59 Void

The so-called Vortex refers to the Swirl of the Root, which is the origin of all causes and the starting point of various phenomena.

According to the theorem that causes can produce effects, this existence can be regarded as ultimate knowledge.

The term for the Swirl of the Root, or the existence state of the vortex, serves as a convenient summary for understanding. Even though the Root is ultimate, it remains finite, hence this is merely a concept for comprehension.

Undoubtedly, whether it be the magus or the truth seeker, their ultimate goal is to reach this pinnacle of existence... the Root that Tohsaka Tokiomi has long yearned to touch, the legendary Vortex of Radix.

There are many ways to reach the Root, and they do not repeat.

The three founding families initiated the Holy Grail War, attempting to use the Greater Grail as a tool to help magus reach the Root; Touko Aozaki once said that he tried to achieve the perfect form of humanity, that is, the realm of Void, by creating Puppet; or perhaps there is the naturally connected Shiki Ryougi.

However, regardless of the result or process, attempting to reach the Root by any means is extremely difficult, even absurd.

As a result, those who have reached the Root until now are still few and far between, even for magus families that have inherited for dozens of generations, it remains elusive.

Yet now, a certain outsider has reached here in an impossible manner and state.

Roy's soul, in the guise of the first-generation magus, has successfully reached the Root, achieving the long-desired realm that countless magus from many generations have been unable to attain.

…

Having watched the Holy Maiden of Winter fade away.

After a moment of sentiment, Roy did not linger and turned to step into the starlight gate behind him.

In a blur, he lost consciousness.

With directions inverted and his head spinning, it felt as if he were falling into a bottomless abyss; here was likely a vortex without end.

In his unconscious state, Roy could not comprehend what realm he was in or where his soul would head next, but a massive, irresistible force was pulling at his soul, drawing it toward some location.

Unable to resist or break free, Roy could only close his eyes, allowing this inexplicable power to guide him.

Fortunately, this process did not take long; within just a few minutes of being pulled, his soul had traversed an unknown distance and was swiftly led into the vortex.

When he opened his eyes again, his consciousness restored, the initial confusion and discomfort vanished without a trace. Even the indescribable colors that had surrounded him were gone, replaced by a pristine white land.

The roads beneath his feet extended endlessly, with countless paths stretching out before him. These roads seemed to represent countless futures, laid bare before his eyes.

Every path he could see had no visible end, symbolizing that every future, every road was endless.

At this moment, the sky above, devoid of anything, bore the warm sun, yet snow began to fall.

Amid the spring snow, the shimmering light illuminated this world even more beautifully and sanctified, so peaceful and tranquil that it seemed a perfect place for souls to find rest.

"It seems this isn't the underworld…"

"Has my soul arrived in heaven, or is it still within the Holy Grail?"

Looking up at the warm sun overhead and reaching out to catch the falling snow, Roy walked across this vast land, a hint of sadness in his gaze.

Clearly, he still had regrets about his own death, but he didn't say much more; he simply stepped forward along one of the extending paths.

"I advise you not to move around too much."

A sudden voice rang out.

"Hmm?"

From the tone, Roy could tell that this voice did not belong to the Holy Maiden. Turning to look, he saw a girl in a kimono, quietly elegant with black hair, walking toward him through the falling snow.

"You are… Void Shiki?"

Seeing the familiar yet strange figure, he cautiously inquired.

"Correct! While I am indeed connected to the Root, I prefer to be called Shiki Ryougi."

"Sorry, Miss Ryougi."

"Hehe, no worries, it's just a name." Shiki Ryougi said with a slight smile.

"It seems you truly know a lot. Even without the Clairvoyance, you still understand the trajectory of the entire world. You seem weak, yet your existence has reached the utmost high, and even traversing the Root cannot assimilate you."

"You are indeed quite special."

"Traversing the Root and assimilation? I see… So this is the Swirl of the Root. The discord and drowsiness I felt before entering the vortex was due to the Root trying to assimilate me."

Upon meeting this girl, Roy realized exactly where he was.

"Indeed, the Root will indiscriminately assimilate all beings that enter it. If the soul delves here, it will inevitably undergo assimilation. Even the Magician of the Second Magic cannot escape this; only those truly connected to the Root and residing there can arrive."

"Just like… you and Manaka Sajyou?"

"Manaka Sajyou? You're referring to that girl who is also connected to the Root? I haven't formally met her, but that's true; she is also a magus connected to the Root. For us, this place is actually no different from home."

After all, being able to treat the Root, the lifelong pursuit of a magus, as a home they could freely enter and exit is something only they could achieve.

"However, compared to us, you are the most surprising one." Shiki Ryougi carefully examined Roy and continued speaking.

"You have no connection to the Root, yet you are able to enter in a spiritual state and traverse through the Root unscathed to its depths. Even the Swirl of the Root cannot assimilate you, indicating that your existence has reached the highest level, yet your form of existence and the power you possess are not supreme, which is really strange."

"Reach the highest? Are you referring to... Beyonders."

Listening to Shiki's explanation, Roy lowered his head and fell into thought.

Just as Shiki said, being able to traverse the Root with one's soul without being assimilated could only be achieved by those who connected to the Root, or perhaps only those Beyonders who have approached the end.

Holy Spirit and Outer God.

"It's indeed very similar to those Beyonders, yet it seems not quite the same. Compared to the end they achieved through their training or the paths they walked, you seem more like a form of existence that comes from beyond the world."

Foreigner... an Outer God.

'But what kind of Transcender was this state of mine? I'm just a pitiful person, a soul completely destroyed, a pitiful being whose spirit can never return to its home.'

Seeing Roy's dejection, Shiki gently patted his head, softly comforting him, "Don't be so sad; you are a magus, aren't you? To reach here is exactly what a magus wishes for. Now you have completed the ultimate goal of a magus, so you should be happy. Besides, your soul won't face the danger of assimilation no matter how long you stays in the Root."

"So before worrying, take a good look around here, and then tell me how you feel about reaching the Swirl of the Root as a magus, okay?"

'How do I feel?'

A first-generation magus has reached the Root; no one would believe that this could even trigger a miracle.

If it were any other magus who reached the Root, they would certainly be overjoyed at fulfilling their long-held wish, but for him...

Looking at Shiki's bright smile, Roy couldn't help but bitterly smile.

"Thank you for your comfort, Miss Ryougi, but my wish was never to reach the Root. I just want to live well, to live a peaceful life, and to live steadily with my friends and family."

"Family, huh? So you have already taken this world as your home? Foreigner."

Shiki tilted her head in confusion.

"Yes, I've long considered it my home. I am different from the Foreigners you might imagine; I don't have their powerful abilities, long life, or forbidden knowledge. I am just an ordinary person, an ordinary person who has inexplicably crossed worlds or dimensions."

"My thoughts aren't profound, and my expectations aren't grand. I will be happy because of beauty and sad because of pain; just seeing you here makes me very happy."

She covered her mouth and laughed lightly, "You're happy to see me?"

"Yes, I'm very happy to see you."

Roy nodded.

"Hehehe, I'm happy to see you too, guest from another world."

"However, one thing is incorrect. You are not as ordinary as you think; your soul actually contains a special power that belongs to you; it's just that you haven't explored it."

"I have special... power?"

"That's right; you are definitely not ordinary." Shiki nodded slightly and continued, "Why not put in some serious effort to think about yourself? For instance, further explore the domain from zero to infinity."

"Learn various kinds of magecraft, and even integrate magic; your existence has unlimited compatibility. You don't need to explain much; the fact that your existence cannot be assimilated by the Root shows the kind of value you possess. You indeed have the potential to become supreme."

"From zero to infinity, integrating magecraft and magic, possessing the potential to become supreme... That's truly a high evaluation; I can hardly imagine that I possess such talent."

"This is not flattery; it's the truth."

Shiki Ryougi smiled slightly, pointing to his chest.

"I see now; I finally understand why the Counter Force wanted to eliminate me. They were actually afraid of me, fearing my abilities?!" Realizing this possibility, Roy covered his head and widened his eyes.

"Yes, the potential you possess is immeasurable. They didn't want to give birth to an existence that couldn't be balanced right under their noses, so at the very beginning, they wanted to limit you and kill you. But that has already ended."

"Indeed... after all, I am just a soul now."

"No, it's not like that." Shiki shook her head, correcting him.

"The Holy Grail War has ended, and the Holy Grail has completely vanished, but the miracle born from the Third Magic has succeeded. That Holy Miden of Winter blessed you while fulfilling her wish; those residual lights in your soul are her blessings to you and her thank-you gift left behind."

"Just like the inheritance between the Magician of the Fifth Magic, the Magician of the Third Magic has deeply imprinted those points of light containing the aftertaste of the Third Magic into your soul. Do you know what this means?"

"This means I... have obtained the Third Magic?"

"Correct. If it were just an ordinary soul, it could never meet the demands of bearing such vast magical energy as the Third Magic."

"But you are different. Even with the Five True Magic at the pinnacle of mystery, your soul can easily assimilate it. Mystery will yield to higher mystery; compared to you, the visitor from the alien starry sky, the Third Magic is just a trivial matter."

Shiki put down her hands and continued smiling, "So congratulations! You are no longer just a visitor from an alien starry sky, but a genuine Magician of the Third Magic, a Magician of the Third Magic belonging to this world."

"Magician of the Third Magic?!"

Roy was taken aback and quickly touched his chest, carefully feeling what was inside, as Shiki had said. He realized that there indeed was something within.

The flame deep within his soul, these twinkling starlights, were not merely the essence of his soul; they actually contained remnants of the Third Magic.

No, this is not a remnant; it feels more like sparks. These points of glow are quietly slumbering within his soul.

'Is this the gift the Holy Maiden has sent me?!'

'What a gift that is difficult to repay.'

"Now, the false angel has been completely eradicated, and those who died because of the Holy Grail War have all been resurrected thanks to your efforts."

"So congratulations, Magician of the Third Magic. Your efforts have successfully saved many people, further balancing the boundaries of magecraft and science in the world. Your identity has now been recognized by the Akashic Record."

"And I am here to represent this world, and all of humanity, to express my gratitude to you."

Shiki Ryougi smiled slightly, representing the world as she expressed her thanks to Roy.

"Your achievements are comparable to those great heroes in myth and epic."

"No, you don't need to thank me. I haven't done anything remarkable. Rather, it's because of me that things escalated to this extent, dragging so many innocent people into this; what I have done is merely a way to atone for my sins."

"You don't have to feel so guilty; what you have done is already the best. Without you, disasters would still have erupted; all the world's evils would also spread across the land, and many people would die because of it."

Shiki Ryougi shook her head, slightly correcting Roy's thoughts, "So, why not hold your head high as that king of heroes said, Roy? This is your merit and praise; you have saved many who were meant to die. Because of your efforts, the Holy Grail War has thoroughly come to an end, and the Fifth Holy Grail War will never happen again."

"You are a hero!"

A hero...

Roy stared blankly at his hands.

So it turns out that without realizing it, he has saved many people...

Tohsaka Tokiomi has set aside his long-held wishes and left Fuyuki City with his family to avoid this disaster and Professor Kayneth will also not...

"Are you very worried about your friends?"

"Well, they're all pretty unreliable guys. I don't know if they can handle the upcoming life... Of course, I feel worried."

"Since you're so worried, why not go back and take a look yourself?" Shiki Ryougi said with a light smile. "You should prefer life over there more than here, right?"

"Go back? Can I even go back?"

Entering the Root and then returning to reality is something unimaginable; even Roy was momentarily stunned upon hearing this.

"Of course, you can. The Root can trap anyone in this world, but it cannot trap you, the soul that cannot be assimilated... Foreigner."

"The key is actually hidden within you; the Third Magic that resides deep in your soul will point the way back for you. As long as you want to leave, it will guide you."

"What you mean is..."

Roy raised his hand to grasp the heart that no longer existed, then turned to look at Shiki Ryougi standing in front of him in surprise.

"As you thought, the essence of magic is a means or product to reach the Root. When you have already mastered magic, entering and exiting the Root may not be impossible; as long as you want to leave, it will serve as a signpost to guide you."

"In other words, magic can be understood as not just knowledge or technique, but a path. As long as you walk on it, you reach the Root, or you have already reached the Root, which is why this path exists."

"It seems you've understood, then. The essence of magic is indeed like this."

Shiki Ryougi smiled slightly, affirming Roy's statement.

Her smile was like the first snow in early spring, stunningly beautiful.

Seeing this, Roy couldn't help but be momentarily stunned, his face revealing an uncontainable joy. He then deeply bowed to Shiki Ryougi to express his gratitude.

"Thank you for your guidance, Miss Ryougi."

"No need to thank me; this is the reward a savior should receive. Having become a vessel of the Heaven's Feel... a magician, you are now an uncontestable existence. Now that the Holy Grail War has ended, the Counter Force will no longer target you."

"And, just call me Shiki. Calling me Miss Ryougi feels a bit strange."

"Is that so?"

Roy felt puzzled; there is a very special point in Japan. Most people are very particular about others calling them directly by their names; for those not too close, it's usual to refer to surnames or full names. If the relationship is somewhat distant, they might even add honorifics.

However, Roy didn't think too much of it. In his view, Shiki Ryougi could no longer be considered an ordinary person; she shouldn't be measured by ordinary human standards. Since she didn't like that form of address, he could change it.

"Okay, I understand. If you don't mind, I will call you directly, Shiki, is that right?"

Shiki Ryougi nodded with satisfaction.

"Although I still have many things I want to continue discussing with you, there are many matters in the outside world waiting for me to confirm, so I will take my leave for now." Roy said seriously.

The attraction of the Root to other magus is undoubtedly deadly, but for him, the attraction here is far inferior to the outside world. Rather than pondering and studying magic here, he would rather immediately go out and meet those friends, helping them resolve those hidden dangers. Though he enjoyed chatting with Shiki, the importance of his friends outside came first.

"Are you leaving already?"

Shiki Ryougi looked at Roy in surprise. "You haven't confirmed your condition yet; don't forget your body has been blown to ashes. If you just go out like this, you'll become a ghost."

"A ghost that has reached the Root?"

"Pfft, that description of yours is quite fitting." Shiki Ryougi laughed.

"But that's indeed how it is."

"So should I first look for a suitable body to possess, or should I condense one using magical power?"

Roy began to ponder.

"No need to complicate things; don't forget where we are."

"This is the Root, the place where all miracles are realized. Borrowing some power from the Root to help you condense a suitable body is quite simple."

Seeing Roy's troubled expression, Shiki Ryougi smiled and shook her head. Her slender hand had already rested on his chest as she softly spoke.

"Then relax a little; I'll help you condense a suitable body."

"Thank you."

Roy also smiled in return, fully opening his soul and allowing Shiki Ryougi's hand to rest within it.

At that moment, the countless miracles and magical powers that existed within the Root collectively lost control, swirling toward Roy's soul, enveloping his entire essence within a forming shell.

The four eyes silently met at that moment.

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