"So, what are you waiting for?"
Ash let go of the steering wheel, letting his hands fall weakly. He was exhausted too. While he tortured Amilo countless tis, Amilo also broke all his bones piece by piece. Several ribs had already punctured his lung, and after enduring the cold rain and hail for so long, even his blood was cold, ready to tilt his head and rest forever at any mont.
If Tamasi hadn’t taught him those inhuman skills that only Monsters could master, he wouldn’t have been able to hold on until now. So he was very grateful to have t the Black Crow of Death, not only because she taught him those techniques but also because she showed Ash that when faced with Fate, the weak don’t just have to escape and endure; they can also defy all the world’s judgnts like Monsters.
When a Mage loses all Miracles, he has no choice but to beco a Monster with icy blood.
But Monsters do not rest quietly, only to roar and die on the path of charge.
Viscous blood dripped from his fingers onto the sword hilt, and Ash raised his head to look at the Dazzling Star, his gaze as defiant as looking down: "The Supre Holy Grail is in your hands, and in front of you is nothing more than Life as humble as dust. No one can stop you from reaching higher peaks."
"No, there still is."
Unexpectedly, the Dazzling Star slowly shook her head: "I still need to accomplish one thing to eliminate all unforeseen events and make the Supre Holy Grail truly belong to ."
Ash’s fingers gently fell onto the sword hilt like playing the piano, until he held it in his hand. Having two swords was truly great; one could be used to save a life, and the other kept for entering into death.
"Through learning the Fate Faction, my biggest insight is that the weak fear the consequence, while the strong fear the cause. Rather than waiting for bad outcos to happen and then redy them, it’s better to forge good ties from the start to guide the flow of Fate." The Dazzling Star said, "I never owe anyone, nor will I let anyone owe . What I want, I will surely pay for."
"Just now, because Filly helped you get the Holy Grail, Fate stood on her side; now that I want to take your Holy Grail, Fate will naturally stand against ."
"I need you to sincerely give the Holy Grail," the Dazzling Star said, "That way, I can ascend to the Supre Throne by destiny’s call."
"Alright, I’ll give it to you." Ash said expressionlessly, "You can drink it."
"Ash Heath, I hope you cherish it, because this is your only chance to change your outco." The Dazzling Star casually swung her legs, looked down at him with her chin raised:
"I invite you to beco my only partner."
Ash raised his eyebrows, looked at her calmly, and after a long while, his throat emitted a disdainful laugh: "Ah?"
"My Supre Throne will be shared with you, you will govern all things in the world on my behalf, wielding the scepter that commands all living beings. I’ll help you rise your Heavenly Kingdom of Souls, I’ll help you complete your Six-winged form. I am the Supre of Magic, you are the King standing at the pinnacle of the world."
"Beneath the Supre, above Fate."
"From now on, all hardships and suffering will have nothing to do with you. What you like will be good, what you dislike will be evil. The whole world will operate as you wish."
"The Gods of Four Pillars will no longer trouble you, and the threats from the Heavenly Kingdom of Souls will no longer confound you." The Dazzling Star held the Holy Grail in one hand and extended the other hand towards Ash: "This is my promise to you. As long as you beco the Supre’s partner, all problems will be solved."
"All you need to do is stand by my side and then gain the whole world."
Ash stared dumbfounded at the proud girl sitting in the carriage, seeing the starlight in her eyes with not a hint of deceit, realizing she was actually serious. His mouth slowly curved up, lips trembling as if trying to hold back but still couldn’t help but burst into laughter, laughing until tears ca out, laughing until he was out of breath.
Faced with the King embraced by the Star Cluster, he had no courage left to arm himself with except for laughter.
He wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes, sincerely sighing: "But do you need to sacrifice that much? Becoming a woman like , won’t you feel you’re wronging yourself? Even the Divine Lord should cherish their own happiness, right?"
While Ash laughed, the Dazzling Star’s expression had already turned cold as ever, even withdrawing the hand she extended. But upon hearing Ash’s question, she raised her eyebrows, as clear as ink and snow falling on plum branches, like a white deer crossing the snowy ground. The brilliant starlight fluctuated, and even the wind and rain that struck Ash’s face beca gentle.
"No grievance." She said calmly, "No need for self-deprecation. If speaking of ranks, you are the only person in this world who can stand by my side. Even other Divine Lords are inferior to you. Your Heavenly Kingdom of Souls has the potential to beco the first kingdom, even without my help. When you succeed in raising your kingdom, you will surpass the rank of the Divine Lord, transcending all Heaven."
"Potential unrealized is equal to powerlessness." Ash said self-deprecatingly.
"Yes, your Fate will be more bumpy than you can imagine. The Gods of Four Pillars have not gone far, and Hell and Heaven have already noticed you. This is the fate of every Divine Lord, to beco either the grave relic of the old era or the nightmare of the new era, to rise in war, to plunder in chaos."
"Every banner of a new King must be dyed red with the blood of traitors."
"So, I want to help you overco all these hardships." The Dazzling Star said, "This is also Filly’s wish."
Ash’s face turned cold, "What do you an?"
"What she was most worried about was the risks you took to save this world." The Dazzling Star said faintly, "Her biggest regret was not persuading you to give up that night on the cable car. When she realized she didn’t have much ti left, she had many regrets in her heart, but her biggest regret was that she couldn’t continue to fight alongside you."
"Because you already accompanied her through that journey, but she couldn’t accompany you through the rest of your life."
"She feels she has let you down," Dazzling Star said, "so I’ll help her repay that."
Ash’s hand gripped the sword tightly, veins bulging. His lips trembled, and with a hoarse voice, he said, "Why do you sound... like you care about Filly’s feelings so much? Clearly, she’s just a trivial tool, a Phantom you use and discard."
"But she is also ," Dazzling Star said. "Did you forget what I said earlier? I fear mutual debts the most. Since you think I took a girl from you, I’ll return a girl to you."
"If this is your wish, then before you, I am Filly, a true Filly."
Ash gazed at her blankly, hearing his voice as if it were an echo squeezed out from the folds of his soul: "What are you talking about?"
"She would follow you like a shadow to the Mage Kingdom, watch you intently as you work, rember your every word, and share every emotion with you. Even when you eat like a squirrel, she’d laugh like you are her whole world. She’d still get jealous, sulk, but if you coax her, she’d forgive you. She has so simple tricks that are easy to see through but can still fool you because she wants to prove her independence but hopes you’d hold her in your palm."
"When I’m with you, I am Filly. At other tis, Filly is ." Dazzling Star lowered her eyelids, "All your promises can be fulfilled, regrets can be anded."
"You’ve missed once; now, I give you another chance."
This ti, Ash couldn’t laugh; he couldn’t even hear his own heartbeat, overwheld by a profound helplessness. On the evacuation ship from Shattered Lake, on the way out from Yisu Imperial Palace, beneath the Silent Spiral, he’d never felt this. Now faced with ruthless reality, all he could do was claw and protect the last shred of dignity.
When truly presented with ’another chance,’ all he felt was the absurdity of being toyed with by a Miracle. Filly reached out with all her might to grasp the future, even putting her head beneath the Death God’s scythe, for she was too weak, needing to give all to join Fate’s wager. Yet all her struggles beca a gift in the Divine Lord’s hands, a token for obtaining the Supre Holy Grail.
He had no doubt about Dazzling Star’s capability; she could truly resurrect Filly, and only she could. It’s his best chance to save Filly, and she even offered the entire world as Filly’s dowry. If Igula and Vishi were here, they’d surely press his head to agree.
How laughable, no matter how excessive the actions of the Divine Lord, she always offered irresistible conditions. For you are rely human, not a Monster.
Now it was Ash’s turn to answer—exactly how much was he willing to sacrifice for his justice?
"What about Allstars and Rose?" he asked softly.
Dazzling Star withdrew her expression, gazing at Ash coldly, "I only owe you one girl."
Ash took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The sound returned, the wind and rain returned, even the aching bones returned. He was back in this cold rainy night.
He had no Miracle, no Void Wings, he had nothing left but his last breath.
"I am a Mage."
He spoke every word clearly: "An Insatiable Greed Mage."
"You won’t even return anything, willing only to give a girl that’s nothing but a Phantom you can shatter at any ti. Is that enough?"
"Never enough!"
Ash stood up from the car, unabashedly revealing the sword gripped in his right hand. At that mont, he finally t Dazzling Star’s gaze directly. Filly’s resurrection was re wishful thinking, unless she could be separated from Dazzling Star’s body, Filly would always be rely Dazzling Star’s tactile sensation, a figure existing to fulfill Ash’s fantasies, a mask used to placate him.
She had been born a tragedy, and could not be reborn as one!
"Perhaps the outco is destined, but I absolutely can’t resign without trying," he said coldly, "The Holy Grail is in your hand, and I still have my weapon!"
"The Holy Grail is mine, Filly is mine too!" Ash roared: "All that I’ve lost, I will take back!"
"If a Mage can’t create a Miracle, it is aningless!"
He too wanted to accept charity and live a diocre life, but he was here on the battlefield, devoid of the ignorance pretense. He could only keep pursuing Filly’s Phantom, defending their shared Belief!
"Is that so..."
Dazzling Star closed her eyes, the Starlight surrounding her dimd, even the Galaxy on her body turned obscure.
When she opened her eyes, the grandness and dignity in her pupils subdued the icy rain and hail, every Starlight within the teor Heavenly Curtain reinforced her authority, the carriage she sat in morphing into a throne, even her legs suspended, stepping upon all beings.
"Co then."
As Ash leaped, the powerful backlash caused Allstars’ fastest Oracle Cot to explode completely. A streak of Sword Light pierced the roaring flas, dazzling like a supernova desecrating the Starry Sky!
User Comments
0 comments from readers