Chapter 69. Welcome Back, I'm Back
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"Sorry..."
"Why?"
"I just feel like I need to apologize," Amakusa Shirou Tokisada said, scratching his face.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Semiramis said, closing one eye and waving her hand dismissively. "You're not at fault, and neither am I. We simply failed."
This was Semiramis—despondent yet arrogant. She would go all out when she wanted to, but discard what she had once she grew tired of it.
"I'm a bit unwilling to accept this..." Amakusa Shirou Tokisada said, placing his hands in front of him. "Back then, the Hero of Pure White chose humanity over himself. What would he choose now?"
"You shouldn't think about that guy at the end," Semiramis said, pouting and fiddling with Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's hair.
"Because... I wanted to redeem humanity," Amakusa Shirou Tokisada said softly, "I wanted to save this hellish world."
He had seen that hell—the hell that birthed Jack. He knelt helplessly on the ground just as he had in life. He was the Child of Miracles, but he could not save the children of the past.
He saw the hell he had witnessed in life and the hell he saw now. He could not deny the goodness in people's hearts; he had once tried to believe in them, but he failed. He no longer believed, so he wanted humanity to retain only the good parts.
But he failed...
"Is that so? But I want to rule humanity," Semiramis said, tilting her head. "You deceived me, didn't you? In a world where everyone is happy, rulers are unnecessary. What will you do if I discover this?"
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada fell silent.
Semiramis lowered her gaze and placed her finger on Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's throat. "Will you kill me?"
"How could I... By that time, I would only leave it to you," Amakusa Shirou Tokisada said with a bitter smile. "But everything is already over."
"Do you want me to comfort you? I'll let you cry on me if you want~" Semiramis said, poking Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's face.
"I'm not a child," Amakusa Shirou Tokisada sighed softly. Why did she have to tease him till the end?
"You... are really a troublesome person," Semiramis said with a gentle smile, leaning down to kiss Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's forehead. Faint light particles flowed from her and gently fell.
The vast starry sky was beautiful. Amakusa Shirou Tokisada had lost track of how long it had been since he last looked at it carefully. Normally, he might have lain there, gazing at it quietly. But now, his view was filled only with this woman, who had become half-transparent but was even more beautiful than the night sky.
I really am... a slow-witted person.
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada reached out his trembling right hand, trying to touch the person who was so close but had never been touched.
"Thank..."
When he tried to touch her, there was nothing there anymore. Seeing the light particles spilling from his fingertips, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada closed his eyes, and his right hand fell limply.
The last light particles slowly rose from his hand and merged with the night sky.
"Red faction Assassin confirmed dead. Red faction Caster's magic supply interrupted, resulting in death."
Cyd, with his hands in his pockets, calmly observed the massive sphere before him.
"Do you want to fulfill your wish?" Sisigou, sitting in the corner, asked softly.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Perhaps I am the greatest problem in this Holy Grail War," Cyd said, spreading his arms. "Come out, your magic should be enough now."
"Hope will eventually be released from Pandora's box, but along with it, despair will also be released," Jeanne said, closing her eyes, her fingers clasped together on her chest.
In a distant world, beyond even the interference of time, the Hero of Pure White named Hope awaited the moment the [box] was opened. But perhaps what accompanied him back to this world was also the rule of the gods.
Is this really okay?
"He has made no mistake," Jeanne said slowly as she opened her eyes. The armor and flag slowly vanished in the light, and the girl named Laeticia awoke.
"Whether hope or despair, what is your wish?" The woman in the white dress appeared before Cyd, slowly descending. Her pure white hair emitted a faint halo, and her snow-white hands held Cyd's face. Her crimson eyes seemed to look through him.
"Your destruction," Cyd said, raising his hand and pushing the woman's hand away.
"Is it really necessary?" The woman asked, looking at Cyd with confusion. "If the Holy Grail is gone, your wish cannot be fulfilled."
"I am in a place beyond time, existing in every moment but never able to reach it," Cyd said, looking up, past the woman, at the Great Holy Grail. "What I need is only a fluctuation, a gentle push towards the world's fluctuation. The destruction of the Great Holy Grail, which connects to the Root, is enough."
"I see... Is that your wish?" The woman smiled lightly and floated towards the Great Holy Grail, her slender fingers clasped in front of her. "Welcome back, Hero of Pure White."
"Crack—"
A fissure appeared on the Great Holy Grail, and then, like dominoes, countless cracks emerged. Pure white light burst forth from the cracks, piercing through the ceiling and reaching the sky.
Cyd's body began to turn transparent. It was not the breaking of his spiritual foundation but the overturning of an assumption.
Because non-existence could be regarded as death, he could be summoned as a Heroic Spirit. Now, that non-existent him was about to return to this world, and thus, his Heroic Spirit form should also disappear.
"Are you leaving again?" Atalanta asked, pursing her lips.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Close your eyes and trust me. This time, I won't make you wait long," Cyd said without turning around, calmly looking at the white light column. "When you open your eyes again, the first person you'll see will be me."
"I... always believed in you," Atalanta said, closing her eyes.
"Boom—"
The door was pushed open, and a tall figure stumbled in.
"Cyd... Cyd..."
Chiron, clutching his chest, staggered towards Cyd. His blood-covered eyes could see nothing, and countless cracks were leaking abnormal purple blood. The veins on his body bulged as if they were going berserk. He should have been dead, but was it the Command Seals or that Noble Phantasm that kept him standing here?
But it no longer mattered. This time, he had to see Cyd return with his own eyes.
"Have you... come back?"
Chiron reached out his bloodied right hand, stumbling forward and groping.
"Teacher... I..." Cyd said, turning and reaching out his hand towards Chiron. But just as he was about to touch Chiron's fingertips, his body collapsed, and the pure white light particles, along with the light column, shot into the sky.
Chiron slowly closed his eyes, his tall body falling forward. His bloodied right hand slowly fell through the air.
"Crack—"
A fissure appeared in space, and along with countless mirror-like shards, a person walked out. The left hand adorned with a bracer caught Chiron's hand and placed it among his snow-white hair.
"This feeling..." Chiron's lips curled into a smile. He gently rubbed the strands of hair between his fingers. Even though he couldn't see anymore, he could still understand.
His wish, his obsession, his regrets, had disappeared.
He... no longer needed to worry.
Chiron fell on Cyd, his head weakly resting on Cyd's shoulder. His left hand slowly lifted and pressed on Cyd's back.
"Welcome back, Cyd."
Faint light particles showered over Cyd, the warm feeling akin to being embraced by someone.
Cyd closed his eyes and opened his arms, embracing the empty space before him.
"I'm back."
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