The Leap

"Damn! Why isn't he dead?"

Fans who had seen Shiki land a perfect strike with her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception thought victory was within reach. Everyone believed Araya had finally been defeated.

But the reality was the opposite!

Despite having been stabbed straight through the heart, Araya hadn't died!

Not even the Mystic Eyes, with their one-hit-kill ability, could finish him off.

How could Shiki possibly defeat such an enemy?

The tension among fans soared.

In the next moment, Araya's left hand moved, landing a punch squarely on Shiki's stomach. Her body was flung backward.

With just one strike, Shiki coughed up more blood than Araya had after being pierced through the chest and head!

Araya's strength was utterly overwhelming, his power despair-inducing.

The sight of Shiki so wounded broke fans' hearts.

Watching helplessly as Araya captured Shiki, Enjou Tomoe could do nothing, forced to watch as she was taken away. Many fans shook their heads in disappointment.

At critical moments like this, it's clear: new acquaintances are useless.

Only Shiki's companion, Mikiya, could truly save the day!

As expected, when Mikiya couldn't wait any longer, he returned to the shrine and met with Cornelius Alba. Learning of Shiki's capture and discovering more about Araya's plans, the situation became clear.

Araya, a man who had lived for an immeasurable amount of time, had grown disillusioned with humanity. As the highest form of life, he saw only despair in the human condition. To find meaning in existence, he sought the ultimate beginning and end—the Root of all things.

Now, with Shiki in his grasp, he intended to open the path to that Root!

This prompted Aozaki Touko to join the battle.

Unfortunately, Touko became trapped in Araya's labyrinthine temple, her head severed by Alba.

At this point, many fans felt hopeless.

Shiki, the main fighter, was captured. Touko, a deeply hidden magician, was now incapacitated.

Mikiya? He's too weak to be of any help.

But then, something incredible happened.

Touko appeared again!

"You... you should be dead! I killed you with my own hands!" Alba shouted in shock.

Fans and characters alike were left with one giant question: could the dead come back to life?

This moment completely captured the audience's curiosity.

In the ensuing conversation between Alba and Touko, the truth was revealed.

Touko was a magician skilled in creating perfect replicas of herself.

She always kept a dormant version of herself ready. When the active body died, her memories would transfer to the spare body, which would awaken. Then, she would create another spare, identical in every way, so much so that even Touko couldn't distinguish the original body from the copies!

Fans were stunned.

"Wait a minute, this feels oddly familiar…"

Many realized this concept resembled certain sci-fi stories, where future humans store their memories in chips, transferring them to new bodies when their original ones die, creating a form of immortality.

However, the unsettling question remained: is that truly the same person, or just a copy?

Meanwhile, Enjou Tomoe, now aware of his existence as a puppet, took the elevator to the top floor. Armed with Shiki's ancient blade, he returned to the ground level, determined to face Araya head-on. Even when Araya mocked his Origin as "meaninglessness," Tomoe charged forward, knowing he would be destroyed.

"Facing someone like you, I finally understand. All this time, I've been like you, refusing to admit my weaknesses and making mistakes. But nothing is meaningless, whether real or fake, whether it leads to an end or not. Even if it's just for a day—I am Enjou Tomoe. I am someone with a complete past. I may lack a history, but my strong will makes that enough."

Initially, many fans had disliked Tomoe's character.

Even though Ren had rewritten parts of the story to reduce the feeling that Tomoe was interfering in Mikiya and Shiki's relationship, there was still an underlying unease about it.

But after hearing Tomoe's speech, he gained a few fans of his own.

"Now, that's a man!"

"At first, he seemed weak, but now I see he's got some real guts!"

His self-sacrifice touched many viewers, especially since they knew he was just a puppet.

Admiration and sympathy combined, and fans began to appreciate Tomoe more.

Sadly, Tomoe still died. But in that moment, fans believed he had transcended his fate.

For The Garden of Sinners fans, understanding the concept of "Origin" was crucial.

The Origin is similar to a person's core instinct or destiny. It's an innate direction that all beings inevitably follow.

For example, if someone's Origin was poverty, their life would likely always be intertwined with being poor.

Tomoe's Origin was "meaninglessness," implying everything he did was ultimately futile. But in his final moments, his actions gained meaning.

Though he died, his sacrifice bought enough time for Shiki to awaken!

The final showdown between Araya and Shiki began!

Shiki's eyes snapped open, and the familiar blue glow filled the screen, making fans clench their fists in excitement.

The battle was fierce, as magic clashed with steel. The impact of every blow, the sound of weapons colliding, kept fans glued to the screen.

The sensory overload of both sight and sound made it impossible for viewers to look away, their attention wholly captured by the intense fight.

As Shiki cornered Araya, fans' hearts raced.

"Is this it? Is he finally going to die?"

Fans exhaled in relief, thinking the battle was nearing its end.

But just as Araya was seemingly defeated, his figure vanished along with his black cloak.

Shiki remained unfazed. She calmly walked to the balcony, resting her hand on the railing.

"I won't let you escape."

She smirked before leaping from the balcony towards the grassy courtyard below, her blade in hand, a cold yet graceful expression on her face.

"Oh my god, Shiki is so cool!" fans exclaimed.

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