Chapter 12: Transcendence

The Gate of Transcendence.

The Miracle Nexus, the source of all Miracles.

When the Gate opens, the entire world will be made anew.

Those who touch the Gate will be granted infinite divinity, annihilating their humanity to become wholly divine.

And gaining... the power to grant any wish.

I'm looking forward to this...

Even if it turns you into a monster, your wishes will still come true.

... Mr. Gaius.

Your journey... ends here.

You've been waiting out here for me, Gaius?

You don't look surprised. You had suspicions?

You gave us lots of help, but...

The Shadow Decree was always able to ambush us at just the right time. Of course I had suspicions.

What's going on, Mr. Gaius?

Why can't you be more like Sachiko?

It's not good to think to much, to know too much.

If you want to stop me from thinking, Gaius...

... You're gonna have to kill me.

I came just in time, it seems.

Mayor Abigail?!

Thanks, Abigail.

Don't you have something else for me besides your thanks?

It came from Utgard, and it should stay in Utgard.

Why can't you be more like Sachiko? Don't you know that being too clever can get on people's nerves?

Is there a locator in the chip? That's the only way you could find us so fast...

I used to look up to you, Mr. Gaius.

I never thought you'd go so far for the "power to grant wishes".

Don't you realize the cost of becoming completely divine?

Of course I do.

But some wishes are worth granting, even if it turns you into a monster.

What the heck are you talking about, Mr. Gaius?!

I know you're confused about Mr. Gaius, Sachiko...

But everything will become clear if you just call him by his other name.

Isn't that right...

Gaius...

A high-level, core member of the Shadow Decree.

Shadow Councilor...

And at the same time, a founding member of the Esper Union.

An infiltrator hidden in the deepest reaches of enemy territory.

So I couldn't pull one over on Mayor Abigail in the end.

Even the best disguise can't stray too far from one's real identity.

And as a member of the Shadow Decree, you had to destroy the "lock".

If the lock remained in Utgard, then the Shadow Decree wouldn't be able to get to him.

So I leaked info to you about the lock being in Utgard.

Yes, a result the Shadow Decree couldn't accept.

A trap I had to jump into.

And then someone began helping Captain to get the mayor's approval.

Going so far as blackmailing Alexa, using intel that only a high-level Shadow member could get their hands on.

And that's what revealed your identity.

I'm not a detective. I don't need evidence.

I only need to poke you and watch what happens.

So that was your "open scheme"? I'm impressed.

You're just like me, Mayor Abigail. Results-oriented and practical.

Not some bleeding heart obsessed with "justice".

Why, then, do you stand against the new world?

The new world you people are after is one where there are no humans, only Espers.

Such a world would hold no meaning for us.

Very well, then. When the Gate opens, I'll destroy you all, right along with the rest of the old world.

Mr. Gaius, if you just stop and turn yourself in...

I can ensure that your punishment will be exile, and not something far worse.

Hahahaha...

Mayor Abigail, you almost outplayed me in this game.

But I have a scheme of my own. It's called...

... brute force.

A power the likes of which the world has never seen.

It's the most effective scheme there is, impossible to counter.

You wouldn't...

Captain.

"The enemy of all Miracles..."

"A half-man, half-monster hybrid..."

"The lock..."

Is broken...

You know...

I... heard a voice...

She asked me if it was worth it...

How could it not be worth it? Hah!

... This is all I wanted, understand?

No matter what, I only wanted...

... to protect you!

Sachiko... You...

I... I touched it.

Is this really worth it?

How could it not be worth it? Hah!

... This is all I wanted, understand?

No! What did you wish for?!

Just a...

Silly little wish, nothing more.

So that's the power of being fully divine!

In the blink of an eye...

It burned me out!

Sachiko!!!

Don't be sad, Captain, I got my wish! I kept you safe!

I wanted to hold out a little longer...

So I could hug you again.

Remember that promise?

If I ever turn into a monster...

If I ever turn into something other than myself...

Please...

Sachiko!

Set me free...

... Set me free... Please, set me free...

Do you remember, Sachiko?

You said that when it was all over...

I'd be able to live life like a normal person. I'd take off my headset...

And give you back your amulet.

Well, now I can do it.

It's not that hard to become a human...

It doesn't matter if someone looks like a monster on the outside...

It's enough just to have a human heart.

So...

You'll never become a monster, Sachiko.

You'll always be...

A human.

Sachiko.

Thanks for your gift. It looks like...

You already understand.

Yes, I understand it all.

You were always calling out to me.

Yes, I fell into the other side of the Gate.

There's no such thing as space or time over here.

I can be anywhere at any time.

Whether it's the distant past or the endless future.

I'll always be on this side of the Gate. Calling out to you, protecting you.

You can always find me, you just have to listen.

Just knock, and I'll open the door for you.

I'm sorry, I realized everything too late.

If only I'd trusted you sooner...

I'd have been able to embrace you sooner.

Don't worry about that. For me...

This moment is eternity.

Thank you, Captain.

Because of you, I'll always be a human.

Likewise, Sachiko.

I might look monstrous, but because of you, I've become human.

So, Captain...

Will you protect this world as a human?

I will.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.