Her choice; New beginning

"Previously, I felt Archer's presence at one of the rooms in the Temple above. I couldn't go near it in case he noticed me then."

Yu Miaoyi said from the side. She was going to return to the soul altar before she added,

"Now that he had gone, you should check it, Ryan. There should be a reason why he would leave his presence there."

A room hidden by Archer? What's he up to there??

Ryan felt slightly curious.

But he then knitted his brow after seeing the devastation caused by his battle with Archer.

Now that Archer had gone together with his family, along with Rin Tohsaka of this timeline, their aftermath was left for him to deal with.

'That irresponsible bastard.'

There was almost no intact part inside the underground cavern. It was as if the whole structure was about to fall at any given moment. Moreover, that sinkhole at center of the cavern was a dead giveaway of terrible event happening there...

However, when Ryan saw the other things left for him by Archer, his annoyance to Archer was reduced more than a little.

A black book flickering with fiery darkness and destructive aura. This black book should be the essence of Archer's mutated Dragon King Arcane Art.

This book reminded Ryan of the books he had read at that mysterious bookstore back then. It was likely that those books were actually a rich collection of Arcane Arts...

A translucent crystal gleaming with profound aura of wisdom, clad in fierce fighting spirit. This was the crystallized essence of Archer's insights and battle techniques.

Although some of Archer's memories and battle experiences were also transmitted to Ryan in their earlier battle, but they were still lacking and incomplete. This translucent crystal might contain the complete recollection of them.

And, lastly, a fist-sized rainbow-colored stone(?).

Although he did not know what was that stone exactly, but he felt a strong urge from deep inside his soul to quickly absorb that stone. As if it was something extremely vital to himself.

After pondering for few seconds, Ryan decisively stored those things into a temporary Imaginary Numbers space.

'It's better to deal with these aftermaths first. I can take my time thinking about those gifts later.'

Few moments later, Ryan had walked out of the cavern alone. He had finished covering up their battle traces. Both Artoria and Yu Miaoyi were also temporarily returning to his soul altar for rest.

After all, despite its convenient use, [Soul Contract] skill also put quite a significant toll on both Ryan's and the Contractor's psyche for as long as the duration of its use.

His footsteps led him through the traces of battle between Kanade and Matou Zouken.

From their marks, although they had only caused lesser destruction on the area, their battle appeared to be no less vicious than his battle against Archer.

Zouken's and Kanade's bloodshed left lasting marks on the site, creating small river of blood which spread pungent, poisonous gas on the air.

As Ryan walked further, his step was suddenly halted. He felt a sense of loss he had long forgotten in the past.

In front of him, Kanade was lying motionlessly on the ground, her eyes closed, and a melancholic smile prized her lips thinly. She looked like she was merely having a sound sleep, even though he realized it was not the case...

Ryan sat on her side silently. He caressed her hair gently as he then muttered something to himself.

A small wheel with six different aspects inside it bloomed softly behind him. Its gentle light shone on Kanade's corporeal body.

And so, another 'miracle' was happening twice that night.

Tracing through the Past space-time continuum, the Sixth Magic forcibly gathered basic information of Kanade's soul from the [Root], and created a proper soul as its vessel.

At a glance, this act bore similarity simultaneously to all five of True Magics as though all of them were activated altogether, yet it was also different.

There was one special Aspect of the Sixth which made it stood alone supreme on its transcendental summit; it oversaw the Path of Reincarnation. At its innermost essence, it ruled the Life and Death of any existence, material or conceptual, ever recorded on the [Root].

Soon after the Sixth Magic was activated, Kanade's translucent soul was forcibly gathered from its remnants.

The moment Kanade opened her eyes again, she was confused. She could see her dead body was lying coldly on the side, and also Ryan who was looking apologetically at her.

An understanding quickly dawned on her.

It was something unimaginable to her comprehension, as even her senses told her that it was an impossible act. Yet, the fact that she –who was supposed died– had returned to the world of living must have something to do with Ryan.

A stream of will suddenly spoke to her mind softly, "Kanade..."

At that moment, the way Kanade looked at Ryan became strange.

'This man... The moment I closed my eyes for a bit, in the blink on an eye, he has reached such a faraway shore...'

In response to that will, Kanade smiled. She shook her head slightly as she said,

"Can we talk about it later, Ryan?"

Ryan did not understand why Kanade would postpone this matter, but he relented, nodded slightly to her.

"Fine."

The next moment, Ryan was slightly surprised when Kanade's soul arrived at his side, sitting together with him.

When he looked that she was gazing at the stars, Ryan quietly followed her gaze, watching the night stars together with her.

"Ryan,...do you remember the first time we met back then?" Kanade suddenly asked him.

"Mn. You're too weak to resist my shinai then."

Their first meeting was at the kendo tournament back then. Ryan laughed lightly as he remembered that scene.

"...weren't you too ruthless? Dealing such heavy hand to beautiful girl like me, did you not have an ounce of tender care for ladies?"

Kanade pouted. She looked at Ryan with resentment, which caused him to smile instead.

"In fight, men and women are equal. Moreover, I didn't know about you back then, so I wouldn't allow myself to hold back. Even if I know you, I would still not hold back, lest you thought I underestimated you."

"..."

In short, you're not gonna hold back no matter what?

She was speechless seeing Ryan being shameless like that.

"But then, I also felt quite bad after that. I probably should went lightly to you then."

"Why?"

"Because you kept bothering me afterwards."

"Pfft~ Hahaha! Well, I am not exactly a forgiving girl."

"Good to know you realize it yourself."

"Buuut~! You too…"

After that, Kanade began recounting their experiences together excitedly. It was like the dam suppressing her feelings had burst forth. With nothing holding herself back anymore, she poured all what she felt toward Ryan.

Her happiness, sadness, joy, and bitterness. Ryan calmly listened to Kanade as she was talking. He'd occasionally chimed in to tease her as she told him some of their embarrassing and also funny moments.

At same time, as she was talking, her soul gradually turned fainter…

Ryan sent his doppelganger to check on the room said by Yu Miaoyi. When his doppelganger arrived there, he was surprised seeing Sakura was still sleeping soundly.

His doppelganger quickly took her away as he went toward Emiya household. For now, it would probably better for her to stay with Shirou at Emiya household.

Matou mansion was wrecked. And Tohsaka family was also heirless now that Rin had followed Archer. As such, there was a high chance that Sakura would inherit Tohsaka family to continue their lineage.

If that happened, the aftereffect of this event and the response of Clock Tower would also affect her. Regardless of the Clock Tower's guts, if they dared to extend their claws at Shirou, Sakura, or Illya, Ryan would not feel guilty erasing their existence from the world of living.

Under the night stars,

Times passed slowly as Ryan and Kanade were reminiscing over their memories in these past years.

When the first ray of dawn arrived from the far horizon, Kanade was still talking excitedly about their time on this year's Culture Day festival.

"Then, when you gave me that rabbit mask–"

Her words suddenly lost their voice.

Her soul was flickering relentlessly, as though she could disappear at any moment. Even so, she still did not realize it herself as she was happily speaking out her feelings.

"…Kanade. It's the time." Ryan suddenly spoke.

"…" Kanade went silent.

She seemed to understand his meaning as she saw her current condition.

"Let me fix your soul to your body first, then we can talk more about anything later."

Ryan went to hold her soul. He wanted to finish her resurrection before her soul dissipated again.

But, Kanade shook her head. She resisted Ryan's urging.

"I can feel it, Ryan. Beside resurrection, there is also another option, right?"

Kanade looked at Ryan calmly, her expression was serene as though all burden had been lifted from her heart.

"…there is. But, I can't guarantee whether you can keep your current memories intact or not. At that time, 'you' may not be who you are now, Kanade."

Ryan was quiet as he looked at Kanade's expression. From the looks of it, what she wanted was not a resurrection. It was something else…

"Isn't it fine? In this life, there is not much memories I want to keep anyway…"

'Except, those memories I share with you.'

Kanade added silently as she held her affection deep inside her heart.

Even if I lose my memories, I won't forget about you.

Even if this soul shatters into pieces, only those memories I would not let go.

No matter what, I won't forget it...

"…I understand."

The Wheel of Samsara appeared behind Ryan. However, at this moment, its light shone into all direction as though it was forming a subtle connection with various places far away in distant worlds.

The light from Wheel of Samsara gradually formed a translucent bridge of light, with its other end led to an unknown destination.

Kanade's soul then stepped on that bridge of light.

There, she turned around. She looked at Ryan for the last time, smiling brightly,

"I hate you, Ryan."

"…"

"I hate you. I super-duper hate you."

"En. I know."

"…that's why. I will live a better life next time. I will find a man better than you. I will love him with all I have, so much so that you'd envy us."

"That's true. I'd probably rage in jealousy if I see normies like you two loving each other affectionately without minding single dog like me."

"Pfft~ bwahaha! I will also have eleven kids. En. I want my children to form a football club later on."

"…" Eleven? If you make one every year, even it will take at least eleven years to get so much… her drive is too strong, unexpectedly. Stay strong, Kanade's future husband!

Ryan was quite speechless hearing Kanade's wish.

"Hey! Are you thinking ill of me?" Kanade stared angrily at Ryan after seeing him looking strangely at her.

"No. Must be your imagination." He shook his head lightly.

Ryan thought Kanade would chide him again, but she unexpectedly became silent.

"Be careful of the priest from that shady church. He was the one who told me about this Holy Grail War and the way to summon Servant."

Kanade suddenly said to Ryan. Her words made him surprised, but not that much.

Thinking back on it, Kirei could also do thing like that as long as it served to help him achieve his wish.

Then, Kanade looked at Ryan with unconcealed affection, regret, and tears, as she spoke softly,

"…I hate(love) you, Ryan…"

Her figure immediately disappeared into other end of the bridge, leaving only her forlorn voice as she declared her feeling for the last time.

For that brief moment, Ryan seemed to see a future sight of unknown, faraway time.

A female baby was born to an ordinary, but loving family.

She later had another sister and brother.

As she grew up, she became more beautiful and kind. She grew up loved by her families and friends alike.

She looked happy as she worked hard in her school life and college.

As she grew older, she eventually married her junior from the company she was working at. Her beautiful face was wet with happy tears on her wedding day.

From her marriage, she was granted two healthy, spirited baby boys which became the pearl in her life.

As she grew from beautiful lady to be a grandmother, her husband stayed together with her in all their life, accompanying each other through hard and blissful times.

When she finally laid weakly on her bed, as she breathed her last, a familiar memory seemed to appear suddenly in her mind.

She smiled softly toward the sky, as though she could see that familiar figure again through her blurred gaze,

'You're jealous aren't you, Ryan? I'm living a fulfilling life in this lifetime…'

A beautiful smile adorned that old lady's face as she finally closed her eyes, feeling contented at the end of her life.

… … …

Dawn had arrived in its glory.

As the warmth of morning sun embraced the world, Ryan was left alone there, facing the sky in his confusion.

"…why? Why would she choose that path?"

Artoria and Yu Miaoyi were silent. Even as they rested in his soul altar, they also saw the time when Kanade was talking happily with Ryan through their shared vision with him.

Thinking it rationally, Ryan could actually guess why she would choose that.

However, there was something inside his heart that made him felt reluctant to see things ended up like this…

As Ryan felt a confusion clouding his heart, it was at that moment when someone's footsteps could be heard coming from behind Ryan.

"Because, she knew it won't be fair for those people she has killed. For those families she has brought to ruin in her folly. For those dreams she has shattered through her mistakes.

"But, most importantly, she rather chose a completely new life, rather than letting you to shoulder her sins, Emiya Ryan."

The Second Magician, Kischur Zelretch Sweinorg, had soundlessly arrived beside Ryan.

The birth of the Sixth Magic was enough to alarm him to appear again in the world.

"…you finally want to appear after watching us for so long, old sir."

The moment Ryan turned around, Zelretch seemed to see a glimpse of previously unknown future had come into being along with the birth of the Sixth Magic.

He remembered, there was once a saying;

The beginning First changed everything,

The following Second acknowledged many,

The resulting Third showed the future,

The linking Fourth concealed itself,

The final Fifth lost its meaning.

Yet, now, Zelretch felt that another line should be added to the saying...

–The ethereal Sixth granted new beginning.