... but, alas, his teammates are all troublemakers!”

“The goddess of wisdom, Aqua, is indeed truly wise. What kind of magical thought process does it take to interpret this atmosphere as playing a game?!”

Even people from other worlds currently shared the same thought as Kazuma, which was that they wished they could punch Aqua in the face!

Damn it, how can she still not understand what's going on in such an obvious situation? I thought you were involved in the battle the whole time.

How can you still show such a clear and foolish expression and ask what the current situation is? Isn't that a bit too wise?

Could it be that Aqua's little brain can't process so much information and has directly crashed?

 。。。。。

Chapter 343: Overwhelming Flood! Heads Kicked Like Balls...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“Aqua-sama… This… sigh…”

Siduri rubbed her forehead wearily, a sigh enough to express her current heartache.

As a priestess of Uruk, this was her first time seeing a goddess with such touching intelligence; it could no longer be described as low.

King Gilgamesh's mouth twitched slightly:

“This is an idiot and a troublemaker!”

Yes, yes, yes… Siduri nodded vigorously, full of agreement. As expected of the King, his description was precise. The idiocy was so unique and refined.

To be able to slowly walk over while everyone was desperately chanting water magic, and say such stupid things, there was probably no one else but Aqua.

 。。。。。

【 But at the critical moment, Kazuma still swallowed his anger and pointed at Beldia, who was constantly dodging water magic: “That guy’s weakness is water. You, this unjust goddess, surely you can release some water!”

Hearing such demeaning words, Aqua immediately crossed her arms and said grumpily, “You rude fellow, it’s about time you faced some retribution. The amount of water I release can cause a flood. Apologize to me now.”

For the sake of the bigger picture, Kazuma had no choice but to agree: “After this, I’ll apologize until you’re satisfied! Hurry up, you useless goddess.”

“You just called me a useless goddess!” Aqua’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. When had she ever suffered such an insult in her life: “Watch me… I’ll show you what a goddess can do when she’s serious!”

Aqua directly raised her arms, and a magic circle formed by converging water appeared at her feet. She began to chant: “All my dependents in this world! Obey the command of the Goddess of Water.”

The mist around Aqua turned into water spheres, swirling around her. Each water sphere contained a considerable amount of condensed magic!

“This is…!” Beldia immediately stopped his movements and began to retreat rapidly, as he sensed a dangerous aura.

Even other magic users in the vicinity sensed this terrifying magic power and looked at Aqua with unease!

“As I ask, as I wish! Show your power to the world!” As Aqua chanted, more and more small water spheres gathered into a continuously spinning current.

“NO WAY!!” Beldia, sensing danger, turned to run, but was tightly held by his leg by Darkness, who was lying on the ground: “Let go, you perverted knight!”

“That’s a good insult…” Darkness not only didn’t let go, but looked like she was enjoying it.

The originally azure sky instantly darkened, forming dark clouds. The air began to churn violently, emitting a dangerous aura. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Insulting her actually made her enjoy it. If you had praised her instead, she might have actually let go.”

“I suddenly have a bad feeling… This atmosphere is very similar to when Megumin chants her Explosion magic!”

Everyone silently swallowed their saliva. Although Aqua’s intelligence was touching, this oppressive feeling was no joke. Even a Devil King’s general sensed the crisis and wanted to escape.

Now he was truly scurrying with his “head” in his hands… Even when facing Megumin’s Explosion magic before, Beldia hadn’t thought of running away.

 。。。。。

【 Aqua spread her hands, the magic chant completed: “Sacred Create Water—!!”

A large hole instantly appeared in the sky, and torrential floods poured down continuously. A gigantic water pillar connected heaven and earth.

“Water… Water ahhh… Gulp…”

“Enough, enough already… Wahhh…”

Besides Beldia, who was attacked, Darkness and even other adventurers nearby, and even Aqua herself, who was chanting the magic, were all affected by the flood…

The massive current washed over everyone present, then surged towards the town, like a giant tsunami.

When the accumulated water finally receded, it left behind exhausted adventurers, and… the entrance to the small town, which had become a ruin. Even the tall city walls were not spared, with a huge gap appearing. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Seeing this, everyone’s eyes were a bit unfocused, and their expressions were somewhat blank, as if they had lost the ability to think… Was this not a dream? Was this really done by that Aqua?

“Holy crap!! Does it have to be this exaggerated? It’s practically a natural disaster. Noah’s Ark could come in handy.”

“So it really wasn’t bragging, the amount of water released really can reach flood levels. She’s not as useless as I thought, it came in handy after all!”

No wonder she’s the Goddess of Water. Before, I thought it was describing the water in her brain, but it turns out she really has power, but it was probably exchanged for her intelligence.

She’s truly powerful, but also truly a troublemaker. The move she released not only didn’t spare the surrounding adventurers, but she even got herself caught in it.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Looking at the scene of disaster after the flood, Seiya Ryuuguuin was also a bit surprised:

“I understand the principle, but using water is too incautious!”

Ristarte stood on tiptoe and reached out to touch the latter’s forehead:

“You don’t have a fever either. Didn’t you hear Kazuma say his weakness is water?”

Seiya glanced indifferently at Ristarte:

“You useless goddess, don’t you understand? Aqua using God Blow or God Requiem would be better than this!”

Kazuma couldn’t do anything to Beldia, but that didn’t mean Aqua couldn’t. After all, Aqua’s purification magic had been remarkably effective against Beldia before, and that’s what Beldia truly feared!

Plus, given the opponent’s undead characteristics, if Aqua were to use the two moves, God Blow or God Requiem, that she used on the frogs.

Heh heh… He could guarantee that it would be exactly as Aqua said back then: a direct hit means certain death.

“Ah, yes! Why didn’t I think of that?”

Ristarte looked enlightened. Not only would it be more damaging, but it would also prevent the town from being destroyed.

Ristarte suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She hadn’t figured out such a simple truth. Could watching Aqua for too long lower one’s intelligence?!

 。。。。。

【 After the baptism of the flood, Beldia, though much weaker, still didn't fall.

“Are you idiots?!”

Even he was a bit stunned by this method of harming the enemy a thousand while hurting oneself eight hundred.

Now, seize this excellent opportunity! Kazuma, who was hiding behind a rock, was about to launch a sneak attack when he heard Aqua’s shout...

“Opportunity has come! Kazuma.”

That rotten hag—Kazuma cursed under his breath, exposed, and walked out from behind the rock: “This time, I must take your weapon!”

“Although I’m weaker, how can a novice adventurer’s Steal skill take my weapon!”

Beldia once again threw his head high into the air. His huge eyes reappeared in the sky, and Kazuma knew the opportunity had come.

“Steal—!” The Steal skill, infused with all of Kazuma’s magic power, instantly activated towards Beldia. The next moment, Kazuma suddenly felt a heavy weight in his hands.

“Th-that… that… can… can you give me back my head?!” Beldia’s faint, trembling voice whispered between Kazuma’s hands.

Kazuma looked at Beldia’s head, which he had stolen, in his hands. His eyes glowed red, and he revealed a “kind” smile: “Heh heh…”

“Hey! Let’s play soccer!” Kazuma directly kicked the head in his hands towards the adventurers, who then kicked it back and forth, making it their toy. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aqua! Is it possible that Kazuma would know it’s an opportunity without you saying anything… If you had just said one less word, Kazuma would have already successfully ambushed him!”

“Good heavens, Kazuma’s smile looks a bit like a villain’s, no… he’s definitely a villain. What kind of hero smiles so evil?!”

Everyone looked at Kazuma, who was kicking Beldia’s head around like a ball, with some horror. Was this guy really a hero? He was practically a living Yama!

Kicking someone’s head around like a ball, you actually did that? Don’t you think it’s a bit creepy?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Looking at Kazuma, who somewhat resembled a villain, Dr. Roman finally managed to squeeze out a sentence after a long while.

“Doesn’t his foot hurt? After all, he’s wearing a helmet.”

Mashu shivered a little, her eyes flickering:

“It’s not about whether it hurts anymore… it’s about their audacity.”

What kind of hero would kick a villain’s head around like a ball?! Most normal people probably wouldn’t have the guts. It feels like the Demon King of that world probably isn’t as perverted as Kazuma.

Da Vinci was also a bit stunned:

“Are these really adventurers from the starter village? Their courage is way too big!”

This is a Devil King’s general, and you dare to take him on… It turns out they never even considered the Devil King’s revenge.

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Rudy looked at the bizarre scene before him and muttered:

“For a moment, I couldn’t tell who the villain was.”

Who exactly is the Devil King’s army? The first time he came out was to seek an explanation, and the second time was to uphold justice.

Thinking of this, even Rudy couldn't help but feel sorry for Beldia's predicament... His home was blown up, and he gave Kazuma so many chances, only to end up with his head being kicked around like a ball.

“I’ve never seen such an evil hero, and I’ve never seen such a righteous Devil King’s army!”

Beldia was indeed very strong, but he met a few perverts! After all, who would have thought that among Kazuma’s party, the four of them couldn’t even put together a single brain?

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: Beldia is truly tragic. When he cursed Darkness, he was reportedly even made food and waited for them to eat it at his castle.)

Chapter 344: Lending Out to Be a True Hero! The Sword is Still Not Enough to Compensate

Chapter Text

【 “Stop... wait, ow, ow, ow, stop it!” Beldia's head was kicked around, but his body was at a loss due to losing his vision.

Darkness swayed unsteadily in front of Beldia, then said to Kazuma in the distance, “Let's finish him off in one go!”

Kazuma agreed that it made sense. After all, as a Devil King's Army General, it was wiser to be cautious and avoid any unnecessary complications!

“Leave it to me!” Aqua reached out her hand towards the distance, her staff automatically returned to her hand, and her feathered robe reappeared around her, once again looking somewhat like a goddess.

“Sacred Turn Undead—!”

A huge white magic circle appeared beneath Beldia's body. As a strong light burst forth, Beldia also let out a scream.

“Wait... AAAAHHHH!!!” As a light glowed, Beldia's body began to blur, then gradually vanished completely along with his head.

Just like that, the Devil King's Army General, who didn't even know what his purpose was in coming to this place, was purified by Kazuma's party! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Watching it all the way through, I can't help but feel sorry for Beldia. It's surprising, but I actually sympathize with a Devil King's Army General...”

“The funniest part is that Kazuma and his party probably had no idea why Beldia was even there before they went ahead and purified him!”

Everyone in other worlds didn't expect them to actually defeat a Devil King's Army General, even though they hadn't even left the beginner village.

Kazuma, through his clever tactics, managed to elevate his ragtag team to SSS-tier strength... though, in this world, only Beldia suffered harm.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“How should I put it, this team is strange, and what's strange is that in some aspects, it seems very reasonable!”

It gives a feeling of “scattered like sand, gathered like stars.” Thinking of this, Misaka Mikoto's expression became a little strange.

A hero with the lowest class, a foolish goddess who loves to cause trouble and draw aggro, a mage who can only use magic once, a knight who can't hit anyone... what a luxurious lineup.

But with such a lineup, they actually defeated a Devil King's Army General, can you believe it? But the facts are right before their eyes.

Shirai Kuroko was even more speechless.

“.....A general-level character actually fell into the hands of adventurers in the beginner village. Kazuma isn't even level 10, is he?”

At first, she thought that the blond hero would retrieve the magic sword and come to save the day...

Unexpectedly, it was all over, and she still hadn't seen Mitsurugi Kyouya's figure. Is he useless without the magic sword?

 。。。。。

【 Darkness, covered in wounds, did not cheer with the other adventurers. Instead, she knelt on one knee, making a praying gesture in front of where Beldia's body had disappeared, and closed her eyes.

Megumin, who had floated behind her with the water, asked somewhat confusedly,

“What are you doing...”

“I'm praying....” Darkness softly mourned her fallen comrades with her eyes closed:

“Sedor, who spread rumors that my armor was full of muscles...”

“Heinz, who told me to fan myself with his greatsword, saying it was fine if I hit him, it depended on my skill to amuse him.”

“And Garil, who joined his party for only one day and cried to me, 'Why did you charge into the monster horde!'”

“They were all killed by that Headless Knight. If I could meet them again, I'd really like to have a drink with them!”

Standing behind Darkness were three men who had been killed by Beldia, now looking a little embarrassed: “Oh... okay...! Actually, do you really mind that your sword can't hit people? Well, that's really embarrassing!”

Looking at the three men, Darkness, still in her praying posture, began to tremble slightly, her face gradually turning red!

Aqua, who never reads the atmosphere, pointed at the three men proudly and said,

“At my level, recently deceased, warm corpses can be easily resurrected!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“...Besides 'heaven-defying,' I can't think of any other word to describe this. Now who dares to say Aqua is a useless goddess? She's absolutely amazing!”

“Mere fatal wounds are completely insignificant! How did Aqua suddenly become so reliable!”

Resurrection from the dead only requires one spell... Everyone who witnessed this scene nearly had their eyeballs pop out. Is it really that exaggerated? Can it really be done so simply?

You know, this is resurrecting the dead! It feels like, as Aqua describes it, it's as simple as eating and sleeping for her.

This can no longer be called a healer; this is a living Pope! An existence that would be revered in a team... I almost forgot, Aqua is a goddess, besides being an idiot!

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Seeing such an astonishing scene, Ristarte, as a goddess, was completely stunned, displaying a very dramatic expression.

Then she became somewhat frantic.

“Are you serious?!... I, a healing goddess, can't resurrect the dead, so why are you stealing my job?!”

And Aqua, don't forget you're the goddess of water, so why are you doing the job of a healing goddess?

They say what defeats you might not be a competitor, but someone from another field. Now I believe it, but you doing this... makes me seem so useless.

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Rimuru's mouth was wide open at this moment, frozen in place, his lips twitching slightly.

“If only resurrecting the dead were this easy?!”

You know, the Great Sage calculated the probability of Shion and others coming back to life was only 3.14%, such a tiny probability. Compared to that, the difference is simply too great.

And being able to easily resurrect someone who just died, without any cost, is completely against common sense, the kind of thing no one would believe if you told them.

They usually mess around so much, and now with Aqua as a failsafe, this party is probably going to go even wilder.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

At this moment, Ereshkigal in the Underworld was speechless, because she truly couldn't fathom Aqua's thoughts:

“So she's that amazing? Was her previous stupidity really not an act?!”

Ereshkigal even began to suspect that Beldia could have been purified by her from the beginning, but the single-minded Aqua's brain simply didn't make the connection.

And from another perspective, Kazuma's teammates are all quite strong! Super high damage, super high healing, super high defense, a top-tier configuration!

Then Ereshkigal felt a little regretful:

“It's just a shame this configuration is only suitable for fighting bosses!”

After all, a damage dealer who faints after using magic once a day is useless if the enemies are spread out!

And Aqua, as a healer, has zero intelligence and luck. Besides that, she loves to taunt and draw monsters, and has a heart that wants to be a reckless fighter.

As for the super high defense... that's all there is to it. Attacks are 100% missed, there's no damage output at all, and she's a pervert.

 。。。。。

【 At the adventurer's guild's celebration banquet, the receptionist said to Kazuma with a somewhat subtle expression, “Actually, we've prepared a special reward for Kazuma's party!”

Although a little happy, Kazuma was a bit confused, as they weren't the only ones who defeated it: “Huh, why only us?”

All the surrounding adventurers looked as if they hadn't misjudged him: “If Kazuma wasn't here, how could we have defeated Beldia!”

“Kazuma! Kazuma—”

As soon as these words were spoken, the drunkards also cheered Kazuma's name, and Kazuma was greatly moved.

The receptionist, Luna, cleared her throat and announced, "In recognition of Sato Kazuma's party's achievements, we are awarding 300 million Eris!"

Upon hearing the amount, Kazuma's party was speechless. Kazuma quickly huddled with Aqua and the others, whispering, “Although we got a large sum of money! I want to live a leisurely and safe life from now on.”

Kazuma's words were met with opposition from everyone. While they were arguing about this, Luna, with a strange expression, handed Kazuma a piece of paper.

“A check... this is a check, right!” Aqua happily ran to Kazuma's side, peeking over his shoulder at the paper in his hand.

Luna slowly averted her gaze: “Actually, due to the massive amount of water Aqua summoned, it caused significant damage to facilities like the outer city walls.”

“Of course, your achievement in defeating the Devil King's Army General cannot be denied, so we won't make you pay the full amount... just a portion of the cost.”

Aqua was already trying to sneak away, but Kazuma grabbed her hair.

Darkness patted Kazuma's shoulder and softly comforted him: “The reward is 300 million, and the compensation amount is 340 million! Let's go do some profitable, strong enemy subjugation quests tomorrow!”

Kazuma slowly closed his eyes, also making up his mind to defeat the Devil King, for no other reason than to escape this unlucky other world! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, after defeating a Devil King's Army General, it's straight to working off a loan. His already bent back completely collapsed!”

“But logically speaking, this money shouldn't have to come from Kazuma's party, just like a general who repels enemies needs to compensate for weapon attrition.”

“The Devil King is probably speechless, 'You're going to defeat me just for 40 million?! Am I only worth that 40 million?'”

Everyone was trying hard to hold back their laughter. This is the so-called luck neutralization, truly terrifying. What they earned wasn't enough to cover what they owed, and it also accidentally made Kazuma determined to defeat the Devil King.

Indeed, nothing is more motivating than debt. You know, just now Kazuma almost retired with a huge sum of money for a leisurely and stable life without even leaving the beginner village!

Aqua is useful, but she's also a huge pitfall. Kazuma, who had a small amount of savings, instantly returned to his former state... even worse than before.

 。。。。。

Chapter 345: The hero who almost froze to death from lack of sleep, punishing the snow spirits!

Chapter Text

“In a brief moment, I experienced the ups and downs of life, from a billionaire to being heavily in debt... and it wasn't even three seconds!”

The ups and downs came too quickly; who could stand it! It would have been better not to tell Kazuma about the reward and just say it was compensation for the gate's damage, which would have made him feel much better.

Now with such a, everyone did not doubt Kazuma's moral standing... Although he said he was determined to defeat the Demon King, it was highly likely he would go back, pick up his things, and prepare to run away. After all, suddenly being burdened with over 40 million in debt, who wouldn't run!

 。。。。。

【 Having just earned 300 million, he then lost 340 million, and the huge debt forced Kazuma to continue living in a dilapidated stable.

But as winter approached, the clothes hanging out to dry had already frozen solid, and Kazuma's eyebrows were also frozen. If this continued, he might become the first hero to freeze to death due to poverty!

At this moment, Kazuma was in an adventurer's guild, his hands clasped over his head, on the table, emitting a painful groan: “I want money...!”

Aqua looked at him strangely: “Who doesn't want money? You're too useless! How can you make me, a goddess, live in a stable every day? Don't you feel ashamed!”

“If you understand, then let me live a more luxurious life, spoil me a little more!”

Kazuma looked at Aqua, gritting his teeth: “Don't you know why I want money?! Debt...!”

“It's all because of the debt you incurred. A large part of the reward for every quest is taken to repay the debt. I'll definitely freeze to death if I continue to sleep in the stable!”

Aqua quickly averted her gaze, guilt flashing across her face, before regaining her composure and declaring with renewed confidence, “Back then, if it weren’t for my exceptional efforts, this town would have been destroyed!”

Kazuma wasn't going to indulge her little temper: “Then I'll give you both the credit and the debt, you go repay it alone!”

Upon hearing this, Aqua immediately knelt, hugging Kazuma's leg and crying apologies: “Wait... wait! I'm sorry, I got carried away. I apologize!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What a tragic hero—before transmigrating, he was financially free, but after transmigrating, he's buried in debt. Isn't that such a wasted transmigration?”

“Speaking of which, how cold is winter in the other world! His eyebrows are frozen. I'm really worried Kazuma will freeze to death if he continues to live in the stable.”

Everyone's faces were filled with black lines. Aqua's kneeling apology was too practiced; didn't she forget she was a goddess again!

And outstanding... Clearly, the matter between Kazuma and Megumin was already over, yet you still took Megumin to blow up other people's castles every day.

That alone would be fine, but when they came knocking, you still mocked Beldia; otherwise, this fight wouldn't have even started!

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

Gabriel looked at the scene before her with a despondent expression, rolling her eyes in exasperation:

“What is this... the hero is going to freeze to death before saving the world?”

It's truly baffling to have to pay for the damage to the city walls after defeating a Demon King's Army General. If that's truly the case... who would dare to step in and protect if something really happened in the future?

Moreover, how would a hero with over 40 million in debt have time to fight the Demon King? He'd be thinking about working to repay his debts all day; even RPGs wouldn't be this absurd.

Satania tilted her head, a little confused:

“As for that Headless Knight, does he go to heaven or hell...”

At these words, the entire room suddenly fell silent, everyone looked conflicted, this question was no less profound than which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Whether it's heaven or hell, both seem plausible. How do you choose? Even Raphael couldn't believe that such a profound question could be asked by Satania.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing other adventurers enjoying the winter comfortably, Kazuma, in order not to freeze to death in winter, prepared to take everyone on a quest to improve their lives.

Kazuma scanned the quests on the bulletin board: “Although the rewards are good, there aren't any normal requests.”

Darkness eagerly selected a quest to subdue a pack of wolves, her excitement evident as she imagined being overwhelmed by the feral beasts, but Kazuma firmly turned it down.

Megumin chose a quest to subjugate a One-Hit Bear, wanting to compare whose one-hit was stronger! Kazuma knew from the name that it was extremely ferocious and decisively refused.

Finally, Kazuma found a quest that seemed less ferocious: “How about this Snow Sprite subjugation? It doesn't sound very strong! A single one gives a reward of 100,000 Eris!”

Megumin explained, “Snow Sprites mostly live in snowfields with deep snow. It is said that for every one defeated, spring will arrive half a day earlier.”

“They are weak monsters, easily defeated! But...”

Darkness also showed an excited smile: “Snow Sprites, huh...!”

Kazuma sensed something was wrong, but for the sake of money, he couldn't care less and decisively accepted the quest. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I feel like this team would fall apart without Kazuma... Don't Megumin and the others look at how dense the skulls are on the quests?! They pick all the dangerous ones.”

“Yare yare, a One-Hit Bear! Any creature called that has earned its name with adventurers' blood, it's a party wipeout in minutes!”

Everyone's expressions were a little speechless. Just from the way they picked quests, it was clear that, apart from Kazuma being somewhat normal, no one else in their party was.

Quests were picked purely based on preference; whether they could win or not was within their consideration!

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Natsuki Subaru sighed slightly, looking at this fellow countryman who was just like him.

“Kazuma is also being driven to desperation by debt; this quest probably isn't as simple as they say.”

If Snow Sprites were really that weak, would it make Darkness, that perverted masochist knight, show an excited expression? It's impossible to imagine.

And not to mention the setting that defeating one makes spring arrive half a day earlier, just the price of 100,000 Eris for one far exceeds the price of an average monster.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a big bargain to pick up so easily; it would probably have been snatched up on the first day it was posted on the quest board.

My fellow countryman, Kazuma, those Snow Sprites probably aren't that easy to defeat!

 。。。。。

【 And so, the few who accepted the quest changed into winter clothes and came to the snow-covered mountains far from town to find the so-called Snow Sprites!

They were white, light, spherical objects, about the size of a palm! They looked harmless.

Kazuma looked at Aqua, dumbfounded: “By the way, can't you change that outfit!”

Because at this moment, Aqua was holding a bug net and several small bottles, not at all like she was there for a quest, but more like a child running out to catch cicadas in winter.

Aqua, however, proudly showed off the net in her hand: “Catch the Snow Sprites with this, then put them in small bottles! Then you can drink cold sparkling wine anytime, how about it? I'm smart, right!?”

Then the few began the quest to subjugate the Snow Sprites. Kazuma swung his sword wildly, but after a long time, he only managed to kill three.

Aqua easily caught four with her bug net, not forgetting to show off to Kazuma.

Kazuma looked at Aqua, who wasn't doing her job properly, and secretly thought that if he didn't subjugate enough, he would subjugate the ones she caught, too!

Seeing that the efficiency was still too low, Megumin decided to go big and immediately began chanting explosion magic.

“By the flow of the five crimson children... ”

“Explosion—!”

Then a pillar of fire shot up into the sky, knocking her flying. Lying on the snow, Megumin gave a thumbs up: “I took down eight of them! A total of nine were defeated, and I leveled up once.”

Just as Kazuma was marveling at how easy the quest was, there was a sudden movement from the mountain.

Darkness, seeing this, drew her longsword, her face filled with excitement. Megumin, who had just been triumphant, immediately began to play dead.

Aqua explained the reason: adventurers were unwilling to accept Snow Sprite quests because their master was the embodiment of winter charm—the Winter Shogun!

It was then that Kazuma clearly saw the so-called Winter Shogun, wearing heavy white armor, with a similarly snow-white, holding a Japanese sword emitting white cold air!

Aqua said seriously, “That's right, the Winter Shogun has arrived!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Everyone else is here for a quest, Aqua is more like she's here for tourism, the style is completely different!”

“Snow Sprites say: What virtue and ability do I possess, did I break a heavenly rule, to be treated like this! Classic cannon fodder.

And it feels like they're becoming more and more like villains, using explosion magic in the snowy mountains, not afraid of causing an avalanche and harming innocent people.

Did Megumin's brain go into thinking up spells? Why are her chants different every time? Just cast it instantly, don't add so much drama!

And a full eight... everyone's mouths twitched slightly, with such a huge commotion and power from explosion magic, only taking out eight is really too much of a loss.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte's eyes were a little dazed:

“What exactly is Aqua here for...”

She had never seen such an irresponsible goddess. Kazuma was fighting Snow Sprites to repay debt, but Aqua was doing it to drink cold sparkling wine?!

“And... for a long time, I've felt that Aqua has an old man's vibe.”

Working hard, earning money, but the first thing she does with money isn't to buy equipment, but to buy alcohol... and she gets along extremely well with a bunch of old man adventurers.

Wake up! You're the Goddess of Water, not some middle-aged old man. Hurry up and go defeat the Demon King and save the world!

 。。。。。

Chapter 346: Eris's chest is padded!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Seeing the Winter Shogun's appearance, Darkness's face flushed strangely, and she exhaled hot air, clearly entering an excited state: “Although I will resist, I'm afraid I will be humiliated by it due to insufficient strength!”

The Winter Shogun held his sword with both hands in front of his chest, then the blade flashed, and in the blink of an eye, the cold, sharp blade had already slashed towards Darkness!

Darkness subconsciously raised her greatsword to try and block the attack, but...

“CLANG—!”

“Ah... Ah! My sword!”

With just one clash, the greatsword that had withstood Beldia's fierce assault was instantly cut in half!

Aqua quickly opened the bottle in her hand and released the snow spirits she had painstakingly caught: “Kazuma, listen to me! The Winter Shogun is very magnanimous; as long as you sincerely apologize, he will let you go!”

With that, Aqua quickly prostrated herself, pressing her head tightly against the snow, performing a perfectly standard kowtow!

“Quick, everyone, throw away your weapons and kneel in apology.”

Megumin was still playing dead, motionless, but Darkness refused to kneel: “As a knight, I cannot kneel to a monster.”

But Kazuma couldn't care less and directly pushed her to the ground: “You usually get excited about following monsters, so why are you talking about dignity now?!”

At this moment, Aqua reminded Kazuma to quickly throw away the sword in his hand, but it was too late. The Winter Shogun showed no mercy and directly cut off the latter's head.

As Kazuma's vision spun, he immediately met his end. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, I finally know why no one was willing to take this task despite such a high reward! As expected, risk is directly proportional to reward.”

Facing these teammates who occasionally had sudden fits, Kazuma really had it tough... Looking at it this way, Kazuma, aside from being a bit perverted, was still a normal person!

Wasn't Darkness usually a pervert? Now she cares about a knight's dignity, which she lost long ago. Do you think you still have that thing on you?

So Kazuma was killed by Darkness's machinations; he ultimately didn't survive this winter, directly “splitting up”... It's truly baffling!

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Emilia's eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if lost in deep thought:

“She... why is she so skilled at kneeling? Is she really a goddess?”

As a goddess, why could she perform such a standard kneeling motion? Where did all her dignity go?

As if she had been through countless trials, her kneeling was incredibly skilled; she didn't even resist, or rather, she never even thought of resisting.

Facing Emilia's somewhat piercing gaze, Natsuki Subaru awkwardly looked away...

Who knows how Aqua became a goddess! She has no integrity whatsoever.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Watching Kazuma get instantly killed by a single slash, Fujimaru Ritsuka shivered, still shaken:

“This world doesn't seem as wonderful as I imagined.”

Hidden behind the funny laughter of Kazuma's party, it seems this world is quite dangerous. Even cabbages, which were treated as ingredients before, could injure people!

And Aqua has thrown countless reincarnated people over, including Mitsurugi, yet not a single one has defeated the Demon King so far.

And even though they avoided dangerous quests, choosing a snow spirit quest still led them to a hidden boss!

Da Vinci also broke out in a sweat:

“Could it be that Kazuma lives such a difficult life purely because Aqua's luck is negative?!”

And if I remember correctly, Aqua caught four snow spirits, but only released three. Where's the other one hidden? I have a feeling someone's about to get scammed again!

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts, and the deceased Kazuma arrives in the afterlife. It's the familiar chair, the only difference being a different goddess.

“Satou Kazuma-san, welcome to the afterlife. I am Eris, the goddess who guides you to a new path!”

“Your life in this world has ended!”

Kazuma felt a sense of déjà vu; it seemed similar to when he first met Aqua.

But unlike Aqua, Eris was gentle and kind, and she deeply sympathized with Kazuma's two deaths, promising him a reincarnation into a wealthy family this time.

Kazuma immediately became excited: “If possible, a beautiful girl with above-average looks, intelligence, and physical strength, a childhood friend would be even better!”

Although Eris's expression was a bit troubled, Kazuma breathed a sigh of relief and then began to complain incessantly.

“The useless goddess who came as a reincarnation bonus, not only arrogant but also useless.”

“The brain-exploding girl who collapses after one spell, and the masochistic pervert, the Crusader who can't hit anything!”

“Even though I'm an adventurer, I have to repair city walls and do odd jobs, and after defeating the boss, I'm burdened with a huge debt that I couldn't repay even by selling a kidney...”

“Living in a stable, let alone recovering my stamina, I almost froze to death!”

As he spoke, Kazuma unconsciously shed tears. Subconsciously, he was still a little reluctant to part with his idiotic companions. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This is a true goddess! No wonder they say flowers need green leaves to set them off. Compared to the idiotic goddess Aqua, she's an angel.”

“Good heavens, he's reincarnating again, so is he taking this goddess with him this time?! It would be a shame not to take such a good goddess.”

Good heavens... everyone was struggling to hold back. What kind of bizarre development is this? The Demon King hasn't even been dealt with, and the hero is going to reincarnate into another world to enjoy himself!

And what kind of torment did Aqua put Kazuma through? He even specifically asked for a childhood friend with above-average intelligence...

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Listening to Kazuma's complaints, Rudy also agreed with Kazuma's statement:

“Objectively speaking, Kazuma really had a hard life! It's hard to say if a normal person could survive a month there.”

Kazuma was different from him. He was directly reincarnated as a baby with parental care, so he didn't have to worry about money at all.

Kazuma, on the other hand, arrived in the other world with nothing but a useless goddess, starting from scratch. It was no different from wilderness survival.

He had no special abilities, and his teammates were all oddballs. A goddess of wisdom with terrible luck, a chuunibyou mage who casts one indiscriminate spell a day, and a masochistic knight with no accuracy. Anyone would explode!

“It seems that Kazuma, who always looked cheerful, was actually very tired. With a group of eccentric teammates dragging him down, he could only barely make ends meet despite all his hard work.”

 。。。。。

【 Looking at the somewhat dejected Kazuma, Eris sadly lowered her head and extended her right hand towards Kazuma: “May the reborn you encounter a better fate!”

Kazuma looked at the light emanating from Eris's hand with a sense of loss, always believing he hated that inexplicable world, but perhaps he loved it deeply.

I really want to adventure with them again...

“Alright, come back, Kazuma! It's not your time to die yet.” In this space where only Eris was present, Aqua's voice rang out.

“I've used resurrection magic; you can come back now!”

Eris was equally surprised, her eyes wide with disbelief: “That voice, could it be Aqua-senpai?”

Then she said in a somewhat panicked tone: “Please... please wait, you've already been resurrected once! According to the rules of heaven, you cannot be resurrected again.”

After Kazuma relayed Eris's words, silence fell, followed by Aqua's combative tone: “Huh?! Which idiotic goddess said that? If you have the guts, state your name!”

“I'm an elite responsible for the Japan region, no matter what. What tone are you using with me? You're responsible for this backwater place?!”

Eris's expression instantly stiffened. After Kazuma told Aqua her name, Aqua's screams erupted.

“Eris? Hey, Kazuma! If that Eris says anything else, just rip off her breast pads...”

Eris, blushing, quickly interrupted Aqua's screams, “I... I got it! An exception, an exception, alright! I'll open the gate for you now.”

“Honestly, Aqua-senpai is still so unreasonable...”

Yielding to Aqua's threat and after making Kazuma promise to keep it a secret, she sent him back. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, he finally made up his mind to reincarnate and turn over a new leaf, only to be dragged back by that idiot goddess!”

“It was padded... Aqua can hold that secret over her head for a lifetime.”

Everyone who witnessed the whole thing covered their faces with their hands. They seemed to have witnessed workplace bullying. By the way, why is Aqua, that idiot, so high-ranking?!

Aqua, you've done so many bad things, and now you've revealed an incredible secret! Who would have thought that Goddess Eris's chest was padded?

But Aqua, did you forget that you're still in the world she manages? Wouldn't you really get into trouble for acting like this?

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte thought she misheard:

“Aqua... elite?!”

She couldn't imagine those two words ever going together. Is there no one left in the divine realm? With Aqua's intelligence, is she an elite?

And Eris is your junior, after all. Is it really appropriate to bully her like that?

Seiya Ryuuguuin looked at the useless goddess Ristarte beside him with pity:

“So there's bullying even in the divine realm. You must have had it tough.”

After all, even the idiotic Aqua can bully people... A useless goddess like her probably didn't have it easy in the divine realm. It's clear she was bullied a lot.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: If I recall correctly, there was a reference to the Winter Shogun in the Re:Zero OVA. )

Chapter 347: A slip of the hand... So you're that kind of Headless Knight!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

The goddess Ishtar looked at Eris's chest in disbelief:

“This... This thing is padded!?”

She then looked down at her own chest, hesitating whether to add some “bricks and tiles” herself, but also felt the risk was too high.

After all, if anyone found out, she wouldn't have the face to live in this world... Ugh, it's a bit of a dilemma.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka's mouth twitched:

“It's good to have connections at the top, openly pulling strings... and just like that, she's revived.”

This revival is too simple, with no restrictions at all. Sooner or later, people will lose their fear of death and continue to repeat the same mistakes.

Her tone towards Eris was also completely impolite, seemingly not taking her seriously at all. Clearly, Aqua's level and intelligence are completely mismatched!

Illya also felt a little amazed:

“I never thought the goddess of wisdom, Aqua, would have a day where she calls someone an idiot. It's truly a reversal of the natural order.”

After all, Aqua's low intelligence is directly written on her status panel! Is this what they call a slow learner starting early?

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Due to the Winter Shogun, they only managed to defeat 12 snow sprites, earning 1.2 million Eris, which is merely a drop in the bucket compared to their huge debt!

So, in the dead of winter, Aqua could only wear thin clothes and squat by the stable to make a fire for warmth: “My coat was also pawned. It's so cold...”

As a cold wind blew, and the fire was about to go out, Aqua pulled out Kazuma's tracksuit and put it on the fire. Kazuma immediately punched her on the head: “What are you doing!”

Aqua looked as if it was only natural: “I can't help it! There's nothing else to burn!”

Kazuma, while pulling at the feathered robe Aqua was wearing, said: “Then give me your feathered robe too. Doesn't it look easier to burn than a tracksuit!”

Just as the two were arguing, another gust of cold wind came, extinguishing Aqua's last bit of warmth. Even though she tried her best to salvage it, it was no use! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It's truly heartbreaking to watch, pawning even their coats in the dead of winter. Tsk tsk... What a tragic life!”

“With such a hero and goddess, the Demon King probably doesn't have to worry at all, because it's highly likely they never even thought of going to subjugate him...”

Everyone couldn't bear to watch. No wonder they idled away every day; this otherworld life is too realistic. Just solving the problem of food and clothing is enough to consume a lot of their energy.

One can only say that living is hard, living with Aqua is harder, and living with a group of strange teammates is even harder.

He's the only one who's had such a miserable time in another world!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma also felt that he couldn't go on like this. To balance the team and improve their strength, Kazuma wanted to learn some powerful skills, so they came to a shop.

“Listen, Aqua, I'm telling you now, absolutely no causing trouble, understood!”

Aqua immediately got a little angry: “Kazuma, who do you take me for! I'm not some hooligan or criminal, I'm a goddess!”

Unfortunately, Kazuma didn't listen at all. He directly opened the door and walked in, intending to learn skills from the shop owner.

The owner's name is Wiz. Although she looks harmless on the surface, she is actually a powerful lich behind the scenes! She even has the title of “King of the Undead.”

Although it sounds very evil, she is very kind-hearted and purifies the spirits of the dead in the graveyard every night!

One night, Kazuma and his party accidentally stumbled upon her. After understanding the reason, they let her go. This is how a few of them met.

And now, the moment Aqua saw Wiz, she grabbed the latter's collar and shook her continuously: “You've appeared, have you? You despicable undead! So you're running a shop in a place like this.”

“While I was sleeping in a stable, you're a shop owner! How dare a mere lich be so arrogant! In the name of God, watch me burn down your shop!”

Seeing this, Kazuma expressionlessly used his sword sheath to hit Aqua's head. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The slap in the face came so quickly, Aqua-sama. Is it possible that you look exactly like a criminal? Where is the resemblance to a goddess!”

“Good heavens, the King of the Undead, going to purify spirits every night! Beldia, so upright... The undead in this world are too good-natured, aren't they!”

An evil goddess, a righteous lich! Who is righteous and who is evil is clear at a glance, completely reversed.

Looking at Aqua like this, everyone's faces were full of black lines. Saying “burn down your shop in the name of God,” isn't this pure psychological imbalance?

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Rudy was also speechless:

“Isn't this a typical case of bullying the weak and fearing the strong!”

Rudy noticed that whenever Aqua faced undead creatures that she could restrain, she would be very tough, but when facing the Winter Shogun, she would quickly cower.

And as the King of the Undead, she actually goes to purify spirits every day... This kindness is a bit excessive, almost more like a goddess than Aqua.

Her personality is also so gentle; she's practically a lich who doesn't act like a lich.

 。。。。。

【 Then Kazuma expressed his desire to learn her lich skills. Aqua was immediately displeased. As a goddess, she absolutely could not tolerate her subordinate learning lich skills.

Kazuma didn't care about Aqua, and besides, Lich skills aren't something you can just learn. He wouldn't miss this opportunity.

But Wiz was a little curious: “Um... you just said 'the goddess's subordinate'...”

Aqua also directly laid out her cards, proudly introducing herself: “That's right, I am Aqua, the goddess worshipped by the Axis Cult! Have some respect in front of me, lich!”

Upon hearing this, Wiz's expression immediately turned panicked. Frightened, she quickly retreated a few steps, saying uneasily: “Everyone says that most people in the Axis Cult have something wrong with their heads... It's best not to get involved with them.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, after all, she's the goddess of wisdom. Worshipping such a deity, there's bound to be something wrong with their heads.”

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Index immediately slumped on the table, laughing uncontrollably:

“Hehehe... For a religious group to be famous for having something wrong with their heads, that's truly amazing.”

Just hearing the name of the followers can scare people greatly. It's truly hard to imagine how mentally ill Aqua's followers actually are.

Touma Kamijou was also a little impressed:

“How desperate do you have to be to worship Aqua...”

The goddess of wisdom and her wise followers seem to be famous in this world! Famous for not being smart...

 。。。。。

【 The scene shifts. Wiz also had heard a little about Kazuma and his party: “Speaking of which, I heard you defeated Beldia, Beldia-sama!”

“That lord is one of the top swordsmen among the Demon King's executives! You guys are truly amazing.”

Kazuma, however, felt strange. Beldia was one of the eight executives, so why would Wiz know so much about him?

Wiz smiled a little shyly: “Because I'm also one of the Demon King Army's eight executives!”

“Get her!!” Aqua immediately tackled the latter to the ground, shouting that she would capture Wiz for a reward, which could not only pay off their debts but even make a small profit.

Wiz quickly explained: “'It won’t stop you from leaving the shop and enjoying a relaxed life in the human town. Could I ask you to take charge of maintaining the barrier as an executive?' The Demon King personally requested this.”

“Even if you defeat me, I'm useless! And I'm not wanted.”

Aqua didn't care about any of that and was about to purify her on the spot. Fortunately, Kazuma stopped Aqua, but he was also a little worried, afraid that Wiz would retaliate against them because of Beldia.

“My relationship with Beldia isn't that great, actually.”

When Wiz was in the Demon King's castle, Beldia would often throw his head at her feet under the pretext of “slipping” to peek up Wiz's skirt.

“It slipped—” Beldia's body assumed a pitching posture, but his head was thrown out. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Is there really a need to attack this Demon King? He so calmly asks his executives to work, and even doesn't disturb his subordinates from opening shops in the human world.”

What a conscientious boss! This Demon King doesn't seem like a normal person either, after all, would a normal Demon King be so considerate?

“Honestly... are there any bad guys in the Demon King Army? These executives are all surprisingly good!”

Everyone watched Aqua bully Wiz with subtle expressions. Aqua, on the other hand, seemed more like the Demon King Army executive. You even laid hands on such a kind lich!

And... I never expected you to be such a Headless knight! What a knightly spirit, turns out he's also a pervert. Is there no normal person in that world anymore!

And “God damn it, it slipped”... So Darkness's description was right. The original regret vanished instantly!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“This...”

Artoria looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't. She really wanted to ask if all the knights over there were perverts?

She had previously thought Beldia was an upright knight who shouldn't have been killed, but now she regrets it... There isn't a single normal person in that world.

Shirou Emiya's mouth twitched:

“It slipped... You should at least retract your body posture.”

He never expected Beldia's head could be used like that. Even without a head, he was still thinking of peeking, so skillfully that it was heartbreaking.

And please come up with a better excuse... An executive of the Demon King Army saying, “It slipped,” who would believe that? Weren't you holding it quite steadily before?

 。。。。。

Chapter 348: Although he can be considered an idiot, he is still a god after all!

Chapter Text

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World, Future Timeline〜

Recalling the vast difference between the Demon King's army in her own world and what she saw on screen, Frieren pondered,

“I'm curious, what kind of bizarre existences are the Demon King's army executives?”

In her world, demons had appearances similar to humans, spoke the same language, and behaved in similar ways—all evolutions acquired by demons to deceive and capture humans.

However, the demons appearing in the video completely shattered her perception... As a general, she hadn't killed humans, and she was a kind-hearted lich who purified the undead every night.

Beldia, upright and honorable, didn't seem like an utterly evil existence, apart from being a bit perverted.

“Even the Demon King, I don't think he's a serious person,”

Frieren couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed as she said this.

He didn't interfere with his subordinates' lives, didn't even mind them opening shops in the human world, and even entrusted important barriers to them for maintenance. Where could you find such a good Demon King?

Fern nodded her small head, indicating her agreement... The crazy hero's squad, along with the equally abnormal Demon King's army, seemed to have achieved a delicate balance.

 。。。。。

【 Wiz continued to smile, saying gently, “And in my heart, I still consider myself human.”

“Then I'll give you my skill, as a small token of gratitude for sparing me before.”

After resolving her inner conflict, Wiz began to teach Kazuma the skill 'Drain Touch', which could not only absorb an opponent's magic and stamina but also share her own magic and stamina with others.

Kazuma pondered for a moment, “If used well, it might compensate for our team's lack of output.”

Aqua, looking arrogant, extended her hand, seemingly not taking it seriously at all, “Alright, go ahead and drain!”

Kazuma looked at Wiz, who was being bullied by Aqua, and for a moment couldn't tell who was the lich and who was the goddess!

“Th-then, I'll take it!” Wiz placed her hand on Aqua, but there was no reaction. “Huh...?”

Looking at the smug Aqua, Kazuma directly slapped her on the head, and only then did Kazuma successfully learn the new skill.

But Aqua still held Wiz's hand, then placed her other hand on it as well, and then a white light shone.

Wiz immediately felt a burning pain, and her body began to turn translucent, “Aqua-sama, I'm disappearing... I'm going to disappear!”

Fortunately, Kazuma slapped her again, stopping her directly, and Wiz was saved from being sent away on the spot. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“A divine skill! It's practically god-defying, this way Megumin can keep blasting!”

“The inherently evil goddess Aqua, she only bullies Wiz, what a bully. Who exactly is the Demon King's army here?!”

I can understand absorbing magic and stamina, but being able to share the absorbed magic and stamina with others, I don't understand... isn't that too buggy?

And Aqua's trouble-making ability is too strong. She has a passive taunt against undead creatures; no wonder she's also called the 'monster-pulling artifact'!

From the moment they entered until now, in a short instant, Kazuma had hit her three times. If Kazuma had looked away from Aqua for even a second, Wiz would probably have been gone on the spot.

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Asuna looked at the gradually translucent Wiz with some surprise,

“Although Aqua-san seems silly, and she really is an idiot, she's still a god!”

In just that short amount of time, she almost purified Wiz, one of the Demon King's generals. Even a powerful class like the Undead King had no resistance.

Kirito also couldn't help but smile wryly,

“She wasn't stupid when she was responsible for reincarnation; she even managed to trick Kazuma. How did she end up like this now?”

She constantly revealed the immense power of this ditsy goddess, but this power was completely inconsistent with her intelligence!

Most importantly, 'Steal' and 'Drain Touch', are these skills a hero should learn? It feels a bit strange.

So in the end, the Demon King's army fought with love and justice, while the goddess's side was somewhat underhanded.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, an old man pushed the door open. He had come to commission Wiz to exorcise spirits! Kazuma shamelessly accepted the task directly. The goal was to purify the spirits in a certain villa.

The scene shifted, and Kazuma's party all arrived at the entrance of a villa with large bags, clearly intending to stay for a long time. Aqua breathed a slight sigh of relief, “Now we can safely spend the winter!”

“Leave it to me, I'm a goddess and a high priest!”

Aqua raised her hands, about to demonstrate her abilities, and the others also looked on with anticipation.

But after a long time, Aqua was still muttering to herself, beginning to weave stories and explain settings. The remaining three were truly fed up and then ignored her and walked into the house.

After several hours of cleaning, the house was much cleaner, just waiting for the spirits to appear after dark! Kazuma opened a window to get some fresh air.

But he found Aqua still standing at the door, explaining the settings of ghosts (from birth) based on the story she was telling. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Indeed, intelligence below average is a fatal flaw... How obsessed is Aqua with her story? She kept telling it until dark!”

“No normal person would be that silly, but when it comes to Aqua, it suddenly feels very reasonable!”

Looking at Aqua, who was foolishly standing at the villa entrance, still maintaining her exorcism stance, everyone for a moment couldn't tell if she was truly silly or just pretending...

It's a pity Aqua has such a good imagination; she should write books! And... wasn't she just using it as an excuse to avoid cleaning?

 。。。。。

【 Night fell, and Kazuma finally lay in bed after a long time, feeling the hard-won happiness. He thought that with Aqua around, she definitely wouldn't tolerate these ghosts running rampant.

But who knew that the next second, Aqua's surprised cry came. Kazuma rushed to open the door to check, but Aqua pulled out a liquor bottle and knelt on the ground.

“This is very expensive liquor that I carefully kept. I was looking forward to drinking it slowly, bit by bit, after a bath. But when I returned to my room...”

At this point, Aqua directly collapsed on the ground and cried, “Look! It's empty!”

Kazuma was speechless and immediately turned to leave, but Aqua suddenly burst up, vowing to purify all the ghosts in the house!

“COME OUT!! ALL OF YOU, COME OUT!” Aqua shouted, running around the villa!

“Turn Undead!, Turn Undead!, Turn Undead... Turn Undead!, Turn Undead, Turn Undead!, Nature's Beauty.”

As Aqua frantically purified, countless ghosts flew directly out of the rooms. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aqua actually hid liquor to drink after a bath. Are you really a goddess and not some old man?!”

“Good heavens, how much do you love the 'Nature's Beauty' skill? I didn't expect that while purifying spirits... You still wouldn't forget to put on a show!”

Everyone was practically in tears; it really wasn't easy! How long had this hero and goddess been in another world? This was the first time they had slept somewhere other than a stable... on a bed!

This was the most tragic hero they had ever seen. Although they hadn't left the starting village yet, this hero had already defeated one of the Demon King's generals, and before that, he was sleeping in a stable, can you believe it?

“Holy cow, this house is full! This amount of ghosts... no wonder they could stay for free; normal people simply couldn't live here!”

Looking at the ghosts constantly floating out of the house, everyone was a bit stunned. They thought there was only one or two, but it turned out there was a whole company living inside! This was simply too many.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte immediately burst into tears, her whole body filled with the radiance of maternal love, sobbing continuously,

“This is wonderful... finally... finally, they don't have to sleep in a stable anymore.”

Seeing their tragic lives, as a goddess herself, she easily imagined whether she too would end up living such a miserable life.

Even now, she felt a sense of emotion... The children have finally grown up! When it's cold, they'll go into a house to sleep instead of sleeping in a haystack.

It's the same situation with a hero bringing a goddess to save the world, but why is Kazuma living so miserably? Even sleeping in a bed feels like a long-lost luxury—

 。。。。。

Chapter 349: No integrity whatsoever with Kazuma and Megumin!

Chapter Text

【 Just like that, Aqua, filled with resentment over her stolen sake, continued to purify the undead until late at night. Meanwhile, Kazuma, in his sleep, suddenly opened his eyes.

“I need to go to the bathroom...”

He was about to get up to use the toilet, but as he turned his head, Kazuma's heart nearly stopped. A small Western doll was sitting on the chair, staring at him, their eyes meeting.

“So scary...!! This kind of cheesy plot twist is just too much.”

Kazuma quickly turned away, closed his eyes, and pulled the blanket over himself, deceiving himself into believing that nothing had happened... But soon, he felt something crawling onto the bed.

Kazuma fearfully opened his eyes a crack, only to find the bed covered in Western dolls. He was so scared his soul nearly left his body!

“AQUA!!Aqua-sama—” Kazuma, terrified, bolted out of the room, running barefoot down the hallway. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hiss... they can't play like this, it almost scared me to death. At this moment, a brave man quietly tucked his feet into the blanket!”

“Who invented these dolls anyway? I can't even understand why girls would put them by their beds; it's just too terrifying.”

Watching Kazuma, who was almost peeing his pants from fear, everyone else perversely enjoyed themselves... They usually call her the useless goddess, but now he's calling her Aqua-sama.

Aqua usually calls him Kazuma, Kazuma, but whenever she's in danger, she cries and clings to his leg, calling him Kazuma-san! It's hard to tell who learned from whom.

However, when facing evil spirits, Aqua is at least quite reliable, or rather, when she's not acting up, she's quite like a goddess. But the biggest problem is that Aqua acts up every day.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma's face was a little pale. He pulled his bedsheet tighter around himself, his voice trembling:

“It's the middle of summer, and I actually feel a chill!”

Being startled in the middle of the night, this art style isn't right. How did an adventure in another world turn into a supernatural horror? It wasn't until Kamijou Touma turned on the light that he felt a sense of relief.

Then, Kamijou Touma glanced at the dark underside of the bed, and then at the toilet just a few steps away. He suddenly felt a little panicked:

“Gulp... How come I never noticed the toilet was so far before!”

It seems there's no hope of sleeping tonight. The moment he closes his eyes, he feels as if he's being constantly watched. How can he sleep like this? He keeps feeling like the cabinet is moving.

Especially the moment you turn on the light and find the doll on the table staring at you expressionlessly... it can make a person cry in minutes.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma, with a look of horror, ran to Aqua's room. Without knocking, he burst in, closed the door, and immediately locked it!

But Aqua wasn't in the room. In the dark room, he only saw a black-haired figure with glowing red eyes staring at him!

The two of them screamed in unison: “Eeeek—”

After screaming, Kazuma regained his composure and realized the voice sounded somewhat familiar: “Don't... don't scare me, Megumin! You almost made me lose control of my bladder. Why are you in Aqua's room?”

Megumin became a little flustered, stammering: “Well... I just... came to find Aqua... to protect my personal safety, and to go to the bathroom together.”

Kazuma also guessed that Megumin probably encountered the same thing he did: “I think Aqua is probably still purifying spirits in the mansion.”

As he spoke, Kazuma felt the urge to urinate and decided to take care of that problem first. So, he walked towards the balcony, preparing to unbutton his fly: “Um, Megumin... face the door and plug your ears! I'm going to be on the balcony...”

Before he could finish, Megumin grabbed him, preventing him from leaving. Kazuma, without turning his head, said: “Hey, what are you doing? Let go of me, or else my pants and the carpet here will suffer.”

Despite this, Megumin held on even tighter, then revealed a cheerful smile: “I won't let you go. How can I let you have all the fun by yourself?”

“Aren't we companions? Whether it's the toilet or anywhere else, we go together!”

Kazuma immediately struggled, trying to break free from Megumin's grasp: “Let go of me! Don't suddenly bring up companion bonds now. Didn't you say the Crimson Demon clan doesn't use toilets? If not, there are empty sake bottles over there!”

Megumin, of course, wouldn't let Kazuma have all the fun alone. If they were to die, they'd die together. Even if Kazuma decided to relieve himself on the spot, she would unhesitatingly interfere from behind. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Megumin... can you please not say such trashy things with such a cheerful smile and sweet voice!”

“Aqua is really persistent about some things. How much do you love that bottle of sake! To still be purifying spirits in the middle of the night, this is definitely the most effort Aqua has ever put in!”

Watching the “loving” scene between the two, everyone sighed, truly “heart-wrenching” companionship! Kazuma's integrity, well, it's not that he doesn't have any; it's that he has none at all.

After all, a hero who can tell a girl to use a bottle for the toilet, what integrity do you think he could possibly have! He can only be described as depraved; teammates are just for selling out.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Natsuki Subaru was also startled by these two shameless people, a little embarrassed:

“What kind of monstrous words is Kazuma saying!”

He could already imagine what the sake bottle would be used for! But... Kazuma, why can you say that so brazenly to a girl?

Normally, shouldn't the bottle be for you? You don't even look at the monstrous things you're saying to a little girl; it's a miracle you haven't been labeled a pervert.

Emilia's face was a little red:

“And... Megumin shouldn't be underestimated either. Doesn't she know how to be shy?”

Looking at Megumin, who sounds a lot like herself... interfering with Kazuma from behind, that's truly something she would do.

〜Gintama World〜

Gintoki looked as if he saw a familiar scene, feeling a bit nostalgic:

“What a united and friendly team, just like our Yorozuya, right, Kagura!”

Kagura also showed an innocent expression:

“Right, right, but... compared to our united Yorozuya, they're still far behind!”

Shinpachi, listening to them shamelessly adding to their own roles, immediately had a face full of black lines. He pressed a hand on each of their heads and slammed them onto the table:

“You two shameless bastards have the nerve to say that? You're the quickest to sell out your teammates!”

Selling out teammates, infighting, mutual backstabbing, if you don't want me to have a good time, I won't let you have a good time either! To be honest... for them, it's an everyday occurrence.

No wonder it feels so familiar, this sense of selling out teammates, isn't this their Gintama-style friendship! How did they end up on the wrong set?

 。。。。。

【 As the two argued, Megumin's voice grew softer and softer, and suddenly her expression changed! Kazuma looked back and saw that the window was covered in dolls.

“Waaahhh—!”

Kazuma and Megumin screamed together, then ran for their lives, narrowly escaping to the toilet, which unfortunately was a single stall.

Kazuma could only endure his urge to urinate outside the door, waiting for Megumin. Then he heard some movement at the door, and without thinking twice, he forcefully pushed open the toilet door!

Megumin, blushing, let out a shriek: “Eeeek—”

Kazuma, with his eyes closed, grabbed Megumin and ran. Megumin didn't even have time to pull up her pants, but luckily her pajamas were long enough to prevent any indecent exposure.

At this point, Megumin stubbornly insisted that the Crimson Demon clan doesn't need to use toilets. Kazuma had never been so speechless in his life: “I'm at my limit!”

As she ran, Megumin thoughtfully brought a vase for Kazuma: “I knew this would happen, so I brought one! Please use it...”

“No way!”

Despite his words, in pursuit of the dolls, the two dove into a utility room. Kazuma was on the verge of bursting and was about to just pee into the vase.

Listening to the sounds outside the door, Megumin was almost scared senseless and involuntarily began to chant explosion magic: “Darker than black...”

Kazuma quickly covered her mouth. If she unleashed it, the house would be gone too. Cornered, Kazuma decided to fight!

“Come at me if you dare!! You evil spirit! Then let my mad dog goddess finish you off.”

Kazuma roared and forcefully pushed open the door, hearing something slam against the door panel. The air became quiet for a moment.

Aqua lay on the ground, her forehead red and her eyes rolled back, with the lifeless doll next to her... and Darkness calling out Aqua's name.

And so, the group successfully completed the exorcism mission. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma actually closed his eyes. I even thought he would take this opportunity to shamelessly peek. I really misjudged him.”

“Mad dog goddess... good heavens, Kazuma really respects Aqua, that's an accurate description.”

It's a good thing Megumin's explosion magic wasn't unleashed, otherwise the house would definitely be gone, and with that huge debt, Kazuma would be freezing on the streets this winter.

Who was just running and shouting “Aqua-sama” a moment ago, and now she's the “mad dog goddess”? That's a quick change.

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios pondered for a moment:

“Should we also praise Megumin for being so thoughtful and bringing a vase... From a certain perspective, at least it's more suitable than a sake bottle.”

She didn't even have time to put on her pants, yet she still had time to grab a vase, truly detail-oriented!

Chilchuck gave Laios a speechless look:

“But the key is, is that something a girl should say?”

As expected, she's a little girl whom adventurers call “having some screw loose in the head,” truly living up to her reputation.

“That looks like it hurts!”

Marushiru couldn't help but gasp as she looked at the large bump on Aqua's head.

Aqua's intelligence was already below average, and now she's injured her brain. She should be alright, right?

After all, Aqua's intelligence has no more room to drop!

 。。。。。

Chapter 350: Succubus Shop! All the big shots are in the Novice Village

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The next day, after Kazuma and Aqua received their mission reward from the guild receptionist, they heard her complain.

“Although there are missions posted in the guild, no matter how many times we exterminate them, new evil spirits quickly move in. It's really troublesome for us.”

Having experienced the baptism of the previous night, Kazuma naturally empathized: “It seems so. Why are there so many evil spirits gathered here!”

The receptionist, Luna, suddenly turned slightly resentful: “Isn't there a public cemetery near that house!”

“Because someone played a prank and set up a large barrier in the cemetery! So the evil spirits who lost their homes moved into that empty house.”

Aqua instantly shivered and froze in place, her face turning pale.

Kazuma quickly dragged Aqua to a corner of the guild: “Hey, you know something, don't you? Speak up!”

Aqua's eyes became hollow, and she awkwardly gave up struggling: “Didn't I take over Wiz's job of purifying the cemetery before? But going to the cemetery so often is really troublesome.”

“So I just made it so the spirits couldn't go to the cemetery. I thought they would naturally disappear after that... so I...”

Seeing Aqua speak softer and softer, Kazuma directly concluded: “We can't accept the guild's temporary reward, right?”

Aqua, knowing she was in the wrong, could only nod obediently: “Mm...”

And so, Kazuma took Aqua to apologize to the client. Fortunately, the client didn't mind too much and generously offered them the house to live in. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Aqua is simply a genius. Nothing can stump her. As expected of the wise goddess, full of wisdom.”

“I'm dying of laughter. This is how a god's mind works. I can't keep up at all. Because she's too lazy to solve the problem, she just targets the source once and for all!”

Everyone laughed so hard they couldn't stand straight. No wonder people say that mentally challenged children bring more joy. This saying fits Aqua perfectly without any sense of incongruity.

Good heavens, killing two birds with one stone! She directly achieved an industry closed-loop, creating problems herself and then charging others to solve them.

She directly achieved sustainable development and could take on unlimited exorcism missions to earn money.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Looking at such a “clever” Aqua, Ishtar said blankly,

“Seriously, it's a miracle she's grown this old without being beaten to death.”

What kind of divine logic is this?! Just because she found it troublesome, she outright stopped the spirits from returning to the cemetery... Is she really a goddess, or actually some high-ranking underling of a demon king?

Wiz, as a lich, would tirelessly come to purify the undead, but Aqua, as a goddess, would slack off, which led to this incident.

Merlin smiled:

“So Aqua really can't do anything without Kazuma watching her.”

One slip-up and she dug another big hole for herself! But from the results, they had a house to live in.

Could this be the result of Kazuma's top-tier luck neutralizing Aqua's bad luck? Truly, good fortune and misfortune are intertwined.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Misaka Mikoto showed a cheerful smile and gave a thumbs-up to Kazuma on the screen:

“Aqua might be a bit of a pain, but she's still quite useful. At least now they don't have to sleep on the horse stable.”

Aqua's brain might not work very well, but her strength is top-notch. Maxed-out resurrection and purification make her the bane of the undead.

And do you know how hard it is to find a silly goddess who is willing to sleep in a stable with you, do manual labor, go on adventures, and never look down on you?

 。。。。。

【 The scene changed. Kazuma placed the doll next to the tombstone, carefully wiping it with a bucket of water and a rag: “I thought it was Aqua's delusion, but it turned out to be true!”

Wiz looked at the doll next to the tombstone and said with a soft laugh, “This way, it won't be lonely.”

Wiz seemed to be worried about Kazuma and the others. Seeing that they were still safe, she felt relieved, so she said she had to go back to her shop, bowed her head, and left.

After Wiz left, Kazuma stood with his hands on his hips, looking at the luxurious mansion behind him, his mood much lighter: “Finally, I'm living the stable life I've long yearned for!”

But not long after, Megumin's voice came from inside the mansion: “Aqua, the stove is out of firewood!”

Aqua didn't care: “Oh, then throw Kazuma's tracksuit over there into the fire!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Such a gentle Wiz, it's really hard to imagine that she's a Devil King's Executive.”

“Hahaha, even though they moved to a new home, Kazuma's clothes are still destined to be burned by Aqua.”

Good heavens... Everyone originally thought that everything Aqua said when exorcising spirits at the gate was made up, but they didn't expect her stories to be true.

But this is too long, isn't it! Aqua had been reading from day to night before and still hadn't finished.

As for a stable life... Heh, don't even think about it. As long as the 40 million debt is still on them, plus this group of brain-dead teammates, a stable life is impossible.

 。。。。。

【 After Kazuma moved into his dream mansion, he lay on the sofa, looking at the fireplace, feeling somewhat empty. Just then, Aqua walked over with a smug expression.

“I'm level 21! I'm the highest level in the party. If you understand that, quickly give up your spot in front of the fireplace to me, the more powerful one!”

Although Kazuma was a bit unwilling to be surpassed by Aqua in level, he felt a bit strange looking at Aqua's stats: “Huh... I feel like your stats haven't increased at all compared to when we first met!”

Aqua said as if it were obvious: “You're so stupid. Of course, stats are determined from the beginning!”

“Comparing a normal adventurer with me is inherently wrong! That's one of the rules.”

Watching Aqua's smug look, Kazuma sighed and gave up his spot to Aqua, then patted her shoulder with a look of pity.

This means that no matter how much this guy levels up, her intelligence won't increase!

Aqua suddenly looked confused: “Um... why are you crying? Why are you looking at me with such pity?”

Tears welled up in Kazuma's eyes: We got a house, and the most important winter problem has been solved, but this child is forever beyond saving.

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“That's the look of concern for the mentally challenged... Aqua! You'll always be a mentally challenged person in this life!”

Despite having all attributes superior to the average, her intelligence is the only one below average, and now leveling up doesn't increase her intelligence. Aqua's intelligence will always remain low.

Everyone also looked at Aqua with pity. Is there anything more heartbreaking than being defined as mentally challenged and unable to change it?

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Kirito couldn't help but laugh:

“Aqua is a god, so leveling up doesn't increase her stats... In that case, what's the point of her leveling up?”

Leveling up can't change the fact that Aqua is an idiot. It's truly pitiful.

No wonder Kazuma was unmoved by such an annoying Aqua... After all, she's too pathetic. He just treated it as caring for the mentally challenged.

Asuna also sighed:

“Let's just consider it an equivalent exchange. After all, setting aside her intelligence, everything else is top-tier.”

And... as long as Aqua is with her companions, being an idiot isn't a problem, because no one else's brain is particularly high-functioning either; they all have a few screws loose!

 。。。。。

【 The next day, Kazuma aimlessly walked down the street and saw two sneaky adventurers peeking at something. Kazuma also became curious.

Dust, the blonde, pulled Kazuma over and whispered, “This is a secret among male adventurers. Do you know about a succubus-run shop that helps you have good dreams at night?”

Kazuma's expression instantly became serious: “Tell me more!”

Then, led by the two, Kazuma arrived at the succubus shop, and their faces instantly flushed.

After understanding, Kazuma learned that one only needs to write their desires on paper, and a succubus will appear in their dreams that night to fulfill their requests.

Because it's a dream, any request is fine. The cost is just a little bit of vitality, provided one doesn't drink alcohol at night; otherwise, they'll sleep too soundly to enter the dream. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, I didn't expect you to be this kind of person! Kazuma, I really didn't misjudge you. Tell me more, I love to hear it!”

“What a 'tell me more'... A hero who's sunk to your level is just too real!”

Good heavens, looking at the various ideal female body types of big sisters in the succubus shop, everyone disgracefully wiped their noses. Such a world is too blissful!

These succubi can even customize packages, that's too awesome! As the saying goes, heroes can't resist beauties. Whoever wants to resist can; this Demon King is not worth fighting.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“What!! There's actually a shop like that? I must go experience it... cough cough... to criticize it!”

“Damn it! Do you have any morals left? Where's your bottom line? Where's your dignity? Where's the location?!”

All the male adventurers in other towns showed envious gazes. If there really was such a shop! Who cares if it's a beginner village? Eris couldn't drive me away, I said it!

At this moment, some people in the capital of the Kingdom of Brydle recognized the blonde figure on the screen and exclaimed in shock:

“Isn't that Dust?! The strongest Dragon Knight in the royal palace!”

What's going on? The strongest Dragon Knight in the royal palace actually appeared in the beginner village? Why aren't you guarding the capital and running here? It can't be just for the succubus shop, can it?

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Good luck, Dust, your secret identity is about to be revealed. )

Chapter 351: The strange place is burning!

Chapter Text

〜OVERLORD World〜

Shalltear pouted towards Albedo, muttering,

“Look at what a real succubus is! You are the shame of all succubi!”

Although Albedo managed countless household tasks and decisions in the Great Tomb as its Chief Stewardess, even her own mount, the Bicorn, had refused to let her ride it anymore.

Unicorns can only be ridden by pure maidens; Bicorns have the opposite nature to Unicorns. The problem is, Albedo is a succubus!

The Undead King, Ainz, also felt a little shy looking at those revealingly dressed succubus ladies. Where had he ever seen such a sight...

However, due to the reason of his “lack of equipment,” he quickly returned to a serious expression!

 。。。。。

【 Just as Kazuma was unsure how to fill out the form, the burly man next to him had already finished writing and left with a loud laugh, unable to wait for the dream to arrive.

Kazuma sat down on a chair, clutching the form, only to realize the burly man was sitting next to him: “Oh!! It's you...”

The burly man put down his pen, revealing a fierce smile: “Welcome to the entrance of hell! You fearless bastard.”

The burly man then left, and Kazuma looked curiously at the completed form on the latter's desk.

“His profession is... Tailor? Huh! Isn't he an adventurer!”

Kazuma then learned by asking the succubus lady that, since it was a dream, setting up any character was fine, even specifying anime characters!

Kazuma understood; the succubus shop's dream service was simply invincible. After the succubus lady left, Kazuma silently began filling out the survey form.

He couldn't help but glance at the burly man's request, and he was instantly stunned: “Transform into a little shota, and be 《abused》 by adventurers...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I thought you, old bro, were some amazing character, appearing like a worldly expert every time, turns out you're just a damn tailor...”

“Damn it, even anime characters are allowed. That's really tempting. This succubus lady is too awesome!”

Otaku boys and girls from other worlds were practically grinding their molars. What a wonderful world this was! If it were them, they'd be willing to stay in the beginner village for a lifetime.

And that burly man! I've tolerated you for too long!... You look so fierce, yet you tell me your profession is a tailor?! Are you living up to your job?

If you're a tailor, stop loitering around the Adventurers Guild! Every time, we see you there looking profound and mysterious, talking about the entrance to hell... such high pretense!

What left everyone most speechless was his unique fetish... It was truly impossible to tell that beneath the burly exterior lay the heart of a young boy. He certainly knows how to play!

It can now be confirmed: there isn't a single normal person in that world. Even a random burly passerby is a pervert with a unique fetish!

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Yamete... N-No!”

Inside the Adventurers Guild, a two-hundred-pound burly man currently looked like a bullied maiden, covering his face and crying.

Is there anything more despairing than having everyone know you went to the succubus shop? ...He can now definitely tell everyone: Yes, there is! It's having your fetish publicly executed, double despair.

The scornful looks from the surrounding female adventurers made his back sting. After all, not everyone could maintain the good attitude of the depraved Kazuma.

Didn't they see Kazuma now completely ignoring the disgusted looks from his teammates and even the adventurers, acting as if he'd snap at anyone who tried to stop him?

After all, the reputation of the depraved Kazuma had already spread. How much worse could it get? He was the typical dead pig unafraid of boiling water—“What can you do to me!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma decisively finished filling out the requirements and returned home.

Darkness's family had also sent crab gifts and fine wine to thank them for taking care of her!

The fine crab paired with the super-fine wine almost made Kazuma forget about the succubus, but thankfully, he stopped himself in time.

To prevent himself from being tempted, Kazuma had to suppress his impulse, flashing a bright smile that didn't suit him: “I'm going back to sleep first!”

However, Kazuma was too excited. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, so he had to go to the bathroom to take a bath to help him sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Kazuma vaguely heard a sound coming from the door, thinking he had already entered the dream.

“Yo!” Kazuma, thinking he was dreaming, openly greeted Darkness as she walked into the bathroom.

Although Kazuma's written request wasn't for a knight, but a beautiful older woman, who cares? It was just a dream anyway.

Just like that, Kazuma unceremoniously treated Darkness as a succubus and started scrubbing her back... Suddenly, Aqua's shouting interrupted Kazuma.

Kazuma tied on his bath towel and rushed out: “Is that idiot trying to mess things up in my dream?! I'll go teach her a lesson.”

When he arrived in the hall, he saw a young succubus girl suppressed by Aqua's barrier. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good grief, I knew I hadn't misjudged him. Depraved as always. I can already imagine what happens next.”

That bright smile... it really doesn't suit you, Depraved Kazuma! People from other worlds realized that if anyone in Kazuma's party showed that smile, they were 100% selling out a teammate.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Even Rudy silently gave Kazuma a thumbs up:

“As expected of Big Brother Kazuma, he can easily do things others can't.”

Who else but Kazuma is a hero who doesn't spout grand theories all day, but dares to visit a succubus shop and neglects his duties daily?

And even though he has three beautiful women right beside him, he still goes looking for a succubus...

 。。。。。

【 Aqua put her hands on her hips, looking at the trapped, weak succubus: “This succubus ran into the barrier and can't move. She must be after Kazuma!”

Speaking of which, Darkness just now... Only after hearing Aqua's statement did the realization hit Kazuma, and his face suddenly changed.

Every man has something he must protect, and at this moment, Kazuma also had something he absolutely had to protect!

For the sake of his reputation, Kazuma showed a Jojo-style hard-boiled face, silently walked up to the succubus, and spread his arms to shield her: “Run, quick!”

This action by Kazuma confused even Aqua: “What are you doing? She's a demon targeting you!”

Even the trapped little succubus weakly took the blame: “Customer, this situation occurred because of my inexperience. I cannot let you be disgraced!”

“I will obediently allow myself to be exorcised. Customer, just pretend you don't know anything!”

The expression on Kazuma's face was clearly resolute. He shook his head vigorously. This was his masculine persistence! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma is a true man! That resolute look... the art style is all wrong! Too bad this scene is used against his teammates!”

“Hahaha, Kazuma, are you trying to kill me with that expression!”

Everyone was nearly dying of laughter at Kazuma's hard-boiled art style. Usually, he looked like a coward, but precisely at this moment, he acted like a man.

And does that sound like something a succubus would say?... She'd rather be exorcised than expose her customer after being discovered. That's too dedicated! Too professional!

 。。。。。

【 Just then, Darkness also strode over angrily, believing Kazuma must have done such an excessive thing to her because of the succubus.

Aqua also unceremoniously clenched her fists, striking a pose, and looked at Kazuma with a theatrical expression: “I'll knock you head over heels first, and then send that succubus on her way!”

Kazuma couldn't care less about that. He adopted a boxer's stance, telling the succubus to run quickly, and he would hold off the rest.

“Bring it on!”

There is something that absolutely cannot be let down: the trust of my friends who confided their secrets in me. There is something that must be protected!

Carrying this conviction, Kazuma charged forward and was subsequently beaten into a pig's head. The succubus took the opportunity to escape. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“If the opponent is Aqua, it might be a bit tricky. Will he win? He'll die... I'm sorry I couldn't satisfy Aqua-sama!”

“Oh!! It's inexplicably fired up! This is a battle to protect the dignity of all the old and young people in the town!”

He's protecting not just a succubus, but also the foolish things he did previously. But... why is he getting all fired up over something so strange?!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Looking at Kazuma, who had been beaten into a pig's head, Emiya Shirou reached up and rubbed his forehead, speechless:

“Why does he always become a man in such inexplicable situations?”

Will he win? He'll die...” I can't stop laughing. Kazuma's personality is simply too outrageous.

With that kind of conviction that must not fail, someone who didn't know might think he was fighting the Demon King! The reason for getting fired up is far too strange...

Tohsaka Rin also silently chimed in with a complaint:

“What should really be mentioned is the succubus's noble professionalism!”

Damn, she almost got wiped out, yet didn't forget to keep the customer's secret. You deserve a Professionalism Fortune Card for the New Year.

 。。。。。

Chapter 352: Flexible Base Raid! The reason why a group of bigshots remained in the Novice Village

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 The next day, after the succubus incident came to an end, the Adventurers' Guild suddenly issued an emergency alarm: “DESTROYER ALERT! THE MOBILE FORTRESS DESTROYER IS CURRENTLY CONTINUOUSLY APPROACHING THIS TOWN!!”

“ALL ADVENTURERS, PLEASE PUT ON YOUR EQUIPMENT AND GATHER AT THE ADVENTURERS' GUILD!! ALL RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN, PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!!”

Before Kazuma could react, the panicked Aqua had already pushed a cart, pulling large bags and small bags, and ran over: “Run! Run as far as possible.”

Megumin also carried her luggage, looking like she was about to flee: “The mobile fortress Destroyer, fighting that thing is too foolish.”

Kazuma asked speechlessly: “So what is that...”

Darkness, already wearing her armor, slowly walked out of the house: “It’s a fearsome ancient weapon, said to leave nothing but barren land in its wake, not even a single blade of grass surviving where it has passed.”

Kazuma swallowed nervously, somewhat scared, but quickly made a decision: “Everyone, let's go to the guild!”

“We finally have a house, how can we let it be easily destroyed!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, what's the origin of this mobile fortress that it can directly scare Kazuma's group of not-so-normal teammates into wanting to run away?”

“This is the first time I've seen a hero protect a town for such a realistic reason, just because he doesn't want his house to be destroyed. This hero is a bit too pragmatic!”

Good heavens, although Aqua is silly, she is still a goddess after all. She usually looks arrogant and disdainful when she sees high-ranking members of the Demon King's army.

Now, just hearing the name of the mobile fortress, she doesn't even have the thought of resisting. She just pulls a cart with large and small bags, unhesitatingly planning to run away.

Everyone immediately had black lines on their faces. Aqua... no matter what, you're still a goddess. You cower so quickly, bully the weak and fear the strong; you've really mastered it. You're too real.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

The reactions of Kazuma's party caught the attention of Natsuki Subaru and others:

“Huh... This alarm really seems like a big deal!”

Aqua being scared and running away is understandable, after all, her personality is somewhat bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

But Megumin, normally, should want to unleash an Explosion spell on the mobile fortress! Now, even the crazy Megumin wants to run away, which already explains the problem.

Darkness's reaction is normal, but unfortunately, she's a pervert, so she can't be used for judgment...

As for Kazuma... uh, let's just say this reason is very much his style, it's indeed something he would do.

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“So this is... a house defense battle, just for this reason?”

Although Kazuma planned to defend the town, this reason made Frieren a little dumbfounded. Normally, shouldn't it be to protect the residents of the town?

And Aqua, as a goddess, was actually the first one to want to run away. The key is that she was so fast, packing her luggage in an instant.

Watching the reactions of Kazuma's party, Fern also became curious about this mysterious mobile fortress. After all, not many things can scare this group of oddballs; they might not even flinch in front of the Demon King.

 。。。。。

【 “Oh! You really came, Kazuma! I knew you would!” Fully armed, Kazuma and the others arrived at the guild and saw Dust, also heavily equipped.

And various male adventurers, all rushing here with the strongest heavy equipment they could think of.

But all the adventurers present looked worried, causing someone to speak up: “If only Mitsurugi-san were here!”

Kazuma heard this and immediately looked away guiltily, pretending he knew nothing. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Dust, you've misjudged him. Kazuma might be partly for the town, but mostly it's definitely for his house!”

“Mitsurugi still hasn't found his demon sword Gram, isn't that too tragic? How long has he been looking?”

“Uh... is it my imagination, or is the proportion of males in this beginner village a bit high? They must really love this town!”

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“PROTECT THE TOWN TO THE DEATH!!!”

All the male adventurers' eyes blazed with fire, facing the mobile fortress Destroyer without flinching!

“OH!!!”

Dust looked ready to die generously for it, echoing loudly.

Kazuma quietly pulled Dust aside and whispered,

“What's going on? This isn't like you.”

Dust said seriously:

“If this town is gone, where will we find such a good succubus big sister's shop again?”

Kazuma pointed to the adventurers who were pumped up like they'd been given a shot of adrenaline:

“So they are too...?!!”

Seeing Dust nod, Kazuma finally understood that they didn't love the town so much, but rather the succubus shop. Their love ran deep.

“My ambition is too small... compared to them, doing it for a house is too small-minded.”

No wonder the proportion of male adventurers in this town was so high.

Then Kazuma also unhesitatingly joined the adventurers' cheers, vowing to protect the town to the death!

 。。。。。

【 The so-called mobile fortress Destroyer was originally a weapon built by the great magic technology nation of Noise to counter the Demon King's army! It was a super-large golem, resembling a spider in appearance, and the size of a small castle.

Moreover, its body utilized the culmination of Noise's magic technology, constantly deploying a powerful magic barrier. Therefore, magic attacks were completely meaningless.

Due to its astonishing speed, there was almost no place on this continent that it hadn't wreaked havoc on. It indiscriminately trampled both humans and monsters alike; that was the mobile fortress, the Destroyer. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So that means it’s massive, incredibly fast, practically immune to magic thanks to the barrier, and landing powerful physical attacks is nearly impossible… they basically created a beast for themselves!”

Good heavens, a machine built to counter the Demon King's army ended up destroying itself... Everyone somewhat suspected that the Demon King hadn't caused as much destruction as the Destroyer they created.

No wonder Megumin also wanted to run away; her Explosion magic was completely countered by this magic-immune barrier.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma pondered for a moment, then turned to Aqua: “Aqua, you should be able to destroy the Destroyer's barrier, right?”

Aqua tilted her head and thought, not quite sure: “I won't know unless I try.”

The guild receptionist heard this and looked excited, telling Aqua to give it her best shot: “In that case, all that's left is magic that can deal enough damage!”

One of the adventurers immediately chimed in: “There is, isn't there? There's that girl with powerful firepower, that crazy girl.”

Everyone immediately thought of Megumin: “That's right! That crazy girl!”

“Yeah! That crazy girl.”

“Stare...” All the adventurers present looked at Megumin. It goes without saying who the crazy girl was. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, the crazy girl, it's already a recognized fact. How long has it been? It's already common knowledge.”

“After going in a big circle, it turns out that it still relies on Kazuma's party: Aqua breaks the barrier, and Megumin deals the damage.

Everyone laughed until tears came out. These adventurers really know how to talk.

Now, when asking for help, they don't even want to call her Megumin; they just call her “the crazy girl.”

A leader who likes to steal underwear, a goddess whose intelligence is below the passing line, a crazy explosion magic user, plus a perverted female knight who can't hit anything.

Although this team is eccentric and seems utterly useless at first glance, in some ways, they are still very reliable.

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san. It's almost over, and I need to think about what to write next. Any suggestions?)

( Translator-kun: I’ll say it first, it’s still Konosuba. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧)

Chapter 353: After all, she is the goddess of the water element, one of the four great elements

Chapter Text

【 As soon as someone mentioned having a problem with their head, Megumin, who had everyone's eyes on her, immediately exploded: “Hey! If you're talking about me, then stop calling me that!”

“Otherwise, I'll prove right here and now just how problematic my head is!”

The adventurers all averted their gazes. After all, this girl with a problematic head might actually do it.

But Megumin wasn't too confident this time either, as the opponent's terrifying reputation preceded them, and a novice's Explosion magic might not have much effect.

Just as everyone was at a loss, Wiz also arrived. Seeing Wiz's appearance, everyone immediately became excited.

“It's the shop owner!”

“The poor owner is here! We're saved, we're definitely saved now.”

Kazuma watched the adventurers cheering and full of confidence, then asked Dust in confusion, “Why is she so famous... And it's really pitiful, don't call her the poor owner, okay?”

Dust explained to Kazuma, “Don't you know? She used to be a very famous and powerful mage.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Pfft, hahaha, do these people have a disease where they'll die if they call someone else's name? Poor owner... Wiz, do you think that's polite?”

“It seems Wiz's poverty is also famous, but then again, look at them, is that how you ask for help?!”

Everyone from other worlds watched these adventurers speechlessly. Their knack for giving nicknames was quite something; even a passing dog would probably get a nickname before leaving.

Also... Aqua, who is a goddess, heard the alarm and ran away with her bucket at the first opportunity, but Wiz, who is a lich, volunteered to come to the adventurer's guild, intending to do her part!

The difference between the two is so huge. Despite having the nickname “King of the Undead,” she acts even more like a goddess than a goddess. So, the Demon King's army executives are all good people, huh?

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte looked at the screen with curiosity:

“This beginner village seems very brave, or rather, is this even a beginner village? It looks like those adventurers aren't even afraid.”

Facing such a nation-destroying weapon, they didn't run away, and even tried to fight back... And thinking about it carefully, two Demon King Army executives actually appeared in this beginner village.

Normally, the Demon King's army not causing trouble in this situation would be good enough, but you, a King of the Undead, actually want to help? You're an executive, not a hero!

She could even imagine how miserable the Demon King of that world must be. No wonder there's no news of the Demon King's army invading towns; his subordinates are either too kind or traitors.

 。。。。。

【 And so, the adventurers worked tirelessly, setting up temporary barricades and simple traps!

At the very front of the barricades, Darkness plunged her greatsword into the ground, placed her hands on the hilt, and gazed into the distance, unmoving!

Kazuma tried to persuade the knight who refused to leave: “Hey! Darkness, I know your defense is strong, but now, leave your hopeless interests behind and come with me to the roadside...”

Darkness, still unmoving, slowly spoke with a stern face: “Kazuma... It's unavoidable that my usual behavior would make you think that.”

“But! Do you really think I'm a woman so loyal to her desires?”

Kazuma said matter-of-factly: “Yes, of course.”

Darkness paused slightly, her face a little flushed, but this time she was serious about protecting the town.

She was the daughter of the Dustiness family, who ruled this region, and as a knight, protecting the people of her territory was her duty. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Kazuma is right, what else is there to say? After all, the more perverted, the more excited, even the Headless Knight is scared.”

“After all, this is Darkness's extremely rare, serious side after such a long time.”

Kazuma truly lived up to his reputation as the one who understood his teammates best, answering without the slightest hesitation, and Darkness's serious demeanor instantly vanished.

No one expected that the perverted Darkness would have such a knightly side, which was as rare as someone saying Aqua suddenly became smart.

 。。。。。

【 Just then, the elder sister, Luna, informed everyone to prepare for battle, because the Mobile Fortress was already approaching the town!

Just the head of the Mobile Fortress appearing from the distant hills made them feel a slight tremor; the ground was indeed shaking.

Then everyone saw the full appearance of the Mobile Fortress for the first time. It was a huge golem shaped like a spider, with crossbows mounted all over its deck, dragging a fortress-like building like a hermit crab.

Just by moving one leg, a huge hill collapsed with a roar.

“No matter what... It's too big!” The adventurers were so scared they kept backing away.

And Megumin on the city wall was even more terrified, trembling so much that she could barely hold her staff, stammering: “I-I-I... I will use Explosion magic to b-b-blow you to smithereens!”

On the other side, Aqua repeatedly confirmed with Wiz: “Hey, Wiz, are you sure it's okay?!”

Wiz answered tirelessly again and again: “Leave it to me, Aqua-sama, after all, I am the highest-ranking undead.”

“If we fail, then let's all happily return to dust together.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, this mobile fortress is too big, isn't it? To be able to drive such a huge body, it's probably nuclear-powered.”

“Is Wiz a schemer? She even said, 'happily return to dust together,' but the problem is, you became a lich after you died! How can you return to dust again?”

Everyone looked at Wiz with a bit of embarrassment. You're quite open-minded; if it really doesn't work, just abandon the town.

Don't think Aqua is stupid; as long as she's around, returning to dust simply doesn't exist.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern stared blankly at the mobile fortress, which was even larger than a dragon, and couldn't help but blurt out,

“It's so big...”

No wonder the generally accepted method of dealing with it was to abandon the town and rebuild it after it passed. It was indeed difficult to deal with.

It's really hard to imagine that this thing was actually invented by humans, and what kind of power source it relies on to keep this behemoth active to this day.

Frieren's expression also showed some emotion:

“How long has this thing existed...”

Magic is ineffective, getting close will get you crushed, aerial attacks will be shot down, and it's also incredibly fast. No wonder Aqua and Megumin wanted to run...

Such a troublesome monster, if it were her, she would run too! A mage's bane where magic doesn't work, which mage would want to fight it?

 。。。。。

【 As the monster drew closer, Aqua reached for the sky, summoning her staff, then twirled it in her hand and began chanting a spell.

“Sacred…!”

Rainbow-colored light emanated from Aqua's feet, and surging, powerful magic made the air vibrate, followed by the appearance of a dazzling and bright golden magic circle.

As Aqua charged her power, five giant golden magic circles, accompanied by specks of starlight, appeared above the city wall, emitting a sacred glow.

All the other adventurers looked up at the sky in astonishment. What a powerful magic this was.

“Break Spell—!!”

The flower bud on the staff bloomed, and a dazzling torrent of magic transformed into beams of light that shot out from the magic circles. Upon contact with the Destroyer, a huge magic barrier appeared on its massive body!

But as Aqua gritted her teeth and increased her power, the light emitted from the magic circles instantly became even stronger, even knocking back the surrounding adventurers with its terrifying force.

The Mobile Fortress's barrier also couldn't withstand Aqua's powerful magic and began to shatter like glass. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, she's usually so silly, but now she's fired up!”

“Aqua never disappoints, truly a god! Her combat power is simply top-tier, provided she doesn't have to use her brain.”

Everyone looked at Aqua in awe. Her strength and intelligence were completely inversely proportional. They had heard of people trading hair for strength, but never seen anyone trade intelligence for strength.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“...” Ainz Ooal Gown looked speechless at the astonishingly huge magic circle. Can't beat it, really can't beat it.

She is, after all, a god with a divine position, divinity, and divine duties. She may be a bit foolish, but that doesn't change the fact that she is indeed a god.

Aside from her brain, everything else seems to be top-tier, whether it's her figure, appearance, or strength. She's just silly, not weak!

If you really treat Aqua as a fool to deal with, then you're the real fool!

She is, after all, the goddess of the water element among the four great elements, and in other mythological systems, she would be a main god.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

It seemed Aqua had finally redeemed the goddess's dignity, and Ishtar's expression became smug:

“Even if she's a complete idiot, she's still a god. Aqua is very strong at critical moments!”

Merlin, however, was not at all polite in tearing her down:

“But only at critical moments...”

Ishtar's face stiffened. She truly couldn't refute Merlin's words, after all, they had all seen how unreliable Aqua had been before.

But setting aside her intelligence, Aqua was incredibly reliable. Her top-tier resurrection and healing, as well as her purification magic specifically for the undead, were all maxed out.

She's an anti-undead specialist. If you can't beat other things, just find Aqua to deal with the undead!

 。。。。。

Chapter 354: It’s a real mystery why the Veteran adventurer is still hanging around the Novice Village....

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Kazuma, in charge of commanding, saw that the barrier protecting the mobile fortress was already shattered, and immediately issued orders to Wiz and Megumin: “NOW'S THE TIME!!”

Wiz had no problem, but Megumin was already trembling nervously, so Kazuma could only try to provoke her with words: “HEY! IS YOUR LOVE FOR EXPLOSION MAGIC REAL?! It'd be embarrassing to lose to Wiz.”

“IS YOUR EXPLOSION MAGIC SO WEAK THAT IT CAN'T EVEN DESTROY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!”

“What did you say!” Megumin's eyes glowed red upon hearing this, her previous nervousness completely forgotten: “What you just said is more unacceptable to me than ridiculing my name!”

Megumin and Wiz began to chant their spells with full concentration: “Darker than black, darker than darkness, the time of awakening has come...”

Two massive magic circles instantly appeared above their heads, their orange-red glow illuminating the entire city wall, and the air grew scorching hot.

One was a lich, once known as the strongest magician, now called a poor shop owner due to slow business. The other was a problematic girl who had dedicated everything to her single Explosion magic spell.

The two condensed their strongest Explosion magic and fired it at the impregnable mobile fortress!

“EXPLOSION—!!”

The two unleashed their Explosion magic simultaneously towards the legs of the mobile fortress. The massive ball of magic, like a dazzling sun, began to explode violently, followed by a pillar of light shooting skyward!

The mobile fortress, its legs shattered, was hurled from the explosion and hit the ground with a massive crash. Striking at its base, it skidded toward the town without losing any speed.

The continuously sliding colossal object did not hit the barricades in front of the town, finally stopping completely before Darkness, who stood with swords in both hands! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It has to be Kazuma, who understands each teammate perfectly and knows how to bring out the true strength of his unreliable companions!”

“Good heavens, are you sure this is really the beginner village? This thing that could wipe out a nation actually got ended here...”

As everyone watched Wiz begin to chant Explosion magic, they couldn't help but feel a pang of stomachache. So, Explosion magic really had an incantation, huh? What was Megumin chanting before then?

Here, you can never guess which line is part of the Explosion magic chant! Besides the single word “Explosion,” the chants each time are completely unrelated.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Hearing Kazuma's words of encouragement to Megumin, Wiz, the poor shop owner of the magic item shop, pointed at herself in a daze:

“Eh... is it embarrassing to lose to me?!”

She was an Arch-wizard-level Ice Witch in her lifetime, and after becoming a lich, she was a Demon King's Army executive. She shouldn't be considered weak, right?

Finally, Wiz breathed a sigh of relief, a gentle smile gradually appearing on her face:

“It's good that we won, now we don't have to move! And maybe my little shop's business will even get better.”

Defeating the mobile fortress meant fame, and then people would patronize her item shop. Now she should be able to get rid of the title “poor shop owner.

“It's over already...?”

Meanwhile, everyone in the Adventurers' Guild remained lost in shock.

They somewhat dared not believe that the Destroyer, known as a human-shaped natural disaster, was actually defeated by the adventurers of their beginner village.

“That crazy girl, you did a great job!”

“Yeah, yeah, thank you so much, crazy girl!”

Megumin gripped her staff tightly, wishing she could unleash an Explosion on the spot.

“IF YOU'RE GOING TO PRAISE ME, USE MY NAME, YOU BASTARDS!!”

Everyone cheered for Kazuma's party. As for Wiz, who also helped a lot, everyone said they would frequent her item shop more in the future, but “next time for sure!!

After all, this was just a beginner village. She sold high-level items that newcomers couldn’t afford, and those who could afford them had no use for them here. Caught in this vicious cycle, how could her business not be slow?

〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜

Watching the mobile fortress finally collapse before Darkness, Tohsaka Rin and the others all looked at Artoria.

They wore expressions that seemed to ask,

“Why didn't you tell us you were going to make a guest appearance?”

Emiya Shirou's mouth twitched slightly:

“I almost thought she was going to shout 'Excalibur!'”

Both the pose and the calm, unperturbed expression were too similar; he almost linked that perverted Darkness with Artoria.

“...”

Feeling the gazes cast upon her, Artoria, though somewhat reluctant to admit it, actually had the same feeling just now—the urge to shout “Excalibur.”

 。。。。。

【 “You did well, Megumin!” Kazuma turned to look at the chuunibyou magician, who had collapsed weakly.

“As expected of a lich, much stronger than me!” Megumin, who believed her Explosion magic was second to none, clearly knew that her Explosion magic's power just now was inferior to Wiz's. Her expression became dejected: “...I'm so frustrated...”

The adventurers saw that the monster didn't get back up, and everyone began to cheer.

“Did we succeed? When this is over, I'm going back home to get married.”

Aqua also looked excited: “Alright, let's go back and drink to celebrate! I wonder how much the reward will be.”

Kazuma quickly tried to make Aqua shut up: “You idiot, why would you set up such a cliché flag?!”

But it seemed too late.

The mobile fortress began to flash red, and a loud voice echoed from within: “Due to massive damage to the unit, the self-destruct function has been activated. Crew members, please evacuate the unit immediately...” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No celebrating prematurely! Now it's like an old general on a stage, covered in flags. Even 'word becomes law' isn't this effective.”

“As everyone knows, flags shouldn't be set carelessly, especially 'succeeded' and 'going back home to get married'—these are 100% effective!”

Wiz truly was a Demon King's Army executive. The power of her Explosion magic was not only strong, but unlike Megumin, she didn't completely exhaust all her magic power in one go.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Misfortune...”

Kamijou Touma murmured instinctively, looking at the scene before him.

They had clearly stopped the mobile fortress's activity, but who would have thought it had other functions? Indeed, one should not celebrate prematurely.

And... which sinful researcher invented this thing? Why add such an inexplicable self-destruct function?!

This was your painstaking effort; adding a self-destruct function, aren't you afraid of accidentally blowing yourselves up during research?

 。。。。。

【 “No, it's hopeless!” Seeing no chance, the adventurers retreated one after another, preparing to go back to town to pack their bags and flee!

Kazuma also carried Megumin to Darkness: “Darkness, hurry and evacuate!”

Darkness took a deep breath and said gravely, “I will not retreat until the very end. A knight cannot abandon her people and flee first!”

Kazuma looked at Darkness with admiration, as if he had just met her for the first time.

Darkness continued: “Moreover, imagine the feeling of being bathed in the explosion that blows up the city! This unprecedented excitement!”

“Eh!” Kazuma couldn't hold it in. So that was the real reason.

“I can't take it anymore, here I come, hahaha!” Darkness, with an inexplicable flush, rushed towards the mobile fortress with her sword, looking excited!

The adventurers who had just retreated saw Darkness launching a solo charge and were moved by her knightly spirit, thinking she intended to resolve it before the explosion.

Everyone instantly became full of vigor, the image of a succubus flashing through their minds. A hidden veteran nearby exclaimed, “I FINALLY REMEMBERED WHY I'M STILL IN THE BEGINNER VILLAGE EVEN THOUGH MY LEVEL IS OVER 30!!”

Dust then looked at the coupon in his hand, the image of a succubus sister flashing across the screen again, and burst into tears: “Until now, for all the cheap things we got, if we don't repay the favor now, there won't be a tomorrow!”

“DON'T BE AFRAID, LET'S GO!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Darkness... knightly spirit! Can these two things actually be linked?”

The viewers from other worlds felt a cold sweat.

“Don't overthink it; that pervert Darkness is just succumbing to her desires. She definitely isn't thinking that much.”

And knightly spirit... if knights were really like her, then it would truly be hopeless.

“Why did strange images appear when things got intense? And Dust, wasn't that a coupon for a succubus café you were holding?”

“Good heavens, I knew it! No wonder so many male adventurers stayed here. So it was for this. Truly real men.”

What noble gentlemanly spirit these adventurers possess! It's simply outrageous. Even the reason for protecting the town makes one want to shed tears...

Just kidding!!

Everyone's faces were filled with black lines, looking speechless at these old gentlemen. Why were all these veterans, whose levels far exceeded the beginner village, hiding here? It's so hard to guess!

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: Next, I'll write some funny Gintama chapters, Shogun Ka Yo—!)

Chapter 355: The idiot inventor! And an even more idiotic diary.

Chapter Text

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!〜

“These guys...”

Kazuma was momentarily speechless. He thought his reason for staying was strange enough, but he didn't expect something even more abstract.

Yare yare, the reason why a bunch of high-level bigshots are lingering in the novice village, I don't even want to expose you all.

“Damn it, how is this any different from a public execution? Not everyone has a thick skin like Sadistic Kazuma!”

A group of burly adventurers blushed slightly, awkwardly feigning a simpleminded look to hide their embarrassment...

Yet in their hearts, they cursed incessantly; if they had known they would be exposed, they would have made it sound more grand! This time, they would definitely be sentenced to “no-wife” imprisonment.

Meanwhile, some female adventurers discreetly looked away, thoughtfully pretending not to have heard anything, sighing inwardly... let's just consider it the courage they mustered to protect the town.

After all, that scene looked quite stirring, and they really didn't want to associate it with such a ridiculous reason.

Most importantly, being confident in their figures and looks, they really didn't want to admit they had lost to a succubus...

 。。。。。

【 To protect the succubus maiden, the male adventurers decided to fight to the death, launching an assault on the fallen mobile fortress.

“PUSH HARDER!!”

“HEY, HEY!! Manager, get out of here now.”

Facts proved that the power of old perverts was immense. The adventurers, like a gang of bandits attacking a small village, charged into the giant fortress with strange cries!

In no time, they had smashed the mobile fortress to smithereens, from outside to inside.

Wiz frowned slightly and offered her suggestion: “Kazuma-san, if we can find the braking device, perhaps we can prevent it from self-destructing.”

Aqua, standing beside them, looked at the unusually excited adventurers and nervously tugged at Kazuma: “Looking at this situation... it should be enough to leave it to them, right? Let's go back... let's try harder tomorrow!”

“Let's go, useless goddess!” Kazuma grabbed Aqua, who was trying to slip away, and rushed in with Wiz. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, dismantling a giant mobile fortress, that speed is too fast! Just how many high-level adventurers are hidden inside?!”

“Aqua truly lives up to her name as the Goddess of Wisdom; her intelligence immediately led her to think of packing up and running. Indeed, I wasn't wrong about you.”

Watching such a cowardly Goddess of Wisdom, everyone was utterly speechless.

You are a god! A goddess who can cause massive floods with a mere flick of her wrist, why are you so quick to cower?

There's a reason Kazuma calls her the useless goddess: brave in fair winds, surrender in headwinds! Useless at everything, first-rate at running away.

 。。。。。

【 Led by the adventurers, Kazuma, as a party member, quickly found the main control room. In the center seat was a human skeleton, already reduced to white bones.

Aqua examined it carefully: “Let alone becoming an undead, there isn't even a trace of lingering attachment. Died quite cleanly.”

Then Aqua found a diary on the desk. She opened it and began to read aloud, and the surrounding adventurers tactfully shut their mouths.

 ⟦ The high officials of the country gave me a difficult problem: to build a mobile weapon with the lowest budget. It's simply impossible... I tried pretending I had gone mad, running around in just my underwear.

But the female researcher told me to quickly take off my underwear, too. This country is probably doomed. So I casually slapped a spider onto a piece of paper and submitted it, but I never expected it to pass. ⟧

“.....” Everyone involuntarily turned their gaze to the white bones on the seat, while Aqua continued to softly read the diary entries.

 ⟦ They talk about a power source; it's none of my business. If you're so capable, go find the legendary Coronatite!

In the flashback, an old man in a white robe appeared, grumbling at the window. The scene then shifted, and he glanced at the Coronatite before him, looking a bit flustered.

They actually found it! What do I do! If it still doesn't move, it's a death sentence... Please, move! ⟧

Aqua turned a page of the diary in a rather subtle atmosphere:

 ⟦ It's over, it's going berserk right now, the country is destroyed, oh no! ...But it feels a bit good, satisfying... Alright, I've decided, I'll spend the rest of my life here.

Because I can't get down, and it can't be stopped! The person who made this thing must be an idiot. Eh... I think I'm the one who made this. ⟧

“Are... are you kidding me?!” All the adventurers, except Wiz and Aqua, shouted in unison. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“If it weren't for this absurd effect, this story would indeed be quite heavy... BUT!! Said in this tone, I don't think I can even feel sad, damn it.”

“Hahaha... It's actually quite tragic. Imagine how many people are in a country, but for some reason, I just want to laugh!”

“From a certain perspective, this inventor is absolutely amazing, isn't he? He literally created an unstoppable mobile disaster out of nothing.”

Everyone looked at the mobile fortress, dubbed the Destroyer, and learned it was built due to such bizarre factors, immediately feeling a pang of discomfort.

No wonder the kingdom that invented the mobile fortress was destroyed; turns out they were all idiots. Is there not a single normal person in that world?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Da Vinci, known as the universal genius, felt a headache coming on, somewhat speechless:

“Slapping a spider on paper as a blueprint and submitting it actually passed...”

Is the client so easy to please? This is clearly a perfunctory attitude, and the kingdom actually believed it.

The key is that they actually managed to build a mobile fortress based on such nonsense. Is their practical ability overly strong?

Dr. Roman's mood was also very complex at this moment. This diary... how to put it, it's seriously saying all sorts of outrageous things.

But even though the entire country was destroyed, after hearing such a heavy story, it almost made him burst out laughing. Can you believe it?

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“It's because of such a reason... Is that kingdom full of idiots?!”

The people of this world were all going crazy. What kind of monster did they piece together like this?! It caused them to rebuild their towns again and again.

And... this old researcher is too much, isn't he? How much do you hate that country?! It was destroyed, and you even felt a bit satisfied. What's with that mindset?

Kazuma was completely stunned after reading it. This is too outrageous:

“Completely given up... This old man felt it was hopeless, so he just lay down.”

Aqua, standing beside him, tilted her head in confusion, looking at the figure on the screen:

“This old man looks a bit familiar. I feel like I've seen him somewhere.”

“Don't tell me this is another one of your reincarnated people...”

Kazuma felt a bad premonition upon hearing this. He could guarantee that the idiotic old man on the screen definitely had something to do with Aqua. The level of idiocy was the same!

 。。。。。

【 After some searching, everyone finally found the legendary Coronatite, but they couldn't do anything with it. Kazuma and Aqua could only stare blankly at each other.

Wiz, however, thought of a method: to teleport it away using teleportation magic. But her magic power was also running low, so she could only ask Kazuma to let her absorb some magic power!

Wiz's face flushed slightly as she leaned close to Kazuma, placing her hands on his cheeks, her slightly moist red lips full of temptation: “Would you please let me suck it out?”

“With pleasure!” Kazuma didn't hesitate at all; he wouldn't ask such a foolish question as “suck it out?

Wiz's alluring lips were slightly moist, and she began to lean closer to Kazuma, who quickly closed his eyes.

Father, Mother! I'm going to become an adult in another world...

“Sorry, Drain Touch!” The imagined kiss didn't come. The magic power in his body, along with his stamina, was transferred into Wiz's body through the touch of her hands.

Wiz also let go of his hand just as Kazuma was about to lose consciousness, greatly disappointed... 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, truly Sadistic Kazuma, you never hesitate when faced with these lewd situations.”

“Let out a sigh of relief. I almost thought Kazuma was going to get lucky.”

'Would you please let me suck it out?'... What kind of terrible line is that! No wonder Kazuma misunderstood, but it doesn't diminish everyone's admiration for Kazuma.

He's truly a role model for us! Lustful but not out of control. Although Kazuma is sadistic, he has never done anything in that regard, but everyone knows that if he wanted to, he'd have plenty of opportunities.

 。。。。。

【 Although it wasn't the absorption method Kazuma hoped for, after absorbing magic power, Wiz was at least able to use teleportation magic.

But now there was another problem: because teleportation magic is random, it would be bad if it were teleported to a densely populated area.

Seeing the Coronatite getting redder and redder, the arrow was on the string, and it had to be fired! Kazuma grasped Wiz's hand: “The world is vast, don't worry, I'll take all the responsibility!”

“Don't look at me like this, my luck is actually very good!”

Wiz felt much more at ease upon hearing this and cast teleportation magic, sending it to an unknown place.

But things weren't that simple. The remaining giant spider began to vibrate violently. If left unchecked, the novice village would turn into a sea of fire!

Kazuma was speechless: “What's the point of teleporting the Coronatite away like this?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, the resolve they finally made was all for nothing; in the end, it still has to explode!”

“I'll take all the responsibility... I have a bad feeling about this. Could it be that it blew up the Demon King's Castle?!”

Everyone's hearts suddenly skipped a beat when Kazuma declared his bold words of taking all responsibility, feeling like he had just set up a huge flag.

Although Kazuma's luck is very high, don't forget you have a useless goddess with very low luck by your side!

With such a combination, according to the unreliable tropes of that world, could it be that it was teleported to their home?!

 。。。。。

Chapter 356: Waiting for Aqua is equivalent to a humanoid nuclear missile!

Chapter Text

【 Though speechless, Kazuma quickly offered a solution: “Let's do another Explosion!”

Wiz's voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears: “I'm out of Mana!”

“Mana... Mana!”

Kazuma pondered for a moment. If anyone had an Abundance of Mana, it would naturally be that useless goddess.

Aqua was still muttering to herself: “Now that I think about it, all the debts are recorded at the adventure guild here... If it gets blown up, won't I have to pay them back?”

Kazuma grabbed Aqua, figuring that since this idiotic goddess had so much Mana, he might as well absorb a ton and share it with Wiz.

“AAAHHH—!” The sudden Drain Touch caught Aqua off guard, leaving her no time to resist, and she shrieked.

However, Wiz was an Undead. If divine mana were injected into her, she would likely be purified on the spot. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“At this pace, we might as well have destroyed it from the beginning... The Coronatite transfer ended up being pointless.”

“Hey, hey!! What a terrible idea from this useless goddess, though it makes perfect sense to her.”

If the creditor is gone, there's no debt. This certainly fit the peculiar thought process of this goddess of wisdom, but... was now the time to be thinking about this?

Everyone from other worlds looked at Aqua with subtle expressions, showing that they hadn't misjudged her, though they still couldn't keep up with her thought process.

As a goddess, at such a critical juncture, to be thinking not about how to save the populace, but about how to evade debt, was truly something else.

 。。。。。

【 Just at this critical moment, a burly man arrived carrying Megumin, and now all the village's hopes rested on this crazy girl.

The burly man crossed his arms over his chest, then gave a profound thumbs-up:

“There's only one chance. Bet it all on your radiance.”

Just as it was about to begin, Wiz told Kazuma that the Drain Touch worked best when applied to the skin closest to the heart!

So, while Megumin was still excited, Kazuma reached his hand behind her back: “To use Explosion twice in one day... Ahaha—!!!”

Megumin's face flushed crimson, and she shrieked: “What are you doing? Is this sexual harassment?! Even in an emergency, is this sexual harassment?”

Seeing this, Aqua's resistance became even more fierce, completely unwilling to let Kazuma reach behind her. In the end, they could only compromise, with Kazuma grabbing both their collars.

Extracting Mana from Aqua and transferring it to Megumin, the latter's face lit up with excitement: “It's coming, it's coming... This will unleash the strongest Explosion yet!”

“More, just a little more... This is bad, this is bad!”

“Oh, blackness shrouded in light... Frenzied blaze clad in night... ”

Megumin felt the immense Mana surging through her body and abruptly removed her eye patch: “Forget the incantation! No one's beating me when it comes to quality explosion magic! Here I go! My Ultimate destructive spell...”

Subsequently, a Magic Circle even larger and more numerous than before appeared above the remnants of the Mobile Fortress, with colorful specks of starlight encircling Megumin.

“EXPLOSION—! ”

The sky was dyed red. As the perspective continuously zoomed out, accompanied by a tremendous roar, a massive mushroom cloud rose into the air. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, don't think that just because you're burly and speak grandiosely, I don't know you're just a tailor!”

“While the useless goddess is terrible at everything, her Mana reserves are simply exaggerated. No matter how much is absorbed, her Mana remains bottomless.”

“How many incantations are there? I was eager to learn them, but now the incantation has been changed again?”

The previously chattering crowd gasped at the sight of the giant mushroom cloud, their bodies instantly stiffening. The power was simply outrageous.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“This power...”

Even Seiya Ryuuguuin's usually poker face showed some emotion. This level of attack could be used to defeat a Demon King.

It must be said that the Drain Touch was truly useful. With Aqua, the bottomless Mana source, the drawback of Megumin, the Arch-Wizard, only being able to use Magic once a day, was directly eliminated.

He also had to admit that Kazuma was indeed very clever. He knew what his team lacked and didn't insist on learning powerful Magic, but instead balanced the existing problems of the team.

Ristarte made a comical face, quite proud:

“Hehe, Seiya! This is the effect of having a goddess help! You should rely more on me, your Goddess!”

It wasn't easy, you know how hard it is to wait for Goddess Aqua to be useful? Although it currently seemed Aqua was just a healing item, at least she was working.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Touma Kamijou was somewhat dumbfounded:

“As expected of Ultimate Magic. Just the shockwave alone could probably wipe out half a town. It's probably going to cost a lot of money again.”

Aqua was essentially a power bank, so Kazuma was the charging cable. Perhaps... only in such situations could that idiotic goddess be useful.

But what was the difference between this and the Mobile Fortress just exploding on its own? It might as well have just blown itself up; maybe the power wouldn't have been so great.

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“If Aqua kept giving Megumin Mana, could she instantly kill the so-called Demon King?”

Seeing such powerful Magic, Frieren also became interested. The only regret was that Megumin's anti-piracy awareness was a bit too strong; her incantations were different every time, which bothered her.

Fern gripped her staff, somewhat uncertain:

“It should be possible... After all, Goddess Aqua's Mana seems bottomless.”

The explosion's power seemed to be determined by the amount of Mana output, so Megumin's Explosion combined with Aqua's Mana could definitely catch the Demon King by surprise.

From another perspective, Goddess Aqua was truly a top-tier support, with the highest levels of purification, healing, resurrection, and almost infinite Mana.

Goddess Aqua was so powerful that a small flaw, like not being very smart, was easy to overlook.

 。。。。。

【 The final operation was successful. The group successfully protected the beginner village, and Kazuma experienced the feeling of being an adventurer for the first time.

The scene shifted. Aqua found Kazuma in his room, saying that a knight had come from the capital, specifically asking to see Kazuma.

Kazuma thought he had come personally to deliver a reward for his contributions and hurried to the Adventurers' Guild to collect it.

The black-haired woman with glasses: “Adventurer Satou Kazuma, you are now suspected of treason! The Coronatite transferred under your command... blew up the mansion of Prime Minister Alderp!”

Aqua tilted her head in confusion: “What, no reward money?”

Megumin, sensing trouble, pulled down her hat and turned to leave: “The next adventure calls to me.”

Aqua, realizing belatedly, cried and tugged at Kazuma's collar: “You've become a criminal, Kazuma! Forget about defeating the Demon King!”

Kazuma was utterly despairing of this treacherous world. If there was a chance to go to another parallel world, please send him to a wonderful world where he could truly shine! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, before it was just debt, now it's straight-up criminal. The harder they try, the worse they get.”

“There were only a few people at the time. No matter how they found out, couldn't Kazuma just deny it?”

“Hahaha, is Aqua's reaction trying to kill me with laughter? They said he was convicted of treason, and she's still wondering why there's no reward?”

But everyone couldn't understand. Kazuma saved a town, accidentally blew up a high-ranking official's house, and not only was there no reward, but he was directly branded with treason without even a trial.

How brain-dead were the higher-ups in this world? Wasn't this clearly trying to force people to rebel?

He had at least dealt with a Mobile Fortress that could destroy an entire country. That achievement, no matter how you look at it, was greater than your one house.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern was somewhat puzzled:

“Huh, there's a problem with this country's handling method... This counts as treason?”

Instead of resisting the Demon King, they're causing internal strife here. And Kazuma and Aqua are a hero and a goddess, with no ties here. What if they quit? Who will fight the Demon King?

Don't let Kazuma's team's quirks fool you; this is a man who killed a Demon King Army executive without even leaving the beginner village, plus a Mobile Fortress that an entire country couldn't handle.

Frieren also felt incredibly confused. Based on her experience traveling with the hero Himmel, this was quite unreasonable.

Thinking of this, Frieren murmured:

“Debt... treason. Be careful not to push Kazuma too far.”

Kazuma wasn't an ordinary hero. Given his flexible moral bottom line and unprincipled character, running away was highly probable.

Aqua, needless to say, though foolish, was a professional when it came to escaping.

And Megumin, that troubled girl, could do anything. She might even follow Kazuma, launching a nuclear bomb every day. Is the kingdom sure it can withstand that?

 。。。。。

Chapter 357: Season 2? Aqua's Earth-Shattering, Vulgar Wisdom

Chapter Text

【 “No way!!” Kazuma woke up with a start in a prison cell, squatting in a corner on the verge of tears: “I wanna go home...”

Rewind to yesterday. The kingdom's prosecutor wanted to arrest Kazuma for treason. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but because he blew up the lord's mansion, they suspected him of being a terrorist.

Facing such accusations, Megumin immediately stepped forward to defend Kazuma: “Without Kazuma's decisive action in the Mobile Fortress battle, there would have been many more casualties!”

“Megumin...” Kazuma was deeply moved by her words. Just as he thought his teammates were reliable, Megumin's tone shifted: “Kazuma only commits minor offenses like sexual harassment at most.”

Darkness also stepped forward, stating there must be a misunderstanding: “This man doesn't have that kind of courage. He's the type who'd make beastly expressions at me in revealing clothes at home, but wouldn't even dare to raid at night—he's useless!”

Even the adventurers from the Guild couldn't stand it and protested: “That's right, Kazuma is an adventurer, not a criminal! This is an abuse of state power. Adventurers are free.”

“Freedom—, FREEDOM!!!”

Facing this group of adventurers, the prosecutor calmly pushed up his glasses: “The crime of subverting the state applies to those other than the main culprit... If you want to go to prison with him, I won't stop you.”

The adventurers who were just shouting “freedom” all quieted down, and the entire Guild fell into silence once again.

Aqua and Megumin immediately distanced themselves from Kazuma, performing a tactical repositioning away from him.

“I remember Kazuma saying something like, 'I'll take all responsibility' back then,” Aqua suddenly blurted out.

Megumin, who had just been staunchly supporting Kazuma, also changed her tune. Though no one asked her, she loudly muttered to herself: “If... if I had been there, I definitely could have stopped Kazuma, but unfortunately, I wasn't there, so there was nothing I could do... Mm, nothing.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, Kazuma truly lives up to his title as the bravest hero with the highest luck stat. How lucky must he be to encounter such a 'united' group of teammates in history?”

“Pfft... Haha, this is absolutely hilarious. Kazuma's useless teammates, if they hesitated even for a second when distancing themselves, it would be disrespecting their friendship!”

Everyone from other worlds nearly died laughing at this 'loving' scene. It was their first time seeing such an absurd hero squad, showcasing humanity to its fullest.

And Megumin, your alibi just doesn't hold up! If you weren't there, then who do you suppose cast the Explosion magic?

。。。。。

〜The Rising of the Shield Hero World〜

Naofumi Iwatani, who had just been summoned to another world, couldn't help but feel a little indignant:

“There were no casualties, and Kazuma saved the town after all!”

A hero who saves a town is treated this way, and each of them distancing themselves is just too much. What kind of teammates are these?

“My teammates should be more reliable!”

Naofumi Iwatani, having just become the Shield Hero, needed to level up and equip himself to save the world. For this, the king arranged for other adventurers to join his party.

Since joining was voluntary, no one chose him. Just as he was feeling down, Miss Myne, with her red hair, expressed her willingness to team up with him.

Naofumi Iwatani was deeply moved by this... Look, compared to Kazuma's teammates, what a considerate girl Miss Myne is!

She would definitely be very reliable. After buying equipment with Miss Myne, his adventure in this other world was about to begin.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Pfft... Hahaha...”

Shirai Kuroko, who had been suppressing her laughter for a long time at this scene, finally couldn't hold it in anymore. She lay on the bed, her body shaking with laughter.

“So, sexual harassment is considered a minor offense when it comes to Kazuma?”

What kind of strange excuses are Megumin and Darkness making? They're only making things worse, practically describing Kazuma as a perverted lecher... Uh, well, maybe they weren't wrong.

But in a sense, Kazuma's party is also very united. They don't even need to discuss selling out their teammate; they distance themselves with perfect synchronicity.

“That useless goddess...”

Misaka Mikoto, beside her, watched Kuroko laughing hysterically, still speechless. This development was a bit off!

According to a normal hero's worldview, a hero who saves a town should then go to meet the king, receive commendations, and gain the princess's favor! Directly reaching the pinnacle of life.

Now, let alone the pinnacle of life, Kazuma has fallen to rock bottom. It's the first time seeing a hero who saved a town end up in jail for such a bizarre reason.

。。。。。

【 Just then, Wiz emerged from the crowd, wanting to take responsibility, but Aqua clapped a hand over her mouth: “No, Wiz, it's best if the casualties are limited to one person!”

“Though it's painful, please bear with it.” Aqua then flashed a brilliant smile: “Let's quietly wait until Kazuma finishes his labor reform.”

Kazuma wished he could give that useless goddess a good beating: “Even without you guys, I still have everyone in the Guild supporting me!”

As Kazuma scanned the Guild, the adventurers all averted their gaze before meeting his eyes. Thus, Kazuma looked with hopeful eyes at Luna.

The counter lady was startled, looked left and right, then pointed her gaze at the table: “There's dust...”

And so, at the prosecutor's command, Kazuma was thrown into prison, on the verge of tears in his cell. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma has a reason for not seeing Aqua as a goddess. I have to say, besides being an idiot, Aqua is truly useless.”

“She truly, I could cry... It has to be you! Look at Aqua's brilliant smile, what suffering this is.”

Honestly, with so many people bullying Kazuma, everyone was a little fed up. If it were anyone else, they'd probably have turned dark long ago!

。。。。。

【 “Boom—!!” Just as Kazuma was on the verge of tears, a huge explosion suddenly rang out from outside. As Kazuma wondered what it was, Aqua poked her head through the iron bars.

That's right, she was there to help Kazuma escape. The earlier explosion was Megumin's Explosion magic, used to attract the guards.

Aqua then threw a wire through the bars to him, looking utterly confident: “First, use this wire to pick the lock, then use your Stealth skill to escape the prison! Finally, go home and prepare to flee tonight!”

After all, the crime of subverting the state carried the death penalty, and for an adventurer of unknown origin like Kazuma, facts might be twisted to have him executed.

“Then I'll wait for you outside!” With that, Aqua left, seemingly even stumbling once.

Kazuma picked up the wire, speechless, and looked at the cell lock... It was a combination lock that required turning 8 digits to the correct position to open.

“Time to sleep...” Kazuma simply tossed the wire away, burrowed into his blanket, and went to sleep.

Snow had already begun to fall, and Aqua was still squatting outside the city walls, dutifully waiting for Kazuma to emerge. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, truly the Goddess of Wisdom, Aqua. The plan is good, but the first step is a bit difficult... Is this combination lock trying to kill me with laughter?”

Everyone was stunned by Aqua's astonishing wisdom... Did Aqua not think of using Explosion magic to blow up the wall to attract attention?

But thinking about it, it's too much to ask the not-quite-sane Aqua to come up with a normal plan.

And with Kazuma's luck, he could definitely take his time to figure out the combination lock, or even just run away himself. But after being treated this way, Kazuma had also given up.

。。。。。

〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜

“Goddess Aqua... Eh! Never mind, never mind, for her, she's done well enough.”

Yuji Itadori sighed. For an idiot, she had done quite well.

Looking at the 8-digit combination lock, then at the wire Aqua threw in, he understood at that moment the importance of having a reliable teammate.

Gojo Satoru said with a smile:

“Although Aqua might not be all there mentally, she did wait outside in the snow all night.”

Everyone laughs at Aqua for being a ditz, but everyone wishes they had an Aqua by their side.

。。。。。

【 “Boom—” Another familiar explosion sounded. Aqua returned to the cell, complaining to Kazuma with a bewildered expression.

“They returned without being discovered, yet for some reason, they were immediately identified as the perpetrators of the explosion!”

“The investigative capabilities of this world are not to be underestimated.”

However, this time, Aqua was very confident because she had Megumin wear a hood, so she wouldn't be discovered.

Then, after Aqua learned the cell door was a combination lock, she triumphantly pulled out a hacksaw and threw it in.

Kazuma looked at the two-meter-high window sill, speechless: “Can't reach it...”

“No problem, I'm not an idiot!” Aqua looked as if she had anticipated this. She brought Kazuma's stepping stool with her.

But the window was so small, how could she throw it in? This also didn't stump the clever Aqua. She ran to the guard with the stepping stool in her arms.

Then Kazuma heard Aqua and the guard arguing from his cell: “No, this is something Kazuma needs. It's a (comfort item) for him.”

The guard was naturally not a fool: “Never heard of a stepping stool as a (comfort item).”

Kazuma was also speechless. Rather than waiting for the useless goddess's rescue, it was quicker to just sleep. He burrowed back into his covers and slept soundly. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha... I can't... I really can't stop laughing this time... Aqua is an absolute genius, nothing can stump her... Haha.”

“Wearing a hood... How did she come up with such a brilliant idea? It's the otherworld version of burying one's head in the sand. What good is it besides fooling herself?”

“I'm not an idiot either... Hahaha, where does Aqua get this inexplicable confidence from!”

Everyone from other worlds was practically doubled over with laughter. Goddess Aqua, can't you use your clever little head to think? How many people in the entire town can use Explosion magic? How do you think they found out?

And Megumin and Darkness, these two might just be geniuses on par with Aqua! They actually believed this hooded idea...

It's absolutely brilliant! It almost killed them with laughter. Without Kazuma, the three outside couldn't even collectively form one brain cell.

。。。。。

Chapter 358: Magical Item Measurement, and a Truly Large-Scale Social Death Scene!

Chapter Text

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Wahahahaha… This… This idiot goddess.”

Ristarte burst out laughing without any regard for her image, practically laughing until tears streamed down her face:

“She finally understands how difficult it is to be with Kazuma, haha.”

Ryuguuin Seiya was also taken aback by Aqua's actions, remaining silent for a moment:

“Didn't she think about sawing through the iron bars with a saw and then throwing the stepping stool in?”

Aqua actually brazenly wanted the guards to deliver the stepping stool… No wonder she's called the Goddess of Wisdom; who else could come up with such a genius idea?

Sending a stepping stool in the middle of the night for no reason as a comfort item for Kazuma? Does she think everyone is an idiot? What's the difference between this and directly asking the guards to open the door for her?

And Aqua, getting caught wearing a hood… It’s not so much underestimating the inspection efforts of this world as it is overestimating her own smarts. Does she really think everyone’s as gullible as she is?

Out of caution, Ryuguuin Seiya glanced at the useless goddess Ristarte beside him and became a little more vigilant.

Although not as smart as Aqua! Her rich facial expressions are enough to show that Ristarte is no ordinary goddess. She might even be comparable to Aqua. It would be troublesome if she tricked him, so it's better to be a little more cautious.

〜OVERLORD World〜

Ainz was stunned, even beginning to doubt his life:

“Why am I, of all people, restrained by this airhead goddess…”

It made him fear that such goddesses might exist outside. Although Aqua wasn't very bright, if he ignored Aqua's power, then he would be the idiot.

Albedo's expression also stiffened. It was her first time seeing a truly idiotic person:

“She has intelligence, but not much…”

Picking a lock with a wire, wearing a hood, sawing iron bars—this series of plans directly exposed her weaknesses completely, Goddess Aqua!

No wonder Kazuma, despite being so weak, could be the leader. It turns out that among the four of them, only Kazuma had a brain!

Thinking this, Albedo quickly averted her gaze from the screen, because she was afraid that looking at it for too long would lower her intelligence and turn her into an Aqua-like imbecile.

 。。。。。

【 And so, Aqua's meticulously planned rescue mission failed once again.

The next day, Kazuma was brought to the interrogation room. The prosecutor took out a magical lie-detecting tool and began to ask Kazuma about his birthplace and his previous occupation.

“Born in Japan, where I was a student!”

“Ding—” As soon as the words fell, the magical tool rang, and Kazuma, dumbfounded, quickly explained that he wasn't lying.

“Ding…” Then the magical tool rang again, and the knight responsible for taking notes quickly wrote down his words and actions.

Kazuma seemed to understand something and dejectedly answered again: “My birthplace is Japan, and I spent every day at home wallowing in self-pity.”

The prosecutor stared at the magical tool, and when it didn't ring this time, he asked seriously: “So… what was your motive for becoming an adventurer?”

Kazuma, as a matter of course, said: “To save the people persecuted by the Demon King's army…”

“Ding—!” Before he could finish speaking, the magical tool's sound rang again.

Facing the prosecutor's scrutinizing gaze, Kazuma completely gave up and said nonchalantly: “Adventurers seem cool, they make easy money and are surrounded by beautiful girls…”

Listening to the knight behind him quickly taking notes, Kazuma was on the verge of a breakdown, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. All his little secrets were spilled. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This isn't a magical lie detector at all, it's a life review instrument that kills the heart as well as the body.”

“Hahaha, it really is high-energy throughout. Kazuma's expression of despair, like he's telling the prosecutor… 'Don't ask anymore, I'd rather die!'”

Seeing Kazuma, who was on the verge of social death, everyone's expressions became a little pitiful. What's the difference between this and publicly announcing your fetishes? This is too much social death.

As expected of the perverse Kazuma, even his reason for becoming an adventurer is so simple and unadorned: he just thought it was cool, he could make money, and attract beautiful girls.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

“This magic tool is too terrifying!”

Seeing Kazuma expose himself in public, Rudy's back was completely drenched. This thing shouldn't even exist.

What is this? A large-scale public execution, a social death scene, where all your little secrets are spilled out for everyone to see!

Fortunately, it didn't ask about that aspect; otherwise, Kazuma would probably have confessed everything and still wanted to preserve his innocence.

If he had known such a situation, he might as well have tried to crack the password lock and escape. With Kazuma's high luck, after a few tries, the door might have opened.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“NOOOO!!! Don't ask… Please! I confess, I confess everything.”

Kazuma felt the shame of having his secrets exposed, squirming around like a pervert.

Aqua and Megumin performed a tactical shift, subtly moving away from Kazuma.

And the surrounding adventurers, looking at Kazuma who suddenly went crazy again, seemed to have long been accustomed to it. It was like a dilapidated house getting a few more holes, it wouldn't make much difference.

The muscular man with the rooster comb hair came to Kazuma's side again, giving a thumbs up:

“Welcome to the entrance of hell.”

“Seriously, are you really not some veteran adventurer?”

Kazuma became even more distraught at the words.

You're a tailor, and you're always in the adventurer's guild, that's fine, but why do you always speak with such a tone! You wouldn't happen to be some hidden big shot in the beginner's village, would you!

 。。。。。

【 At this point, Kazuma also became anxious, telling the prosecutor that he really did it to save the town, and blowing up the lord's house was completely an accident.

Seeing that the magic tool didn't ring, the prosecutor also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she might have been mistaken, because the rumors about him weren't very good, which caused her to have some misunderstandings.

The prosecutor's attitude suddenly changed, her tone became much more humble and reasonable, and she even bowed deeply to Kazuma in apology.

Seeing the prosecutor's suddenly changed attitude, Kazuma immediately took advantage of it, scolding the latter and even asking her to make him tea.

And facing Kazuma, who had been cleared of suspicion, the prosecutor was very obedient, stood up to make tea, and then was scolded by Kazuma again!

“So cold! Can't the prosecutor here even make tea! Looking at your strict demeanor in the police station, you definitely don't have a boyfriend, right….”

“No!” The prosecutor stared at Kazuma expressionlessly, saying decisively, “That's right, this is my personality, so I don't have any men chasing me at this age. Are you satisfied?”

Seeing that the magic tool didn't ring, Kazuma felt the prosecutor's sharp gaze, and his momentarily smug appearance was beaten back to its original state. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, you really can't eat while watching this video. Pervert Kazuma instantly turned the tables, almost forgetting who was interrogating whom.”

“Oh my god, this magic tool is a double-edged sword. You can accidentally expose your own secrets! Kazuma is in trouble now; he accurately stepped on a landmine.”

Everyone burst into laughter watching Kazuma's ever-changing face; it was too despicable.

You thought he was an adventurer? Wrong, he's more like a high-IQ hooligan! He directly turned the tables, truly deserving the title of “Scum Hero”…

And did they forget that there's still a knight taking notes? Is it really okay for you to repeatedly step on the other party's landmines like this?

The knight behind never stopped writing furiously. No wonder he's a professional; he doesn't even crack a smile when hearing these hilarious secrets.

 。。。。。

【 “Don't get carried away!” The prosecutor pushed up her glasses, staring at Kazuma with a very oppressive gaze.

“Do you know what the locals call you? 'Scumzuma, Trashzuma…'”

Looking at Kazuma, who was somewhat flustered, the prosecutor sighed wearily. To be on the safe side, she asked one last question: “Are you really unrelated to the Demon King's army? You have no dealings with the Demon King's army executives, do you?”

“No, I…”

“Ding—”

Kazuma's expression was a little stiff, beads of cold sweat on his face as he continued, “It seems… is it that… impressive!”

The prosecutor's face instantly became alert. Hearing the magic tool's bell ring, Kazuma belatedly remembered that Wiz was one of the Demon King's executives… 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“'Scumzuma… Trashzuma', these nicknames are really fitting, and the key is that there's no way to refute them.”

“Now he's really done for. That was truly a terrible question to ask.”

Everyone realized that this magic tool was pretty amazing. Even when Kazuma himself had forgotten, it could determine the truthfulness of his statement. Does that mean it knows everything?

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern was somewhat incredulous:

“Miss Wiz? Is she really a Demon King's army executive…?”

Not only does she purify the undead from time to time, but she also works with Kazuma to save the beginner's village. She's more like a goddess than the goddess Aqua.

Wiz, rather than being a Demon King's army executive, is more like an outsourced contractor for the Demon King's Castle barrier. At most, she's just doing a job, a nominal position.

And looking at the belatedly realizing Kazuma, Frieren also sighed and covered her face with her hand:

“Not only is he connected to a Demon King's army executive, but he's also a hero, can you believe it?”

Even that incredibly useful magic skill he learned from Wiz. You can't say there's no connection, only that the relationship is profound.

Normally, what hero would go to a Demon King's army executive to learn skills! It would be good if they didn't start fighting as soon as they met.

 。。。。。

Chapter 359: It's okay, I'll make that prosecutor cry!

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts to the execution ground. Kazuma, handcuffed, stands in the defendant's dock, so tense his whole body is stiff and he's breathing heavily!

As one of Kazuma's defense attorneys, Megumin notices his tension: “It's okay, I'll make that prosecutor cry!”

Darkness, standing on the left, also looks confident: “Don't worry, you did nothing wrong this time.”

The latter is so touched he's almost in tears. So reliable… So incredibly reliable! But… Kazuma looks at Aqua with some worry in his eyes.

Seemingly noticing Kazuma's gaze, Aqua pats her chest and guarantees, “It's fine, leave everything to me!”

Seeing Aqua’s over-the-top confidence, Kazuma instantly comes to a conclusion: this guy is trouble! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait… Do you think any of your teammates are reliable? Those two being there is the real big problem!”

“Entrusting them with the defense is less practical than hiring a great lawyer like Ryuuichi; at least he could change a death sentence to twenty years in prison.”

And… Aqua, look at what you're saying, “leave it to me”? Just let that little head, capable of coming up with shocking prison break plans, rest. Otherwise, you're really dead.

That being said, everyone still looks at Kazuma with some surprise. Given his personality, it's quite something that he hasn't implicated Wiz yet.

As for Megumin saying she can make the prosecutor cry… Hehe, everyone lets out a chuckle. You're guaranteed to lose, little brother Kazuma! They only ever disappoint you when it comes to screwing you over.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Mikoto Misaka's mouth twitches as she watches this scene, thinking only that Kazuma is doomed:

“Megumin, Darkness, Aqua… What kind of divine lineup of defense attorneys is this? There's no hope, just wait for the death sentence.”

A chunibyo, a perverted knight, plus a dimwitted goddess. Having three teammates who can't collectively form one brain to act as defense, are they trying to make his crime even bigger?!

Shirai Kuroko follows up with a complaint:

“Why does Kazuma only think Aqua is the problem?…”

Those two, who can wear hoods and pull off an 'hiding one's ears while stealing a bell' act in another world, can only be said to be on par with Aqua's intelligence.

Also, why don't you guess why Megumin is called “the girl with some screw loose in her head” by adventurers? Are you sure this thing is really reliable?

They're really not reliable! Everyone in your squad has problems in their heads. In other words, anyone with a normal brain simply wouldn't join your squad.

 。。。。。

【 Aqua and the other two confidently stand in the defense and prosecution seats. The prosecutor steps forward to declare Kazuma's charge of treason, then begins to take testimony from witnesses.

The first witness is Chris, the thief whose panties Kazuma stole. The prosecutor asks her if this is true.

“Uh… That's true, but that was…” Chris is about to explain when a red-haired mage from outside the court suddenly interrupts her.

“I saw it, the scene of underwear flying in the alley!” The red-haired mage's hand tremblingly points at Kazuma in the defendant's dock.

Kazuma, being pointed at, breaks out in a cold sweat and panics, breathing heavily and profusely!

Just like that, the prosecutor neatly concludes the first witness's conversation and dismisses Chris from the court.

The second witness is the hero Mitsurugi. The prosecutor asks him if it's true that Kazuma stole his magic sword and then sold it.

Mitsurugi doesn't blame Kazuma: “Yes… Yes, but ultimately, I caused it…”

But the prosecutor doesn't care about that. As long as the evidence is solid, he directly dismisses him and welcomes the third witness, who are Mitsurugi's two female companions.

The prosecutor states the charges: “When attempting to reclaim the magic sword, were you threatened to take off your underwear in public?!”

These two girls won't give Kazuma any face and immediately accuse him of his crimes: “That's right, he said something like, 'my steal skill is about to explode in public!'” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Tsk tsk… Public execution, then digging up old dirt. Might as well just bash your head against the courtroom floor and die!”

“What's with this prosecutor? Doesn't listen to the witnesses' full statements, just half of them. You should listen to their 'buts' too.”

Everyone finds it amusing and a bit speechless. What's with the red-haired girl in the audience? Who asked you… It's a shame Kazuma saved the town several times, yet he's treated like this.

Moreover, this prosecutor seems to have a problem, too. After hearing the testimony she wants, she completely denies the witness the opportunity to continue speaking.

However, the hero Mitsurugi has good character. Even after Kazuma sold his magic sword, he didn't take advantage of the situation to kick him while he was down. Instead, he told it like it is and even took responsibility upon himself.

Just wonder if this poor hero has found his magic sword back by now.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Even Natsuki Subaru, attempting to defend his fellow countryman, is awkwardly speechless:

“It seems Kazuma is a bit naughty after all…”

In his heart, he's frantic. What good deeds has his fellow countryman from Japan done?!

Being a pervert on the street and using vulgar gestures to threaten girls is one thing, and there's no shortage of eyewitnesses, so there's no way to clean it up.

That being said, Emilia slightly frowns, harboring doubts:

“This prosecutor lady seems to be taking things out of context… Kazuma is, at most, a ruffian.”

Although most of what she said is true and undeniable, what does it have to do with treason? These things at most prove that Kazuma is a small-time thug.

It's just a personality issue, and it doesn't change the fact that Kazuma saved the town. His merits clearly outweigh his faults.

 。。。。。

【 Facing the establishment of multiple testimonies, Kazuma's mind goes blank, feeling he can't clear his name. At this moment, Megumin, as a defense attorney, suddenly stands up and voices her objection!

“I admit Kazuma's personality is twisted, but the testimony is insufficient evidence. If you say Kazuma is a terrorist, then bring out more evidence!”

Aqua also excitedly stands up and echoes: “That's right, evidence!”

Hearing this, the prosecutor is not intimidated: “Firstly, although he defeated the Headless Knight, he caused immense damage to the town with a flood!”

Aqua immediately wilts, covering her ears with both hands, her body instinctively trembling.

“Secondly, he used Explosion magic near the town, altering the terrain and ecosystem. In recent days, he's even caused noise pollution late at night!”

Then even Megumin covers her ears, turning her head away, pretending not to have heard anything.

“Thirdly, eyewitnesses claim that Kazuma can actually use undead skills!”

Kazuma, who was just secretly cursing Megumin and the others for being useless, also covers his ears with both hands, sweating profusely and deceiving himself. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, these defense attorneys are indeed unreliable. They couldn't stand up to even one sentence.”

“One second Megumin was confidently saying she'd make the prosecutor cry, the next she's almost crying herself from what was said.”

Everyone looks at the three self-deceiving individuals making the same gesture with teasing expressions. Birds of a feather flock together! Not a single one of them is reliable.

Then, thinking about it, Darkness seems quite reliable. She's the only one who hasn't “collapsed” yet!… Provided you ignore her perverted personality.

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios, looking at Kazuma, who seems to have been nailed to the gallows by the evidence, vaguely senses something amiss:

“He's being led astray by the prosecutor…”

“Evidence one: 'The flood was caused by Aqua, but it was attributed to Kazuma. Moreover, he defeated a Devil King Army executive at the cost of only part of the city walls, but she doesn't mention his merit.'

“Evidence two: 'Is even less of a big deal, merely noise harassment, also forcibly attributed to Kazuma.'

“As for evidence three, 'it's true that Kazuma learned undead skills, but he used those skills to save the town. If he were connected to the Devil King Army, why would he save the town?'

“The most important point is, if Kazuma had ties to the Devil King Army, how do you explain him defeating the Headless Knight, who was also a general!”

As Laios speaks, he notices Senshi and the others all looking at him with incredulous eyes… It turns out this guy's brain, besides remembering monsters, is unexpectedly useful.

Marcille suddenly realizes:

“That's right! Kazuma's act of defeating the Headless Knight is enough to prove he has no connection to the Devil King Army!”

Why didn't I think of that before? Was I really dumbed down by Aqua, too?

 。。。。。

【 The prosecutor then states the most important piece of evidence: during the interrogation, a magic item confirmed Kazuma's connection to the Devil King Army!

His companions are completely out of ideas, and at this point, the lord also grows impatient: “That's enough, this fellow is undoubtedly connected to the Devil King Army!”

The lord's words jolt Kazuma awake. He thinks of a way to prove his innocence, so he shouts at the magic lie detector in front of him.

“Listen up, look closely! I am not a minion of the Devil King, nor am I a terrorist.”

Seeing that the magic lie detector doesn't make a sound, the prosecutor is dumbfounded and quickly turns to ask the judge for his opinion!

Seeing this, the judge states that due to insufficient evidence, the prosecutor's claim cannot be used as a basis for judgment! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This is the advantage of high intelligence; using the tool in reverse to prove one's innocence. Truly the only one with a brain in the squad.”

“Indeed, not a minion, nor a terrorist, but merely 'a bit related.' Kazuma seized the loophole, that's the art of language.”

When you’re out there, you’ve really got to count on yourself, because your teammates can’t be trusted at all. If it hadn’t been for Kazuma’s quick thinking, Aqua would’ve been moments away from digging into the funeral feast.

 。。。。。

Chapter 360: Aqua’s Lifelong Enemy!… The Giant Frog

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “Defendant Kazuma Satou, your suspicion is insufficient, innocent verdict…” Just as the judge was about to strike the gavel, the lord openly threatened the judge.

The pressured judge had no choice but to change his statement: “The defendant is guilty… so the verdict is…”

Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Darkness stepped forward, pulling out a golden family crest. This family was known as the king's greatest ally.

Darkness then used an arbitrary demand as a condition to take over the trial, and the lord agreed! Thus, Kazuma's verdict was deferred.

Kazuma was left with two missions: first, to prove he was not part of the Demon King's army, and second, to compensate the lord for his mansion.

Soon after, Kazuma returned to the grand mansion, but just as he was about to open the door, a group of guards burst in: “By order of the court, confiscate the defendant's private property to cover debts!”

Before long, the massive mansion was emptied of everything. Even Aqua's prized wine and Kazuma's favorite tracksuit were gone.

The debt amounted to 1,240,000,000 Eris! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Damn medieval times, the first lesson in another world: power can make people worse than devils.

“Yare yare, you can play it like this? Just let the lord sit in the judge's seat then, since he's the one calling all the shots anyway.”

Kazuma himself wasn't guilty; they just used their status to pressure him… In the end, it still comes down to whose background and status are greater; that's just boring.

From penniless to heavily indebted, Kazuma truly is a role model for heroes.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

Looking at the utterly desolate Kazuma at the end, Ainz couldn't bear it:

“How about… we rebel? If all else fails, just genuinely join the Demon King's army; there are more good people there...”

If he were treated like that, he wouldn't care about anything and would just run away. Let whoever wants to fight the Demon King fight him; he might even go help the Demon King's side.

As a hero accompanied by a goddess, this world isn't worth saving. He just couldn't swallow that indignity!

Even Albedo, the Great Guardian, felt a bit of admiration for Kazuma:

“To become a billionaire in debt at such a young age… most people couldn't do that.”

Kazuma is just too unlucky! Not only was his home ransacked, but he hadn't even paid off the previous forty million he owed, and now he's saddled with a 1.2 billion debt.

And this is before even leaving the starter village; if he did leave the starter village, imagine what would happen! He could owe an entire kingdom in minutes.

Shalltear's mouth twitched:

“Surely no hero is unluckier than him.”

He clearly has high Luck, but besides secretly stealing panties, there's no other sign of it… Ever since he brought the Goddess Aqua to another world, he's been unlucky, and it's unprecedented!

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Hearing such an enormous number, Rin Tohsaka's eyes were already spinning in circles as she vaguely stared at her hands:

“This would take until the Year of the Monkey to pay off…”

Shirou Emiya was somewhat speechless:

“How is there only debt? What about the reward for defeating the Mobile Fortress?”

That was a mobile calamity capable of destroying a kingdom; the reward for defeating it shouldn't be low. It should be enough for Kazuma to pay off all his debts.

But now, they're only focusing on Kazuma's mistakes and not even mentioning his achievements. The higher-ups in that world are a bit too dark.

And based on the previous situation where the Demon King's army executives were good people, Shirou Emiya guessed that the final boss might actually be on the human side.

Illya looked at the ransacked house and said blankly: “If I remember correctly, this house wasn't Kazuma's private property, was it?”

They were just temporarily staying there, but why did they move their things? The most outrageous part is that they didn't even spare Kazuma's tracksuit; how much could that be worth?

Now it's over before the new adventure even began, everything starts from zero again… or rather, it's even worse than before!

 。。。。。

【 Because the items in the grand mansion were stripped bare as collateral, they almost froze to death on the cold winter night!

The scene shifts, and Kazuma and his party are with the prosecutor. They arrive at the snow-covered outskirts of the city.

Because Megumin had cast too much Explosion Magic before, it caused the hibernating giant frogs to awaken. Now the prosecutor wants Kazuma to deal with the lingering issues.

“NOOO…!! I've had enough—I don't want to be eaten by frogs anymore!” Aqua, being chased by giant frogs, let out a shrill scream.

“We can't lose either, we must become stronger in this cruel world…” Megumin said very coolly with a serious expression.

If you ignore the fact that Megumin was currently in a giant frog's mouth up to her shoulders, it would indeed be very cool.

“Go save Aqua, it's so cold outside, but it's warm inside the frog's body! All I can do now is stall them.”

The prosecutor was dumbfounded; how could she be so calm despite being swallowed by a giant frog?!

Seeing this, Kazuma had no choice but to decide to try out the ranged skill he had learned from Dust's Party to rescue Aqua!

The higher the luck value for this skill, the higher the hit rate. The arrow shot through Aqua's hair and directly hit the giant frog's forehead!

Although the hit rate was indeed very high, the damage was too low. The giant frog was unharmed and swallowed Aqua whole.

“AQUA!!!” Kazuma, as usual, raised his sword high towards the motionless giant frog, rescuing Aqua.

Aqua was covered in slime, crying continuously in the snow. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Megumin has gotten so used to being in a giant frog's mouth that she's as calm as if she were at home.”

“Hahaha, the Goddess Aqua, who handles Demon King's army executives with ease, is actually being chased by a group of giant frogs… they're her lifelong enemies!”

Aqua is truly the ultimate bait, a walking taunt machine; she attracts too much aggro.

Everyone almost died laughing. Don't let the four-person party fool you; they can fight Demon King's army executives and even take down mobile fortresses, yet they are completely countered by giant frogs. The whole group is helpless against them.

Aqua's strength is unknown; she gets stronger when faced with stronger foes. Megumin can only cast one spell. It's a shame Darkness isn't here; otherwise, she could experience her long-desired slime play.

 。。。。。

【 Watching Aqua, covered in slime, crying in the snow, the prosecutor on the side was stunned: “~You guys… are always like this?”

Before they could even rest, three more giant frogs hopped towards them. Kazuma panicked: “Oh no, this way the fodder… no, the bait won't be enough!”

So the group immediately started running for their lives, with Kazuma begging the two beside him to act as bait as he ran!

Before the prosecutor could refuse, she was entangled by a giant frog's tongue and swallowed. Aqua similarly couldn't escape the fate of being swallowed.

“Ugh~~” The prosecutor's head poked out of the giant frog's mouth, letting out a scream.

Thus, Aqua and the prosecutor kept getting “baptized” by the giant frogs. Even Megumin was slowly being swallowed: “Sorry… I seem to be slowly getting swallowed, can you save me now!”

Just as everyone was about to be wiped out, suddenly a young girl appeared, and then a golden magic spell descended from the sky, eliminating the giant frogs.

With just a raise of her hand, she rescued everyone. This girl, who claimed to be Megumin's rival, also came from the Crimson Demon Clan.

Yunyun struck various poses as she began her self-introduction: “My name is Yunyun, a Great Archwizard, controller of advanced magic! I shall eventually become the leader of the Crimson Demon Clan.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Tsk tsk, Goddess Aqua's status in Kazuma's heart is getting lower and lower. Before, she was bait… now she's directly called fodder, huh.”

Everyone was a bit dumbfounded. So, Megumin wasn't the only one with something wrong in her head. Could it be that everyone in the Crimson Demon Clan is a bunch of chuunibyo patients?

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte, also a goddess, was speechless:

“Speaking of which, Goddess Aqua, is she strong or weak?!”

If you say she's strong, she can't even beat giant frogs… If you say she's weak, the Demon King would probably go out of his way to avoid her, and purifying executives is easy for her.

Not to mention her top-tier resurrection and healing magic, no one can compare. However, the one thing she can be sure of is that these giant frogs are definitely Kazuma's party's nightmare.

A hero party that can defeat the Demon King's army executives almost got wiped out by giant frogs, and the crucial point is that these are just starter village mobs. No one would believe it if you told them.

Even Seiya Ryuuguuin, looking at Aqua being swallowed again, concluded: This guy definitely maxed out her taunt skill; she's too good at pulling aggro.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: I can't wait till Isekai Quartet is shown here, let them see how Aqua Neg diff Ainz, albedo, and shalltear— oppss spoiler, my bad.... )

Chapter 361: Sharing a Real Bathroom Scene, A Model Man!

Chapter Text

【 After introducing herself, Yunyun declared that her purpose for this trip was to duel Megumin and claim the title of the Crimson Demon Clan's strongest.

However, Megumin had already exhausted her magic for the day, so the two could only decide the victor through hand-to-hand combat!

As soon as they took their fighting stances, the next second, cold sweat broke out on Yunyun's face: “Um… your body seems wet and shiny. Could that be…”

Megumin raised both hands, striking a pose as if she were about to embrace her opponent at any moment: “That's right, all this slime covering my body is a secretion from a frog.”

Hearing Megumin say this with a smug expression, Yunyun continuously retreated with a look of disgust, forcing a smile: “This must be a tactic to wear down my fighting spirit and make me surrender…”

However, under the sunlight, the slime-covered Megumin flashed an incredibly brilliant smile: “Aren't we friends? Friends should share both joy and sorrow.”

Yunyun took off running, and Megumin chased right after her. After getting Yunyun covered in slime, Yunyun cried as she left.

And so, Kazuma, with the slime-covered Megumin, walked back to the mansion. The latter handed Kazuma the crystal she had won from Yunyun: “This is loot. It should help pay off some debt.”

Kazuma sighed heavily as he took the loot. He never expected Megumin to be so reliable. He gave Megumin a half-hearted compliment.

“Compared to that kid just now, Megumin is prettier…”

Upon hearing this, Megumin immediately gave Kazuma a hug, getting frog slime all over him. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good grief, I knew it. Whenever they flash those brilliant smiles, they're up to no good. Megumin is such trash.”

“Everyone calls Kazuma 'Scumzuma,' but they don't realize Megumin is just as scummy. She used to just be chuunibyo, but now, after spending so much time with him, she's been infected by Kazuma.”

Everyone looked at Megumin with some disgust. No one else would use frog slime as a weapon… What's the difference between this and an enchanted mop?

It's no less effective than a mop covered in excrement. In close combat, she's inherently invincible. Who can withstand that?! Not everyone can casually run around covered in foul-smelling frog slime as if it's completely normal.

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

Looking at Megumin's somewhat benevolent smile, Gintoki, with his dead fish eyes, said expressionlessly:

“It really fits the setting of an adventure manga, yelling about friendship and bonds before charging in.”

Shinpachi's face darkened upon hearing this:

“What does this have to do with an adventure manga? I've seen that 'selling out your friends' smile countless times from you two idiots.”

This terrible personality, from whom did she learn it? She used to just be a bit chuunibyo, but now it feels like Megumin's moral compass has completely fallen apart.

Kagura was displeased upon hearing this:

“Hey, hey, Shinpachi, what nonsense are you spouting?! We're the close-knit Yorozuya, we wouldn't do anything so tasteless.”

“…”

Shinpachi fell silent. 'Close-knit'? Are you sure that word applies to the Yorozuya?

Although Megumin's moral compass has completely fallen apart, at least she's a sensible child, still knowing how to use loot to help pay off debts. In that regard, her other teammates are quite reliable.

 。。。。。

【 The two returned home, covered in frog slime. Even the adopted kitten, Chomusuke, ran away at the sight of Megumin in that state.

“I'm going to take a bath then.” Kazuma, feeling sticky and uncomfortable, quickly headed for the bathroom.

Megumin suddenly pulled him back from behind: “Have you ever heard of 'ladies first'?”

Kazuma shook off her hand without hesitation and rushed towards the bathroom: “I am a true advocate of gender equality!”

Megumin naturally wouldn't give up so easily. The two began to tug at each other at the bathroom door, constantly trying to persuade the other.

Kazuma even directly stripped off his slime-covered clothes in front of her, wearing only his underwear, which had a hole in it: “I'm absolutely not backing down. If you understand, get out!”

Megumin was slightly startled by Kazuma's actions. She had truly never seen such a shameless person: “This man, he actually stripped!”

Although Megumin was a bit timid at the sight, she still defiantly took off her cloak, revealing a triumphant smile as she provoked him: “Then let's just bathe together!”

Kazuma was unfazed: “Yeah, let's bathe together.”

Megumin was dumbfounded upon hearing this. She never expected Kazuma to be so utterly shameless: “At a time like this, shouldn't it usually be, 'Idiot… idiot, how could we do such a thing?' or something similar, while being shy and letting me go first?”

Kazuma snorted.

“Even if you fall for me, I’ll still have other women chasing after me! And if you get jealous and act out with rude violence, I won’t hesitate to fight back. I’m more than capable when it really counts, so keep that in mind.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Megumin, give up. You can't win against Kazuma. That man has neither shame nor morals; he's known as 'Scumzuma' by adventurers!”

“Hahaha, Kazuma's underwear even has a hole in it. That's a bit too realistic, and he's also the most pathetic hero I've ever seen.”

“Good grief, Kazuma's speech must be memorized verbatim; he's a role model for us all! A man who's a version ahead of his time.”

Everyone looked at Kazuma with respect. Although he seemed a bit scummy, they liked that about Kazuma—he wasn't subservient or overly gentle!

Megumin, who do you think is standing in front of you?! This is a Sigma male, Scumzuma, a man who will never fall into a woman's trap. How can you possibly defeat him?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Emiya Shirou was stunned by Kazuma's words:

“Kazuma-san, how can you say such scummy things with such a straight face…”

It seems there's a reason he's called Scumzuma. This guy is truly a staunch advocate of gender equality; women gain no advantage over him whatsoever.

If it were him, he probably would have said exactly what Megumin expected, then shyly given the bathroom to Megumin.

And at this moment, Tohsaka Rin and the other girls looked at Kazuma on the screen with some disgust:

“He actually said those things…”

Your gender equality is too extreme! Amazingly, he could utter such scummy words; he truly has no morals left!

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Calm down, calm down!”

Kazuma sat at a table in the adventurer's guild, striking the same pose as Commander Ikari, breathing somewhat rapidly.

He was sweating cold, his lips trembling slightly as if mumbling something:

“Damn it! How can I calm down? Saying those words is like directly declaring a life sentence without a wife…”

The gazes of the surrounding adventurers stung his back, and he could even hear their whispers.

“Is this guy really a hero? He doesn't seem like it; more like a scumbag…”

“As expected of Kazuma, he easily does what we cannot. Admirable.”

Hearing these remarks, Kazuma gave up. Let them think what they want; after all, he still had the succubus to soothe his wounded soul.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing such a shameless Kazuma, Megumin conceded defeat and had no choice but to leave!

Kazuma continued to taunt from the side: “Oh, you provoke me to this extent, yet you don't have the guts to bathe together? How spineless.”

Megumin immediately lost her temper, flinging her cloak at Kazuma's face: “Calling me spineless, that's quite a boast!”

As she spoke, she kept tugging at the bath towel wrapped around Kazuma's waist: “IF YOU'RE GOING TO BATHE, THEN BATHE! DON'T BE SO WISHY-WASHY WRAPPED IN A TOWEL, HURRY UP AND WASH!!”

And so, the two entered the bathhouse together. Kazuma looked at Megumin in front of him, but thought of Yunyun: “People's growth varies greatly.”

Upon hearing this, Megumin immediately began chanting Explosion Magic. Light continuously gathered in her hands. Fortunately, Kazuma apologized in time and averted the crisis.

Just then, Kazuma suddenly calmed down: “Why am I bathing with Megumin?”

If someone saw this, they would surely misunderstand. As luck would have it, Aqua, who had just gone to the guild to collect rewards, returned!

To avoid being called a lolicon by Aqua, Kazuma rushed out and cast Ice Magic at the door: “It's either my life explodes, or my magic runs out! It's a showdown.”

“Hang in there, my magic!! If Aqua sees this, I'll get nicknames like 'Lolicon Freak' or 'Lolicon Kazuma'!”

It wasn't until he had used up all his magic to freeze the bathroom door that Kazuma finally breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed weakly: “I almost became a lolicon… I can't move. Can you help me dry myself?”

Hearing himself called a loli by Kazuma, Megumin was enraged and clenched her fists, ready to punch Kazuma.

The latter immediately panicked, forgetting the reason he had just frozen the bathroom door, and began calling for help outside: “Wait… Aqua, Aqua! I'm being bullied by a loli!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good grief, Megumin is that bold? She completely turned the tables; if it were another man, they'd probably have two kids already!”

“Even more amazing, Megumin almost conjured a nuclear bomb in the bathroom. So she can cast Explosion Magic without a staff after all.”

Everyone looked at Kazuma, who was giving his all, with a pained expression. We told you not to get so fired up in such a bizarre situation, you idiot! We didn't even see you this serious when fighting the Headless Knight!

He just used up all his magic, gambling his life. Does he really need to be this passionate? Anyone who didn't know would think he was facing some terrifying enemy.

The epic “Battle of the Entrance” drained every ounce of a hero’s strength. But then… You went and froze the door. Did it ever cross your mind how you’d actually get out, genius?

 。。。。。

Chapter 362: Famous Scene! The Fragile Peace, as the Dark History is Exposed

Chapter Text

【 “Loli-otaku!” Hearing Kazuma's cry for help, Aqua burst in directly, and so, at dinner, Kazuma still couldn't escape the nickname Loli-otaku.

The scene shifts, and Kazuma and the others, in order to solve their debt problem, come to Wiz's shop, preparing to sell their loot for money.

Unexpectedly, Yunyun is also here, pretending to be a coincidence and acting like she just ran into them, but Wiz sees through her. The latter had actually been waiting here since early morning.

While the group is talking, Chomusuke, the cat Wiz is holding, is doing something that men envy—dribbling with both paws! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Wait, what are you doing, you colored cat? This is the peak of cat life, it's so enviable… Ugh, so hateful!”

“Damn it, I didn't expect this cat to be a basketball master. I've played basketball for years and can't dribble with both hands.”

Some old perverts in other worlds silently wiped their nosebleeds. This range is really foul! Isn't it a bit too big…

It's a good thing this cat is called Chomusuke. If it were called Momonosuke, I'd definitely let it taste my sword!

 。。。。。

【 After their conversation, Yunyun learns that Megumin still only knows Explosion magic and is speechless: “You should learn other magic skills too. You must have saved up quite a few skill points!”

“I have!” Megumin says expressionlessly, continuing calmly: “They were all used to upgrade Explosion magic's power and high-speed chanting.”

While the two are still arguing about this, Aqua also discovers a crystal ball on the shelf that can improve relationships!

Wiz reminds them: “This is not something an unskilled magic user can use well.”

Yunyun immediately becomes happy after hearing this function: “If it's used well, relationships can improve, right?”

To try out the crystal's effect, Yunyun immediately challenges Megumin to a duel, stating that whoever uses it better is the more excellent magic user! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“All points into Explosion magic power and high-speed chanting… She really knows how to allocate her points, focus on one skill, and reach the pinnacle, right!? El Cid, you have a contender!”

It proves that mastering one skill to the extreme is more useful than learning broadly, but the consequence of doing so is that the skill is too singular, and if that one move doesn't work, it's useless.

The people from other worlds look at Megumin's peculiar skill allocation and are immediately speechless… What is most important for a mage? The mana bar! You should add some points to the mana bar.

If she had just added some points to the mana bar, she wouldn't be able to cast only one Explosion magic a day and then immediately collapse.

 。。。。。

【 As the two inject powerful magic, the crystal ball's ability activates, and then countless fragments of their memories are presented before everyone's eyes!

And all of them have their unbearable pasts!

Megumin, because her family was poor when she was young, would steal food and drink everywhere to fill her stomach and take care of her sister! Climbing trees to catch insects and fishing in rivers were second nature to her.

Looking at such a Megumin, Kazuma is stunned: “Is that picking up breadcrumbs…”

And Yunyun, though from a wealthy family, had no friends around her. She could only celebrate her birthday alone at a table full of food.

Aqua, seeing this scene, also loses the sparkle in her eyes: “Eh… Wait, alone…?”

She would even play chess by herself, and not just animals, but even plants would grow legs and run away when they saw her, to the point where Yunyun, looking broken, started drawing magic circles: “Even demons, please be my friend.”

And Megumin and Yunyun, as the parties involved, ask Wiz with shame: “Shop owner, isn't this a crystal to improve relationships?”

Wiz also turns her head, unable to bear watching, her voice growing softer: “This is a very useful thing that deepens friendship and love by revealing each other's unspeakable pasts… right.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Looking at the black history exposed before them, even the people from other worlds fall silent. For a moment, even the air seems to quiet down.

“What is this strange feeling? It's supposed to be a funny scene, but I can't laugh at all. It's truly tear-jerking; it makes me want to cry.”

“Honestly, when the flowers started running, my little brain shriveled up. It's not that bad, is it!”

Everyone silently wipes their eyes. It's too heartbreaking. One is a survivalist, the other is lonely for life! One lacks money, the other lacks friends. These two are truly born to be friends.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Looking at this scene, Fujimaru Ritsuka reaches up to her forehead, feeling a pang of sadness:

“Birthday alone, playing chess alone…”

Was she bullied? Bullied by this world… Understandably, animals would avoid Yunyun, but it's unreasonable for harmless plants to suddenly grow legs and run away.

Look at what Yunyun has been driven to: to make a friend, she no longer cares about species, and she even can't help but want to summon a demon!

Da Vinci also feels sorry for the little girl.

No wonder she kept pestering Megumin for duels, waiting in Wiz's shop since early morning.

It turns out Megumin is her only friend!

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Seeing such a tragic scene, Fern can't help but cover her face:

“What kind of reconciliation item is this? It's clearly a black history player!”

Who would have their relationship improve by seeing each other's black history? This only serves to make everyone mutually embarrassed and nothing else.

Which genius invented this thing? They clearly deserve a beating.

Frieren's expression remains unchanged, as calm as ever:

“No wonder Wiz is called a poor shop owner. It turns out she sells all these strange things.”

This black history projector is indeed very magical, but the side effects seem a bit large, and it's completely useless in the beginner village.

Selling these kinds of things all the time, honestly… The fact that Wiz hasn't gone out of business yet is enough to surprise her.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!〜

“Megumin is one thing… Yunyun too. What kind of beings are the Crimson Demons?”

Kazuma rubs his forehead, feeling a bit tired after seeing their black history.

At this moment, Megumin is curled up on a stool, exuding a dark aura, looking like life has no hope.

Just as Kazuma is thinking about whether he should be nicer to Megumin in the future, he notices the burly man in pink overalls from before has walked up to Megumin.

“Isn’t that Hell Brother? No… it must be the mysterious tailor uncle. Not giving my shoulder a pat this time?”

The tailor uncle skillfully pats Megumin's shoulder, tears seemingly shimmering in his eyes:

“Life is really hard, little girl with some screw loose in the head!”

Megumin's forehead throbs with a vein, looking like she's about to hand-craft a nuclear bomb, ready to send him to hell.

“Calm down, Megumin!”

Kazuma, who has been watching, quickly stops her; after all, he can't afford the compensation!

 。。。。。

【 “DIE!!” Megumin, seeing this, couldn't hold back and smashed the crystal ball to smithereens on the spot.

Wiz, with a smile, thoughtfully packs up the shattered crystal: “The bill will be charged to Kazuma.”

Yunyun, on the side, is still agonizing over the duel that didn't have a clear winner: “The duel… such a rare duel! Can it be considered a draw?”

Megumin says indifferently: “Whatever, I'm no longer a child who obsesses over winning or losing.”

Speaking of children, Yunyun thinks of another way to compete: “We used to have a growth competition, right! Let's do that again.”

Megumin, in an adult manner, shakes her head: “Not as children, but in another sense!”

“Because I've already… bathed with this Kazuma!”

Everyone except Aqua blushes, full of surprise. Yunyun is so shocked that she cries and runs out.

Seeing this, Megumin pulls out a notebook filled with dense records, her face flushed as she says, “I won again today!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, they originally came to exchange money, and now they have another debt. More debt, less burden, right?”

“Megumin is truly a scoundrel. She completely lost the growth competition, the kind that can't be caught up to even in a few years.”

Everyone looks subtly at the blushing Megumin. They can confirm that this child has been corrupted by Kazuma… Is this what you mean by no longer being a child who obsesses over winning or losing?

This is too much effort! The notebook in her hand is densely filled with records, even more obsessed than Yunyun!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Looking at Megumin, who says one thing and means another, Illya expresses her view:

“Although Megumin has some issues in certain aspects of her mind, she can still completely control Yunyun.”

It seems that Megumin's intelligence only comes online when she's facing Yunyun.

Emiya Shirou is a bit stunned:

“To win against Yunyun, Megumin is trying a bit too hard. The 'bathing together' thing sounds a bit ominous!”

It's clearly just mixed bathing like in a hot spring, but when it comes from Megumin's mouth, it seems to have another meaning, making it easy for people to misunderstand.

Megumin's personality feels a bit tsundere, like Rin's. Although she cares deeply about Yunyun, she pretends to be indifferent.

But this is good too. Their endless duels are more like a symbol of their friendship. Yunyun has finally found her friend.

One can only say it's really good that she didn't summon a demon as a friend… or is it?

 。。。。。

Chapter 363: Aqua actually knows the truth about Kazuma, the hidden way of life

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “Explosion… Explosion… La la la!”

The scene shifts, and Kazuma and Megumin are seen hand in hand, like children, humming incomprehensible words as they arrive at their usual spot.

On the way, they pass a sign that reads “No Explosion Magic”… but Megumin and the others completely ignore it.

“EXPLOSION—”

Although the suspicion of treason has not been cleared, Kazuma and Megumin's daily routine continues. No matter the weather, they come to their usual spot for an Explosion spell.

After some time had passed, Kazuma was in tears, finally realizing that if things continued like this, they would starve to death sooner or later.

So, upon returning to the guild, Kazuma decided to go treasure hunting in the dungeon. But Megumin was very resistant: “I have no presence at all in the dungeon, Explosion magic can't be used!”

But Kazuma couldn't care less, after all, their debt was already at the national budget level. Relying solely on Aqua's odd jobs would lead to starvation sooner or later.

For this, Kazuma snatched an unlisted quest from the receptionist, intending to search for treasure in the newly discovered dungeon before other adventurers knew about it.

However, Dust noticed the commotion. For this, Kazuma did not hesitate to take out his treasure: “This is extremely hard work, I don't want to drag you into it! Use it well.”

Dust clutched the discount coupon, his voice filled with determination: “Leave it to me!”

After completing this dirty deal, Kazuma watched Dust leave: “How could I let you mess up a rare opportunity to make money?”

Afterward, Kazuma brought Aqua and Megumin to the dungeon entrance, beginning a brand new quest. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Every 'no' sign has its meaning, it's just a shame it's useless for two problem children! They'll still blow things up.”

Everyone looked speechless at the two who were openly defying the rules. They didn't expect it to be the same castle again; the Headless Knight still couldn't rest even after death, and the power of Explosion magic was visibly increasing!

It wasn't until they saw Kazuma bribe Dust with a succubus discount coupon that everyone from other worlds suddenly understood a truth… Kazuma was definitely a frequent customer!

These two guys were simply the worst pair, and this item had actually become their common currency! Was this the unspoken bond between men?

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Watching Kazuma about to embark on a new adventure, Subaru Natsuki found it hard to bear:

“According to the previous pattern, Kazuma-san's debt isn't going to increase again, is it?”

Kazuma-san basically accumulated inexplicable debt every time he went on a quest.

One could say he got poorer the more he fought… and the poorer he got, the more he had to fight, a vicious cycle!

However, in a sense, Kazuma-san, who could accumulate debt to the national budget level, was indeed amazing. Is being “rich in debt” something an ordinary person can achieve?

Thinking of this, Subaru's eyes were filled with admiration:

“As expected of Kazuma-san, he easily accomplishes what others cannot.”

Having such high debt already puts them in the “VIP” category. Perhaps the country would even have to protect them; otherwise, if they died, no one would repay the debt, and a blank account would be troublesome!

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

“Are they finally going to a dungeon? I thought that world didn't have such a thing.”

Laios's eyes lit up. He was very curious about the differences in the monsters in that world's dungeons.

Chilchuck also found it somewhat surprising:

“Going to the dungeon with just these two teammates seems a bit risky…”

Aqua, whose eyes revealed clear foolishness, and Megumin, who was completely useless in a dungeon… one he didn't want to bring, and one he couldn't bring.

Marcille sighed softly, holding her staff:

“This is the inconvenience of a single-minded skill build. A place that forbids Explosion magic renders her useless.”

Explosion magic is powerful, but it's completely unusable in a dungeon! Megumin, who only knows this one spell, is no different from an ordinary person; she can't just use her staff to whack things.

 。。。。。

【 Upon arriving at the dungeon entrance, Kazuma looked at his only two remaining teammates and found that neither seemed useful: “I'll go alone first, you two wait here!”

Although the dungeon was pitch black, Kazuma fortunately possessed thief skills: Enemy Detection, Lurk, and the newly learned Foresight, allowing him to avoid danger.

But he had barely taken a few steps inside when he heard a voice full of wisdom from behind: “I say, can you really see clearly?”

Looking at Aqua, who had followed him in as if it were obvious, Kazuma turned his head:

“Even if you come along, you won't be able to do anything because it's pitch black!”

Aqua's words were full of confidence: “Archpriest is just my disguise, tell me, what's my profession!”

Kazuma clearly didn't want to bother with Aqua, somewhat perfunctorily saying: “Debt Goddess.”

“That's not it, I'm the Goddess of Water!” Aqua puffed out her chest, stating her extraordinary nature: “Even if I fell to the mortal realm and my powers weakened, I still retained a few powers only a deity possesses!”

“Even if I can't see everything, this kind of darkness is easy-peasy.”

Saying so, she opened a nearby treasure chest, which was, of course, empty. Then Aqua tripped again.

Looking at Aqua, whose head was full of treasures, Kazuma only felt an ominous premonition. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Isn't her profession the Goddess of Wisdom? If wisdom had a color, it would definitely be blue; that's common knowledge. The Water Goddess's head is also full of water.”

Watching Aqua follow along and then trip as if nothing happened, everyone from other worlds' gazes became subtle. This guy definitely increases Kazuma's difficulty!

Aqua might be slightly more reliable in major matters, but in everyday life, she's a pitfall and a source of trouble.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible.”

Frieren looked at Aqua on the screen with a hopeless expression, unable to grasp one particular truth…

Why did Aqua, with her extremely low luck, only manage to open an empty treasure chest?

Does that mean her luck, who always opens mimic chests, is even lower than Aqua's?

The thought that her luck might be even lower than Aqua's made it hard for her to accept.

Like Frieren, shrouded in dark clouds, her entire being became incredibly gloomy:

“But I always thought my luck was pretty good…”

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Listening to Aqua's words, Ristarte was on the verge of tears:

“So, even after falling to the mortal realm and having your powers weakened, you can still summon a great flood with a wave of your hand…”

As a Healing Goddess, her own self-healing ability was actually inferior to Aqua's, even with the latter's powers weakened…

She's just an idiot, so why is the difference between goddesses so vast, like an unbridgeable chasm? What was Aqua's divine rank before?!

Looking at Ristarte, who once again showed her dramatic facial expressions, Seiya gave a somewhat disgusted look:

“You can doubt Aqua's intelligence, but you cannot doubt her power!”

In every crisis that arose, Aqua was still useful at critical moments. Be it the Headless Knight or the Mobile Fortress, she had an indelible contribution.

 。。。。。

【 Soon after, the two found the passage according to the map, but as soon as they entered, they heard the rustling sounds of monsters, which sent shivers down the spines of the two who were here for the first time…

Not long after, Kazuma's enemy detection skill sensed something approaching, so he quickly gestured to Aqua to retreat!

“What? Are you showing me shadow puppetry?” Aqua's words were full of pride: “Let's light a lamp first! Making foxes and rabbits with shadows isn't impressive enough, let me show you the Mobile Fortress!”

Seeing Aqua acting as if she were about to perform a shadow puppet version of the Mobile Fortress! Kazuma immediately lost it: “I'm gesturing! Telling you the enemy is coming, run!”

Just then, a monster behind him opened its huge mouth and bit at his butt. After exhausting themselves to deal with the monster, both collapsed on the ground.

Aqua was so scared she lay on the stairs and cried. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha… Is Aqua trying to make me die of laughter? How incredibly convoluted must her thought process be to think Kazuma would be demonstrating shadow puppetry in this situation.”

“Although I know Aqua is full of wisdom, I didn't expect her to be this wise. I almost laughed my teeth out.”

Everyone from other worlds almost died laughing at Aqua's astonishing wisdom. How twisted must her brain be to interpret a “retreat” hand gesture as shadow puppetry…

She even wanted to perform a shadow puppet version of the Mobile Fortress on the spot! As expected of a goddess who put all her skill points into party tricks, her way of thinking is truly unique!

 。。。。。

【 After the fight, Kazuma was somewhat puzzled. What exactly was this thing? Although he could see its appearance with Foresight, he couldn't tell what type of animal it was.

Aqua, slowly calming down, looked back: “It's a low-ranking demon called a Goblin, right? Weak demons often appear in dungeons.”

Kazuma suddenly realized something and turned to ask: “Can you see clearly in the dark, too?”

Aqua was a little confused why he suddenly asked this: “It's no different from daytime.”

Kazuma suddenly realized something: “You once said you knew what I was secretly doing in the stable in the middle of the night…”

Aqua continued: “I didn't see anything, I just turned my back and went to sleep as soon as you made a sound!”

The thought of the person involved knowing what he did in the stable made Kazuma blush: “Thank you!… Lady Aqua!” 】

【 。。。。。】

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Aqua knows what Kazuma is up to in the middle of the night. (ᗒᗨᗕ) )

Chapter 364: Khiel, the Demon Sorcerer, is a true man!

Chapter Text

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, as expected of the spokesperson for abstractness, it's a bit too abstract. Kazuma jerking off to Aqua in the middle of the night, turns out the person involved knew all along!”

“Being caught doing these things by the owner is no different than being caught red-handed by your parents while watching a movie… I can only say, live in another world, there's no place for you in this world anymore.”

At this moment, the air instantly quieted down. Everyone from other worlds was dumbfounded by this sudden information… It's illegal to get off on a mentally challenged person!

This was definitely the most outrageous hero they had ever seen, and also the most outrageous goddess!

It's hilarious, the goddess-sama is indeed well-informed, to be able to say such things so seriously, she's a bit too calm.

Moreover, Aqua is always inexplicably gentle in inexplicable places, thoughtfully pretending not to see, giving Kazuma his last shred of dignity!

But, Aqua knew Kazuma was doing that, yet still dared to turn her back, not afraid of being “bent over”… Well, she has no brains, so it's fine.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

“This… It's hard to comment…”

Rudeus didn't know what adjectives to use to describe Kazuma's feat at this moment, truly a role model among men.

As a shut-in in his previous life, Rudeus naturally understood what Kazuma was doing in the middle of the night. He just didn't expect Kazuma to be so brave; he had previously thought he didn't fancy Aqua.

Speaking of Aqua, Rudeus was stunned for a moment:

“Aqua seems to have top-notch other parts besides her poor brain, including her figure and looks.”

It's just that Aqua is also a bit abstract! Which goddess would know about these things and still turn around so calmly, completely unconcerned?

Looking at it this way, this isn't a goddess at all, but an angel! She's truly too understanding.

【 The two continued to explore, and on the way, they discovered the corpses of former adventurers!

Although Aqua is usually a bit of an airhead, she still shows respect for the departed and uses magic to send them off.

Soon, the two found a treasure chest in the most conspicuous place in a room. Aqua excitedly planned to walk over.

But Kazuma pulled her back, as such an obvious treasure chest might be a trap. He then activated his detection skill.

“Sure enough, the enemy detection skill reacted!”

To be safe, Kazuma picked up an empty bottle from the ground and threw it, landing it next to the treasure chest.

The next moment… the walls around the treasure chest instantly twisted into a large mouth and swallowed the treasure chest whole. After some chewing, it spat it out again!

This scene almost scared the two of them silly. Aqua said, still a bit shaken: “Speaking of which, I heard warnings about being careful of dungeon shapeshifters at the guild!”

“Sometimes they even seem to transform into humans to prey on monsters…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I just thought she was going to revive this pile of skeletons. Luckily, it was just a normal purification of the undead. If she could revive them, that would be too outrageous!”

“Such an obvious treasure chest trap, probably only a fool like Aqua would fall for it!”

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern looked at Aqua on the screen, who almost fell for it, with a hint of embarrassment:

“Such a low-level trap… I thought only Frieren-sama would fall for it.”

Frieren, who was called out, calmly took a sip of tea:

“Such a mimic… I feel a strong sense of malice.”

Fortunately, the mimics in her world weren't like this; otherwise, it wouldn't be good for her heart.

She felt like she was cursed; otherwise, how could she explain opening a mimic every time she opened a treasure chest? It was too much!

【 Looking at the many undead monsters in the dungeon, Aqua emitted a wide range of light: “Souls wandering in the dungeon, sleep peacefully!”

All the spirits touched by the light were directly purified! But this also attracted many undead monsters.

“Turn Undead!… Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon(Nature's Beauty)… Turn Undead!”

“God Blow—!!” Then Aqua threw a punch, a powerful move that was ineffective against giant frogs, directly sending all the undead to the afterlife!

After finishing the purification, Aqua looked as if she had accomplished a great feat, wiping sweat in the darkness. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aqua being so serious, I'm a little unaccustomed to it. With her constant Turn Undead, I'm almost starting to think of her as the goddess of the underworld!”

“Attribute counter, plus physical exorcism, right! But I always feel like she's sneaking in some private stuff.”

Viewers from other worlds looked at Aqua with black lines on their faces. Every time she purified the undead, she never forgot to perform “Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon. (Nature's Beauty)” Could she cancel the skill's cooldown or something?

 。。。。。

【 Then Aqua's keen sense of smell detected the scent of the undead, and she unexpectedly found a hidden room, where the creator of the dungeon resided!

It was a skeleton wearing a robe and wrapped in a layer of dry skin: “I am Khiel, the sorcerer who created this dungeon and kidnapped noble ladies!”

Aqua immediately went into a frenzy after seeing the undead, eager to purify him, but Kazuma stopped her because he didn't sense any hostility!

On the bed next to Khiel lay another skeleton. The undead, who had been so imposing earlier, suddenly acted like a child, showing off his wife.

Khiel was a great sorcerer during his lifetime. After making great contributions to the country, the king promised to grant him one wish!

And his only wish was for his beloved to no longer suffer, which was the young lady forced to marry the king! This was tantamount to slapping the king's face, and the king subsequently turned hostile and sent troops to hunt him down.

From then on, Khiel lived a life of escape with the young lady, but he was severely injured during the escape and didn't have long to live!

To continue protecting this young lady, Khiel abandoned his human identity and became a lich, but the young lady ultimately couldn't escape the constraints of lifespan and turned into dry bones.

As a lich, Khiel was immortal and couldn't even commit suicide. He slept in this room for nearly a hundred years! Until he was attracted by Aqua's divine aura.

After Khiel finished recounting his past, he made a request to Kazuma: “Can you purify me! She is a high priestess with such power, right!”

Kazuma couldn't help but feel that this lich's image had grown taller, and Aqua, for the first time, drew a magic circle with her hand, showing a gentle smile to this lich.

“Khiel, the great sorcerer who abandoned divine reason and willingly became a lich, in the name of Aqua, Goddess of Water, I forgive your transgressions!”

“When you wake up, there will be a goddess named Eris with unnaturally swollen breasts in front of you! Ask her… ask to see the young lady again!”

“Sacred Turn Undead—!!”

“My wife, I'm coming.” As the magic circle lit up, Khiel 's figure had disappeared, and the young lady's bones were no more. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Aqua now is what a true goddess should look like, it's just that the private stuff she snuck in seems a bit unfriendly towards Eris.”

“…I hope they can reunite in the next life, I wish them well.”

Looking at this unconventional lich, everyone from other worlds fell silent in this unspeakable atmosphere.

They didn't expect such sorrow to be hidden beneath Khiel's playful smile.

“I've changed my view on liches since then. Khiel is a true man! Who else could do what he did?”

Severely wounded, he willingly degenerated into a lich to continue protecting the young lady, but unfortunately… the young lady he wanted to protect was no longer there.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“First, he dedicated himself to his country, then he became a lich for his beloved and protected her for a lifetime, enduring the pain of immortality… Sigh

Frieren sighed slightly.

As a long-lived elf, she had begun to subtly perceive the brevity of human life. A few short decades for humans seemed like a mere blink of an eye to them.

A span of decades carried different weights for humans and liches!

Fern looked at the screen with a hint of sadness:

“Khiel-sama must have been a great sorcerer in his lifetime.”

Openly challenging an entire kingdom and being able to transform into a lich on his own, his strength could probably rival Wiz, the King of the Undead!

He was clearly willing to become a lich to protect the young lady… but the young lady couldn't escape the constraints of lifespan and turned into dry bones, leaving Khiel alone in sorrow, unable to even die.

Waking up after a century of sleep, he simply saw the hope of death and unhesitatingly went after his wife again.

It must be said, Aqua finally did something a goddess should do this time! It's just that her seriousness made her a bit unaccustomed to it.

Chapter 365: That Demonic Brute is truly a spectacle-maker!

Chapter Text

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Looking at the serious Aqua in the image, Ishtar's expression became unnatural:

“A goddess with unnaturally swollen breasts? She even managed to sneak in private goods in this situation.”

The words were good, and it seemed Aqua was quite good at her job as a goddess… But why, at a time like this, did she still not forget to mention Eris's chest?!

Eris was clearly her junior, yet she still poked fun at her dark history even when she had to ask for help. How despicable are you?

Merlin ignored Ishtar, who was complaining on the side, and instead, with curious eyes, looked at the glowing magic circle:

“This is the first time I've seen Goddess Aqua take something so seriously...”

Although he had once suspected whether this was a fake Aqua. Suddenly becoming serious made him a little unaccustomed, after all, the real Aqua would never look so holy!

But… surprisingly, Aqua at this time truly deserved the title of goddess. Although usually silly, she was indeed quite excellent in terms of work ability.

【 After Khiel was purified, the two took the treasures he left behind and prepared to leave. It was then that Kazuma suddenly remembered something.

“That person said he felt a powerful divine force, so he woke up, right… The reason we encountered so many undead in this dungeon isn't that you're nearby, is it?”

Aqua trembled for a moment, froze in place, and her voice became smaller and smaller: “Th-this kind of thing… probably not?”

Hearing such an ambiguous answer, Kazuma remembered that the undead brought by the headless knight before also particularly loved to gather around Aqua.

So he silently, little by little, distanced himself from Aqua. Aqua broke out in a cold sweat: “Hey… Kazuma, why are you so far away? Shouldn't we get closer?”

Seeing Kazuma getting further and further away, Aqua quickly rushed forward and grabbed him, starting to wail: “Don't even think about leaving me alone in this place, please, don't abandon me!”

Just as Aqua was making a ruckus, the roar of some creature echoed from afar in the darkness. Kazuma immediately used his perception skill to confirm, finding that hordes of monsters were surging towards them.

“Lurk…” Without any hesitation, Kazuma pressed himself against the wall and merged into the darkness.

Aqua looked at the empty corridor, crying and constantly apologizing: “Wait… Kazuma, no way, don't joke around! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's all my fault.”

“Use the Lurk skill on me too, Kazuma-sama! …Ah—!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, she's panicking, she's panicking! It's clear Aqua also realized the key point! Sure enough, all the undead monsters were attracted by her.”

“Serious for less than three seconds, it's really hard to connect this crying Aqua with the incredibly divine Aqua from just now.”

Alas… everyone felt a herd of alpacas running in their hearts, sighing involuntarily. The sad atmosphere from just now was instantly ruined. This is truly the real Aqua!

Why does a goddess like you come with a taunt and monster-attracting passive skill?! This taunt is maxed out just like your Party Trick skill, isn't it?

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline〜

“As expected of the only one with a brain in the team, he can even discover such a crucial problem!”

To be honest, if Kazuma hadn't mentioned it, Josuke Higashikata would have really thought it was just a coincidence, after all, it's a dungeon. It's quite reasonable to have so many monsters!

But he never expected Aqua to be a cleric with a maxed-out taunt skill! No wonder her combat power was off the charts today; it was all because she attracted them.

“NIGERUN DAYO…!”

Old Man Joseph said Kazuma had learned the essence. If things go wrong, just run! Without a trace of hesitation.

Seeing Aqua like this, he felt relieved. The familiar art style was back, and screwing over teammates was already a common occurrence for their team.

【 Soon after, the two emerged from the dungeon. Seeing Aqua crying on the ground, Megumin was speechless.

Back at the guild, thanks to the treasures Khiel provided, the group enjoyed a delicious feast! And this time, they were able to get so many treasures, all thanks to the big sister at the front desk.

To thank Kazuma, he naturally had to buy her a drink, but Dust's ears were too sharp. Hearing about the treat, he immediately announced that Kazuma would be paying for everything today.

Although Kazuma was helpless, he was also very happy! After all, this was the adventurer's life he had imagined!

“As expected of Kazuma! So generous at crucial moments.”

“It's truly Big Brother Kazuma… Kazuma! Kazuma! Kazuma!” The adventurers present all cheered, shouting Kazuma's name.

Then, amidst the cheers of the crowd, they asked Kazuma to perform his famous special move once again.

“You guys are impossible.” Kazuma enthusiastically walked to the center, extended his hand forward, and then shouted.

“Steal—!”

Just then, Chris suddenly pushed open the door with a smile and walked in: “I heard Kazuma is treating?”

Accompanied by a strong flash of light, the adventurers looked at the panties that appeared in Kazuma's hand, enthusiastically cheering for them!

“No—, give me back my panties!” Chris's face instantly turned red, and she cried out in embarrassment.

Kazuma held up Chris's panties, waving his arm wildly in a truly perverted manner!

It wasn't until he was helping the drunken Aqua vomit a rainbow at the back door that Kazuma realized the seriousness of the problem: “What am I doing… I can't go on like this!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, when it's a treat, it's Big Brother Kazuma, but when something goes wrong, they act like they don't know him. These fair-weather adventurers…”

“The Debt Goddess isn't just for show. Did she drink away all the treasures again this meal? Back to square one.”

Looking at this scene, everyone from other worlds couldn't help but laugh. After all, the perverted Kazuma was just too amazing!

This move has even become a regular event at the guild hall. Indeed, anyone who can hang out with Kazuma isn't a normal person!

Then everyone looked at Kazuma with admiration. To be able to wave a girl's panties in public, in a way, this person is invincible!

This was the first time they had seen such a perverted hero! Such a person is either incredibly thick-skinned or completely shameless.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

“Oh!!!”

Looking at the perverted Kazuma, Rudy couldn't help but cheer for him, his eyes revealing two words… “I want to learn.

It's simply a divine skill, and it even has a special attack bonus against Chris. Using it on Chris is guaranteed to steal panties.

“So goddesses can get drunk too. Encounter a rainbow, eat a rainbow, and then vomit a rainbow… I've learned something new!”

I never expected a goddess to actually vomit a rainbow after getting drunk. It's perplexing… But, Big Brother Kazuma, did you forget something?

You still have a huge pile of debts to repay. Is it okay to be so carefree? Is the law of getting poorer the more you work acting up again!

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!〜

Goddess Eris looked at Kazuma on the screen with a flushed face; even she felt helpless:

“It's all karma… I should have known not to teach him Steal.”

Why does this move always hit me?! It's like it has a tracking skill, constantly pursuing me.

I'm clearly the goddess of luck, so why does this guy always accurately steal my panties… Isn't this skill determined by luck?

So, when used on me, it's a 100% chance to get panties, huh? You might as well be the god of luck.

【 The scene changes, Kazuma's life is still poor, and the Goddess of Wisdom is still full of wisdom. The difference is that today, the perverted knight has finally returned!

Darkness was wearing an expensive Western-style dress, her beautiful,l long hair tied into braids, her alluring figure fully displayed, like a young lady from a noble family!

Looking at Darkness, the group almost didn't recognize her. In the end, it was her perverted aura that allowed them to identify her.

The group thought of the scene of her being tortured by the lord, and all looked at Darkness with sympathetic eyes.

“First, take a good bath and let your body and mind relax.”

“You've suffered…”

Kazuma, with tears in his eyes, stepped forward and patted Darkness's shoulder: “It's good that you're back. Go take a hot bath and have a good cry.”

Darkness, however, said it wasn't what they thought. After all, the lord wouldn't dare bully her; he merely wanted her to meet his son for a marriage interview.

Kazuma looked at the portrait in his hand and forcefully tore it in half: “He's more handsome than me… Infuriating!”

Darkness had returned now to ask them to help ruin this marriage interview. Aqua just silently used grains of rice to piece the torn portrait back together. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, who are you, beautiful? I almost didn't recognize you in different clothes. You're clearly a beautiful woman, but why are you a pervert?”

“I have to say, Kazuma's team's imagination is always on point. They immediately thought of that.”

Everyone looked at the broken bolt and the few grains of rice remaining on it and immediately felt a pang of sadness! What a hard life this goddess is living.

Aqua seems to be good at everything except having a low IQ… No one would believe it if you told them that a goddess repairing a torn piece of paper actually chose to use such a primitive method as rice grains!

 。。。。。

Chapter 366: Unveiling, Darkness's perverted picky marriage standards!

Chapter Text

【 Upon hearing Darkness's request, Kazuma fell into deep thought. If the perverted knight were to marry, our team's pitifully inaccurate crusader would get married and retire. That would truly be…

“What a great opportunity!!!”

In his excitement, Kazuma tore Aqua's painstakingly reassembled portrait into pieces again, planning to stage an Infernal Affairs-style operation!

On the surface, he pretended to help Darkness sabotage the arranged marriage, but secretly, he was scheming to get Darkness married off.

Just then, the Inspector General came knocking again, asking if he knew anything about the many unknown monsters that had appeared around the town.

Kazuma was stunned for a moment. He suddenly realized that while Aqua, that idiot, was easy to deal with, Megumin, the clever little imp, was different. So he patted her on the shoulder and began to mislead her.

“Megumin, you go! Dealing with a large number of monsters, isn't this a great opportunity for you to use your Explosion magic!”

Kazuma continued, speaking solemnly, as if the heavy responsibility of saving the world rested on Megumin's shoulders: “Leave Darkness's matter to Aqua and me. This is something only you can do!”

“I'm counting on you! The most powerful magician!” Kazuma said, his eyes clear, and gave a thumbs up.

Megumin immediately followed the Inspector General excitedly. Just like that, Kazuma sweet-talked and tricked Megumin, that troublesome girl, into doing grunt work. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Pfft… Hahahaha, I didn't expect Aqua's intelligence to be severely despised by Kazuma, and even completely ignored.”

“With this kind of scheme, the entire team is completely under Kazuma's control. Each problem child is being sold off by Kazuma in a big clearance sale.”

Watching Megumin, who was so easily misled, everyone once again sighed that Kazuma was indeed the only one in the team with a brain. His schemes just kept coming!

He even tricks children. Their brains aren't good to begin with, and he still teases them like this… And, do you honestly not have any background with a pyramid scheme? No one sells out their teammates like this.

 。。。。。

〜Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Looking at the scene before him, Akihisa Yoshii pinched his chin, his bright eyes gleaming with intelligent light. He said, somewhat puzzled,

“Yuji, do you feel like this is somewhat familiar…”

Hideyoshi and the Muttsurini exchanged glances. Then Hideyoshi reluctantly spoke up to remind him,

“How many times has Yuji pulled this trick on you? How could it not seem familiar?”

Akihisa Yoshii immediately remembered upon hearing this and looked at Yuji through gritted teeth:

“What else do you have to say!”

Looking at the enraged Akihisa, Yuji showed no concern. Instead, he placed his hand on the latter's shoulder. In that instant… the two seemed to turn into simple manga sketches.

“Akihisa, you're so smart. Can anyone trick you?”

Akihisa's eyes revealed a clear foolishness. He nodded upon hearing this:

“That's true! I'm sorry, I misunderstood you.”

Hideyoshi, who witnessed the entire thing, was speechless… As expected of the idiotic Akihisa, he didn't even realize he had been tricked again.

 。。。。。

【 Then Darkness brought the two back to her home. After Kazuma and Aqua changed into butler and maid outfits, a few of them went to the main hall to await the arrival of the arranged marriage partner.

Then Darkness, who had originally appeared as an elegant young lady, immediately revealed her true nature: “Although I accepted the arranged marriage, I have no intention of getting married. Why even bother with an arranged marriage? I'm going to cause widespread destruction! Hahahaha…”

Seeing this, Kazuma also stopped pretending. In the manner of an elegant butler, he said, “Please don't say such vulgar things, the other party will dislike you!”

As soon as these words were spoken, Darkness's expression grew more and more serious, and she instantly reacted: “Are you trying to betray me?”

Kazuma, like an old butler who had worked there for many years, showed a relieved smile: “Currently, I am a temporary butler! My lady's happiness is my wish.”

“Ka… Kazuma!” Darkness's father, with tears in his eyes, looked at Kazuma as if he had seen a savior… The remuneration was not wasted; he was too reliable.

At this moment, the arranged marriage partner arrived as scheduled. Darkness, without a word, strode towards him, intending to give him a hard time.

Seeing that things were going awry, Kazuma directly stepped on her gown, tripping her. Seeing that Kazuma wasn't helping her, Darkness was practically fuming.

“As long as negative rumors spread, I can live the life of an adventurer without worries… Only then can I be captured by the Demon King's army and have the Demon King do some strange things to me… That's the life I want!”

Kazuma never expected such a unique reason for rejection: “You finally admit it, huh.”

Darkness continued to state her reasons for rejection: “Moreover, that kind of man is not my type!”

“First of all, his character is excellent, he doesn't get angry at anyone, he's very diligent, and he's even the youngest person to receive a knight's investiture!”

Aqua said blankly, “Isn't that pretty good?”

“What's good about it! A noble should act like a noble, and should always have a lewd smile on their face!” Darkness retorted directly: “Can't he be like Kazuma… looking at people with a lewd gaze, as if he's licking them all over!”

“The type of man I like is the opposite of him… The necessary conditions are that he's in heat all year round, a good-for-nothing is best, and if he has debts under his name, that's even better.”

Darkness's face flushed, and her whole body trembled for a moment, then she continued speaking.

“He's the kind of person who can throw an empty bottle at me and then say: 'Hey, Darkness, use your body to earn some money for me!'” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I think they've completely forgotten about fighting the Demon King… No choice, who told them they're so poor they're practically eating dirt.”

“Good heavens, handsome man, who are you? How did you turn into an elegant butler? I wouldn't recognize you if you weren't so sadistic.”

Indeed, that cheerful expression only appears when he's selling out his teammates. Kazuma isn't even pretending anymore; he's openly and brazenly selling out his teammates!

But… until they heard Darkness's reason for rejecting the arranged marriage, everyone in the other worlds fell silent. It was like Garen buying a Last Whisper, silent and armor-piercing.

“Such a standard for choosing a spouse is a bit…”

No one would believe it if you said it, but the reason a diligent, upright, and good-natured young master was rejected was that he wasn't perverted enough?!

Moreover, the conditions Darkness described sound so much like Kazuma! At least most of the conditions can be found in Kazuma!

This also means that Kazuma is, in every sense, an extremely excellent… 'scumbag'.

 。。。。。

〜Bleach World〜

In the Seireitei, the Shinigami of several divisions all looked at Byakuya Kuchiki, one of the Four Great Noble Families, and then began to whisper among themselves.

“So nobles should always wear a lewd smile? How come it doesn't look quite like that?”

“By the way, can you imagine Captain Kuchiki with a perverted, lewd look? Now I can't even bear to look at the Captain.”

Listening to the faint discussions and the inexplicably directed gazes, Byakuya Kuchiki remained expressionless and silent.

In reality, he was cursing inwardly… 'What kind of nonsense was this perverted knight saying? Don't lump all nobles together, you perverted knight!'

Byakuya Kuchiki immediately made a judgment… This woman is beyond saving; she's terminally ill!

 。。。。。

【 The scene then shifted, and the group finished their conversation and went for a stroll in the courtyard.

Arriving at the courtyard, Aqua immediately performed her specialty. With just a whistle and a clap of her hands, all the fish in the pond were attracted to her.

Kazuma saw this and was envious: “What kind of move is that? It's amazing! I'll have her teach me later.

Alexei, the young master, saw Darkness and Kazuma's intimate gestures and gave a polite, yet awkward smile.

Darkness was immediately inspired and used Kazuma as a shield: “Yes, he and I are inseparable, of course, even when we sleep at night…”

Kazuma was speechless; he never expected her to make up such a story just to reject an arranged marriage.

“I can't pretend anymore!” Darkness, who knows what she was thinking, suddenly tore the hem of her Western-style dress with force, revealing her fair thighs.

Darkness then shouted, “Hey! You're Alexei, right! Let's go to the training ground for a duel. I want to find out your true nature there.”

“Hey, Darkness…” Kazuma's gaze involuntarily drifted towards Darkness's fair thighs and graceful body curves.

Alexei, however, couldn't help but avert his gaze. Darkness then said, “See! As a noble, you should learn Kazuma's perverted gaze.”

But Alexei refused, saying that as a knight, a man would not draw his sword against a woman!

“What a coward!” Darkness, enraged, pointed at Kazuma again: “That Kazuma over there, he claims to be an egalitarian, saying even girls can be kicked, such grand words!”

Originally, Alexei had come to refuse the arranged marriage, but seeing Darkness treating even her butler equally, he became interested instead! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aqua has all sorts of inexplicable skills. With a casual flick of her hand, it's a talent show. She truly is the goddess of parties.”

“Good heavens, what was unintentional turned out to be fruitful, and what was clumsy turned out well. Compared to her, it seems Darkness isn't worthy of him!”

Everyone looked at Alexei with subtle expressions. They truly couldn't believe that the perverted and annoying lord would have a son with such a chivalrous spirit!

Compared to him, Kazuma was completely defeated in terms of personality and character. One could say that Alexei's character was the moral integrity a hero should possess!

It's just… unfortunately, Darkness is a pervert, and only Kazuma fits Darkness's conditions, right? This description perfectly matches the sadistic Kazuma!

I'm really curious what kind of person Darkness's mother was to raise a noble lady into such a pervert!

 。。。。。

Chapter 367: What? Do you guys have a child?

Chapter Text

【 The scene changes, and everyone arrives at the training ground. After about thirty minutes, Alexei's slightly terrified scream comes from inside.

“Enough… enough, right? Why won't you give up?”

Even though he consistently held the advantage, Alexei's voice sounded like he was pushed to his wits' end!

From the start, Darkness not only couldn't hit a single attack, but she also excitedly urged Alexei to keep attacking, just like this~

Darkness's face was flushed with a perverted blush, her breathing quickened, looking utterly thrilled: “What's wrong? Keep coming!”

Eventually, Alexei was moved by this unyielding spirit and directly threw down his wooden sword, raising his hands in surrender: “Although my technique is superior, my heart isn't strong enough! You are a truly powerful person.”

Facing Alexei's surrender, Darkness merely looked displeased: “You good-for-nothing, come on, Kazuma! Let Alexei witness your ruthlessness and baseness.”

What in the world was this? But since the marriage interview had failed anyway, Kazuma picked up the wooden sword and could only brace himself. He extended his empty hand forward.

“Create Water—!” Without any hesitation, Kazuma drenched Darkness to the bone.

Alexei was stunned at the sight, because magic was not allowed in wooden sword duels!

But who was Kazuma? He didn't care about these rules at all. Immediately after, he cast another ice magic spell: “Freeze—!”

This small combo of attacks almost made Darkness climax. The wet clothes combined with her torn skirt were truly a feast for the eyes…

Looking at Darkness's appearance, Aqua also became a little scared: “Terrifying… As expected of Kazuma, who is unparalleled in sexual harassment. He's truly terrifying!”

As for Alexei, he could no longer look directly at Darkness. He lowered his head, completely stunned: “De… Devil! Not only did he pour water on her in the dead of winter, but he even used ice magic…”

“Trash Kazuma… The nickname 'Scum Kazuma' truly lives up to its reputation!” 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No, Sir Knight! She's not 'truly powerful' at all; she's just a pure masochist. Your attacks only made her feel good!”

“Alexei's knightly virtues are indeed impeccable, but he's not perverted enough… In Darkness's eyes, it's like handing in a 0-point test.”

Everyone was equally shocked. They never expected that a proper knight like Alexei would seem out of place because he wasn't perverted enough.

In a different world where everyone is abnormal, a normal person appears, and his normalcy makes him seem abnormal!

As for Kazuma's devilish act of pouring water in the dead of winter?… Everyone said they were used to it. Otherwise, why do you think Kazuma's nickname is what it is?

If Kazuma started to adhere to martial ethics and became a noble hero who fought fair… then they would have to suspect he was a fake!

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

Watching such a devilish scene, even Ainz, as an undead, couldn't help but look at Kazuma with high regard:

“He truly lives up to his reputation as the king of the perverse, a true egalitarian in the meaningful sense!”

When it was time to act, he acted without any hesitation… It must be said that perverts always attract each other. Darkness had a keen eye and immediately took a liking to the perverse Kazuma's team.

But there was one thing he didn't understand: how did that chubby female protagonist raise a son with such high morals?

Albedo was also utterly speechless:

“It feels like Darkness's father and the chubby lord swapped children…”

Alexei, raised by a lord with a terrible personality, acts like a knight of high moral character, while the young lady who should be the least perverted is incurably perverted!

They were truly curious about their upbringing methods, how they managed to make two young saplings grow crooked in a certain sense.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma was somewhat frightened by Darkness's perversion, looking dazed:

“At first, I didn't understand why Kazuma went to such lengths to drive away the female knight first. Now I understand…”

Who could stand this? Anyway, even the headless knight of the Demon King's army couldn't stand it.

She simply had an inherent quality that invited. Walking with Darkness would probably make people think you were perverted.

And other tanks at least had some output and crowd control, but Darkness only had her durability left, not to mention her 0% hit rate and perplexing personality.

From initially doubting Kazuma, to understanding Kazuma, and finally approving of Kazuma, Mr. Kamijou, after a series of mental changes, raised both hands in agreement with Kazuma's decision.

 。。。。。

【 After Darkness was drenched and frozen, the expression on her face became increasingly distorted. She lunged at Kazuma like a hungry tiger.

They began to compare strength. Seeing that he was no match for Darkness, Kazuma immediately used his unique secret technique, Drain Touch, to absorb her stamina.

Seeing Darkness looking utterly thrilled, Kazuma suddenly showed a very perverse expression: “How could I ever take on a fight head-on? After all this time, you still don’t get me!”

But Kazuma still underestimated Darkness. In this situation, she was still able to pry Kazuma's hand back forcefully with sheer brute strength.

And her energy seemed bottomless. If this continued, his hand might be broken before he could drain all her strength!

So, in this critical situation, Kazuma's clever brain came online again, revealing a somewhat wild smile: “When I win, even if you cry and apologize, I won't let up!”

Darkness, her face flushed, heard this and subconsciously lessened her grip: “…What do you want me to do…”

At this moment, Kazuma was like a true pervert: “Of course, I'll make you do things that are shameful and scary, things that will make you cry and say no… I'll command many unexpected things…”

Darkness's face was red, her breathing became more rapid, and sweat began to slide down her collarbone, looking somewhat seductive: “No… No! Even if I want to resist, I can't because my strength is being absorbed…”

Despite her words, Kazuma clearly felt Darkness's strength intentionally weakening, so he pressed his advantage: “Look forward to what kind of torment you'll receive when you wake up!”

As Kazuma spoke, he didn't forget to perversely stick out his tongue and wiggle it in front of Darkness.

“No matter what I'm subjected to, my heart will not yield, but 'excessive' things are…” Darkness, her face flushed crimson, began to fantasize about the scenario after losing.

Then she revealed a thrilled expression, collapsing powerlessly to the ground, utterly exhausted, her flushed face filled with anticipation.

Alexei, who witnessed everything, couldn't help but exclaim: “The name 'Trash Kazuma' is truly fitting…” 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…”

Silence. Everyone from other worlds who witnessed the entire process fell silent. They didn't know how to describe it. This scene was simply too perverse.

Was this a marriage interview? It was clearly a group of patients exchanging symptoms, a complete gathering of perverts! The level of perversion was almost enough to make Alexei, the only normal person in the entire show, dumbfounded.

That tongue was truly insane; it didn't look like acting at all, Kazuma! …What a peak duel, please rein in your perverse behavior, I almost called the police!

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

“60 points. That's all it gets from me! Satisfied with just a few words? Your training isn't complete yet, little girl!”

Inside the Yorozuya, the TV screen on the side suddenly split open, and Sarutobi Ayame naturally crawled out, muttering something.

Shinpachi looked at Sarutobi Ayame like an experienced judge, utterly speechless:

“When did you hide in there, you masochistic?”

“It seems you really don't understand, which is why you're just glasses, and you'll only ever be glasses in this life.”

Sarutobi Ayame finished, snorting, then turned and pounced on Gintoki:

“Gin-san…”

“You pervert!”

Before she could finish, she was kicked away by Gintoki, who then sat back on the sofa:

“Perverts are like cockroaches; they'll multiply if you don't clean them up for too long, Shinpachi-kun!”

Looking at Sarutobi Ayame, who was lying on the ground chuckling, Shinpachi's mouth twitched slightly. He finally understood why Sarutobi Ayame gave her 60 points.

 。。。。。

【 “I heard you were at the training grounds, so I brought you some drinks…” Just then, Darkness's father suddenly pushed open the door, and the drinks in his hands abruptly fell to the ground.

Kazuma followed his gaze and saw Darkness, drenched, with many parts of her body showing through her clothes, her skirt torn, looking like she had been 'played with.'

Kazuma and Alexei couldn't help but look at each other. Aqua silently pointed at the two of them: “They did it!”

Darkness's father didn't hesitate for a moment: “Alright, execute them!”

The scene changes, and Kazuma explains the situation to Darkness's father. The old father also entrusts Darkness to Kazuma's care in the future.

At this moment, Darkness groggily wakes up from her unconsciousness: “This state is 'aftermath'… While I was unconscious, you did something unspeakable to me.”

How could she say such a thing in front of her old father? Kazuma quickly tried to explain, but Darkness had another idea!

She directly stood up and caressed her stomach: “My belly already has Kazuma's child!”

Alexei laughed heartily at the news and planned to use this to reject his father's marriage arrangement, turning around and leaving gracefully.

But the old father was already in tears: “Grandson… My adorable grandson…”

Aqua was also trembling with fear: “When did you two become like this? Quickly spread the word… spread it to the whole town.” 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter! The timing of this appearance is just too perfect. I can only imagine how devastating this scene is to an old father!”

“Darkness's father also seems like a very open-minded and kind person, after all, what father doesn't know what kind of person his daughter is?”

Everyone looked at Alexei with tears in their eyes. Can you believe it? They actually saw a normal person in that other world!

What noble character! He could even go along with it. Is it hard to believe this guy's father is really that fat pig lord?

“Pfft… Haha, Darkness's excuse can only fool an old father who wants a grandson, and an idiotic goddess.”

This old father is also quite incredible, one dares to say it, the other dares to believe it!

As for Aqua, there's no need even to mention her; she's an even heavier hitter! She's consistently stable. It's a good thing she met Kazuma; anyone else would easily trick her into having a second child.

 。。。。。

Chapter 368: Vanir! Demon King's Army Executives Gather at the Novice Village

Chapter Text

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

The silent pervert(Muttsurini) beside them had already shed a pool of nosebleed when Darkness fell to the ground. Now, he was lying on the ground due to excessive blood loss, his body twitching slightly.

Only the hand placed on the camera shutter was still trying to press the camera, saying with great reluctance,

“Who… will help me… press the shutter!”

But this time, his old patron Akihisa Yoshii ignored him, because the latter was already filled with rage.

Akihisa was now wearing an FFF cloak, holding a scythe high, glaring at Kazuma on the screen with gritted teeth,

“That bastard!! He even has a child!”

They looked to be about the same age, and he had such a devilish personality, yet he even had a child. He was so envious that his back molars were almost ground to dust.

Seeing Akihisa still in the dark, Hideyoshi sighed helplessly,

“What an idiot… Akihisa, haven't you realized this is a lie?”

“…Are you saying the child isn’t real?”

Akihisa suddenly fell silent for a moment, then suddenly showed a brilliant smile,

“What, I knew Kazuma wouldn't betray us.”

This smile was so warm and sunny, as if the person who was just full of murderous intent didn't exist at all, acting as if nothing had happened.

Looking at Aqua on the screen, only Yuji, lying on his back on the ground, sighed with great emotion,

“Sure enough, there's not a single normal person…”

 。。。。。

【 “SATOU KAZUMA!!” At this moment, the prosecutor suddenly pushed open the door, because after the latter came out of the dungeon a few days ago, swarms of monsters appeared!

Although Kazuma was speechless at the prosecutor's act of shifting blame, he still questioned his odd teammates just to be safe.

Megumin said she didn't enter the dungeon at that time, and… “I have no clue about anything unrelated to Explosion magic.”

Darkness: “Me too! There shouldn't have been any problems normally.”

Seeing Kazuma's gaze, Aqua also said somewhat angrily, “Of course I didn't, you suspect me too much!”

Then Aqua gradually became smug, “Speaking of dungeons, thanks to me, monsters can't even get close to it!”

Kazuma grabbed Aqua's shoulder and started sweating profusely, “Come here for a moment, what did you just say?”

Aqua hadn't realized the seriousness of the problem yet and continued excitedly, “The magic circle I used in the Lich's room, I put a lot of effort into making it, and it's still perfectly preserved! Evil things can't get in.”

Kazuma, realizing the cause of the problem, completely collapsed, clutching his hair and screaming, “YOU IDIOT—!!”

After punching Aqua on the head, Kazuma quickly turned around and said to the prosecutor with an air of righteous indignation, “Monsters aside, as an adventurer, I cannot stand by and do nothing when people are in trouble! Let us help.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, as expected, it's not the super smart Aqua, completely unaware that she's the culprit. Monsters can't get in, so they all ran out!”

“You suspect me too much… Is Aqua trying to make me die of laughter? You're the biggest trap; my suspicions were indeed correct.”

Everyone in other worlds was almost dying of laughter. Aqua's intelligence was truly worrying. A goddess who only traps her teammates, her logic perfectly matches her intelligence.

The other members of the team were not to be underestimated either. Megumin only having Explosion magic in her head was already considered good. Darkness said there weren't any major problems, but it seems there are quite a few minor ones!

High emotional intelligence: Cannot stand by and do nothing when people are in trouble… Low emotional intelligence: Solve the problems you caused yourself!

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

At this moment, even Gabriel couldn't help but admire,

“As expected of the Goddess of Wisdom, as consistently stable as ever!”

Unexpectedly, besides the idiotic Satania, there was actually another expert. If these two had a chance to compete, it would probably be hard to tell who's better.

Vignette looked at the large bump on Aqua's head with some concern,

“She's already silly, won't hitting her head like that cause problems…”

Aqua's intelligence, even Vignette, who claimed to be a true angel, couldn't find a reason to refute.

She was afraid that Kazuma's punch would knock out Aqua's already limited intelligence, and if she became unable to take care of herself in the future, it would be too pitiful.

 。。。。。

【 To solve the trouble Aqua caused, Kazuma and the others had to set off overnight to dispel the magic circle. But as soon as they arrived at the dungeon entrance, they found numerous puppets wearing black and white masks.

The prosecutor suspected that someone had summoned them inside, then handed Kazuma a sealing talisman. After defeating the summoner, sticking it on the magic circle would seal it.

“Why? I just feel very annoyed.” Aqua, seeing these puppets for some reason, felt a physiological discomfort. After speaking, she picked up a stone and was about to throw it at a puppet.

The puppet also noticed her movement, wobbled over, and hugged Aqua's calf, “Eh… wha… what?”

“What's the matter? Are you being a bit spoiled? Even though the mask is annoying, I still think it’s kind of cute.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the puppet's body began to glow, and its temperature gradually became hotter, then…

BOOM—!

Accompanied by an explosion, Aqua fell to the ground, somewhat disheveled.

The few people watching all this, the team members' expressions didn't change at all, and the prosecutor remained calm, “As you can see, this kind of monster has the habit of self-destructing after sticking to a human body!”

“I see.”

Seeing that they could still talk so calmly, Aqua was almost crying, “Why are you so calm! Can you worry about me a little!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I can’t stop laughing. Aqua’s taunt skill is fully maxed out, forcing monsters to target that taunt-maxed healer first.”

“Good heavens, not a single teammate was worried when one of them exploded; each of them was unbelievably calm.”

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Asuna was trying hard to suppress her laughter,

“As expected of Aqua-sama, whose luck is also pitifully low…”

She really couldn't understand why Aqua, a healer, could attract more aggro than the front line. It seemed that just by standing there, she made monsters want to hit her.

“However, these puppets shouldn't have anything to do with Kazuma.”

Kirito noticed that these puppets didn't seem to have appeared in the dungeon before, and the artificial traces were very heavy.

Speaking of this, Asuna also became serious,

“They can automatically target enemies and self-destruct while holding someone… This world is not as wonderful as imagined…”

If they ignored their quirky style from another world, these monsters were actually quite strong. Even cabbage, which was food, could knock people out.

 。。。。。

【 Seeing this, Darkness said nothing and walked directly to the dungeon entrance. The puppets immediately pounced on her.

BOOM—!” After a loud bang, Darkness was unharmed.

“I'll clear the way!”

Due to the restrictions of Explosion magic, Megumin still didn't go this time. Aqua also refused because of Kazuma abandoning her last time, which had left her with a psychological shadow of the dungeon.

So after Darkness and Kazuma entered the dungeon, they found that it seemed much brighter than last time.

And Darkness was excitedly hacking at the puppets with her sword everywhere, “Hit! Hit!! Look, these guys are all crashing into my sword!”

Because these monsters would actively stick to her, Darkness, who had always struggled to hit anything, finally experienced the feeling of critical hits with every strike. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Oh no… a perfect match. An explosion of this power couldn't even scratch her. The pervert has a new way to play.”

“Actually, Kazuma's team is quite capable in terms of professional attributes; it's just that they're too regrettable in other aspects.”

Darkness officially transitioned from a Crusader to a sapper, hitting every time. She was practically a divine tank, with pitifully low damage but ridiculously high defense.

What was unexpected was that Aqua, as a goddess, was actually traumatized by the dungeon… Look how happy Darkness was in the dungeon.

After all, it wasn't easy. The sword she had been equipped with for so long was finally no longer just a decoration; she finally got to use it.

 。。。。。

【 Although Darkness was having a great time hacking, Kazuma was a bit troubled because the adventurers following them wouldn't be able to secretly remove Aqua's magic circle.

However, fortunately, a large number of puppets appeared again. Kazuma quickly continued forward with Darkness. After shaking off the adventurers, the two arrived at the final room.

There sat an enlarged puppet, and those small self-destructing figures were from his hand: “Welcome to my dungeon, adventurers! I am the source and instigator of countless evils.”

“Also, a high-ranking member of the Demon King's army, the Duke of Hell, who commands demons, the great demon who sees through the entire world… Vanir!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Oh no… they've kicked a hornet's nest this time. Just by looking at that long list of titles, you know this isn't someone Kazuma can afford to mess with.”

“Isn't this the same spot where the mimic was before? Where did this big shot come from?”

At this moment, everyone in other worlds was dumbfounded. If they remembered correctly, this was still within the beginner village area… Why were all the Demon King's army executives hidden in the beginner village?

For some reason, when everyone thought of the Demon King's army executives, they felt a little sorry for them. Megumin bullied the Beldia(Dullahan), Aqua bullied Wiz(Lich)… And now another one has come.

Such a small beginner village, how could it be worthy of having three Demon King's army executives? If you told them this was the Demon King's main base, they would believe it!

And speaking of which, Kazuma has been in this other world for so long and hasn't even left the beginner village… Could it be that the quest to leave the beginner village is to defeat the Demon King?

 。。。。。

Chapter 369: So, the executive is also a part-time job. May I ask about the salary?

Chapter Text

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

“A high-ranking officer of the Demon King's army, Duke of Hell, a great demon who sees through the entire world…”

Hearing these titles, even Gabriel, who usually looked listless, couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

“Why does this feel like a low-quality online game? What game's late-game boss would frequently appear in the starter village!”

She could guarantee that if this were an RPG game, she wouldn't spend a single cent. Not only that, she'd go to the official website and curse the game's developer until they were utterly disgraced.

Do you think a few new players, without spending money, could defeat a boss like that? It's clearly just a trick by the developers to get people to spend money.

Vignette said, suddenly enlightened,

“But this also perfectly explains why Aqua occasionally feels a physiological discomfort when she sees people.”

Vignette, also a demon, came from a hell with simple folk customs, and every great demon with the title of Duke was no ordinary individual!

This was a Duke! It was truly hard to imagine someone of such high status in Hell appearing in an inconspicuous starter village…

 。。。。。

【 “Run away…” After realizing the opponent was a Demon King's army General, Kazuma yelled at Darkness and immediately wanted to flee.

But Darkness was fearless, slowly drawing the longsword from her waist, stubbornly saying, “How can I retreat in front of a demon!”

“Hoh…” Hearing Darkness's words, Vanir instead became interested: “Do you intend to defeat me, whose power is comparable to the Demon King's?”

“Well, calm down! Although I am a Demon King's army General, I merely maintain the castle's barrier. I'm essentially a nominal officer.”

Hearing Vanir's statement, Darkness and Kazuma exchanged glances. However, before they could interject, they heard Vanir explain his reason for being there.

“The Demon King sent me to investigate the Beldia incident, and also to find that useless shop owner living in Axel, who has the strange special ability of becoming poorer the more he works.” 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…”

Everyone from other worlds fell silent. No wonder they weren't working hard; it turns out the Demon King only hired temporary workers!

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Hearing Vanir's shocking statement, Fern was also stunned:

“By the way… can a position like a Demon King's army executive be a part-time job?! Could you conveniently disclose the salary?”

Initially, she thought Wiz, who didn't do proper work and only focused on running her shop, was already a special case. It turns out that being an officer could really be a part-time job.

Even more outrageous was that the Demon King's castle's main barrier was entirely outsourced. Following this pattern… she could even imagine that this Demon King probably wasn't a serious person either.

Even the well-informed Frieren was confused, tilting her head in doubt:

“I want to know how many full-time employees the Demon King's army has.”

It felt like none of the Demon King's officers were serious people; being an officer was like a regular job, with everyone slacking off… Thinking of this, Frieren's expression sagged.

Uh… it seemed that Kazuma, as the hero, wasn't much better off; they were all just idling away their days.

 。。。。。

【 “Furthermore, for demons, the best food is the negative emotions humans feel when they dislike something! Every time a human is born, we run around excitedly.”

Although Kazuma really wanted to run away, there was something he couldn't ignore: “These dolls keep emerging from the dungeon, causing us a lot of trouble.”

And Vanir, as a demon, possessed the ability to see into people's hearts, and he saw right through Kazuma: “How rude. A man who wanders anxiously at home, worried sick because the armored woman hasn't returned for a few days.”

Kazuma, his thoughts exposed, became shy: “Why do you speak as if you saw it! What exactly are you plotting?”

And Vanir summoned these dolls to clear out the monsters in the dungeon. Since the dolls had run to the surface, it proved that the monsters here had been completely eliminated.

Vanir immediately deactivated his ability because he had always dreamed of one thing—having a dungeon of his own.

Then, he would fill it with demons and traps, waiting for adventurers to come and challenge it, and make them go through numerous trials!

Upon reaching the final room, he would be waiting there as the final boss, and then would be defeated by them! This way, adventurers could receive a clear reward.

“The reward inside is… a 'Thank You for Your Patronage' ticket! And the adventurers would look at the slip of paper in confusion, and I want to watch this scene slowly disappear.”

“I really want to die this way!” After saying this, Vanir's expression was filled with longing. 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“He actually gets excited by the birth of humans; this demon isn't demonic at all… but purely in terms of twisted humor, he's quite demonic.”

“Holy cow, this… this is too ambitious! If I were a boss, I'd do the same thing. As expected of a demon, he really knows how to have fun.”

Full of twisted humor! What a crazy act, playing pranks with one's life, truly a devil!

With such insane subordinates, the Demon King's army is probably doomed! But, honestly… messing with people like that is quite satisfying, a perverse act akin to having one's transformation interrupted.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“What an innocent executive… This is not a demon; Satan would have to tattoo you on his back.”

Ainz even suspected that he had done this to people before, to be so skilled.

However, after hearing Vanir's plan, he also felt a little eager to try it, considering whether to set up his own Great Tomb of Nazarick this way, as it sounded quite satisfying.

Demiurge, beside him, was full of praise:

“What a man of twisted humor. If the dungeon also charged an entrance fee, wouldn't we be able to make a profit?”

At these words, even Ainz couldn't help but look at Demiurge. You truly are a genius! You could even think of such a devious idea.

This would be like paying to open a map and enter a dungeon, working hard and not getting any drops… It's all full of tricks, enough to infuriate people to curse.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“You're quite mischievous, Vanir-san…”

Wiz, who had been messed with like this during her adventurer days, showed a kindly smile.

Because of Aqua's magic circle on the screen, Kazuma, who was hiding in Wiz's shop to avoid getting hit, had a face full of black lines:

“You call this mischievous… Does he also have some serious mental illness?”

The thought of fighting a boss with great difficulty, only to open a treasure chest and find such a coupon, would truly make him get high blood pressure, perhaps.

Thinking of this, Kazuma suddenly felt a little sorry for the Demon King, as all the Demon King's army executive were oddballs.

And Kazuma, who also had oddball teammates, felt that he could vaguely understand the Demon King's feelings.

 。。。。。

【 “To achieve this plan, I originally intended to save up some money at a friend's shop and then build a huge dungeon.”

But unexpectedly, on the way there, he discovered an ownerless dungeon. Unfortunately, there was a powerful magic circle here, preventing him from entering the final room!

“It's that guy again!” Kazuma merely grumbled in his heart, but Vanir discovered him: “It's the magic circle set up by your companion!”

Then Vanir used mind-reading, not only seeing through Aqua's identity as the goddess of water but also seeing through the inner thoughts of both of them.

“Can you move out of the way? Although I have a principle of not killing humans, I will not kill humans, not humans....”

As he spoke, Vanir became somewhat angry: “To create such a troublesome magic circle, I'm going to make her taste my power!”

Darkness also became serious for once, launching an attack on Vanir. Unfortunately, none of her attacks hit.

Then Vanir suddenly noticed something was wrong: “Where did that unprincipled man go? Compared to a brainless crusader, his type is more troublesome.”

Kazuma pressed tightly against the wall in the darkness, using his stealth skill to wait for the opportune moment, until he saw Vanir dodging Darkness's greatsword, then he charged out with his sword!

“I GOT HIM—!!”

But he accidentally stepped on a rock and bumped into Vanir, and Darkness's powerful sweep just happened to cut across the latter's body.

“Ah… I didn't expect to fall here…” Vanir's body, along with his attire, turned into sand, leaving only the black and white mask behind.

“Is he really dead?!” Kazuma looked at the sand and mask on the ground, somewhat confused.

After all, neither of them expected victory to come so easily, but before they could rejoice for two seconds, a voice came from the mask.

“While you were so excited… I'm still alive!” Then the mask attached itself to Darkness's face. 】

【 。。。。。 】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This mask demon has something going on; he's the only one in another world who saw through Aqua's identity as a goddess!”

“Aqua might be an idiot, but she's still strong! Even this big boss couldn't enter the room with the magic circle Aqua left behind.”

Demon? Not killing? Humans? Everyone recognized these words, but put together, they were a bit incomprehensible. What kind of people were the Demon King's army executives?!

He actually wanted to earn money at Wiz's shop, which made him poorer the more he worked, to build his own dungeon?

Big brother, did you forget you're a demon?! The method he thought of to achieve his ideal was to work honestly and save money…

 。。。。。

Chapter 370: The Beginner Village is also known as the Graveyard of Executives!

Chapter Text

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

Laios looked at Vanir with some curiosity,

“What a pure-hearted demon… Although his ideals are a bit perverse, the methods to achieve them are quite simple and unadorned.”

This couldn't even be described as simple and unadorned. Moreover, working for Wiz, a poor shop owner who could barely support herself, are you sure she can afford to pay him?

The dream of earning money to build his own dungeon might never be realized in this lifetime…

And Vanir's impression on him was completely different. He wasn't insidious or cunning, nor did he like to kill. He felt more like a mischievous, comical demon.

Chilchuck rolled his eyes,

“How is that pure-hearted? He's a devil who lives up to his title!”

“I don't want to work hard to run a dungeon just to get a useless ticket…”

Just thinking about the possibility of opening a treasure chest and finding such a prank made him shiver. The thought alone made him furious. It was truly devilish.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Wiz, are you very familiar with Vanir?”

Looking at this perverse demon who could see through people's hearts, Kazuma, for the sake of his life, decided to gather as much information as possible.

“Hmm, I guess you could say we're pretty close in terms in friendship,”

Wiz pondered for a moment with a somewhat dazed expression, seemingly thinking about where to start.

“When I was still a human adventurer, I accidentally met Mr. Vanir once, and we had a few contests.”

“Afterward, to save a companion cursed by Beldia, I sought Mr. Vanir's help and became a lich, then charged into the Demon King's Castle!”

CHARGED INTO THE DEMON KING'S CASTLE!!… Hearing this, Megumin's eyes gleamed with envy. The shop owner had actually fought her way to the Demon King. As expected of her lifelong rival.

Looking at Wiz, who was still smiling gently, Kazuma was speechless. This was a true master, not to be trifled with… Speaking of which, what kind of terrible beginner's village was this? It felt like the hero was somewhat redundant.

 。。。。。

【 The mask was placed on Darkness's face, beginning to invade her body. Then, the hand holding the sword naturally drooped, and she stood still with her head bowed.

Vanir's voice came from Darkness: “Your disgust is delicious! Hehehe haha.”

“Brat, listen up, under my power (What should I do, Kazuma! My body is being invaded.).”

“How about it, brat! If you can attack this girl… (It's perfectly fine, don't hold back, attack me!)

The exasperated Vanir cursed, “Shut up, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!”

Vanir didn't expect that the knight he possessed was not only physically tough but also incredibly strong-willed, thus leading to this split personality.

“How is this possible! What's wrong with this (beautiful) girl!… How tenacious is her spirit… (I am the model crusader), Shut up!”

“This girl is more amazing than I thought!… (Not at all.) But, the more you resist, the more unbearable pain you will ultimately experience (What?!).”

“Alright, how long can you endure it?” As soon as he finished speaking, Vanir froze, because he felt a sense of joy from Darkness?!”

Kazuma, seeing Darkness's split personality, was truly impressed and simply chose to ignore it. He calmly went indoors and began to erase the magic circle. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, I even have reason to suspect Darkness deliberately didn't dodge, and even managed to insert her own personal preferences.”

“A large-scale split personality scene. I'd advise Vanir to take off that mask soon. I feel like he's going to be mentally polluted by a pervert.”

“You dare possess someone with a mental disorder! The more you resist, the more pain you feel? Isn't that just hitting Darkness's perverse right on the head? A perfect match!”

Kazuma, needless to say, completely ignored the split-personality pervert and even calmly went to erase the magic circle, incredibly composed!

Wait… everyone seemed to have discovered a crucial point. Since Vanir feeds on human disgust, then the pleasure he felt from Darkness, wouldn't that BE…!!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma silently erased the magic circle, listening to Darkness's one-person double act. But by the time he finished, the two were still babbling!

Kazuma walked towards Darkness, but she pointed her greatsword at him: “You wouldn't want to harm this girl you love, would you? If this girl keeps enduring my power (Ka…Kazuma, this demon who claims to see through everything said something I care about!) Shut UP!!”

Looking at the two still in their split personality, Kazuma was truly speechless. Even Vanir couldn't stand Darkness anymore and wanted to leave her body.

Kazuma somewhat disdainfully stuck a talisman on her: “The Seal Talisman given by the prosecutor. Let's return to the surface like this and have Aqua purify him!”

Along the way, Vanir continued to babble to Kazuma: “This girl's body is resisting my control and feeling immense pain! If this continues, her mind will collapse!”

“(That's right, Kazuma! This is the first time I've felt such a strong sensation. As expected of a Demon King's Army executive!)”

Kazuma didn't have time to deal with Darkness's perversion now, feeling a little uneasy: “Hang in there! We're at the surface, you'll be free soon!”

“(No need to bother…)”

Kazuma, still running, paused: “Huh, what did you just say?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heavens, Darkness, that pervert actually managed to force a demon to the point of wanting to escape her body. A god-like masochistic constitution.”

“This is bad. According to the previous pattern of Demon King's Army executives appearing, Vanir might be finished!”

Vanir really hit the jackpot. Darkness is practically a natural nemesis. Even an S-rank like him is no match for her.

She even enjoys this incomprehensible pleasure. The more pain she feels, the more exhilarated she becomes. It's supposed to be a tense atmosphere, but there's absolutely no sense of urgency!

 。。。。。

【 Just like that, the two successfully escaped to the exit, but then Darkness suddenly lost consciousness. Vanir had now completely controlled her body!

“Hahaha, control complete!” She frantically ran towards the exit, planning to ambush Aqua with her companion's body while Aqua was off guard.

“My hateful nemesis! How will she react when faced with her possessed companion?”

Vanir shouted and leaped onto the surface, only to be met by Aqua's holy purification magic: “SACRED EXORCISM—!”

“AHHH!!” A dazzling white light instantly enveloped Darkness's body, and she knelt powerlessly on the ground.

“Hey, Darkness!” Kazuma looked worriedly at Darkness, who was kneeling on the ground, then pointed at Aqua: “Hey, don't suddenly cast magic!”

Aqua looked somewhat innocent: “I felt an evil presence, so I released it when it rushed over!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Tsk tsk… Poor Vanir, he's been dumbed down after only possessing her for a while. Didn't he consider that just as he could sense Aqua's presence, she could also sense his!”

“Hahaha, so Aqua is still quite reliable when it comes to serious matters. Is this a happy accident?”

Vanir's words revealed that he was no ordinary being. He knew Aqua's identity and even considered her a nemesis.

However, for some reason, everyone felt that the Demon King's Army executives would suddenly become comical whenever they encountered Kazuma's party. They had never seen a single executive die a dignified death.

 。。。。。

【 Knowing that the other party was a demon, Aqua somewhat disgustedly covered her mouth: “It stinks, what is this… It's the smell of a demon, Darkness, don't come near!”

Although this didn't immediately send Vanir to the afterlife, it at least awakened Darkness's consciousness. She stood up and performed a double act for everyone!

“O hateful and notorious priestess with the same name as the Goddess of Water, my name is (Aqua, I shouldn't smell that bad)… My name is Bani (Kazuma, you smell too; it shouldn't stink). SHUT UP!!”

Watching Darkness's one-person double act almost made Aqua die laughing, then she unexpectedly shot another Holy Ray!

Seeing her magic being dodged, Aqua said, “Hey, Darkness, why are you dodging? Stand still!”

Upon seeing this, the prosecutor immediately ordered the adventurers to besiege him, but now it was a pervert plus a pervert in a Kamen Rider suit, with both strength and defense! They were no match at all.

Seeing Aqua about to fall into crisis, Kazuma still rushed over and easily awakened Darkness's will with just a few words!

Then he pretended to use Steal to trick Vanir's mind-reading ability, used fire magic to burn off the seal on her head, and Darkness successfully regained control of her body.

Even so, the mask still couldn't be removed, and Aqua's evolution magic did not affect Darkness, who had maxed out her defense.

“Use Explosion magic on me now.”

Now, all hope could only be placed on Megumin, but Megumin's Explosion magic had been upgraded several times, and Darkness might not be able to withstand its power.

Darkness slowly walked towards an open space in the distance: “Although it was a short time, it wasn't bad being with you (I never expected my desire for destruction to be realized in this form! For me, possessing you was quite enjoyable.).”

As Megumin unleashed a powerful Explosion magic, a huge mushroom cloud appeared in the sky!

In the enormous crater, Darkness's armor was shattered to a near-death state, but fortunately, the mask was successfully broken!

Under Aqua's healing, she recovered the next day completely, and Kazuma also successfully cleared his name for defeating a Demon King's Army executive.

And the bounty not only offset all his debts but also earned him an additional 40 million prize money! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why did you dodge? How could Aqua even ask that question… Do you think everyone's intelligence is on par with yours?”

“Good heavens, you two reached a consensus with a Demon King's Army executive, exchanging notes on your respective conditions…”

My goodness… Darkness, despite being a pervert, has ridiculously high defense and HP. She took a direct hit from a nuclear bomb and wasn't blown to smithereens.

The battle between a mage who put all her skill points into Explosion magic and a crusader who put all her points into defense. Clearly, Megumin lost because she wasn't perverse enough.

What's even more unexpected is that a hero who hadn't even left the beginner's village accidentally dealt with three Demon King's executives. No one would believe it if you told them.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Watching Kazuma go from being burdened by national debt to a multi-millionaire, Tohsaka Rin's eyes turned into money symbols:

“What a valuable EXECUTIVE!!”

She never expected a Demon King's executive to be so valuable, estimated at around 1.3 billion. Kazuma was rich now. One second, he was worrying about food; the next, he was a true nouveau riche.

Looking at the mushroom cloud that lit up the sky, Emiya Shirou couldn't help but exclaim,

“Megumin's Explosion magic has grown much stronger in range and power!”

It's just… when are their party going to fight the Demon King? They've already dealt with several Demon King's Army executives, but they haven't even left the beginner's village.

And with Kazuma's party's setup, they should have the strength to contend with the Demon King's Army by now.

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Th-three of them!”

Ristarte secretly counted on her fingers, realizing that nearly half of the Demon King's minions were gone.

And this was achieved by Kazuma accidentally, while he was constantly busy with his daily meals. If he were to specifically target the Demon King in his adventures, wouldn't he be able to speedrun it?

Could it be that defeating the Demon King is truly the condition for leaving the beginner's village…?

Ristarte shook her head, dismissing her unrealistic thoughts. Before, it was just because he was poor and had no equipment, and due to debts and other reasons! That he was forced to stay in the beginner's village.

But now Kazuma has no debt worries and no longer needs to worry about money. She believes he will soon embark on the journey to defeat the Demon King.

 。。。。。

Chapter 371: Cool for Less Than a Second, And It's True! Why Bother Fighting the Demon King When You Have Money?

Chapter Text

Originally, Ristarte had entertained such thoughts, yet the truth was, Aqua's aptitude for idleness surpassed all others, and she had utterly underestimated the true depravity of Kazuma!

It was only upon witnessing the ensuing spectacle that Ristarte fully grasped the true meaning of the most authentic Hero and the most realistic Goddess!

 。。。。。

【 Ever since their victory over the executive Vanir, not only had they cleared their debts but also secured an additional forty million bounty. Aqua, finding the weather too frigid, hadn't stepped foot outside the house for days.

As for Kazuma, it went without saying; he had completely devolved, spending his entire days holed up in the kotatsu, transforming into a kotatsu-monster.

His thoughts gradually drifted back to a few days prior…

Given that Vanir and Wiz were close friends, meaning they had vanquished Wiz's longtime comrade, Kazuma decided to personally apologize to Wiz, bringing Darkness along.

Darkness, gazing into the distance, seemed tinged with melancholy as she spoke of Vanir, with whom she had once shared a body: “It might sound wrong to say… but, he wasn't entirely unlikable!”

With a heavy heart, Darkness pushed open the shop door, only to find the new shop assistant, wearing that familiar mask, grinning broadly, his smile radiating an almost unnerving warmth.

“Welcome, young lady who just uttered a string of embarrassing lines at the doorstep!”

“But… he wasn't entirely unlikable,” Vanir mimicked her perfectly, “Alas, we demons have no gender, so even such a shy confession won't affect me in the slightest!”

Darkness's face immediately flushed crimson, her composure shattered. Her eyes spiraled into mosquito coils as she collapsed onto the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face between them.

Wiz, beaming with delight, offered her congratulations: “I heard! Kazuma defeated Vanir and cleared his name of spy suspicions. Congratulations!”

“Let's put that aside for now…” Kazuma cut Wiz off, then pointed at Vanir: “Why is this guy so lively and unharmed after taking a massive Explosion spell? He doesn't look injured at all.”

Before Wiz could answer, Vanir explained: “Even I couldn't emerge completely unscathed from such a blow! Look closely at this mask.”

Upon closer inspection of the mask's forehead, they found the number “ 11” etched upon it. “Explosion magic took one of my lives. This is the second-generation Vanir!”

Through Wiz's explanation, they learned that Vanir had used this opportunity to resign from his position as a Demon King's General and intended to stay at her shop, aiming to make a fortune together. He even invited Kazuma to partner with him in business.

“Man from a distant land, partnering with us in business would benefit everyone! If a good opportunity presents itself, why not discuss it with me?” 】

【 。。。。。】

『 Viewers of Countless World 』

“Hahaha, want Kazuma and Aqua to fight the Demon King? Impossible! Those two are nothing but sloths, old salted fish! You never see a salted fish flip itself over.”

“Looking at these subordinates, what immense courage the Demon King must have had to recruit them back then… or rather, hire them. This so-called Demon King is practically a CEO!”

The crowd looked at the unmotivated Hero's party, then at the Demon King's General, who could casually resign. Indeed, where there are dragons, there are also phoenixes… truly formidable adversaries.

With all these subordinates being such clowns, it's truly a miracle the Demon King is still alive and well!

The Hero's party wasn't much better; otherwise, why call them formidable adversaries? No money, go adventuring and hunt monsters. Got money, slack off and enjoy. Their main philosophy is pure Zen.

The main quest? They don't even budge, or rather, Kazuma doesn't even bother looking at it. If someone wants to fight the Demon King, let them! For just a few hundred a month, it’s hardly worth risking your life.

“Honestly, I'm really curious how much a part-time Demon King's General actually earns…”

His executive job wasn't going well, so he chose to work for the impoverished Wiz. It's a miracle if he makes any money! If he hadn't said demons have no gender, everyone would have already started shipping them.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Because the video had previously shown the future, the Holy Grail War was practically a Holy Grail War in name only. After all, who would want to snatch that contaminated, broken cup? And so, the current scene unfolded…

Shirou Emiya watched Artoria, who was also curled up in the kotatsu, speechless. She was the most thoroughly lazy of them all, becoming a kotatsu-monster just like Kazuma.

When would she emerge from that Britannian Fallen Kingdom Kotatsu?! Electricity bills are so expensive.

“I've wanted to say this for a long time, the Demon King's army is doomed sooner or later!”

Rin Tohsaka watched the reappearance of Vanir with a hint of exasperation.

Beldia died mysteriously, and now two Demon King Generals have deserted, directly firing the Devil King CEO and opening a shop in the beginner's village.

Two Demon Kings' Generals, one Hero, one Goddess! And many high-level adventurers. You call this a beginner's village? Might as well rename it the retirement village.

〜Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle World〜

“Thank goodness…”

Twilight, the Demon King, looked at the General on the screen with a relieved expression. Fortunately, I don't have subordinates who just resign on a whim.

Then the Demon King began to complain again:

“By the way, where is Dawner the Hero now? Why is he as unreliable as Kazuma!”

He had specifically left various treasure chests along the way, trying every possible method to provide the Hero with equipment and items. He had kidnapped the princess for so long; surely, he should have arrived by now.

Hearing this, Husky glanced at the magical projection and said with some embarrassment:

“Uh, Dawner the Hero took a wrong turn…”

“Huh?!”

Twilight stumbled, nearly falling. He's even more unreliable than Kazuma! Is the princess still going to be rescued?

Sigh…”

Twilight, the Demon King, sighed, feeling weary. No choice, he'd have to add signposts on the Hero's path later, and remove the gold coins from the treasure chests.

Dawner the Hero was already clumsy enough; he feared that after getting gold coins, he would degenerate like Kazuma.

Heroes nowadays are truly getting worse and worse. The smart Hero Kazuma is unmotivated, a complete salted fish! While the motivated Dawner the Hero is a clumsy idiot with no sense of direction.

 。。。。。

【 Thoughts return to the present…

The “partnership” was to mass-produce and sell goods from Kazuma's original world in this alternate world, and their first project was the kotatsu!

Kazuma was in charge of product development, while Vanir handled mass production and sales. But this also turned Kazuma into a shut-in again. No matter how much Megumin and Darkness called, he refused to leave the kotatsu by even half a step.

He even used all his acquired knowledge to attack Darkness and Megumin, who were trying to drag him out of the covers. This move even made Aqua look on with utter disgust.

Just as Kazuma was smugly reveling, a sudden urge to urinate struck him. He had no choice but to propose a truce, begging the two to carry him to the toilet just as he was.

Seeing such a useless Kazuma, everyone was at their wits' end. Who, then, unhesitatingly threw him outside! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, their first product is a waste-making machine, the famous Fallen Kingdom Kotatsu. Quite something.”

“Kazuma's uselessness far exceeds imagination. After all this time, I haven't even felt the Demon King is that bad; instead, Kazuma seems more like the villain.”

This Vanir is quite something; he not only saw through Aqua's identity but also knew Kazuma's background perfectly. No wonder he planned to partner with Kazuma to make a fortune.

Although Kazuma seemed quite useless at this moment, no one could bring themselves to dislike him, because it was simply too real. In the dead of winter, no normal person would escape the kotatsu's seal!

 。。。。。

【 Eventually, Kazuma was forced out of the house, leading everyone to the equipment shop, where he obtained the katana he had always dreamed of!

Witnessing this scene, the brawny man with the red mohawk crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall with a hint of profoundness: “Is that your new partner?”

Kazuma exchanged glances with the brawny man, then lowered his voice: “New partner!”

The red-haired, brawny man pushed open the door and stepped out into the light, not forgetting to turn back and utter in a deep voice: “Hmph, perhaps I have just witnessed the birth of a new Hero!”

And Kazuma's custom-made dung beetle-colored armor was also complete. Kazuma then eagerly donned this limited-edition armor!

“Clang, clang, clang—” Kazuma tried to move but found he couldn't budge at all; his strength was insufficient to wield it. So, he had to abandon the armor, but at least he finally had a handy new weapon!

Kazuma tucked the long blade behind his waist, dramatically flicking his cloak: “From now on, I'll be relying on you, partner!”

Alas, the coolness lasted less than three seconds. After only two steps, the long blade accidentally knocked over a greatsword from a nearby rack!

“Sorry… sorry… sorry!” After diligently apologizing and setting it upright again, he once more dramatically flicked his cloak and pushed open the door.

This time, it didn't even last a second, because the long blade tucked behind his waist got directly stuck in the door. He couldn't even take a single step out.

And so, under the gazes of everyone who saw him as useless, Kazuma pushed the door flat, then tried again and again… 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This tailor, I've tolerated you for too long! Why are you everywhere? Is it really okay for a tailor to constantly act like such a big shot?”

Hahaha, everyone almost died laughing at the tailor's feigned demeanor; this tailor has way too much drama!

Honestly… this red-haired old man's gravitas is genuinely high. If we didn't know he was just a tailor, we'd really think he was some major figure!

It was only when everyone saw Kazuma in his green-colored dung beetle armor that they completely lost it… This is the power of nature; he turned green and became stronger!

And the most important question is, why is a thief wearing heavy armor?! Aren't you supposed to be a sneaky ambush type? How can you ambush anyone wearing that?

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

“Hahaha, cool things don't suit you, fellow countryman Kazuma… chuckle… haha.”

Subaru Natsuki, who had also recently arrived in an alternate world, couldn't hold back his laughter watching Kazuma's coolness last less than three seconds.

“There it is, a classic dog-world problem!”

Hanging the long blade horizontally at your waist looks cool, but it seems to lower your intelligence. You can't even get out the door; coolness lasts less than three seconds.

The situation was incredibly awkward. If it's really not working out, just stick to hanging daggers; after all, it's a thief class.

 。。。。。

Chapter 372: The Legendary Hero's Holy Sword, Chunchunmaru!!

Chapter Text

【 And so, Kazuma's new partner was significantly shortened, yet it was still a fine weapon, deserving of a cool name.

“Muramasa? Masamune? Kotetsu?” Kazuma pondered for ages but couldn't settle on anything suitable.

Just then, Aqua called out to the group, claiming she had found a suitable quest for them: slaying Lizard Runners! Spring was approaching, and the lizards were entering their breeding season!

Massive hordes of male runners would gather around the Queen Runner, vying for mating rights, and the swiftest male would be crowned King and pair with the Queen!

Upon hearing this, Kazuma extended a finger to silence the guild counter lady, dramatically raising his newly acquired sword.

Hush. No matter how many monsters show up, they’re no match for my new partner and me!”

“Right… uh… Kiku-ichimonji? Kogarasu-maru?” Clearly, Kazuma was still indecisive about his new partner's name.

As Kazuma fretted, Megumin suddenly interjected, “Chunchunmaru! That sword's name is Chunchunmaru!”

Kazuma rejected it without a second thought. “How can it have such a bizarre name? As my beloved sword, it must have a cool name…”

But it was too late. The enchanted talisman affixed to the hilt had already seared that name into existence!

Soon, the group arrived on the plains, Kazuma dejectedly holding Chunchunmaru. “I'm telling you… What if this sword defeats the Demon King? The legendary hero's holy sword, Chunchunmaru, would be etched onto plaques and displayed in museums!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Chunchunmaru, what a splendid name! You can tell just by hearing it that it's brimming with bloodlust… chuckles, my apologies, I couldn't hold it in!”

“Regarding the name Chunchunmaru, I suspect the Demon King would have the biggest objection, wouldn't he? If he were to be defeated by this sword, he'd truly be nailed to the pillar of shame.”

Tears welled up in everyone's eyes. After all this time just slacking off, you actually remember you're supposed to defeat the Demon King? Then hurry up and get out of the starter village already, you useless hero!

Hiding under the kotatsu all day, never stepping outside—we've never seen such an unmotivated hero!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Observing Kazuma, who seemed utterly inept at naming, Shirou Emiya offered a faint smile.

“Truly, Kazuma, a man from the land of the rising sun, transported to another world. The names he comes up with are all Japan's most famous swords!”

Rin Tohsaka, however, seemed rather indifferent.

“Is naming really that difficult? If all else fails, you could just call it 'Happy of Fire' or 'Frostmourne' or something!”

Even if Chunchunmaru sounds a bit low-tier, as long as you can defeat the Demon King, what does the name matter? Wouldn't people still admire you?

Illya closed the manga she was reading about a hero's adventures and quipped,

“Even if he defeats the Demon King, it won't be called a Holy Sword… because such a short sword is usually used for seppuku.”

She had thought Chunchunmaru was just a temporary weapon for Kazuma. She never imagined he would actually consider… taking a sword crafted in the starter village to fight the Demon King?

Moreover, what hero fights the Demon King with a short sword instead of a Holy Sword? Just imagining the scene, she found it somewhat… squalid.

 。。。。。

【 Once everyone was ready, Kazuma laid out his plan. First, he would snipe the Lizard King and Queen. Without those two, the lizard horde would disperse!

If that failed, Darkness would step in to tank, and Kazuma would attempt another snipe.

If that also failed, Megumin's Explosion magic would wipe them all out, with Aqua, the healer, providing all-around support!

Everyone listened and agreed it was a perfect plan. Soon, Kazuma, perched in a tree, spotted a horde of identical-looking lizards charging towards them!

It was then that Kazuma realized the most critical part of the plan had a flaw: while the female lizards were easy to distinguish, the males all looked identical, making it impossible to tell which one was the King!

“Hey! Aqua, which one is the King?”

Aqua placed her hand on her forehead, gazing into the distance, and uttered a profoundly wise statement: “The one that looks the most magnificent must be the King.”

Kazuma began to berate himself. “I'm such a fool for asking you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The plan was perfect. Next time, don't make a plan. It just goes to show that imagination is beautiful, but reality is cruel! The plan fell apart right from the start.”

“Child, you're overthinking it! This is reality. Witness the gap between ideals and reality.”

Everyone wondered if they had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. They actually saw Kazuma asking an idiot… Had Kazuma's intelligence dropped after spending so much time with the Goddess of Wisdom?

If you can't distinguish the King, then just take out the obvious Queen! Without the Queen, what would these male lizards even be fighting for?

 。。。。。

【 The Goddess of Wisdom, Aqua, suddenly had a brilliant idea: “Oh right, the King is the fastest runner, isn't he! Let's use monster-gathering magic to attract them. The fastest one to get here will be the King!”

Kazuma, realizing what was happening, didn't even have time to stop her before Aqua cast a mass taunt spell into the sky: “FORCE FIRE—!!”

The lizards running in the distance let out sharp shrieks, charging even more ferociously towards Aqua!

Kazuma, nocking an arrow, angrily cursed at Aqua, “You idiot! Are you never satisfied unless you cause trouble every single time?!”

“Why are you suddenly saying that? I was just trying to help, don't be mad! Anyway, it'll probably be like always, I'll definitely be bullied to tears by those runners!”

“I know, it's always like this! Kill me, just kill me already!” Aqua began to shout in self-pity, flopping onto the ground in a starfish pose, constantly bouncing and throwing a tantrum.

Seeing this idiotic goddess, Kazuma was utterly exasperated. He decided to rely on himself, using his exceptionally high luck stat to directly kill a suspected King lizard with a single arrow.

But the lizards only grew more frantic. If the King was killed first, the other lizards would believe they had a chance to become the new King. So, if they were to kill any, they had to kill the Queen first.

Facing such an overwhelming number of monsters, Megumin stepped forward. Her Explosion magic was perfectly suited for this: “Leave it to me! Explosion…”

However, nothing happened. Because that morning, when calling Kazuma to leave, Kazuma had used Drain Touch to absorb her magic, leaving her MP bar insufficient.

“Hahaha, bring it on!” Darkness, with her maxed-out defense, was utterly fearless.

In an instant, she, along with Aqua, was trampled underfoot by the countless Lizard Runners. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Daily friendly fire. Aqua's taunt is indeed max level. A goddess-tier taunt, but why would a priestess have mass taunt?!”

“After watching, all I can say is, what kind of divine teammates does Kazuma have? I can almost see them racking up massive debt already…”

Everyone burst into laughter at Aqua's self-pitying antics. A perfectly good goddess had been driven to become a neurotic mess, even becoming quite skilled at the monster-slaying process.

The problem is, Aqua, you're a goddess! Can't you maintain some image? Throwing such an undignified tantrum, rolling around in self-pity—how did even you become so grotesque?!

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

As a seasoned adventurer and gourmet, Laios felt that Kazuma's plan actually had no inherent flaws, but…

“The plan was quite good; unfortunately, the teammates didn't keep up and got him into trouble.”

He couldn't comprehend why Aqua, this genius goddess, would directly cast a taunt skill on herself. He could only attribute it to her brilliant mind.

Every sudden flash of world-shaking wisdom from her was unfathomable. No normal person would think that way; truly worthy of being the Goddess of Wisdom!

“The mage can't cast magic, the priestess suddenly taunts, the front-liner is useless… only the archer is still dealing damage?”

Marcille suddenly realized the importance of brains. As a mage, Megumin, constantly monitoring her own magic power is crucial!

Even Kazuma's contingency plans, in case of failure, became useless due to his teammates' blunders. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed no one in the party was actually useful.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“…If I said Aqua isn't a goddess, would you believe me?”

Ishtar's mouth twitched slightly as she watched Aqua's grotesque self-pity, attempting to kick her out of the ranks of goddesses.

Sensing some amusement, the Wise King Gilgamesh looked at Ishtar playfully.

“What do you think?”

“No WAY!!”

Ishtar frantically tried to deny this fact.

“If I'm a goddess alongside her, I feel like I'll turn into an idiot just like her!”

While she sometimes drops the ball, she certainly doesn't want to become a foolish goddess like Aqua!

It's truly hard to imagine what kind of people follow the Axis Cult, worshipping an imbecile like Aqua… and this thing actually has believers?!

 。。。。。

Chapter 373: The Brave One Dies Again, and It Was Still a Fall That Killed Him...

Chapter Text

【 Watching Darkness and Aqua being trampled underfoot, Kazuma couldn't help but grow anxious: “Da… Darkness, just hold on a little longer! I'll take care of this guy right now!”

“No need to trouble yourself… Oh ho ho… Take your time, it's fine!” Amidst the swarm of lizards, Darkness still managed to give Kazuma a thumbs-up from the tree, signaling him not to rush.

Kazuma aimed his bow at the Lizard Queen, who seemed to sense the killing intent, leaping directly into the air for a flying kick towards Kazuma!

“Snipe!” Kazuma loosed an arrow, piercing the Running Queen's brow with unerring precision, only then exhaling a sigh of relief: “That was a close call…”

Just as he thought that, the Running Queen's body, carried by inertia, slammed into the tree trunk. Kazuma, having just fired his arrow and completely unprepared for such a show-off move, instantly lost his balance.

The swarm of Running Lizards below watched Kazuma fall from the tree… all of them scattered, and Kazuma landed headfirst. A dull, sickening crunch of dislocated bones echoed, and he died on the spot!

“…”

When Kazuma, somewhat bewildered, opened his eyes again, it was the familiar space and the familiar goddess.

This kind of death, even the goddess Eris, felt embarrassed for Kazuma, seemingly unsure how to begin: “Please, live carefully… It took a great deal of effort when I made an exception to revive you before.”

Kazuma promptly bowed in apology: “My deepest apologies! I have no rebuttal this time.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I really want to know what Kazuma, who has teammates but still fights alone, is thinking.”

“Hahahaha, I never expected a lizard to use a flying kick. Do you think you're Jashin-chan?!”

Watching Kazuma die yet again, everyone fell into a rare silence… Aqua and Darkness weren't trampled to death, so why did you have to be the one to die?!

“Kazuma, with the highest luck stat, died by unluckily missing his footing… What happened to that 'luck'?”

Good heavens, even Goddess Eris was forced to remind Kazuma to live carefully. After all, she probably never expected to see him again so soon!

He might as well build a house in this death dimension. Next time Goddess Eris has a meal, she can add an extra bowl and chopsticks for him; he's practically a regular!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Kazuma-san, dead again…”

Kuroko Shirai, at some point, had become able to utter this phrase with a straight face.

Death was supposed to be a sad event, but when it happened to Kazuma, she just wanted to laugh. How many times had it been now? He was practically a VIP customer.

Misaka Mikoto also covered her face with her hand:

“This way of dying, I'm embarrassed for him…”

His teammates are all absolute disasters; Kazuma really has it rough! Despite having such high luck, he dies so easily, and his deaths are getting more and more absurd.

But thankfully, with Aqua around, it's not a huge problem. Perhaps that's the greatest purpose of the ditzy goddess's existence!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Da Vinci herself couldn't help but crack:

“Aside from being scared to death and beheaded, now he's fallen to his death… Has he grown accustomed to dying?”

Although Aqua's resurrection magic allows him to bounce around in the underworld repeatedly, the pain of death is very real. Yet, Kazuma can still be so composed.

Dr. Roman was momentarily speechless at the sight:

“Kazuma, who was fine fighting the Demon King's generals, actually fell to his death…”

He managed to emerge unscathed when fighting the Headless Knight and Vanir, yet now he dies so carelessly!

A hero who has defeated several of the Demon King's executives actually died by falling from a tree—can you believe it?

For a moment, they didn't know whether to call him lucky or unlucky, as the probability of dying from falling out of a tree was truly minuscule.

 。。。。。

【 After Kazuma apologized, he began to worry about his other companions: “Um, is everyone alright after I died?”

Eris smiled and nodded: “Yes, though the senpai lying over there started crying after being stomped and kicked by the lizards.”

“The lizards dispersed after the Queen was defeated, and Megumin is safe under Darkness's protection. Now the senpai is restoring your body.”

Hearing that everyone was fine, Kazuma sat back in his chair, completely relieved: “In that case, I can wait a bit longer, right?”

Eris looked at Kazuma with a touch of surprise at his words: “It's not really important, but you're surprisingly calm.”

But during the wait for resurrection, the air suddenly grew silent, and Kazuma began to look around, observing his surroundings.

Eris watched him silently, then the two began to stare at each other, an awkward atmosphere pervading the entire death dimension. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahahaha, is Aqua trying to make me die laughing? Being stomped and kicked by a lizard swarm, then crying midway—what a pathetic goddess!”

“After dying so many times, how can he not be calm? He's practically a veteran. I have to say, Kazuma's mental fortitude is seriously strong!”

No wonder Goddess Eris was surprised; after all, who could have imagined that Kazuma alone could die three times in such a short period, with every bizarre death imaginable?

Everyone could only hope the Demon King would promote the lizards to general status, so at least Kazuma could say he died at the hands of a general, which would be far more dignified than falling from a tree.

 。。。。。

【 Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere any longer, Kazuma looked at the gentle Goddess Eris and suddenly asked, “Isn't it boring to always stay in this empty room?”

To Kazuma's question, Eris gave a radiant smile: “My boredom means everyone is safe and sound. There's nothing better than me being idle!”

Looking at Eris's smile, Kazuma suddenly realized what he lacked in this other world!

Although his current companions seemed decent, they weren't what he truly wanted. All he desired was a girl with a normal head on her shoulders, just like Goddess Eris!

That's right, the heroine was right here! This was Kazuma's only thought now.

At that moment, Eris playfully winked one eye and chuckled: “Actually, I don't always stay here. Sometimes I sneak down to play on the surface. You have to keep it a secret for me, okay?”

Just as Kazuma was feeling a bit flustered, Aqua's incredibly inconsiderate voice rang out: “KAZUMA!! Did you hear me? I've cast resurrection magic, you can come back now!”

Tch…” Kazuma couldn't help but click his tongue, then shouted: “Wait a bit longer, I want to chat with Goddess Eris some more!”

Hearing this, Eris shyly lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed, but Aqua utterly exploded!

“Huh? What did Eris tell you? Don't be fooled, she's a padded-bra goddess! Everything she says is as fake as her chest! You need to be careful…”

The thought of resurrecting only to self-importantly challenge the Demon King with them again made Kazuma even more reluctant to return! So he begged Eris to reincarnate him into another world quickly!

But he underestimated his companions' resolve; they immediately started doing strange things to Kazuma's body!

“Megumin, what are you doing? Why are you taking off his clothes? Hey… Megumin, wait… Megumin!”

Hearing these words, Kazuma couldn't take it anymore. He quickly begged Eris to send him back. When he opened his eyes, he saw Megumin looking at him with tear-streaked eyes and a resentful expression.

But when Kazuma saw Darkness shyly covering her face and crouching down, and then the ditzy Aqua beside her, Kazuma panicked: “What exactly did they do to me?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Eris is truly the goddess in every sense—gentle, understanding, and leaving absolutely nothing to be desired.”

“Finally, I understand Aqua's purpose with Kazuma. Besides causing trouble, she can resurrect him infinitely!”

Everyone's gaze turned somewhat pitifully towards Kazuma. Look at how his bizarre teammates have driven him! His standards have actually lowered to 'anyone who's normal will do'… as long as their head is screwed on straight.

“Everything she says is as fake as her chest… Aqua, please spare this poor goddess.”

Good heavens, are you really planning to keep this secret forever? Eris is your junior, after all! Spare Eris's poor chest.

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Watching Goddess Eris suddenly blush, as if she'd been charmed by Kazuma Satou, the previously calm Class F immediately erupted.

“ONORE!!!”

Unbeknownst to them, a group of FFF Brigade members, clad in leather cloaks and wielding scythes, had appeared in the classroom, their fiery gazes almost materializing.

Akihisa, as a veteran member, was beyond words; his molars were practically grinding to dust:

“He has three harem members, yet he still won't leave the gentle and kind Goddess Eris ALONE!!”

Yuuji glanced at the idiot:

“Where do you get the idea that Kazuma has three harem members…?”

Akihisa stated it as a matter of fact:

“It's always like that in RPGs! In the same party, if they're female, they're all part of the hero's harem!”

“…You're a genius.”

Yuuji expressed that he had no words for this reasoning.

Kazuma's aversion to these three bizarre teammates was palpable; he couldn't help but want to reincarnate and choose a new life.

More than that, he was more curious about what those perverted teammates actually did to Kazuma's body. Judging by their reactions, something wasn't quite right….

 。。。。。

Chapter 374: Holy Sword Excalibur

Chapter Text

【 Back home, Darkness's behavior was also unusually erratic; every time she saw him, she would inexplicably blush and avert her gaze.

It wasn't until he saw himself in the mirror during his bath that Kazuma noticed the anomaly. Without a word, he burst out: “MEGUMIN!! Where's Megumin!”

“Megumin said she'd be staying at Yunyun's for a few days… AH—!” Darkness subconsciously replied, then, upon seeing the naked Kazuma, she quickly buried her face in a magazine, blushing furiously.

In stark contrast to the bashful Darkness, Aqua remained unfazed, sprawled on the sofa, propping her head with one hand: “Hey… Kazuma, it's good to be confident, but being too ostentatious isn't good!”

Kazuma was practically overheating, gritting his teeth, his eyes bloodshot: “You… you idiot, you were there when Megumin wrote things on me, damn it!”

“What the hell is 'Holy Sword Excalibur'—”

On Kazuma's abdomen, “Holy Sword Excalibur” was scrawled in colorful markers… with an arrow even pointing downwards.

Seeing this, Aqua's gaze seemed to carry a hint of mockery, and she couldn't help but curl her lips into a disdainful smile: “Heh…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, now I understand why Megumin decided to stay with her friend for a few days. If she doesn’t keep a low profile, Kazuma might just kill her.

“I'm dying of laughter. Now I finally know what Megumin and the others did to Kazuma's body. They really made themselves at home… hahaha.”

“Pfft… heheha, Aqua is truly a walking punchline. That cold laugh at 30 seconds was so profound; it feels like Kazuma was utterly scorned.”

Not only was Holy Sword Excalibur written there, but there was also a thoughtful arrow pointing to it, as if they were afraid people wouldn't notice, right?! I wonder what a certain Saber would think upon seeing this.

This time, everyone nearly died laughing. As expected of a seasoned goddess, that smug, punchable expression was just too hilarious. This was mockery from a goddess, after all.

For a man, there's nothing more damaging than this. Aqua's calm and composed disdain—I hope it doesn't leave Kazuma with psychological trauma…

Everyone realized this video was truly toxic; the comedic beats were far too frequent. It's best not to watch it while eating, or you might actually choke to death.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Upon witnessing this scene, Tohsaka Rin also blushed slightly. Do Kazuma's teammates truly know no shame? To do something like that…

“But speaking of Holy Swords…”

The others seemed to be subtly glancing at the serious-faced Saber, a hint of unspoken words in their eyes.

“…”

Artoria, feeling everyone's gaze, radiated a chilling aura. She stated gravely,

“Actually, I am the Lion King, summoned as a Lancer. My Noble Phantasm is the Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad!”

Artoria, radiating cold air, indeed possessed a certain Lion King-like demeanor, but the ahoge on her head completely betrayed her.

Watching Artoria's self-deception, everyone wisely nodded and averted their gazes, fearing a sudden blast of Excalibur.

Only the two remaining men of the Emiya household, Emiya Shirou and Red A, whispered to each other, heads bowed:

“It’s well known that Excalibur is transparent, so… did the smaller one catch a glimpse?”

Red A was stunned, as if he hadn't expected his past self to even consider such a thought, but it was a question he couldn't easily answer.

After all, Aqua's profound and scornful smile carried quite a bit of information.

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“Honestly, I don't see what Darkness is so shy about,”

Iori Kitahara looked somewhat confused. After all, it's just a Holy Sword; what's the big deal?

“Exactly!”

Kohei slung an arm around Iori's neck, clinked glasses with him, then chugged the flammable oolong tea in his hand.

Both men, completely naked as they spoke, were utterly uninhibited, as if they knew no shame, having grown accustomed to it.

Isn't it common sense to strip when drinking?! The Holy Sword has been exposed countless times, and Chisa and the others haven't reacted much, have they?

Watching a group of naked seniors playing rock-paper-scissors, Aina Yoshiwara couldn't help but cover her face. Not out of embarrassment, but because she found her own normalization of the situation almost unbearable.

 。。。。。

【 Even though Kazuma was on the verge of exploding with rage, when Megumin eventually pushed the door open and returned, she was met with a profoundly unsettling sight.

“I've already prepared the finest black tea for you, Kazuma-sana!” Aqua elegantly presented the brewed tea to Kazuma.

Kazuma, clad in a bathrobe, sat composedly on the sofa, taking a delicate sip of the freshly brewed tea…

“This is just hot water!” Kazuma remarked calmly, a serene smile gracing his lips, utterly devoid of anger, radiating an air of refined elegance.

Perhaps Aqua's hand accidentally touched the tea while brewing it, turning it into mere hot water.

Aqua, too, was uncharacteristically subdued, not raising a fuss, but instead smiling gently: “Oh, yada! I completely forgot! Haha.”

Observing the two composed individuals, Megumin was utterly bewildered. Kazuma and Aqua seemed like entirely different people, exuding an almost unbearable elegance.

“You're both so DISGUSTING!!”

Megumin, thinking her actions towards Kazuma had driven him mad, bowed repeatedly towards him: “I apologize for what happened the other day. Please, turn back into the old Kazuma!”

“That incident? I no longer concern myself with such trifles. After all, the wealthy do not quarrel.” Kazuma's eyes were clear and sincere, and he smiled at Megumin…

“More importantly, Megumin, would you like some tea as well? I've prepared some excellent leaves.”

Watching the magnanimous Kazuma, Megumin's face contorted as if she were about to cry: “It's all my fault! I beg you, please turn back into the old Kazuma! The current Kazuma is truly super disgusting.”

Even when called disgusting by Megumin, Kazuma remained unangered, displaying an admirable magnanimity: “Haven't I always been like this?”

“What have you been saying since just now? Haven't I always been like this?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What in the blink of an eye just happened… Are these two, who look like elegant young noblemen and ladies, truly that Sadistic Kazuma and Idiot Goddess?”

“Such a harmonious scene looks far too out of place on you two! I must have opened it incorrectly, walked into the wrong scene.”

Everyone instinctively rubbed their eyes, starting to wonder if they hadn't woken up properly, or if they had gotten up too quickly! They actually saw a calm and composed Sadistic Kazuma and an elegant Aqua.

“Seriously, handsome man, who are you? The art style is completely different.”

Such a serious conversation might be normal for others, but for them, it was extremely abnormal.

 。。。。。

〜Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle World〜

Splat—”

Upon seeing this, Demon King Twilight instinctively slapped himself. The pain on his face confirmed that he was indeed not dreaming.

“They're fakes, right!”

Twilight still couldn't believe the reality before him. After all, Kazuma's sadistic nature was so ingrained that seeing him become elegant was quite unsettling.

Huskie seemed unsure:

“He must have hit his head.”

Watching the two calm individuals on the screen, Twilight felt completely ill at ease, goosebumps rising on his skin:

“Can two people hit their heads at once?”

What in the world happened to this hero who never does his job, and that perpetually neurotic Idiot Goddess?

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, Darkness waved to the utterly bewildered Megumin, then recounted the events of the past few days…

The scene shifts back to the morning after Megumin's hasty escape.

“That damn loli brat, when she gets back, I'm going to strip her naked!” Kazuma, dressed in a tracksuit, was furiously raging.

“So noisy first thing in the morning.” Aqua, lying on the sofa with one hand propping her head, looked somewhat disdainful. Then her tone became rather smug.

“Everyone should live as calmly as I do. Like me, after returning to the mansion yesterday, I haven't moved from this spot except for bathing and changing clothes, you know.”

Just then, a knock came from outside the door. Kazuma, thinking it was Megumin, rushed to the door, but upon opening it, it was Vanir!

This time, he had come to discuss business with Kazuma. Aqua immediately couldn't sit still, slowly standing up: “Hey, I say… how did you get into this mansion?”

“Ah, that half-assed thing. Was that supposed to be a barrier? It was far too fragile. I thought it was a failed attempt by some fledgling priest.”

Listening to Vanir's mockery, Aqua naturally wouldn't be outdone and retorted with her own taunts: “Oh my, you look quite disheveled all over, mighty demon lord?”

Sigh, whatever shall I do? I heard you're a duke from hell, yet such a weak barrier has tormented you so terribly.”

With a sneering face, Aqua enthusiastically poked and prodded at Vanir's body, where signs of dissipation were clearly visible everywhere. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I knew it! That elegant Aqua from before was a fake; the real one is right here!”

Watching Aqua, who was inherently lazy and had been lying on the sofa all day after her bath, everyone slowly breathed a sigh of relief. This was more like it.

Indeed, the sadistic Kazuma and the silly Aqua were much more palatable. Perhaps it was due to initial impressions; those two elegant buffoons from before felt far too incongruous.

“Haha, so it was all an act of pretense. Isn't that just suffering for the sake of appearances… The barrier set by the goddess was still quite restrained.”

Everyone looked with admiration at Vanir, whose body was covered in cracks and dust, yet whose mouth was still defiant… Even now, he didn't forget to mock Aqua. You are truly brave!

 。。。。。

Chapter 375: If you have money, why would you still want a job?

Chapter Text

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Aqua, just look at how lazy you've become! And you're still proud of it?”

Ristarte stared at Aqua, utterly speechless. She had seen lazy people before, but never one quite like this—lying on the sofa, not moving an inch for an entire day.

What happened to the thrilling, dangerous adventure they were promised?! What about her duties as a goddess? Did she even want to return to the Divine Realm anymore?

If she truly did, then she should hurry up and take her devilishly abusive hero to defeat the Demon King, you fallen goddess! Stop lazing around all day.

Ignoring the complaining, meme-faced goddess, Seiya instead focused on Vanir, his guard raised. Everything about him suggested he was no ordinary Demon King's general.

While Vanir certainly had a boastful streak, daring to mock Aqua to her face indicated he had some genuine power to back it up.

 。。。。。

【 Vanir seemed unfazed by his body constantly shedding dirt, continuing to chuckle happily: “Hahaha, this body is merely a clay model. I am only interested in the plastic barrier outside.”

“Still, it's quite impressive for a fledgling priestess, hmm… of course, that's judging by human standards.”

Listening to Vanir's taunts, Aqua's brow furrowed, her eyebrows scrunching into an inverted V. Like a street thug, she leaned in, glaring intently at him.

The two began to glare at each other like children, and as their argument escalated, Kazuma quickly rushed over to mediate. After all, their opponent was there to conduct business.

“Hey, Kazuma! Are you truly doing business with this kind of parasite, who barely survives by sucking up human negative emotions, just for those kotatsu you made?”

“Oh dear, that's not a very funny joke, kushuksushu…” Aqua covered her mouth directly, letting out a mocking giggle.

To this, Vanir declared that devils were very particular about contracts, unlike certain deities who used the guise of donations for fraud: “How did it go again? Was it 'God is always watching over you'?”

“I, the great Vanir, have witnessed the so-called 'god' they speak of! That Peeping Tom arrested a few days ago, the man who 'watched over' bathhouses and toilets with a 'warm gaze'—was that a god?! Hahaha!”

The scene shifted to show Dust, with his blonde hair, being arrested for peeping.

And so, Vanir and Aqua both laughed without a shred of genuine emotion for a while… before suddenly falling silent. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Making a pact with a devil has never ended well. While devils do respect contracts, they also love to play word games. One wrong move, and you're utterly screwed.”

“The squabble between a goddess and a devil is surprisingly evenly matched. What incredible taunt skills.”

Everyone gawked, dumbfounded, at the two trading insults. They had thought Aqua's taunting was maxed out, but Vanir's passive-aggressive remarks were truly a league of their own.

He knew Aqua was a goddess, yet he specifically pointed out that the barrier was “decent by human standards”… Truly a devil, always finding the perfect jab!

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Click.”

The impassive officer snapped handcuffs onto Dust's wrists, clearly intending to take him in for questioning:

“Do you have anything else to say?”

With his hands cuffed, Dust still tried to argue:

“Why should I suffer now for a crime I haven't even committed yet?! Hey, Kazuma, help me explain!”

Dust looked at his best friend with hopeful eyes, believing that, given their camaraderie, Kazuma wouldn't just stand by and watch him get arrested.

Kazuma didn't just stand by; instead, he ascended to the moral high ground, flashing a benevolent smile:

“Thank you for your hard work, Officer! It pains me deeply to see him like this, and I hope you can rehabilitate him thoroughly.”

A true best friend, as they say, is for selling out! No hesitation in moments like these.

After all, with his nickname “Devil Kazuma,” he was the one with even bigger problems. The fact that he hadn't been arrested by the officers yet was already a testament to their immense magnanimity!

。。。。。

【 Finally, at Kazuma's persuasion, Aqua and the others calmed down and began negotiations with Vanir.

Vanir meticulously examined the items laid out on the table with an instrument.

Although the trinkets Kazuma had created were quite ordinary, in this otherworld, they were incredibly novel: “Are you interested in selling the intellectual property for these items? I'll buy them for 300 million!”

At this declaration, everyone present was stunned by the sum. This was enough money to live comfortably without working for the rest of their lives.

Vanir seemed to read Kazuma's thoughts and continued: “Based on monthly profit, that would be 1 million per month!”

“ 1 million per MONTH!!” Aqua and Darkness excitedly rushed to sit inside the kotatsu.

Kazuma instantly fell into indecision, unsure how to choose. Vanir told Kazuma to take his time considering, then turned to leave.

Aqua waved her hand, practically urging him to get out: “Your foul stench will contaminate my sacred home! Get out, get out now!”

Vanir gritted his teeth, but considering the business, he merely snorted coldly and obediently left the mansion.

Returning to the present…

After listening to Darkness's explanation, Megumin finally understood everything: “I see, now I know why they're speaking like nobles.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“A shoulder massager, a juicer, a peeler, and a mysterious whip on the table? What kind of bizarre items are these, and they can sell for 300 million?”

“Inflation is quite severe, huh? It suddenly reminds me that a single cabbage costs tens of thousands.”

Everyone finally understood why Kazuma and Aqua had adopted that magnanimous demeanor at the beginning—after all, receiving 300 million for free was enough to make them laugh in their sleep.

But could Vanir actually produce 300 million? If he really had 300 million, why would he be working at Wiz's shop?

These few scraps are worth the same as a Headless Knight; I genuinely feel sorry for the Headless Knight.

 。。。。。

【 Megumin, with a cheerful smile: “Well… having money is good! All right, let's go slay some monsters!”

“What are you talking about? We have such a huge sum of money, why would we still need to work?” Kazuma's mind was as serene as a Buddha's, an elegant smile still gracing his face.

“Besides, even after preparing all the equipment and devising a plan to challenge it, I still died, you know… It's decided. From now on, I'll make a living through business and lead a comfortable life.”

Facing Kazuma's rather defeatist words, Aqua remained unangered, a smile still on her face: “Now, Mr. Kazuma, you're making things difficult for me. If we don't defeat the Demon King, I'll be in a tough spot.”

“If that's the case, then earn even more money! Hire many capable adventurers, and just have them defeat the Demon King! How about that? Doesn't that sound a bit more realistic?”

Aqua's face contorted slightly after hearing this, and she slapped Kazuma's face as if holding wads of cash, with the latter cooperatively swaying his head from side to side.

“Exactly! That's Kazuma for you! Slap adventurers' faces with piles of cash, and order them around as you please! Then, when the Demon King is weakened, seize the opportunity to deliver the final blow!”

Kazuma laughed heartily at this: “Precisely! We truly are people who've shared a bed and walked this path together!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Aqua's expression… a classic scene! It's truly hard to imagine this is a goddess; she looks more like a parvenu.”

“Seriously… are they really a hero and a goddess? I'm actually seeing the face of a capitalist in them.”

Everyone was utterly astonished by Kazuma's plan. Hiring adventurers to defeat the Demon King and then swooping in for the final blow, reaping the rewards—he was an absolute genius.

Such shamelessness, placed upon Kazuma, somehow felt completely natural. It was indeed something he would do!

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“A hero who gives up being a hero to go into business… Why do I feel like what Kazuma said makes a lot of sense?”

Fern couldn't help but cover her face.

Kazuma had a point; if you have money, why work?

After all, he had died once before, even with a detailed plan to subjugate monsters. It would be more practical to simply go into business and hire adventurers to defeat the Demon King.

Frieren, beside her, stated her conjecture with an impassive face:

“Judging by their law of getting poorer the more they work, this money probably won't last long.”

To avoid accumulating inexplicable debts again, the best course of action is to buy equipment and level up while they still have money!

As for going into business? Don't even think about it. She had never seen a hero who ran off to become a merchant.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Seeing Aqua's somewhat devilish, meme-worthy expression, Touma Kamijou broke into a sweat:

“Is this the legendary ugly face of the rich?”

They're absolutely scum, these two—a hero and a goddess! To come up with such a shameless plan, one dared to propose it, the other dared to listen, and they even reached a consensus.

They say you can't get two different kinds of people from the same bed. Aqua and Kazuma truly are from the same stable, a match made in heaven.

Sometimes, he really didn't want to believe that this thing was actually a goddess!

 。。。。。

Chapter 376: Aqua actually wants to play rock-paper-scissors? How dare she?

Chapter Text

【 The way to defeat the Demon King with money was not something Megumin agreed with, after all, her dream was to defeat the Demon King with explosion magic personally!

Megumin wanted Darkness to stand up and retort a few words.

But Darkness was happy about Kazuma becoming a cripple; just thinking about it made her look ecstatic, blushing, and panting.

Megumin clutched her head, almost going crazy. After all, there was someone even more useless than Kazuma here!

Kazuma said not to lump him in with a pervert; he was recovering from his previous injuries and wanted to rest well.

Megumin's eyes lit up when she heard this. There was a place that was very effective for healing injuries: “Let's go immediately, to Arcanletia, the City of Water and Hot Springs!”

Kazuma and Aqua immediately perked up and agreed without hesitation.

As for Darkness… she was still immersed in her fantasy world, blushing and wriggling around. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Megumin finally understands Kazuma's difficulties. Still hoping Darkness is reliable? This person is even more useless than the good-for-nothing Kazuma.”

“Seriously, I’m not even trying to call you out, but how can you still have unhealed injuries after being treated by Aqua? It’s hard to even imagine.”

Aqua just wasn't smart, but when it came to her abilities, everyone who used them praised her! Her healing magic was maxed out, just like her taunts.

As the saying goes, when something seems off, there’s bound to be trouble! It felt like everyone had already witnessed Kazuma teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

As for enjoying the hot springs? That was even more impossible. Based on their unlucky experiences every time they went out, they would definitely cause trouble.

 。。。。。

【 After deciding to go to the hot spring town, the two who usually slept until noon had already packed their luggage and were ready to depart before dawn.

But after waiting for a long time, they still hadn't arrived. Kazuma kept complaining: “Seriously, those two always call us useless. When are they going to wake up!”

So Aqua told Kazuma to go and get a good spot first, and she would go wake the two up!

Then Kazuma first came to Wiz's shop and found Vanir, saying that he would decide on the 300 million project after he returned.

Vanir was not in a hurry: “You just relax and look forward to the mixed bath!”

Kazuma seemed to have his little secret exposed, his whole face instantly turned red, and he explained incoherently: “I, I, I… I wasn't looking forward to it, it's just that my neck still hurts, and I'm going for treatment.”

At this moment, Kazuma suddenly noticed someone lying dead on the side: “More importantly, why is Wiz burned?”

Vanir sighed deeply when he heard this, because Wiz had just stocked a batch of useless high-tech bedpans, wiping out all the profits he had made.

Wiz was simply a genius when it came to buying useless things! So he used his Vanir-Style Murder Beam to burn Wiz into this state.

“That's how it is, I'm packing these junk items to return them.”

Kazuma was speechless: “Is there nothing normal in this magic item shop?”

As soon as these words came out, Vanir couldn't help but sigh again: “The good-for-nothing shop owner of this store has a very rare talent, especially when it comes to buying useless things. If I'm not careful, she'll buy all sorts of strange things on her own…”

“Oh, right, you're going to the hot springs, aren't you!” To prevent Wiz from causing any more losses to the shop, Vanir entrusted Wiz to Kazuma. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No wonder business is getting worse and worse. What kind of ridiculous items are they stocking? It’d be a miracle if any of this stuff sold.”

“For some reason, I feel a bit sorry for Vanir. For a moment, I didn't even know who was working; all the money earned was lost by Wiz.”

Good heavens, an employee roasted the shop owner! It's simply defying heaven; this shop would really fall apart without Vanir.

Compared to Wiz's unique taste, everyone was more curious about where she found so many bizarre items to stock… she managed to have high risk and low profit at the same time.

 。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“These magic items are really completely useless; it's a miracle Wiz's shop hasn't gone out of business.”

Lucy couldn't help but complain when she saw this.

Natsu, however, looked eager to try:

“Really? I think it's quite interesting, maybe it will really sell well!”

“Natsu…”

Happy looked at Natsu's head with concern. Could it be that he watched Aqua too much, and his intelligence also dropped?

He really thought this stuff would sell? There’s no way there’d be that many fools in that world!

Is this magic item bedpan useless in the city, as well as in the wild? …It's even more useless! I'm already in the wild, what do I need it for?

 。。。。。

【 And so, Kazuma carried the unconscious Wiz to the back of the carriage and explained the situation to Aqua and the others.

Aqua pointed at Wiz: “Forget it, it doesn't matter! But I feel like she's become transparent!”

Also, because healing magic has a reverse effect on the undead, Kazuma, while Darkness wasn't paying attention, used Drain Touch to absorb stamina and give it to Wiz.

Wiz opened her eyes to see Kazuma being choked by Darkness. At this moment, Aqua had also chosen a carriage, but unfortunately, she came too late, and there weren't enough seats on the carriage.

They could only choose one person to sit on the luggage rack at the back. Seeing this, Aqua raised her hand and suggested, “Let's play rock-paper-scissors! I think it's better to decide with rock-paper-scissors at a time like this!”

Wiz wanted to offer her seat, but Kazuma stopped her. He decided to challenge Aqua to a duel: “Three rounds of rock-paper-scissors, if you win one round, I'll go to the luggage rack.”

“Really?” Aqua exclaimed, seemingly already snickering, feeling confident she would win: “Do you know probability calculation? It's super impossible to win three times in a row.”

Kazuma exuded an extraordinary aura: “I've never lost at rock-paper-scissors!”

The result was no surprise, Aqua lost all three rounds, and she started crying and tugging at Kazuma's cloak: “It's too strange! You cheated… Please, one more time!”

Looking at the idiotic goddess who was cheating, Kazuma could only reluctantly agree to play again!

To win, Aqua immediately started cheating on the spot, using Blessing magic: “Blessing—!”

Kazuma finally understood why Aqua was so confident: “You're despicable. You actually used magic to increase your luck!”

The shameless Aqua even boasted, “There's a saying that luck is also a form of strength! The strength of magic is also a form of luck.”

The scene changed, and Aqua, who had lost again, was tearfully tugging at Kazuma and crying, “Why?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, I’m cracking up. A goddess with terrible luck actually dares to play rock-paper-scissors against a hero with maxed-out luck… she’s definitely asking for trouble.

“No way, I actually saw confidence on Aqua's face. What gave her that confidence?”

“I know probability calculation, but for someone who has cheated with their luck, it's useless…”

Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw Aqua suggest rock-paper-scissors. Haven't their usual experiences been enough to explain the situation? Does this genius Aqua have some misunderstanding about her own luck?

She actually suggested a game of rock-paper-scissors, which relies on luck, to decide the winner. Is there something wrong with her brain… Uh, there really is something wrong with her brain!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“She can't even win by cheating…”

Da Vinci couldn't bear to watch Aqua, who was still crying.

Did she forget the data displayed on her card when she first registered as an adventurer? Her intelligence and luck were below average!

You, a goddess whose luck can be compared to a certain blue Lancer's Luck E, actually suggested playing rock-paper-scissors… using your weakness to attack the enemy's strength, you're seeking your own death!

Even Mash found Aqua quite pitiful:

“Aqua is already so stupid, yet they still bully her.”

Aqua perfectly embodied a low-IQ child; does she have no idea about her own luck?

Dr. Roman, however, found it quite interesting:

“Aqua has very low luck and intelligence, while Kazuma only has luck and intelligence…”

From a certain perspective, these two really complement each other perfectly.

 。。。。。

Chapter 377: A Group of High-Level Adventurers Who Overthink Things

Chapter Text

【 Facing Aqua's cries, Kazuma thought back seriously: “I've never lost a game of rock-paper-scissors since I was a kid!”

“You coward! What is that?! No fair! It's cheating, some kind of cheating ability! You were born with a special ability?! Then that cancels out the gracious help I've been offering to you! Send me back! Send me back to the heavenly realm, you dirt cheat!”

Aqua began to act unreasonably, blaming all the reasons for her loss on her own blessing.

It was fine when Aqua didn't say anything, but once she did, Kazuma also felt annoyed. He grabbed Aqua's face and started scolding her.

“Hey, you little bitch! Are you saying my special ability is being able to win at rock-paper-scissors?! Are you an idiot?! How is that gonna help me fight monsters?!”

“But, but....”

“Don't joke with me. What kind of blessing is this? If I could trade you in for a special power, I would've done it a long time ago!”

Aqua, who had been scolded fiercely, puffed up her cheeks and looked at Kazuma with teary eyes: “Kazuma said the worst thing he could have said! …Stop it, don't pull my face anymore.”

Under the speechless gaze of Megumin and the others, the two began to pull at each other. In the end, Aqua sat in the back of the carriage with a pout.

They began to set off for the hot spring town. Along the way, unfamiliar yet peaceful landscapes appeared. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Although I didn't choose any abilities when I reincarnated, Aqua can revive infinitely, so that counts as a blessing, right?”

“Aside from luck, rock-paper-scissors also requires intelligence, but Goddess Aqua has neither of these, which is awkward.”

Looking at the mentally challenged Aqua, who was still trying to struggle, everyone sighed in their hearts… If you ignored her regrettable intelligence, Aqua was actually quite cute.

But in this situation, it's better to give up struggling; after all, even magic can't save your bad luck. The opponent's luck value is a chasm you cannot cross.

However, Aqua isn't completely useless. At least, no skill can compare to infinite resurrection!

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Beginner village… They're finally out of the beginner village!”

Ristarte's eyes were filled with tears, like an old mother seeing her child grow up.

When she heard Kazuma planned to switch to business earlier, her heart sank. A hero with a goddess, not fighting the Demon King, but going into business?

Although this trip was for the hot springs, at least they had left the beginner village and taken a big step into the other world!

Even traveling felt like they were going to fight the Demon King, which was truly rare.

Seiya, who was usually expressionless, also looked at the peaceful and calm scenery on the screen with some surprise:

“Honestly, does this other world really need saving?”

Although they had been in the beginner village, there hadn't been any information about where they were being oppressed by the Demon King's army. Even the faces of the common people were filled with happy smiles, without any sense of urgency.

Coupled with the Demon King's army executives, who appeared a few times before… Is this Demon King really so evil?

 。。。。。

【 When leaving the beginner village and passing through a desert, Kazuma used his Foresight skill and noticed a group of monsters in the distance, raising a large cloud of dust, constantly approaching.

The coachman told him that in this area, only the Running Hawkites could kick up such dust.

During their breeding season, to attract females, males would crash into hard objects to show their courage, but they should be crashing into the rocks on the other side, so Kazuma should not worry.

Kazuma was convinced by the old man's words and relaxed a little. Then, when he looked at the dust again… it had gotten closer!

Kazuma was a bit uneasy: “Excuse me, that dust seems to be rushing towards us at a fierce speed. Is it really okay?”

The coachman remained calm and even joked, “Maybe one of the carriages in the convoy is carrying a mineral as hard as Adamantite.”

However, not long after, the coachman also seemed to notice something was wrong: “It seems to be heading this way… or rather, this carriage.”

Kazuma instantly panicked upon hearing this, feeling a bad premonition: “Something as hard as Adamantite… Hey, Darkness…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Darkness, whose face was full of excitement, “Super fast creatures are running towards us, and it feels like they're staring at me. What passionate gazes!”

“It really is you—” Kazuma seemed to be on the verge of collapsing, almost shouting with his head in his hands. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why are there so many strangely behaving monsters in this other world? They're really going all out to pursue the opposite sex.”

“They like to crash into super hard things… then they really didn't pick the wrong place. There's indeed an absurdly hard meat shield in the carriage.”

Looking at this scene, everyone from other worlds began to doubt Kazuma's luck… Even though Aqua, who was fully stacked with taunt, didn't cause trouble this time, why was he still so unlucky?

Kazuma's bizarre teammates are truly a handful. It's rare for Aqua to be so quiet today, but then Darkness has a problem. Are you really trying to screw Kazuma over to death?!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Sigh, sometimes I really feel Kazuma is so helpless…”

Kamijou Touma sighed inwardly, somewhat unable to watch.

This must be a curse, right? This is definitely a curse! The same misfortune curse as me, Kamijou-san… Every time he goes on a mission, his teammates always cause trouble.

The more you work, the poorer you get; there's a reason for that… But the problem is, this is a trip!

“Fukou Da!”

Kamijou Touma uttered again. He just left the beginner village and encountered all these unlucky things. This hot spring vacation only feels like it will make them more tired.

He had a premonition that any troublesome incident that occurred would be attributed to Kazuma's party! They must be the ones who caused it!

 。。。。。

【 To solve the trouble caused by his own team, Kazuma calmly directed their respective tasks and had Darkness go to the very front.

At this moment, all the other surrounding adventurer guards also noticed that the group of monsters was rushing straight towards Darkness.

The warrior-dressed man saw this and said with admiration, “That's Decoy! The Crusader used the Decoy skill!”

Kazuma felt extremely sorry in his heart; she didn't use such a skill.

A certain female mage was even shocked by this: “Facing so many enemies, still not retreating a single step! How brave.”

Kazuma's cold sweat grew more and more. He was very sorry, but he thought it was probably for a completely different reason.

The adventurer dressed as a rogue saw Darkness alone and bravely followed behind her: “I'll handle the cover, Bind!”

Several ropes shot out from the adventurer's hands, rushing towards the sprinting Running Hawkites!

“What!” As soon as Darkness saw the ropes, she immediately pounced forward. In an instant, her hands and feet were cruelly bound, and she fell to the ground, wriggling continuously.

The adventurer dressed as a rogue shouted tragically, “Could it be that, to prevent me from using Bind and becoming the monster's target, she sacrificed herself!”

The adventurer thought the knight did this to protect him, and tears streamed down his face, full of self-reproach: “Forgive me, forgive ME!!”

On the other side, where he couldn't see, Darkness's face was flushed, and she was filled with excitement.

Kazuma couldn't bear to look directly and kept kneeling towards that group of adventurers: “I'm so SORRY—! Our companion is sorry for you, truly, our pervert is so sorry for you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I have to say, even though Kazuma is a bit of a sadist, he still has principles. He never runs away from the troubles his own team causes.”

“Good heavens, these adventurers have really strong imaginations. What kind of top-tier interpretations are these? That guy is just a simple pervert!”

Looking at Darkness, who was once again misunderstood as a knightly paragon by the adventurers, everyone was a little dumbfounded… Do you really need such rich imaginations?!

Darkness didn't use any taunt skills at all, because they were coming for her in the first place. She's not as great as you think.

And the reason she pounced to block the skill is just that this guy is a pervert who can't help but experience BDSM when she sees ropes! Don't be fooled!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Looking at Kazuma, who was constantly complaining in his heart, Fujimaru Ritsuka shook his head helplessly:

“I feel like if they praise him a few more times, Kazuma will find a place to bury his head.”

The adventurers made up stories while praising him, which made Kazuma, the only one who knew the truth, feel so awkward. After all, it was their mess in the first place.

Da Vinci was a bit stunned:

“Does Darkness really not have any innate skills that defy common sense… How come she's always misunderstood!”

When Darkness actively jumped into the ropes, it was practically a confession; she clearly showed herself to be a pervert, yet she could still be misunderstood as protecting them!

She's clearly just a masochist and a pervert, yet she's always inexplicably misunderstood as being self-sacrificing, as if divinely aided.

 。。。。。

Chapter 378: The 'Perfect' Team in the Eyes of Outsiders!

Chapter Text

【 “Trial of Courage Race… It's a speed game where you charge at a hard obstacle at high speed and then dodge it at the last moment to prove your courage!”

And the obstacle they chose was Darkness, whose hands and feet were tied in front of them!

“Here they come! Here they come!” Looking at the approaching Running Hawkite, the bound Darkness immediately stood up, her face flushed with excitement and eagerness: “Kazuma, this time it's really… this time it's really not going to work! I'm going to get hit.”

Just as the Running Hawkite was about to hit Darkness, it crossed over her from above in a Fosbury Flop style, then continued to charge as if nothing had happened.

After that, other Running Hawkites rushed over one after another, but they all jumped over her before hitting Darkness, using various strange poses such as the straddle and scissor kick.

Darkness, this pervert who doesn't play by the rules, became even more excited: “Is this part of a teasing play?! This feeling of being almost hit but not quite, it's a different kind of pleasure.”

Kazuma felt ashamed for her and quickly told her to shut up: “Alright, so many people are watching you, shut your mouth!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This person is really beyond saving, too outrageous! If she got hit, I wouldn't say anything, after all, she's a pervert, but she can still feel pleasure even when she doesn't get hit…”

“An angel's face, a devil's mentality. Darkness is so beautiful, but why is she a pervert?!”

Looking at still raving like a madwoman, everyone really couldn't understand where Darkness's shyness lay.

She would clearly feel shy like a normal girl when she saw Kazuma's holy sword, so why wouldn't she feel shy now, putting on such a perverted display in public…

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Looking at such a perverted Darkness, Rin Tohsaka swallowed nervously and said dryly,

“Kazuma wants her to get married and leave the party, so it's not incomprehensible…”

Among perverts, she's probably a severe case! Bringing such a pervert along would put a lot of pressure on anyone.

Even the usually devilish Kazuma felt ashamed for her, because it was just too outrageous, even the shameless Kazuma couldn't keep a straight face.

Ilya was still in a daze next to them, another strange worldview added! What kind of eccentric companions does Kazuma have?

“Suddenly realized that the most devilish Kazuma is actually the only normal person in the party who would feel ashamed for Darkness!”

Megumin only had explosion magic in her head, and Aqua, needless to say, had no brain… No wonder both of them were indifferent to Darkness's perversion.

 。。。。。

【 Then other adventurers also took action, but there were too many monsters, so it didn't have much effect.

What terrified them even more was that after this group of Running Hawkites passed through the caravan, they actually turned around and came back! They clearly wanted another round.

Kazuma looked at Darkness wriggling on the ground and had a flash of inspiration: “Old man! Are there any cliffs nearby?”

The coachman said there were no cliffs nearby, but there was a cave for shelter from the rain. Kazuma immediately thought of a countermeasure and told Megumin and Aqua to quickly get on the carriage.

“Let's go, Darkness!”

Kazuma was just about to carry Darkness and leave, but he almost ground his teeth to dust, unable to straighten his back: “Too heavy, can't lift her.”

Darkness, with a look of anticipation, began to persuade Kazuma: “Just tie me to the back of the carriage with a rope and pull me. Because things are too urgent, there's no other way! Don't be polite, come on.”

Kazuma had never seen such a perverted request, but the situation was urgent, so he had no choice but to do it: “If you can't hold on, just say so, and I'll untie you immediately!”

Darkness was too excited to hear Kazuma's words, her face flushed as she wriggled constantly, looking somewhat expectant: “To be tied like this, dragged by the carriage, and then chased by the male birds, me like this…”

Before she could finish speaking, she was dragged forward by the carriage, successfully attracting the attention of all the male birds, and Darkness, being dragged behind the carriage, was practically in ecstasy.

“Kazuma! This is great, it's great, this feeling! This feeling of being treated as an object.”

Aqua on the carriage looked at the dragged Darkness, appearing somewhat scared: “Although I know Kazuma is very devilish, this is too much!”

Instantly, everyone on the carriage cast a look of disgust at Kazuma. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“She's beyond saving, next! Is this due to the urgency of the situation? I don't even want to expose you, you're practically begging to be treated this way!”

Good heavens, if everyone weren't familiar with Darkness's true nature, they would have thought this was some cruel torture; it's just too abstract!

This wasn't just talk; she was genuinely enjoying the pain, a truly incurable masochist.

But it must be said, although this person is a pervert! She's also adamant; this dragging would have killed an ordinary person hundreds of times over.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“This would probably make you drool even if you were cured…”

Shirai Kuroko took a deep breath, trying to ease her tension, looking at this somewhat cruel scene.

She, Shirai Kuroko, considered herself a pervert, but in this regard, she felt inferior. Hanging herself on a carriage and being dragged? Is that something a human would do?

Even she, a pervert, found it perverted! In terms of perversion, she would call Darkness the strongest!

Misaka Mikoto had a deeper understanding of Kazuma:

“As expected of an egalitarian, facing such a request, a normal person would probably refuse!”

Although she knew Darkness's true nature, seeing Darkness being dragged like that, even she felt it was somewhat cruel.

 。。。。。

【 Due to the slow speed of the carriage, there was still some distance to the cave, and at this rate, they would soon be caught.

At the critical moment, Wiz took action: “Bottomless Swamp—!”

At the same time, a huge swamp appeared between the carriage and the Running Hawkites. The Hawkites running at the front were already stuck in the swamp, unable to move, and gradually sank.

The carriage also successfully pulled away from the ostriches, but the latter quickly bypassed the swamp and continued to chase. As for their target, Darkness…

“Ahahaha! This unseemly sight, unbecoming of a noble… No, don't look at me like this, so disgraceful!”

Clearly, Darkness was still enjoying it, calling out “no” with a flushed face, her expression becoming increasingly dazed.

Aqua, however, diligently cast healing magic on Darkness, who was being dragged behind the carriage: “Heal, Heal… Keep going, Darkness!”

But fortunately, they had reached the entrance of the cave. The coachman performed a 360-degree drift, parking the carriage at the entrance.

Kazuma quickly jumped off the carriage, and with Aqua's strength buff, he directly picked up Darkness, spun her around once, and threw her out.

“Ahhh, this is great, this is great! This humiliation, truly worthy of Kazuma, dragged me for so long, and then threw me to feed the monsters.”

Darkness, who was thrown out, landed face-first at the entrance of the cave. Accompanied by a crunching sound, she instantly fell silent.

The Running Hawkites jumped over Darkness one after another and rushed into the cave, and then, with Megumin's explosion magic as the finale, the farce finally ended. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The coachman is definitely not simple; that carriage drift is too impressive! A carriage can drift too…”

“Aqua's strength buff is a bit amazing, Kazuma, who couldn't lift Darkness before, threw her so far… That landing sound is a bit familiar!”

The sound of Darkness landing, everyone felt like they had heard it somewhere before… And it should have been recently.

After a short period of contemplation, the expressions of people from other worlds suddenly changed. Isn't this the sound of Kazuma breaking someone's neck last time? No wonder it's so familiar!

No wonder Darkness, who was still rambling perverted remarks in the air, instantly fell silent. It's very likely she passed away in an instant.

 。。。。。

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“Aqua isn't a goddess, she's a devil, right? She's still adding healing magic in this situation!”

Lucy's expression was somewhat horrified.

Is this really not some cruel torture? Healing while being dragged by a carriage, making people experience a fate worse than death, it's simply demonic.

Mira smiled gently:

“I always feel that Wiz alone could solve these monsters, after all, she's a Demon King's Executive.”

A single swamp magic spell, its range alone already showed her extraordinary power, but it also doesn't rule out racial limitations, limiting her strength during the day.

Aqua, needless to say, has endless magical power, throwing healing magic like it's free.

The only pity is that Aqua's healing skills don't seem to cure masochism… They can cure the body, but not the heart.

 。。。。。

【 As night fell, the caravan held a bonfire party, and Kazuma and the others were hailed as heroes! The caravan leader handed the perfectly roasted meat to Kazuma.

“You all are truly amazing. I never expected there to be a great arch-wizard who can cast explosion magic, and a great priest who can easily heal the injured!”

“And a brave crusader who doesn't flinch and sacrifices herself to lure them! This lady can also use advanced magic like swamp magic to stop them!”

“And a wise adult like you, who used initial judgment to lure enemies into the cave and wipe them out!”

The more Kazuma listened, the more guilty he felt. At this point, he didn't dare to say that those monsters were attracted by their party's crusader.

Please have mercy on me, it's not like that at all! It's all our fault.

To show their gratitude, the old man also prepared some rewards for them. Kazuma quickly refused: “As adventurers, it's natural for us to participate in battles.”

This moved the old man to tears, covering his face with his hand: “What great people! I never expected to find true adventurers like you in such a utilitarian world!”

Kazuma also couldn't help but cover his face, thinking, “I can't accept such fraudulent rewards.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“At first glance, what the old man said seems perfectly fine, but for some reason, there's a feeling of awkwardness.”

“Hahaha, this reason feels familiar, isn't this the same excuse Aqua used to fool the prosecutor the last time she caused trouble?”

The old man's praise made everyone feel embarrassed for Kazuma. Misunderstanding… It's all a misunderstanding!

He's not as noble as you think; he just can't shake off his own responsibility, and his conscience is pricking him.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Da Vinci looked at the screen with interest:

“Tsk tsk, a pang of conscience! If he took that money, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night.”

Knowing the truth, she almost shed tears. Every time Kazuma used the “adventurer” excuse, he would inexplicably be idealized. Kazuma himself probably wouldn't believe he was that noble!

No wonder even Kazuma felt ashamed. Although he's a bit devilish, sometimes he's quite upright and never takes what isn't his.

“It turns out that from an outsider's perspective, this party is perfect… But who understands the hardships within it! Haha.”

Dr. Roman couldn't help but chuckle secretly. He never expected Kazuma's party to appear as an excellent team in the eyes of outsiders.

A tank whose normal attacks only miss, a damage dealer with only one shot a day, a healer who only clowns around, and a support who maxed out the skill to steal underwear…

Or, in other words, an ape-like goddess, a wizard with some loose screw in her head, plus a perverted masochist, and a devilish captain!

Hahaha, what a perfect team!

 。。。。。

Chapter 379: A Multi-Level Marketing Den, the Axis Cult!

Chapter Text

【 Since there was a bonfire party, the useless goddess Aqua wasn't idle either, immediately using Wiz as her prop to perform her party magic.

“Again, do that performance again! I'll pay, so please, do it again!”

Kazuma wasn't idle either, using his newly learned blacksmithing skills to repair Darkness's armor, tapping with a small hammer on the damaged parts.

It wasn't until he heard some commotion from Aqua's side that he looked over, immediately speechless: “That guy should just make a living off this!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It appeared as expected, the Party Goddess! The versatile skill of 'Party Tricks', and it seems Aqua put all her skill points into upgrading this thing!”

“Blacksmithing skills? Kazuma is playing it smart, spreading out his skill points, a bit like an adventurer! Though it's a bit lopsided for a hero.”

As everyone knows, this goddess knows a little bit of everything, except for serious matters, and always comes in handy in these inexplicable situations.

What surprised everyone the most was that Kazuma also knew a bit of everything! He could even repair armor. What kind of random skills did he put points into?

Although everyone didn't object to Kazuma learning blacksmithing, for a hero…

And wasn't repairing Darkness's armor a bit redundant? For her, armor never seemed to be of much use.

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Not many attack skills, but his support skills are becoming more comprehensive. Honestly, he’s the only one in the entire team who does actual work, but…”

Looking at Kazuma repairing the armor, even Asuna seemed surprised. As a hero, was it really appropriate to have such skewed skill points?

Kirito, however, admired Kazuma:

“He's trying to make up for the team's weaknesses as much as possible. Anyway, the team's output is already enough! There's no need to learn more attack skills.”

Blacksmith, archer, thief, a bunch of basic magic, and lich skills… Kazuma learns everything, focusing on the practicality of skills.

And most of the skills he learned were to balance the team's coordination. Kazuma is a smart person; he actually knows what his team lacks most.

After all, the team is full of stubborn people: one is obsessed with Explosion magic, one is obsessed with defense, and there's a useless goddess who only learns party skills.

Otherwise, the giant frogs in the beginner village wouldn't have become their lifelong enemies!

 。。。。。

【 While sleeping that night, Kazuma suddenly sensed something approaching the caravan. Everyone else was also awakened by the commotion.

Kazuma used his Foresight skill to check and found a large number of unknown creatures approaching. After an adventurer threw a torch, everyone finally saw clearly that it was a group of zombies!

“I'll leave this to you. I'm going to call Aqua!” Kazuma said to Darkness, then ran to find Aqua: “Now is the time to repay everyone's kindness. Darkness caused a lot of trouble for everyone during the day.”

But what he didn't expect was that all the undead had already surrounded Aqua.

Aqua, sleeping with a wine bottle, opened her eyes to see a group of zombies, immediately screaming: “Waaah, what's going on, why am I surrounded by undead as soon as I wake up!”

Could it be… Kazuma suddenly realized something was wrong. These zombies were very likely attracted by Aqua.

But the title of Goddess Aqua wasn't for nothing. She raised her hand, and a huge magic circle appeared as she cast a mass purification spell: “Turn Undead—!”

In the blink of an eye, she purified all the zombies, even nearly purifying Wiz, who was also an undead, along with them.

Watching Aqua, who was spinning in the center of the magic circle with a wine bottle, still performing her 'Party Tricks' skill, everyone began to cheer.

“What a beautiful priestess, she's just like a goddess!”

“Although zombie attacks are rare, it's great that the priestess is traveling with us!”

As everyone cheered for Aqua, only Kazuma, who knew the truth, looked distressed: “I'm so… so sorry…”

The unaware Old man came with a bag of gold coins to thank them. Kazuma hugged Aqua and burst into tears: “I'm sorry, taking this money will bring divine retribution!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…”

The gazes of people from other worlds became subtle. This Old man should just stop. If you knew the truth, you wouldn't have this attitude!

During the day, Darkness attracted them, and at night, it was… never mind, Kazuma, you've worked hard. You're surrounded by people who attract trouble and cause problems.

Stop it, Kazuma! Outside, it's all Aqua. You can't repay this favor, and now you owe the Old Man again. Who told your team to max out their taunt skills?

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Hey, hey, don't forget there's an undead in your team! Wiz got caught in the crossfire for no reason.”

Touma felt a bit sorry for Wiz; she almost lost her life while sleeping, innocently caught in the crossfire.

Aqua mercilessly persecuted Wiz, incidentally hitting her own ally. Thankfully, her teammate was high-level and wasn't instantly killed!

Looking at the Old man who was about to give them money again, even Shokuhou Misaki on the other side couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker:

“Pfft… hahahaha, is this what they call being sold and still helping count the money?!”

Another strange misunderstanding increased. The monsters were attracted by Aqua, and she repelled them, forming a complete industry chain. Not only could she receive rewards, but also gain a wave of goodwill.

It might not be good for her conscience, though. Taking this money would probably make her wake up in the middle of the night to slap herself… 'I'm not a human.'

After all, the accidents encountered on the road were all their fault. With such a kind and righteous Old man, Kazuma couldn't possibly accept the money!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“I've wanted to say this for a long time, but she really does sleep hugging that bottle of wine!”

Ishtar watched Aqua with a face full of black lines.

You're a goddess! Not some old man kicked out of his house. What's with this old man's personality?

Those adventurers probably have something wrong with their eyes, too, to say that Aqua looks like a goddess? Have you ever seen a goddess casting spells with a wine bottle?

She no longer hoped that Aqua could maintain her divine dignity; she just hoped Aqua could evolve from an ape-like animal into a human. It was too embarrassing!

 。。。。。

【 The next day, the group successfully arrived at their destination, the city of Water and Hot Springs. Unlike the beginner village, elves and dwarves also lived here.

Aqua became much more active after arriving here, looking quite excited: “Feel free to ask me anything about this town! After all, this is the headquarters of the Axis Cult, which is under my divine protection.”

Kazuma instantly panicked. The Axis Cult with all those weirdos? This was their headquarters? No wonder Aqua was so eager to come here.

Suddenly, a group of cultists surrounded them, looking incredibly enthusiastic: “If you're looking for work, please come to the Axis Cult!”

“You can earn money just by spreading the Axis Cult elsewhere! Join us, join us.”

Kazuma wasn't stupid, so he naturally wouldn't join such a suspicious cult. After politely declining them, he started looking for an inn.

Meanwhile, the unconscious Wiz found herself in front of a strange river, and Beldia stood on the opposite bank, waving at her and urging her to come quickly!

Wiz instantly woke up with a start, realizing Kazuma had saved her with his Drain Touch! Afterward, Kazuma and Darkness also planned to explore the town.

Soon, the two arrived at the center of the town and saw the gigantic statue of the Water Goddess. Darkness couldn't help but exclaim.

“What a beautiful goddess statue!”

Kazuma looked at the statue of the Water Goddess, then connected it to Aqua's image and fell silent… This was fraud, wasn't it? 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Axis Cult seems a bit too enthusiastic. It's a highly suspicious religious group!”

After all, what can you expect from a religious group that worships an idiotic goddess? Just look at the wise eyes of those cultists, and you'll know they're all big geniuses!

You can earn money by spreading the Axis Cult?? This is clearly a pyramid scheme, and this must be their den!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“The idiotic cultists of the goddess who governs idiocy… I feel like worshipping Aqua would lower your IQ.”

Red Archer looked at the overly enthusiastic cultists with some surprise; they were too friendly to strangers.

Tohsaka Rin rolled her eyes speechlessly:

“If they can worship Aqua, how high can their IQ be?”

“Isn't anyone concerned about Wiz? That's the Sanzu River, it definitely is the Sanzu River!”

Good heavens, Beldia was waving from across the river. If Kazuma had been a step later, Wiz would have really died.

Although she's the King of Undead, she's still a mage, so her resistance isn't as strong as Beldia's!

Shirou Emiya paused:

“I should say that the statue is the biggest problem, right? How does that goddess statue resemble Aqua?”

These cultists have beautified her too much! They're completely different people. How thick must that filter be?

 。。。。。

Chapter 380: Welcome to the City of Tropes! May I ask, would you like to join the Axis Cult?

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Just as Kazuma and Darkness prepared to navigate the dominion of the Axis Cult, a young maiden suddenly collapsed behind them.

The apples she carried scattered across the ground. Out of pure benevolence, the duo assisted her in gathering the fallen fruit…

The maiden’s expression suddenly shifted to one of bashful coyness, and she aggressively linked her arm with Kazuma’s. “May I properly express my gratitude? A café operated by the Axis Cult is located just ahead. Let us go there and chat.”

Upon hearing the words “Axis Cult,” Kazuma, who had initially harbored some small, hopeful expectations, immediately prepared to bolt.

“That won't be necessary!”

Kazuma attempted to activate his escape, but the maiden seized his cloak, gripping it with a deathly tenacity. “Please, stay! Actually, I am quite skilled at divination. As a token of my thanks, allow me to read your fortune!”

Kazuma began struggling to break free from the maiden's bind. “Hey, I really don't need it… let go! Release me! Ow, ow, ow!”

“The divination results are in! You are about to encounter great misfortune.” The maiden, now slipping into a state of manic fanaticism, began a tug-of-war with Kazuma. “But if you join the Axis Cult right now, you can avoid this calamity!”

“Join us quickly! Join us right here and now!”

Looking at the maiden whose eyes were practically glowing, even Kazuma—a man known for his own scummy behavior—felt a twinge of fear. “The misfortune is happening right in front of me! Darkness, save me!”

Faced with Kazuma’s plea for salvation, Darkness immediately flashed the insignia of the Eris Cult, declaring her identity. “I am a believer of the Eris Cult…”

“Peh!” Before she could even finish her sentence, the maiden’s face transformed instantly. Gone was the fanaticism, replaced by a look of utter revulsion as she spat onto the asphalt.

She silently released Kazuma, gathered her shopping bag, and walked away briskly. Then, she turned her head to glare at them one last time…

“Peh!”

With another disdainful spit toward the road, she sprinted away. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This routine feels a bit too familiar. Isn't this just the bar hostess scam? A Honey Trap combined with a 'chance encounter'! They really are going all out to recruit people.”

“Hahaha, truly worthy of Aqua's followers. They have the exact same virtue as Aqua when she faces the Goddess Eris!”

If there were doubts before, the multitude of viewers across other worlds could now confirm it with absolute certainty: this Axis Cult was fundamentally a Multi-Level Marketing scheme…

Did you not see that maiden? It was as if she had been brainwashed—how unhinged can one get? This method of dragging people into the cult… even a gold-medal salesperson would hang their head in shame!

 。。。。。

〜Dropkick on My Devil World〜

“This is an evil cult! A chaotic cult!”

A certain vegetable-green serpent, herself an Evil God, slammed the table, loudly criticizing the scene.

“Whose believers are this unhinged?!”

Medusa reached out to soothe the little Evil God.

“Ca… Calm down, Jashin-chan!”

In another world, a certain ninja clad in a black robe adorned with red clouds, wielding a massive triple-bladed scythe, suddenly sneezed. Who told him to worship something like that?

Yurine looked expressionlessly at the tea spilled on the table, then glanced at the cauliflower-snake still rambling incessantly.

Thus, she immediately placed Jashin-chan upon the cutting board and began slicing meat fillets; her technique was nothing short of masterful.

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

“Spitting every three steps… just how much does this girl despise the followers of Goddess Eris…”

Even Emilia broke into a sweat upon witnessing this.

So, in the eyes of the Axis Cult, the Eris Cult is treated as heresy? Their faith in Aqua is a bit too intense. Otherwise, they wouldn't reject other orders so violently.

Seeing this, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but feel his eyelid twitch.

“Isn't that face-change a little too fast?!”

Just a moment ago, she was as fanatical as could be! The moment she learned the other party was Eris Cult, she was as disgusted as humanly possible!

As expected of those who worship the Goddess Aqua. That face-turning ability is guaranteed.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Excellent. The City of Water and Hot Springs has been added to my blacklist.”

Kazuma was recording something in a notebook, seriously writing down the name of the location appearing on the screen.

Who would want to go to a base of operations for retards? Whoever wants to go can go, but he certainly won't. He is destined to stay in the Starter Village!

Aqua was already hugging Kazuma's thigh, her eyes brimming with tears as she began to beg.

“Why do you suddenly hate hot springs, Kazuma? Kazuma-sama! Let's go…”

Ignoring the noisy duo, Megumin watched the somewhat familiar routines on screen. Her hand gripping her staff became slick with sweat, and cold perspiration streamed down her face. She looked incredibly guilty.

 。。。。。

【 Having witnessed the ferocity of the Axis Cultists, the two decided to take the back alleys to avoid trouble!

Suddenly, a cry for help echoed from ahead. A young maiden was being chased by a muscular man. Upon seeing Kazuma, the girl looked as if she had seen a savior.

“That man, suspected to be of the vicious Eris Cult, is trying to drag me into the alleyway by force!”

The muscular man pointed a finger at Kazuma. “Hey, little bro. If you are a tough and handsome Axis Cultist, I'll flee immediately.”

“But since you aren't, I won't hold back. If you dare obstruct me, one who has received the grace of the Dark Goddess Eris, I will show you no mercy!”

The maiden at the side suddenly whipped out a stack of papers, letting out a piercing shriek. “Aaah! How could this be! What I am holding in my hand right now is the application form for the Axis Cult!”

“If someone could just sign their name on this, this evil Eris Cultist would run away!”

Watching the pair's clumsy performance, Kazuma remained silent, pretending not to see anything. Just as he lowered his head to walk away briskly…

The two of them latched onto him again. “Just sign your name, and Aqua-sama will grant you super strength! You'll become handsome and powerful!”

The muscular man chimed in relentlessly from the side. “That's right, that's right! And after joining the cult, you'll become multi-talented!”

Seeing that the two were still rambling incessantly, Darkness once again flashed her Eris Cult badge.

“Peh!” Both of them simultaneously adopted looks of utter disgust, spat toward the roadside, turned to leave, and then stopped not far away to spit again. “Peh!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha! After the Honey Trap, now it's the 'Hero Saves the Beauty'… what other tropes do they have? Bring them all out!”

“I'm dying of laughter. These proselytizing methods are too bizarre. It's nothing but scams; they really have a lot of tricks!”

The crowd nearly laughed themselves into convulsions. This Axis Cult was truly worthy of being the entity that worships the Goddess of Idiocy; their brains were more or less critically ill. Even the Goddess of Fortune, Eris, had become a Dark God here.

You become the kind of person your God is. The entire town was a carbon copy of Aqua—every single one of them was an Oscar-level actor.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“Do they really have to go this far…”

Siduri, as a High Priestess serving the gods, had never seen such perverse methods of evangelism.

Organized fraud just to recruit members! Is their first morning lesson after joining the cult 'An Actor Prepares'? They are simply too good at acting.

“What a terrifying fraud syndicate.”

Even Ishtar, a goddess herself, felt a twinge of fear. Aqua's followers were fanatical to an excessive degree.

She had never seen anyone worship a deity with such fervor. Had Aqua performed some world-saving feat?

Merlin smiled faintly.

“Whether one becomes handsome and strong after joining is unknown, but becoming multi-talented might actually be true.”

After all, Aqua truly is multi-talented… at party tricks.

 。。。。。

【 Next, Kazuma and Darkness hadn't walked far before they were blocked by a middle-aged man. “Congratulations! You are the one-millionth person to pass through this road! The prize is sponsored by the Axis Cult. To claim your souvenir, could you please sign your name here?”

Kazuma's face was covered in black lines. He only wanted to return to the inn and sleep. This town was simply too terrifying. He barely managed to send the uncle away, only to encounter a young girl.

“Ara? Long time no see! It's me! It's me!” The girl acted like an old friend. “Same school, same class—do you remember me?”

“I've changed a lot since joining the Axis Cult! You probably don't recognize me anymore!” The girl took out an application form and urged Kazuma to try joining as well.

After shaking off this cultist, Kazuma felt ready to die. But it wasn't over yet!

Just as he got rid of the girl, he was entangled by an older woman. Assuming the two were newlyweds, she wordlessly gifted Kazuma a pile of laundry detergent, claiming it was edible!

After finally shaking off the auntie, Kazuma arrived at a restaurant, slumped over the table in despair, and uttered a question from the depths of his soul: “What is wrong with this town!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, I can't breathe! This isn't the City of Water and Hot Springs; it's the City of Scams! Endless, never-ending scams!”

“It's absolutely terrifying. Now I finally know why everyone else avoids the Axis Cult like the plague. With this many traps, who could possibly withstand it!”

“I was laughing so hard—hahahahahaha, the one pretending to be a classmate was the best. Did you attend university in Japan too?!”

The audience finally realized the horror of the Axis Cult. They were truly a bunch of lunatics. To spread their religion, they would use any means necessary—a pile of con artistry!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Hahahahaha, actually pulling the 'classmate' line on a transmigrator… hahaha, I can't stop laughing I'm dying…”

Tohsaka Rin was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. Wave after wave, she was laughing to the point of hypoxia.

This was Japan's classic “It's me, it's me!” fraud. Usually, you only see it over the phone; she had never seen anyone brave enough to use this tactic face-to-face.

Trying to scam a transmigrator with “old classmate from another world”? Even making friends out of thin air shouldn't be this outrageous.

Sakura, who had gradually become more cheerful, also laughed softly.

“The one-millionth person to pass this road, so you won a prize… to think they'd use such an excuse…”

Did that uncle stand there specifically counting people every day? Anyone with normal intelligence wouldn't fall for that.

〜The Rising of the Shield Hero World〜

Iwatani Naofumi was stunned.

“Honey Trap, Hero Saves Beauty, the Lottery Scam, Old Classmate… do the schemes run this deep?”

The methods were endless! He didn't expect that even in an alternate world, things would be this complicated. Could this be the biggest fraud organization in the isekai?

Subsequently, his gaze turned suspiciously toward the beauty, Myne, who had offered to take him to buy equipment… It couldn't be helped; Kazuma's journey had made him realize the other world wasn't simple—it was full of setups.

Feeling his gaze, Myne's heart tightened.

“What's wrong?”

Naofumi shook his head. He was probably overthinking it. What were the odds of running into a scammer so coincidentally?

Miss Myne is so kind; she couldn't possibly deceive me. Impossible to deceive me… right??

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“It's actually too terrifying! Too terrifying.”

Kazuma watched his on-screen self begin to have a mental breakdown, sweat pouring down his face as he realized the severity of the problem.

“These retards… where did they come up with so many schemes?”

It is common knowledge that Aqua is an idiot. One would assume the Axis Cult that worships her wouldn't have high IQs either. Where were all these ideas coming from?!

Hearing Kazuma's suspicion, Megumin's body and soul trembled. Bean-sized beads of sweat slid continuously down her face…

I'm going to die, right? If they find out I taught them all of this, I'm absolutely going to die!

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Looks like someone’s at fault here. I’m not saying it’s Megumin, but it’s definitely Megemin. )

Chapter 381: The Strongest Routine in History! The 'Innocent' Little Gir

Chapter Text

【 “Sorry for the wait, guest!” Just as Kazuma was face-down on the table, questioning his life choices, the female elf waitress brought a drink and placed it before him.

Then, she turned to look at Darkness, handing over a complimentary item with a smile: “For the guest of the Eris Cult, this is a gift from our shop.”

As the elf waitress spoke, she placed a dog bowl containing a bone at Darkness's feet. Wearing a beaming expression, she bowed politely and turned to leave.

“Please enjoy—”

Darkness’s face flushed red, her body trembling slightly: “Hey, Kazuma! Let's all live in this town together.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, this is killing me. This elf sister isn't normal either. I regret thinking they had finally met a normal elf.”

“Pffft… I really can't hold it back, haha… handing over dog food with such a serious face. This waitress is surprisingly polite about it.”

That dog bowl and bone… it was truly hard for people from other worlds to keep a straight face, and they burst into laughter. The sectarian struggle was actually this brutal!

Using the best attitude and the most polite tone to do the most insulting thing—it was simply top-tier!

The key was Darkness, who could actually feel pleasure from this. She was completely beyond saving in this lifetime.

 。。。。。

〜Dungeon Meshi World〜

“See, look, our Elf race is still the most reliable. Look at this attitude, so polite… ly… uh.”

Marcille’s words of praise to her companions grew quieter and quieter, losing all confidence.

Then Marcille fell silent… She wondered if anyone would believe her if she said that the waitress wasn't actually an Elf at this point.

Chilchuck, with cold sweat running down his face, pointed at the dog bowl with the bone:

“I'll admit the attitude is good, but do you think that's polite?!”

The attitude was indeed good, 9/10, smiling service throughout—it was just that the item itself was more or less an insult.

Laios tried to defend the elf, though his confidence was lacking:

“At least she didn't spit on them like the others. That counts as being quite polite… right?”

“Why are you using a question mark too!”

After Marcille finished her retort, her eyes looked a bit hollow:

“I'm sorry, I was wrong! I shouldn't have believed there would be normal people in that other world.”

Especially in the headquarters of the Axis Cult that worships Aqua. After all, anyone who can be tricked into joining that sect is a fool; how normal could they be?

 。。。。。

【 Next, on their way back to the inn, the two saw a little girl of about 10 years old accidentally trip over a stone and fall in front of them.

“Are you okay!” Kazuma and Darkness hurried to help the little girl up, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe the wound: “It's just a scrape!”

The little girl endured the pain but still managed a strong, cute smile: “Thank you, big brother, big sister!”

Looking at the girl's innocent smile, Kazuma's heart was instantly healed. He didn't expect that in this town overflowing with bizarre cults, there would still be a flower-like young girl like this.

“I'm fine now, thank you! Kind big brother, please tell me your name.”

Seeing this smile full of childhood innocence, Kazuma replied very gently: “I'm Kazuma, Satou Kazuma! The scary sister next to me is called Darkness.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“In this city full of schemes, it turns out only children can have this kind of pure smile, untainted by the mire.”

“A normal person… just a normal child! I never imagined the day would come when I’d feel thrilled simply by seeing an ordinary kid.”

Looking at the little girl's innocent smile, people from other worlds felt as if they were being healed. Indeed, children are the treasures of the world!

To think that in this sick other world, one could still see such a pure and lovely smile.

It was like a lotus flower born in a pile of sludge, emerging unstained! The fact that she hadn't been tricked by the Axis Cult was practically a miracle!

 。。。。。

【 “Ahaha!” Hearing Kazuma's rather interesting introduction, the little girl and Kazuma smiled at each other in what seemed like a very harmonious moment.

“How do you write 'Satou Kazuma'? Can you show me, big brother?” The little girl, with an innocent face, took out a piece of paper and a pen and handed them to Kazuma.

“Sure, my name is…” Kazuma smiled as he took the paper and pen. Just as he was about to write his name, he saw clearly—the words written on the paper were an application form for the Axis Cult!

Kazuma looked at the girl's innocent face as large beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. The hand holding the pen trembled, and then he suddenly ripped the paper in half: “DAMN IT ALL!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“That's terrifying! At this final hurdle, I actually didn't hold out. I almost joined the cult.”

“Schemes… It's still schemes! Who would have thought a little girl would use her own advantages to innocently trick you into joining!”

Hahahaha… this is hilarious! Everyone expressed that they could laugh at this for a whole day. It was too ruthless. This move by the loli was probably the strongest scheme they had seen yet.

There are no normal people in this city. Even a passing dog would probably bark at you twice—don't misunderstand… It's not cursing at you! It just wants you to join the cult!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Sigh… you can't let your guard down!”

Emiya Shirou couldn't help but cover his face. Obviously, if it had been him just now, he would have fallen for it 100%! After all, who would think a little girl could have any bad intentions?

Illya was stunned:

“I was wrong. To think I actually thought she was an innocent little girl was my biggest mistake…”

This city is truly terrifying, a scheme at every step. Although Aqua is an idiot, these followers are much smarter than their goddess!

Even the little girls aren't simple. If you relax even slightly, you'll be played. To trick people into joining, is there any method they haven't thought of?

“Heh… hahaha… ha… I can't take it! I'm dying here... help me.. I'm dying.....”

Only Tohsaka Rin was still laughing on the side; to be precise, she hadn't stopped at all.

She thought she had seen all the tactics of the Axis Cult, but she didn't expect there to be even more powerful ones. With such deep schemes, who could withstand it!

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Natsuki Subaru swallowed hard in fear:

“Even kids that small are starting to proselytize, DAMN!!!”

Kazuma, fellow countryman, your other world is way too terrifying. So sinister… what's hidden behind that innocent face is hell!

It's still traps, still schemes! Is this city really not made up of some large-scale fraud syndicate? They encountered five different scamming methods just by taking a walk!

Emilia subconsciously took a step back, her expression shifting:

“The Axis Cult is truly terrifying.”

At an age where one barely knows a few words, they can already run around tricking people into joining. Scary… too scary!

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“In this city, you can't even trust a single brick!”

Looking at Kazuma, who was almost tricked, Shokuhou Misaki patted her own “huge heart” with some lingering fear.

That brick was probably a veteran actor. It's hard to imagine how many people that one move has tricked!

Everyone in this city is an Oscar-winning actor, debuting at their peak at such a young age! The face of an angel, the heart of a devil… if you're caught off guard, you really will fall for it!

 。。。。。

【 The Axis Cult is a very niche religion in places outside of this town, but its presence is incredibly strong!

Some even say that if you run into bandits while traveling, just saying you are an Axis Cult member can scare them off!

Even the Demon King's Army is unwilling to approach Axis Cult members… But Kazuma, who had reached his limit, stormed directly into the Axis Cult's main cathedral.

“Hey! Have the person in charge come out, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!”

Inside the cathedral, a female follower walked toward Kazuma, the distance between them closing: “Oh my, what's the matter? Are you here to join? Or for a baptism? Or perhaps… do you want me?”

Looking at the face so close to his and hearing those suggestive words, Kazuma felt a bit shy: “I… I mean…”

Seeing the shy Kazuma, the female follower began to laugh playfully: “I was just joking. How could you take it seriously? Is there something wrong with your head?”

Kazuma subconsciously clenched his fists, trying hard to restrain his impulse. What should he do? He really wanted to punch her!

Kazuma was about to be driven insane by this group of idiots from the Axis Cult. He had intended to reason with the Archbishop here, but he had come in vain.

“Then have a Mage and an Archpriest been here!?”

“Ah, those two…” The female follower pointed to a corner. Megumin was clutching her staff, shivering there, nearly driven mad.

“Speaking of which, over there, your companion is being pelted with stones by children.” The female follower pointed toward Darkness in the courtyard. Because she was an Eris follower, she was currently being bullied by the children.

Kazuma could only pretend to shout and rush over. After chasing the children away…

Darkness praised with a flushed face: “The women and children here are wonderful in so many ways!”

“Hide that Eris cult charm of yours! You're wearing it around your neck on purpose, aren't you!”

“I refuse!” Darkness refused immediately without even thinking. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, she played Kazuma right from the start. As expected of the trash goddess's followers, trashy as always.”

“The Axis Cult, whose mere name scares the Demon King's Army away… in a sense, they are truly impressive!”

One person is fine, but a syndicate is what's terrifying. When an entire city is like this, it's called hell!

And this city is undoubtedly hell. Look at how scared poor Megumin is. She can only hide in the corner and isolate herself.

As for Darkness being bullied by children? Everyone was already used to it. This pervert's performance was as stable as ever.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Don't worry, Megumin! We will definitely never go to that idiotic city again.”

Looking at the pale-faced Megumin, Kazuma thought she was traumatized and patted her shoulder, offering gentle comfort.

Megumin gave a somewhat stiff smile:

“Is that so… then thank you very much, Kazuma!”

Her heart was actually crumbling. What goes around comes around; heaven spares no one. This was truly a self-inflicted disaster.

She was the one who taught them these schemes when she first came here. Now they were being used on her! You could say they were all students she had personally trained…

But since she dug the pit herself, even if she died falling into it, she had to stay in there! She absolutely could not let anyone know that she was the one who taught them.

 。。。。。

Chapter 382: Genuine "Atonement," Holding Aqua

Chapter Text

【 Finally, Kazuma found Aqua in the church's confessional. Unexpectedly, this useless goddess was actually playing the role of a priest here, and pretending not to know him.

“Hey! You're the High Priest worshipped by the people of this town, right? As long as you give instructions to the believers, it can be solved immediately! Make those guys have some self-respect!”

Watching Aqua, who was completely immersed in her role, Kazuma was utterly speechless and unimpressed. Instead of managing your believers properly, you ran here to play RPGs.

Aqua fell silent for a moment, then pretended not to hear and said to herself, “It seems you have nothing left to confess. Then I will continue to wait for the next lost lamb… Okay, you can click 'leave' now.”

Kazuma was stunned. Why couldn't Aqua understand human speech? … “Hey, what are you saying! I'm telling you to come out of the room!”

Aqua stopped pretending, dropped the dignified goddess persona she was maintaining, and started throwing a tantrum to chase him away: “Hurry up and get out! People who have finished confessing should leave quickly! Hmph!”

Kazuma sat back on the chair, assumed the same pose as Commander Ikari, lowered his voice, and pretended to be deeply reflecting.

“Actually… I have something to confess...”

Aqua immediately became cheerful: “Let me hear it, let me hear it! Speak your sins and repent properly. ~”

“Is it about how you're interested in the Crusaders' dirty laundry? Or is it about how you want to bury your nose in the Archwizard's black hair and sniff to your heart's content? Or is it about having improper thoughts about a beautiful and noble priestess?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hehe, after being ravaged by the Axis Cult's tricks, I suddenly realized this idiot goddess counts as quite normal.”

“Tsk tsk, I feel tired for Kazuma. None of his teammates is worry-free. One is autistic, one is crazy, and there's this silly goddess throwing a tantrum in front of him.”

Although this goddess is a bit scummy and easily influenced by the atmosphere, she is really easy to coax; she became happy again in an instant.

Just looking at Kazuma's deep appearance, everyone immediately knew this brutish hero was about to show off his skills! When it comes to manipulating teammates, no one is better than him.

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“Yare yare, this idiot goddess seems to have said something incredible!”

Akihisa's eyes instantly became sharp; he just wanted to hear the details.

As the leader of the FFF Inquisition, Ryo Sugawa burst into tears. Clearly surrounded by three beautiful girls, yet interested in a Crusader's dirty laundry… What brutish behavior!

“GENERAL!!”

The members shouted excitedly. They unanimously agreed that such an abstract Kazuma was simply a model for men.

Watching Akihisa blend in seamlessly and shouting, Hideyoshi sighed:

“The point is, why does Aqua know this so clearly?”

Even though they don't sleep in the same stables anymore, she knows all of Kazuma's crappy business clearly. But some things are better left unsaid!

Knowing is one thing, but daring to say it to his face at a time like this… isn't she afraid of getting beaten up? As expected of the idiot goddess.

 。。。。。

【 After hearing Aqua blurt out those embarrassing things, although Kazuma wanted to punch this retard, he had no choice but to play along and confess his crimes to Aqua.

“I accidentally broke my priest partner's most important, special cup used for banquets.”

“Wha…” Aqua's expression became a bit stiff.

“Also, because she proudly said she got a bottle of good wine, I secretly tasted it!”

“It tasted better than I imagined, and I accidentally drank it all. I thought she wouldn't understand the taste anyway, so I secretly replaced it with a cheap bottle.”

Aqua's pupils instantly quaked, and the panic on her face was visible to the naked eye:

“Neee, Kazuma, what are you saying!?”

Kazuma ignored Aqua and continued in a low voice: “Because that priest is always causing problems, before coming to this town, I posted a recruitment notice for Eris Cult priest partners on the guild's bulletin board!”

Aqua's defenses were completely broken. She pushed open the partition, grabbed Kazuma, and cried incessantly: “You APOSTATE!!”

Fortunately, Kazuma was just joking. Except for the last thing being false, everything else was true! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Kazuma is the one confessing, but Aqua is the one breaking down. Is it because Aqua got cocky, or Kazuma can't hold his blade anymore?”

“I’m dying of laughter, masters trading blows and taking each other down in the process. Face it, Aqua, you can’t outplay him; Kazuma’s rank is just too high.”

It's simply striking at the heart. The main selling point is sincere repentance. Kazuma really is a Noble Phantasm specifically for Aqua; the first move made this idiot goddess break down.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Speaking of which… just how much does this goddess like alcohol? Just call her the Goddess of Wine.”

The Bone King was stunned. This is just a middle-aged man in a goddess' skin, right?

And if he remembered correctly, any liquid Aqua that touches gets purified. Like how Kazuma's black tea was turned into hot water before…

Then what's the point of her collecting these high-end wines? Doesn't it just taste like purified water in her mouth?

“So when Kazuma replaced her high-end wine with cheap wine, Aqua, that idiot, very likely didn't notice…”

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, another confessor arrived. Although he had believed in the Goddess Aqua for a long time, but…

“Those full breasts in the portrait of the Goddess Eris, that thing has been tempting me! Those are the devil's breasts. Please forgive me for accidentally being tempted by another goddess.”

Wearing an extremely serious expression, Aqua spoke gently in a very solemn tone:

“Please rest assured, God will forgive everything.”

“The doctrine of the Axis Cult allows everything. Whether you are a lolicon, a NEET, or a beast-girl enthusiast, except for the undead and demons, as long as you have love and do not break the law, everything is forgiven!”

The uncle, confessing, was instantly moved to tears, and even his voice trembled.

Aqua pressed the advantage, telling the uncle a sacred spell that would prevent him from being confused by demons: “Eris pads her chest… If you are tempted in the future, please remember this phrase.”

The uncle, having learned the spell, instantly sobered up. After thanking her, he left.

Kazuma, who witnessed the whole process, was dumbfounded: “Belittling your junior goddess, as a goddess yourself, is this really okay!?”

Aqua turned her head to look at Kazuma: “For a god, the number of believers and the nature of their faith are extremely important! That directly converts into divine power.”

“Although my believers are few, their faith is extremely intense! To protect those cute believers, I am willing to do anything.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“If Aqua’s statue is a fake, then the Goddess Eris isn’t much different. It’s basically the same thing either way.

“The Axis Cult doctrine… It's over, I've become an Axis Cultist. I know I'm being scammed, but I still want to join.”

Good lord, saying that Goddess Eris pads her chest… Just how scummy are you, Aqua! This is absolutely bullying, bullying from the divine realm.

As for the cute believers… Everyone in the other worlds had black lines on their faces. You call the Axis Cult, who forced the Demon King's army to stay away, “cute”?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Faith directly converts into divine power…”

Ishtar was a bit stunned:

“So, the faith of a single city provides stronger divine power than the faith of a whole country?”

The Eris Cult is the state religion after all. Can the faith of just this city make Aqua this strong?

Sage King Gilgamesh looked at Ishtar like she was an idiot:

“Are you stupid? For a Goddess of Water, theoretically, she can't have few believers.”

Merlin nodded upon hearing this:

“In this world, although Aqua has few believers, they are all saints! This is a city of saints.”

When Kazuma was walking around, he had already truly felt the faith of this city. Basically, those who want to join the Aqua sect are all fanatics.

Not many believers, but the purity is extremely high. They are all a bunch of lunatics.

How could the faith not be strong?

 。。。。。

Chapter 383: A Great Judge of Character! The Boss of the Sadistic Degenerates

Chapter Text

【 When the party returned to the inn, Wiz had already finished her soak in the hot springs and was seated in the lounge. It was only then that Kazuma recalled the true objective of this expedition: the Mixed Bath!

However, Megumin had yet to emerge from the shadow of her trauma, her entire frame trembling incessantly: “Axis Cultists… they are terrifying.”

Beside her, Darkness was still savoring the aftertaste of being discriminated against. Left with no other recourse, Kazuma proceeded to the bathhouse alone.

The scene shifts, transporting us to the interior of the mixed bath… Within, two figures appeared to be conversing. At this precise moment, the screen thoughtfully displayed the label:  ⟦Demon King's General⟧.

Submerged in the hot spring, Wolbach raised her head to look at Hans. “You look exhausted.”

Hans, having endured god-knows-what, replied with a weariness that permeated both body and soul: “This place… is the true Demon Realm…”

“It seems a lot has happened,” Wolbach murmured vacantly, before her gaze drifted forward. “By the way… that man keeps staring at me.”

Following Wolbach's line of sight, we see Kazuma at the other end of the spring—positioned like a statue—staring at her without blinking once. “Um… It’s a bit embarrassing having you look at me like that.”

“Pay me no mind.” Kazuma continued to lock eyes with Wolbach, his face unflushed, his heart rate steady, his gaze unwavering.

“R-Right… after all, this is a mixed bath...” Wolbach’s expression verged on tears. Unable to withstand the sheer pressure of Kazuma’s line of sight, she could only rise and flee the scene.

Seeing this, Kazuma let out a sigh of deep emotion: “Heh heh, what a shy big sister she is!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha! Kazuma, truly the heavy lifter of the Scum Tier! To be called out and still stare so self-righteously—what a legend.”

“Two Generals of the Demon King showing up at once?! Is a single General no longer enough to satisfy you people?”

Kazuma's line, “Pay me no mind,” was absolute perfection! In that moment, one could find no fault in his logic, his eyes never even twitching.

Good lord. If the screen hadn't explicitly labeled him a  ⟦Demon King's General, the audience would never have believed that this man, driven to the brink of madness, held such a high rank.

Just what kind of hell did he go through to make a cadre of the Demon King's army declare this place the true Demon Realm? Poor Hans. He must have suffered immensely under the persecution of the Axis Cult.

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“You have my eternal gratitude, General Kazuma!”

Akihisa wiped a nosebleed with practiced subtlety. To witness such fan service… this life has been worth living.

As for why the subtlety? Because his instincts screamed that the air was thick with killing intent. One wrong move, and he would meet the same fate as Yuuji!

“My EYES—! My eyes!”

Yuuji clutched his face, crying out in waves of agony. This was the inevitable retribution.

Meanwhile, the instigator of this punishment, Shouko, withdrew her right hand expressionlessly, her voice cold as ice:

“There are too many things here that Yuuji must not see.”

As for the most dedicated cameraman, the Muttsurini, he had long since collapsed, dead on the floor, surrounded by a pool of nasal blood.

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Natsuki Subaru looked upon Kazuma with a face full of admiration. Truly a top-tier scumbag; even a General of the Demon King couldn't withstand his gaze.

“I’m honestly curious how he pulls off being so bold without feeling even a hint of awkwardness.”

Even the middle-aged Demon King's General next to him was shocked, hey! That self-righteousness is terrifying.

If it were just a few sneak peeks, that would be understandable—any healthy boy would do the same… But to be caught by the person in question, get shy, and still stare unblinkingly? That is a level of its own.

A normal person would feel awkward or embarrassed and look away, right? And he was so cowardly back at the mansion, so why is he acting so tough here?!

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, Hans also prepared to leave, but he seemed burdened by troubles, muttering incessantly at the bar of soap in his hand.

“Honestly! I give you an inch of courtesy, and you start preaching about joining the cult and the church, spouting all that nonsense! Damn it!”

The more Hans spoke, the angrier he became, until he furiously smashed the soap onto the ground.

Kazuma watched the raving Hans, dumbfounded: “That guy seems to be having a pretty mental breakdown too!”

Eyeing this strange middle-aged man, Kazuma decided it was best not to get involved. He ran off to get his back scrubbed—a luxury he hadn't truly enjoyed since arriving in this isekai.

“This soap lathers up really well, doesn't it!”

“Y-Yeah!” Kazuma answered, turning his head to look behind him. Instantly, his pupils constricted violently.

“This soap can cure any abnormal status effect, and what's more… it's edible! It is divine! You can get it just by joining the cult, and it's free!”

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hans had not escaped the harassment of proselytization either, waving his hands in constant refusal: “Stop trying to trick me with your sweet talk about points!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter! The omnipresent Axis Cult. You want to relax? Impossible.”

“Look at what they've driven a Demon King's General to. This isn't just a breakdown; he's on the verge of despair.”

The crowd seemed to see the shadow of the Dullahan in Hans. At least the Dullahan only got harassed by Megumin once a day… Hans is worse off; his spirit is crumbling.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Emiya Shirou's face was covered in black lines.

“These schemes really are endless. You can't even escape the preaching while trying to relax in a bath!”

Why are you everywhere? They even brought out a point system? Just how many schemes does the Axis Cult have left in its arsenal?

Illyasviel was equally speechless.

“The scariest part is their inexplicable obsession with the soap being edible!”

Even knowing it's edible, you couldn't possibly swallow it! It's physiologically repulsive. Who develops an appetite for a bar of soap?!

But somehow, they treat this as a selling point for joining the cult. It's utterly baffling…

 。。。。。

【 After scrubbing down, Kazuma ran back into the mixed bath area, only to hear the voices of Megumin and Darkness drifting over from the women's bath next door.

At that moment, Megumin and Darkness happened to be discussing the topic of Kazuma.

“Although he's cowardly and loses his nerve at critical moments, if he has a legitimate excuse, he would definitely enter the mixed bath with his head held high.”

Thus, Megumin shouted toward the other side: “Kazuma, you're over there, aren't you! You must be pressing your ear against the wall, imagining where Darkness is washing first, panting like a dog!”

In truth, Megumin's conjecture was terrifyingly accurate. Yet, no matter how they called out, Kazuma remained silent, causing Darkness to think she had guessed wrong.

“Though he isn't honest enough, he is a good person. That much is absolutely true.”

Eavesdropping, Kazuma immediately flushed red, beginning to feel shame for his voyeuristic listening. Just as he was preparing to quietly slip away…

“By the way, Megumin, I've been curious about your butt for a while now…”

With the speed of a thunderbolt, Kazuma pressed his ear back against the wall. For insurance, he even activated his ⦍Lurk⦎ skill!

“Now!” Darkness unleashed a mighty punch from the other side. Kazuma was sent flying, crashing into the hot water.

“I knew it. That lecherous gaze I feel from Kazuma on a daily basis… a man with such unfulfilled desires couldn't possibly be in the mixed bath.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Megumin nailed it! You could say she’s got Kazuma all figured out.”

Da Vinci laughed heartily at the sight.

Her description was flawless. She not only guessed his actions and demeanor with eighty or ninety percent accuracy, but Kazuma's thoughts likely were exactly as Megumin described.

Dr. Roman set down his coffee, a smile gracing his lips.

“That's what you call having the lust but not the guts. It fits his age perfectly, though.”

Kazuma belongs entirely to the category of having a conscience, but not much of one! You can't say he's great, but you can't say he's evil either.

All I can say is, they read people like books… Just as you understand them, they understand you. You've been completely seen through, brother Kazuma!

The sheer velocity with which he reattached his ear to that wall is something we can only gaze upon with envy…

 。。。。。

Chapter 384: Joining the Cult? We'll throw in a non-stick pan, oh!

Chapter Text

【 Later, when Kazuma finished his bath and was preparing to change clothes, he saw soap and an Axis Cult admission form neatly stacked in his basket again.

“…” Kazuma held the soap in silence for a moment, then threw it on the ground like a madman, startling the cat Chomusuke beside him.

Just as he returned to the inn, he saw Aqua burying her face in Wiz's chest, wailing loudly: “It's too much… I just soaked in the hot spring for a bit, I… I didn't do anything wrong!”

But as an Undead, Wiz felt a burning pain wherever Aqua's tears touched her, so she had no time to comfort her.

The cause of the matter was due to Aqua's constitution; as soon as she entered the hot spring, she purified the healing spring water into ordinary hot water.

“Just because of that, I was kicked out! Why do I have to be kicked out by the church that worships me! Why—”

However, what made Aqua most angry wasn't this, but the manager…

“I apologize for turning the hot spring into hot water! But it can't be helped, right… after all, I am the Goddess of Water, Aqua herself!”

Hearing Aqua's declaration that she was a goddess, the manager looked away slightly and let out a sneer: “Heh…”

Speaking of this, Aqua looked at Kazuma with teary eyes again and started crying: “I really am a goddess! I clearly am a goddess!”

After staring at the crying Aqua for a moment, Kazuma let out the exact same sneer as the manager: “Heh…”

Seeing Kazuma's mocking face, the sound of Aqua's emotional breakdown resonated through the entire inn. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, the pervasive Axis Cult. They don't even forget to put soap and application forms on top of people's change of clothes while they're bathing. Truly persistent!”

“It's hilarious. Being a goddess yet getting kicked out of the church by her own believers, this would probably be considered quite a shocking event even in the Divine Realm.”

“Kazuma hasn't even met the manager, yet he could issue the same mockery. An obvious mockery! Facts prove their perception of Aqua is consistent: she's an idiot…

Everyone in the other worlds couldn't straighten their backs from laughing. After all, Aqua is just too much of a show-off. Not only did she purify the hot spring, but she actually managed to get kicked out by her own believers.

The most ridiculous part was her self-doxxing as a goddess. Did you not look at the goddess statue in the town center that appears to be a fake? How do you resemble it at all?

Who would believe it if you said it! Saying it in front of fanatics and not getting beaten up counts as them caring for a mentally challenged child.

No wonder ID photos require no makeup; this is the consequence of over-beautification!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Hehehahaha, to actually be kicked out by her own believers.”

Kuroko reached out to wipe the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. Aqua refreshed her understanding of goddesses time and time again.

What was refreshed wasn't the upper limit, but the lower limit of being a goddess. How should I put it? Stupid in a somewhat cute way.

Misaka Mikoto could finally understand Kazuma's feelings. It was truly helpless:

Sigh… you can't really blame them for kicking you out.”

As everyone knows, Goddess Aqua has two major passive pitfalls: one is the ability to attract Undead like a monster lure automatically, and the other is the ability to automatically purify water upon contact.

Turning a healing hot spring into hot water—isn't that destroying their livelihood?

〜Dungeon Meshi World〜

Although Marcille was somewhat surprised that Aqua wasn't beaten up despite acting like that, she was more curious about something else:

“Although the hot spring was purified, it must have turned into holy water, right?”

No matter how stupid Aqua is, one cannot ignore the fact that she is a goddess!

Laios thought for a moment and felt it wasn't very realistic:

“Probably not. Wasn't there a time before when Aqua was tied in a cage to purify a lake? You couldn't really call that holy water.”

Marcille thought about it and felt Laios made a lot of sense. If it turned into holy water just like that, it would be too much of a dimensional strike against demons. Who could withstand an entire lake of holy water?

 。。。。。

【 Early the next morning, poor Wiz had been hugged and cried on by Aqua all night. Those aggrieved tears almost purified Wiz on the spot, so she could only continue to lie in the inn to rest.

Kazuma and Megumin went out and sat under a tree, eating desserts together while lamenting the scenery and delicious food here: “The scenery is good, the food is tasty… the only problem is the people.”

As soon as the words fell, an older woman stared with “wise” eyes and sidled up to them: “Oh my, the weather is so nice! Is this also Lady Aqua's blessing?!”

“Let's not mention that for now, this pan is non-stick! If you join the cult now, you will definitely get it!”

The two were scared into turning and running, but they hadn't gone two steps before they were targeted by two more believers. One of the young girls took out soap and handed it to Kazuma: “Taking a walk? Little brother, have a bar of soap.”

Another burly man took out a towel: “Little sister, here's this for you. Everyone who joins the cult now can get another one.”

In a short while, the application forms that the two received filled an entire trash can. Megumin was completely dumbfounded, lying on the railing and muttering incessantly: “Soap… is edible, right…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, this city is truly too terrifying. This auntie is back again. I was afraid she'd say, 'This pot is also edible.'”

“Good lord, walk three steps, and there's an admission form… They give away everything. It gives me the feeling that after joining the cult, I won't have to worry about food or drink.”

No wonder others avoid the Axis Cult like the plague. Even a girl like Megumin, whose head is filled only with Explosion magic, was driven to a breakdown, actually starting to entertain the thought that soap is drinkable.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Tohsaka Rin was laughing so hard her mouth was cramping. To recruit people, they really used every means possible! But there was one problem…

“Who would join the Axis Cult for weird items like a non-stick pan, towels, and soap!”

Illya, on the side, silently added:

“It's not ordinary soap, it's edible soap…”

Rin froze for a moment:

“Uh, is there a difference?”

Illya nodded with absolute certainty:

“There is. This one can drive Megumin crazy.”

Simply outrageous. The application forms they received filled a trash can. One can imagine the mental torture Kazuma and the others suffered from the Axis Cult in such a short time.

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

“The soap smells so fragrant, it should taste pretty good…”

Rudeus stared at the soap in front of him with lifeless eyes. After all, his nose shouldn't be lying.

Just as Rudeus picked up the soap and was about to put it in his mouth, he suddenly slapped himself. He was still in a state of shock:

“Truly too terrifying! The Axis Cult is too TERRIFYING!!”

He actually had the urge to taste it just by looking at the soap just now. When was he brainwashed?

What a terrifying Axis Cult; it can even lower intelligence. This city is hell!

 。。。。。

【 At the same time, Kazuma also saw Hans standing by the river, but the other party's state was a bit off.

At this moment, Hans was carrying two bags full of application forms. Even his clothes and pants weren't spared; they were all stuffed full. He seemed to be muttering something.

“I don't have that many things to wash! Soap, detergent, soap, detergent…”

“How could I possibly drink IT!!!” Hans threw the application forms into the river, looking somewhat on the verge of a breakdown: “Disappear completely, all of you.”

At this time, Hans also noticed Kazuma. Their eyes met, and Kazuma could only smile awkwardly.

Just then, Kazuma saw Wiz running over: “Wiz, are you alright now?”

Wiz smiled faintly: “For a brief moment, I even saw my teammates from when I was an adventurer shouting anxiously from the other side of the river, telling me not to go over there. I'm finally better.”

Just as Kazuma wanted to ask if Wiz knew Hans, the latter had already discovered Wiz's identity and had long since left. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, by comparison, Kazuma is actually doing okay. After all, Hans hasn't even been spared from two large bags of application forms; they were even stuffed into his collar.”

“It's over, another one has gone mad! And the one who went mad is a Demon King's General. This is the first time I've seen the Demon King's Army driven crazy. It's too defied logic!”

Poor Wiz, hugged and cried on by Aqua all night, almost purified by Aqua again. It's the familiar Sanzu River again; she can be said to be someone walking on the edge of life and death.

Looking at it this way, the Dullahan's value is constantly rising. He actually withstood several purification magic attacks and still held on.

What made everyone unable to hold it together the most was that the Axis Cult had numbed Hans.

This City of Water and Hot Springs really isn't a place for humans to stay. People with weak mental fortitude are not recommended to come, because you will really go crazy.

 。。。。。

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Looking at Hans, who was starting to become a bit neurotic, Rimuru became somewhat speechless:

“I'm starting to pity this Demon King's General a little…”

Although the other party is a Demon King's General, he seemed to just be there for a vacation. He didn't cause trouble soaking in the hot spring; look at what he's been forced into?

The previous Dullahan was like this, and now Hans is like this. For a moment, I almost couldn't recognize who the villain was.

Thinking about it this way, it seems the Demon King's Generals are all quite pitiful. Every single one is tortured to the point of madness.

 。。。。。

Chapter 385: I am indeed the Goddess of Water—if you don't believe me

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Defeat the Demon King! Subjugate the Demon King!”

Just then, Aqua's voice came from not far away. When Kazuma and the others drew closer to look, they found Aqua giving a speech.

She claimed that the Demon King's army was wreaking havoc in the town, and she had confirmed that many hot springs had already been poisoned!

“That's right, the Demon King fears you, Axis Cultists. It's not because I'm frustrated that I can't soak in the hot springs that I used a trick to make it so you can't soak either.”

Hearing this, a young girl in the crowd asked with some confusion: “But I just finished soaking in that hot spring, and nothing happened! Oh!”

Aqua spread her arms wide and looked triumphant: “That is because I have already purified the poison from all the hot springs.”

A burly man in the crowd seemed to recognize Aqua and hurriedly pointed at her: “It's this woman! She turned the hot springs in town into ordinary hot water, deliberately causing trouble for everyone.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone immediately began to suspect Aqua's identity and accused her one after another.

“Everyone grab her! I thought something was strange. You want to scam us!”

“This is a new type of scam, isn't it? What are you planning? We work so hard to make the world a better place!”

Looking at the restless crowd, Aqua was so anxious she was about to cry: “No, that's not it! There really is a reason!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Demon King's army is indeed scared. Or rather, the whole world is probably afraid of you guys! With this pyramid scheme ability, who wouldn't be afraid?”

“Hahaha, as expected of you, the representative of wisdom! Crazy self-exposure. How did you say your inner thoughts out loud? You just weren't resigned to it.”

Good lord! She purified all the hot springs and then exposed herself in public… Honestly, you are very likely to become the first god to be beaten to death by her own believers.

Everyone looked at Aqua with admiration. As expected of a goddess, she easily did what ordinary people could not do.

They had never seen anyone stupid enough to draw hatred onto themselves while giving a speech.

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“A new type of scam…”

Yuuji froze on the spot when he saw this:

“Is there any scam method newer than your Axis Cult?”

Crap, I think I was a bit groggy from sleep just now! He actually saw this group of scammers saying that the idiot goddess Aqua is using a new scam method?

“How is this any different from Akihisa, the Idiot King, calling someone else an idiot…”

Akihisa, who was used as an example by Yuuji, hadn't understood the meaning yet and pointed at himself with a blank face:

“Me??”

Looking at Akihisa, whose head was full of question marks, Yuuji patted the latter's shoulder. Then the art style changed, turning into a hand-drawn style again:

“Akihisa, honestly, the Axis Cult suits you very well.”

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“Speaking of which, we are a diving club. Should we worship Aqua usually? After all, she really is the Goddess of Water.”

Looking at Aqua on the screen, Yoshiwara Aina happily began to ask for the opinions of Iori and the others.

But as soon as she asked this, everyone who was lively playing rock-paper-scissors-strip fell silent. Although worshipping Aqua might ensure safety, there was a huge probability that it would lower one's intelligence!

Everyone was pondering which was more important: IQ or safety? Damn it… Why isn't there a way to have the best of both worlds!

After exchanging glances, Iori and Kouhei nodded in tacit understanding and spoke in unison:

“This is clearly a drinking club! If you don't believe it, drink this cup of Oolong Tea.”

Saying that, they handed the Oolong Tea made of vodka and whiskey to Yoshiwara Aina. Obviously, they had made their decision… sure enough, IQ was a bit more important!

 。。。。。

【 Now she's done it. Aqua was directly treated as a sinner, so she hurriedly asked Darkness next to her for help: “You've been standing there since just now, hurry up and say something for me.”

“Say what we agreed on! I leave the Axis Cult to you! Say it, don't be shy, hurry up!”

Aqua looked at Darkness with sparkling eyes, but Darkness also felt ashamed for Aqua. She lowered her head with a blushing face, afraid to see anyone, her voice pitifully small.

The onlookers couldn't hear her at all. Seeing that things were about to get rowdy again, Aqua had no choice but to reveal her true identity.

“My name is Aqua. That's right! I am the existence you revere, the Water Goddess Aqua!”

Hearing Aqua's statement claiming to be a goddess, the scene instantly fell silent, as if shocked by this news. Everyone stared at her blankly.

And then…

“Are you kidding me! Even if you have blue hair and eyes, you can't claim to be Lady Aqua. You will be punished!”

“Roll her up in a straw mat and throw her in the water! Since you are the Water Goddess Lady Aqua, it shouldn't be a problem if we throw you in the water, right?”

“I think you're here to destroy this hot spring town. You're a minion of the Demon King's army, aren't you!”

Even the little girl who tricked Kazuma earlier shouted loudly at Aqua: “LIAR—!!”

After hearing the onlookers' words, Aqua's face stiffened visibly. Her pupils trembled constantly, and bean-sized beads of sweat kept sliding down her face.

“I'm telling the truth, I really am a GODDESS!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Is Aqua trying to make me die of laughter? How is this different from shouting 'I am the Jade Emperor' in the square and saying 'Venmo me 50 and I'll make you an immortal'? Whoever believes it is a fool.”

As the saying goes, mentally challenged children have more fun. Aqua is indeed a walking punchline. People from other worlds were all amused by Aqua.

In a place full of her own fanatical believers, not a single one could recognize her identity. This is hilarious…

A goddess who is treated as a liar by her own believers, even after revealing her identity, and who almost got rolled up in a straw mat and thrown into the water! This is unprecedented.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“…”

Looking at Aqua being treated as a liar, Dr. Roman and the others were speechless for a moment. What a pitiful goddess.

Da Vinci spoke up to complain:

“Honestly, what kind of image do they have of the Water Goddess in their hearts?!”

I don't know what to say about these believers. They are clearly a group of fanatics who would drag even a roadside dog into the cult, yet they don't even recognize the goddess they worship.

Dr. Roman hesitated a bit and said,

“Maybe gentle and considerate, full of responsibility, with a holy appearance?”

When he said this, he silently turned his gaze to Aqua… Very good, not a single trait matches.

If these believers knew that the goddess they have been worshipping is actually this Aqua in front of them, who looks a bit silly and is actually not bright either, their faith would probably collapse on the spot.

“Now it's great. She's directly considered by the residents to be one of the Demon King's army!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka was silently speechless. Sure enough, like god, like believer.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Shirai Kuroko was filled with amazement:

“To be able to force a pervert like Darkness to become shy, Aqua is invincible!”

Darkness, who can have an episode in public without feeling shame, actually felt shy here, not even daring to lift her head.

Mikoto reached out to cover her face:

“Honestly… I still haven't figured out where Darkness's shame point is?”

Clearly, she was having her daily masochistic fits on the way here, acting euphoric and excited in places where she should feel the most shame!

Why is she getting shy now in this slightly normal scenario… Sigh, I really can't understand a pervert's way of thinking.

 。。。。。

【 At night, after returning to the inn, Aqua was a tearful mess again, lying on the table and wailing: “Waaah… I'm clearly the goddess here; it's too much! …Why do I have to be stoned by my believers!”

“Lady Aqua, please drink this and calm down!” Wiz handed over a cup of tea.

As a result, she was splashed by Aqua's tears, and her body became transparent. She was almost purified again.

Aqua stopped crying: “I want to drink alcohol.”

Just as the group was comforting Aqua, a clamor suddenly came from outside the window. Kazuma looked outside and was immediately stunned.

He saw that the residents had already surrounded the inn with torches, shouting constantly: “Down with the demon! Defeat the Demon King.”

Aqua also leaned over to the window and looked out somewhat happily: “The believers must have believed what I said and came to find me!”

But as soon as Aqua revealed herself, she was discovered by the crowd below: “Found HER!! The hateful witch claiming to be the goddess… Kill the WITCH!!”】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No wonder she's called the Water Goddess, crying three times a day. Wiz has it too hard…”

Everyone looked at Aqua with black lines on their faces. They really couldn't keep up with her brain circuit. One second she was crying her heart out, and the next second she suddenly said she wanted to drink…

With your passive ability to purify water sources, what is the difference between drinking alcohol and drinking tea? It all tastes like purified water anyway.

Besides, isn't it only natural to be stoned for impersonating their worshipped goddess in front of a group of fanatics during the day?

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“…”

The Bone King, Ainz, looked speechlessly at Wiz, who was almost purified by Aqua's tears. Why are you, an undead, getting so close to a goddess?

A goddess's tears are much more effective than any holy water. Isn't this just asking for suffering?

Wiz is indeed someone who walks on the edge of death every day. She's clearly here for tourism, but if she told anyone, they would probably think she went on a grand adventure in some forbidden land!

And the extremely vicious kind at that. After all, coming for a hot spring vacation, how many times has she nearly died…

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Author-san: Almost writing about the movie version. A group of perverted Crimson Demons, the Demon King's army, is treated as a tourist attraction, haha.. )

Chapter 386: A Top-Tier PUA Master; Kazuma!

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts. The group, having fled in defeat, followed Aqua's plan and arrived at the source of the hot springs under the cover of night. She firmly believed the problem lay at the source.

But upon arriving, they realized believers also guarded the entrance. Even when Aqua revealed her identity as the High Priest of the Axis Cult, she was still refused entry.

Aqua thought for a moment and came up with another idea: “O devout Axis believers, as long as you let us pass, this town can…”

The two guards suddenly raised their hands to interrupt her speech: “We belong to the Eris Sect!”

Aqua, who had just been putting on airs as a goddess, instantly collapsed and began her tearful offensive: “WHY!!! I beg you, let us in. I just want to save this town.”

The two guards remained resolute; no means no. They even waved their hands, signaling them to hurry up and go back.

Seeing that the tears weren't working, Aqua had no choice but to use everything she had learned in her life and began to sweet-talk the two guards.

“Wait a second… you… that feeling…” Aqua suddenly looked at the guard's face and pondered: “I don't know why, but you're kinda handsome!”

It seemed like the first time the guard had been praised, and he started to get a bit shy.

Seeing it was working, Aqua immediately continued: “Your profile looks just like a Red Dragon, very handsome!”

Hearing this, the guard who was just acting shy instantly became furious: “Are you saying I look like a lizard?!”

“I understand. If you won't step aside…” Aqua took a deep breath, her voice becoming deep and low.

“…I will cry and charge into the Axis Church behind us, claiming that you people from the Eris Sect spoke rudely to me!”

The two guards clearly broke down a bit: “Damn it, this is why Axis cultists are the hardest to deal with in this place!”

However, the two also recognized from Aqua's blue hair that she was the prankster woman who turned the hot springs into plain hot water a few days ago! Now it was even more impossible to let them pass. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Tsk tsk, who would have thought the dignified Goddess of Water would be chased down as a demon by her own believers? She's really living a miserable life.”

“Hahaha, genius! She knows how to compliment people. If Aqua had complimented him with two more sentences, let alone getting in, the guard probably wouldn't have been able to hold back from hitting her.”

Facts proved that one should never hold high expectations for a plan devised by a low-IQ goddess. To come up with these methods, Aqua might have already racked her brains.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Perhaps because she was also a goddess, Ristarte could understand Aqua's somewhat maddened state of mind:

“Why did two Eris Sect believers suddenly pop up inside the Axis Cult's headquarters?!”

And they left the most important place for these two Eris believers to guard… Is there something wrong with their brains?

Ristarte was speechless. One had to know that Axis believers weren't exactly friendly toward the Eris Sect, the type who couldn't help but spit when they met…

She thought only a masochistic knight like Darkness would like this place. Just how desperate were these two Eris guards to work here?

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline〜

“Playing the victim, bootlicking, and finally even using threats. Goddess Aqua's methods are truly…”

Old Joseph's eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia, seemingly recalling his youthful days disguised as the Tequila girl.

“Coming up with these methods is already considered not bad.”

Jotaro reached out to press down the brim of his hat, paused for a moment, then added:

“At least for her.”

Josuke, on the side, felt that the Eris Sect was quite friendly, and the discord between the two sects seemed to stem more from the Axis Cult's unilateral malice.

Just like how Aqua always persecuted the Goddess Eris, yet the latter still respected her as a senior.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“I'm truly impressed. Aqua can actually use the toughest tone to say the most cowardly words…”

Ishtar rolled her eyes, slightly speechless.

She actually planned to cry and run inside to tattle as a threat to get someone to open the door?? Isn't she ashamed to say that out loud? You are a goddess! Can you have a little divine dignity?

And for a goddess to go complain to her own believers, it's simply turning the world upside down. Normally, it should be the believers complaining to the goddess!

Merlin, however, smiled with great interest:

“These two guards are really interesting.”

Two Eris Sect members working in the Axis Cult were simply huskies mixed into a wolf pack, appearing a bit obtrusive, but that's what made it interesting!

Knowing full well that Axis Cult people were difficult, yet not quitting and running away—what were they thinking?

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma sighed, looking at Aqua. Indeed, entrusting this kind of thing to the idiot goddess was the worst decision, so he pushed Darkness to the front!

Megumin understood Kazuma's intention immediately and announced Darkness's identity to the guards: “Insolent fools! Do you know who this personage is?! This is the eldest young miss of the great noble Dustiness family!”

Kazuma reached out, attempting to grab the necklace on Darkness's chest: “Alright, Young Miss! Take out the necklace hidden in your bosom as proof!”

As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands! Darkness's backhand suppressed Kazuma, but Aqua and Megumin also joined the fray, and the scene instantly became a stalemate.

“Get the necklace, hurry up and get the necklace while you can! Wiz, come help, hurry up! Wiz.”

Wiz looked at the chaotic scene, appearing somewhat conflicted, but finally joined the suppression squad.

Although Darkness didn't want to abuse her authority, she couldn't withstand the groping hands of the crowd, and eventually, the family crest was fished out.

Although the guards let them pass after seeing the crest, Darkness was fuming, so Kazuma had to offer some comfort.

“That's because I properly treat Darkness as a companion, you know. That's right! Not as an older noble lady, but as a reliable Crusader, Darkness!”

“Is… is that so? If that's the case, then…” Darkness's mood improved immediately, blushing shyly.

Kazuma looked at Darkness and whispered softly: “So easy to trick.

Aqua: “Really easy to trick.

Megumin: “Way too easy to trick.”】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Kazuma's party… probably only has this inexplicable chemistry when selling out their teammates.”

“Medieval noble IDs are useful, but this is probably the only time Darkness comes in handy…”

She really is easy to trick… Seeing Darkness getting coaxed so quickly, the people in other worlds had the same thought.

Wake up, girl! That guy is just PUA-ing you; it doesn't even count as painting a false picture. Poor Darkness, played right in the palm of Kazuma's hand.

It feels like even if Darkness was sold by Kazuma, she would still happily help him count the money. She's completely under his thumb.

( Translator-kun: PUA(被) is a Pinyin Chinese slang for Pick-Up Artist(manipulative tactics/gaslighting )

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Akihisa looked as if he realized something:

“So she was treated as a trustworthy Crusader, that's great, Darkness!”

“It's just that I feel something is wrong somewhere, it's inexplicably familiar!”

Indeed, there was a very strong sense of déjà vu. Akihisa not only found it familiar but also felt like he had experienced it; he just couldn't recall.

As soon as these words came out, everyone present looked at Akihisa with horror. Even an idiot has limits, right? Is this guy… serious?!

Yuuji uses that trick to fool you every day, and it works every time. You tell us if it's familiar or not?

To fall for the same trick so many times, Akihisa is worthy of being the idiot among idiots!

 。。。。。

【 After entering, the group found that the hot spring here had turned black. Obviously, someone was poisoning the source! Then, they followed the pipes to the source.

Megumin saw a familiar figure in the smoke: “That person is… Detergent?”

Hiding behind a rock, Aqua whispered, “It looks like he has thoughts of jumping into the river to commit suicide.”

Kazuma expressed understanding: “Because that person was also tormented quite badly by the Axis cultists.”

Then Kazuma saw Hans swaying and falling downward. Thinking he wanted to jump into the river to commit suicide here due to the torture from the Axis Cult, he rushed out immediately!

“DANGER!! IMPULSIVENESS IS THE DEVIL!!”

And then… Hans, with his hands in the river still bubbling with suspicious purple bubbles, made awkward eye contact with Kazuma!

“Oh my, is everyone here for sightseeing! Therapeutic hot springs can treat back pain and relieve fatigue. Aside from that, they also have effects like eliminating distracting thoughts and lifting curses.”

Hans was sweating profusely from a guilty conscience, his mouth constantly trying to change the subject. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Megumin is really good at naming things. After Chunchunmaru and Chomusuke, now comes a Detergent!”

“Hahaha, I feel embarrassed for them. The current situation looks completely like a poisoning scene being caught red-handed!”

One has to say there's nothing wrong with Kazuma's thinking. Being mentally destroyed by that group of perverts from the Axis Cult, having thoughts of jumping into the river, is understandable.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Rin Tohsaka looked at Hans speechlessly:

“This subject change is too stiff!”

Do you think Kazuma is blind or a fool? That purple, unidentified liquid, bubbling with weird bubbles, has already betrayed you. It looks suspicious at a glance.

“Although Kazuma is scum, he will still step forward at critical moments.”

Looking at Kazuma, who rushed up regardless of his own safety, Shirou Emiya smiled.

Illya also nodded:

“Yeah, I almost forgot, the reason he traveled to the other world was dying to save someone… uh, although he was scared to death!”

Thinking of this, Illya couldn't help but laugh again. After all, this reason for death was just too ridiculous. Every time she recalled it, she couldn't help but laugh.

 。。。。。

Chapter 387: Aren’t Slimes just 'Zako' (Small Fries)?

Chapter Text

【 Hans, caught red-handed, still refused to admit it, claiming he was just here for sightseeing. But when he saw Wiz, he immediately felt guilty and turned his head away.

Crack—” The speed was so fast that the creaking sound of bones could be heard.

But the more Wiz looked, the more familiar he seemed, and then she cried out excitedly: “It's Hans-san, you are Hans-san, right?”

Hans, having his name called out, shuddered subconsciously, then tried to bluff his way through with a trembling voice: “Han… Who is Hans? I am the caretaker here~!”

But Wiz completely ignored the atmosphere, talking to Hans as if reminiscing: “It's me! Wiz, the Lich Wiz!”

“I remember Hans-san is a Deadly Poison Slime variant, right? Could it be that Hans-san is poisoning the hot springs-?”

Wiz ran to Hans's side, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him constantly: “Hans-san, why have you been ignoring me since just now! I am Wiz, Hans-san.”

After being exposed on the spot by Wiz, Hans still refused to admit it, constantly saying Wiz had the wrong person, and then intended to leave. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The neck, oh the neck, it sounded like something bad happened, is he okay!”

“What a terrifying airhead. She hasn't even realized the severity of the problem. Read the room, Wiz!”

What kind of top-tier teammate is this? She inadvertently sold her teammate out completely. Please stop talking, Wiz. If you keep talking, Hans is going to have a breakdown.

Looking at Hans being constantly backstabbed by his teammate, the crowd from other worlds looked pitiful… Sure enough, being a Demon King General isn't easy, especially when running into Kazuma's party, where no one is sane…

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Deadly Poison Slime variant… and a Demon King General to boot. As expected, the slimes we encountered before weren't as simple as they looked!”

Seiya recalled the scene where he used his ultimate move on a slime back then. Fortunately, he was cautious enough; otherwise, he would be done for. Who knows, maybe that slime was a General, too.

“There really are slimes serving as Generals…”

Ristarte was also dumbfounded. Isn't this thing a small monster that only exists in the starter village and can be dealt with by ordinary people? How did one become a General!

Looking at Seiya's 'I knew it' face, Ristarte resignedly covered her face with her hand:

“We're really done for now.”

This Hero, who couldn't be more cautious, must be rejoicing over his decisiveness in the starter village. He's probably going to become even more cautious from now on.

 。。。。。

【 “I have urgent business and need to go back to the city!” Hans couldn't stand Wiz's harassment anymore and tried to leave with a random excuse.

“Where do you think you're going! Hans.”

“We won't let you pass, Hans.”

“Do you think that excuse holds water? Hans.”

Darkness, Aqua, and Megumin blocked the path. Kazuma also pointed his hand at the face-distorted Hans and spoke: “Give up struggling and reveal your true form! Hans.”

“Damn it! Don't just call me Hans, Hans, you bastards!” Seeing he was exposed, Hans stopped pretending and looked at Wiz with annoyance: “Wiz, didn't you say you were going to open a shop? Then don't wander around the hot spring town, go back to work!”

Wiz looked distressed: “That, that's too much! I'm working very hard too, but for some reason, the more I work, the poorer I get…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, Hans… sorry, that name really got brainwashed into me by them.”

“Even though Wiz has a top-tier title like King of the Undead, I just think she's ditzy and a bit cute!”

'Don't know why the more I work the poorer I get'… That's hilarious. Everyone covered their mouths with their hands, trying to suppress the laughter about to burst out, but their shoulders were shaking uncontrollably.

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

“Is Wiz-sama serious…”

Fern couldn't help the corners of her mouth rising slightly, laughing softly.

Did Wiz-sama not realize that the goods she stocked were all weird things? Aside from the high cost and low return, the key is that they are hard to sell.

Even your trip to the hot springs now is because Mr. Vanir was afraid you'd continue to squander money in the shop, so you were thrown out!

Frieren was a bit speechless:

“It's precisely because she works so hard every day but gets poorer that makes it tragic, Wiz!”

As the saying goes, being poor isn't scary, but working harder and getting poorer is quite scary!

 。。。。。

【 Seeing this, Hans sighed heavily, looking quite helpless: “Wiz, I remember that aside from maintaining the barrier, you haven't done anything else to help the Demon King's Army. Conversely, you don't oppose us either, so why are you hindering me now!”

Hearing Hans's words, Wiz, the person in question, was even more surprised than him: “EH!! Am I hindering Hans-san? It's just been a long time, I just came up to say hello!”

“That is hindering me!” Hans couldn't hold it back and cursed loudly. But after cursing, he became wary of Wiz again: “What will it be, Wiz? Are you going to fight me!”

He didn't care about the others; the only truly dangerous one was Wiz!

But Wiz had no intention of fighting: “These people are my friends, can we discuss this?”

Hans laughed outright: “You've become so spineless after becoming a Lich, Wiz! When you were an Archwizard wantonly slaughtering us, why didn't you ever say you wanted to discuss things with us!”

Speaking of this, Wiz started squirming shyly: “Back then, I wasn't mature enough…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, an airhead is indeed terrifying. She hasn't realized that just by saying hello, she has completely exposed Hans's background.”

“Wiz?? Wanton slaughter?? Are you kidding me? Can these words actually be put together?”

The crowd from other worlds turned their gaze to the dazed-looking Wiz… Hmm, impossible, absolutely impossible! Wiz looks like an honest, simple person, no matter how you look at it.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Wanton slaughter? Her?”

Shalltear pointed at Wiz on the screen with a face full of disbelief.

It's one thing for Wiz to have a soft personality, usually, and she always gets bullied by Aqua, but was she actually a hot-tempered person before? Say it out loud, why don't I believe it…

Wiz looks like she has nothing to do with fighting and killing. She looks more like a rich second-generation kid starting a business; otherwise, where did she get all that money to open a shop?

Albedo became slightly more serious:

“Don't look at Wiz being easy to bully; you have to look at who is bullying her.”

Because Wiz is used to being bullied by Aqua, it gives them the illusion that Wiz is weak, but… in the end, she is General-level. How weak could she be?

 。。。。。

【 “Wiz, if you don't want to fight him, then stand down!”

At this moment, Kazuma blocked in front of Wiz very dashingly, not putting a smile in his eyes at all, and slowly drew Chunchunmaru from his waist: “My name is Satou Kazuma, the man who has defeated many strong enemies!”

Just as Wiz wanted to say something more, Kazuma reached out and covered Wiz's mouth, posing coolly with the sword in his hand: “Let's go, partner!”

Hans glared at Kazuma, somewhat impressed: “No matter who it is, when they know my identity, they kneel and beg for mercy in fear! You seem to have a backbone.”

Kazuma didn't realize the severity of the problem at all: “What are you saying? It's just the weakest monster, a slime!”

And judging by the name Deadly Poison, the opponent should focus on poison, but they have Aqua. He couldn't find a reason to lose.

Hans continued in a low voice: “My name is Hans, one of the Demon King's Generals, the Deadly Poison Slime Hans!”

Kazuma, who was still acting cool, visibly panicked. He seemed to have heard the words 'Demon King's General': “What did you just say?…”

Wiz added from the side: “Hans-san's bounty amount among the Generals is also very high. He is very strong, please be careful!”

Kazuma looked stiffly at his party members: “Slimes are small fry, right? They are small fry, right!”

Darkness stared at Hans with full concentration, not daring to be careless in the slightest: “Who told you such stupid things? Slimes are strong enemies! Physical attacks are basically useless. Once you get stuck, you'll either be melted by it or have your mouth blocked and suffocate to death!”

Megumin also warned Kazuma: “And that guy can pollute such a large amount of hot springs. If you touch him directly, there's an eighty percent chance you'll die on the spot.”

Kazuma was scared to his little heart, thumping wildly. Did he… provoke a terribly strong enemy just now? 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, I was wondering why Kazuma was so brave this time! Turns out he treated the opponent as a minion, but didn't expect it to be a Demon King General!”

“Brother Kazuma, why don't you guess why Wiz, a Demon King General, would know Hans? And… do you think the weakest slime would speak in that tone?”

The crowd almost died laughing at Kazuma, who was acting cool. No wonder he was so brave today; he thought the other guy was a small fry.

Who told you slimes are small fry? One can only say stereotypes kill people!

The fact that physical attacks are ineffective against slimes is already bugged enough, let alone Hans, who has corrosion and deadly poison attributes.

 。。。。。

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

“Fellow countryman Kazuma, can you not speak so hurtfully… Some people might have reincarnated as slimes!”

Rimuru pointed at himself, wanting to cry but having no tears.

“Are slimes small fry…”

Shion and the others looked at each other and nodded silently:

“We don't know about other worlds, but in this world, they are indeed small fry. Only you are special.”

After all, he became a Demon King, and his strength is terribly powerful! Before this, no one had heard of a slime becoming a Demon King.

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“I seem to be able to understand Kazuma…”

As a top player, Kirito couldn't help covering his face with his hand, because in his opinion, slimes are small fry.

Stereotypes kill people! After all, in general RPG games, slimes are treated as must-fight monsters for beginners, the small fry among small fry.

Asuna's mouth twitched slightly:

“So… Kazuma just purely thought the opponent was a minion and wanted to act cool? In the end, he kicked an iron plate.”

She previously thought Kazuma had guessed the opponent's identity based on Wiz's relationship and intended to fulfill the Hero's duty to crusade against a Demon King General, truly.

But it turned out to be a misunderstanding… The moment this Hero heard the identity of the Demon King General, he chickened out again.

Sure enough, one shouldn't expect Kazuma to have a cool side. Or rather, this guy has never been handsome for more than three seconds!

 。。。。。

Chapter 388: The Terrifying Weiss! The Ice Witch

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Although his teammates' descriptions sounded terrifying, Aqua still crossed her arms over her chest, brimming with confidence: “It's fine, Kazuma! Even if you die, I'm still here!”

“But you can't get eaten by him. If you get digested, you can't be resurrected.”

Kazuma was instantly dumbfounded, freezing in place with his sword in hand… You should have mentioned that sooner! Otherwise, he wouldn't have foolishly gone to provoke the guy.

Hans burst into loud laughter, ready to welcome the crusade from the adventurers: “Come on, bring it on! Brave adventurers, if you can defeat me…”

Screw fighting this! Kazuma immediately turned his back to Hans, spun around, and ran for his life with all his might: “I'm sorry to have disturbed you!”

Kazuma dragged everyone halfway up the mountain in one breath. Aqua, running at the very back, still hadn't grasped the situation: “Wait… WHY ARE WE RUNNING?!!”

“Idiot! Hurry up and get over here.” Kazuma shouted back over his shoulder, his face looking anxious. “Bad, bad, bad! That guy is the trickiest one yet.”

The group ran continuously until they saw a glimmer of light ahead, only then stopping in their tracks, because directly in front of them were the crazed believers coming to hunt down Aqua.

Looking at the group of people in the distance shouting about defeating the devil, Kazuma threw his hands up: “Let's just forget about the hot spring source. The Axis Cultists are just mob characters anyway.”

Aqua reached out and grabbed Kazuma's shoulders, shaking him while crying: “What are you saying! The Axis Order in this town will collapse!”

“Isn't that a good thing?” Kazuma and the others spoke in unison, causing Aqua to go crazy on the spot. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It would have been fine if Aqua hadn't said anything, but the moment she did, Kazuma panicked instantly. Look at that little heart beating; it almost sent Kazuma to the afterlife again.”

“Hahaha, Kazuma be like: I'm sorry, I admit my voice was a little loud just now! …I'm dying of laughter, he cowards out so fast.”

The onlookers were all captivated by this scene, subsequently erupting into a roar of laughter:

Yee-haha, this is too funny.”

What a scummy hero, displaying his bullying-the-weak-and-fearing-the-strong nature to the fullest. He even left Hans dumbfounded.

He had just praised the guy for being a brave adventurer, and the result was Kazuma running away immediately after provoking him. One has to doubt if he's really an adventurer.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Sure enough, it's still him. That five seconds of coolness just now was likely just an illusion…”

The corner of Shirai Kuroko's mouth twitched slightly.

Typical 'handsome for no more than three seconds.' She had never seen him be truly cool from start to finish, nor did he have a shred of moral integrity.

This behavior of turning tail and running would be considered weak and incompetent on anyone else, but on Kazuma, it was perfectly reasonable and completely aligned with her perception of him.

Seeing this, Mikoto's brow jumped:

“Mob characters… It seems Kazuma has a big problem with the Axis Cult!”

Given Kazuma's personality, despite previously thinking Hans was going to jump into the river and selflessly trying to save him, he was now slacking off and refusing to deal with it, treating the Axis Cultists directly as background characters.

Even Megumin held the same thought. Look at what the Axis Cult has driven people to!

“However… why do I also feel like the Axis Cult disappearing would be a good thing?!”

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“I'm sorry to have disturbed you… He even used honorifics.”

Watching Kazuma slip away so fast that he left smoke trails, Da Vinci was also dumbfounded.

Yare yare, polite but not much! Provoking him and then running, truly a bit hard to figure out. However, I still prefer that unruly and rebellious look you had a few minutes ago!

“If it were me, I'd run too!”

Fujimaru Ritsuka felt he could somewhat understand Kazuma.

Look at the opposing lineup… Physical immunity, carries instant-death poison upon contact, is a mutant slime, and one of the Demon King's Generals!

And you, my friend! You brought a Knight whose attacks don't work on Hans, a retard, and a Mage who can only fire one shot.

Fight my ass! If you don't run, are you just waiting for the funeral feast?

 。。。。。

【 Aqua absolutely would not leave her believers alone, so she ran back crying by herself.

Facing the gazes directed at him by the others, Kazuma sighed helplessly and led the group back as well.

Seeing Kazuma and the others running back, Hans, who was still polluting the hot springs, stopped his movements: “You still have the face to come back, you bunch of small fry.”

“Regardless, as long as I finish polluting the hot springs here, I won't have to stay here ANYMORE!!”

“FINALLY!! I can finally leave this hateful town!”

Speaking of this, Hans' expression became incredibly agitated. He had been tortured to the brink of madness by the Axis Cult!

Looking at the somewhat manic Hans, Kazuma could empathize with his pain: “It's not that I can't understand how you feel…”

But Kazuma thought of a critical question. Since Hans was mimicking the hot spring manager, where did the real one go?

“Ate him!” Hans said with an incredibly flat tone, as if it were a matter of course.

“I am a slime; eating is instinct…”

“Cursed Crystal Prison!” Accompanied by Wiz's cold voice ringing out instantly, a current of cold air swept through, instantly freezing Hans's hand.

Wiz no longer had her usual soft and fluffy appearance. Instead, she displayed the posture befitting the King of the Undead, staring expressionlessly at Hans, whose arm was frozen.

Seeing the fierce and menacing Wiz, radiating cold air from her entire body, Kazuma and the others were so scared they huddled into a ball. Aqua even hid directly behind Kazuma's back. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy crap, beauty, who are you! Turns out Wiz is this cool?”

The crowd didn't react for a moment. Is this the same soft and cute Wiz they knew?

This contrast is way too big.

And Aqua, why are you cowering, too? Where's that energy you usually have when bullying Wiz…

 。。。。。

〜Dungeon Meshi World〜

“Miss Wiz, that magic just now, I really didn't see it coming!”

Marcille looked at the screen with a face full of wonder.

She previously thought the title “King of the Undead” was just a bluff. After all, who would have thought that Wiz, who was always bullied to tears by Aqua, was the genuine article…

Even Hans, who was also at a General level, didn't react in time… Before, when Hans said Wiz slaughtered them, they didn't believe it, but now she believed it!

Laios:

“Just looking at Wiz's aura, there's been a heaven-and-earth change.”

So this is the terror a Lich should have. One look at this appearance and you know she's not to be trifled with; anyone would take a detour upon seeing her.

 。。。。。

【 “Wiz, stop, stop it immediately!” The previously calm Hans panicked instantly, but clearly, Wiz wasn't listening.

“I remember the condition for me maintaining neutrality was that I was not allowed to kill those who do not participate in combat, correct?”

Wiz walked towards Hans. With every step she took, the ground froze along with her.

“It cannot be helped if adventurers lose their lives in battle. They make a living by taking the lives of monsters, so they should have the resolve to be killed themselves!”

Cold sweat streamed down Hans as he tried to break free from the ice while attempting to persuade her: “Wiz, do you really want to fight me? This whole area will be completely polluted!”

Wiz paid him no mind, simply issuing an accusation filled with sorrow: “But the manager uncle didn't do anything wrong!”

Seeing that Wiz was serious, Hans couldn't care about anything else. He raised his hand and severed his own frozen arm: “If I'm up against you, known as the Ice Witch! There's no other way… Obey instinct and devour EVERYTHING!!”

Hans no longer maintained a human form, transforming into a massive slime and beginning to devour everything around him. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What a righteous worldview. Although what Wiz said makes a lot of sense, hearing it from a Lich feels a bit off, no matter how you look at it!”

“Honestly, Wiz is the real Goddess! Gentle and kind, yet never a pushover. And she has a sound sense of right and wrong, not interfering with the deaths of adventurers…”

Wiz is so cool! How strong must she be to scare that Hans into immediately cutting off his own hand to face her head-on! At least she's much stronger than those 3 or 4 heroes who are handsome for only three seconds.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“How dare you provoke her…”

Looking at the enraged Wiz, the Headless Horseman (Beldia) subconsciously shuddered, then gave Hans a thumbs up:

“You are truly brave!”

He knew the terror of this hot-tempered Ice Witch's power deeply. She critically injured him the first time they met, and she became even stronger after becoming a Lich.

The Chimera Sylvia added with lingering fear:

“After becoming a Lich, she became even more incredible. She tore open the Demon King's Castle barrier all by herself and paralyzed me with Drain Touch.”

Speaking of this, the Headless Horseman became even sadder:

“After that, she beat me, who was still recovering, into a critical state again.”

“You think I wanted to provoke her?”

Hans was speechless. He hadn't fared much better:

“Back then, I was frozen into ice shavings by her…”

In the end, it was only under the Demon King's shameless pleading that she became a Demon King's General as compensation for trashing the Demon King's Castle.

You could say the entire Demon King's Castle was almost solo-cleared by Wiz alone! Was I crazy or stupid to provoke her…

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Yep, btw, that's a canon when Wiz stormed the Demon King Castle, she almost Solo-cleared it. )

Chapter 389: A Truly Real Man; Trading His Life for an Opportunity!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Watching Hans reveal his true form, Darkness blushed and spouted perverted remarks: “What a perfect slime. If it weren't poisonous, I'd take it home and keep it as a pet!”

Kazuma was also exasperated: “Has your brain MELTED!!”

Hans, now in his true form, spewed out massive amounts of venom and began accelerating the pollution of the hot springs. Seeing this, Aqua could no longer remain calm.

Ignoring Kazuma's attempts to stop her, she stumbled towards the source. Without a word, she thrust her hands in and began to purify it: “Purification… Waaah! It's hot, it's hot, rification!”

What fell into the hot spring was a part of the deadly, poisonous slime; it was on a different level from the previous pollution. It hurt so much that tears were welling up in Aqua's eyes, but she continued to attempt the purification!

Kazuma hurriedly shouted: “Forget about it, run!”

Enduring the pain while purifying the hot spring, Aqua refused to give up: “But, if I don't protect this place, my cute believers will…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I finally understand why her believers are all fanatics… Aqua is clumsy, but she really treats her believers well!”

“She's treated like a witch by her own believers, yet she still calls them 'cute believers.' It's a mutual devotion!”

Watching Aqua, who was disregarding her own safety to purify the hot springs for her believers… everyone inexplicably felt a bit of heartache.

If it were the usual her, she would have long since run crying to Kazuma for protection. Despite being so timid usually, she displayed her own brand of perseverance in a moment like this.

Aqua is usually silly, but she genuinely loves her followers. Honestly, having such a god exist is truly a blessing.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte said, somewhat twisting and turning:

“Although I really don't want to admit it… Aqua, as a goddess, you were finally cool for once!”

Seiya glanced at Ristarte with some surprise, seemingly saying: Are you even qualified to say that? You two are birds of a feather, you goddess of funny faces…

“The slime is so dangerous, yet she actually wants to take it back to keep as a pet. Is this fellow… serious!”

The always cautious Seiya really couldn't understand Darkness's thought process. Even if it were non-toxic, so what? What if you take it back and it mutates into a new, deadly, poisonous slime?

Kazuma was right, this fellow's brain might actually be melted to be able to say something like that!

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, the believers who chased after them finally saw the situation clearly, seeing Aqua desperately purifying the hot spring despite being burned.

The group split into two. One group cast healing magic on Aqua, while the other frantically attacked the slime, which meant throwing whatever they had on hand at Hans.

Hans sprayed more venom towards the believers. Darkness quickly rolled and saved a little girl: “Everyone step back, it's dangerous here!”

The believers who were originally throwing things at the toxic slime immediately split a group off to throw things at Darkness: “What are you saying! You, Eris cultist!”

The deadly, poisonous slime, devouring things by instinct, swallowed everything the believers threw. Until it encountered a bar of soap, it hesitated for half a second… and decisively turned around to devour other items.

Kazuma looked at the giant creature operating on instinct with some sweat on his brow: “Do slimes have food preferences too…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, even having lost its reason and devouring on instinct, the deadly poisonous slime still avoided the soap… Clearly, it hates that stuff on an instinctual level.”

Even a Demon King General couldn't escape the frantic persecution of the Axis Cult.

Who asked them to go around preaching every day that their soap is edible? Look… the soap has given him psychological trauma!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“How much do you guys hate the Eris Sect! Is this really the time for that??”

Rin Tohsaka was going a bit crazy.

What kind of believers are these?

She just saved your lives, and you throw things at her just because Darkness is an Eris cultist? Even if you hate the Eris Sect, pick a time and place!

Illya was also speechless:

“I can't imagine to what extent the Axis Cultists pushed this Demon King General…”

It seems he hates those two things from the bottom of his heart, rejecting them instinctively!

The mere thought of the scene where Axis Cultists advertise that soap is edible makes one shudder. Sometimes she almost couldn't resist wanting to taste the soap to see what flavor it was.

 。。。。。

【 Megumin looked at Kazuma, somewhat at a loss: “Kazuma! Think of some cheap trick to solve this, like usual!”

Watching the poisonous slime, which wasn't actively attacking but slowly moving towards the source while absorbing its surroundings, Kazuma's brain spun fast!

He suddenly noticed that the caretaker swallowed by the slime wasn't fully digested yet, and a sudden inspiration struck him.

“Aqua! Can they be resurrected as long as they aren't completely digested?”

After getting Aqua's confirmation, Kazuma quickly commanded the battlefield: “Megumin, I'll let you fire your Explosion magic. Go wait over there!”

Then Kazuma ran to the side, constantly complaining: “To think a General-class figure appeared at a hot spring. Seriously, what is up with the game balance of this world!”

Just as the toxic slime was about to engulf Aqua, Kazuma reappeared, two flags stuck in his clothes and carrying local souvenirs: “Your bait is right HERE!!”

Megumin and Wiz began chanting their magic while Kazuma drew the slime's attention, moving towards Kazuma's direction!

Like this, Kazuma lured the slime to a massive pit, and then, without hesitation, he leaped in.

“Your run of good luck didn't end because you came to this town, IT ENDED BECAUSE YOU MADE ENEMIES OF US!!”

“I LEAVE THE REST TO YOU!!”

The slime fell into the giant pit along with Kazuma. In an instant, Kazuma, swallowed by the slime, was digested into a pile of white bones.

“EXPLOSION—!!”

Megumin decisively released her Explosion magic. A blinding light flashed, followed by an explosion that resounded through the heavens, and a massive mushroom cloud instantly rose into the sky!

“FREEZE—!!” After the explosion, Wiz also used her ice magic. Pillars of ice formed instantly, finally completely shattering the slime's massive body! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“DAMN!! Why is this so hype? Did I enter the wrong channel? Isn't this a comedy theater? Why is it getting so hot-blooded!”

“Kazuma is too reliable in critical moments. As expected of the only one in the squad who brings his brain. Leaving the command to him is the right choice.”

Everyone in the other worlds looked with admiration at Kazuma, who had been digested into a skeleton. Although they knew he could be resurrected, the pain of digestion is real!

Kazuma is worthy of being a true man! Although he's a bit scummy, usually a bit cowardly, and somewhat trashy, he is always the most reliable at the critical moment.

Although Kazuma has the worst stats in the squad, with this feat alone, who dares call him useless?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Kazuma, who had been corroded into a skeleton, with some respect:

“Saying he's scummy is just a joke. In critical moments, Kazuma is a hero, a brave hero!”

Being corroded to death by deadly poison and strong acid is no different from death by a thousand cuts. This isn't something ordinary people can face with a laugh.

“This is an opportunity Kazuma bought with his life…”

Da Vinci's expression turned serious, admitting that she had usually underestimated this lecherous, scummy hero.

Kazuma is full of flaws, or rather, has some common male shortcomings, but he doesn't feel annoying; instead, he feels somewhat real…

After all, this is the kind of behavior and style a high school student should have!

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Seeing Kazuma's miserable state, Natsuki Subaru's face went pale, and his voice trembled:

“How much courage does that take!”

Even if he can resurrect, the pain is real pain. Directly digested into a skeleton! Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps all over his body.

Is this still the fellow countryman Kazuma he knew? Where did that cowardly, lecherous guy with petty smarts go?

Who is this guy who just performed a handsome Leap of Faith! He's way too reliable. It seems there was a reason he was chosen as a hero.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Ayoo... Subaru, you're no different from Kazuma. )

Chapter 390: The Axis Cult’s Heaven-Defying Doctrines! Season 2 Finale

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜OVERLORD World〜

Oh, does Kazuma want to change his class to Undead? It's just that his skeleton is a bit small,”

Ainz said leisurely, sitting upon his throne.

He was just making a joke; after all, he knew that the idiot goddess had maxed out her resurrection skills. Even if he turned to ash, she could resurrect him perfectly.

He was simply shocked by Kazuma's actions. After all, Kazuma was just an ordinary high school student before this. It was truly somewhat hard to believe that he possessed such boldness.

Demiurge, whose focus was elsewhere, appeared somewhat shocked:

“Miss Megumin's Explosion Magic has gotten stronger again! How much time has actually passed?”

That massive mushroom cloud provided a sufficient sense of shock, and this wasn't even Megumin's limit.

If she kept adding points like this, he was now somewhat curious about just how far Megumin, who specialized in a single type of magic, could go… I wondered if destroying a country with a wave of her hand could be achieved.

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Hearing Kazuma's cool speech, Kirito rolled his eyes helplessly:

“So you also know that the game world's balance has a problem…”

You didn't even look at your level stats; at that low level, you're fighting a General! Can you win? You're guaranteed to die, brother! This is already the fourth time you've died.

And if you count Wiz, you, a Hero who hasn't even left the starter village, have actually subjugated four Demon King Generals.

You even managed to kill a Demon King's Army General while out on vacation. Would you call that a coincidence? It would be strange if the balance didn't have PROBLEMS!!

Asuna was even more filled with amazement toward Kazuma:

“Just how strong is this person's spirit?!”

If she remembered correctly, the Goddess Eris had said that ordinary people couldn't endure multiple deaths. For someone like Kazuma, who had gotten used to dying, avoiding a mental breakdown up to this point was nothing short of a miracle!

 。。。。。

【 As the ice shattered, a slime, now shrunk to a fraction of its original size, drilled its way out from within. Such a powerful attack still wasn’t enough to take him down.

“Still not enough. I can eat you all immediately to recover!”

Just at this moment, the shouts of cultists came from behind. The slime turned his head to look, only to see Aqua raising her fist with a gloomy face.

“GOD BLOW—!!”

In just a split second, the fist, shimmering with divine light, smashed heavily onto the slime's body, and a dazzling golden light rose from the land!

“I thought it was something special. This level of attack can't defeat me, you trash Archpriest~” After tanking the punch with his body, the slime began to mock her.

Right at that moment, the Axis Cultists behind them gathered together. With only firm faith in their eyes, they began to chant their doctrine in unison!

“Axis Cultists can get it done if they try! Even if you can't complete it smoothly, it is not your fault! If you can't complete it smoothly, it is the world's fault!”

“If you encounter unhappy things, just run away! Running away is not failure; there is a saying that running away is victory!”

“Regarding the choice made after being lost until the very end: since you will regret whichever you choose, you might as well choose the one that makes you happy right now!”

The slime looked at the light of faith shimmering from the believers behind Aqua and finally realized Aqua's true identity!

“Polluting my lovely believers, and the cherished hot springs… this crime! You deserve to die ten thousand times.”

Energy orbs formed from the believers' willpower appeared around Aqua, gathering continuously, and more and more magic circles emerged alongside them.

The uncle who had once confessed in the church shouted out the spell Aqua had taught him at the top of his lungs: “Eris pads her CHEST!!!!”

“GOD REQUIEM—!” Aqua threw another punch.

The slime could not withstand the fist imbued with the believers' willpower at all. Until he vanished, he spoke with hatred: “The damnable goddess they said they revered… I never thought it would actually be YOU!!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Aqua has finally encountered a monster that takes damage from God Blow. It's strange that the same attack can defeat a General, yet can't defeat a giant frog.”

“What kind of doctrine is this? It's a cult! A total cult! But… is it too late to join now?”

Listening to the Axis Cult's doctrine, the worldviews of people in other worlds began to collapse somewhat. What an outrageous doctrine. To put it in layman's terms, it's just… letting yourself go.

The wrong one isn't me, it's the world, right? A guy named Brother Kaneki has already taken the lead in traveling the world, and another old gourmet is already washing kelp.

They had never seen such a “rot-in-place” prayer in their lives. It felt like strange beliefs were increasing. Anyway, it doesn't cost money, so you might as well believe a little.

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“If you put it that way, then I'm joining the cult.”

Kitahara Iori heard this, put down the Oolong tea in his hand, and suddenly assumed a look of piety.

“What part of this doctrine attracted you?”

Chisa looked at Iori with eyes reserved for trash. She had heard the doctrine too… what kind of ridiculous spiritual victory method was that?

Iori revealed a hard-boiled art style face and struck the same pose as Commander Ikari:

“I've summarized the Axis Cult doctrine. In short, it is: be heartless and enjoy the moment.”

Not for the sake of rotting away, but to enjoy the present more! Such a doctrine is simply…

“Simply too WONDERFUL!!”

Imai Kohei suddenly continued with an excited face, then high-fived Iori.

Iori looked as if it was just as he expected:

“I knew you would understand, partner!”

Unbeknownst to them, the look in Chisa's eyes as she watched them had shifted from seeing trash to seeing dregs.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Ha…”

Kamijou Touma looked at the screen with a twitching corner of his mouth. A cult. It's totally a cult.

These doctrines are simply too ridiculous. Life is short, enjoy the moment, huh… No wonder this group of believers can have such firm faith.

It's just a doctrine that sounds like solemn nonsense, so why did they have to add 'Goddess Eris pads her chest' as the last sentence? That's just your goddess slipping in her own private agenda, right?

Let the gentle and pitiful Goddess Eris off the hook! If she knew, she would definitely cry!

 。。。。。

【 Although they defeated the Demon King's Army General, Kazuma and the others not only didn't receive the town's gratitude but were instead treated as criminals.

From the carriage traveling through the countryside came Aqua's wailing: “I was just working hard to purify the polluted hot springs, why is everyone scolding me?”

They even had stones thrown at them by the believers when they left.

It turned out that under Aqua's super-strong purification magic, all the hot springs in the town were successfully purified into ordinary hot water. The City of Water and Hot Springs, famous throughout the world for its springs, ceased to exist from then on.

The Demon King Army's goal of cutting off the Axis Cult's source of income was, in terms of results, achieved!

During the resurrection, Goddess Eris, who was in the death space, was startled by the skull-headed Kazuma sitting on the chair!

And Wiz was also affected by Aqua's purification power; her figure became transparent, and Beldia's phantom appeared beside her once again, calling out to Wiz: “Come over here, quickly!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, in the end, Aqua is still that idiot goddess. Why don't you guess why you're being scolded? You cut off their livelihood.”

Looking at the bewildered Aqua, everyone sighed with mental exhaustion. Fighting is one thing, but using her brain is completely impossible. Sure enough, it's the other way around; Kazuma is the blessing to Aqua.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Did they forget the purpose of coming to the hot springs…”

Mash discovered a blind spot. How did a relaxing trip turn into something even more tiring!

Fujimaru Ritsuka also shook his head:

“Poor Wiz… accidentally injured by Aqua again, getting purified all the time.”

It had to be said that this Dullahan, who had already been purified, was truly persistent! It was like he had taken up residence on the other side of the Sanzu River, always calling from the opposite bank for Wiz to hurry over.

Da Vinci also nodded silently:

“Wiz is truly pitiful. She came dizzy and went back dizzy.”

Wiz lived up to being someone who walked on the edge of death, dying every day but never actually dying. Her main focus was just jumping back and forth repeatedly.

 。。。。。

Notes:

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

linktr.ee/Icedrone24

Chapter 391: The Red Legend Begins! 'Please, have a child with me

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 After Kazuma defeated the Demon King General Hans, life didn't change all that much. He continued to accept various requests from adventurers every day.

Inside the familiar Adventurer's Guild, it was as lively as ever, with the faint sounds of adventurers' discussions filling the air.

“Did you hear? Starting tomorrow, we won't be able to catch tuna anymore. Some mage with a screw loose changed the entire terrain.”

Hearing the discussions around them, Kazuma's party, sitting in the corner, fell into a collective silence, because they were the culprits.

Looking at the teammates around him, Kazuma slammed the table in annoyance: “You said you were afraid the tuna would be snatched by monsters, so you used Explosion Magic? It's about time you learned some advanced magic, you know!”

As for Darkness, it went without saying. Her attacks missed completely; instead, she was preyed upon by the fish and was currently still reminiscing about the sensation.

“Hey, did our debt increase again?” Aqua started clinging to Kazuma, shaking him ceaselessly: “What do we do! I don't want to work part-time ANYMORE!!”

Kazuma looked at his teammates with a bit of disdain… An Archpriest who causes trouble everywhere she goes, an Archwizard who blows everything to smithereens, and a perverted Crusader!

Thanks to these trash partners, my adventuring life is simply at its peak!

The commotion caused by Kazuma's party attracted the attention of a group of female adventurers nearby, who began to gossip about Kazuma.

“Aside from stealing panties, he doesn't have any other good points, right? He's the kind of scum who would drop-kick a female without changing his expression. Scum!”

Subsequently, this group of female adventurers shouted it right to his face without any taboo: “Scum-zuma, Scum-zuma…”

Kazuma wanted to cry, but had no tears. If this were the protagonist of an anime or game, he would be a heartthrob by now. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Even a 'Capture the Tuna' quest can fail… So, it turns out that in Kazuma's party, a Demon King General is at the very bottom of the food chain. Frogs > Tuna > Demon King General.”

Hahaha, I’m cracking up! Kazuma is looking down on his band of oddball teammates, but he never imagined that to other adventurers, he’s just as much of a misfit… Scum-zuma.”

Mage with a screw loose… The corners of everyone's mouths twitched slightly. You might as well just name her directly. In the Starter Village, who doesn't know the great name of Megumin?

Aside from stealing panties, he doesn't have any other good points…

Hearing this outrageous statement, people from other worlds were a bit dumbfounded. Are they behind the times? Since when can stealing panties be considered a good point?

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“When others travel to another world, they are hailed as heroes. Only you are called scum.”

Ainz felt quite helpless regarding the experience of his fellow countryman.

“Kazuma, you're all birds of a feather, so let's not disdain each other.”

Although the idiot goddess loves to cause trouble, she ensures you have no worries about dying. Megumin's brain circuitry is a bit strange, but her damage is serious enough—she can even change the terrain!

Darkness might be a bit of a pervert, but she… uh, the Bone King's thoughts paused for a moment. What was her good point again? Oh right! At least her noble status is quite useful sometimes.

And in a certain sense, your 'Brutishness' is even more famous than your teammates! In the Starter Village, it can be said to be a household name.

〜Bleach World〜

Ichigo had a face full of black lines regarding Megumin's magical brain circuitry:

“Just because she was afraid of monsters stealing them, she blew up all the tuna?”

How is this different from killing the hostages first because you're afraid the kidnappers will use them as leverage? You've got the priority of your protection wrong! Megumin.

Ishida Uryu felt like he was seeing a rising nuclear pacifist:

“Her Explosion Magic has gotten stronger again. It's strong enough to alter the terrain now.”

Visible growth in strength, how enviable! This must be the benefit of dumping all points into a single stat. Although she can only fire one shot, it's not like anyone can survive taking it.

Her brain circuitry might be a bit twisted, but it's not a big problem. After all, this team still has a shared external brain—Kazuma—present!

 。。。。。

【 But just then, Yunyun slammed open the doors of the Adventurer's Guild, walked up to Kazuma's side, and lowered her head shyly.

Her entire face was flushed red, and then she pursed her lips tightly as if she had made up her mind: “Ka… Kazuma-san! I… I want Kazuma-san's CHILD!!”

Kazuma immediately curled his lips into a devilish grin: “My popular phase! It's finally here! If you ask me, having a daughter as the firstborn is better.”

Megumin thought Yunyun had gone crazy, but Yunyun stated that if she didn't make a baby with Kazuma-san, the world would be destroyed by the Demon King!

Upon hearing this, Kazuma placed his hands on Yunyun's shoulders, looking as if the burden was his to bear: “As long as I have a child with Yunyun, we can resolve the Demon King issue and save the world, right! Since it solves people's problems, how could I refuse?”

Darkness and Megumin naturally objected strenuously. Clearly, when they took the subjugation quest earlier, Kazuma had complained endlessly. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Hahaha, calling him Scum-zuma really wasn't a mistake… As expected of you, one look at that mouth and you know he's a veteran scumbag.”

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“No, you're already planning it out? At least ask for the reason! There might be some misunderstanding.”

Emiya Shirou watched with cold sweat running down his face, looking at the ever-brutish Kazuma.

The world will be destroyed if she doesn't have a child with Kazuma? This was the first time he'd seen such a ridiculous reason. This was definitely a prank by some bratty kid!

“Kazuma needs to ask for a reason?”

Tohsaka Rin sneered.

“Do you think the nickname 'Scum-zuma' is just for show?”

For Kazuma, the reason doesn't matter at all, and refusing is nonexistent. He is extremely decisive when it's time to be decisive.

When facing this kind of problem, Kazuma isn't the type of boy to be indecisive… His personality, both trashy and straightforward, is always displayed vividly in these strange places.

 。。。。。

【 After a round of arguing, Yunyun revealed the truth of the matter. It was all because of a letter from her dad. Megumin picked up the letter and began to read it.

“By the time you receive this letter, I will likely no longer be in this world!”

The letter also stated that the Crimson Demon Village had been attacked by the Demon King's Army. A fortune teller foresaw a future where the village was destroyed, but there was still hope: the sole survivor, Yunyun.

“The sole survivor, Yunyun, will meet a certain man in the Starter Village. That man, who is both unreliable and powerless to truss a chicken, will become her destined partner.”

When reading this part, Megumin even cast her gaze toward Kazuma.

“The boy born between her and this man will embark on a journey! He shall be the one to avenge his clansmen and defeat the Demon King.”

Hearing this, everyone was astonished. Aqua couldn't sit still either: “Do I have to wait for Kazuma's child to grow up? Can we compromise? How about three years!”

Hearing Aqua's outrageous statement, Kazuma was dumbfounded: “You… want an infant to go subjugate the Demon King?”

However, Kazuma still stood up decisively and reached out to embrace Yunyun: “For the sake of the world, I am duty-bound!”

Just then, Megumin discovered a folded corner at the bottom of the letter. After flipping it open, she read it out softly: “Crimson Demon Hero Legend Chapter 1. Author: Arue.

AHHH!!!” Realizing what she had done, Yunyun's face turned beet red. She snatched the letter, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it away.

Then Yunyun fell to her knees, holding her head with both hands, and wailed loudly: “Arue, you IDIOT!!!”

Kazuma also looked anxious: “What's going on? Is there still a chance for my child? What should I DO!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

The crowd almost died of laughter. A man who is both unreliable and powerless… Based solely on these conditions, Yunyun subconsciously found Kazuma.

Honestly, what kind of image does Kazuma have in your heart?! Among so many people in the Starter Village, she decided it was him at a glance.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“She actually wants a three-year-old child to fight the Demon King? Aqua, are you some kind of devil?”

Misaka Mikoto was stunned.

Although this is just a story in a novel, if Aqua is serious, then she's no different from a real devil.

Three years old! A three-year-old child… Do you want him to fight the Demon King with a baby bottle in his mouth? It'd be more realistic to send him to the Demon King for daycare!

Wahahaha, it actually turned out to be a novel…”

Shirai Kuroko clutched her sides, laughing as she watched Yunyun's breakdown.

Every time she sees Kazuma putting on a face like he's doing it to save the world, she wants to laugh. Why don't we see you being this brave normally?

Sure enough, Kazuma is the most persistent one when encountering these kinds of things. Even now, he hasn't forgotten about making a baby! Regrettably, your child is a no-go…

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Seeing this, the Demon King General Sylvia gnashed her teeth in hatred:

“What is this mess? Even if you write a novel, you can't write it like this!”

Simply shameless.

Are you sure the Crimson Demon Village was trampled? And not your Crimson Demon Village trampling our Demon King's Army?

Who taught you to write like this?

Although the Crimson Demon Village is full of people with sick minds, they are indeed strong. The Demon King's Army usually avoids them if they can!

“BOOM—!”

Just then, an explosion sounded in the distance, followed by a series of tremors.

“RUN!! I told you not to provoke them!”

Following a burst of chaotic noise, Sylvia just took one look into the distance and immediately turned to run.

Damn it, the Crimson Demons are still chasing ME!!

 。。。。。

Notes:

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

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Chapter 392: A Truly Famous Scene; The Hero Who Almost Lost His Virginity!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 “It's just a story!” Darkness breathed a small sigh of relief.

“Then what about the first letter?”

“This should be real.” Megumin picked up the letter Yunyun had crumpled into a ball: “The Crimson Demon Clan has been a thorn in the Demon King's side since ancient times!”

Kazuma, who had already taken off his clothes to reveal his underwear, was clearly not on the same wavelength as the others: “Wait, then where is my pure young heart supposed to go?!”

“What about Yunyun? Aren't Yunyun and I supposed to develop a sweet and sour relationship?!”

“No chance!” After speaking, Darkness ignored Kazuma and instead looked at Megumin with some worry: “And Megumin, how can you be so unhurried!”

Kazuma, his hopes dashed, froze in place blankly. His pants dropped directly to his feet. At this moment, Aqua walked over and very elegantly and calmly pulled Kazuma's pants back up.

Facing Darkness's worry, Megumin told them not to worry, because the Crimson Demon Clan is an existence that even the Demon King fears!

However, Yunyun was still worried about the village's safety and decided to go back and check first… And although Megumin looked like she didn't care, she was actually still a bit worried. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Looks like the child couldn't be saved, Kazuma! But I'm still willing to call you the strongest; you even took off your pants~”

Hahaha, this is killing me. These people aren't normal. Who cares about your wounded young heart?”

Everyone in the other worlds almost died laughing. He actually took off his pants, and the key point is he did it right in the hall… As expected of the representative of the scummy world, truly too abstract.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Looking at Kazuma, whose eyes had lost their highlights, Natsuki Subaru reached out to clutch his stomach, his whole body trembling from laughter.

Haha, you actually took them off! And Aqua actually put them back on for him…”

Kazuma's dream was shattered. The unborn child died in the womb… Er, I misspoke; it should be died in imagination.

One dares to strip, one dares to dress. As expected of a Goddess who has seen the world, displaying calmness vividly. She was calm to an excessive degree.

Emilia reached out to cover her face, averting her gaze in embarrassment:

“What on earth is Kazuma thinking!”

The prophecy said it was just a storybook tale, so why did you take your clothes off? Even if it were real, there was no need to strip right there.

 。。。。。

【 The next day, Kazuma and the others arrived at Wiz's shop carrying bags big and small. Since they decided to return to Megumin's hometown to take a look, they sought out Wiz.

“Then let me send you near the Crimson Demon Village. Teleport.” Wiz merely raised her hand, and a magic circle appeared beneath their feet.

The group disappeared from the spot, accompanied by purple light, but Wiz suddenly remembered that she seemed to have remembered the location wrong.

On the other side, Kazuma was going crazy, running with tears across the grassland: “NO!! Wiz, where on earth did you send us?!”

Behind Kazuma, a group of female orcs in heat were chasing him relentlessly: “Hey, handsome little brother, come have some fun with ME!!”

Megumin's somewhat anxious voice also rang out, explaining the current situation to Kazuma: “Kazuma! Male orcs went extinct a long time ago. Even if a male orc is occasionally born, he will be ravaged by female orcs and die of exhaustion before reaching adulthood!”

“CURRENT ORCS WILL KIDNAP MALES OF OTHER RACES WHO INVADE THEIR TERRITORY AND TAKE THEM BACK TO THE VILLAGE TO DO INDESCRIBABLE THINGS. THEY ARE THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF MEN ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!”

Hearing this news while running, Darkness instantly lost her dream and collapsed on the ground with dull eyes.

Meanwhile, the female orcs chased Kazuma while trying to tempt him: “Come live in our village for a couple of days! That's a harem, we'll let you experience heaven on earth.”

“I want to bear your children. For the first litter, I want males. 60 boys and 40 girls…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Poor Darkness, a pervert actually lost her dream and even instantly lost the will to live.”

“Isn't it great… pffthaha, the popularity you wanted has come true. This is a good place for you to start a harem!”

Looking at those oddly shaped orcs, and then at the slight-framed Kazuma, everyone silently mourned…

Rest in peace, hero. Leave all those orcs to Kazuma. As a hero, saving the world is his duty! Kazuma, this is the popularity you wanted! Your mating season has arrived, so don't resist, just give in.

 。。。。。

〜Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation World〜

Rudeus swallowed his saliva in fear:

“ 60 boys and 40 girls… even sows aren't that fertile!”

He'd die, right? He'd definitely die! Never mind living in the orc village for two days, just getting caught would mean being squeezed dry in minutes, without a single drop left.

A race hasn't gone extinct despite having no males, which means they catch quite a few men. It seems their title as the public enemy of men worldwide isn't just hype.

This place should be listed as a forbidden zone for men! It's way too dangerous.

 。。。。。

【 Then an orc lunged, tackling Kazuma to the ground. Her hands firmly pinned him down as the pig-like face revealed an excited expression: “I'll be done soon, just close your eyes!”

Kazuma, whose face was being constantly licked by the orc, cried out for help: “Help me, Megumin! Use that move, hurry up and use that move!”

But the distance was too close, so Megumin didn't dare to act rashly! Kazuma could only issue a plea that sounded almost like a wail as he broke down.

St… Stop ahhhh! Come to think of it, I don't even know your name yet. This might be my first time! Start with a self-introduction…”

The orc straddled Kazuma, panting heavily while tearing off his clothes. Even Kazuma's pants were pulled down.

“A fresh and juicy 16-year-old orc, Swardinaz. Let your lower half introduce itself too!” The excited female orc patted Kazuma's thigh.

“My little brother is a bit shy. Since we know each other's names today, why don't we call it a day for now?”

Just when Kazuma was in despair, Yunyun arrived in time and saved Kazuma with a swamp magic spell!

Kazuma, whose underwear was pulled halfway down, cried and hugged Yunyun in a breakdown: “Yunyun, my Yunyun, thank you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, this is too brutal… I’m dying of laughter. Boys must protect themselves when they are outside!”

“I can't take it anymore, I'm really going to cramp up from laughing. This is high-energy all the way through, it's truly god-tier.”

Everyone could deeply feel the despair radiating from Kazuma through the screen, but they couldn't help it… they were scared too! Such a terrifying scene would leave a psychological shadow on anyone.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Hahaha, you have this day too, Scum-zuma!”

Usually, Kazuma was the perverted one, so Tohsaka Rin didn't expect to see a scene where Kazuma was being bullied.

Unlike Tohsaka Rin, Emiya Shirou's face was pale as paper, and his lips trembled slightly:

“Too… too terrible. It's truly too terrible. He almost lost his chastity.”

That massive body, thick tusks, and a pig's head. You call this a fresh and juicy 16-year-old? He almost wanted to grab a sword and start hacking.

Even Archer on the side wasn't faring much better; the hand holding his teacup was trembling slightly. Even as a Heroic Spirit from the future, he really hadn't seen a scene like this!

Didn't you see Kazuma was driven to the point of wanting Megumin to blow him up, along with the orc?

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“I'm not going… I'm not going anywhere.”

Kazuma curled up in the corner of the sofa with lifeless eyes. Clearly, that scene just now had left a mark on his mind that wouldn’t fade anytime soon.

The outside world is too terrible. Now, only this house can bring him a shred of security. From now on, no one can make him take a step out of this house.

“Hey, Kazuma! It's fine, don't you have us, your reliable partners?”

Megumin was still trying to comfort Kazuma. If they didn't go monster hunting, how would she get a chance to cast Explosion Magic?

“You guys?”

Kazuma looked at them with empty eyes, and then… became visibly even gloomier.

In other words, he became more withdrawn.

These reliable teammates of his were completely useless just now, only able to watch helplessly. If not for Yunyun, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

 。。。。。

【 Although Kazuma was successfully saved, it left him with a deep psychological shadow. He lay on Aqua's lap, sucking his thumb like a child.

Yosh, yosh, you must have been terrified, Kazuma.” Aqua reached out and gently stroked Kazuma's hair, comforting his wounded soul.

Kazuma lay on Aqua's lap like that and thanked Yunyun again: “Yunyun, thank you. If anyone asks me who I respect the most in the future, I will definitely answer Yunyun without hesitation!”

To help Kazuma pull himself together, Megumin decided to tell him a secret: “When we Crimson Demons are born, a tattoo appears on a certain part of our bodies.”

“And the location of Yunyun's tattoo is actually…”

Hearing this, Kazuma's eyes gradually brightened. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully.

While the group was arguing, a pack of goblins followed the sound and found them, scaring them into hurriedly hiding in the bushes.

But at such a critical moment, Megumin and Yunyun were still arguing nonstop. Darkness could only whisper a reminder: “If you're too loud, we'll be discovered. Kazuma, you persuade them too!”

Kazuma, who was still being gently stroked by Aqua, shouted directly: “Hey! Compared to that, hurry up and tell me where Yunyun's tattoo is!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why is Aqua so quiet today? Honestly, her silence is a bit scary.”

Hahaha, as expected of Megumin, she also precisely grasped Kazuma's preferences, instantly restoring Kazuma to that scummy look.”

The viewers in other worlds looked speechless at the change in Kazuma's little eyes. Sure enough, he is a little pervert; as soon as these subtle topics are mentioned, he's no longer sleepy, and his expression gradually becomes perverted.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Looking at Kazuma's smile gradually becoming perverted, Ishtar sighed:

Sigh, although he was almost scared silly just now, his eyes had become much clearer. But he instantly reverted to his old self.”

However, did Aqua take the wrong medicine today? Spoiling Kazuma like this isn't really her style… or rather, being this quiet isn't like Aqua at all.

Merlin also breathed a sigh of relief. This is more interesting:

“Doesn't this just show that he is still that scummy boy from before, without a single change?”

As expected of you, Scum-zuma! Your focus is always so peculiar.

 。。。。。

Notes:

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

linktr.ee/Icedrone24

Chapter 393: Licking the blade and cutting one's own tongue; the Goblins...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Kazuma's perverted remark instantly attracted the monsters' attention, and these three monsters happened to be members of the Demon King's Army.

“You bastard, you bastard!” Darkness, somewhat driven mad, strangled Kazuma's neck and shook him continuously.

Seeing that they had been discovered, the others walked out from the bushes. Upon seeing these monsters, Aqua clenched her fists and slowly stepped forward.

Then, taking a deep breath, she began a top-tier taunt accompanied by wild gestures, showing absolutely no regard for them: “Looks like low-level mimic demons. How annoying. You're just trash demons who look like ogres but can't even upgrade to become lesser demons. Do you have business with us?”

Kushu…” Aqua covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh, then waved her hand with extreme disgust: “I'll spare your worthless lives today. Go away, didn't you hear me?”

As soon as she finished speaking, many more monsters appeared behind that ogre, surrounding them completely. The situation reversed instantly: “Hey, ArchPriest, what did you say? There are two Crimson Demon whelps here who caused us so much suffering. Do you think we'd let them go?”

Seemingly to scare them, a Goblin wearing cloth armor next to the ogre stuck out his tongue to lick the blade in his hand. As a result… he actually cut his own tongue off! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, a mocking face every second. It's really a waste of talent for Aqua not to be a tank. Her taunt skill is maxed out, absolutely maxed out!”

“Aqua used Provoke, it's super effective… But the problem is, why did you, a Priest, put so many skill points into taunt?!”

Heheheha…” Viewers in other worlds were bent over backward with laughter at this scene, slapping their thighs continuously. They had never seen a goddess who could make such a punchable face.

The key was being able to make so many naturally taunting expressions in such a short amount of time. She truly lived up to the title of a walking monster-aggro magnet.

The funniest part was that blade-licking guy. He really almost made them die of laughter. Who licks a blade and manages to cut their own tongue off…

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“This taunt skill… I can only say it's too powerful.”

Shokuhou Misaki laughed until her stomach hurt.

Even without listening to the audio, just looking at the screen, one could feel the deep malice coming from Aqua. That expression was just too punchable; anyone seeing it couldn't help but want to beat her up.

The usually cowardly Aqua was probably only this brave when facing devils and demons. She always started the fight with a taunt!

Even though she wasn't interested in video games, she knew what it meant for a female priest to max out her taunt stacks first.

She was simply a “blessing” to her teammates, screwing over as many as she could.

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Hahaha… this Goblin licking the blade… It's really haha… I can't, I'm really going to die laughing.”

Shion slapped Gobta's back, laughing until tears came out.

It was just too funny. That blade lick was legendary… Whether it was coated in deadly poison was unknown, but at least they knew his blade was indeed very sharp.

Pfft…”

Rimuru's mouth also couldn't stop twitching upwards, but he tightly covered his mouth, trying to suppress the laughter that was about to spill out.

To look after the fragile heart of his little bro Gobta, Rimuru really broke his back worrying.

“…”

Meanwhile, Gobta, a fellow Goblin, was dumbfounded. He had never seen such a stupid Goblin.

If it was to scare people, I can understand licking the blade, but who licks the sharp edge?! Cutting off your own tongue—are you trying to make the enemy die of laughter?

Well, it worked. Whether the enemy died of laughter is unknown, but my friends are about to die laughing.

 。。。。。

【 Megumin couldn't care less about all that. Her eyes glowed red, and disregarding everyone's panic, she directly unleashed her Explosion Magic: “EXPLOSION!!”

“BOOM—!”

Accompanied by a rainbow-colored beam, an unparalleled massive explosion followed, blowing away the surrounding trees, roots and all.

As the smoke and dust cleared, Kazuma and the others were found lying in the huge crater, having been caught in the friendly fire. Megumin excitedly asked Kazuma how he would rate this Explosion Magic.

Lying prone in the deep pit, Kazuma had somewhat of a breakdown: “I give you negative 90 points! What do we do now? How am I supposed to carry you and run for our lives?”

Surprisingly, one Goblin had successfully escaped the disaster. He looked at the group with a face full of cold sweat: “That… that really gave me a fright.”

More reinforcements arrived behind him upon hearing the noise. At this moment, the Goblin became cocky again: “The reinforcements were all attracted by that blast. Prepare to die.”

Unexpectedly, these so-called reinforcements looked like they were fleeing for their lives. They completely ignored the Goblin and even trampled him underfoot.

Just then, four people suddenly appeared out of thin air in front of Kazuma. They wore black bodysuits, fingerless gloves, and capes, striking various strange poses.

“Vanish without a trace! Under the baptism of the dark flames born from the abyss.”

“Sink into eternal slumber! In the embrace of these arms of ice.”

“I… kill… you.”

“Born at this very moment!”

The four chanted strange words. Just as the Demon King's Army wanted to say something, the group shouted the magic's name in unison.

“Light of Saber!”

As they shouted one after another, their hand-blades burst forth with light, slashing at the Demon King's Army in succession. In just an instant, the Demon King's Army was wiped out. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Instant cast nuke? Just one word, 'Explosion', and it's done? Where did your cast time go… Since it's come to this, let's give our allies a proper burial first.”

“Wait! Those so-called reinforcements looked like they were running away… It must be my imagination.”

Everyone watched the four people who appeared out of nowhere in silence. As soon as they opened their mouths, you knew they were veteran chuunibyou. They were exactly like Megumin, frantically adding drama to themselves.

So those chants were just chuuni performances? Once used, aren't they all the same thing?!

 。。。。。

〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜

“Where's the fire? Where's the ice? Where's the darkness?”

Marcille felt scammed. The magic they talked about and the magic they used were completely different!

A bunch of inexplicable lines, but the result was uniformly Light of Saber? It was strong, undeniably, but it was also undeniably cringe!

Chilchuck took a deep breath:

“I finally understand why Megumin's Explosion Magic has such a pile of inexplicable words…”

Those weren't magic chants; they were probably just their respective cool-sounding lines. No wonder Megumin's chant was different every time.

So this is a tradition of the Crimson Demon Village. Growing up in such an environment, it's not incomprehensible.

“But… just these four people defeated a large army. Is the village really in crisis like the letter said?”

When Laios said this, everyone present was stunned! That's right, they just cut through that massive army like chopping melons and vegetables. They clearly weren't to be trifled with.

 。。。。。

【 After ending the battle, the four-person team was still striking various strange poses, but they noticed Kazuma and the others nearby: “We came to check because we were attracted by the explosion in the distance. It turns out to be Megumin and Yunyun!”

Although Megumin was a bit unsteady after using Explosion Magic, she could still stand: “I heard your village encountered a crisis?”

Crisis? The group of four tilted their heads in confusion. What crisis could the village have…

“By the way, Megumin, are these people your adventuring companions?”

In response, Megumin nodded shyly. Seeing this, Bukkororii put on a serious expression, flipped his cape, and struck various strange poses.

“I am Bukkororii, the young master of the Crimson Demon Clan's number one shoe store, and a Great Mage, wielder of Advanced Magic.”

Faced with this sudden self-introduction, others might have been speechless, but Kazuma was long used to it. Instead, he played along.

“You are too kind. I am Satou Kazuma.” Kazuma said, imitating their poses: “Residing in Axel, master of various skills, the man who has crossed blades with generals of the Demon King's Army!”

OOOOH!!!” Seeing this, the four instantly got excited. “I didn't expect an outsider to be able to respond like this. Megumin, congratulations on finding such a wonderful companion.”

Seeing that there was still some distance to the Crimson Demon Village, Bukkororii raised his hand and cast Teleport, transferring everyone to the Crimson Demon Village. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So… the people who just instantly killed a group of the Demon King's Army are just the son of a Crimson Demon shoe store owner? And not even adventurers?”

Hahaha, Kazuma, you seem to know the drill, buddy. After all, who hasn't had a chuunibyou phase?”

Looking at the confused expressions of the four-person group, everyone even suspected that the letter was sent just to trick Yunyun into coming back to the village.

Just these few people could wipe out a swath of the Demon King's Army, and a random guy could use high-level magic like Teleport. Are you sure this village is in crisis?

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Although everything Kazuma said is true, why does it sound so weird?”

Momonga (Ainz) was a bit speechless.

'Master of various skills' Refers to the 100% success rate in panty-stealing, Steal, various small elemental magic skills, and the Lich's divine skill.

'Crossed blades with generals of the Demon King's Army' is also true, but every time it was a fluke or a messy victory. There wasn't a single time he took the initiative to attack.

Thinking this, Momonga finally understood why it sounded so strange:

“Perhaps this is the art of language.”

Gaining the friendship of the Crimson Demon Village is too simple—just be chuuni along with them.

 。。。。。

Notes:

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

linktr.ee/Icedrone24

Chapter 394: The Crimson Demon Village Drops Everyone's Jaws; A Village of Human Nukes...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Beatrice stared blankly at Bukkororii, who was casually unleashing high-level magic.

“Are all shoe sellers Great Mages, I suppose?”

Though she couldn't agree with the Crimson Demons Clan's peculiar way of speaking and eccentric behavior, their strength left her speechless.

The identity of a shoe store owner was particularly absurd. It was one thing to instant-cast magic of that level, but the key was being able to transport a whole group of people… What an incredibly broad strategic mobility.

Yunyun was the same, and Megumin too. Was the Crimson Demons Clan composed of natural-born magical prodigies? Any random person who showed up possessed terrifyingly high magical attainment.

 。。。。。

【 After arriving at the village, Yunyun’s father—the chief of the Crimson Demons Village—warmly entertained the group. Kazuma heard a shocking truth straight from Yunyun's father.

The Village Chief let out a hearty laugh: “Hahaha, that was just a report on recent events!”

Yunyun looked at her father, who was still full of life, her expression stiffening: “But the letter said, 'By the time you receive this, I will likely no longer be in this world'?”

The Village Chief said as if it were a matter of course: “Isn't that the standard greeting for the Crimson Demons Clan? Didn't they teach you that in school? …Speaking of which, both you and Megumin graduated early because of your excellent grades.”

Yunyun was dumbfounded: “Then, the part about the military base built by the Demon King’s Army being impossible to breach was also…”

“Yeah, everyone is currently debating whether we should destroy it or keep it as a tourist attraction.”

Hearing these mind-blowing facts, Kazuma couldn't hold back anymore: “Yunyun, can I punch your father?”

“You may!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hearing these reasons, even the viewers outside the video fell silent. At this moment, they shared the same thought… If possible, please give him two extra punches for us, thank you!

'By the time you receive this, I will likely no longer be in this world'—this is actually a daily greeting?!

Who starts a letter like that! Any normal person would assume the worst!

 。。。。。

〜The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. World〜

“What a cool greeting!!”

Kaidou Shun’s eyes sparkled; he deeply felt the charm of it.

He was even wondering if he should find a time to write a letter to Saiki, starting with those words.

Saiki complained expressionlessly in his heart:

I advise you not to. Otherwise, even I won't be able to resist punching you.

“Yare yare. I thought it was just an isolated case, but it turns out the whole village is Chuunibyou.”

A Village Chief who treats a prank-like opening as a greeting probably isn't a normal person. Or rather… the whole village isn't normal!

〜Type-Moon World, Unlimited Blade Works Worldline〜

Emiya Shirou held his forehead with a headache.

“What on earth are they teaching in that school…?”

The fact that this was a village-wide standard greeting was beyond ridiculous. As the saying goes, education starts from childhood.

But for them, 'Chuunibyou' starts from childhood. It's no wonder the whole village hasn't graduated from their delusions!

Tohsaka Rin’s mouth twitched slightly.

“So… Yunyun, who graduated early, is actually the normal one!”

“That's not the point!”

Red A shook his head slowly, took a long breath, and continued:

“The point is that they are actually considering turning the base built by the Demon King’s Army into a tourist attraction!!”

Normally, it should be the other way around. Has the Demon King’s Army been bullied by the Crimson Demons to this extent, and they just sit idly by?

 。。。。。

【 The letter the Village Chief wrote wasn't entirely fake, because the village was indeed under attack by the Demon King’s Army. Calculating the time, they were about to arrive.

“Demon King’s Army alert! Those who are free, please gather at the village entrance. The enemy numbers approximately 1,000 units.”

As the bell tolled, Kazuma and Darkness let out a cry of shock: “One thousand?!”

Then the scene shifted to the center of the battlefield. Following a series of explosions, the screams of the Demon King’s Army filled the air.

In the middle of the battlefield, the monsters wailed: “Uwahhhh… Sylvia-Sama, please retreat! Even if you leave us behind, just run…!”

Damn it, damn it! If only we could get close to them… AHHHHH—”

The corpses of the Demon King’s Army littered the field, and many monsters began to break down: “This is why I opposed attacking the Crimson Demons Village! I didn't want to come here…!”

When Kazuma and the others walked up to the high ground, they saw a scene akin to a natural disaster.

Giant magic circles constantly lit up the sky. Lightning, fire, gales, and ice—various elements poured from the heavens, ravaging the center of the battlefield.

A rain of Advanced Magic fell mercilessly upon the Demon King’s Army. This could no longer be called a battle; it was one-sided slaughter.

Looking at the scene before them, Kazuma and his group were all jaw-dropped. “Amazing… This level of strength is a bit scary!”

Kazuma looked around. Facing an enemy force of over a thousand, only about 50 Crimson Demons Clan members had shown up.

The Village Chief smiled broadly and pointed toward the exploding battlefield: “How is it? We’re planning to use this to entertain tourists.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Those who are free, hahaha! I'm dying. It means if you're busy, you don't even have to go. What level of confidence is this?”

“Holy crap… which side is the villain here?! I can't believe words that sound like they're from a protagonist are coming out of the monsters' mouths.”

It was too tragic. This was simply too tragic… Even the viewers outside the video couldn't help but want to shout,

“Demon King’s Army, run! While there's life, there's hope!”

With this scene, the people of the Crimson Demons Village are the true Demon Kings! In this village, everyone is a 'King Bomb.' No matter what you play, they just blow it up!

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

Looking at the disaster-like scene, Ainz fell silent. The true villain is the Chief of the Crimson Demons Village, right? He actually wants to turn this into a major tourist attraction!

Good grief, they can even play it like this? The Demon King’s Army's invasion is just a sightseeing event to them!

“No wonder the heroes of this world are all jokes. Look at this, what's left for a hero to do…?”

Where was the 'Demon King’s Army Attack Alert'? This was clearly an alarm clock notifying everyone that the 'Leisure and Entertainment' hour had begun.

Shalltear was also stunned.

“If everyone in the Crimson Demons Village is a Great Mage, what could the Demon King’s Army possibly use to fight back?”

“Outside our Great Tomb, could there also exist such a secluded mountain village…?”

Demiurge’s thoughts began to wander again.

“It is indeed possible…”

Ainz pondered upon hearing this, feeling that Demiurge’s words were very logical. They had to be on guard.

After all, this scene was indeed tragic—it was pure, one-sided devastation. A dance of demons!

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Looking at the shocking scene, Fern subconsciously swallowed.

“This isn't a tourist attraction… It's a major disaster zone.”

With only 50 people, they completely decimated a force of over a thousand. The key was 'come if you're free, don't worry if you're not'…

One can only imagine how miserable the Demon King of that world must be! Leading a group of incompetent executives against a village of god-like enemies.

Frieren was somewhat stunned.

“I feel like these people alone could flatten the Demon King!”

A few random people showed up and sent the Demon King’s Army running with their tails between their legs. The army couldn't even touch the village gates… The whole village consists of living 'Map Cannon' weapons.

She suddenly felt that the Demon King asking Wiz to set up a barrier at the Demon King’s Castle wasn't without reason. It was probably to keep them out.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Dr. Roman was completely dumbfounded.

“Do you hear this? Are these the words a villain should be saying?”

Who is invading whom?! Why does it look like the Demon King’s Army is the one being invaded? Did they get it backward?!

Fujimaru Ritsuka only managed to say after a long while:

“It’s abstractly powerful. They’re just throwing magic around with their eyes closed.”

What kind of Ragnarok scenario is this? Everyone is a mobile artillery platform, and their mana seems shockingly high. They’re throwing piles of magic out like it costs nothing, and they never stop.

By comparison, the executives of the Demon King’s Army are trash! Are you sure that with such a massive strength gap, the Demon King still wants to invade the world?

No wonder everywhere looks peaceful. It turns out the Demon King’s Army is the one being persecuted!

 。。。。。

【 After repelling the Demon King’s Army like that, Kazuma carried Megumin to her home.

Aqua pointed toward a small one-story house ahead: “Megumin, is that the stable you were talking about?”

Megumin was speechless: “That’s not a stable, that’s the main house!”

Kazuma, carrying Megumin, went to the house and knocked. Before long, a mini-version of Megumin opened the door. She froze upon seeing them.

Then, Komekko’s eyes widened in surprise. She took a deep breath and shouted into the house: “Papa! Big Sis kidnapped a man and brought him home!”

The scene shifted. Kazuma looked at the serious-looking middle-aged man in front of him. He sat upright on the floor, the atmosphere feeling awkward.

To the side, Aqua was performing a trick with a cup to entertain Komekko. At this moment, Megumin’s father spoke: “What is your relationship with my daughter?”

Kazuma: “I’ve said it many times, we’re just friends…”

Megumin’s father, as if unable to contain himself any longer, grabbed the low table and reached out: “WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!”

Megumin’s mother quickly pressed down on the table, trying to stop the father’s impulsive move.

“Dear! Stop! Please don't flip and break the table again! We have no more money! Noooo!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“A stable? That’s right, true heroes sleep in stables! Aqua really knows how to talk.”

“Holy cow, 'Big Sis kidnapped a man'… this kid is destined for greatness.”

Viewers from other worlds looked at Megumin’s father with confusion. Why does it feel like 'Invincible' is written all over this guy’s face?

And Aqua seemed surprisingly reliable when it came to things other than her actual job.

She was proficient in all sorts of strange skills; she could do anything except be an adventurer.

 。。。。。

〜JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable Worldline〜

“Yare yare, he really said the one thing a father least wants to hear,”

Jotaro said coolly, hands in his pockets.

I have nothing to do with your daughter, we’re just friends… That sentence was worse than saying nothing.

Beside him, Josuke Higashikata was constantly scanning the figure on the screen.

“Why does he feel a bit like Mr. Jotaro?”

Koichi nodded upon hearing this. Both the temperament and the outfit were very similar, especially that hat, which looked like it was part of his head—it was the finishing touch.

But… why is Megumin’s family so poor? The Crimson Demons Clan is so powerful; surely, if they went out and took one or two commissions, they wouldn't be unable to afford a single table.

The house could truly be described as 'four bare walls.' No wonder Megumin became a wilderness survival expert as a child. Looking at it now, it makes perfect sense.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Looks like Author-san started using specific worldlines like 'UBW' instead of just 'Fifth Holy Grail War'. I’m not the one who changed it; it was Author-san, and I’m simply following along.)

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

linktr.ee/Icedrone24

Chapter 395: The Scumbag Truly Becomes a 'Golden Turtle' Son-in-Law in a Second!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Looking at the uncle who had finally calmed down, Kazuma took out the dessert set he had bought during the hot spring trip a few days ago from his bag to ease the situation.

“Just a small gift…”

Both the uncle and his wife grabbed the packaging box of the buns Kazuma offered, and the air instantly fell silent: “…Honey, this is from Mr. Kazuma for me.”

Hearing this, the wife smiled and said, “Calling him 'Mr.' already? Don’t be like that, how embarrassing! This is for tonight’s dinner, I can’t let you use it as a snack with drinks.”

The two of them began tugging at the box, neither willing to let go. Just then, Komekko came over, looking at the box being fought over and cheering happily.

“By the way, is this different from the watery porridge we usually eat at home? Is it something that can really fill your stomach?”

After hearing Komekko’s words, Kazuma silently took out all the stored food from his bag: “Really… just a small gift…”

“Your presence truly honors our humble home, Mr. Kazuma!” The uncle hugged the gift box to his chest, instantly changing his expression: “Wife, serve the best tea!”

The wife also happily went to make tea: “We only have one kind of tea at home anyway.”

Komekko held two buns Kazuma brought, one in each hand, and was stuffing them into her mouth like a hamster, working hard.

After swallowing the bun, the wife smiled gently at Kazuma: “You’re a good person, I don’t oppose it, but could you at least pay off your debt before marrying my daughter?”

Pfft—” Kazuma spat out the tea he had just sipped, “I said we’re just friends!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This poor girl, without Megumin to find food in the wild, Komekko can only drink plain porridge… oh no, it’s watery porridge.”

“Life is so tough, starving nine times in three days, no wonder Megumin is flat-chested… It’s due to malnutrition!”

Everyone teared up… Uncle, where’s your former arrogance? Just a few boxes of buns and you’re won over, even selling your daughter.

How on earth did these two unreliable parents raise their kids? Look at the life they’re living, starving the poor child.

They couldn’t help but want to go to their house and write the word 'tragic'!

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

Shinpachi took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes blurred by tears, and said with a bitter heart:

“Why does this remind me of the dinner table at Yorozuya…”

Watery porridge… isn’t that just plain water! How poor is that family? Even poorer than Yorozuya, which can’t get any commissions.

Gintoki, hearing this, was a bit unhappy:

“Gin-san isn’t that poor. Didn’t we have a luxurious hot pot meal last time?”

Although he couldn’t pay rent, owed his employees wages, and squandered whatever money he had on pachinko, at least his diet was maintained at the level of rice with eggs.

And occasionally, he could treat himself to hot pot or crab, not as pitiful as Megumin’s family.

Shinpachi looked at the useless uncle in front of him speechlessly:

“You mean the hot pot where you schemed eight hundred ways just to get some beef…”

Didn’t you end up getting nothing from that hot pot? And the reason I said it’s similar… is that those shameless parents are just like you, you useless uncle!

〜Dropkick on My Devil World〜

Chisaki, the angel living in a cardboard box in the park, nodded with tears streaming down her face:

“I understand… I understand too well!”

She dares to say she knows best about this kind of life, where you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.

Because she lost her halo by accident, couldn’t use her angel powers, failed her mission, and couldn’t return to heaven, she became an undocumented person.

So she could only take low-paying black-market jobs, living a very destitute life, often eating only one meal every three days.

 。。。。。

【 But the wife seemed puzzled: “But my daughter wrote in her letter…”

Calming down, Kazuma realized something might be wrong: “Can I ask what she wrote?”

The uncle and wife glanced at each other, then slowly said: “For example… making my daughter all sticky for fun.”

“Carrying my daughter after she exhausted her magic, enjoying the feel of her chest, bathing together.”

“When she was defenseless, napping on the sofa, sitting curled up beside her to peek under her skirt while feeding Chomusuke, saying, 'If you steal this, I’ll give you better food.' And showing her underwear to it.”

By the time Kazuma heard this, he was already sweating profusely. He pushed the coffee table aside, knelt, and kowtowed frantically: “I admit my mistake!!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Public execution… So, Megumin always knew Kazuma was taking advantage of her.”

“Although it sounds terrible, it’s all true, not a single false word, all things Kazuma would do!”

Everyone covered their faces, unable to argue. Kazuma, you old pervert, you were playing so dirty in private? Peeking under her skirt while she’s sleeping? That’s way too perverted!

Definitely something a scumbag would do. As expected of you, showing courage in the weirdest places.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Unlimited Blade Works Worldline〜

“Truly living up to the name, scumbag Kazuma.”

Rin Tohsaka finally realized what it means when reputation matches reality. Kazuma’s perversion exceeds imagination.

Faced with these accusations, even he didn’t deny them… So the behavior Megumin wrote about in her letter was all true? You really did all that!

Shirou Emiya was also speechless:

“Now I finally understand why the uncle flipped the table when Kazuma said he and Megumin were just friends…”

Taking advantage of his daughter in every way possible, how do you expect her parents to feel? Not pulling out a knife already shows the uncle has a good temper.

“Why does the person involved always know whenever Kazuma sneakily peeks…”

Illya said shyly.

It was the same with Aqua before, and now it’s even more outrageous. Megumin knew and even wrote about it to her parents. Impressive!

You really can’t stay in this other world anymore, too ashamed to show your face. This level of social death is enough to make you commit seppuku and restart.

 。。。。。

【 Looking at Kazuma sweating profusely, the uncle sighed and continued: “Even so, you are my precious companion.”

“Though you’re a man drowning in debt, perverted, foul-mouthed, and lacking common sense, if she doesn’t stay by your side, you’ll die quickly.”

“Since my daughter has said this much, you must be no ordinary person.”

Kazuma found it a bit strange to hear, but the part about being important companions made him somewhat happy.

The wife also apologized: “Since you’re our daughter’s teammate, we should help, but…”

Kazuma, who had already paid off his debt, waved his hand: “That’s fine. After this trip, I should earn a huge sum of money.”

Hearing about money, the uncle reacted and casually asked: “Oh? May I ask how much?”

“Should be 300 million Eris.”

Hearing 300 million, Megumin’s parents’ eyes immediately lit up. The uncle instantly became incredibly warm: “By the way, Mr. Kazuma, stay at our house today! Since you’re our daughter’s teammate and friend, of course, we must host you.”

“You’re an adventurer, so you probably don’t have a home, right?”

Kazuma was startled by the uncle’s enthusiasm and said timidly, “No, I have a Western-style Mansion in Axel…”

“A WESTERN-STYLE MANSION?!!!” Megumin’s parents stared at Kazuma with shining eyes. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It’s not that he’ll die quickly; he’s already died several times, experienced every kind of death imaginable. How could he be an ordinary person?”

“The wife is so kind, wanting to help even when they’re this poor… although half the debt was from Megumin’s explosions, and the other half from Aqua’s floods.”

Uncle, don’t be so obvious… Everyone watching outside sweated, looking at this father whose attitude had done a 180°.

In his eyes, Kazuma instantly transformed from a yellow-haired punk riding a ghost fire to a rich, property-owning golden bachelor. No wonder he became so friendly.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Don’t flaunt your wealth, Kazuma.”

Misaka Mikoto twitched as she looked at the shameless parents.

What a quick change of face. Knowing that a box of buns was enough to make them fight, she now had no doubt this couple would even sell their daughter.

“If I remember correctly, that Western-style mansion isn’t actually Kazuma’s.”

Kuroko thought carefully; they were only staying there temporarily.

But maybe they could really buy that house. After all, Kazuma hasn’t even switched to the merchant class yet…

If all else fails, he could rely on his luck and visit a casino, easily winning millions, right?

Thinking about it, Kazuma really is a golden bachelor for their family; at least they wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore.

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

“ 300 million—”

Subaru Natsuki, still investigating deaths as a servant in the mansion, felt like crying hearing that amount.

Brother Kazuma, we’re both fellow countrymen, both starting from zero around the same time. Why am I still dying over and over here, while you’ve already achieved financial freedom?

Seeing Subaru looking sad, Emilia thought he was shocked by the amount:

“That… Kazuma’s business sense is really good. Earning 300 million is understandable.”

“I know…”

Subaru nodded. Of course, he knew Kazuma would have been rich long ago if he were alone.

But his teammates are all well! Most of the previous debt was caused by Megumin and Aqua…

 。。。。。

Notes:

The vote for the next series is officially live! Since the Fate series is wrapping up, I want you to decide what comes next. It’s completely free to participate; sign up as a free member to cast your vote. Check my linktree for more info.

linktr.ee/Icedrone24

Chapter 396: The Real Logic Master! To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

Chapter Text

【 Kazuma didn't expect that just by saying these things, his treatment would instantly rise by 10 levels.

Until Kazuma finished his bath at night and heard Darkness's scolding voice coming from the living room: “Don't you feel bad for your own daughter?”

It looked like she was protesting letting Kazuma and Megumin sleep in the same room.

A smirk appeared on the mother's lips: “It doesn't matter, my daughter has reached marriageable age! Mr. Kazuma is also a measured adult, even if something happens, that is…”

“Sleep.” The mother smilingly chanted the magic, and Darkness, who was still thinking of refuting, collapsed on the spot.

The mother also noticed Kazuma hiding by the door and said with a smile, “Everyone is asleep. Could you help me move them to their rooms?”

Then Kazuma was forcibly pushed into Megumin's room by Megumin's mother: “Please enjoy yourself slowly.”

Kazuma looked helplessly into the dim room. Under the moonlight, he was slightly mesmerized. Just then, a sound came from behind him.

“Click…” The mother even used magic to lock the door.

Kazuma turned his head to look at the locked door, suddenly regretting revealing his future income. After all, this mother is really trying hard enough. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“'Please enjoy yourself slowly'… As expected of a biological mother, She just sells her daughter like that? This is way too explosive.”

Holy crap! …Everyone was shocked by the mother's strength. This mother is so strong! She actually insta-dropped a Crusader of Darkness's level.

Although Darkness is a pervert, her dual resistances are high enough to withstand the possession of the Demon King General Vanir, yet she couldn't even withstand this light touch.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“That idiot mother! $%#^&#!!”

Megumin, witnessing herself being sold by her mother, cursed secretly with a blushing face.

Although she didn't want to admit it, this really was something they would do… But what to do now!

Although Kazuma cowers at critical moments, she knows that once this guy has a grand and justifiable excuse, he won't hesitate!

“Scum-zuma!”

Facing the gaze of Aqua and others looking at scum, Kazuma was still trying to defend his on-screen self…

“If something really happens, you absolutely can't blame me, right? I even got the parents' permission!”

As he spoke, Kazuma's expression began to ripple with delight… Sure enough, my popular phase has come; I've finally waited for it!

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Watching the scene before them, Class F was currently a dance of demons, shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

“Why can't we meet parents who lock their daughter and a boy in a room together!”

Like a stock held for years suddenly hitting the limit down overnight, they pounded the ground unwillingly, grinding their back molars in envy.

“Muttsurini!”

“Roger!”

Akihisa and Muttsurini exchanged a tacit glance, instantly understanding each other's thoughts. The latter decisively took out a camera, ready at the screen at all times.

“Such open-minded parents, how enviable!”

Minami and Mizuki revealed envious looks in their eyes, failing to notice Akihisa's actions.

Open-minded? You call this open-minded? Hideyoshi took a step back calmly; it's better not to disturb Mizuki when she falls into this strange atmosphere.

As for Yuuji… he was still trying to find the light! Shouko faintly withdrew her right hand:

“Yuuji cannot watch the upcoming scenes!”

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma looked at the soundly sleeping Megumin, realizing that in this situation, no one could come to disturb them!

“Besides, the door has a locking spell on it. No one can enter, and no one can leave. Isn't this being fed right to my mouth!”

Kazuma walked around Megumin continuously, circling round and round, his brain automatically adding suitable reasons for himself.

“There's only one futon. If she sleeps without a cover, she may catch a cold. What if it gets worse and turns into pneumonia?”

At this moment, the mother hiding outside the door was listening silently to the movement inside.

Inside, Kazuma was still conflicted, because if he made a move on the sleeping Megumin, he would definitely be slandered by Aqua and the others as a brute, scum, or something similar.

“I am a gentleman, absolutely not that kind of scumbag.” Kazuma stopped his circling, squatted down, and continued to think: “But the current situation is permitted by her parents. Even if Megumin takes me to court, I can win, right?”

“No, no, can I win? Damn it! I should have studied law seriously back then. If I had known…”

Thinking and thinking, Kazuma suddenly realized his thoughts had gone a bit astray: “No! That's not it.”

Then Kazuma started brainstorming while circling the sleeping Megumin again. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kazuma, with the bizarre brain circuits, is giving you a chance, but you're useless. Why are you cowering again at the critical moment… This reasoning is getting more and more twisted.”

“Good lord, you went from a cold all the way to the law. Just how conflicted are you to stray that far off!”

This circling behavior, those who don't know might think he's performing some kind of ritual… Where is the courage you usually have to peek under skirts while Megumin is asleep!

Everyone outside the video finally figured it out. Kazuma, this guy, has the lust but not the guts, and is just looking for a reasonable excuse for himself.

 。。。。。

Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

“Even facing the accusations of being a brute from Aqua and the others, is there a need to refute it… Aren't you exactly that!”

Da Vinci just couldn't understand what he was struggling with.

Dr. Roman's mouth twitched slightly:

“Since he's so conflicted, he might as well stay up all night reading law books.”

Good heavens, trying to think of a legitimate reason led him to a lawsuit with Megumin. This deviation is too ridiculous. Kazuma always becomes very upright in these strange places.

And if I'm not seeing things, Auntie, you're actually eavesdropping outside the door? Incredible, this mother is serious.

 。。。。。

“Let's analyze calmly first. How can I think when it's this cold? Let me crawl into the futon to recover a bit.”

Kazuma stopped circling, tiptoed into the futon, lay down beside Megumin, and closed his eyes to sleep.

Then he suddenly woke up with a start: “No! What a clever trap. I actually slept on Megumin's pillow without realizing it.”

“Should I panic and jump out of the futon? But Megumin will definitely open her eyes at just the right moment! Then whatever I say will be my fault.”

“This is just like a molester false accusation case. Since doing nothing will only lead to that result… then I might as well make the crime a reality.”

Just as Kazuma intended to take action, Megumin indeed woke up just as he expected. Kazuma greeted her without changing his expression: “Good morning!”

Megumin seemed dazed from sleep, still a bit groggy: “Oh, good morning… Uh, how long did I sleep?”

“About 8 hours.”

Then Megumin, suddenly realizing the situation was wrong, looked at the ceiling: “So, why am I sleeping together with Kazuma?”

Megumin threw off the blanket and jumped out, reaching out to touch her body as if confirming whether anything had been done to her.

“Hey, do I look like the kind of person who would make a move?”

Then, after Kazuma explained the reason, he threw open the blanket and slapped the spot beside him: “That's how it is. It's cold outside, come here quickly! It's fine, I won't do anything.”

Seeing this, Megumin said somewhat shyly: “…Will you really not do anything to me?”

Looking at Megumin like this, Kazuma unhesitatingly overturned his previous statement, threw off the blanket to reveal his striped underwear: “Idiot, a lone man and woman naturally have to do something!”

Megumin, who was prepared, rushed straight out the window: “Idiot, I knew it would be like this! I'm sleeping at Yunyun's house tonight!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“'What a clever trap'… Hahaha, the conclusion reached after thinking for half a day is too brilliant. What a terrifying scheme!”

“Laughing my head off. Instead of being misunderstood for doing nothing, might as well confirm the crime. As expected of you, the logic genius master!”

Everyone outside the video laughed the whole time, never stopping. Especially saying 'Good morning' under such a big, bright moon, does he want to kill them with laughter?

Everyone who watched the whole process understood one thing: He finally convinced himself! It just took a bit too long…

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“Damn it, this isn't the scene I wanted to see!”

Akihisa appeared extremely unwilling, pounding the ground with immense regret.

Kazuma! Can you stop thinking so much at the critical moment? You missed a great opportunity.

Muttsurini had already collapsed to the side with lifeless eyes, like a salted fish that had lost its dreams. Even the hand holding the camera fell weakly.

Hideyoshi retorted speechlessly:

“Akihisa-yo, what scene did you want to see… Even if there was one, it wouldn't be broadcast.”

Hearing this, Akihisa also collapsed instantly, his words full of annoyance:

“How could this be!”

Yuuji, who finally regained his vision, looked at the screen:

“Kazuma even took off his pants, that was really fast… Ahh, my eyes, my eyes!”

Before he could finish speaking, his vision was stolen again by the expressionless Shouko, because this was also something Yuuji couldn't watch.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“'Do I look like the kind of person who would make a move…'”

Hearing Kazuma's words, everyone present nodded in tacit agreement. Isn't that a given?!

Megumin just woke up at the right time. If it were a bit later, something might have really happened. By the way… does this count as attempted, or discontinued crime?

Emiya Shirou also couldn't hold back and laughed out loud immediately:

“Caught by Megumin's sting operation, he revealed his true colors instantly.”

Good grief, he got baited so hard. Kazuma even took off his pants, but unexpectedly, it was all within Megumin's expectations.

“Sure enough, you can't play by common sense. How can these two be so calm?”

Tohsaka Rin reached out and covered her face. Are they playing a game of 'whoever panics first loses'?

She shouldn't have held any illusions about romantic plot development for this video; there are always unexpected turns.

 。。。。。

Chapter 397: The Sword in the Stone, but Enchanted so Only the 10,000th Person Can Pull It Out

Chapter Text

【 It wasn't until breakfast the next day that Megumin told Aqua and the others about what had happened the previous night. Everyone sarcastically changed Kazuma's address to Scumzuma.

Furthermore, calling it breakfast was a stretch; it was more like a bowl of water with a few grains of rice thrown in. You could say it was crystal clear to the bottom.

Next, Megumin, Aqua, and Kazuma began touring the village. Kazuma was utterly shocked by everything he saw and heard.

There was a blacksmith uncle who, to attract tourists, created an artificial Sword in the Stone. It was enchanted with magic so that it could only be pulled out by the 10,000th person to try.

The sword had been stuck there for four years now, but there had only been about a hundred challengers.

After that, they saw a Cat-Ear Temple. A figurine of a cat-girl wearing a school swimsuit was solemnly enshrined in the center of the shrine.

Then they arrived at a wishing fountain. Aqua even dove into the water to scavenge a round of coins before popping out like a river spirit: “Since this is a tourist attraction, I allow you to hire me as the goddess of this spring!”

Next, the group arrived at a mysterious facility that sealed away the natural enemy of the Crimson Demons. It looked more like a massive concrete building.

Kazuma looked at the building ahead, which resembled a huge processing plant: “What is this mysterious facility?”

Megumin spoke with a knowing yet confused expression: “A mysterious facility is a mysterious facility. Its purpose is a mystery, and who built it for what reason is also a mystery.”

Moreover, Megumin mentioned that there used to be a tombstone here sealing an Evil God, as well as land sealing a Nameless Goddess, but due to various reasons, the seals were all broken. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I have to ask, why do you put rice grains in your boiled water… It really lives up to the name 'thin porridge', it's certainly thin enough!”

Hahaha, calling him scum is just teasing. If Kazuma were a real scumbag, he wouldn't have spent hours agonizing over it stupidly last night.”

After seeing these baffling and bizarre sights, and those inexplicable entertainment facilities.

The audience outside the video had only one thought in their minds… As expected of the Crimson Demon Village, very good, very powerful.

By the way, just what kind of messy stuff is sealed here?! Evil Gods and Goddesses? The key point is that the seals are too fragile; how did they all escape!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Enchanted with magic so only the ten-thousandth person can pull it out…”

Looking at the tourist attraction, Sword in the Stone on the screen, Artoria was dumbfounded. Can you play it like that?

Could the Sword in the Stone she pulled out back then have been tampered with, too? The more she thought about it, the more wrong it felt, because this really seemed like something that Merlin, that conscienceless guy, would do!

Medusa's mouth twitched upon hearing this:

“That's such a scam.”

This blacksmith boss really knows how to play. His imagination is quite unique to come up with this. It sounds a bit unethical, but he deserves to make money.

Illya counted on her fingers, muttering:

“This sword has been here for four years, with a hundred challengers… This math problem is so hard!”

Only a little over a hundred people in four years? The math didn't seem right, no matter how you calculated it. Plus, the scenery here was indeed beautiful; it was a good place for tourism.

But the number of tourists was far too sparse. It wasn't like this was a gathering place for the Axis Order; it was just a bunch of chuunibyou. It shouldn't be something to avoid like the plague… right?

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma laughed softly:

“If you ignore the various strange buildings, it really is a wonderful other-world journey.”

Just looking at it made one feel relaxed and happy. It was like a paradise; the Crimson Demon Village was filled with peace and harmony.

Looking at the calm Touma, Index became puzzled instead:

“Aren't you curious about those weird things?”

That so-called mysterious facility wasn't just a research institute commonly seen in Academy City?! It felt completely out of place in another world.

“Who said I'm not curious?”

Speaking of this, Touma, who was just feeling sentimental, couldn't hold back his retort: “

Why is a cat-girl figurine enshrined in a temple!!”

Seriously, just how many reincarnators did Aqua send to this other world?! This looked like the masterpiece of some otaku.

Clearly, quite a few reincarnators were thrown over, but none of them did anything proper. It seemed like each one was weirder than the last.

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Watching Aqua's disgraceful behavior, Ristarte slapped her forehead with her hand, making a smack sound:

“Can't you have a little dignity? Don't be such trash!”

After jumping into the wishing fountain to scoop up people's coins, she shamelessly asked if they needed to hire a goddess to work in the spring.

No… why are you looking for a part-time job at a time like this? Hurry up and take your hero to defeat the Demon King and save the world! Do you want to go back to the Heaven Realm or not?

“The reputation of goddesses is being ruined…”

Ristarte wanted to cry but had no tears. She didn't even need to turn around to feel Seiya's somewhat piercing gaze.

 。。。。。

【 After visiting these bizarre attractions, the group arrived at a clothing store. The shop owner recognized Kazuma and Aqua as outsiders at a glance.

The manager decisively flipped his cape and performed a self-introduction very characteristic of the Crimson Demon Village: “My name is Chekera, the Archwizard who controls advanced magic! The number one clothing store owner of the Crimson Demons.”

Kazuma looked at the manager, striking various strange poses, and was silent for a moment: “Number one among the Crimson Demons, that's really impressive!”

Hearing the praise, the manager laughed happily: “Yup, this is the only clothing store in the Crimson Demon Village!”

Kazuma retorted reflexively: “Are you messing with me?”

Then Megumin borrowed money from Kazuma and bought several identical capes. At the same time, Kazuma discovered something shocking.

“Wait, wait, why are you using this as a laundry pole!”

Facing Kazuma's astonishment, the manager said with a peaceful face: “Oh my, do you know what this is? This is a laundry pole with a long history passed down in my family for generations. It doesn't rust and works great!”

Aqua stared at the laundry pole with interest: “No matter how you look at it, that's a sniper rifle!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, so that's what 'Number One among the Crimson Demons' means! But… it really seems like everyone is an Archwizard on average.”

A laundry pole passed down for generations… The audience outside the video looked at the sniper rifle glinting with cold light, faces full of black lines.

They could tell that his ancestors had quite the background to use this thing as a laundry pole.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

“This Crimson Demon Clan is really…”

Natsuki Subaru watched with his eyelids twitching. All sorts of messy stuff were popping up.

An enshrined cat-girl figurine in a school swimsuit, a sword selection mechanic often found in games, a mysterious processing plant, a sniper rifle… Was this village built by a hardcore otaku?

It was full of Japanese otaku personality back then. The manager who could use a sniper rifle as a laundry pole was also a tough guy. A laundry pole that doesn't rust is indeed useful.

Maybe there are even artillery shells being used as rocks in the manager's house.

 。。。。。

【 Next, Megumin decided to take the group to a more fun place, which was her alma mater—the Red Prison!

Megumin and Yunyun changed into their school uniforms together and began to tour the academy. Just then, a trio made their entrance.

“I am Arue, the one with the number one development among the Crimson Demons, and the one who will eventually become a writer.”

“I am Funifura, the number one brother-lover among the Crimson Demons, known as the Bro-con.”

“I am Dodonko, the Crimson Demon's number one… number one… what was it?” Dodonko froze at this point.

This really was a characteristic of the Crimson Demons. And Arue was that brain-dead author who wrote letters to Yunyun.

“So these are Yunyun's teammates. They really exist.”

Yunyun, who had never been able to make friends, immediately introduced them stubbornly: “This man is just a novice adventurer, and the girl is an Archpriest. Also, Megumin was lonely, so I invited her to join the party!”

But this lie was quickly exposed by Aqua: “Although Yunyun isn't a teammate, she helps us often, even though she isn't a teammate.”

Looking at the stubborn Yunyun, the trio spoke in unison: “I knew it!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Red Prison… It's really hard to imagine what mental state the principal was in when naming it.”

“Number one development is undeniable, you can tell just by looking. But… these people are naming geniuses!”

Good grief, by comparison, Yunyun and Megumin's names seem quite normal! No wonder they were the ones who went to become adventurers; it turns out they didn't quite fit in with the village.

What made everyone most speechless was the Crimson Demon Village's inexplicable obsession with the title “Number One.” They absolutely had to pin a “Number One” title on themselves.

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

“Novice adventurer… You really know how to introduce people,”

Kirito was speechless.

Although Kazuma was still in the starter town, it didn't mean he was a novice. He could be considered an experienced pro gamer; he just hadn't leveled up much!

After all… have you ever seen a novice adventurer who could defeat three Demon King Generals?

If Kazuma had arrived at the Crimson Demon Village a few months later, Yunyun might have introduced him as the novice adventurer who defeated the Demon King…

“These names are certainly unique.”

Asuna smiled somewhat forcedly.

What is all this? Are these really names and not nicknames? Funifura (Soft-and-Fluffy) and Dodonko… What kind of naming geniuses are these?

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Wait… you idiot goddess, what are you doing? Read the atmosphere!”

Misaka Mikoto looked at the brutally honest Aqua, wishing she could slap the water out of her brain.

As the saying goes, life is hard enough without exposing the truth. Yunyun is already so pitiful, just play along! Or at least stay silent if you can't.

You just had to expose her at a time like this, and the key is that you emphasized it twice. It's hard to tell if you're truly stupid or truly scheming.

Kuroko was also somewhat helpless:

“In reality, Yunyun hasn't even joined Kazuma's party. She counts as a collaborator, right?”

Yunyun is clearly strong and has a nice personality, so why is she so pitiful? She can't even make friends!

 。。。。。

Chapter 398: Not bad, I am indeed the Master of the Magic Sword, Flying Sword!

Chapter Text

【 After Kazuma and the others left the academy, they heard a loud noise from a distant hill and immediately ran towards the sound.

“Lady Sylvia, this fellow isn't calling for help, nor does she have powerful attack methods. Her goal is too suspicious. Let's retreat for now.”

“What a troublesome woman. She can't hit anyone, yet why is she so tough!”

The Demon King's Army was completely confused by Darkness's maneuvers. She couldn't hit anyone, didn't call for help, and just kept stalling here. It was truly too suspicious!

At this moment, Kazuma arrived in a hurry with the Crimson Magic Clan people: “Darkness! Good job, I've brought the villagers.”

Darkness turned her head to see Kazuma, murmuring with seeming regret: “Ka… Kazuma, you arrived too soon.”

“I was already depressed finding out the anticipated Orcs were only females, and it turns out the Demon King's General is a woman too! This trip is just too unsatisfying.”

Sylvia looked at the group arriving. Although a bit panicked, she feigned calmness: “So you were stalling for time, waiting for companions to arrive! Was the sword missing everyone completely also an act?”

Darkness, who was praised by the enemy and bad at lying, began to stammer: “Si… Since you saw through it, there's no helping it… right?”

After saying that, she secretly cast a pleading look at Kazuma. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No, no, no, you're overthinking it! She purely just wants to get beaten up. The point about not being able to hit you guys is true, though.”

“Because she loves pain and wants to experience more of it, she put all her points into vitality! It's purely a personal hobby, stop imagining things.”

The crowd outside the video suddenly wanted to laugh when they saw the Demon King's General. It was bad enough that none of them were decent, but there was also a high probability of them being driven crazy…

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“A Demon King's General, huh? Not bad at all!”

Kazuma took a light sip of black tea, looking incredibly calm, like a veteran cadre who had been retired for many years.

This version of Kazuma scared Aqua, who asked with some worry:

Um… Kazuma, did you take the wrong medicine?”

Darkness and Megumin looked at each other, holding the same thought:

“Yeah, this is really too strange.”

The usually incredibly cowardly Kazuma, why isn't he panicking at all after meeting a Demon King's General this time?

Facing his companions' doubts, Kazuma elegantly put down the teacup in his hand, his body shimmering with a Buddha-like light:

“I've just seen through it…”

Yes, he had reached enlightenment! After watching the video for so long, he finally realized one thing: absolutely do not leave the Starter Village!

Demon King's Generals that others find hard to meet, even if they wanted to? Why do I bump into them wherever I go? This isn't scientific at all! What happened to my extremely high luck?

Turns out extremely high luck is only good for stealing panties, right? UghI don't actually dislike that point, but can you share some of that luck for daily life?

I'm just a weak and helpless Starter Village player. What kind of broken matchmaking system is this? I really don't want to play in high-end ranked matches!

 。。。。。

【 “You're called Sylvia, right?” Kazuma really couldn't watch anymore and slowly walked up: “The Crusader over there is a ruthless character who fought to a draw with the Demon King's General Vanir!”

Sylvia was filled with astonishment upon hearing this, and even her subordinates stepped back in fear: “Vanir? I heard he went to Axel and never returned! Could it be he was by you…”

Kazuma's expression became increasingly arrogant: “That's right, the one who dealt the fatal blow was Megumin right here!”

The people of the Crimson Magic Village were surprised to hear this and praised Megumin one after another. Megumin was twisting the corner of her mouth, almost unable to suppress her laughter!

“The Dullahan Beldia, Deadly Poison Hans, and even the Mobile Fortress Destroyer, all fell at the hands of us four.”

“Beldia and Hans, too?” Sylvia's face was written with disbelief, then she fell into deep thought: “Indeed, contact with Hans was cut off recently. It seems you are not lying.”

After confirming her thoughts, Sylvia looked at Kazuma with eyes full of apprehension: “You must be the leader! Can you state your name?”

Kazuma suddenly froze. He didn't want his name remembered by the Demon King's Army. He decisively drew the short sword at his waist: “I am Mitsurugi. Mitsurugi Kyouya. Remember it well.”

Aqua and the others behind him all looked at him speechlessly. As soon as the critical moment arrived, he chickened out again, and now he was starting to beat a retreat.

Sylvia said with cold sweat streaming down her face: “So you are the Master of the Magic Sword… Mitsurugi! Since we've run into such a powerful team…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Saying Megumin dealt the final blow isn't wrong… But why does it sound like he died? He just quit his job and went to be a wage slave for Wiz!”

Hahaha, this act of identity theft reminds me of the gutsiest man in the whole apartment complex… Me! Zhang Wei, is a bastard!”

The crowd outside the video revealed subtle expressions. If you don't mention the process, it is indeed true, but listening to it feels really weird… Also, Megumin, tone it down a bit; your nose is almost touching the sky.

Until seeing the end, everyone couldn't help but laugh. He took the credit, Mitsurugi took the blame, and the train ticket was bought overnight.

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Seeing this, Merlin burst out laughing:

Hahaha, still persecuting Mitsurugi. As expected of you!”

As the saying goes, when fellow townsmen meet, they stab each other in the back! But you can't just keep shearing one sheep. Nowadays, when out and about, who doesn't create an alt account!

Just like me, I can even create a female alt. Lady Avalon caused the trouble. What does that have to do with me, Merlin?

Ishtar said with a smile:

“Speaking of which, he pulled out Chunchunmaru, wanting to pass it off as a Magic Sword. Isn't it a bit too short?”

Sylvia was completely hoodwinked! She totally suffered from the information gap. Vanir isn't dead; he went through normal resignation procedures, and she actually didn't know?

The most critical thing is that short sword, Chunchunmaru—how does that look like a Magic Sword! You actually believed that?

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma also quit while he was ahead, putting Chunchunmaru back, trying hard to maintain his persona as the Magic Sword Master: “Even if I defeat you here, it would feel like riding on the Crimson Magic Clan's coattails. Too boring.”

“Then many thanks, Mitsurugi!” Sylvia had long wanted to retreat, so she took the offer made to her: “See you next time. We will decide the victor then. Retreat!!”

Sylvia turned and ran with her subordinates. The Crimson Magic Clan people instantly unleashed another bombardment: “Don't let them get away! Lightning Strike!”

An auntie didn't want to be outdone: “Light of Saber!”

“Catch them to be magic test subjects!”

Following a series of explosions, Sylvia and her subordinates fled in panic, not a single one daring to look back.

Kazuma watched the fleeing Sylvia and finally breathed a sigh of relief: “Treat Mitsurugi to a glass of sparkling wine next time!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, Kazuma's look is hilarious. He's clearly scared to death inside but still pretending to be calm.”

“Good lord, who is the real villain here?! Exterminating them all is too ruthless, and catching them for test subjects? …Is this something a righteous person would do?”

The viewers who witnessed the whole process had black lines all over their faces. Truly, where there is a Crouching Dragon, there is a Phoenix Chick. Both of them were clearly cowards, yet both were pretending to be calm.

The most critical point is that these people from the Crimson Magic Village look more like Demon King's Generals than Sylvia! They showed no mercy when attacking. 'Catch them for test subjects'—they could actually say such things.

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

Watching the scene of bombardment before her, Albedo was silent for a moment:

“Is that auntie really a farmer? Is a farmer this strong?”

The folk customs of this Crimson Magic Village are too fierce. What did they grow up eating? They really don't keep idle people; every single one of them is above the level of an Arch Wizard.

How suicidal is this Demon King's Army to invade the Crimson Magic Village? Up until now, it seems like these people haven't even been serious; they were just fighting casually.

“It looks like that auntie is indeed a farmer. Also, that's not called retreating… that is running away!”

Ainz was speechless too.

Sylvia didn't want to fight at all. Perhaps she knew she couldn't win, so she found a random excuse to run. This Crimson Magic Village is simply a dimensionality reduction strike.

Honestly, he started to pity the Demon King a bit. What kind of god-like opponents are they encountering? They can't even get past the stage of the Crimson Magic Village.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Kazuma-san… isn't he thinking a bit too highly of me?”

Mitsurugi looked at the screen with a twitching mouth.

He just felt that his shoulders seemed a bit heavy. He was carrying a blame pot that didn't belong to him, and this pot was a bit big!

“So… I've taken such a huge blame for you, and you just plan to treat me to a glass of sparkling wine?”

“Achoo—”

Inside the mansion, Kazuma took out a tissue and silently wiped his nose. He felt like someone was badmouthing him.

Although throwing the blame on someone else is a bit scummy, Mitsurugi looks like a goofball. Generally speaking, he's a good person, so he probably won't mind such a small matter.

 。。。。。

Chapter 399: It's cold, so crawling into the blankets is perfectly logical, right?

Chapter Text

【 The scene changes, and the time is now night. Megumin's mother has once again knocked everyone unconscious, and Megumin is sound asleep as a result of her mother's magic.

Kazuma lies in his futon, holding Megumin's hand, thinking constantly… because if this continues, he'll become a simple criminal!

“First, I need a reason to be able to get handsy in Megumin's futon!!”

A thoughtful Kazuma immediately came up with a great idea: to use the excuse that it's too cold outside to get into her futon. All he had to do was make this excuse a reality!

“That's right, my power probably exists for this very day!”

So Kazuma chanted magic at the room's window, pouring nearly all the mana in his body into a full-power strike, covering the entire window with a thick layer of ice.

The temperature in the room plummeted.

“This is the effect I wanted. With the window frozen, Megumin can't escape through it like she did yesterday. I'm such a genius!”

Just as Kazuma was admiring his own idea, the sleeping Megumin was suddenly woken up by the cold due to the sharp drop in the room's temperature.

“Good morning! Did you sleep well?” Kazuma held Megumin's hand, rubbing it repeatedly. The latter instantly felt that things were not good at all. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, so Megumin's mom is the real god! Selling her daughter not once, but twice. This madam is trying way too hard!”

“A hooligan isn't scary; what's scary is a cultured hooligan! Brother Kazuma, I bow to you, that was just too brilliant.”

Outside the video, everyone was stunned by Kazuma's genius-level idea. It turns out that Kazuma's scumbaggery is our ceiling, but not his floor.

But… why do you always go all out in these strange situations! We've never seen you this serious when fighting the Demon King's generals.

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte watched Kazuma's bottomless antics and was utterly speechless:

“To go this far and still be able to come up with such a legitimate reason, you've really outdone yourself…”

For a moment, she didn't know whether to call Kazuma brave or cowardly… To be able to 'legitimately' crawl into a futon, he didn't hesitate to use all his mana to freeze the window and lower the temperature.

As if doing so gives him a legitimate reason and makes him not a criminal? Seriously, what's the difference?

Also, your power doesn't exist for these kinds of ridiculous things! It's meant for subjugating the Demon King, you scumbag hero.

〜Gintama World〜

Seeing such bizarre behavior, Toushirou Hijikata's motion of lighting a cigarette stiffened:

“Kondou-san, have you ever arrested a hero in an RPG game? This isn't a hero, this is a crime.”

This reason can only convince himself, not the law. Spend your next life in prison, you perverted hero.

Kondou crossed his arms, shook his head, and said with a serious face:

“It's because it's too cold that he got into the same futon. It can't be helped, it's not a crime!”

Looking at a certain gorilla who seemed eager to try, Toushirou sighed helplessly:

“Listen to me, give up on that unrealistic idea of yours. You'll be beaten to death by Miss Otae.”

Kondou immediately felt guilty:

“I haven't said anything yet.”

“What nonsense are you talking about, Kondou-san!”

Sougo also said with a serious face:

“A so-called hero is a criminal who randomly enters people's houses, rummages through their chests and drawers, and takes the savings villagers have hidden in boxes!”

“…”

Kondou fell silent. Damn it, for a moment, he couldn't even refute it. After all, what Sougo said made so much sense.

 。。。。。

【 Megumin was so scared she scrambled out of the futon, tearfully scolding Kazuma: “Did you finally cross the line, you beast! Kazuma, you beast.”

Facing Megumin's scolding, Kazuma was incredibly calm, not blushing or skipping a beat: “Idiot, it's just because it was cold that I subconsciously held your hand. But it's about time you thanked me. I'm always the one cleaning up your messes.”

These words put Megumin's mind at ease. She immediately took Kazuma's hand and thanked him seriously: “For taking in a magic user who was stranded on the streets and could only use Explosion magic back then, thank you!”

“When I use up all my mana and can't move, you always carry me home, thank you. Even though I always cause trouble, you always kept me at the party.”

Hearing Megumin say such uncharacteristically sincere words, Kazuma actually became shy. He also thanked Megumin in the Crimson Demon Clan's unique way, because he also often causes trouble for everyone.

Seeing Kazuma's shy yet goofy appearance, Megumin giggled: “Please take care of me from now on.”

“I-It's really cold today, like being in an ice cellar… or something.” After Megumin saw the thick ice on the window, the harmonious atmosphere from just a moment ago vanished instantly.

“Kazuma, what is going on here?”

Kazuma was visibly guilty and tried to bluff his way through: “A Winter Shogun just passed by, froze the window, and left.”

Megumin immediately panicked and, without another word, went to pull on the door: “Someone, come open the door! Open up, open up… Mom, Kazuma froze the window!”

As for the madam outside the door, she remained calm, pressing her ear against the door, unmoved. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, why don't you guess why you were woken up by the cold… I knew it, something always happens whenever things get serious.”

“High attack, paper defense Kazuma. Hit him with a wave of sincerity, and he can't take it.”

Pfft… haha, everyone outside the video was amused by Kazuma. Just as you can always trust in Kazuma's scumbaggery, you can also trust in his complete lack of integrity.

He even blames freezing the window on the Winter Shogun. So he came all this way just to help you freeze a window? Who would believe that!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Unlimited Blade Works Worldline〜

Watching the sudden shift in tone between the two, Tohsaka Rin, who thought she was about to see some fun, sounded slightly disappointed:

“They were only serious for that short a while…”

The originally warm scene suddenly took a turn in an unexpected direction.

“It would be weirder if they stayed serious for too long.”

Illya seemed a bit uncomfortable when Kazuma and Megumin were speaking from the heart.

Looking at the madam still eavesdropping by the door, Emiya Shirou said with some lingering fear,

“Megumin's mom is really something else. She's been squatting at the door for two nights, right?”

A mother like that is a bit scary. To think that the biggest pervert, Darkness, is actually the one with the most integrity in this house. At least she tried to stop it…

Oh, Megumin, you should just give up on escaping this room. Your mom has no problem with Kazuma freezing the window, or rather, it's exactly what she wants. Otherwise, who do you think locked the door?

 。。。。。

【 Watching Megumin try to escape the room, Kazuma rolled over in his futon: “It's strangely cold, hurry up and sleep. I know I was wrong, I'm sorry, okay!”

Hearing this, Megumin had no choice but to lie back down. But Kazuma secretly acted up again from behind, hitting Megumin's neck with a Freeze spell.

“Aah—, you used Freeze magic again, didn't you! Just how much do you want to stick close to me!”

Unable to take it, Megumin dove directly into the futon and lay on top of Kazuma, looking a bit shy: “No wonder Darkness said that when that good-for-nothing actually gets to the point of doing those things, he'll try to joke his way out of it.”

Looking at Megumin before him, Kazuma's ego gradually inflated. Indeed, my romantic golden age has arrived! But just then, an announcement rang out.

“The Demon King's army is attacking! The Demon King's army is attacking!”

The Demon King's general, Sylvia, was sneaking around outside the house. Kazuma grabbed his sword and rushed out, his words filled with rage: “Are you asking for a beating! Showing up to spoil the mood when things were getting good, what's wrong with you!”

Sylvia was so startled she subconsciously apologized: “I'm sorry… uh, wait!”

Then Sylvia looked at the angry Kazuma, then at the blushing Megumin, and gave a wicked smile: “Oh my, could it be you were busy with this young lady?”

Aqua was also woken by the commotion. After seeing the Demon King's general, she immediately ran off to inform the others.

Fueled by the anger of having his good time ruined, Kazuma charged at Sylvia with his sword: “Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a beautiful woman. I advocate for true gender equality.”

“When facing a scummy woman, giving her a dropkick is no problem at all!”

Clang…” His furious strike was casually blocked by the opponent. Kazuma instantly sobered up. He had used up all his mana on that stupid stuff just now, and now he couldn't even use magic.

Sylvia pinched the blade of Kazuma's sword between her fingers, her expression a little puzzled: “I say, are you really Mitsurugi?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, this is the first time in a long while that we've seen Kazuma lose his head to anger.”

Pffthehehe, you got carried away, didn't you? Now you finally remember you're just a scrub with a power level of five. It's all your fault for staying home and not grinding levels whenever you get money!”

Watching Kazuma's attack get easily blocked, everyone outside the video facepalmed. Who told you to use all your mana on such ridiculous things!

And now, the only one on the team with a brain has fed the enemy a kill. How are your brainless teammates supposed to fight now?

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Although he's not Mitsurugi, he is definitely a more terrifying opponent…-arinsu”

Shalltear looked at Sylvia with a bit of pity in her eyes:

“There's still time to run-arinsu.”

Kazuma isn't proper like Mitsurugi. He's known as the king of scumbags with no integrity. He's capable of doing anything, no matter how low. If you underestimate him, you'll easily fall into his trap.

Ainz: “It's this scrub with a power level of five right in front of you who took out several of your colleagues. Can you believe it?”

Although the Mitsurugi identity was a bluff, Kazuma wasn't lying about the other things. Their party indeed defeated the Dullahan, Hans the Deadly Poison Slime, and Vanir.

If you don't run now, are you waiting for your own funeral feast? If you're gone too, the Demon King will almost be a general without an army…

Haven't you seen? The Dullahan has already settled down on the other side of the Sanzu River. He even goes to bother Wiz from time to time, just waiting to welcome you all down for a reunion.

 。。。。。

Chapter 400: You’re the Peak! Kazuma’s Lifelong Indelible Shadow

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 Sylvia looked at the sharp blade clamped in her hand with a look of disgust: “Is this thing the Magic Sword Gram?”

Seeing his identity was about to be exposed, Kazuma immediately put his quick wits to work. Just as he was about to start bluffing, Megumin spoke up before him.

“Chunchunmaru… That sword's name is Chunchunmaru. Don't compare it to some incomprehensible magic sword like Gram.”

Ahahaha…” Realizing the person opposite her wasn't Mitsurugi, Sylvia burst into laughter right then and there: “So you're not Mitsurugi?”

“My name is Satou Kazuma. I hid my real name because I was worried about being wanted by name by you guys…”

Sylvia relaxed completely and couldn't stop laughing: “That way of thinking is just wonderful. I really like it.”

At this moment, Aqua ran over, bringing Darkness with her, while Megumin's family ran off to call the other Crimson Demons.

Sylvia threw the sword she had caught to the side, then hugged Kazuma tightly against her chest. Kazuma put up a token resistance that was barely there; in reality, he was taking deep breaths constantly!

“Thanks for the rewa… No, no, this is a trap!”

Finally, Aqua couldn't watch anymore. She raised her hand and fired a Sacred Exorcism, but because Sylvia was a Chimera, it didn't cause a fatal wound.

“I am Sylvia, Head of the Enhanced Monster Development Bureau, the one who has subjected myself to multiple syntheses and modifications, known as the Chimera Sylvia!”

“This man before me is mine. Let us become one again!”

Several tentacles extended from Sylvia's waist and bound Kazuma's upper body. Kazuma took a deep breath and spread his arms, willingly being bound.

Then he was pulled to Sylvia's side, pressed tightly against her body, his head buried in her chest.

Watching Kazuma's maneuver just now, Megumin was speechless: “Did… did he go over there voluntarily?”

Kazuma shook his head and nuzzled with a peaceful expression. This comfort and sense of security were like finding the psychological harbor he had been bitterly searching for. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, the Magic Sword Gram says it has never suffered such humiliation in its life. Chunchunmaru…”

“I'm dying of laughter. Was that action of spreading his arms serious?! At least act a little bit, struggle a little bit!”

Everyone outside the video was laughing nonstop at Kazuma's cheeky maneuver. It perfectly demonstrated what it means for the mouth to say no but the body to be honest. As expected of you, absolutely outrageous.

However, there was one thing they didn't understand. With the strength of Megumin's family, they actually had to run to the Crimson Magic Village to call for backup?

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“So they really exist… World-class ones…”

Muttsurini murmured with a pale face before collapsing into Akihisa's arms from excessive blood loss, looking as if he had no regrets in life.

“Yeah, it really makes one env… No, that's not right.”

Akihisa, who almost spoke his true thoughts, reached out to wipe his nosebleed and said with utmost seriousness:

“Don't be deceived, Muttsurini! Pull yourself together! Since she's a Chimera, maybe they're fake!”

Fake? Muttsurini, who had already seen his great-grandmother at the Sanzu River, snapped back to reality, then pounded the floor in frustration:

“But those are world-class… how could they be fake?”

Akihisa patted Muttsurini on the shoulder, looking so holy in this moment:

“It's okay! We will definitely find real ones. Someday, the door to a new world will open for us.”

Watching the two enacting a life-and-death parting, Hideyoshi could only retort speechlessly:

“Akihisa-yo, why is your brain always so sharp at times like this?”

Clearly an idiot, yet able to notice details at a time like this… Ugh, clearly just an idiot!

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“ 80 points… I can't give more!”

Iori gave his score in a low voice. If one ignored his naked body, he actually looked quite professional.

Kouhei looked at Iori in horror:

“That's only 80 points? Just how high are your standards!”

“I was talking about the self-introduction… What were you thinking of, you bastard!”

Iori revealed a beast-like smile, staring at Kouhei aggressively.

“I… I was thinking about that too, of course!”

Kouhei looked a bit guilty; he had indeed thought of something else just now.

Thinking about it carefully, Sylvia's self-introduction really followed the local customs, reeking of the Crimson Magic Village! Could it be that after hanging out with the Crimson Demons for too long, she also got infected with Chuunibyou?

Hahaha, this guy Kazuma got caught on purpose, didn't he? Just to take advantage… Hehe, he really has no moral compass.”

Azusa-senpai laughed heartily instead.

“Isn't that obvious? I wouldn't dodge either.”

Iori and Kouhei exchanged a tacit high-five. Who wouldn't take advantage of a freebie?

Kazuma was right. Such a large embrace fills one with a sense of security; it is simply the spiritual harbor one has been bitterly searching for, isn't it?

It must be said that these two are worthy of being best friends. They always have some strange tacit understanding in certain aspects, and on this matter, they held a unified opinion.

 。。。。。

【 Watching Kazuma get captured, Darkness anxiously rushed up with her sword: “Hold on! I'm coming to save you right now.”

“Don't worry about me.” Kazuma looked like he was lying on a sofa, nuzzling the back of his head against Sylvia's ample chest.

“Huh?” x4. Besides Aqua and the others, even Sylvia was stunned.

“You guys haven't seemed to care much about me lately, have you? This Miss Sylvia here even said she likes me…” Kazuma buried his head in her chest and continued to take deep breaths: “You made me accidentally consider defecting to the Demon King's Army. Apologize! Hurry up and apologize to the hard-working me.”

“Don't think about brushing me off with stuff, show some sincerity! Darkness, isn't your advantage that lewd body that teases men's hearts?”

“If you don't want me, who is entering his popularity phase, to wag my tail and leave with Miss Sylvia, then apologize obediently!”

This utterly shameless behavior left even Sylvia, a member of the Demon King's Army, a bit dazed. After recovering, she reached out and patted Kazuma's head.

“You are really interesting. But don't make girls feel too awkward, okay? You have to understand a woman's heart a little more.”

Darkness glared at Sylvia somewhat angrily: “For a Demon, you sure understand the heart of a human woman quite well.”

“Of course I understand, whether it's a woman's heart or a man's heart.” Sylvia stroked Kazuma's head while speaking nonchalantly: “Because I am half man!”

“I am a Chimera. These breasts you love so much were synthesized and grafted on afterwards.”

As soon as these words came out, the air fell silent for a moment. Only Kazuma was sweating cold bullets: “Miss Sylvia, it feels like something is poking my butt…”

Sylvia revealed a somewhat shy yet wicked grin: “I'm doing it on purpose!!”

Hearing this, Kazuma stopped thinking… 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, turning the tables directly, even the Demon King's Army was confused. As expected of Brute Kazuma, easily accomplishing things we cannot.”

“…Decided. From now on, Kazuma is my big brother! A leader in the world of scum, a man I will respect forever, worthy of admiration and worship.”

He is just too cheeky, this man! Not only did he voluntarily surrender to the enemy, but he lay there and took a deep sniff, and even used this to threaten his teammates.

Trash, absolute trash! It has to be you… The boss of the brutal world is truly leaving others in the dust.

Until they saw this final scene, the crowd who had been admiring Kazuma's brutality instantly suffered cardiac arrest… It was just too awesome; they were laughing so hard they were cramping up. This time, it really was going to kill people with laughter.

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

“YAMERO!!!”

Gintoki and Shinpachi clutched their heads and let out painful wails, their eyes full of disbelief, even beginning to question their worldview and philosophy of life.

“In other words, Miss Sylvia… no, it should be Mr. Sylvia… no, beneath that pretty face of hers, there is actually a Babylon Tower!!”

Shinpachi was dumbfounded. This was too far off from the semi-finished products like Miss Saigou that they usually saw. This was a genuine ladyboy!

Gintoki immediately trembled all over and buried his head in the drawer, trying to stuff himself further inside:

“Shinpachi, c-calm down. What we need to look for now is a time machine.”

He had to remind himself from a few minutes ago not to watch; otherwise, it would leave a psychological shadow! It would be terrible if his Old O became impotent along with him.

Watching the two in their panic, only Kagura picked her nose indifferently:

“Isn't it just a Babylon Tower? Don't you both have one too!”

It wasn't just Gintoki and the others doubting life; the Shinsengumi side was also wailing across the board, wishing they could donate their eyes to those in need.

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“As expected of the evil Demon King's Army, too evil!”

Iori felt his whole body filled with a sense of justice, unable to tolerate even a speck of evil.

His attitude did a 180-degree turn, completely forgetting what his stance was just a few minutes ago.

Kouhei was even worse off, staring blankly while holding a bottle of 96% Spirytus, muttering terrifying words:

“This stuff should be able to disinfect if I wash my eyes with it…”

“If you don't want to go blind, please don't do that.”

Azusa-senpai quietly retorted, then revealed a wicked smile:

“Weren't you guys very envious just a moment ago?”

At the mention of this, the two subconsciously shivered. Envious? That was because they didn't know hell lay ahead… uh, and hell lay behind too!

Especially that last sentence from Sylvia, the lethality against men was astonishing!

They didn't need to think to know that Kazuma definitely suffered an indelible shadow for life, a shadow even deeper than that of the female Orc!

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Ohhhh, the Legendary Trauma of Satou Kazuma... )

Chapter 401: ↑↓←→←→! The Secret Cheat Code to Clear the Game

Chapter Text

【 “Let go quickly, don't poke me with your old D, I'll kill you!” Kazuma, who had been taken hostage, let out a strange scream, his whole body still trembling with lingering fear.

Sylvia brought Kazuma to a mysterious facility in the Crimson Demon Village: “Don't worry, I won't do anything rash! We've shaken off the pursuers, so I'll let you go.”

After hearing her words, Kazuma calmed down a bit and started looking at the surrounding environment, feeling like he had been here before: “Where is this?”

“This is the Crimson Demon Village's underground storage warehouse. My goal is to find the ancient magical weapon—the Mage Killer.”

“It can nullify all magic; it is a fatal weapon to the Crimson Demons!” Sylvia said while taking out something that looked like a magic tool and placing it in front of the suspected warehouse door.

But she didn't expect that the barrier breaker, which usually worked every time, had no effect this time. For a moment, Sylvia was at a loss: “What is this? Isn't it a magic-type seal?”

However, the sharp-eyed Kazuma discovered familiar text written on the instrument next to it: “Input command? Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right…”

Sylvia immediately exclaimed: “Do you recognize these ancient characters?”

“This, it's entering a password to execute a famous cheat code…” Kazuma blurted out subconsciously, and after realizing it, he hurriedly covered his mouth. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good lord, why do I feel like the Demon Race is so friendly? Releasing the hostage after shaking off pursuers? She didn't even consider killing the hostage.”

“As the saying goes, where there is poison, there must be an antidote within five steps. So the Crimson Demon Village just grandly placed the item that counters them right next to it? Isn't that a bit too careless!”

Looking at the so-called ancient text, and that conspicuous Famicom controller, the corners of the mouths of everyone outside the video twitched slightly…

The person who invented this seal must be a certain otaku thrown over by Aqua in the past. To use these as a seal, that's really something!

Isn't this just the cheat code for 30 lives in Contra? They actually used this as a password.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“I don't have a Mage Killer… but I do have an Imagine Breaker. Do you want it?”

Kamijou Touma was also staring blankly at his right hand.

It's fine if the names are similar, but why are the effects so similar too? Nullifying all magic… could it be that my right hand is sealed inside?

Remembering the scenes where he appeared in the video before, he knew there were eight dragon heads hidden inside, but he wasn't clear on what exactly they were… Sigh, I don't know if my world will be broadcast in the future.

Thinking of this, Touma scratched the back of his head in annoyance:

“Such misfortune! If it were me before the memory loss, maybe I would know what's hidden inside my right hand?”

Look at their seal: A game controller plus a cheat code, revealing traces of science everywhere. Then look at myself, not scientific at all!

It's one thing to run around with a seal, but as the party concerned with the seal, at least leave a key for me, Kamijou-san!

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Could it be that you also want to be an Ally of Justice? Mage Killer…”

After hearing this familiar title, Red A also remembered that familiar face.

He never expected to hear this title in another world. What, do you want to take a shot of the Origin Bullet too?

Artoria thought about it carefully:

“I think Caster's Noble Phantasm, Rule Breaker, is a bit more useful.”

It was incredibly useful. Although it only appeared a few times in the video, it played an important role every time.

“Let's disregard whether it's useful or not, isn't this Famicom game controller a bit too childish…”

Emiya Shirou looked at the seal on the screen with black lines covering his face.

Sealed Evil Gods, unknown Goddesses, and now an ancient magical weapon. This isn't a Crimson Demon Village at all; it's simply a village built on top of seals. Why are there weird things sealed everywhere!

The so-called ancient text is actually Japanese characters… In a sense, it is indeed ancient enough, but it looks too out of place!

 。。。。。

【 Sylvia was also full of surprise upon hearing this. This was a seal that neither the Crimson Demons nor the Demon King's Army could crack, yet he could actually understand it!

“It seems your abilities exceed my imagination!”

Realizing that Sylvia wouldn't let him leave easily now, Kazuma immediately assumed a fighting stance: “No matter how bad I am, I'm still an adventurer. Don't think I'll talk easily.”

“Intimidation and violence aren't the only ways to make people talk.” Sylvia licked her palm and said suggestively: “Such pleasure, let's see how long you can last…”

As a result, before Sylvia could finish speaking, Kazuma grabbed the controller without hesitation, his fingers flying up and down: “Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, off you go!!”

Click click… As the command was entered, the sealed door slowly opened, and a staircase leading underground appeared before the two of them.

Sylvia looked at Kazuma with a face full of shock: “…You, are you even fit to be a human?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No matter how bad I am, I'm still an adventurer… Hehe, I don't believe a word of it. You coward out way too fast!”

Hahaha, the iron-boned Scum-zuma perfectly interpreted what it means to defect at light speed. His body is way too honest.”

Even the people outside the video were shocked by Kazuma's bottomless lack of integrity. As expected of Trash-zuma, you really didn't hesitate for a second!

It's just too scummy. Even the Demon King's Army General was shocked. A complaint coming from the enemy… As a human being, is this really okay?

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

Kondo looked at the hand speed that was almost creating afterimages and issued a complaint from his soul:

“How many times have you used that cheat code, you bastard!”

He was sure that Kazuma belonged to the type of people for whom thirty lives weren't enough, able to type out that invincible command from back in the day, relying solely on muscle memory.

“Kondo-san, don't trust Scum-zuma's integrity. How much higher can it be than that silver-haired natural perm who looks stupid…”

Watching Kazuma's integrity-less appearance, Toushirou Hijikata's hand holding his cigarette went stiff:

“He was just saying 'no matter how bad I am, I'm still an adventurer'… Then show some adventurer's spirit, you bastard!”

He thought Kazuma would definitely compromise, but he didn't expect him to compromise so quickly. The opponent only moved their lips, and you just opened the seal?

“But as a Hero, he's definitely qualified,”

Sougo said matter-of-factly.

“Look, only with that kind of thick skin would one have the guts to rummage through people's houses without a care.”

“Let that trope go… That's not a Hero, what you're describing is a robber.”

After Hijikata finished complaining, he turned his gaze back to the screen… A person shouldn't, at least they shouldn't be like that.

 。。。。。

【 Sylvia just felt her way along the wall in the dark, walking down the stairs: “Forget it, this way the weapon belongs to me.”

Kazuma stood frozen in place, still holding the controller guiltily. Crap, I was so scared I inputted the command immediately, but!

Watching Sylvia's retreating figure walking down, Kazuma suddenly felt he was being looked down upon… Even if I'm unarmed, she is being way too careless!

“I can't stand it, I can't see anything at all. Hey, did you bring anything that can provide light?”

As soon as the words fell, Sylvia was pushed hard from behind by Kazuma, instantly tumbling into the dim underground warehouse.

Ah—”

“What are you doing…” After Sylvia turned back and cursed, she saw Kazuma standing outside the main gate, looking at her expressionlessly.

“Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right… Off you go!” Kazuma's fingers flew up and down, and the heavy door began to close slowly.

As for what Sylvia was still shouting inside, it was all ignored by Kazuma.

“Stop it… Wait a minute, stop it, you bastard!” Sylvia shouted and rushed towards the door, but was still a step too late, getting locked inside just like that. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, as expected of Kazuma, easily doing what others cannot do. The Eternal God!”

“I'm really going to die of laughter… Haha, despicable outlander. Since I can't beat you, I'll just lock you inside too.”

The crowd outside the video gave a thumbs up one after another. It was just too cheap. Whether as a human or a Hero, it was truly too despicable!

Although the Demon King's General isn't human, you are a real dog!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kuroko lay on the bed, laughing until tears came out:

“You saw Kazuma's scumminess just now, how could you dare to turn your back on Kazuma? What were you thinking!”

Never believe that Kazuma has such a thing as integrity. This is the King of Scum who can do anything, the Eternal God of the Scum World.

When it comes to stabbing people in the back, he won't have any psychological burden. He is a genuine advocate of gender equality.

Misaka Mikoto was also a bit speechless:

“So this seal isn't one-time use… It can actually be closed again!”

Did she see it wrong? How did she see a simple-minded Demon King General and a sinister and cunning Hero? Who exactly is the villain…

Although this Demon King hasn't shown his face yet, she knew that the Demon King's side definitely wasn't comprised of decent people either. As the saying goes, like subordinate, like boss!

 。。。。。

Chapter 402: Professional Flag-Setter; The Representative of 'Intelligence,' Aqua

Chapter Text

【 “Kazuma, are you okay? Where is Sylvia?” Just then, Aqua and the others, accompanied by a few Crimson Demon Villagers, finally caught up. However, seeing only Kazuma there, they were filled with confusion.

Kazuma pointed a finger at the large gate behind him: “I had a stroke of genius and locked Sylvia inside. If we keep her locked in there for a month, she should behave herself, right?”

It hurts, hurts, hurts! My chest! My chest seems to be caught in the door—

From inside the gate came the thump of knocking, along with the sound of Sylvia muttering complaints, but everyone ignored it.

Darkness said with some pity, “Are… are we going to starve a Demon King's General to death…”

“Please, Satou Kazuma! Can you open this door… Hey, damn it! Say something.”

Bukkorori was also full of praise for Kazuma: “Amazing, outlander! To think you could capture Sylvia, whom we've let escape so many times.”

“At least retort a little! If you bastards don't retort, I'm going to do it myself, you hear me! I'm really… gonna retort~.”

Sylvia's words continued to be ignored by everyone. Aqua looked the gate up and down: “By the way, isn't there a dangerous weapon sealed in here?!”

Hearing this, Bukkorori confidently told them to rest assured: “It's fine, it's fine. Even though we don't know how to use it.”

A Crimson Demon villager next to him chimed in: “If Sylvia can activate the weapon, we'll do a handstand and run a lap around the village.”

Kazuma could no longer hear Sylvia's cursing from behind him and suddenly felt uneasy: “Wait… that's a flag…”

Aqua reached out to signal Kazuma not to be nervous, saying with a smile, “What are you panicking for? We rarely defeat a Demon King's General.”

“Although Kazuma basically won it by himself, we are a team, so the bounty should still be split equally, right! When we get back to Axel, what should I buy?”

Aqua even started fantasizing about her plans after receiving the huge bounty. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good heaven, chest caught in the door, seriously? At least it wasn't her head caught in the door… That's just too pitiful, you guys should pay her some attention!”

“What a miserable General. Sylvia is about to be driven crazy; she's even started muttering tsukkomis to herself, yet not a single person is paying attention to her.”

This kind of “popping the champagne at halftime” behavior made everyone outside the video want to facepalm. This young man, the flags are raised to the max!

Especially Aqua's jinxed mouth. They had experienced it once before. Specifically, never fantasize about what you'll do after you return while in the middle of a fight; something is 100% guaranteed to go wrong!

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

Gabriel opened her mouth, her face revealing an indescribable helplessness:

“If you don't retort to me… I'll retort to you. Is this the current state of the Demon King's Army?”

It’s just like a child going to the toilet at night; because of fear, they constantly try to talk to others… What to do? I'm starting to pity her a little.

It gives a sense of deja vu of The Hero Yoshihiko… Of course, the hero here refers to Sylvia.

“Locking her up for a month… honestly, are you even human?”

Satania, that idiot demon, was even scared.

Whether she'd behave after a month in that place is unknown, but any idiot knows she'd definitely starve to death in a month.

What a terrifying hero, what a terrifying human… That guy Kazuma is simply born to be a demon! He can even come up with something this cruel.

〜That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime World〜

Shion was sweating a little:

“Can capture Sylvia, whom them let escape so many times…”

'Let escape many times,' seriously? I don't know if you guys are praising Kazuma or showing off.

But at least Shion understood one thing: Sylvia's attack on the Crimson Demon Village really is just a tourist attraction for you, Crimson Demon Villagers. You guys are really too inhumane.

Staying on top of Ranga's head, the Slime's gaze became subtle:

“Handstand run a lap, what to buy after returning! It's really maxed out, the flags are fully raised.”

Aqua even said the most taboo words. Now it's really over. Based on his years of experience, Kazuma at this moment is like an old general on a theater stage, his back covered in flags.

 。。。。。

【 Facts proved that, just as everyone thought, the moment the flag-expert Aqua finished speaking, the ground began to shake.

Kazuma hurriedly led the group out of the building. Accompanied by several flashes of light, Sylvia sliced the building to shreds, directly blasting the group away.

“This is my ability! Whether it's a weapon or whatever else, I can synthesize, absorb, and fuse it with myself!”

As the dust settled, under the illumination of the moonlight, Sylvia's lower body had turned into a giant snake body shimmering with metallic light: “I am Sylvia! The chimera who has obtained the strongest power, Sylvia!”

Now, she had merged with the Mage Killer, gaining the ability to be immune to magic.

Kazuma was dumbfounded watching this, while Megumin, whose face had turned pale from fright, frantically tugged at Kazuma's sleeve: “Ka… Kazuma, this is bad. Run, let's leave here immediately!”

Bukkorori led the few people from the Crimson Demon Village and began to flee into the distance while doing handstands: “Forget the village, we're all done for!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“See, I told you not to raise flags, sure enough, something happened… But Sylvia's chunibyo behavior really is a case of 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'.”

“Did Aqua put points into a Flag Skill? It hits every single time.”

The crowd outside the video froze when they saw the two running away on their hands. You two really keep your word; you said handstand, you do handstand, and you run so fast, even upside down.

 。。。。。

【 “Although I have quite a few grudges against you, thanks to this, I obtained power, so I'll spare your life! You just stay here and watch me destroy this village.”

After saying this to Kazuma, Sylvia advanced towards the village and began a rampage of destruction.

After merging with the magic-immune divine artifact, she was simply the nemesis of the Crimson Demon Village, which was full of magicians. They could only watch helplessly from the cliff as the village was destroyed.

At this time, the culprits, Kazuma and his group, also found the village chief. Unexpectedly, the chief apologized first, saying it was rare for them to visit, yet such a thing had to happen.

Hearing this, Kazuma felt extremely guilty. Bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down his face endlessly, and he could only apologize constantly in his heart… Sorry, the one who undid the seal was me.

Kazuma was also heartbroken seeing the destroyed village and hurriedly asked if there was any remedy: “I… I say, is there really nothing we can do?”

Actually, there was one method, but no one had been able to decipher the ruins where the method was written since ancient times. So, the group decided to split into two teams.

Darkness was responsible for protecting Megumin's family, while Megumin was responsible for taking Kazuma to the location of the ruins.

After confirming the plan, Kazuma nodded to the members of his squad: “Success or death!”

“'Success or death'? You may be outlanders, but you really get it!” This sentence struck a chord in the hearts of the Crimson Demon Clan, and they all stood up one after another.

“Alright, let's give a proper counterattack to protect our hometown too!”

“OH!!” The Crimson Demon villagers, ignited by this chunibyo atmosphere, responded in unison.

However, just as the atmosphere was heated, Aqua suddenly spoke up, completely ruining the mood: “Ne, although saying this is a bit of a buzzkill, I don't want to do something so dangerous. Providing support from a safe place is my job!”

That being said, it wasn't up to her. Kazuma directly dragged this atmosphere-ignorant, useless goddess away. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Good lord, does Sylvia have such a good temper? She was bullied by Kazuma to that extent, yet she didn't plan to take his life.”

“Is it my illusion? Although the village is destroyed, why does it feel like the Crimson Demon Village's attitude is like they are playing around?”

This useless goddess… Hardened. The fists of everyone outside the video hardened. They had just gotten fired up, only to have a bucket of cold water poured on them by her! If you know it's a buzzkill, don't say it!

Truly worthy of being a clear stream in the world of goddesses. Why does the art style change so suddenly when it comes to you, hey! Even the BGM went limp. Where did your mercy as a goddess go?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Hahaha… Useless Goddess Aqua… How do you manage to be so out of place…”

Ereshkigal, who was in the Underworld, was laughing so hard that tears came out.

As expected of the representative of wisdom, truly too wise. It would be one thing if her IQ were low, but unexpectedly, her EQ isn't high either.

If the atmosphere just now was full of passion, the moment Aqua opened her mouth, the genre changed instantly. It's like a Husky mixed into a pack of wolves; it looks out of place no matter how you look at it!

And in Uruk above the Underworld, Merlin also chuckled softly. This Goddess Aqua really brings joy at every moment… Of course, provided that the one being pitted isn't himself.

Watching Kazuma, who was still sweating from a guilty conscience, Ishtar was also speechless:

“I've figured it out. Whenever something big happens, it's Kazuma's squad causing trouble.”

The first time was Megumin, the second time was Aqua, and even Kazuma, who never pits people in big matters, capsized this time… Could it be Darkness's turn next time?

Good heavens, looking at it this way, how is this a Hero's Party? This is clearly a bunch of troublemakers. Even pitting people works on a shift system!

 。。。。。

Chapter 403: In that case, let’s call it the 'Railgun' calculation…

Chapter Text

【 Meanwhile, Wiz had also brought Vanir near the Crimson Demon Village. It was said that the goods in her shop were all imported from here, so they were absolutely reliable.

Hearing this, Vanir looked somewhat suspicious: “Your overflowing confidence is actually making me uneasy.”

“No problem, I have great faith in his craftsmanship… EEK!!!” Wiz hadn't finished speaking before she screamed in fright at the scene before her.

Where is the Crimson Demon Village? Where is my huge Crimson Demon Village? What the hell are these raging, burning ruins in front of me!

On the other side, Kazuma also found the legendary ruins, but…

Looking at the incredibly conspicuous statues of a Magical Girl and a Cat-eared Girl, Kazuma was dumbfounded: “Is there something wrong with their brains?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, even Mahou Shoujo are here. Now I know why the password at the door was something like a Famicom.”

“So this is your source of goods, Wiz… I finally know where those unreliable items come from.”

The crowd outside the video remembered the Crystal of Reconciliation that had exposed the two's embarrassing moments in the form of a short video, and for a moment, they couldn't help but laugh again…

No wonder the functions of those magic items are so weird. It turns out they were made by a bunch of Chuunibyou. This makes perfect sense!

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

Looking at the confident Wiz, Gabriel seemed to see the image of the coffee shop owner…

“I'm actually quite confident in my blended coffee.”

She really wanted to know where Wiz's inexplicable confidence came from. The items she sold were already on par with Demon World TV shopping products—expensive is one thing, but they're scams too!

Vignette also let out a cry of surprise:

“That's way too airheaded… Doesn't the fact that the Crystal of Reconciliation was made like that explain the problem?”

The craftsmanship is fine; the key is the bizarre, creative design of the Crimson Demon Village. They do whatever is weirdest. This is the real reason why you get poorer the more you work.

 。。。。。

【 Then, behind the stone wall, Megumin found the legendary inscription that no one could decipher. Kazuma took one look—isn't this just Japanese?!

Even a retard like Aqua could decipher it easily.

《 ⟦ One day ⟧ Oh no, this facility has been exposed. Luckily, they don't know what I'm making. If they knew I was using national research funds to make game consoles and toys, how would they punish me… 》

《 ⟦ Month X, Day X. ⟧ The King asked me to create a weapon capable of resisting the Demon King. I tried to fudge it by saying “War cannot birth anything” as an excuse, but I got slapped by a female researcher. 》

《 But having already abused the cheat abilities I got when coming to this world, I've done quite a bit for this country. My brain can't come up with new ideas anymore. 》

《 ⟦ Month X, Day X. ⟧ The new weapon against the Demon King is complete! But to put it bluntly, they are cyborgs. Those guys were even saying stupid things like “Master, please bestow upon us a new title.” 》

《 Who is their Master? You guys are way too enthusiastic… Because it was troublesome, I just casually gave them some names, and even came up with the racial name “Crimson Demon Clan” while I was at it. They looked pretty happy about it. 》

Kazuma went numb reading the records on this and hurriedly reached out to cover Megumin's ears. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, this strong sense of dissonance, and these sloppy notes! No wonder it feels so familiar. It had to be you, that old man from the Mobile Fortress.”

This old man really carved 'slacking off' into his bones… Just how much do you hate trouble? Even the name Crimson Demon Clan was mentioned casually.

The crowd outside the video was equally speechless. Using national funds to make game consoles and toys, and you have the nerve to carve it on a stone tablet? Bullying people because they can't read it, right?

〜OVERLORD World〜

Demiurge nodded thoughtfully:

“No wonder the Crimson Demon Villagers are Archwizards per capita. So they have such an origin. That makes sense.”

Although these people are very Chuunibyou, and their personalities are hard to describe, they are genuinely strong.

Shalltear came to a realization:

“Dodonko, Funifura… I finally know where these weird names came from-arinsu.”

After all, even the name Crimson Demon Clan was casually mentioned by the creator. The subsequent Crimson Demon Clan just learned a format and named the next generation. How could it not sound weird?

Ainz's subordinates looked at each other after hearing Shalltear's words! They felt somewhat fortunate that the Supreme Being they met was a serious one and didn't give them messy names.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Otaku aren't scary… what's scary are technical otaku.”

Kazuma opened his mouth, speechless at that cheat-like creativity.

He even made cyborgs. In a sense, this counts as creating a true race. The whole village is his masterpiece.

Thinking of this, Kazuma had a sudden flash of inspiration and looked at Megumin, who was still doubting life:

“So Megumin… do the Crimson Demon Clan actually need to use the toilet?”

Megumin, who was originally doubting life, instantly froze. She turned her head mechanically, revealing an expression looking at scum:

“Do you really have to ask these questions at a time like this?”

Can't you see I'm still feeling down? Scum-zuma! Read the atmosphere, the atmosphere!

Kazuma thought about it and felt Megumin had a point. Asking these things right now was indeed a bit inhumane, so he said apologetically:

“Sorry, I'll ask again next time.”

“…”

This time, Darkness and the others looked at Kazuma with new eyes. This really was something he would do.

Unlike the depressed Megumin, the crowd in the Crimson Demon Village at this moment not only didn't doubt life, but they could also even be said to be totally high:

“Androids or whatever, THAT'S PRACTICALLY THE COOLEST THING EVER!!”

After learning they had this setting, it was like a switch had been flipped, and their Chuunibyou levels became even more outrageous.

They even briefly planned to add the cyborg part to their self-introductions!

 。。。。。

【 Aqua stared blankly at Kazuma, covering Megumin's ears for a moment, then started reading aloud again.

《 ⟦ Month X, Day X. ⟧ After seeing the weapon 'Mage Killer' I made in the past, the Crimson Demon Clan started muttering, “This is our natural enemy! Fight magic with magic, we wish for a power to suppress its rampage!” 》

《 I don't dislike this kind of Chuunibyou thought process, so I casually built a… I intended to just build something casually, but I ended up making a ruthless device. 》

《 “Boom—” Accompanied by a deafening noise, a massive mushroom cloud appeared on the screen, followed by the old man staring blankly at the explosion before him. 》

《 This is bad… I casually moved my hands and created something terrible. It's only as long as a clothes drying pole, but if things go wrong, it might destroy the world! 》

《 I can't think of a suitable name. For convenience, let's call it “Railgun (Pseudo)”! 》

Reading up to here, Aqua turned her head aside, her face covered in cold sweat: “This… sorry…”

Kazuma grabbed Aqua's shoulders and shook her frantically: “Can you stop throwing just anyone over here? First the Destroyer, now the Mage Killer. How many times does this guy want to screw us over?!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So you are the culprit behind the Crimson Demon Clan's Chuunibyou! They all learned it from you, right…”

“What a strong sense of presence. This old man has clearly been dead for a long time, but what is with this presence that reveals itself constantly!”

The mouths of everyone outside the video twitched without exception. That power… that massive mushroom cloud, and you're telling me you just casually built it?

And is the name Railgun serious? I didn't expect this old man, who is a total brute, to be a fan of the Railgun!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Th… Thank you!”

Misaka Mikoto, who was originally smiling, instantly stiffened, revealing an awkward yet polite smile:

“Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”

That power sufficient to destroy a city, I can't compare to that, but… does that thing's principle have even a dime's worth of relation to electromagnetic acceleration? You're just bad at naming things, aren't you!

Honestly, what kind of people has Aqua been throwing into the other world?

The things they manufacture are one more terrifying than the last, and they do it with a slacking mentality. The Demon King hasn't destroyed the world yet, but the world is about to be destroyed by him!

Kamijou Touma sighed deeply:

“Goddess Aqua, I didn't expect your pitfalls to have a delay.”

He could even imagine the scene back then. Aqua is eating potato chips while disdainfully telling someone to hurry up and pick an ability, then throwing them over without a second word.

It's a good thing Kazuma brought this Goddess of Wisdom along; otherwise, who knows how many more reincarnators she would have thrown over to continue scamming people.

She threw so many over, yet the Demon King still hasn't been defeated. This other world is running out of locals!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

In the Underworld, Ereshkigal laughed softly:

“This guy… was sent by the enemy, right? It seems everything he invented is used to deal with Kazuma.”

It's no wonder Kazuma would go crazy. After all, not only did he encounter all the scam weapons this guy invented, but it also feels like they were all aimed at him.

Although Ereshkigal found it funny, Merlin had begun to doubt life:

“Are modern otaku this terrifying?”

The Mechanical Fortress that destroys nations; the casually made, magic-immune Mage Killer; the casually made clothes drying pole “Railgun” that might actually destroy the world, also casually made…

By the way, just what the hell are you casually manufacturing! As a fellow otaku, Merlin felt he couldn't keep up with the times. Wait… clothes drying pole?

Merlin, suddenly realizing the key point, had a face full of black lines. It couldn't be what I'm thinking of, right?

Just because it looks like a clothes drying pole doesn't mean it really is a clothes drying pole. Such a dangerous thing wasn't kept securely? That is the thing that truly needs to be sealed!

 。。。。。

Chapter 404: The Divine Artifact is broken? No problem, just give it a couple of whacks, and it'll be fine!

Chapter Text

【 Just as Kazuma was left speechless, Sylvia, who had burned down the village, was enjoying a carnival that belonged solely to her: “Burn! Burn it all down! Let the village of these brain-damaged fellows disappear right here and now!”

The group of underlings around Him cheered unceasingly, celebrating this hard-won victory. And just at that moment!

“My little ones…” Sylvia reached out to wipe a tear from the corner of His eye, speaking with deep emotion: “You have worked so hard up until now. Being able to last until today is all thanks to you!”

“We pledge to follow you to the death! Lady Sylvia.” The numerous underlings were also deeply moved. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Seriously… who exactly is the villain here! Is this kind of acceptance speech something a Demon King's General should be saying? It breaks character too much!”

“With tears in her eyes, it seemed Sylvia had suffered unbearably at the hands of the Crimson Demon Clan. Years of pent-up grievances and bitterness came flooding back all at once.”

The audience outside the video felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, especially with lines that sounded like they came after winning a difficult battle; it gave off a feeling more akin to the righteous faction.

 。。。。。

【 “That ends here!” Accompanying beams of flame descending from the sky, several figures appeared within the sea of fire, striking various strange poses.

“I am Pucchin! The number one teacher of the Crimson Demon Clan, the man who will eventually seize the seat of principal!”

“I am Shikbei! The number one angler of the Crimson Demon Clan, the man who will eventually catch a Kraken!”

“I am Chakami! The number one bakery owner of the Crimson Demon Clan, the man who is well-versed in yeast!”

The group stacked their hands together, and after gathering everyone's magic power, they raised their hands and aimed at the mob of monster underlings: “Blazing Flash!!”

A violent tornado accompanied by golden lightning ravaged the area ahead. Under normal circumstances, Sylvia should have long since been torn to shreds by such a powerful attack.

However, the powerful combined strike of the group caused absolutely no damage to Sylvia, who was already immune to magic. Even the underlings remained safe and sound under His protection.

Next, Sylvia didn't hold back, directly activating the Mage Killer ability: “Anti-Magic Field!”

A massive barrier of light was seen enveloping the group before dissipating. It seemed to cause no harm, but… magic could no longer be used!

“Tele… Teleport won't work either…”

What the hell are we supposed to fight with then? The Crimson Demon Clan members decisively started to flee, and seeing this, the goblins picked up their axes and chased after them!

“The Crimson Demon Clan without magic is just a disorderly mob. We've got this in the bag!”

The powerful Crimson Demon Clan never expected that one day they would actually be chased around by a pack of goblins. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Crimson Demon Clan's entrance was indeed cool, but these names really don't match your style!”

“Name, occupation, and ambition—is this the Crimson Demon Clan's self-introduction formula? Everyone is 'Number One', huh… Honestly, are there even enough occupations in your clan for you all to use?”

The audience outside the video watched that group of oddballs with black lines covering their faces. What kind of bizarre names are these? And what is 'the man well-versed in yeast'? Is that supposed to be some amazing title?

These days, even the small fry are frantically setting up death flags… Small fry, don't speak carelessly! Don't you know that saying 'we can win' is the biggest flag of all?!

A sentimental and righteous villain, a sinister and cunning scumbag protagonist, and a Demon King's General who actually cries… truly a good boss who protects their subordinates.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

“Number one angler, number one bread, number one teacher…”

Listening to these bizarre titles, Natsuki Subaru even began to wonder if he had transmigrated to the wrong otherworld and couldn't keep up with the times.

So basically, there isn't a single adventurer among them? Just these occupations… and you absolutely have to add a 'Number One' title to yourselves!

Listening to those chuunibyou introductions, Emilia, who had never experienced such things, smiled awkwardly:

“Can they speak properly…”

Apart from their occupations, she didn't remember a single thing from that round of self-introductions. What on earth was all that!

It was one thing for the names to be weird, but the movements were strange, too. Is this the 'chuunibyou' Subaru talks about? It made her feel uncomfortable just watching.

 。。。。。

【 At this moment, among the two girls running at the very back, one suddenly tripped over a stone, and the goblins stopped in their tracks.

Sylvia looked at the two isolated girls before Him and said with a hint of regret: “If you were cute boys, perhaps I could have let you off the hook.”

“Light of Saber!”

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, cleaving the cliff rock apart. The falling debris blocked the path of the monsters.

Yunyun was seen standing atop the cliff, her gaze fixed on Sylvia: “My name is Yunyun! The one who wields advanced magic! The Crimson Demon Clan's number one mage, the one who will eventually become the Chief!”

After striking various cool poses, special effects resembling a hero's entrance even lit up behind her.

Seeing this, the Chief cried a river: “My daughter…”

“The sun has risen from the west! That weirdo Yunyun, who didn't even dare to announce her title, actually…!”

“Yunyun, she… Yunyun has finally awakened!”

“The Chief's daughter has finally broken out of her cocoon and been reborn! She is my student! Well done, Yunyun! You've finally put the knowledge I taught you to practical use!”

Watching the poses Yunyun struck, the people of the Crimson Demon Clan boiled over with excitement. All of them were moved to tears; to them, Yunyun's entrance performance just now was simply too cool. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The only normal person in the whole village is here… Okay, pretend I didn't say that. It's finally over; Yunyun has fallen after all.”

“Crazy, they're all crazy. The one normal person isn't normal anymore…”

The audience outside the video could be said to be heartbroken. They saw the cool moment of Yunyun heroically appearing to save her friends, but at the same time, they witnessed the moment a young girl fell from grace.

How much courage did it take for a normal person to strike such social-suicide poses? Hopefully, in the future her won't want to commit suicide out of shame when recalling her dark history.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World〜

“The weirdo who didn't even dare to announce her title…”

Hearing this label, even Kamijou Touma was speechless.

A group of the weirdest chuunibyou calling a normal girl a weirdo—it's completely upside down!

He finally understood why Yunyun couldn't make friends. He never expected it was because she was too normal, causing the villagers to treat her as a weirdo instead.

And that teacher, seriously… what on earth did you teach her! Yunyun just struck a chuunibyou pose, and you say she's put it to practical use? Do you just teach chuunibyou quotes in class?

Thinking to the end, Kamijou couldn't help but sigh:

Sigh… it must have been hard for you not to grow up twisted among this group of oddballs.”

The last conscience of the Crimson Demon Clan has thoroughly fallen here. Look at how excited her old father got seeing Yunyun finally accept chuunibyou.

 。。。。。

【 Although Yunyun's entrance was cool, Sylvia didn't indulge her and charged forward. Yunyun, without a second word, turned and ran.

And all of this was Kazuma's plan. Kazuma was seen holding the legendary artifact… the Laundry Pole (Railgun), opening the scope and aiming at Sylvia.

“Made it in time. Let's end everything with this!”

And Aqua transformed into a ruthless loader, constantly stuffing Exorcism Magic into the Laundry Pole!

Megumin's father was also very satisfied: “Is that, my son-in-law…”

Kazuma looked at Sylvia through the scope and bid a final farewell: “Sylvia, it was nice knowing you! Farewell!”

“Pop—”

He pulled the trigger with determination, but the result… nothing happened. Only a puff of air was fired.

“For this kind of thing, you just have to do this!”

Darkness, thinking it was broken, walked straight up and started banging on the Laundry Pole. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Times have changed. Kazuma stopped playing with bows and arrows and is playing with a sniper rifle… Wait, times haven't changed, it's a dud!”

“That repair technique, I'd call it professional! This is the universal repair method of the entire world; the only downside is that it's too hardcore.”

Watching Darkness banging away, the clang clang sound in the video, the audience outside nodded in satisfaction. That's right, this is how things should be fixed!

TV not working? Bang it twice. Fan not working? Bang it twice, too. If banging it twice doesn't work for anything, then just buy a new one; it's beyond saving.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Kazuma, who had been staring at the video, put his hand on his chin, fell into deep thought, and then said with a serious face:

“The first child should definitely be a girl.”

Darkness grabbed Kazuma by the shoulders and shook him continuously, asking somewhat anxiously:

“From where in that scene did you draw that conclusion?!”

Kazuma, dizzy from being shaken, answered subconsciously:

“That's obviously because… that old man already called me son-in-law.”

“I see… that really is something you would do.”

Darkness was shocked by Kazuma's lack of morals and subconsciously let go.

She almost forgot that Kazuma is a scumbag who will take advantage of any excuse to make a move.

〜Gintama World〜

“Very good, it seems she has deeply understood the Sakata family's repair method.”

Gintoki nodded with considerable approval. After all, that's how the antique TV in his house was fixed.

Shinpachi, acting as the straight man/mother hen, had the corner of his mouth twitch slightly:

“So 'when in doubt, give it a whack' really is used nationwide…”

“Gin-san… that percussive maintenance only applies to household appliances! What she's banging on is a weapon capable of destroying the world. Are you sure that's really okay? Will nothing happen? Absolutely nothing will happen?”

“Don't worry, Shinpachi-kun!”

Gintoki reached out to pick his nose and said indifferently,

“Even if it explodes, it won't blow us up!”

Shinpachi's face was covered in black lines upon hearing this:

“You never believed it could be fixed from the start…”

What kind of nonsense are you spouting? This immoral, useless adult… 'Even if it explodes, it won't blow us up'… Is that really something a Jump protagonist should say?

 。。。。。

Chapter 405: The Sanzu River—The Demon King Generals' Retirement Activity Center!

Chapter Text

【 Seeing Darkness and Kazuma starting to quarrel, Aqua quit as well, instantly joining the argument squad: “Please! I even helped replenish mana, what is going on with you guys!”

Several people began pulling and tugging at each other regardless of the situation, while Yunyun, who was being used as bait, was still running away while crying and apologizing.

Just then, Megumin stepped forward and directly began chanting Explosion Magic: “I am Megumin, the foremost and almighty controller, the one who stands above the high heavens of magic and issues commands!”

Accompanying Megumin's chant, a gloomily blue light lit up around her body. Colorful stars continuously burst open, and overwhelming magical power ceaselessly gathered towards her staff!

Seeing this, Megumin's mother shouted at Megumin: “Stop using that kind of gag magic! You're a big girl now, it's so embarrassing.”

Sylvia, who had been chasing Yunyun, stopped. She sensed that the magical power surging from Megumin was no joke.

“EXPLOSION—!!”

The Explosion Magic released by Megumin shot towards Sylvia… but halfway through, it took a turn and was absorbed by the mana intake of the Railgun thrown on the ground.

“Eh…” Megumin and the others were all stunned. It looked like such a powerful strike, yet it was just gone?

Aqua directly picked up Komekko, intending to run away, but didn't forget to say solemnly, “Kazuma, as a goddess, I have a responsibility to protect the life of Komekko, so I'll be going first.”

But the held Komekko reached out and pointed at the Railgun: “By the way, that place is flashing!”

Kazuma then saw that on its side, a FULL sign was blinking: “This guy isn't broken, it was just out of mana!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Although they are all Chuuni, Megumin's opening speech has the most style… After all, her brain might be entirely used for making up these lines.”

“A roast from her own mom, but… you're telling me Explosion Magic is a gag magic? Whose family's gag magic gets thrown around like a nuke?”

Everyone who had witnessed the destructive power of Explosion Magic couldn't hold it in. As expected, the worldview of the Crimson Demon Village cannot be described by common sense…

Madam, that 'gag magic' in your mouth has a destructive power that is a goal countless magicians fail to reach even after exhausting their entire lives!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Watching Aqua's performance, Ishtar slapped her forehead with a pa sound, no longer holding any expectations for this mentally disabled goddess:

“Aqua… why are you always able to be so unique in a crowd?”

As expected of you. Thinking of running away at the critical moment is one thing, but the excuse you found is laughable. Saying something about being a goddess needing to protect the little life of Komekko…

Even she was a bit speechless. Since you know you are a goddess, don't always think about running away!

The Wise King Gilgamesh laughed loudly without restraint:

Hahaha, Ishtar, isn't this great? At least you, a useless goddess, have a companion now.”

After his customary mockery, he directly ignored Ishtar's gaze that looked as if it could kill people, and instead looked somewhat doubtfully at the mentally disabled goddess on the screen.

Clearly possessing unfathomable magical power, yet failing to fill the 'Railgun'. So, what exactly did you charge it with just now?

It's a critical moment. Could it be that she was slacking off again, showing up but not putting in the effort… Damn, that's actually possible!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma lifted the 'Railgun' and aimed it at Sylvia, who was almost right in front of them: “Remember my name! When you get to the other side, say hello to the other Generals for me!”

“I am Sa…”

Dong!” Just when Kazuma wanted to handsomely announce his name, Komekko beat him to it and pulled the trigger.

Accompanied by intense recoil, a dazzling flash erupted from the muzzle, instantly piercing through Sylvia's chest. The momentum showed absolutely no sign of decaying, and even a corner of the mountain behind her was obliterated.

Sylvia coughed up blood, seemingly not having fully reacted yet: “Th… This… I… just finished… like this?”

After Sylvia finished speaking, she fell powerlessly to the ground and emitted an explosion. Komekko walked in front of the explosion, whipped her cape, and struck a victory pose.

“I am Komekko, the Crimson Demon Clan's number one devilish little sister, the one who surpasses the Demon King's Generals!”

Kazuma was still holding the Railgun, which had turned into wreckage, standing stiffly in place. His kill was stolen!

And Sylvia, who had been killed, had now arrived at the familiar side of the Sanzu River. Opposite her, the Headless Knight and Hans were welcoming her arrival.

Beldia shouted somewhat happily towards Sylvia: “Come, come over here!”

Hans was muttering to himself on the side: “I've become clean… soap… detergent!”

By the time she reacted, it was too late. She was directly dragged to the bottom of the river by the Headless Knight and Hans.

Aqua hugged the scrapped gun barrel and said with a face full of pity: “What a tragic battle. I swear I will never hurt others again.”

Kazuma hurriedly told Aqua to shut up: “Stop saying those flag-raising lines!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Kill steal hahaha! Komekko, this child, has a future from a young age!”

Hahaha, Headless, you're recruiting souls again? Wiz indicates she knows this place too well. Pity that you didn't wait for Wiz this time.”

Everyone outside the video couldn't help but laugh every time they saw the Sanzu River… The Sanzu River, also known as Wiz's Happy River, is always a regular there.

And there's a huge probability of meeting an acquaintance. As expected, it's still you, Brother Headless. Aren't you a bit too dedicated? You're still there even now!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Seeing Hans still constantly muttering about soap, Kuroko knew just how miserably this General had been persecuted:

“…Hahaha, laughing to death. This Hans has a grudge against soap.”

The Axis Cult truly lives up to being the most terrifying place. Even though he has been dead for so long, Hans still hasn't escaped the shadow of edible soap.

If it really doesn't work out, just hurry up and join the Axis Cult. Although your intelligence might be lowered, it's still better than being insanely persecuted!

On the other side, Kamijou Touma was also truly numb:

“The Sanzu River… is it some kind of Demon King General Retirement Activity Center?”

I'm talking about you, Headless Knight! You were clearly purified by the Goddess Aqua, so go pass on honestly! You're almost becoming an Earthbound Spirit of the Sanzu River.

This isn't some tour group sign-up. Do you really have to wait for everyone to gather before leaving?!

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

Looking at Sylvia, who was instantly one-shotted, Kitahara Iori couldn't help but click his tongue:

“Another Demon King General gone. This is already the fifth one, right?”

Clearly, Kazuma's team has been slacking off on the matter of subduing the Demon King, but why is their efficiency getting faster and faster? He hasn't even left the novice village yet.

Kohei, however, began to worry:

“Honestly, is it okay for Aqua to talk like that? Every time, it's the Goddess raising a Flag that causes trouble.”

“Relax!”

Iori reached out and patted Kohei on the shoulder, signaling him to be at ease, and said with confidence,

“Sylvia has sunk to the bottom of the Sanzu River. Can she still stir up any big waves?”

“If anything else can happen, I'll eat this wine bottle too!”

Hearing this, Kohei directly took a wine bottle and placed it in front of Kitahara Iori, showing none of his previous worry:

“Don't you think your words just now were already raising a Flag?!”

Hiss… You scumbag, you set me up!”

Kitahara Iori sucked in a breath of cold air and reached out to strangle Kohei's neck. I… don't want to eat a wine bottle!

 。。。。。

Chapter 406: Dullahan, Slime, Fusion Summon: The Chimera Sylvia!

Chapter Text

【 However, just when everyone thought it was over, Sylvia's corpse suddenly swelled up again, and the figures of the Dullahan and Hans appeared within it.

“How can life end here? My life is just beginning; I'm going to go further and further!”

“Come… come over here.”

“I've become clean!”

Sylvia had fused with the Dullahan and Hans, her power growing even greater. A casual spit of venom was like a flood!

Just as Kazuma and the others were about to be submerged by, Wiz arrived in the nick of time: “Cursed Crystal Prison!”

With a single move of freezing magic, the venom was instantly frozen into pillars of ice, and only then did Kazuma and the others manage to save their lives.

It turned out that Vanir and Wiz had come to visit the craftsmen of the Crimson Magic Village to commercialize Kazuma's inventions. If the village were gone, their business deal would fall through.

Hearing this, Aqua immediately got anxious, reaching out to grab Kazuma and questioning him relentlessly: “Kazuma, didn't you say that your clever little patent would let me live a life of spending money like dirt?”

At this moment, Sylvia also heard the noise and rushed over, stunned when she saw who had arrived: “Wiz? Vanir?”

Upon seeing Sylvia, Aqua immediately hid behind Wiz's back, and Kazuma also fearfully hugged Vanir's arm, refusing to let go.

Wiz, on the other hand, smiled and greeted her: “Long time no see, Miss Sylvia. Can you give me some face and resolve this peacefully?”

“I certainly will not!” Sylvia looked at Wiz and Vanir below, flustered and exasperated: “You bunch of traitors!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Holy cow, you can fuse from the Netherworld, too? Are you a chimera or a duelist? Fusing directly from the graveyard… Yuki Judai would call you a pro!”

The crowd outside the video was dumbfounded. They didn't expect it could be played like this? Sylvia, are you playing Link Summoning or Pendulum Summoning? You can even fuse from the void… Who knew you were a concept-level being!

And Aqua… why did you chicken out again? Usually, when you bully Wiz, don't you strike with heavy punches? What's with hiding behind Wiz's back now?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Tohsaka Rin sucked in a breath of cold air as she watched Sylvia fuse with the poisonous slime and the Dullahan:

Hiss—this isn't scientific at all, nor is it magical!”

The Dullahan and Poisonous Hans were beaten until not even dregs remained. Even taking a step back, in this desolate wilderness without even a catalyst, where did you find the fusion materials?

Illyasviel pursed her lips and retorted:

“Why do I feel like Wiz's 'face' never works…”

She is strong, undeniably strong; a single long-range freezing spell froze such a large area of venom. The gold standard of the King of Undead keeps rising.

But… I just don't know why every time she asks for “face,” it's like a law of causality—the opponent definitely won't give it.

Archer looked at Illya speechlessly:

“She's attacking her own colleagues; how could she possibly give Wiz any face?”

From the moment Wiz saved Kazuma, there was nothing left to discuss, not to mention that Wiz is a neutral figure.

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

“Live a life of spending money like dirt…”

Ristarte, a fellow goddess, had her face covered in black lines. Aqua, it seems that's all the ambition you have.

Don't forget the Demon King hasn't been defeated yet. Thinking about these things all day, what happened to coming here to save the people in dire straits? Why does it feel like your personality is even more rotten than that brute hero Kazuma!

Ariadoa looked a bit worried:

“So… the Dullahan and Poisonous Hans have also revived!”

Speaking of serious matters, Ristarte put away her exaggerated expressions and nodded seriously:

“Yeah, not only did they revive, but they also fused together!”

Wait… Poisonous Hans, who is immune to physical attacks, fused with Sylvia, who is immune to magic?? What kind of monster is this!

One can only say 'nigerundayo'. No hope, just wait for death! Isn't this invincible? Then what's the point of fighting!

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“Do you want to smash it and eat it mixed in a salad, or do you plan to chew it raw?”

Azusa-senpai, with a belly full of black schemes, handed the wine bottle to Iori, thoughtfully providing two options.

“I choose… to run!”

Looking at the wine bottle, Kitahara Iori broke into a cold sweat and took off running.

If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have raised a flag! Who could have thought Sylvia would win the resurrection match! And she even brought her two colleagues, Dullahan and Hans, back with her.

Could it be that you five cadres are gathering together to have a drinking party? …Anyway, I won't eat the wine bottle. I will never eat it in this lifetime. Running away is more important!

Unfortunately, he underestimated his best friend Kohei's understanding of him. In the blink of an eye, Kohei appeared behind him, reaching out to hook his neck.

“Where are you going, buddy!”

Then, a voice like a soul-reaping messenger from hell sounded in his ear:

“You haven't eaten the wine bottle yet…”

 。。。。。

【 While Sylvia was venting her anger on Wiz and Vanir, Kazuma and the others began to run away again.

“Although I don't understand, it's all Kazuma's fault for failing again, right! No, I don't want to go back to living in the stables. I've gotten used to a luxurious life; I don't want to work part-time anymore!”

Aqua didn't forget to complain about Kazuma while running away. In short, it's all Kazuma's fault!

Kazuma didn't have time to pay attention to Aqua. Instead, he looked back and found that Vanir and Wiz's attacks didn't seem to be working: “Damn it, does she have no weakness? No openings at all?”

“Openings… openings… Like? A time of popularity (Moteki)?” Kazuma seemed to think of something, skidded to a stop, and slowly took a deep breath: “I have to risk it all!”

On the other side, Wiz was still attacking Sylvia with all her might, but she couldn't cause any damage at all. Sylvia defeated Wiz with just a single strike.

Fortunately, Darkness appeared in time. Strangely, Darkness, whose hit rate is usually negative, was exceptionally fierce this time, every move hitting a vital point!

“That perverted knight who never hits her attacks actually… What happened? Ah, aren't you the all-seeing devil Vanir?”

As Sylvia's body squirmed, the Dullahan's head popped out, only then noticing that Darkness was wearing Vanir's mask.

Vanir, who had merged with Darkness, curled his lips into a smile: “It's been a long time, Hero Killer Beldia!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“I was just saying why Darkness isn't perverted at all today and can actually hit people. It turns out you're also a duelist, playing fusion too!”

“Speaking of which, a slime immune to physical attacks, a Mage Killer immune to magic damage—isn't this thing invincible!”

The crowd outside the video rubbed their eyes one after another, feeling like they had woken up too fast… They actually saw five Demon King cadres infighting!

However, everyone was more curious about what good idea Kazuma had come up with in the face of such an invincible opponent.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“If physical and magical attacks are useless, then use mental and soul attacks!”

Shokuhou Misaki lowered her head in thought. It seemed Kazuma's squad didn't have any of those.

If Darkness's perversion counts as a mental attack, then the damage is quite sufficient. When it comes to being a pervert, who can compare to her?

Meanwhile, in the Tokiwadai dorms, Kuroko was also incredibly surprised:

“Hero Killer? The Dullahan has this title?”

It couldn't be helped. Since the Dullahan died at Aqua's hands, one couldn't see where he was strong at all.

Kuroko finally realized that it wasn't that the cadres weren't strong, but that they met a weird team like Kazuma's, so they became weird too!

〜Gintama World〜

Watching the infighting between those Demon King cadres, Shinpachi was somewhat speechless:

“Why do you guys only bring out your real skills when you're infighting!”

Shinpachi, with his mother-hen personality, felt a chill in his heart for the Demon King. A bunch of cadres: dead, betrayed… plus Wiz, who puts in no effort, and Vanir, who acts whenever he can.

Yet, only during infighting does everyone stop acting and try to beat each other to death…

Kagura was striking various strange poses on the side:

“Vanir, Darkness, Best Match! Kamen Rider Hentai!”

“Stop it, idiot!”

Gintoki rapped his knuckles on Kagura's head in annoyance:

“Don't you know that gorilla already used the money he earned for apologies?”

Although what Aqua said was a bit realistic, it made a lot of sense. After getting used to a luxurious life, one doesn't want to live in a stable… Gin-san here doesn't want to go to the late-night slot either!

If they keep making random references, they might really go from the golden 6 PM slot to a late-night program!

 。。。。。

Chapter 407: The Dedicated Villain and the Scumbag Protagonist! The Crimson Demon Village Arc Ends!

Chapter Text

【 At the same time, the others also began to take action according to Kazuma's instructions. Aqua was frantically buffing Kazuma: “Blessing… I've known Mr. Kazuma for so long, you really risk your life every time, huh.”

“Isn't there a Goddess watching over me?” Kazuma glanced back at Aqua and smiled: “Give me your greatest blessing, partner!”

Wiz was gathering the magic power of the entire village, while the perverted Kamen Rider had already gone berserk. With Vanir's assistance, he easily hacked the Dullahan out of Sylvia's body.

That formidable defensive power meant that even being hit by Sylvia left him unscathed.

“From now on, I no longer have to waste time on this village full of sick minds. As a General, I have fought gloriously until today. MY SUBORDINATES ADMIRE ME AND HAVE VOWED TO FOLLOW ME HERE—!”

While attacking Vanir, Sylvia kept speaking incessantly: “But it wasn't until the moment I fell into the abyss that I realized for the first time, fulfillment does not equal happiness!”

“No matter how hard I try, only Goblins are willing to pay attention to me. I want an unforgettable love! A life without love has no light for me.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“With a team like you guys around, how could I not risk my life? But, to be honest, Aqua is actually quite useful. You have to know that resurrection is a god-tier skill!”

“Love and glory, happiness and light… listen to these lines, aren't they righteous enough?”

Outside the video, after hearing Sylvia's remarks, everyone turned their heads away, finding it a bit unbearable to look straight at… Big brother or big sister? You are neither man nor woman, who would dare to love you!!

But it's not to the point of not getting any love. Didn't you see that Goblin daring to confess to you? That is undoubtedly true love, the kind that's locked in for life!

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Brother Kazuma knows his stuff! Knowing how to buff up before a fight.”

Ainz nodded with great satisfaction.

Although he didn't know what Kazuma intended to do, the point of having a Goddess apply full buffs increased Kazuma's winning rate significantly.

After all, aside from having a bad brain, Aqua could be called multi-talented, and her buffs were absolutely top-tier!

However, the only thing that slightly dissatisfied Ainz was why stacking seemed to only apply to one type of buff. If others saw this, they'd think we couldn't afford more…

Hearing Sylvia's outrageous speech, Shalltear also said blankly:

“Is… 'She' is looking for a boyfriend or a girlfriend?”

Whether you are male or female is still unclear, so it's no wonder no one likes you. But… you could try falling in love with yourself. It doesn't require a dowry anyway, a guaranteed profit!

 。。。。。

【 “YOU IDIOT—!” Sylvia, who was originally feeling sentimental, heard a scolding voice full of frustration at her lack of ambition from behind. She looked back and found Kazuma standing on the cliff, looking somewhat handsome.

“That's not right!” Kazuma reached out and untied his robe, flinging it into the sky: “Sylvia, you… Haven't you been sparkling ever since the moment I met you?”

Sylvia was shaken upon hearing this, a blush gradually appearing on her face: “Th… this is the first time someone has scolded me so directly.”

“Sylvia…” Kazuma took off his undershirt and, with a bare upper body, opened his arms towards Sylvia.

“You child, really…” Sylvia looked as if she couldn't help it, and also opened her arms. The tentacles extending from her back slowly pulled Kazuma towards herself: “Li… like…”

Kazuma's eyes were also filled with love as he opened his arms to welcome the embrace: “Li… like…”

After a burst of holy light, Kazuma and Sylvia merged into one, with only his upper body exposed on Sylvia's chest. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, what kind of outrageous development is this… I'm laughing tears, this is just too funny!”

“I can't take it, my stomach hurts from laughing. As expected of you! This plot is just too grassy (T/N: internet slang for hilarious/absurd)… Kazuma is a true man!”

The people outside the video were laughing so hard they could barely breathe. It was simply too abstract. Just using the word 'Kichiku' (demonic/brutal) wasn't enough to describe Kazuma's bottomless operation. It was absolutely brilliant!

This was simply the most outrageous scene since the videos appeared. It had to be said that Kazuma's sacrifice was indeed great. As expected of you, the undisputed King of Kichiku, I respect you as a man!

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Yuuji, having rarely regained his vision, saw such an abstract scene and laughed until he was rolling on the floor:

Hahaha… I can't… I'm going to laugh myself crazy… heheha…”

No matter what Kazuma intended to do, this could be recorded in history and be famous for eternity. Even after playing so many RPG games, he had never seen this method of conquering!

They say the Hero's mission is to conquer the Generals and crusade against the Demon King, but he didn't expect him to actually conquer (seduce) them!

“This is the style of a great general!”

Sugawa, the leader of the FFF Inquisition, had tears in his eyes. To be able to make a move on that, he is simply a role model for our generation.

He decided to use Kazuma's ideology as the guiding policy for the FFF Inquisition. With a general who dares to conquer even monsters pointing the direction, why should they worry about remaining single!

〜Date A Live World〜

“Look at him, that's what you call professional!”

Kotori Itsuka, with a lollipop in her mouth, scolded Shido.

Date them, make them shy, steal their first kiss, add them to the harem! It felt like Kazuma completed these steps instantly. Truly invincible.

Shido smiled awkwardly:

“Who could do what he does and still keep a straight face…”

Leaving aside the major obstacle of the other party's identity as a ladyboy, they were even of different species, yet he could still speak without changing his expression.

Sometimes he really wanted to say to Sylvia: Don't believe a word Kazuma says! That's Scum-zuma, something will definitely go wrong.

 。。。。。

【 “Su… such a large amount of magic power, please accept it!” At the same time, Wiz also transferred the magic power of the entire Crimson Magic Village to Megumin and Yunyun!

A massive sphere of magic power instantly surged into Megumin and Yunyun's bodies. Even Yunyun was shocked by such enormous magical power.

But Megumin was still blaming herself for Kazuma risking his life: “To actually let Kazuma become Sylvia's weakness, if only I knew advanced magic…”

Yunyun saw Megumin's hesitation and spoke softly: “Megumin, do you no longer believe in Explosion Magic?”

Just this one sentence revived Megumin to full health. The two held hands and began to chant magic, the Light of Saber and Explosion Magic merging!

“Explosion Magic is romance, the strongest magic that turns all impossibilities into reality! Explosion—”

Layer upon layer of magic circles flashing with red light stacked in front. A deep blue torrent of magic power surged wildly around them, then transformed into a blazing light that rushed towards Sylvia!

“Lo… ve…” Sylvia spread her arms, fully concentrating on putting up a mental shield, blocking this explosive attack: “Drea… ms! Ho… pe!”

“Magic like this cannot take away my life. I want to move forward, towards the future!”

Just then, Kazuma suddenly spoke softly, then winked: “Sylvia, come… pass on with me!”

“Lo… ve you!” Sylvia was distracted for a moment and was directly pierced through the chest by the scorching torrent of magic power. Kazuma was also howling in pain.

Ahhh—”

Finally snapping out of her love-struck brain, Sylvia looked at Kazuma on her chest: “Satou Kazuma… you… You played with my feelings! But I still love you!”

“This is my popular phase!!” After Kazuma said his last words, he perished along with Sylvia. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No… why are the lines recited by a Demon King General so full of positive energy! It's too inspiring; it makes you feel like you are more just than the protagonist!”

“Love, dreams, hard work, hope! You are the protagonist, right? Big sister, you took the wrong script, you're saying all the lines the protagonist should be saying!”

The corners of the mouths of everyone outside the video couldn't help but twitch. The villain is fighting with love and hope… and what is the hero doing? Using pure love to deceive a maiden in love.

Moving forward, towards the future… This villain is so positive, so hot-blooded! Is this the freaking power of a villain?

 。。。。。

Chapter 408: Kazuma: In that case, let’s just keep putting all the points into Explosion Magic!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Even Accelerator, who considered himself a villain, felt utterly stunned watching such a sadistic ending:

“Is this… something a human would do?”

The sentimental Demon King Army versus the insidious and cunning Protagonist Group. This guy is the real villain, isn't he! Is there really no lower limit to his moral integrity? He really will do anything!

Even Kamijou Touma covered his face in shame, harboring the same thought:

“Although he won with great difficulty… why do I feel like he lost at life?”

You lost completely, Kazuma-san! Although you won, in terms of methodology, as a human being, you have lost thoroughly!

The Demon King's cadre shouted about hopes and dreams while charging forward; it was simply a reversal of the natural order. Is that a line you guys should be shouting?

And what is our Hero Kazuma doing? He's still deceiving feelings! Is this something a righteous Hero should do?

You two definitely grabbed the wrong scripts; you both got each other's scripts…

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Dr. Roman ignored Da Vinci, who was already laughing hysterically beside him. Instead, he put down the coffee in his hand and sighed slightly:

“Kazuma died again. Whether physically or mentally, this time, he really has become scum.”

For Dr. Roman, who had been trying to save the Human Order, losing meant the extinction of all humanity. For Kazuma, who had the task of saving the other world, it should mean roughly the same thing.

So he didn't have much of an opinion on Kazuma's methods. Although it was a bit sadistic, a bit scummy… this wasn't playing house, after all. Winning is what matters!

Watching that sadistic scene, Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth:

“For a split second there, I actually hoped Sylvia would win…”

If you have to blame someone, blame this villain for being too righteous, while the protagonist acting as the righteous faction is too villainous.

Mash was also speechless at this ending:

“This has to be the most miserable cadre. Even worse than the Dullahan and Hans…”

This is a honey trap! The heartless scoundrel Hero toyed with the emotions of a pure-hearted young maiden, using her until there was nothing left. This Hero is simply too sadistic.

No wonder Aqua sent so many reincarnators over but never defeated the Demon King. Is this the true way for a Hero to unfold?

〜OVERLORD World〜

Ainz couldn't help but be filled with admiration:

“It appeared again, the strike that discards the Grand Order… er, discards life. Brother Kazuma, you really are brave!”

Perhaps others only saw the sadism of his actions, but… facing an invincible opponent immune to both physical and magical attacks, to be able to think of a countermeasure in an instant—he had already surpassed the majority of people.

Although he has a useless goddess to back him up with resurrection, the pain received is real. It's hard to imagine this is something a fifteen or sixteen-year-old high school student could do!

Moreover, this time, not even dregs remained; it wasn't certain he could be resurrected. Kazuma-brother must have acted with the resolve to die this time. It was truly a strike that cost his life!

Shalltear felt her brain crashing a bit, not knowing how to retort:

“An inspirational young maiden deceived by scum, resulting in a lost battle—arinsu. Tears…”

 。。。。。

【 After the battle ended, Aqua and the others searched the battlefield for a long time before finding a few crumbs of Kazuma, barely enough to resurrect.

If not for using Aqua's Blessing to boost his luck to the maximum, likely not even bone ash would have remained, and his soul would have scattered right then and there.

Still in that familiar death space, Goddess Eris looked at Kazuma's miserable state on the chair. It disgusted the Goddess so much that she turned her head away and couldn't help but vomit rainbows…

As for the destroyed Crimson Demon Village, the Crimson Demon villagers spent just three days rebuilding it completely. The previous sadness was nothing more than a group performance of Chuunibyou.

After returning to the Novice Village and learning of Kazuma and the others' achievements, everyone put aside their prejudices and cheered for them: “Toss Kazuma-san up in the air!”

“Is that so? You suffered quite a bit. But isn't that exactly what adventuring is?” The pink-haired, muscular uncle leaning against the pillar smiled with relief upon seeing this: “Warriors also have the right to enjoy the cheers!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“So, adding the buff was just for this? Honestly, why not just get a residence permit in the death space? How many times has he died now? Coming here is just like coming home.”

“Eris: Is this… human… scum? Hahaha, he even scared a God into vomiting. I'm very curious what he looked like!”

Although the method of winning was a bit sadistic, it didn't stop the audience outside the video from being filled with respect for Kazuma. He sacrifices himself to heaven every time, dying more miserably each time, with death methods that are truly bizarre and varied.

〜Bleach World〜

“The sadness over the destroyed village… was actually all acting…”

Kurosaki Ichigo was dumbfounded. No, you can even fake that?

Thinking back to how he felt unbearable pity for them earlier, he felt like a fool.

Hardened. His fist hardened. Veins popped out on Kurosaki Ichigo's forehead; he wished he could punch each of them:

“You bastards, even with Chuunibyou, read the room! You guys were even improvising…”

Who could have imagined that they would even use the destruction of their village as a prop to satisfy their Chuunibyou outbursts? No wonder Sylvia said this was a village of people sick in the head!

Rukia, standing aside, also clenched her fists, wishing she could throw a punch too:

“Hell, Uncle, it's you again. This pink-haired uncle, I've tolerated you for a long time!”

Aren't you just an Artisan Weaver? Why are your words so cool every time, and with such style! Revealing the aura of a big shot at all times.

Given the nature of that world, could this uncle be some hidden, important character?

( Translator-kun: There's some theory that Ruffian is the Demon King. )

 。。。。。

【 After finishing their trip to the Crimson Demon Village, the group rarely had a picnic.

Following this battle, Megumin was still brooding over Kazuma's death: “I'm sorry… if only I had learned advanced magic, Kazuma wouldn't have had to die.”

Kazuma, thinking Megumin had finally enlightened herself, also started complaining: “Exactly. Before resurrecting, it felt as uncomfortable as being dead, you know.”

“And the moment of dying, it hurt like hell!”

After finishing his complaints, Kazuma finally noticed the dejected expression on Megumin's face: “What's wrong…”

Megumin was silent for a while, then, as if making a great resolve, she handed her adventurer card to Kazuma: “From now on, I want to become a mage who won't drag everyone down.”

Kazuma glanced at the card in his hand: “You want me to click the button to learn advanced magic for you? What about your infinite dream…”

“I'm graduating. I will seal Explosion Magic.” Megumin even gave a brand new self-introduction: “The number one mage of the Crimson Demons, the wielder of advanced magic. From now on, I will call myself this.”

Although Megumin said this, her eyes looked incredibly disappointed. She reached out, pressed down her hat, and lowered her head. Kazuma looked at Megumin like this and simply muttered, “Idiot.”

Then, after pressing randomly on the adventurer card, he handed it back. Megumin silently took back the card: “Let's go then…”

Kazuma suddenly spoke: “Say, Megumin, you haven't done today's one-a-day explosion yet, right?”

Megumin, still in low spirits, felt helpless: “You really are… I just made up my mind, and you make this request!”

Although she complained verbally, thinking this might be her final Explosion Magic, she still extended her staff and gathered magical power: “Goodbye… Explosion!!”

Just as she waved her staff, Megumin immediately sensed something different. Layer upon layer of magic circles appeared in the distant sky, followed by a pillar of light that covered the entire screen!

“BOOM—!”

As the perspective shifted to outer space, one could even see the blinding explosion…

Megumin lay on the ground and cried outright: “I am Megumin, the Archwizard who controls Explosion Magic, the number one mage in Axel!”

Kazuma didn't use Megumin's skill points to learn advanced magic, but instead added them all to power! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Yare yare, Kazuma has gained experience from dying. 'It felt as uncomfortable as being dead before resurrecting'… The problem is, before resurrecting, you were dead!”

“Megumin is… handing her life choices over to Kazuma. She's grown up! She realized Kazuma is more important than her own dream.”

This scene almost made the audience outside the video cry. In the journey of funny adventures, there is never a lack of touching moments… This is the other-world journey they wanted to see!

It's hard to describe Kazuma's personality. He's unreliable, that's true, but it's also true that he's reliable at critical moments. He never drops the ball when it matters!

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

Shinpachi took off his glasses and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He didn't expect to see such a touching scene amidst the sadism:

“Speaking of which, Kazuma's personality seems very similar to Gin-san's…”

Usually improper, loves to slack off, no moral integrity, but whenever a critical moment arrives, just like you can believe in Gin-san, you can always believe in Kazuma!

Hah? Don't compare Gin-san to the King of Sadism!”

Gintoki was unhappy. Although he lacked moral integrity, that didn't mean he was sadistic.

He didn't have the ability to resurrect after death. Didn't you see Kazuma has even developed thoughts on death? He's all too familiar with the sensation of dying.

Honestly, dying back and forth so frequently, with each death more painful than the last—the fact that his mind hasn't collapsed yet is simply a miracle!

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Ne… there shouldn't be anyone on that mountain, right—arinsu?”

Shalltear stared blankly at the terrifying Explosion Magic.

She still liked mushroom clouds this much. With this, the map is going to be rewritten, right? The power has now reached a point where it can be seen from outer space!

Albedo was somewhat speechless:

“It's already exploded. If there were people, they'd be dust by now.”

Demiurge also sucked in a breath of cold air:

“As the saying goes, fear not the opponent who knows ten thousand skills, but the one who practices one skill ten thousand times.”

He was very curious if the Demon King Army's barrier could withstand Megumin's Explosion Magic. Keep in mind, they haven't even left the Novice Village yet. If they are allowed to develop further, what will happen?

“Truly a human nuke…”

Ainz stared somewhat entranced at the power of that explosion. Brother Kazuma really knows what to do at critical moments.

Although thinking this was a bit of a mood killer, Ainz still felt that the reason Kazuma chose to keep Explosion Magic was to feel Megumin's chest.

It couldn't be helped; he has a criminal record. Since he had been blown clean away, it couldn't be ruled out that Kazuma had that kind of thought.

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: The Konosuba arc is ending soon. After all, all three seasons are high energy…)

( Translator-kun: It's a lie, we will continue to season 3 )

Chapter 409: The Third Season of Being a 'Drama Queen'; Kazuma's PTSD Reaction: 'Don't Stand Behind Me!

Chapter Text

【 “Father, Mother, I mentioned this in my previous letter, but because I am so outstanding, the women of the world cast passionate gazes upon me.”

“Saying they want to bear Kazuma-san's children, hot big sisters with great bodies are also passionately seducing me. Hahaha, perhaps I'll be able to let you see your grandchildren's faces very soon!”

Accompanying Kazuma's letter confession, Kazuma was seen being worshipped by female adventurers in the Adventurer's Guild, even fighting jealously to hug Kazuma's arm.

Alright, alright… Oh my! You really are impatient.” Playing hard to get, Kazuma felt the soft sensation coming from behind him, and his expression became blissful.

“DING—!”

Kazuma felt like his butt had been bumped by someone: “Hey, hey, don't mess around in a place like this.”

“DING—!”

“DING—!”

Two more bumps, and Kazuma's face turned red: “Wait, so rough…”

“DING—!”

“DING—!”

“DING—!”

Now Kazuma couldn't take it anymore, turning his head with a blushing face to scold: “Hey! I am a man who values following proper steps, conservative and introverted…”

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes widened, his head mechanically looked up, discovering it was actually Sylvia behind him: “I… like it, the one I'm poking is you!”

Then Kazuma suddenly woke up from the nightmare with a start: “AHHH—!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, this letter you wrote to your parents seems really punchable. Aside from the address in the title, it has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

“On that day, Kazuma finally recalled the fear of being toyed with by Sylvia.”

Even the people outside the video couldn't help but laugh. They didn't expect this scene right at the start; it turned out to be fantasy time…

It seems this psychological shadow isn't just normally large; it's become Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“No— I want to go home!”

Kazuma revealed a little girl's posture, crying while covering his butt, terrified of being violated.

Too scary… even if it was a dream, it was too scary! He now severely lacked a sense of security towards this other world; as soon as he heard the ding ding ding sound, he shuddered.

Aqua gently stroked Kazuma's hair, filled with motherly love:

“There, there… It's okay, Kazuma-san!”

Darkness looked at the crying and sniveling Kazuma, saying with a face full of disgust:

“Kazuma, so that's how you write letters to your parents…”

Megumin also continued:

“All the women in the world cast passionate gazes at you?? You actually have the nerve to write that…”

How thick-skinned does someone have to be to write such shameless words? She coyly read two words between the lines… Peaches! He's dreaming!

Also, saying the whole world is a stretch, but the women of Axel indeed cast gazes at Kazuma, though those are gazes used for looking at scum.

 。。。。。

【 The next day, Kazuma crossed his arms, leaning against the windowsill, looking like an ascetic handsome guy, gazing into the distance, yet occasionally hugging his head and letting out strange cries.

This startled the others. Later, while eating a big meal at the Adventurer's Guild, Dust also leaned in behind Kazuma: “Doing pretty well lately, treat me to a meal too…”

It should be known that ever since Kazuma dealt with Sylvia, he would often have nightmares at night, and would immediately react as long as someone stood behind him.

Stimulated, Kazuma immediately turned his head and grabbed Dust's collar, cursing in panic: “Don't stand behind me!!”

This scared everyone present. After eating and drinking his fill, Kazuma made a decision: “I plan to become a monk!”

Aqua didn't care, and instead recommended: “Since you're going to become a monk anyway, I strongly recommend you join the Axis Cult.”

“Shut up, that is the one place I will absolutely not go.” Kazuma poured himself a glass of wine and slowly revealed the reason, completely because he had misunderstood his period of popularity.

All he obtained was a chastity crisis brought on by an Orc attack, and the mental trauma after dying in a lover's suicide with a Chimera!

Hearing this, Aqua gently hugged Kazuma's head: “You must be too tired. To someone like you, I send down an oracle, the Axis Cult doctrine…”

Kazuma immediately covered his ears, struggled to stand up, and strode towards the door: “I'm changing my job from adventurer to monk, don't get in my way!”

“Are you going to end this adventure that fears no death?” A muscular uncle in pink suspenders looked solemn, raising a glass to Kazuma as if he had a story.

“However, having such a period isn't bad, especially for young people; after all, they have infinite possibilities!”

Kazuma also gave a handsome, knowing smile: “Thanks.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“No, who are you, this ascetic handsome guy! This must be a fake; the leader of the Kichiku world couldn't possibly be this handsome.”

Hahaha, what a 'don't stand behind me'! Did Madara-sama back then also hate people standing behind him for this reason?”

Hearing Kazuma's explanation, the gazes of everyone outside the video became pitying. What a pitiful child, what a legendary life!

First, he almost lost his chastity to a female Orc, then he was forced to commit a lover's suicide with Sylvia. This… any normal man would get PTSD!

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Tohsaka Rin reached out and patted her forehead, feeling anxious about Aqua's IQ:

“Kazuma already said he's changing jobs to become a monk, and she still doesn't forget to promote her Axis Cult…”

That's not joining a cult, that's dying on the spot! Kazuma just has a psychological barrier; it doesn't mean he's stupid; who would join that inexplicable cult?

Also, if Kazuma goes to become a monk, are you going to fight the Demon King? Without Kazuma's brain, it's a guaranteed loss, Goddess-sama!

Emiya Shirou substituted himself into Kazuma's experience and shivered:

“Bitter wine slides down the throat, leaving the heart aching.”

Kazuma's experience in the Crimson Demon Village could fill a book. He even thought of the title: My Youth Romantic Comedy in Another World Is Absolutely Wrong!

Illya looked at this muscular man in pink suspenders with dark lines on her face:

“Sure enough, he appeared again, the uncle who only says cool things.”

It's too on-brand. This uncle always says cool quotes in inexplicable places. Clearly an artist of the hard-boiled style, yet his profession is just that of a weaver.

But he just has so much drama, giving people the feeling that his whole body is written with stories.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma found the receptionist's big sister and obtained a guidebook. Before leaving, he didn't forget to confess to his big sister Luna.

“Thank you for taking care of me. Also, I once liked you, Big Sister!”

Immediately after, following the direction of the guidebook, he packed his things, shouldered his luggage, and embarked on the journey to become a monk!

While Megumin and Darkness were still persuading Kazuma to give up, Aqua was eating cookies and said vaguely, “Don't worry, by evening, he will definitely miss sparkling wine.”

Kazuma turned and argued with Aqua: “Shut up, my determination is even firmer than that rocky mountain!”

Following their argument, Megumin, who received unintended ridicule, suddenly got angry: “Kazuma's determination will be shattered by me, Explosion—!”

Following an explosion that resounded through the heavens and earth, the mountain peak Kazuma just pointed at was instantly razed to the ground. The helpless group decided to spend the night there and continue their journey tomorrow.

Thus, Kazuma volunteered to keep watch, stating that staying up late was already a habit. Megumin was immediately surprised: “To actually be used to staying up late, what kind of life did you live in the past?”

Hearing this, Kazuma stared at the flames, somewhat entranced: “Let me think… charging into enemy lines with comrades, subjugating the big boss, sleepless and restless, doing all sorts of crazy things!”

“So amazing…” Darkness and Megumin both felt it was incredible: “It doesn't feel like a lie at all.”

“I can truly feel an aura of confidence from Kazuma as if it really happened!”

Facing Kazuma's handsome speech, only Aqua remained unmoved: “Hey, isn't that just online gaming…” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, as expected of Aqua, who knows Kazuma best. Honestly, I suspect Kazuma might turn around immediately upon seeing the temple.”

“A daily explosion. If this goes on, I'm afraid the map will have to be redrawn every month!”

Everyone outside the video was dumbfounded. Good heavens, one nuke and the mountain peak is flattened to the ground. You deserve to be in debt; with this way of exploding, no amount of money is enough for you to pay in compensation.

 。。。。。

〜Gabriel DropOut World〜

Hearing Kazuma's description, Gabriel smiled knowingly:

“From now on, you are my close friend!”

Listen to this description. He was clearly just playing video games all night, yet he made it sound as impressive as an adventure. When she returns to Heaven in the future, she must describe it like this, too.

Vignette was speechless:

“To put it bluntly, isn't it still playing games…”

No wonder there was no scent of lying, because he wasn't lying at all. In a sense, what Kazuma said was the truth.

They were all facts Kazuma had personally experienced, just phrased differently by him to appear so high and mighty. This is the art of language.

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Akihisa heard this kind of phrasing for the first time and empathized, striking a handsome pose:

Hmph, so I also did such amazing things every night.”

Akihisa stepped onto the desk with one foot, rested his elbow on his knee, and supported his head with his fist. Those who didn't know better would think he had saved the world.

“Stop it, Akihisa!”

Hideyoshi looked at Akihisa expressionlessly:

“No matter how handsomely you say it, it's just an otaku playing games all night every night.”

Watching Megumin and Darkness believing it deeply, Hideyoshi sighed. Kazuma is bullying them for never having played online games.

Low EQ: Playing games all night every day, so I'm used to staying up late!…

High EQ: Breaking into enemy lines with comrades, killing enemies, subjugating the boss, sleepless and restless!

Playing an online game, and he made it sound so flowery! This is the benefit of having a brain, a high EQ speech!

 。。。。。

Chapter 410: The Tranquility Girl; The Pure Gold Quality of a Veteran Actor!

Chapter Text

【 Time flew by, and soon it was late at night. Just after Aqua and Darkness had fallen asleep, Megumin looked up at the night sky and placed her hand atop Kazuma's.

“If only we could always… if only we could just keep living together like this forever, that would be nice.”

Kazuma froze up completely. His hand, now being held, felt as if it were broken; he didn't dare move a muscle. He hurriedly turned his head away and began a new round of mental gymnastics…

What is this bittersweet atmosphere?! What do I do? Why did she suddenly hold my hand… Has my popular phase finally arrived?!

Is this an invitation? Should I say something cool right now? Like anyone could actually say that! Don't underestimate us pure-hearted boys!

Stay calm, first take a deep breath!

Kazuma, face covered in cold sweat, took a deep breath. He turned to look at Megumin, revealing what he thought was a handsome smile: “Megumin… I… I guess I won't go become a monk after all…”

Before he could finish speaking, he realized Megumin had already drifted off to dreamland, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.

Kazuma's face instantly flushed beet red, and tears of grievance were about to spill out! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Eh, look at how pathetic you are. Brainstorming my ass at a time like this? You're usually so sadistic, how do you become so innocent as soon as something like this happens!”

Hahaha, this kind of development hits the spot after all. I knew he couldn't stay serious!”

Watching Kazuma look like a pure-hearted young boy who had been played by a scumbag girl, the crowd outside the video couldn't hold back anymore and burst into loud laughter with a pfft.

Don't expect to find touching scenes in this different world that only contains scum and absurdity. It doesn't exist!

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“Pure-hearted boy, pfft…!”

Hearing this, Iori really couldn't hold it in. The alcohol he had just taken into his mouth sprayed all over Kouhei's face.

Cough cough… Pure-hearted? Hahaha, the most sadistic person calling himself pure-hearted.”

This was simply as ridiculous as Kouhei saying he isn't an otaku and hates magical girls.

Kouhei reached out to wipe the alcohol off his face, then revealed a kind smile and handed a glass of water to Iori:

“You must be tired from laughing. Drink some water to rest.”

“Thanks!”

Iori thanked him, picked up the glass, and gulped it down… then suddenly smashed the glass onto the ground:

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!”

As the suspicious liquid remaining in the cup spilled onto the ground, it evaporated completely in just an instant…

Senior Azusa looked at Kazuma on the screen, who was so aggrieved he was about to cry, and laughed softly:

“He really is cute…”

Usually, he has no proper form, is as sadistic as can be, and has no morals, but every time it comes to moments like this, he becomes unexpectedly pure.

Megumin is really something, too, falling asleep at exactly this moment. It's not easy for a pure-hearted boy to work up his courage.

。。。。。

【 Just like that, the second day arrived. Megumin, realizing she might have done something last night, kept muttering to herself. Then, the group discovered a green-haired girl sitting on a wooden stump at the entrance of the forest.

The girl's right leg and arm were wrapped in bandages seeping with blood. She frowned from time to time, looking like she was in great pain.

“That child is injured~” Noticing the bloodstains, Aqua immediately walked towards the girl with concern: “Are you okay?”

Kazuma silently held Aqua down by the shoulder: “That is a mimicked monster… my Enemy Detection skill is warning me crazily.”

But looking at the girl's teary-eyed appearance, Aqua could hardly suppress the urge to go over and treat her!

Kazuma took out a guidebook and read it patiently: “Tranquility Girl. An extremely dangerous monster that arouses a strong desire for protection in passing travelers!”

“The kinder the person, the easier it is to be entangled by this monster. Please be very careful!”

Although he said that, Megumin, Darkness, and the others were reaching their limit, looking at the girl's pitiful appearance.

“Ka-Kazuma, that girl is showing a smile while desperately holding back tears, waving goodbye to us. Can we really not go over and hug her?”

Before Kazuma could answer, Aqua and the other two couldn't hold back anymore and immediately rushed over to treat the girl.

Subsequently, looking at the girl's healing smile, the group instantly felt satisfied. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Fairy Tail World〜

“How can anyone… bring themselves to do it!”

Looking at the girl's healing smile, Lucy was teary-eyed. It triggered people's protective instincts too much.

Juvia also couldn't bear it:

“Just thinking about attacking such a cute girl, Juvia's conscience hurts!”

Not eating or sleeping well would be a small matter! You'd probably have to wake up in the middle of the night to slap yourself and curse that you aren't even human!

The guild members all nodded with tears streaming down their faces, and it seemed quite a few guys had fallen for it too! Although they knew the girl was a monster, but… they really couldn't bring themselves to do it!

Once they did it, they would probably spend the rest of their lives condemned by their conscience and living in endless nightmares!

Seeing this, Mira sighed helplessly:

“It seems only Kazuma is the most rational one. This family would fall apart without Kazuma.”

Almost forgot that Kazuma is a genuine advocate of gender equality, without any bias… Scum-zuma looks perverted, but is unexpectedly rational!

〜Demon Slayer World〜

The kinder the person, the easier they are to be entangled… Hearing this, the gentle but not saintly Tanjiro frowned directly.

“Doesn't this mean it specifically kills good people? That is simply too excessive!”

It seems this crying girl is an unforgivable demon and must be eliminated; otherwise, more travelers will definitely be harmed in the future.

“Mr. Kazuma is so… uh, special, he should be able to do it!”

Tanjiro held down the constantly agitated Zenitsu while turning his gaze back to the screen.

。。。。。

【 Looking at the group overflowing with protective desire, Kazuma drew Chunchunmaru from his waist and stood in front of the Tranquility Girl: “It is that desire for protection that entangles travelers, and then it takes root in their corpses.”

The gazes of the group looking at Kazuma instantly became alert, blocking in front of the Tranquility Girl: “I won't let anyone do that!”

Unexpectedly, the girl suddenly looked at Kazuma pitifully, speaking with the slurred pronunciation of a toddler: “Kill… me?”

Seeing this, Aqua stepped in front of the Tranquility Girl, throwing jabs at Kazuma like a boxer shadowboxing: “Don't worry, I'll let my Sacred Fist make this man shut up!”

Tears welled up in the Tranquility Girl's eyes, her body trembling uncontrollably: “Kill… me?”

Seeing the girl tilting her head and looking at him with teary eyes, Kazuma felt as if he had been stabbed fiercely deep in his heart. He scratched his head with both hands, filled with conflict.

Aqua saw Kazuma's dilemma and offered a suggestion: “Since you'll regret it no matter which you choose, then just choose the one that makes the present more comfortable!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“At a time like this, I actually think the Axis Cult doctrine… is actually awesome!”

Even the audience watching the video could feel Kazuma’s internal conflict. In his heart, he couldn't bear to pull the trigger, yet he knew that if he did nothing, others would surely be sacrificed.

Is turning a blind eye an act of evil? Or is taking her life the true sin? A new 'Trolley Problem' had been born right before their eyes!

Is this the return of the Emiya Shirou dilemma?!

。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

“I can't take it anymore! Kill me, just kill me!”

Looking at the girl's pitiful appearance, Akihisa felt his heart breaking.

“This destructive power is really something!”

Yuuji wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling his heart being fiercely tugged.

Calm down, calm down! This must be the opponent's plan. She is a monster that uses the desire for protection to take root in the opponent's body. We can't be fooled!

But… who can calm down?! This pitiful appearance really maxes out one's protective desire.

You have to know that even the Gender Equality Advocate Scum-zuma is wavering!

〜Dropkick on My Devil World〜

Jashin-chan, who was cooking curry rice, looked up at the screen and said nonchalantly:

“…What is there to hesitate about? Just stab her with a knife.”

Looking at Jashin-chan, Yurine suddenly realized:

“So this trick is useless against scum.”

It's like using moral kidnapping—sorry, Jashin-chan doesn't have those morals!

As soon as these words came out, they instantly gained the agreement of Medusa and the others, who looked at Jashin-chan and nodded in tacit understanding.

This is indeed a… Snake that is both trashy and scummy!

。。。。。

【 Before Kazuma could finish struggling, the Tranquility Girl started murmuring again: “Sorry… just because… I am alive…”

Hearing this, Kazuma covered his mouth directly with tears in his eyes. The hand holding the sword was trembling constantly; he couldn't block it at all.

“I am a monster… being alive will… cause trouble. This is the first time since I was born… that I spoke to humans…”

Tears began to well up in the Tranquility Girl's eyes, and she clasped her hands in front of her chest as if praying.

“The first and the last… people I met… were you guys… It's really great! If I can reincarnate, next time… I hope I'm not a monster!”

How can anyone bring themselves to do it after this!… Kazuma finally let the Tranquility Girl go and returned to the main road.

“Eh, wait!” Kazuma suddenly stopped as if he thought of something.

Aqua handed a tissue to Kazuma: “What's wrong? Stomach ache? I have tissues here.”

“It's not that!” Kazuma cursed grumpily, then ran back along the road. He had thought of a method that would satisfy both sides.

That was to persuade the Tranquility Girl not to wave when she saw people. After he became a monk, he could even drop by to bring her some nutrients.

However, just as he saw the Tranquility Girl, Kazuma's originally cheerful smile instantly changed, and he silently dived into the grass.

Sigh… that group of people just now looked fresh and meaty, they definitely had a lot of nutrients! Tsk tsk… Sigh, what exactly did I not do well?”

The Tranquility Girl didn't have the pitiful appearance from just now at all. Instead, she was sighing and complaining with fluent speech. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“…When dreams shine into reality, I realize the cruelty of reality. Kill her! This time, I can do it without hesitation!”

Hahaha, the maiden's tea-level acting skills are amazing, and even her facial expressions are amazing. Is this the status quo of contemporary Virtual Streamers?”

Give me back my maiden heart, you bastard! The audience wished they could kill their selves from a few minutes ago. Sure enough, one shouldn't have expectations for this crazy, different world!

What pitiful appearance, what cute look? This acting is a bit too realistic; everyone in this world is Oscar-level!

And that look of yours, complaining like a middle-aged uncle… it makes it hard for me to believe you are the same one from just now? Could this be the gold standard of a veteran actor?

。。。。。

Chapter 411: Promoted three ranks in one go! With money in hand, there’s nothing to worry about.

Chapter Text

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Akihisa knelt on the ground in an ORZ(OTL) posture, his voice beginning to choke up:

“My purity… give me back my purity! You bastard…”

There were quite a few in Class F who reacted just like Akihisa. It could be said that a group of single FFF Inquisition members longing for love were all disillusioned, questioning life itself right there.

Where is the fragile young girl who made everyone's hearts ache just now? What is this wretched old man tone about?! You can't play like this.

After Hideyoshi scanned the surroundings, he sighed with emotion:

“Truly, the whole army has been wiped out.”

Come to think of it, this was a pitiful offense that even Kazuma couldn't resist, so how could they withstand it?

It seems crossing over to another world is also a high-risk profession, with dangers hidden everywhere!

It has to be said that Kazuma's danger perception is truly a god-tier skill. Just getting close to the Tranquility Girl triggered a warning in his mind; turns out it's a passive skill.

。。。。。

【 The Tranquility Girl seemed very dissatisfied with her performance just now. She cleared her throat and used her girlish voice again: “AhemTsk tsk! Are you going to… kill me?”

“Human? Family? Friend…” The Tranquility Girl hugged her arms and muttered to herself, then looked excited: “Friend! This is good, it will definitely be touching.”

“If I could be reborn… it would be great… to become friends… with you.”

The Tranquility Girl, having practiced it once more, immediately laughed happily: “Hehehe, dying of laughter, this is too perfect! Uhahaha!”

While hiding in the tree, Kazuma looked at the performance below with hollow eyes.

Just then, huge tree roots suddenly drilled out from beside the Tranquility Girl, entangled with the dried corpse of an adventurer.

“This guy's nutrients have been sucked dry, too. Next time someone approaches, I'll use these charm-filled words for a one-hit kill!”

“Alright, the weather is nice, let's sunbathe for a bit!”

As the Tranquility Girl spoke, she leaned back onto the stump, locking eyes with Kazuma, who was standing on the tree directly behind her.

After silently looking at each other for a while, finally, the Tranquility Girl, sweating profusely, squeezed out a girlish voice again: “Friend… pretend I didn't say what I just said.”

After taking a deep breath, Kazuma whipped out Chunchunmaru: “Weren't you speaking very fluently just now? You idiot—” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“What a talent. Do you see that? This is an actor's self-cultivation, constantly refining their acting skills where others can't see!”

Pfft… Hehe haha, every time I see Kazuma's hollow eyes, I want to laugh. He finally got innocent for once, only to be played again!”

What a “friend,” pretend I didn't say it… Do you think that's possible at this moment?

Everyone in other worlds laughed loudly upon hearing this. If it were Yunyun, she would 100% fall for it! But who asked you to face Kazuma? One can only say… rest in peace!

。。。。。

【 After dealing with the Tranquility Girl, Kazuma leveled up three times in a row and quickly caught up with Aqua ahead, revealing a look of profound wisdom: “I don't know why, but I've suddenly attained enlightenment! Let's go back to Axel!”

Aqua also smiled: “It seems you've let it go.”

“Yeah!”

“You must have released quite a lot!”

“Yeah!”

Aqua said with a face full of concern, while handing out a tissue: “Is it okay that you didn't bring paper?”

“Yeah!” Kazuma answered with a Buddha-like calm, like a puppet, and then… “I told you it wasn't like that!”

At this moment, Aqua suddenly noticed the small hammer Kazuma was carrying on his back: “I feel like I've seen that somewhere before? Lend it to me for a second.”

This was something Kazuma picked up from the corpse in passing. During their struggle, gold coins unexpectedly shook out of the small hammer!

Aqua and the others looked at the gold coins on the ground, looked at each other, and said in unison: “Go home!”

After returning to Axel, Sylvia's wraith appeared behind Kazuma again: “It's you I'm poking! Hmm?”

Sylvia realized that Kazuma didn't react at all this time, maintaining a refreshing smile.

“I said… I'm poking up against you on purpose!” Sylvia's words were completely ignored.

The sudden windfall of wealth even cured Kazuma of Sylvia's shadow. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Hearing that Kazuma leveled up three times, Kirito's expression became a bit sluggish:

“Yare yare, a small mob that even Kazuma can beat actually has such high experience points?”

Probably only killing monsters way above your level gives this kind of treatment! This Tranquility Girl, who has 0 combat power and relies on bewitching to hunt, is she actually a boss?

This seems to be the only monster Kazuma has been able to solo besides the Snow Sprites since being in the novice village for so long. The harvest is unexpectedly bountiful.

Asuna felt a headache coming on when she saw Aqua handing over the paper:

“Lady Goddess Aqua… you don't really think Kazuma went to the toilet, do you?”

As expected of Lady Goddess, we mortals can never keep up with her heaven-shaking wisdom!

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Looking at that identical expression, Merlin shook his head and chuckled softly:

Hahaha, no wonder they are in the same party…”

Those faces were stamped from the same mold. Directly from the inside out, completely brand new.

Ishtar also imagined having countless gems:

“This expression is too realistic. If I had such an item, who would care about psychological trauma!”

Ishtar stood there giggling just thinking about it… As the saying goes, money means no worries. Being heartless is truly the essence of life; he directly resisted Sylvia's entanglement!

“This thing, this King will not allow its existence.”

The Wise King Gilgamesh looked disdainfully at the hammer that could shake out gold coins.

In his view, how is this an artifact for getting rich? Simple inflation would be a minor issue; that thing is a destroyer of dynasty currency systems!

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

Kohei looked at the hammer, shaking out gold coins. As an otaku, he felt a strange familiarity:

“This hammer, I feel like I've seen it on a certain blue fatty.”

Iori rolled his eyes directly, not believing a word:

“Please, our world has no superpowers. Did you drink too much? Where would you see it?”

“It's understandable if Aqua says it looks familiar, but you saying it looks familiar is just pure nonsense…”

As he spoke, Iori himself suddenly froze:

“Wait, Aqua said it looks familiar?”

Kohei, who also suddenly realized something, stared wide-eyed at Iori. Although Aqua is silly, she at least has the identity of a Goddess to back her up.

“An item that even a Goddess says looks familiar… could it be that the hammer is a divine artifact Aqua threw to a reincarnator?”

“That means the adventurer sucked dry by the Tranquility Girl was actually a reincarnator thrown there by Aqua?”

Feeling like he guessed the truth, Iori silently poured himself a glass of flammable Oolong tea to calm his nerves… This other world is too scary!

Sure enough, Kazuma's choice of the infinite resurrection artifact Aqua was a wise choice. It's a bit of a pit, but at least there's a chance for trial and error!

。。。。。

【 Just then, everyone met Chris. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chris left in a hurry!

When Kazuma wanted to look for the small hammer, he couldn't find it no matter what. He even dug into his crotch, but still didn't find it.

Thus, upon returning to the mansion, Kazuma flopped like a salted fish, bouncing on the ground and completely rotting away: “I won't leave this house again!”

“Besides, as a shut-in, I shouldn't have been thinking about all that nonsense.”

Aqua, on the other hand, felt at ease. She hugged a wine bottle and lay down to sleep: “It's really reassuring, this feeling that I don't need to work hard either.”

Unexpectedly, someone knocked on the door. It was Darkness's butler delivering a letter. After reading the contents, Darkness's face changed drastically!

Kazuma snatched the letter with a Steal.

“To the great adventurers who defeated many Demon King generals, I wish to hear your heroic deeds with my own ears. First Princess, Iris Stylish-Sword Belzerg!”

Except for Darkness, who looked anxious and wanted to exclude them, Kazuma, Megumin, and the others silently looked at each other: “Our era has finally arrived!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hmm? Wait, where were you digging just now? Did you really hide something in your crotch?!”

“Rotting away again. Aqua goes without saying, the representative of the Buddhist-style laissez-faire, when to crusade against the Demon King depends entirely on her mood.”

。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Seeing the letter from the First Princess, Kuroko seemed even more excited than Kazuma:

Oh?! Has it finally come? The classic RPG game plot, Her Highness the Princess has finally appeared!”

They've been in the novice village for so long, and now it finally feels like a Royal Road manga development. Meeting the Princess, then making a promise to get married after defeating the Demon King! This is the right flavor.

This is the correct way to open an other-world story. After all, what Hero doesn't go to see the King before embarking on the journey to crusade against the Demon King?

“It actually took this long to arrive.”

Misaka Mikoto had guessed it earlier, but she didn't expect it to be this late. Isn't that a bit lacking in respect?

Last time, they almost pinned treason on Kazuma. Now that Kazuma has beaten three or four Demon King generals, they finally say they want to summon him!

Based on the law that Kazuma will inevitably meet a general whenever he leaves the village, I feel that if your kingdom's people came a little later, the Demon King would have already been defeated by Kazuma…

。。。。。

 

Chapter 412: Every day, pouring Holy Water at Wiz’s doorstep!

Chapter Text

【 After receiving the invitation from the First Princess, Kazuma planned to have Darkness attend in a maid outfit, but there was something more important to do before meeting the princess.

That was to go to Wiz's shop and check on his masterpiece… boxes upon boxes of lighters in various shapes!

Wiz was dancing with excitement: “This is definitely going to sell big!”

Watching Darkness and Megumin happily playing with the lighters, Aqua, who was nearly stuffing her face full of crumbs, let out a disdainful sneer: “It's just a mere lighter, what's there to be happy about? I could also…”

Aqua reached out for a lighter, but her hand was slapped away by Kazuma with a smack.

“No, you pay for it!”

Hearing this, Aqua immediately started pestering him: “Huh? Why can they take them for free, but I can't?!”

“Because you didn't help with anything!” Speaking of this made Kazuma angry: “Megumin helped with the production, Darkness helped introduce the wholesalers, but you just ate, slept, and slept, ate in the room, didn't you?!”

“If you want one, hurry up and go outside to solicit customers for me!”

Upon hearing this, Aqua puffed up her cheeks with tears in her eyes, looking like she was about to cry: “Waaaaah, you ungrateful guy! Even though Kazuma goes around sniffing the clothes we take off to wash, I intended to keep that secret for you!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Selling lighters in a magic world… uh, it's hard to say if it will sell well, but the shape of these lighters is so avant-garde!”

“Aqua is already dumb, and you're still bullying her… But why does Aqua know so many of Kazuma's secrets!”

Watching Kazuma's scummy behavior on the screen, everyone outside the video looked impressed… As expected, when it comes to being a pervert, it has to be you, Scum-zuma! As a human being, you have lost completely and utterly.

To be able to make any perverted act seem completely reasonable when applied to you is also a kind of talent!

 。。。。。

〜Gintama World〜

Eating then sleeping, sleeping then eating all day long… Shinpachi looked speechless at a certain useless bum lying on the sofa with dead-fish eyes. No wonder it felt so familiar.

“The useless goddess has turned into a useless MADAO. Go get a job!”

No wonder Kazuma doesn't like Aqua. It turns out she didn't help at all, and while others were working hard, she was just hugging a wine bottle and sleeping all day.

Just as Shinpachi wanted to say something more, he saw Gintoki and Kagura whispering to each other. Kagura's gaze towards Shinpachi became increasingly wary.

“Oi, oi, Shinpachi-kun. The Yorozuya has a beautiful girl like me present. You, a ten-thousand-year-old cherry boy, haven't done such perverted things, right?”

 。。。。。

“I haven't done such perverted things!!”

Inside the Shinsengumi headquarters, Yamazaki's whole face turned red from holding it in, looking like he was about to cry on the spot. Why do they always pick on me alone to bully?

“Yamazaki, I believe in you.”

The Gorilla nodded, crossing his arms and speaking in a deep voice:

“After all, sniffing a girl's gym shorts or licking the recorder she played… every man has done such things.”

“Kazuma is just a kid going through puberty. Just like how I chase Otae-san, it can't be considered perverted.”

Listening to the Gorilla's speech, veins popped out on Hijikata Toshiro's forehead:

“Kondo-san, so the reason you're a perverted stalker is also that you're going through puberty?! That is a crime.”

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma suffered social death on the spot again. In the end, Aqua still went outside the small shop and started her best acrobatic performance, conjuring a flock of white doves from a white cloth!

This scene drew cheers from a large audience, who clamored for an encore.

Kazuma looked speechlessly at Aqua outside the window: “What is that guy doing! She's forgotten her purpose, hasn't she?”

Although he told her to solicit customers, he didn't tell her to play around this wildly. She was even stealing the customers who were supposed to come into the shop.

Basking in the cheers of the crowd, Aqua put on a professional air and refused the audience's tips: “Please do not throw money, I am not an entertainer!”

Like an artist, she seemed to have a certain unyielding reserve regarding such matters!

Vanir, who had just returned, stared blankly at the scene in front of the shop door, then roared at Aqua: “KISAMA!! It's not enough that you sprinkle holy water on my shop's doorknob every day, now you've finally started directly obstructing my business?!”

Fortunately, seeing the situation, Wiz took advantage of the time the two were arguing to start pulling customers into the shop for a look. Soon, Vanir's masks and the lighters became best-selling products.

Wiz's small shop finally had a long queue. Vanir even gave a black mask to Kazuma, saying that wearing it under the moonlight would increase his magical power. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“This… is that amount of pigeons for real?”

Iori looked at the flock of white doves in utter astonishment. This wasn't the magic show he had imagined at all!

Other people conjure one; you, on the other hand, conjure an entire breeding farm directly. Isn't that quantity a bit too much?

With this skill, you could get rich just by selling pigeons. Why be an adventurer?

“Has Aqua forgotten her purpose for coming out? Where are the customers?”

Azusa-senpai's smile froze.

She was told to pull in customers, but she pulled all the customers over to watch her performance instead. As expected, one really can't keep up with the Goddess of Wisdom's train of thought. You're supposed to funnel the customers into the shop!

And saying “Please don't throw money, I'm not an entertainer”… anyone who didn't know better would think she was there to cause trouble.

〜OVERLORD World〜

“Pouring holy water on someone's doorknob every day… As expected of you, Aqua. You really have the nerve to do that!”

Ainz was speechless. Should he praise her for her patience?

Especially since both Wiz and Vanir are races that hate holy water. It's equivalent to the doorknob being electrified; they get shocked once every day they open the door.

Usually, she's never this serious when going on quests, but she's persistent when doing these kinds of things. Sure enough, this guy is just here to cause trouble.

Shalltear also looked at Aqua on the screen with some disgust:

“Is this goddess… usually this idle-arinsu?”

If she has nothing to do, she should go on quests. Why is she always tormenting Wiz? Thanks to her, Wiz has become a regular visitor to the Sanzu River, reporting in on time every day.

However, Vanir did a good job. He managed to operate Wiz's shop, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, to the point where lines started to form!

 。。。。。

【 Afterward, the group arrived at Darkness's house to prepare for the audience with the princess and began selecting formal wear for Aqua and the others.

Aqua looked at the loose clothes on her body and couldn't stop complaining: “Hey, it's a bit baggy. It would be nice if there were something slimmer.”

If Aqua's issue was just that she wasn't big enough to fill out the clothes, then Megumin was in a league of her own. The moment she let go of her hands, the clothes just fell down…

Megumin's eyes went dead, and she said without emotion:

“How should I put this… it fell right down with a whoosh! Do you have anything smaller?”

Darkness hesitated for a moment: “I do, but those dresses seem to be the ones I wore when I was a child…”

In the end, Aqua and Megumin changed into decent dresses. Darkness didn't forget to remind them: “Absolutely do not do anything rude. Improper speech could result in losing your head in minutes.”

Kazuma also happened to have something to say to them: “If the princess says she wants me by her side, I might consider moving! Please be prepared for that!”

This confused the other three. Before the main gate to meet the princess, Darkness reminded them once more: “Listen well, I will handle Princess Iris! You just need to eat and agree with me!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Sigh… how should I put this… the future is promising!”

Kazuma patted Megumin's shoulder with a face full of pity. This kid must have taken quite a blow.

He was serious about the 'future is promising' part. After all, every girl in the Crimson Demon seemed to have a good figure, so Megumin might not be without a chance.

“Hey, why are you looking at me with such pitiful eyes? Believe it or not, I'll take us all down together.”

Megumin's eyes were lifeless as she gathered mana, ready to fire an Explosion and perish together at any moment.

Calm down, Megumin!”

Aqua hugged Megumin and started wailing:

“I don't want to sleep in the stables anymore! If you blow up the house, we'll all have to sleep on the street!”

Meanwhile, far away in the capital, the First Princess Iris also looked down at her own flat chest…

After letting out an almost inaudible sigh, she puffed up her cheeks again:

“Am I that scary… Improper speech wouldn't result in losing a head in minutes, right?”

 。。。。。

Chapter 413: Spin those lies with all your might!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

【 As the heavy doors were pushed open, Kazuma also noticed the beautiful blonde girl sitting in the center, and instantly felt that it was great not to have been deceived by the world.

Aqua also gently lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied elegantly: “I am Aqua, serving as the Archpriest. It is my honor to meet you!”

“So, to show my sincerity, I shall present a talent show along with my greetings…”

Just as Aqua was about to show off a party trick, thankfully, Darkness stopped her in time: “Ex-Excuse me! I suddenly have something to discuss with my companions.”

While Darkness was distracted by dragging Aqua away, Megumin also got restless. She quickly took out a black cloak, draped it over herself, and prepared for a flashy self-introduction.

Darkness let out a strange yelp and covered Megumin's mouth. Just like that, dragging Aqua with one hand and holding down Megumin with the other, she moved them to the wall.

“Hey, I told you to take this seriously! Didn't I!”

At this moment, the First Princess Iris looked at Kazuma while whispering something into the ear of her attendant female knight.

“Lowly commoner, the royalty is not something you can look directly at with such uncultured eyes. Lower your head, do not make eye contact!”

“Hurry up and offer your greetings and adventure stories, the Princess says so,”

Kazuma, who was originally marveling at the Princess's cuteness, couldn't hold back after hearing this… After slowly letting out a breath, he said expressionlessly: “Piss off (original novel dialogue).”

Darkness couldn't care less about Aqua and Megumin at this moment; she hurriedly held Kazuma down to smooth things over.

“Lady Iris, my companion is a bit overexcited due to extreme nervousness. Please give me a moment!”

After saying that, she dragged Kazuma to a corner of the hall. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“The Idiot Goddess was being so serious, it almost scared me. Good thing she didn't forget her beloved talent show! This is the correct way to open up the Party Goddess!”

“'Piss off'… Hahaha, daring to say such things to a royal princess in the Middle Ages, Kazuma is truly brave. He really isn't afraid of losing his head!”

Watching this banquet that looked like a farce, everyone outside the video was surprised to find that Kazuma turned out to be the most normal one.

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Hahaha, Brother Kazuma's personality really doesn't spoil anyone.”

Natsuki Subaru was also sweating a bit, gaining a new understanding of Kazuma's personality.

Truly a gender equality advocate in name and reality. He won't tolerate the other party just because she's cute. To even dare tell a Princess to piss off in this situation, he's one of a kind.

Sigh… same people, different fates. Both are high schoolers transported to another world, but if it were my other world, if I opened my mouth like that, I'd definitely die.

( Translator-kun: Yep, 100% you die... )

Emilia touched her hair awkwardly:

“He didn't have to start by calling him a lowly person…”

This Princess seems a bit excessive. No matter what, Kazuma is a great hero who defeated Demon King Generals.

Kazuma and Aqua already have personalities prone to slacking off, the type who say they won't do it and really won't. It would be troublesome if they really just quit.

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Ereshkigal watched excitedly as Darkness busied herself everywhere:

“Now do you understand how hard Kazuma has it?”

Usually, we see Kazuma cleaning up the mess for the team, but now it's finally reversed.

Leading a group of troublesome teammates, Kazuma has worried his heart out. Now, Darkness finally truly understands what it means to have a hard-to-lead team!

The mentally challenged Goddess Aqua, who wanted to perform a trick after a serious introduction, Megumin's chunnibyo performance, and the last one was even more heavyweight, cursing on the spot!

None of them acted according to plan, each more unique than the last.

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma, whose expectations for Iris were shattered, started arguing with Darkness in the corner, when he heard Aqua's voice.

“Done!” Aqua had instantly completed a colored sand painting with incredibly high precision: “From the room decorations to your hard-to-conceal ahoge, Princess, this is an excellent work where I've displayed everything perfectly!”

This made the Princess shy, and she hurriedly covered the ahoge on her head with both hands. Seeing this, Darkness quickly dragged Aqua away, too.

However, after seeing the sand painting, Iris happily forgave them, and then came dinner time.

“You must be the person the Magic Sword Hero Mitsurugi spoke of! Come, let me hear your stories! The Princess says so…”

“Alright!” Kazuma began to triumphantly tell stories of the past: “…And just like that, not hesitating to use myself as bait… it was all to create a weakness for Sylvia!”

Such a thrilling story made Iris's eyes shine.

“It's the first time I've known of someone with your fighting style. Until now, all I've heard are stories of heroes who never give up, unilaterally subjugating monsters.”

Sitting back on his chair, Kazuma struck a slightly deep pose and said in a low voice:

“Well, Princess… perhaps people like me, who constantly fight unprecedentedly powerful opponents and aim to become stronger every day, are different from them.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, while you guys were arguing, our Water Goddess already performed her talent. Aside from serious business, Aqua can do anything!”

The crowd outside the video looked at Kazuma with admiration. When it comes to bragging, you're the best! Adding oil and vinegar, putting in a lot of personal bias.

But then again, is the Magic Sword Hero Mitsurugi that famous? Instead, Kazuma, who defeated generals one after another, seems mediocre.

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“With the skills Aqua showed, she definitely wouldn't starve in another world.”

Shokuhou Misaki looked entranced at the exquisite artwork. It was hard to imagine this was made in an instant.

If only she could swap her brain, too, there would be no flaws… She wouldn't have had to specifically point out the cowlick after drawing it.

In the other dorm, Kuroko summarized Kazuma's speech:

“To put it bluntly, he couldn't win, so he resorted to sneak attacks!”

Misaka Mikoto also nodded:

“But you can't deny that Kazuma's eloquence is good. Everything except the last sentence was true.”

Aiming to become stronger every day… When hearing this sentence, Misaka Mikoto almost couldn't hold back her laughter.

She was really curious how Kazuma could say that with a straight face. He's quite good at pretending.

Clearly, every day he's either slacking off or on the way to slack off! What does that have to do with becoming stronger?

Otherwise, he wouldn't be the lowest-level existence in the party!

 。。。。。

【 “Before becoming an adventurer, what kind of work did you do? The Princess says so. I am also curious, please do let me hear it.”

As soon as these words came out, even Megumin and Darkness cast curious glances.

The expression on Kazuma's face stiffened for a moment, then returned to normal. He said somewhat sentimentally: “Before coming to this country, I was tasked with guarding my family's home!”

“Every day I honed my craft, protecting that important place from the calamities that struck…”

“But even so, no one could understand! No one would give praise. Thinking back now, it really was a sorrowful job.”

The female knight pondered for a moment: “A profession like a castle guard? So you were also silently protecting your hometown!”

Speaking of this, Kazuma's expression became sorrowful. With a melancholic face, he continued: “And then some people came, saying 'just sign for three months', forcing me to sign contracts… Anyway, all sorts of things happened.”

Upon hearing this, even the attendant dressed as a female mage beside the Princess was surprised: “You even had to sign contracts? Did you repel demons all by yourself?”

Kazuma nodded: “That's right… I would rest during the day, and go out in the evening, silently patrolling the city, helping to maintain order!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, I can't take it… I'm dying. I knew he was eloquent, but I didn't expect him to be this good. He made it sound so flowery!”

“A talent, an absolute talent. He just opens his mouth, and it comes out. When you're away from home, you give yourself your own identity! Nothing wrong with that.”

The crowd outside the video was already laughing on the floor. What a 'sorrowful job not understood by anyone'…

Isn't that just being a NEET! He forcibly made it sound like something amazing.

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“This… is simply the art of language!”

Kohei was in tears. Also being an otaku, he now knew how to proudly introduce himself in the future.

Master, a true master! I take back the title of Perverted Kichiku(Demon) King I gave you before. From now on, you are my faith.

Kitahara Iori looked speechlessly at Kohei, who was acting like he was on a pilgrimage. Is this the resonance of otakus? Surely not?

Hahaha!”

Azusa-senpai laughed out loud directly. As expected, Kazuma is so interesting:

“Clearly, he was a shut-in before transmigrating, and after transmigrating, he moves bricks and mixes cement every day… but he makes it sound so impressive!”

Go out with just a mouth, give yourself your own status! It's all made up. Saying it's like a castle guard doesn't seem wrong… after all, he guards against thieves at home.

She is now very curious if Kazuma's act of puffing himself up will be exposed. If it gets exposed, that expression would be fun to watch.

〜My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected World〜

Hikigaya Hachiman heard this description and couldn't help but twitch his mouth:

“Did this guy… study liberal arts before?”

Yare yare, first time seeing someone describe the shut-in life so refreshingly and refined. After changing the phrasing, it really feels different.

Even Yukinoshita Yukino, the aloof girl, couldn't hold back, her eyelids twitching:

“He can even describe a depraved life of idling all day and wandering out at night as an activity to maintain public order.”

And saying no one understands, it's a sorrowful job… Not getting beaten by his parents for acting like this means his parents were already open-minded enough.

Eh…”

Yui seemed to hear this explanation for the first time and asked curiously:

“Then… what does 'just sign for three months' mean? Is it going to work?”

“No, that's just door-to-door insurance salesmen begging him to buy insurance…”

Hachiman silently held his forehead. He can even spin that into signing contracts.

 。。。。。

Notes:

( Translator-kun: Ayoooo, my man Hachiman appeared! )

Chapter 414: Darkness’s Highlight Moment: Slapping the Princess!

Chapter Text

【 In the middle of the banquet, listening to Kazuma's tall tales, the Female Knight believed him without a doubt: “For the sake of learning, may I see Kazuma-sama's Adventurer Card!”

Hearing this, Kazuma spurted red wine directly from his mouth, his face covered in a cold sweat of guilt… How can my haphazardly skill-pointed Adventurer Card be shown to people?

Especially if asked where he learned Lich skills, it would be game over!

Megumin noticed Kazuma's distress and started smoothing things over for him, attempting to change the topic.

“Showing something that is considered part of one's hand for an adventurer is a bit… Compared to this, Aqua, it's about time to perform a grand talent show.”

Aqua, chugging directly from the wine bottle, completely ignored the atmosphere: “I already drew a pretty good sand painting today, that's enough! Hey, bring more bubbly wine.”

The Female Knight stepped forward with some confusion: “I won't leak information, or is there some reason it cannot be seen?”

The sweat constantly flowing down Kazuma's face ruthlessly betrayed his extreme inner guilt… There is a reason it can't be seen! 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Hahaha, this is a complete checkmate, Kazuma.”

Yuuji laughed out loud directly. As long as the Adventurer Card's level is seen, the previous boasting will collapse instantly.

Hideyoshi said with a smile,

“Who told Kazuma to embellish it so excessively just now? Even I almost believed it.”

If anyone is to blame, it's Kazuma for bragging too hard. From the perspective of the Princess and the others, the content he spoke of made Kazuma look like a brave, selfless, and powerful hero!

Wanting to learn Kazuma's point allocation method is understandable… but Kazuma's allocation highlights pragmatism; he adds points to whatever is useful.

Not to mention Kazuma's messy point allocation, there's also a shady Lich skill in there. This card absolutely cannot be shown to them.

HISS—! If I were exposed on the spot in this situation, I'd rather die…”

Seeing this, Akihisa also sucked in a breath of cold air. Even an idiot knows what kind of dilemma Kazuma is facing right now.

Social death and physical death—two paths lie before Kazuma…

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

“A goddess chugging from the bottle…”

Iori Kitahara watched with twitching eyelids. That's freaking red wine! She can chug the whole bottle like that.

Leaving aside whether your purification ability allows you to taste the wine, can't you pay attention to a goddess's etiquette? Etiquette!

Azusa-senpai laughed while holding her belly:

Hahaha, just no,w Darkness was repeatedly emphasizing etiquette, and in the end, not a single one makes people worry-free.”

It's rare for Megumin to get a clue, knowing to make excuses for Kazuma and trying to divert the topic, but… she can't handle the pig teammate Aqua not playing along.

Chisa also sighed:

“Aqua, who usually loves to perform party tricks, doesn't perform when she's needed to divert the topic!”

She even chugged from the bottle in front of medieval royalty. Is she thinking she isn't offending the nobles fast enough?! As expected of you, Aqua. You really drag everyone down.

 。。。。。

【 Darkness also quickly stood up to smooth things over: “This man currently has the weakest class. If this kind of thing is known, he will definitely be ashamed!”

Seeing the way out, Kazuma went with the flow, reaching out to scratch his head: “Y-Yeah!”

But seeing them like this, the Female Knight became even more suspicious: “Did you really defeat Lord Mitsurugi?”

Just then, the Princess looked at Kazuma and whispered in the Female Knight's ear… The Female Knight heard this and spoke slowly.

“It is truly unbelievable that Lord Mitsurugi, a sword master, would lose to someone with the weakest class. Are you perhaps lying to me?”

“And he is so handsome. That is what the Princess said… and I think so too. He is handsome.”

After the Female Knight relayed the Princess's words exactly, Kazuma couldn't help but stand up and retort: “Hey, you guys are asking for a beating, right! No matter what, I will get angry too!”

The Female Knight directly drew the sword at her waist and pointed it at Kazuma: “Rude fellow, how dare you speak wildly to royalty!”

Just when swords were drawn and the atmosphere was tense, fortunately, Darkness stepped forward and apologized for Kazuma. Seeing this, the Princess whispered to the mage beside her.

“Then, out of respect for the name Dustiness, which has made great contributions to this country, we can forego punishment, but it still ruined the Princess's mood.”

“The reward for telling the adventure story can be issued, but that weakest-class swindler man over there should take the reward and leave. The Princess says so.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Honestly, I want to beat up this princess, too. Mitsurugi admitted he was defeated himself. Why bring this up?”

“Weakest-class swindler man… Heh, how many Demon King generals has this weakest swindler in your mouth defeated? It's simply judging a book by its cover.”

Even everyone outside the video felt annoyed. Do you only know that Mitsurugi is handsome? Just based on that, concluding that Kazuma is a liar is too excessive!

And Kazuma doesn't look bad either, just his personality is a bit scummy… During the duel with the venomous Hans, that leap using himself as bait was handsome beyond measure, okay!

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Even Frieren, who has lived for thousands of years, couldn't understand the royalty's way of thinking:

“Shouldn't they think Kazuma is even more amazing for defeating so many Demon King generals with the weakest class?”

What's the use of just looking at the class? Even the weakest class can't change the fact that they defeated Demon King generals.

Even Fern was a bit angry:

“Yes, and Kazuma did indeed defeat Mitsurugi. He didn't lie to them.”

They really are high and mighty… Even the person involved admitted the fact, yet they are still suspecting this and that. They look down on people too much!

And Mitsurugi can't really count as a sword master, right? He just has the buff from the magic sword Gram!

Most importantly, asking a group of adventurers to observe etiquette is just too difficult for them.

 。。。。。

【 Just as Kazuma was planning to leave, the always partner-valuing Megumin was unhappy. However, considering it would bring unnecessary trouble to Darkness, she endured it.

Darkness looked at Megumin like this and was silent for a moment, then said to the Princess: “Could you please retract your statement calling him a liar? Although this man boasts, he did not lie!”

“And although he is the weakest class, at critical moments, he is the most reliable man! Please be sure to correct your statement just now.”

“I won't apologize!” Iris spoke with her own voice this time, reaching out to point at Kazuma: “Let him explain how he defeated Lord Mitsurugi. If he can't do it, that man is a weak, lying swind…”

“Slap—” Before Her Highness the Princess could finish speaking, she was ruthlessly slapped by Darkness.

The Female Knight angrily slashed at Darkness with her sword. Her Highness the Princess hurriedly stopped her: “No… You can't!”

“CLANG—!”

The Female Knight's angry strike only cut Darkness's skin and a little muscle. Although blood flowed, it didn't cause any substantial damage.

Darkness ignored the Female Knight's astonishment and turned silently to Her Highness the Princess: “Princess Iris, those words just now should not be said to someone who struggled with all their might and left behind so many achievements!”

“He has no obligation to explain how he defeated a magic sword user, and even if he didn't have that strength, he shouldn't be insulted!”

At this moment, the goddess on the side was still drinking…

At this moment, Kazuma also stood out: “My partners are protecting me so much, how could I have the nerve not to tell the truth?”

“Actually, it's not very glorious, but let me show you how I defeated Mitsurugi!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Personality Correction Palm. Good hit… They were spoiled too much, lacking even basic respect!”

Seeing this slap, everyone outside the video felt satisfied. Although Kazuma is the weakest class, he is a man more reliable than anyone at critical moments!

Until everyone turned their gaze to Aqua, their faces instantly filled with black lines… Others are protecting their own. What is our goddess doing?

Oh, still drinking. Read the atmosphere, you bastard goddess! Is this the time to drink?

 。。。。。

〜OVERLORD World〜

“If royalty are all people like this, then I am truly too disappointed.”

Ainz slowly shook his head, seeming to feel it wasn't worth it for his fellow countryman.

Although Kazuma looks like a funny guy, and actually is one, every battle he fought was at least risking his life. To be looked down upon like this.

Always being effective at critical moments, that is the truth. And without Kazuma, this team would have disbanded long ago.

Albedo tilted her head:

“Setting aside other things, just say if this battle record is top-tier or not!”

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“Darkness… Y-You…”

Kazuma stammered, completely stunned!

It feels so strange, completely strange! Holy crap, I didn't expect this pervert to have such a side.

I can only say… it was really too cool! Daring to hit a princess for the sake of injustice against me, saying I'm not moved would be a lie.

Even Megumin cast a gaze of worship. The Female Knight's angry, full-power sword strike only broke a little skin. Isn't that too hard?!

And as the person involved, Darkness had turned completely gray and white, frozen right there…

 。。。。。

Chapter 415: The Royal Capital Arc Begins!

Chapter Text

【 “If you say it's possible, then go for it, Kazuma! You surely won't let us down.” Darkness smiled and patted the latter on the shoulder, her words full of trust.

“Of course!” Kazuma smiled knowingly upon hearing this, then assumed a fighting stance: “Magic Sword users and Demon King Generals… just think about what kind of opponents I've fought up until now! I'll start with this scary sword!”

“Take this move of mine—Steal!”

Accompanied by a flash of blue light passing through Kazuma's hand, it seemed as if nothing had happened. The sword in the female knight's hand was still being held, but everyone present was completely stunned…

“Sorry, this… I'll give it back to you,” Kazuma said in an incredibly quiet voice, while timidly handing over the white panties in his hand.

Eh? …Ah—” Seeing this, the female knight instantly blushed crimson and frantically groped at her lower abdomen. Even the Princess and the Mage next to her were dumbfounded.

Darkness, blushing, grabbed Kazuma by the neck and shook him continuously: “Kisama, you guy! Why can't you ever finish things coolly!”

Meanwhile, Aqua had already gotten drunk and was lying face down on the table… 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, God's Hand! I'm willing to call this move God's Hand. He forcefully turned a random skill into a targeted skill.”

“Daring to steal panties in front of royalty, kid, you are invincible. I didn't know if you would die before, but now you are definitely dead!”

So Darkness was expecting Kazuma to end things coolly, but clearly, her trust was misplaced… No woman can escape the demonic claws of Steal!

 。。。。。

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma slowly raised his hand, covered his face, and a sigh escaped through his fingers:

Sigh… can I say that this was within my expectations?”

Kazuma can be surprisingly dependable when it really counts, but only in those crucial moments! As for normal times, well, it's better not to expect too much.

On the other side, Misaka Mikoto watched Aqua, who was drunk at the table, and sparks immediately flew from her forehead:

“By the way, Goddess, what exactly are you here for!”

Read the atmosphere, the atmosphere! It's a tense duel; never mind speaking up to support the scene, you're drinking yourself into a stupor like an outsider.

Your mentality is a bit too heartless, isn't it? No wonder you're always despised by Kazuma, you can't blame anyone else…

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Hahahaha, pantsu, it really is pantsu! I guessed right.”

Ishtar laughed loudly with a look of triumph, looking quite proud as if she had won a lottery.

Tsk…”

The Wise King Gilgamesh clicked his tongue, unable to stand her arrogant face, and said clearly,

“Did you even need to guess that? This King knew it with just one glance, just one glance.”

Kazuma's luck stat is maxed out, yet it can only be used for stealing underwear and playing rock-paper-scissors. Usually, you can't see where his luck is at all; you could even say he's unlucky!

“You guy… You did that on purpose, right?”

Ishtar glared at him angrily upon hearing this, while the latter stared back without any fear.

Merlin was already used to this scene and shook his head with a smile:

Haha, and here I thought Kazuma would be cool for once.”

As soon as these words came out, they instantly drew side-eyes from Wise King Gilgamesh and Ishtar. Kazuma being cool?? You really dare to dream! It would be more realistic to believe that Aqua could become reliable.

Don't you know that Kazuma's Steal has almost become an Inherent Skill? It possesses a special attack effect against women, with a 100% drop rate for pantsu!

Clearly, when facing Mitsurugi, he could accurately steal the magic sword, but specifically when facing women, this random theft skill acts like it's locked onto underwear!

 。。。。。

【 After Aqua healed Darkness, the female knight also believed that the group could repel the Demon King's Generals. Subsequently, Iris also apologized to Kazuma and hoped he would continue telling her stories!

Just as the group was seeing Iris off, an accident occurred. Iris was seen pulling Kazuma into the teleportation circle, and in the next second, they were teleported to the Royal Capital!

At the request of the guards, Kazuma became Princess Iris's playmate.

Then the scene changed. Kazuma was telling Iris his adventure stories: “Then, Darkness held the towel tightly while completely naked… looking shyly…”

Iris leaned forward as if entranced, rushing right up to Kazuma: “Looking shyly and then what!”

The female knight Claire, who had just returned from processing paperwork, saw this scene and immediately stormed up in a rage, grabbing Kazuma by the collar: “Kisama! What are you instilling in Lady Iris? Do you want to be cut down by me!”

Subsequently, under Iris's persuasion, Claire lost her temper and put the lifted Kazuma back down.

Then Iris leaned in again, asking impatiently: “Compared to that, what did Lalatina do while gripping the towel?”

Claire hurriedly stopped her again: “You cannot! This is not a topic you should listen to.”

After seeing the Princess reveal a regretful expression, Kazuma continued: “Well then, let's talk about after I won the contest against Darkness, the winner could do very amazing things to the loser!”

“I… I want to hear!” Iris ignored Claire's obstruction and leaned forward with a face full of excitement!

“You cannot, Lady Iris! You cannot listen to what this man says; this man is scum!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“It wasn't easy, but the map finally changed. Suddenly arriving at the Royal Capital. Based on previous patterns, which General or Demon King is coming this time?”

“When it comes to being scum, we really have to look at you. To actually say these things to a young princess without any scruples.”

The people outside the video all sucked in a breath of cold air. One can only say, as expected of you! To make a female knight realize your scummy nature in just a brief moment.

 。。。。。

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

“K... Kisama!”

Darkness cried while tugging at Kazuma's collar:

“What are you saying to the First Princess!”

What kind of tiger and wolf words (scandalous words) are these! Don't lead Lady Iris astray.

Kazuma pulled Darkness's hands away and started a tug-of-war, speaking righteously:

“This can't be blamed on me, right? They were the ones who wanted me to be a playmate.”

Being inexplicably kidnapped to the Royal Capital to be a playmate, can you blame me? …Of course not!

Speaking of this, Darkness was also going a bit crazy. Letting Scumzuma act as a playmate, you guys really dare to think it. This guy's level of wretchedness far exceeds your imagination.

Also, Lady Iris! Why do you seem so interested in these matters?

 。。。。。

【 Time quickly reached late night. News of the Demon King Army's attack came over the broadcast, and the sleeping Claire rushed out instantly.

However, not long after, the broadcast announced that the Demon King Army had already been quelled by adventurers. Kazuma looked at the battlefield outside, which was still smoking, and was quite speechless.

“…It's clearly the Royal Capital, yet it actually got raided! What is wrong with this country? I really wish those cheat-user guys from Japan would get serious.”

Just like that, under the address of “Older Brother” (Onii-chan) from Iris, Kazuma decisively chose to stay in the Royal Capital, living a life where clothes were handed to him and meals were fed to him.

Kazuma woke up every day in a luxurious, large bed, clapping his hands very coquettishly: “Sebas-chan, please give me a cup of coffee.”

A butler elegantly pushed the door open and entered: “But I am Heider…”

Iris, however, leaned timidly against the door frame, somewhat shy: “G… Good morning! Onii-chan!”

Kazuma felt instantly healed and revealed a handsome smile: “Good morning.”

Seeing this, Iris turned and walked away. After all, if you ignore the fact that Kazuma was exposing his underwear on his lower half, perhaps he was quite handsome. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, those cheat-user guys from Japan probably haven't even taken down as many Demon King Generals as you alone. And you're counting on them!?”

“The Royal Capital? Is the Demon King Army that formidable? They fought all the way to the Royal Capital!”

The crowd outside the video laughed straight out. For the sake of a single “Older Brother,” he threw away those three pitfalls and decisively stayed in the Royal Capital.

Your team's friendship is truly indestructible!

Also, greeting a princess while wearing underwear, Kazuma, you really are something…

 。。。。。

〜Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World〜

Fern said blankly,

“They fought all the way to the Royal Capital? Is the situation in this country that critical?”

Normally, the Hero who subjugates the Demon King starts from the Royal Capital; it can be said to be the starting point of the journey.

How is it that the Demon King Army has hit their home base now? Usually, it doesn't look like the situation is that critical.

Frieren shook her head:

“Fern, it's not like that. Although the Demon King Army appeared, the demons were suppressed not long after!”

That world cannot be described by common sense. If the situation were critical, the Princess and the others wouldn't have had the time to run off to Axel.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

“Those cheat-user guys from Japan… Aren't they all just existences that only cause trouble?”

Tohsaka Rin's mouth twitched slightly, suddenly remembering that bald researcher old man.

Mobile Fortress, Railgun, Crimson Demons… the cheats are big enough, but basically, the troubles that could destroy the world were all caused by him.

Emiya Shirou complained speechlessly:

“I actually wish Kazuma, you could get serious yourself…”

You, the Hero, are just the same, never having been serious. When you're broke, you can count on him to take on some subjugation quests, but once he has money, hehe… don't expect him to lift a finger.

Every day, muddling along with a useless goddess, but if you were just a bit serious, I believe the Demon King would have been solved by you long ago!

 。。。。。

Chapter 416: Truly arrogant from head to toe

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts. Kazuma has settled into a life as a playmate, playing games with Iris while occasionally interfering with her studies.

“I hope you can play this game with me today…”

On this day, Iris came to the courtyard clutching a chess set. Carrying the anxiety of potential rejection, she extended an invitation to Kazuma, who was eating high-end snacks.

After swallowing the snack in his hand, Kazuma put on a serious face: “I don't play that 'going easy on you' stuff. If we're going to play, we go all out! Don't come crying if you lose.”

The two sat in chairs, moving pieces rapidly. They played stubbornly from noon all the way to dusk, and Kazuma didn't win a single game!

Iris looked at the sky, which was already growing dark, and spoke with some hesitation: “Um… let's stop here for today.”

Kazuma, red-eyed from losing, completely snapped. He slammed the table forcefully: “You want to run away after winning?! I told you, if we're going to play, we have to give it our all!”

“Also, don't pull any of that 'going easy because I want to end this' maneuvering. I can tell if you lose on purpose!”

It wasn't until the two battled into the night that a cheer finally erupted from Kazuma: “Yaha! I won!”

As compensation for playing until late at night, Kazuma gave Iris a bamboo copter and promised to take her out to play with it next time.

“It's better to go out and see the world more. In this world, there are demons whose neighbors rate them as weirdos, and Liches who feed on bread crusts, you know!”

Iris looked at Kazuma with some suspicion: “Please don't treat me like a fool just because I'm sheltered. How could there possibly be demons and Liches like that?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Watching the life Kazuma was living every day, the crowd outside the video couldn't help but have dark lines across their faces… What kind of playmate is this? This is clearly a Supreme Court jester!

It's over. He actually managed to get rid of his three idiot teammates and live the good life! Now, there's really no hope of him going to subjugate the Demon King…

 。。。。。

〜My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected World〜

Watching Kazuma, who had become desperate from losing, Hikigaya sighed speechlessly:

“As expected of you…”

If you suck, just practice more. To actually use these 'eagle-taming' exhaustion tactics on a little girl, dragging it out from noon to night… That's too scummy, Kazuma. Are you a child?

And saying you won't go easy on her—where does a half-wit like you get the confidence to think you can beat a royally educated princess? The result was a crushing defeat.

Yukinoshita also broadened her horizons. As a human being, to be shameless to this extent:

“He clearly only won one game. Listening to that cheer, those who didn't know better would think it was a complete victory!”

It gave her a strange illusion: Iris losing one game after playing all day looked like a decline, while Kazuma winning one game the next day looked like unstoppable momentum!

However, seeing Kazuma coax Iris back into a good mood with just a few moves, Yukinoshita's expression softened… To be fair, although Kazuma usually seems quite crazy, he really is a good person.

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Eh? A Lich who eats bread crusts as a staple food… could he be talking about me?”

Hearing Kazuma's description, Wiz pointed at herself, wanting to cry but having no tears.

I'm very sorry, Princess. Perhaps it's different from your worldview, but what Mr. Kazuma said is the truth. Such Liches and demons really do exist…

Wiz looked at her empty shop, tears streaming down her face:

“I usually don't feel it, but why does it feel so heartbreaking when I hear someone else say it!”

Getting poorer the more I work isn't what I wanted! Mr. Vanir, where are you? Come save your future shop manager!

If the shop goes bankrupt, you won't have a place to work, and you might face an unemployment crisis!

Achoo…”

Vanir, who was still somewhere else, sneezed and looked at himself with some self-doubt:

“Do demons catch colds?”

Forget it, it's more important to go to that unreliable shop manager first. Kazuma's knowledge is a vast fortune…

 。。。。。

【 Just like that, another week passed. Kazuma had gradually grown accustomed to this luxurious life. He woke up from his dream in a very seductive pose, then clapped his hands.

“Sebas, bring me a refreshing cup of coffee.”

A very elegant elderly butler appeared in response: “It is Hagen…”

After giving his orders, Kazuma lay back down on the bed… It was about time for the maid to come and change the sheets. As a noble, how should he obstruct her today?

Knock, knock… Hearing the knock on the door, Kazuma immediately went to the door in a very flamboyant manner: “Good morning. Don't think I'll let you change the sheets that easily~”

While coquettishly taking off his bathrobe, he posed in various postures, preening and prancing: “If you want to change them quickly, you have to say it like this… Master, please allow me to serve Master…”

Kazuma's voice got quieter and quieter until his whole brain crashed. After opening the door, he found the three teammates he had forgotten for a week.

Darkness stared at Kazuma with eyes looking at scum: “Allow what? Keep talking, Kazuma…”

Kazuma, kneeling on the floor, lowered his head deeply, his voice sounding like he was crying: “M-Master, please allow me to 'take' the sheets stained with Master's scent…”

Darkness frowned: “What about the sheets stained with scent? Aren't you very good at sexual harassment? Don't be shy, finish your sentence.”

Later, through conversation, it was learned that because Megumin was worried about Kazuma all day, the group had come together to take Kazuma back.

Hearing this, Kazuma got tough: “I have already been employed as Iris's playmate. Do not interfere with my stable life!”

But Aqua was seized by anger, putting her hands on her hips and starting to throw a tantrum: “It's too cunning for just Kazuma to be here alone! We defeated the generals together! I want to live in the castle too; otherwise, it's too unfair!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Watching the incredibly flamboyant Kazuma, Natsuki Subaru was dumbfounded, staring blankly as he said:

“I didn't expect a person could die from social embarrassment so many times…”

Looking at Kazuma's appearance, which was overflowing with sleaze, he couldn't help but want to slap him! This guy is too absurd; he's invincible.

Every time he has a social death scene, he gets caught red-handed by his teammates. Look at the eyes of your teammates! Those are eyes looking at scum, Kazuma-san!

Now the title of “scum” is truly solidified. In just one week, he's already picked up the bad habits of nobles. If this continues, it'll be disastrous.

Rem and Ram looked at each other, both feeling pity for that maid:

“It must be really hard to hold back from punching Kazuma every day.”

Anyway, they couldn't stand it anymore. He was simply too flashy… As the saying goes, money is hard to earn, and shit is hard to eat. Kazuma's behavior could only be described as unexpected, yet within reason.

〜Type-Moon World, Unlimited Blade Works Worldline〜

Hahaha, that's really rare. So you get shy too…”

Tohsaka Rin laughed, lying on the table. It was just too funny.

Caught red-handed in a social death scene, he was even aggrieved enough to cry. It's hilarious; this is a public execution!

Emiya Shirou sighed with emotion:

“As expected of the Goddess of Wisdom, Aqua. Her performance is exceptionally stable. Look at that peculiar point of focus.”

He just wanted to say one thing to Aqua… Wake up, Aqua! You are a Water Goddess; isn't Heaven much better than this royal palace?

Illya was speechless:

“This guy has already decided to be a playmate for the rest of his life…”

Not long ago, he said he hoped those cheaters would get serious. I think the one who needs to get serious the most is you, you bastard hero and retard goddess!

 。。。。。

【 Their conversation was also overheard by Iris. Although reluctant, she prepared to hold a farewell banquet, after which she would let Kazuma and the others return.

At the banquet, Aqua held up a cantaloupe that was still jumping around and shouted,

“Kazuma, this is super delicious! Pure natural wild melon paired with raw ham!”

Meanwhile, the nobles attending the banquet one after another proposed marriage interviews to Darkness. Even the Lord whose villa was blown up by Kazuma appeared.

Seeing Darkness about to fall into a predicament, Kazuma, unable to watch any longer, had to step in: “Hey, what about our rotten relationship? What do you mean, Lalatina? Are you dumping me?”

Hearing Kazuma's words, all the nobles present looked at Darkness in shock.

“Think about our sweet times together. Not long ago, you were calling me Master…”

Although he resolved the situation for Darkness, Kazuma, feeling regretful afterward, ran to the terrace to get some air: “Actually, I only had a tiny bit of malice. I just saw Darkness looking a bit embarrassed, so I said some strange things.”

“Speaking of which, isn't this my farewell party? Everyone is leaving the protagonist aside and chatting so happily. The protagonist is right here!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Kamijou Touma was shocked, his eyes almost popping out:

“This melon… I can only say it's fresh… No, this is overly fresh!”

He had grown up this big, and it was his first time seeing a live cantaloupe… Oh my god! Pure natural fruit, isn't that a bit too natural? It's still alive.

What kind of weird fruits are these, jumping around like that? And you guys can actually bring yourselves to eat them!

Cabbages that move, edible fruits that move… who exactly is farming the crops in this other world?

One careless moment and you could be solo-killed by a vegetable in minutes…

〜My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected World〜

“Hiss—”

Yukinoshita took a sharp breath, watching Kazuma, looking horrified:

“What an incredible way to handle a situation…”

Such a novel method. It's just that Darkness's reputation was stripped clean. Kazuma's emotional intelligence is really high, but his scumminess is also truly scummy.

Now, not only is the situation resolved, but Darkness has probably been vetoed by a unanimous vote for the rest of her life.

“You have to admit it resolved it…”

Hikigaya felt this method was very familiar to him. Isn't this the self-destruct style?

What he said was all true, but unfortunately, they were truths that shouldn't be spread. Kazuma is a good person, but sometimes he really is too scummy.

 。。。。。

Chapter 417: I can smell the scent of a kindred spirit on your body!

Chapter Text

【 Just when Kazuma was feeling lonely, Iris came looking for him. Kazuma instantly beamed with joy, but immediately after, Aqua's voice drifted out from the banquet hall.

“Next up, a giant frog will emerge from this piece of glass…”

Listening to the clamor coming from the hall, Kazuma was speechless: “She's doing parlor tricks again.”

Iris sat somewhat forlornly on a chair: “Tomorrow, this place will become quiet again. The certain someone who angered Claire has to go back~”

Looking at that melancholic smile, Kazuma felt a bit shaken and tried to change the subject: “But I really don't know what's so good about me, anyway?”

Iris looked up at the starry sky: “It's the first time I've met someone like you.”

“Rude and impolite, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, instilling all sorts of strange knowledge into me, a member of the royal family. Not mature in the slightest, and only caring about winning when playing games.”

Kazuma broke into a cold sweat listening to this: “Hey… don't just list the things you hate about me!”

Iris laughed softly: “I'm telling you the reasons I like you.”

Afterward, Iris expressed her wish to become an adventurer. Also, due to the recent appearance of a chivalrous thief in the capital who robs the rich to help the poor, she wanted to become a thief as well.

Kazuma was deeply inspired: “That's it!”

In order to stay and live in the castle, Kazuma proposed during the banquet that he would catch this chivalrous thief. This left Darkness dumbfounded.

“You, who have absolutely no connection to a sense of justice… what has gotten into you?”

The surrounding nobles also began to mock and ridicule Kazuma. However, to avoid becoming targets of the chivalrous thief themselves, some nobles still supported Kazuma's idea.

After thinking for a moment, the female knight Claire decided to have Kazuma set up defenses at a noble's house. Thus, they arrived at the home of the fat feudal lord who had a grudge against them. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, Aqua really lives up to the title of Goddess of Banquets, never forgetting to put on a show wherever she goes…”

“Wait, what? You actually conjured it up! You just casually summoned a giant frog daddy for yourself? And right in the middle of a banquet, no less.”

Everyone outside the video was stunned. This was simply a mystery skill. The bizarre amount of pigeons from before was one thing, but now she could conjure something the size of a giant frog? That was going too far!

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Listening to Iris's scolding, Akihisa revealed a refreshing smile and gave a thumbs up:

“As expected of Her Highness the Princess, she's a good judge of character.”

Just listen to those flaws; who else could compare to you? …Kazuma-yo, just join our glorious FFF Inquisition. A royal romance development between a hero and a princess? Don't you even think about it!!

Seeing Akihisa's gloating expression, Hideyoshi reached out and facepalmed:

“Akihisa, that idiot. He doesn't actually think Iris hates Kazuma, does he?”

To accept a person's flaws is the very reason for liking them. Your Princess Highness has already started to fall for him, Akihisa-yo.

Yuuji, on the other hand, laughed loudly:

Hahaha, Akihisa, do you know why Iris only mentioned flaws? Because Scum-zuma doesn't have any virtues.”

I'm afraid Iris really couldn't find any good points in Kazuma… All those perfectly placed flaws make up the person known as Kazuma!

However, he actually quite liked Kazuma's personality. If he were in another world, adventuring with Kazuma would certainly be a good choice. At the very least, it would be full of joy!

〜Gintama World〜

Toushirou Hijikata spoke up directly to retort:

“So you all knew Kazuma has no sense of justice…”

Princess Iris was right. The guy in front of you is just like a certain silver-haired natural perm—a pile of sludge, a pile of hopelessly rotten sludge!

He's just trying every method possible to stay in the capital and continue his life of having clothes handed to him and meals served to his mouth.

Sougo looked at Kazuma, who had been assigned to the fat lord's house, and sighed with emotion:

“What an excellent matchmaking mechanism, wouldn't you say, Kondo-san!”

He was starting to suspect that the female knight Claire was also an 'S' to do this on purpose. After all, arranging it this way was much more interesting.

Meanwhile, at the Yorozuya, Shinpachi said with a dark expression:

“Not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, rude and impolite, instilling strange knowledge… She's completely describing you, Gin-san!”

Gintoki slammed the table and retorted:

“Bakayarou! How could I only care about winning in games? She's clearly talking about Kazuma.”

Shinpachi retorted speechlessly:

“That's the part you retort to? You should have refuted the parts before that…”

 。。。。。

【 Although the plan had some deviations, there was no helping it. While Kazuma was making his rounds around the house, an unexpected room caught his eye.

Walking in, he found the lord grinning wickedly at a mirror. The lord was startled: “Wh… what the, it's you! There's nothing here, you know.”

“What are you looking at?” Kazuma leaned directly into the mirror to stare, then discovered it was a two-way mirror that allowed one to see into the bathroom next door.

Kazuma's tone became unfriendly: “Did you tamper with the mirror because Darkness is going to stay there?”

The fat lord awkwardly turned his head away and issued an invitation: “Do… do you want to watch together…”

Faced with such an unreasonable request, Kazuma was filled with a sense of justice at that moment: “How could I agree to such a request! Alright, get out quickly, I'm staying in this room!”

Seeing Kazuma waving his hand to 'shoo' him away, the lord, knowing he was in the wrong, subconsciously started to walk out. Suddenly, coming back to his senses, the lord stopped in his tracks: “Huh? Wait a minute, you want to stay in this room?”

Kazuma said with a straight face: “Hey, don't get the wrong idea, okay! I chose this room solely to protect my companion.”

Then the two began to argue right there, with Kazuma even threatening the lord: “Do you want everyone in the mansion to know about this room's existence? This is a trade, so just shut up and obey.”

The lord was stunned by Kazuma's shamelessness: “I feel like I smell the scent of a kindred spirit on you. Wouldn't it be better to shake hands and cooperate at a time like this?”

Kazuma was instantly tempted by this proposal. Just as the two scumbags were about to shake hands and make peace, Darkness smashed the magic mirror with a punch: “What an interesting topic. Could you tell me exactly what you were discussing?”

The two who were cooperating just a moment ago instantly pointed at each other, claiming the other wanted to peep… 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, this is killing me. Two scumbags found their soulmate; shouldn't they become sworn brothers?”

“Is this Scum-zuma's daily life… Pfft… Hahaha, simply turning the world upside down! Staying in the room so boldly—who is the master here?!”

Everyone outside the video was laughing convulsively without exception. As expected of you, Kazuma. This fat lord is a good judge of character to be able to sniff out a kindred spirit in Kazuma…

It was truly too outrageous. In a sense, he was actually right. This is called birds of a feather flocking together.

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

Azusa-senpai clutched her stomach, laughing until tears came out:

Hahaha, what a way to usurp the host's role, I'm dying of laughter… Sure enough, only a scumbag can deal with a scumbag.”

Even the consistently performing scumbag lord felt inferior to the Kichiku Kazuma. He was almost bamboozled by Kazuma. When it comes to being human trash, it has to be you, Kazuma.

Kitahara Iori was also filled with admiration:

“This is the first time I've seen a scumbag protagonist who can be so blatant about it.”

To protect my companion, I want to stay in this room… I'm afraid he doesn't even believe that himself. How can you say such shameless words?

Chisa stared at Kazuma on the screen with eyes reserved for trash:

“Am I witnessing a historic meeting between two scumbags?”

Birds of a feather flock together indeed. No wonder the perverted lord said he smelled a kindred spirit. You really are capable of doing these things, Scum-zuma!

 。。。。。

【 And so, a few more days passed. Kazuma took Megumin out every day to unleash Explosion magic. After several consecutive days, the area around the capital was full of giant nuclear craters.

Aqua, meanwhile, completely treated herself as the master of the place, getting dead drunk with the maids every day.

In just one week, Aqua drank all the precious wine stored in the mansion and went on a drunken rampage: “Hey, I know you have other good wine, bring it out quickly.”

Megumin spent every day bragging about her heroic biography. As for Kazuma…

“Please give me the usual massage. Tomorrow I want to eat giant bison sukiyaki, and the duvet I ordered earlier has arrived…”

The perverted lord looked at the group who had already made themselves at home, his smile somewhat strained: “Dark… Lady Darkness, I did say please don't stand on ceremony, but this…”

Darkness, her face flushing red, immediately gave a 90-degree bow in apology: “You don't have to explain, it's fine. I'll leave immediately!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

Merlin looked over the deep craters:

“Just looking at the craters, that power really could destroy a city in one shot… But is it really okay to blow things up near the capital every day?”

Even the roads were blown apart! The damage caused by the Demon King's army isn't even as great as yours! A few more hits like that and the map will really need to be redrawn.

Siduri looked speechlessly at Kazuma's squad, who were mooching food and drink:

“These people are the real bandits… You guys really don't consider yourselves outsiders.”

Their adaptability is way too fast; they've completely treated the lord's house as their own! And Goddess Aqua, she forcibly drank all the wine stored in the mansion.

Even Ishtar nodded in agreement with Siduri's view:

“This is clearly inviting a bunch of living burdens back home, and you have to serve them good food and drink.”

Tsk tsk, this is clearly worse than having a thief break into your house. You gained a group of adventurers who came to mooch, and because they are there on royal orders, the lord can't even kick them out…

 。。。。。

Chapter 418: Aqua turned into a ring? How would I know where she disappeared to?

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜

Watching the group of people stuffing their faces over there, even Darkness, the pervert, felt an inexplicable sense of shame:

“Stop it, all of you…”

She felt like someone who had brought friends from out of town back home, only for them to run wild in an acquaintance's house and make a fool of themselves everywhere! Even she couldn't hold it back anymore!

However, for a person with no moral integrity like Kazuma, this level of embarrassment was something he had long since grown accustomed to. After all, ever since the video appeared, he had long lost any face he had left…

Moving bricks and mixing cement, adventuring with a few teammates who constantly pitted him—it was finally coming to an end! Kazuma was momentarily moved to tears.

This is the good life I dreamed of! Clothes were handed to me, food was fed to me, and even maids to serve me. It's simply wonderful!

The key point is that I can also torture that perverted Lord in passing. Double the joy. However…

“Why is your shame point always so weird, you perverted crusader? Under normal circumstances, shouldn't you be feeling excited?”

Darkness grabbed Kazuma by the collar, her face flushed as she said,

“Kisama! What nonsense are you spouting? No matter what you say, I am still a noble. This kind of thing only makes me feel ashamed; I certainly won't feel excited!”

 。。。。。

【 At night. Because he slept too much during the day, Kazuma, who couldn't sleep at night, planned to go to the kitchen to find something to eat. However, he discovered that someone had beaten him to it.

“Is it Aqua…” Just as Kazuma wanted to go up and say hello, he heard muttering coming from ahead.

“Not even a guard? Was I overthinking it?”

Kazuma instantly got excited. He immediately used his Lurk skill to quickly approach the other party, and then pounced. Yes, this pursuit turned into a session of groping all over.

“No, stop… Eh?” The Chivalrous Thief let out a shameful yelp, then sensed a familiar aura. “Could it be you, Kazuma? By the way, what weird place are you grabbing right now?!”

Although Kazuma felt the voice was somewhat familiar, he still held on tight and didn't let go: “No, right now I am capturing an intruder.”

It wasn't until Chris pulled down her mask that Kazuma reluctantly let go.

Chris knelt on the ground, tears filling her eyes, her voice sounding like she was about to cry: “I can't get married anymore…”

Just as Chris was about to explain, Kazuma directly plugged his ears: “I don't want to hear it. If this goes on, it'll be just like before, getting dragged into some troublesome matter again!”

Immediately after, he urged Chris to leave quickly. Before leaving, Kazuma even made Chris tie him up. After all, it would make it easier to explain himself. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“Why is Aqua the first person you suspect in the kitchen?”

The corners of the mouths of the crowd outside the video twitched slightly. Seriously, just what kind of image does this Goddess of Water have in your eyes?

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Watching Kazuma, who closed his ears and refused to listen to reasons, Asuna shook her head helplessly:

“Your Hero refused the quest invitation… and attempted to escape the dungeon instance.”

Clear-headed, skipping side quests—he was acting exactly like a veteran player who didn't want to trigger the plot!

But… thinking of this, Asuna's face darkened. Couldn't you just listen to what Chris had to say? It's not like you have a main quest anyway! You're just idling around.

And based on your level of scumbaggery, I can unhesitatingly suspect that you actually knew the other party's identity long ago and were just pretending.

“However, Kazuma didn't capture Chris, so he still values friendship quite a bit… right?”

Kirito's voice grew smaller and smaller, until finally, even he wasn't so sure.

Looking at Chris's blushing face, even Kirito, who wanted to salvage a bit of dignity for his fellow male compatriot, couldn't continue. No matter how you looked at it, that was pure scum behavior!

 。。。。。

【 By the time Darkness and the others heard the commotion and rushed over with a lamp, what they saw was Kazuma, already tied up and lying on the ground.

Kazuma, whose body was bound, spoke as if he were very unwilling: “It's regrettable. In the end, I still let her escape. To think I would make such a mistake, I was truly too careless!”

Darkness felt somewhat regretful upon hearing this: “Escaped, huh? Are you unhurt? Did you see what the thief looked like?”

“Th… That…” Kazuma's voice became somewhat stammering. “It was a man wearing a suspicious mask. He might even be stronger than a Demon King General.”

Aqua looked at Kazuma and was silent for a moment. “You can't move at all right now, right?”

Then, she decisively took this opportunity to confess to Kazuma. She stated that while Kazuma was kidnapped… not only did she break the dolls in his room, but she also stuffed a lot of trash from things she ate inside them.

Although Kazuma wanted to hit someone after hearing this, he still suppressed his anger and forced a stiff smile: “It… It's fine. Our relationship is as solid as iron. Compared to that, untie me first…”

Seeing this scene, Darkness and Megumin smiled wickedly with twisted expressions: “This is quite a delightful situation!”

“What happened?!” The Lord also heard the commotion and ran over with a large group of people, only to be shocked by the scene before him.

He saw Darkness straddling Kazuma, stuffing pudding into his mouth with a look of pure delight: “Quickly, say it! Say 'I was too arrogant recently, I am truly very sorry!'”

“Apologize properly for causing me trouble during this time! Say 'I am so shameless, I am truly very sorry!'” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜OVERLORD World〜

Watching Kazuma lie without even needing a draft, Ainz couldn't bear to look straight at it:

“These lies that just roll off the tongue… You added too much personal bias,Kazuma-san!”

I know you want to save face for yourself, but you can't just make things up wildly when adapting the story. There are so many rhetorical devices, yet you chose hyperbole. It sounds full of holes.

If the opponent really had the strength of a Demon King General, given your current level, you wouldn't just be tied up there calling for help…

Also, you said they were wearing a mask, yet you could still tell if it was a man or a woman?!

Shalltear was also speechless:

“Stronger than a General, a suspicious man wearing a mask… You might as well just name Vanir directly-Arinsu!”

A certain devil working part-time in Wiz's shop inexplicably took the blame.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Seeing this, Tohsaka Rin laughed and said,

Hahaha, I felt something was wrong when I saw Aqua… turns out it's 'All Villains'.”

What a sincere apology! Confessing while Kazuma couldn't move—you've really got some nerve, Aqua. This move of looting a burning house is truly too trashy.

Emiya Shirou couldn't hold it back either:

“'Our relationship is as solid as iron'… doesn't your conscience hurt saying that?”

He could guarantee that as soon as Aqua untied the rope, Kazuma, who just claimed their relationship was iron-clad, would unhesitatingly use Drain Touch on Aqua in the face.

The most critical point was that Darkness seemed to have accumulated a lot of stress over the past few days. She looked like she was about to be driven mad! The M has switched to S…

 。。。。。

【 It wasn't until the next day that everyone reported the matter of the Chivalrous Thief to Iris. Although they didn't catch the Chivalrous Thief, they at least stopped the theft.

Because of this, the bodyguard Claire also believed Kazuma had no reason to stay in the castle anymore and urged everyone to leave.

Just as Aqua and Kazuma were on the street preparing to buy some souvenirs to take back, the Hero, Mitsurugi Kyouya, approached them: “What a coincidence to meet you here, Aqua-sama!”

Aqua pondered for a moment, tilted her head, and said with some confusion: “Who are you?”

Mitsurugi actually laughed: “Still the same as always, loving to joke around! Aqua-sama.”

Aqua hurriedly leaned close to Kazuma and whispered, “Hey, why is this person acting so familiar?”

Subsequently, the three of them sat face-to-face in a street cafe. Under Kazuma's explanation, Aqua finally remembered that the other party was the Magic Sword wielder.

Then, Mitsurugi took out an exquisite gift box and presented a ring to Aqua: “Please accept this as a gift of gratitude for our meeting today.”

However, Kazuma watched from the side, fuming… Handsome. Truly a handsome guy template, but it just pissed him off.

Aqua tried it on her finger briefly and then gave up: “It's too small, I can't wear it…”

Just as Mitsurugi wanted to say something, Aqua covered the ring with a napkin, then quickly pulled the napkin away: “Ta-da—”

Accompanying Aqua's voice, the ring that was originally there vanished instantly without a trace.

Kazuma was stunned: “Amazing! Although it's amazing, where did the ring go?”

Aqua looked at Kazuma with confusion instead: “It has already disappeared. If you ask me where it vanished to, I don't know either?”

Eh…” Mitsurugi let out a dumbfounded sound. Even Kazuma felt a little bit of sympathy for him. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, 'Who are you'… to think you could ask that. As expected of you, Aqua! Not even recognizing the reincarnator you sent yourself.”

The crowd outside the video looked at Mitsurugi with faces full of pity. We advise you to run quickly. Caught between these two pieces of trash, a normal person like you will be persecuted.

Look at this short instant, how many times has he been persecuted? That ring looked very expensive, and Aqua made it disappear just like that…

And then? There is no 'then', because she herself doesn't know where it went.

 。。。。。

〜Baka to Test: Summon the Beasts World〜

Even Yuuji couldn't bear to look:

“Clearly, Mitsurugi is the typical royal road light novel protagonist design, but why does he give off such a miserable feeling…”

Is Aqua really not just pretending not to know him? Clearly, back in the Crimson Demon Village, when Kazuma said his name, she was a bit surprised.

Mitsurugi Kyouya. He is indeed handsome, has a good personality, and decent character.

He's even a bit of a goofball. He's simply like someone printed from an RPG hero template, yet he is constantly being frantically persecuted.

Akihisa, biting a handkerchief he pulled from who-knows-where, had tears in his eyes:

“I knew it, I knew it! You brat, you have a crush on Aqua.”

Only Hideyoshi on the side could be called the sober one in the room:

“Giving a ring to an idiot? Just how desperate do you have to be?”

You'd be better off giving her a bottle of wine; that would be more practical! In the end, the ring you gave was used to perform a talent show on the spot.

The key is that this idiot goddess only cares about making it disappear… and doesn't know where it disappeared to!

 。。。。。

Notes:

(Author-san: In the Light Novel, the ring actually disappears, though the anime skipped that detail for some reason.)

Chapter 419: The Demon King's Army raids! Carrying the name of a 'True Scumbag,' I absolutely cannot lose!

Chapter Text

【 The scene shifts. In the dead of night, the loudest alarm sounded: “Demon King Army Attack Alert! A group suspected to be the Demon King's Army is currently deploying on the plains surrounding the Royal Capital…”

Hearing the broadcast, Darkness immediately knocked on Kazuma's door: “Kazuma, something big has happened. Get your gear ready, quick.”

Kazuma, who had originally pretended not to hear, could only reply helplessly: “I'm sleeping…”

Darkness slapped the door with a look of annoyance: “This isn't the time for jokes! The Demon King's Army has appeared; we must join the battle too.”

Kazuma, whose level was still only 17, poked his head out from under the covers and roared at the door that was banging…

“You're the one joking, right? Did you not hear the alarm clearly just now? It said high-level adventurers. At best, I count as a mid-level one.”

“Besides, there are plenty of powerful adventurers in the Royal Capital. Even without us, they can handle it with ease.”

Darkness, resentful that iron couldn't become steel, turned and left in anger: “You really are… enough. I'm going to find Aqua and Megumin for help. Let the low-level adventurer tremble under his blankets.”

Although Kazuma was a bit angry, he didn't refute her. He lay back on the bed, closed his eyes with a clear conscience to rest, and then heard voices coming from next door.

Aqua hugged her blanket tightly, crying with teary eyes: “No! Why must I go to such a dangerous place! I came to the Royal Capital to play! I absolutely will not go fight the Demon King's Army, absolutely not!”

Megumin was full of fighting spirit, but Darkness didn't dare let her act recklessly. She could only pull Aqua with one hand and drag Megumin with the other.

“Honestly! Please, Kazuma, think of something!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

“This party… without Kazuma, it really would fall apart. Just missing Kazuma, this weird team can't function at all.”

Hahaha, this kind of low-level goading only works on Megumin. It's useless on Kazuma! Who do you think Kazuma is?”

Seeing Aqua's performance, which went even further than his, everyone outside the video laughed until they cramped… Hahaha, you two didn't come out of the same stable, did you? Truly a match made in heaven.

Where there is a Sleeping Dragon, there is a Fledgling Phoenix. As expected of you, Aqua. Still performing consistently as the useless goddess. Simply a perfect match for Scumzuma!

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

Iori sputtered and laughed out loud:

“No wonder they say two different types of people don't sleep in the same blanket. It really makes sense.”

Darkness was too naive to think Aqua would go fight! This is the scummy goddess who can hide in the rear with a clear conscience while people charge the front lines.

Don't look at how silly Aqua is and how she always pits Kazuma, but if you ask who fits Kazuma's temperament best in the whole squad? That has to be Aqua.

At this moment, Kohei's faith as an otaku was directly shattered. He muttered to himself with dull eyes:

“I'm going back to smash all my RPG games…”

A Hero who steps forward in danger? A kind Goddess full of justice? Heh… fake, it's all fake! Fairy tales are all lies.

A Hero who can go back to sleep with a clear conscience while the Demon King's Army invades the capital, and a useless Goddess who refuses to fight no matter what… So this is reality!

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Watching the “heroic” performance of the Hero's party, everyone present stared at each other, feeling full of complaints but not knowing where to start.

Artoria was silent for a moment:

“Honestly… are they really a Hero and a Goddess?”

Emiya Shirou was instantly speechless. It wasn't that he didn't want to refute, but he couldn't find any point to refute. Even he had this feeling.

Although it feels dangerous for a level 17 Kazuma to go, what is with this attitude of sleeping peacefully because it's none of his business? You two are too scummy, Kazuma! Aqua!

Seeing the Goddess Aqua's performance, even Red A couldn't bear to look:

“Kazuma counts as a minor issue; Aqua is the real heavyweight here…”

Clearly, her status as the Goddess of Water is higher spec than his own black-hearted boss, but why is she so cowardly?

And come to think of it, it seems she hasn't actively crusaded against the Demon King's Army from start to finish.

It was all the enemy crashing into the muzzle of the gun… Thinking about it this way, those Demon King Generals are a bit too pitiful!

〜OVERLORD World〜

Ainz was speechless:

“The Royal Capital conducts nuclear bomb drills every day, yet the Demon King's Army still dares to come…”

Before you attacked the Royal Capital, did you not discover the circles of giant craters in the vicinity? Didn't you think about who caused that?

Shalltear was stunned:

“Wait… Kazuma is only level 17? Are you kidding-Arinsu?”

The Demon King's Generals have almost been wiped out by him, yet his level hasn't even exceeded 20? You can't joke like this. You're the one using cheats, right?

Demiurge slowly shook his head:

“Shalltear, don't look at Kazuma's low level; he is the core of the squad.”

Sometimes levels don't determine everything. Having a good brain is the key. Smart people have smart ways of fighting.

Moreover, this squad can't function at all without Kazuma. Not to mention that those Demon King Generals were all defeated by methods he thought of. Even Sylvia, who was immune to physical and magical attacks, didn't escape.

 。。。。。

【 “How long are you going to argue!” Kazuma, who had lain back down to sleep, suddenly sat up: “Is there any need to risk danger and get involved in this battle?…”

As he was speaking, Kazuma seemed to think of something. His eyes lit up, then he kicked off the blanket, jumped up, and started putting on his clothes.

“If I can show off my presence here, I can go back to living in the castle! Besides, with so many high-level adventurers, there's no reason to lose!”

“And there's no need to fight the Demon King's Army head-on. Just doing something slightly conspicuous is enough.”

On the other side, Darkness was still pulling at Aqua, who refused to go even if she died, and Megumin, who had started fantasizing about shining brightly. Just then, Kazuma, fully equipped, pushed the door open and entered!

“You guys! The country is facing a crisis. What are you doing here? Let's go, it's our turn to take the stage!”

As for Aqua, who refused to go just a moment ago, Kazuma solved the problem with a single move. He dragged Aqua by the leg and led the squad towards the battlefield.

Kazuma dragged her along briskly, remaining indifferent no matter how Aqua cried and struggled. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, that motion of putting on clothes, you're from the village too, right? Bearing the name of Scumzuma, you absolutely cannot lose!”

Everyone outside the video felt something was wrong as they listened to Kazuma's reasoning… Young man, you are setting a flag! Summarizing your words, it just means 'the advantage is mine'!

 。。。。。

〜Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious World〜

Ristarte breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Kazuma finally agree to join the battle:

“Sure enough, it has to be Kazuma. Dealing with Aqua is a piece of cake for him.”

Aqua, whom Darkness couldn't handle, was solved by Kazuma in one move. He has her completely under control.

After all, the enemy has reached the Royal Capital. As a Hero and a Goddess, not joining the battle is really unjustifiable! You know, if the Royal Capital falls, it's game over.

“Joining the battle at this level is too irrational,”

Seiya said, adding nothing more.

Since most of the high-level adventurers are participating, there is no need for Kazuma, a mid-level adventurer, to take this risk. It is simply too incautious.

Ristarte put her hands on her hips and stared at Seiya:

“What nonsense are you talking about? It's rare for Kazuma to have such a sense of justice for once!”

Seiya added with an unchanging expression:

“He just wants to stay in the Royal Capital…”

As soon as these words came out, Ristarte was instantly sunk. Her whole person became gloomy; she couldn't refute that sentence.

〜Gintama World〜

“I want to ask you the same thing. The country was in crisis. What were you doing just now?”

Veins popped out on Toushirou Hijikata's forehead. You have the nerve to lecture others? This face-changing is too fast, isn't it?

“Calm down, Toshi!”

Only Kondo remained calm, his expression unchanged:

“Kazuma has just reached his rebellious phase. There are always a few days when one doesn't listen to their mother's discipline.”

“Look, he is still willing to step forward for the country. He is still a Hero full of justice!”

Hearing this, Toshi retorted speechlessly:

“Kondo-san, save that sleep-talking for the night. So Zura has also just reached his rebellious phase? I've never seen such a long rebellious phase.”

Ring ring… Just as Toshi wanted to say something else, he took out the phone that was ringing nonstop and answered it.

“It's not Zura, it's Katsura!”

“Bang—”

Toshi crushed the phone in half with force, utterly speechless:

“Who cares about that!”

 。。。。。

Chapter 420: A momentary lapse into 'True Elegance,' yet too ashamed to show his face

Chapter Text

【 Although Kazuma looked cool when setting off, by the time he reached the city gates, he was so aggrieved that he was about to cry. The staff member held Kazuma's adventurer card with a troubled look on their face…

“I'm very sorry, but for adventurers under Level 30…”

But fortunately, Claire came to his rescue: “It's fine, this man has achieved numerous merits!”

A group of high-level adventurers around them had also heard of Kazuma's heroic deeds, and they all began to cheer for him!

Just as Kazuma was planning to show off in front of Iris, Aqua, beside him, tugged at his sleeve and said with great unease: “Boss Kazuma, the smart me has learned my lesson!”

“Like a certain person with a problem in her head who would use Explosion magic to drag me into it, or a certain simple-minded muscle-head who would gather monsters and drag me into it too!”

Kazuma reached out and covered Aqua's mouth, saying very coolly, “The opponents are just small fry relying on numbers. Let them witness my true skills!”

Ohhh—” The surrounding soldiers were all infected by this surge of confidence from Kazuma, greatly boosting morale.

…Then the scene shifted…

In the center of that familiar shrine, Kazuma sat on a chair, wishing he could bury his head in his knees: “Long time no see, Eris-sama!”

Goddess Eris looked at Kazuma before her without speaking, and the air fell silent for a moment. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, wasn't he acting all heroic just now? How did it vanish in a flash… Haha, this transition, I'm dying of laughter.”

“'The smart me'… Pfft, hahaha, I can't believe those words actually came out of a Goddess of Wisdom's mouth.”

Everyone outside the video was laughing convulsively. It was simply high-energy throughout. What do you call a speedrun to death? They just wanted to say one sentence to Kazuma…

Hey, brother! Weren't you acting all cool just a moment ago? How did you die again in the blink of an eye?

 。。。。。

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜

Fujimaru Ritsuka slapped a hand directly onto his face, feeling utterly speechless: “What is going on, Kazuma! Why does something happen every time you try to show off!”

Wasn't he handsome a second ago? How did he appear in the shrine space in the very next shot? Have some consideration for us, will you? We're feeling embarrassed for you.

Dr. Roman couldn't help but spit out the coffee he had just sipped:

“Although he can be resurrected with Aqua around, dying like this isn't a solution…”

You are the weakest level in the entire Royal Capital, so why are you still posturing? Is this the legendary 'killing with praise'? Terrifying, even Kazuma lost his wits.

Also, you're a rookie not even at Level 30; to the Demon King's Army, aren't you possibly small fry too?

Da Vinci smiled at this:

“Speaking of Aqua, this is probably the most self-aware she's ever been.”

How many painful experiences did it take for an idiot to summarize such an experience! It seems Aqua has a deep understanding of her teammates' trolling.

 。。。。。

【 Goddess Eris and Kazuma fell into a long silence in the shrine space… Then, Kazuma slowly began to recount what had just happened.

It was going well until the midpoint, until Kazuma used his bow and arrow to save Aqua, who was being bitten by Kobolds: “What are you doing! You're a Goddess, at least. Being taken out by Kobolds, who represent small fry, is undignified!”

Hearing this, Aqua was also roused to fight. She turned and charged into the pile of monsters: “God Blow! God Requiem… Nature's Beauty…”

Just then, Kazuma also spotted a lone Kobold. He drew the Chunchunmaru at his waist: “It's a Kobold! For me, who has fought cadres of the Demon King's Army, this is a piece of cake.”

Getting carried away, Kazuma started chasing the Kobold everywhere. Seeing the Kobold jump down a small hill, Kazuma jumped down as well.

“Hateful Demon King's Army threatening peace, become the rust on this Chunchunmaru…” As Kazuma saw the situation before him clearly, his voice got smaller and smaller.

He saw swarms of Kobolds had already surrounded him layer by layer. By the time he reacted, he had been surrounded by a massive wave of Kobolds and beaten to death.

And so, the awkward scene between Kazuma and Goddess Eris in the shrine occurred…

What to do? It's too shameful. I was looking so triumphant before the battle, but I didn't expect to be gang-beaten to death by Kobolds in the end. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

After watching Kazuma's death experience this time, everyone outside the video fell silent… He really got carried away!

Your job level is low, your skills aren't suited for combat, leaning more towards support, so why did you grab a sword and charge in screaming?

 。。。。。

〜Sword Art Online World〜

Watching another one of Kazuma's bizarre ways of dying, Kirito's face was full of black lines:

“I finally understand. Kazuma cannot be praised!”

Where is your bow and arrow? The bow and arrow that just saved Aqua? Do archers these days all have the heart of a melee fighter?

You're an archer, why are you playing melee with a sword for no reason! You even chased it for several miles.

Asuna felt embarrassed for him:

“This is the first time I've seen Kazuma get played… uh, played by the small fry he talked about.”

Just as Kazuma said, it really is too shameful. Looking triumphant before the battle, only to be taken out by the small fry he looked down on the most!

〜OVERLORD World〜

“This Kobold is surely going to get a promotion and a title when he returns!”

Old Bones(Ainz Nicknames) instantly became cautious. You really can't underestimate any opponent.

The Brave Hero Kazuma, who successively defeated multiple cadres, was taken out by a group of small fry…

A feat that so many cadres failed to accomplish was forcibly completed by this group of mobs.

The smile on Shalltear's face stiffened:

“This Goddess really is… strong against the strong, and weak against the weak—arinsu.”

Clearly, she can't even withstand one shot of her Purification, yet she gets chased and beaten by small fry. This makes me lose a lot of face.

 。。。。。

【 Little did he know, Goddess Eris was embarrassed about something else. Stroking her hair, she said with a flushed face: “…Sexual harassment is bad!”

Kazuma thought Goddess Eris was angry that her important believer was teased, so he quickly explained: “That couldn't be helped. When I grabbed her, with that chest size, I thought she was a man!”

As he spoke, Kazuma saw Goddess Eris's face turn bright red, her eyes filling with tears as if she were about to cry.

Kazuma immediately prostrated himself in apology: “I'm sorry, I won't make excuses anymore!”

Afterwards, Goddess Eris asked a favor of Kazuma: “This is a job with no reward and no fame to be gained.”

“Could you please help recover the Divine Treasures… One is a Divine Treasure that can summon monsters without any cost!”

“The other is a Divine Treasure that swaps bodies with others! This one has a usage time limit.” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜

In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia—

“I guessed right! Goddess Eris is Chris.”

Ishtar raised a confident smile. After all, everyone knows Eris's chest is padded.

In the shrine space, she was still feeling shame over Chris being taken advantage of by Kazuma earlier, and even the mission was the same as Chris's. Now it all connects.

It should be a possession manifestation similar to mine, or perhaps a clone?

“Is that so? As expected of Goddess Ishtar, truly intelligent!”

Merlin silently played the hype man, looking full of admiration.

After all, seeing Ishtar's confident look, Merlin really didn't want to say that they had actually guessed it long ago… ever since Chris stole the hammer that could shake out gold coins.

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

Those who can attend school here aren't fools. Misaka Mikoto and the others naturally reached this speculation too:

“What Chris couldn't do, Eris did! Is this the benefit of having a smurf account?”

It's just that Kazuma's words were simply rubbing salt frantically into Goddess Eris's wounds… Flat like a man, how could he say that!

Looking at the effects of those Divine Treasures, Kuroko finally understood why Goddess Eris wanted to recover them:

“Onee-sama, the effects of these Divine Treasures are so strong!”

“Yeah…”

Mikoto nodded numbly. Summoning monsters without any cost, isn't this Divine Treasure a bit too OP?

But, why is it that those reincarnators possess such ridiculous items, yet not a single one has successfully defeated the Demon King?

Since the Divine Treasure effects are this buggy, if Kazuma hadn't chosen Aqua back then but seriously chose a Divine Treasure instead, with Kazuma's IQ, he might not necessarily fail to clear the game!

 。。。。。

Chapter 421: Body-swapping with the Princess—for real!

Chapter Text

【 When Kazuma woke up again, he saw Aqua hugging a wine bottle with a cheeky grin: “Welcome back, Mr. Kazuma, the one who met his end at the hands of Kobolds.”

And by this time, while Kazuma was dead, the Demon King's army had already been cleaned up!

Aqua didn't stay idle after resurrecting Kazuma; she was seen chugging wine while resurrecting the dead adventurers!

Darkness, hearing of Kazuma's resurrection, rushed over immediately, but was unexpectedly blocked by soldiers rushing out, looking full of admiration: “Your heroic figure charging into the center of the Demon King's army while resisting powerful magic was truly too handsome!”

Immediately after, the cheering crowd carried away Darkness. As soon as one was carried off, Megumin, who couldn't move, was carried over.

“The MVP of this war is coming through, make way! Do you want to be blown away by Explosion Magic?!”

Megumin, carried on a stretcher like she was on a divine palanquin, began to get smug. Then, a soldier on the side expressed a desire to see other advanced magic!

Megumin, who only knew Explosion Magic, broke out in a cold sweat on her guilty face and hurriedly reached out to press down the brim of her hat: “But my mana is exhausted now… what a pity.”

The soldiers began to look forward to tomorrow: “Of course, we have no problem waiting until tomorrow, Miss Megumin!” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

The crowd looked with teasing faces at Megumin, who had dug a pit for herself. Sweating bullets now, aren't you… The last person who was pretending, Kazuma, is already on the sidelines observing. She'll have to run away overnight!

 。。。。。

〜Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World〜

Reinhard's lips curled into a smile:

“Although seeing the Goddess-sama giggling a bit cheekily right after resurrection is strange, it gives one an inexplicable sense of peace…”

No matter how you look at it, it's still very shocking! Goddess Aqua's ability to resurrect without cost is truly too magical; this is the power that only a “Deity” can possess.

“Although her healing ability is beyond reproach… she seems to love drinking a bit too much?”

Thinking of this, Reinhard shook his head helplessly. Although the Goddess appeared to be using wine to resurrect others, she definitely stole a sip just now!

This young Sword Saint was even considering whether to erect a statue to worship Aqua. After all, a resurrection skill is popular everywhere.

Perhaps our world is also within her jurisdiction? If it's offerings, just setting out some wine should be enough, right?

On the other side, Natsuki Subaru was doubting life… How is it that even with fellow countryman Kazuma dying so frequently, he looks completely fine?

Let alone being affected, it's like he didn't take it seriously at all. His mental calmness is a bit excessive.

〜Bleach World〜

Kurosaki Ichigo slapped his forehead, utterly speechless in his heart:

“It's over, they managed to show off. Now, Kazuma is the only one present who didn't come in handy.”

The other members of the team have won big. The ones who are usually useless have ushered in their highlight moments here.

Uryu pushed up his glasses and silently complained:

“What use can you expect from someone who dies right at the start…”

Everyone is showing off, except Kazuma, who is getting beaten up! There's no helping it; who asked him, a strategist who relies on his brain, to charge to the front lines?

“…”

Kurosaki Ichigo thought about it, and it seems that's really the case.

Aqua's max-level healing and resurrection provided logistical support! Darkness's bottomless HP bar, combined with her masochistic personality, just makes her look incredibly brave.

Needless to say, for Megumin, she might not be useful in the Adventurer's Guild, but in an army, she is absolutely a core strategic weapon. Large-scale warfare is simply her home turf!

So in this four-person squad, there's a slacker, but I won't say who.

 。。。。。

【 Afterward, it was still Kazuma who carried Megumin back to the castle, returning to the room Iris had originally prepared for Kazuma!

Megumin also sensed massive magical power from the necklace around Iris's neck. Without a doubt, this was a super-powerful magic item!

“This is a necklace someone gave to Elder Brother-sama. I am keeping it safe for my brother who is on an expedition…”

Iris wasn't clear about its specific use either. Then she remembered there seemed to be writing carved on it, so she took it off and handed it to Kazuma to look at.

“Isn't this Japanese…” Kazuma looked carefully at the text and read it out: “What's yours is mine, what's mine is yours, let me become you.”

“Is this taking people for fools?”

Subsequently, the necklace emitted a burst of golden light, and a miraculous thing happened: Kazuma and Iris swapped bodies!

Iris sat cross-legged, contemplating the future: “From my perspective, even if I live as a beautiful girl from now on, there's no problem.”

“But choosing to abandon the body that has been with me since birth is also difficult…”

Megumin was stunned: “Why are you so calm!”

And Iris, who had switched into Kazuma's body, also assumed a girlish pose: “I don't have any problem either. I actually want to go adventuring just like this!”

Watching Iris's expression, Megumin was about to cry: “Excuse me… but could you not say such things with that face?” 】

【 。。。。。】

〜Projection of All Worlds〜

Hahaha, Kazuma's eyes instantly became clear. Isn't this one of the Divine Artifacts the Goddess mentioned earlier!”

Seeing Kazuma in a girlish pose, everyone outside the video silently gulped… Now they believed it; this was indeed a terrifying Divine Artifact.

 。。。。。

〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜

Kitahara Iori suppressed the chill running through his body and said with a twisted expression:

“I have never seen Scumzuma with such clear eyes…”

I can't take it, it feels like ants are crawling on my body! He felt physiological discomfort at Kazuma revealing a girlish posture…

He admitted he was grossed out. Female-to-male is okay, but male-to-female is really hard to hold back; the impact is too great!

Kohei nearly bit through his handkerchief:

“Don't use the Princess's body to sit in such a boorish pose!”

It turns out a person's aura really has nothing to do with their appearance! The originally cute Iris, after swapping bodies with Kazuma, instantly made her cute appearance look trashy.

Understandably, Kazuma reacted calmly to this kind of thing. After all, being scummy to his degree is enough to adapt to most situations!

But… Princess, why are you so calm too!

 。。。。。

【 Kazuma also remembered the Divine Artifact Eris mentioned had a time limit. As long as they held out until the time was up, they could return to normal!

Subsequently, the two began their life of swapped bodies. Iris went to experience Kazuma's adventurer life, while Kazuma experienced Iris's daily routine.

Iris took Claire to start patrolling the castle. This feeling went to his head, and Claire also noticed that the Iris in front of her seemed a bit off.

“Iris-sama, did that man instill something bad in you again?”

Hearing this, Iris stopped walking and revealed a very serious expression: “Claire, Kazuma-sama is a wonderful person! Good enough to be written into history textbooks…”

Claire was confused. What on earth was instilled in her! Then she thought carefully for a moment: “Sure enough, it's better to dispose of that man!”

At this time, Mitsurugi came looking for them. Claire looked at Mitsurugi and praised him: “Mitsurugi-sama, I heard you showed great skill this time too!”

“It was nothing.” Mitsurugi revealed a refreshing smile and gently patted Iris's head: “Because protecting the citizens and Princess Iris is my mission.”

Iris ordered expressionlessly, “Claire, execute this person who touched my head without permission!”

Eeeh!!” This startled everyone, and then Iris urged Mitsurugi to leave quickly. 】

【 。。。。。】

〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜

“Brave Hero Mitsurugi… Sigh, even running to the Royal Capital, he can't escape Kazuma's persecution.”

Shirai Kuroko sighed deeply.

Every time she saw this somewhat normal hero, he was either being persecuted by Kazuma or on the way to being plagued by him. He never gained an advantage over Kazuma.

“It can't be helped. Who asked him to face Kazuma?”

Misaka Mikoto said helplessly. Kazuma, that guy, has a special attack bonus against humans.

Watching Mitsurugi being driven away just like that, she silently offered a burst of pity:

“If I didn't know it was Kazuma inside Iris's body, that shooing motion was actually quite cute.”

Having stayed with Aqua for a long time, the waving motion reeked of Aqua. It was simply like being possessed by the Goddess of Wisdom.

〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜

Watching Kazuma's self-praise behavior using Iris's body, Illya turned her head away, unable to look straight at it:

“I have never seen such a thick-skinned person… Self-promotion, is it?”

Emiya Shirou gave a sheepish laugh:

“Illya, Kazuma defeated so many cadres. Getting into history textbooks really isn't a problem, so it doesn't count as self-promotion.”

It's just that there's a bit too much personal agenda mixed in, and many details of the crusade against the cadres can't be written in history books.

Artoria sighed with some regret:

“Even such a cute appearance can't save that aura of scumminess…”

There really is no saving him. Princess Iris's cute appearance can't cover up your aura; it has penetrated deep into your soul.

I really dare not imagine what outrageous things Kazuma will do with Princess Iris's body.

If they don't switch back to their original bodies soon, Princess Iris's reputation will be ruined.

 。。。。。