Ultima Cantica: The Stage of Carnage, Onriedo (Ending)

Heh...

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Behold the advent of darkness! The end of the human world is nigh!

This corrupt world will never be able to withstand Onriedo! People will wish for nothing more than to die and be whisked away to paradise!

And yet, there is no paradise anywhere to be found! Instead, this human world will be further subsumed into Onriedo, until hell lies in every direction!

Hahahahahahaha! Haha! Hahahahahahaha! Now that my Onriedo Castle has taken shape...

Awaken! Awaken! Awaken! Obey the ritual bestowed upon me by Satan, and activate your true form!

Ahh, Satan! Great Lucifer! This time, I swear I shall save you!

Once Onriedo Castle's activation is complete, the end of this world will be close at hand!

In an instant, this frail alternate history shall be consumed by darkness! And from there...this entire castle shall travel to the distant land of Chaldea!

My revenge will not end here! I shall destroy the Chronicle Theoretical Phenomenon where Chaldea resides; indeed, it shall even destroy the true humanity itself!

Thus shall I bring about a future for those history has left behind!

Hahahahaha, it won't be much longer now, Satan! Soon, I shall hurry to your side with the hell that is the human world on my back!

Haha, hahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Mmf...! Mmf! Mmmf!!!

Ah, yes, I forgot you were still here. I trust you find your gag's flavor to your liking, princess?

Mmf... Mmmf...

... ...

I see from your expression you have no idea what I'm talking about. Well of course you don't, you fool.

It took me over twenty years of crossing between worlds to truly understand.

...I have seen many different worlds.

Some were identical to my own world. In others, madness ran rampant, to the point that nothing made sense.

There was a world populated only by sounds as calm and peaceful as any flute, and a world of darkness uninterrupted by the light of day.

In time, I came to hear the voice of Satan, and in a flash, I understood everything. It was truly a revelation.

Indeed, it was such a momentous event that I ended up going through the final door myself...

It was there that I met a god who had also had his brethren slaughtered, just like me.

...?

(What is he talking about? Has he already gone completely off the deep end?)

Hehe.

You are wondering if my eyes show signs of madness, aren't you? Indeed...I have been mad for quite some time now.

I lost my sanity in Shimabara long ago. My heart is now naught but a swirling vortex of hate, vowing revenge against those who perpetrated this atrocity.

...Hehe. Hehehehe.

Hahahaha! Call it an act of madness if you wish! However, you who enjoys the privilege of being a Tokugawa, remember this!

In every world that I have been to, your family is the same! Whenever we Christians stand up for ourselves at Shimabara, you always come to slaughter us mercilessly!

If I am insane, then you and your family are hateful, cruel, and inhuman!

...So I will show you no mercy. Even if this place is cut off from history...

Even if this is no more than a parallel world...I shall show you exactly the mercy you showed us: none!

I shall kill every last one of you!

Hahaha, hahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

...!

(His fury is staggering! He mentioned Shimabara... Who is this man?)

I bet even God in heaven heard that laugh, Lord Sorcerer.

So what is the next step in your plan? You have taken over this castle and kidnapped the princess. I'm guessing that brings us near to its conclusion.

Indeed.

You must grow tired of carrying that sword on your back for nothing. Rejoice! Your time has finally come.

Shinmen Musashi has come to the castle. You will kill her.

From the moment I met you in the mountains of Shimousa, I could tell that that is the sole reason you exist.

She may wield the Myoujingiri Muramasa, but she is still merely human. She has not yet reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

...But you have, nameless man.

Though I burn with loathing for this world and everything in it, I still have some respect for your skill.

There is no demonic sword in the entire human realm that surpasses yours. And so, with you at my side, I have nothing to fear from Shinmen Musashi.

...I hope it works out that way. I do want to pay you back for your hospitality.

But I'm not so sure I'll get a turn. Lord Empireo is here too, and his swordsmanship is truly terrifying.

Once he draws his sword, his opponent's soul isn't long for this world, whoever they might be.

...But then again, you never know. The only thing you can ever be certain of is that nothing is ever certain.

Indeed. Nothing is certain except the destruction of this world, thanks to my Onriedo Castle!

Hehe, hahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Perish, perish, perish! HEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

This is the Chaldea Command Room! Do you read me? Do you readSenpai...!

？！

Thank goodness I finally got through! Da Vinci! Our connection to Master has been reestablished!

Good, good. I'm glad to see my peerless genius has come through once again. This makes all the late nights I spent working on this problem worth it!

But I guess now's not the time for chitchat. Good job hanging in there, Fujimaru.

Let me fill you in on everything we know. First of all...

After you fell into a coma, something intervened in the dream you were having and brought your consciousness somewhere else.

We already had data on hand from the time you fell asleep like this for seven days, so we surmised what had happened fairly quickly.

But even though we knew what was happening, nothing we tried could reach you.

For some reason, the only thing that eventually worked was Rayshifting Fuuma Kotarou.

Although, I'm guessing from the looks on your faces that you have a good idea why that worked?

...It must have been because Katou Danzo, someone I was very close to, was here.

I'm the only one who was able to Rayshift here because she existed in this world.

I believe the spell I brought with me finally activated when I temporarily absorbed her magical energy.

Ah yes, the special spell I prepared to reboot the comms on the Mystic Code Fujimaru always carries with him.

Phew. It was rough going not being able to get in touch with you, but at least we got through now!

Unfortunately, I don't think it will last very long, since it looks like you're outside proper history.

For that part, uh...

I'd like to keep telling you what's going on myself, but Holmes has been insisting that he have a turn. Go ahead, great detective.

Pardon. My apologies for the intrusion.

I'm quite impressed that you've managed to restore both Fuuma Kotarou's magical energy and your own magical circuits, Master.

I had deduced that the trouble with our communications most likely lay with you.

To begin, your mind was able to attain something similar to a physical body after being transported in a manner not unlike a Rayshift.

However, that body is very much a temporary construct. Your real one is still asleep here in Chaldea.

Therefore, as long as your new body was able to adjust to that world, there shouldn't have been any issue...but had it not, it is entirely possible that your magical circuits wouldn't function properly.

After all, the comms device you always use is as much a kind of Mystic Code as it is a machine.

Which means, if the magical circuits within your body were unable to acquire energy, your comms device would fail to function as well.

？！

As I suspected. Then either you adjusted to this world at some point...

...or perhaps, someone helped you to adjust through some special means?

？！

Believe it or not...

？！

You think that Shuten-Douji's Spirit Origin...may have shared memories with the version of her in Chaldea...?

I suppose it's not impossible, but it's still just that, a possibility. Besides, apart from that, she didn't seem to be linked to the Shuten-Douji we know in any way.

...But does that mean it was just a coincidence that she did what she did to Master's body? The chances seem vanishingly slim. Then again

I don't know what you're talking about, but remember, the karma implanted by the Curse of Annihilation destroys its vessels' pride and honor...along with everything else.

In which case, it shouldn't be much of a mystery.

... ...

Come to think of it, she did say this world was hell anyway.

Hell, hm. Fascinating. That would mean you have indeed found yourself in a nightmare.

Mr. Fujimaru has wandered into the rift between dreams and reality.

That is, I believe, the most likely explanation for our current predicament.

A rift?

Correct. Ms. Da Vinci gave a brief rundown before, but to be more precise...

The medical data from the last incident and Mr. Fujimaru's condition during that nightmare he saw...

...matched the data for his current condition very closely. Whether he remembers it or not, everything was carefully recorded in Chaldea's library.

The medical team who monitored Mr. Fujimaru during the last incident did an excellent job.

At any rate, given the overlap between the two data sets, the answer is clear. Once again

？！

Precisely.

This place where you now find yourself is neither a prior point in history, nor a Singularity that threatens humanity.

It is either a closed-off subspace not unlike a Reality Marble, a separate timeline, or an alternate world. Whichever it is, it has no effect on humanity at large.

It is a special world does indeed exist, but is part of your dream at the same time. In other words

In other words...that's the rift between dreams and reality?

Correct.

And it is here that the woman peeking out from behind you becomes very important, Ms. Miyamoto Musashi.

Oh, uh, hi, I'm Musashi. Nice to meet you. I wasn't hiding or anything, this is just a little strange.

Oh, nice to meet you! I'm so sorry I didn't introduce myself before. I'm

Is this really the time for that nonsense? Our world is on the brink of disaster, you know.

O-oh, right. Sorry about that, Grandpa... I guess the other introductions will have to wait. Sorry about that!

N-not at all. I'm the one who should be apologizing!

I have to say though, awful handy to talk to someone over a distance. I can only imagine what things would've been like in the age of war if we could've done this back then.

Hey! Weren't you the one who was just telling us to knock off the small talk!?

I'm glad to see you're all in good spirits. Now, let us proceed. Miyamoto Musashi.

Given what Ms. Kyrielight has told me about her, I have devised a hypothesis.

She is a traveler. A world-crosser. A one of a kind being best described as a mobile Singularity.

And currently she is with Mr. Fujimaru.

And so...nothing more need be said.

？！

...I try not to make a habit of overexplaining things, as I generally find doing so to be rather lacking in tact, but very well.

I described Ms. Musashi as a mobile Singularity precisely because of the many connotations such a term implies.

While one of those connotations is certainly that anything and everything becomes possible, there is more to it.

Despite her unusual nature, she alone would not cause this sort of inter-dream phenomenon to occur.

For example, the prior seven-day incident would never have arisen had the King of Mages not served as both an external and internal trigger.

In other words...there is another factor at work here besides Ms. Miyamoto.

Go on, give it some thought. I imagine you must have some idea of who that could be.

...You really do love to treat your theories like truth, don't you, Holmes?

Believe it or not, this is not how I would prefer to go about it either. But, circumstances being what they are, I felt I had no choice.

Hmm. Who else could it be...

... ...

Don't bother wracking your brains when you don't know what he's talking about, Musashi.

Grandpa...

For example...

Say there were multiple mobile Singularities in the same world. Such a phenomenon would certainly be unprecedented.

It could result in any number of abnormalities or other unusual phenomena. Thinking about it in those terms, is there no one who comes to mind?

Multiple mobile something or other...

In other words...there could be someone else here besides Lady Musashi who moves between worlds?

Oh, now I get Wait, there's someone else like me here!?

Aha. Now it all makes sense. When you put it that way, the answer's easy.

There's only so many people here who don't belong. Servants. Fujimaru. And...

？！

I'm glad to see you've arrived at the same conclusion that I did.

True, that does line up with everything we've seen so far. Even before Onriedo Castle showed up...

...monsters began appearing throughout Shimousa at the same time that the sorcerer and the Heroic Spirit Swordmasters were first seen.

Furthermore, the Swordmasters always had monsters accompanying them...

...and many more appeared in the castle town right when Onriedo Castle showed up.

I had thought that was just a natural phenomenon... So that sorcerer was actually summoning them here all along!

Do these monsters act in ways that further this sorcerer's interests?

Yeah, I think so. They definitely obey the Swordmasters' commands.

Then we can safely assume that this person is the source of every abnormality occurring in that world.

...Presumably.

？！

In my original hypothesis, I surmised that Ms. Musashi should be able to control these monsters in the same way.

But that does not appear to be the case. Therefore, I expect the difference is most likely a matter of output.

This sorcerer most likely has a stronger mobile Singularity temperament than Ms. Musashi.

So...you mean he's the same as me, but a more experienced traveler?

Precisely.

I must admit that I dislike piling hypotheses one atop another like this...

I would prefer to keep my silence, given the number of lingering doubts I still have.

Nonetheless, as we discussed earlier, this situation simply does not allow for such luxuries.

It would be one thing if Professor had a hand in this, but to think I would have to explain a case where my deductions were still incomplete...!

？！

Ah yes, just to be clear, the things I have told you here are NOT the full extent of my thoughts on this matter.

I have chosen to withhold some facts and estimates for the time being, so as not to unduly color your preconceptions.

I trust you can understand that.

...We geniuses can be a real pain in the ass, can't we...?

...So, let me make sure I've got this straight.

Once this Onriedo Castle place fully activates, it might pose a threat to our world as well?

And right now, you're inside the castle, trying to find and stop the mastermind.

？！

Hmm. That does sound dire and all, but...

Could something that happens in a dream really have an effect on our own world?

If it did, it would be an unprecedented threat that we've never experienced before... Oh well, never mind that now!

Let's get serious and go over what you need to know as concisely as possible.

We have your coordinates now and we've verified your existence.

We'll also move ahead with preparations to bring Kotarou back along with you.

Unfortunately, our connection is still unstable, so I'm not sure when we'll next have audio and visual...

...but don't worry. Now that we have a lock on your coordinates, we won't lose sight of you. I promise.

Nevertheless...the dream world you find yourself in right now is still quite real.

If you die there, you will die here as well. So make absolutely sure you return to Chaldea alive.

Ugh, Holmes, in all your investigations did you never find even a little bit of tact?

Even I know better than to be as blunt as that, and this is ME we're talking about!

And Mash, if you have something to say, why don't you say it instead of muttering to yourself?

I-I wasn't muttering. I was just thinking that if we ended the call before I got a chance to talk to Senpai, I...

I...

...I'd miss him, is all...

？！

Thank you, Senpai!

I'll be waiting for you here, so please...make sure you come back to Chaldea safely!

We made it to the keep! Now we just have to get to the top as fast as possible!

Boy, I haven't climbed a keep like this in forever! Fujimaru, do you know about the castle in Himeji?

I've been inside a number of castles before, but the only other keep I've climbed is Himeji's.

？！

You mean the tale of Osakabehime? I do remember a character thought to be Miyamoto Musashi appearing in it.

That's the one. It was a huge and beautiful castle. I think it was almost as big as this one...

Although, that's strange. It just doesn't make sense that Toke Castle would be this big, especially during the Tokugawa reign.

That Holmes guy said this was a separate timeline, I think? I guess that explains it.

It doesn't matter what it is. Let's just hurry to the top and kill this sorcerer person.

I want to get back to Onui and Tasuke, after all. I know we can trust that woman, but...

...with all these monsters around everywhere you look, I can't help but worry about them.

...Hm? Hang on. If we stop this sorcerer, will that solve the monster problem too?

I believe so.

Then it's simple. We head up there and take him down. Though we still have to hurry, of course.

Agreed. This should be our final battle in Shimousaa place in the rift between dreams and reality.

Now, I'm seeing signs of monsters ahead of us. Let's get through them quickly, Master!

？！

These things are still showing up!? Fujimaru, I'm counting on you to watch my back again!

You monsters just can't stop glaring at us living folks, can you?

I don't know what hardships you suffered when you were alive, but I think it's time you shuffled off for good!

I challenge you to a fair fight! No more howling in rage for you. I'll send you back to the afterlife myself!

...So far, so good. Although...

I'm surprised this floor doesn't look too different from the lower ones. I mean, we're almost at the top, right?

That's right. This is the fourth floor, so the only one left is the fifth and final floor.

Since we haven't seen any sign of the sorcerer so far, it is safe to assume he is waiting up above.

... ...

Stairs, huh... I guess that goes for keeps too...

？！

I was just wondering how long it had been since I climbed a flight of stairs, and what world it might've been.

...But I guess that doesn't matter now. Not when there's another evil aura close by.

How about you, Fujimaru? Are you all right?

I'm glad to see your special resistance still works here in Shimousa, Master.

Hey! Why didn't you say something sooner!? That can have a big effect on how we fight and how fast we can move!

Oh, don't worry, Master is resistant to poison. I believe him when he says it's just a little trouble.

I'm guessing he didn't even realize anything was off until we got this far.

...Oh yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry about that, Fujimaru.

？！

Make sure you catch your breath. We don't want to find ourselves stuck between high and low ground.

Stairs are best traversed in one fell swoop. Tell us when you're good to go, and we'll hurry on to the next floor.

For a self-proclaimed old man, your legs sure are in good shape. On top of that, you're not even breathing hard.

That's because I train myself properly. I don't know about other smiths, but I always forge while holding my breath. Really toughens up the lungs.

Is that so? Sounds a lot like swinging a sword. Oh, not that I know all there is to know about every other style of swordsmanship, of course.

... ...

Hm? Kotarou?

...

？！

Oh, please don't worry about me. I was just thinking about the enemies we're facing.

The last Heroic Spirit Swordmaster is the Saber of Empireo. Should we assume he's waiting for us here too?

I would. Can't imagine these people would be anywhere else. Otherwise, we wouldn't have run into that Caster.

He was a true monster, the type to bide his time and enjoy watching his prey struggle until the last moment.

And he still came at us with a bunch of small fries in tow. So I'm thinking this is the safest place here.

I'd agree with that. Still, there's nothing he can do now that he's dead.

So I say we forget all about him, and move on to this keep's final

？！

Musashiii!!!

(He erased his presence so completely I had no idea he was right behind me...!)

(How can he still be alive!?)

(It's just a matter of luck now. I need to turn around, draw my sword, and cut him down in a single slash, all in one motion!)

What...? What's...the meaning of...?

Revolting.

I can barely stand to look at you. This pretty facade you wrap yourself in is nothing more than an illusion to hide your true, ugly nature.

Begone, filth.

Urk...ghh...

You slew one of your own comrades?

Comrade?

I have no need for such outside interference. I never once considered that thing a comrade.

At any rate, you certainly took your time getting here.

For a while, I was not sure you would even get here before the world ended, Shinmen Musashi.

...How did Saṃghāta Hell put it again? "A soul who is truly gifted at cutting human bodies apart in the most cold and efficient way possible."

I presume you were the one she most had in mind, Saber of Empireo.

...

Hmph, what an amusing description. Indeed, I do excel at cutting apart human bodies in an efficient way.

The path I walk leads not towards the Buddha. I am but a single blade that can be swung effortlessly.

In other words...my sole purpose is killing.

My name is Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami Munenori. I am the final Heroic Spirit Swordmaster, Empireo: the one who looks down from the highest point of all the heavens.

？！

...!!!

Is this some sort of sick joke?

... ...

I'm not surprised. I have no trouble believing you'd be capable of something like this, old man Tajima.

There's only one thing I don't get. Every Servant has a distinct aura to them. How did you hide yours?

Simple. I am human, through and through.

Though I may have been given the title of Heroic Spirit Swordmaster, and lead armies of monstrous creatures, I am the same person I always was: still the same Yagyu Tajima.

That explains it. A human wouldn't have a Spirit Origin that could go berserk...

But, how is that possible...? Not even Servants can withstand the transformation that comes from having the Curse's karma implanted in them.

There should be no way you can still be human. Unless, you've already come back to life...

...I have not.

I am not a spirit returned from the dead. I am me. I have the same body, the same life as I have always had.

I have merely ventured off the righteous path.

Heh. For that matter, collecting karma is trivial. I have gathered all 108 Buddhist defilements.

...!

And here I thought you might be worthy of respect after you cut down that Limbo guy. Turns out you're no better.

You can try to hide it with talismans or spells, but you still stink of blood and guts.

Yes, that is what happens when one spends time around monsters. Although you are the first to notice.

Indeed, the irony that I was praised for protecting the people of Shimousa when my true goal was exactly the opposite is not lost on me.

Nevertheless, the charade did wear; I am no actor.

Leading the procession of samurai to Toke Castle was an especially difficult challenge.

Heh. It seems I now have no choice but to create my mountain of bodies and river of blood here.

It was all I could do to suppress my urge to draw my blade. But in the end, you made your way here none the wiser.

Isn't that right, Shinmen Musashi?

...

Let me start by offering you my thanks.

And not for humiliating myself by pretending to be an actor at my age.

No, my thanks are entirely for you, Musashi. You helped me see who I really am.

Six months ago, our paths crossed by chance, followed by our blades.

It was the briefest of moments...but in that short span, every bit of artifice I had built up was stripped away.

In a flash, my loyalty to Lord Iemitsu, the life I had devoted to my family's Shinkageryu...all of it was gone.

In other words, the man I once was had vanished...

...and all that remained was a single, monstrous swordsman.

I did this...?

Then, if I hadn't taunted you into drawing your sword back then...you wouldn't have ended up this way?

...Am I the one who pushed you into going mad?

I have done nothing of the sort. I was merely stripped of one layer of artifice.

I could not be more grateful. That is why I just showed you my own blade in return.

You helped me see that my father passed on our outdated Shinkageryu to me precisely because I had never enjoyed studying the sword.

This is why I was able to push it to evolve into the Yagyu Shinkageryu.

...I was content with that. I believed that, in the end, the way of the sword is the way of killing, no matter how you dress it up.

That there was no special meaning to be found in it...and thus, no value to be sought in life.

But I was wrong. It was only at this age, after dueling you, that I realized the truth.

The mystique of the duel. The feeling of life and death intertwining in a single moment. The time when your mind and your opponent's mind occupy the same space.

And I realized...the way of the sword is actually quite fun.

...

All of it existed to fight you, Musashi.

A sorcerer appeared in the darkness and told me a woman calling herself Musashi would arrive in this world again.

In which case...I had no choice but to face you once again.

...I have been waiting for you, Shinmen Musashi.

I may have been regarded as the strongest swordsman in Edo, but only in a time of peace... In the end, such a title is utterly meaningless.

As Edo Yagyu, my Otomeryu can only be passed down to the ruling class.

I did not pay much mind to my life before...

But now, Musashi, I am extremely interested in what comes next!

I was born again as a demon to answer a single question: Which of our swords is stronger!?

？！

It is.

Right. In the end, that's all it comes down to.

And yet...I think out of everyone here, I'm the only one who can't blame old man Tajima for this. No matter how awful the things he's done may be.

Lady Musashi...

Of course I'm angry about it. I don't intend on showing him any mercy. That kind of evil wouldn't have flown even in the age of war.

I hate what he's done, too. Leading monsters to slaughter innocent people...trampling on others' pride and beliefs, like with Lord Inshun...

And all to satisfy his own selfish desire? There's no excuse for that.

But, even so...I can't bring myself to blame him.

...After all, I'm a swordsman too. I've also pushed myself to the very limit.

I too want to fight strong opponents, and push myself further by dueling with them! To someday reach a peak I can't achieve on my own!

Even if I never attain ultimate mastery, I at least want to go out triumphant over the foes that are right in front of me!

？！

I'm sorry, Fujimaru. I know how messed up that is. And it doesn't mean I'll let Tajima get away.

But...I can't help but understand how he feels. I'm sorry. I just had to get that off my chest.

...You must be pretty disappointed with me now, huh.

...Thanks, Fujimaru.

I see. ...I'm glad to hear that.

？！

Indeed. I could not have understood before my rebirth, but now, I understand very well.

You are exactly right. That is why I broke the taboo, and drew my blade.

No matter how I may try to remain calm and unattached, my body cries out to battle you, right here and now.

...Though I must say, I could not believe what I saw at first.

Hm? What do you mean?

I never thought you would face me with only one eye. It reminds me of Mitsuyoshi more than anything.

Yagyu-Jubei Shichirou-Mitsuyoshi? ...I guess I can see that.

Anyway, I'm sorry to spring this on all of you so suddenly, but...would you guys go on without me?

I have to face this old man, right here and now.

Even if the world is ending, and there is no end of people crying, suffering, and dying...

This duel to the death still comes first for me. When you live your life swinging a big knife and cutting down other people, your pride comes before anything else.

So go on...

Go!

...We're leaving, Kotarou.

I'm afraid I don't understand how you feel, Lady Musashi, but...I wish you luck.

You too, Fujimaru. Go on.

？！

...Huh...?

You can't leave me behind?

Ahahaha. And here I thought I'd proven a little more trustworthy by now. ...No, you're right. He's strong. Exceptionally strong.

Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami's swordsmanship has reached a godlike level. He's seen things I don't even understand.

I almost certainly can't beat him on my own, especially since I've only just gotten used to fighting with one eye. If I tried, I'd be dead in an instant.

I really can't put anything past you, can I, Fujimaru.

？！

...I'm sorry I can't handle him on my own. But I'm glad you're here with me!

Come, Musashi!

You bet. Let's see if your fabled Yagyu Shinkageryu can stand up to my cross blades!

That's it. We shall never get the chance to do battle again. How fortunate that fate has brought us together.

Come forth, my blood-soaked frontier! This mountain of bodies and river of blood shall serve as the stage for our battle, and consume the loser's soul upon their defeat!

Saber of Empireo is the Cursed Name of my blade! The True Name of my soul: Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami Munenori!

Show me your sword, Shinmen Musashi! Our final battle is upon us!

...Let's do this!

...It was useless. Any attempt in trying to read your next move was completely futile.

The essence of my Niten Ichiryu lies in adapting to hundreds...thousands of possibilities. But if my opponent stays one step ahead of all of them, there is nothing it can do.

To defeat your Suigetsu, I had to enter the realm of the gods myself.

I had to find the one right answer that lay beyond every possibility.

...In other words, I had to slash through the unbreakable heavens themselves. I call it Kengou Battou: Ishana-Daitenshou.

...I am indebted to you, Tajima-no-Kami. Thanks to you, I awakened my ultimate technique.

...Heh. Is this you showing mercy to your opponent?

...Regretfully, it seems my skill was insufficient to reach you.

Not at all. I couldn't have beaten you alone. Your swordsmanship was divine in the truest sense of the word.

I doubt you'll end up going to paradise, but just in case you do...give Lord Inshun my regards.

...Very well.

Ahh, I feel much better. Hehehe...

Cursed Mitsuyoshi. So this is how you felt whenever you swung your sword.

No wonder you improved at such an incredible rate. How infuriating...

You may not wish to hear this from me, but I'm afraid I shall say it anyway.

Shinmen Musashi. Master of Chaldea. This was the most enjoyable duel...I have ever experienced...

...I win, Saber of Empireo.

The time is at hand. In a few minutes, Toke Castle will become a castle of Edo; a manifestation of the impure land, ready to curse all that the Tokugawa hold dear.

Even the Master of Chaldea that Lord Satan was so afraid of has turned out to be no threat at all.

Now then. Are you ready to die, Kiyohime?

...Hm? Who are you people?

What a great view. If the weather was nicer, I bet I could see all the way to Mt. Fuji from here.

Lord Muramasa, the princess is safe!

A-are you two with Lady Musashi and Lord Fujimaru...?

Yes, we are. Everything will be okay now, princess.

...Why are you here, you cretins?

You mean you can't figure it out? We're here to take down the mastermind behind this whole mess.

By the way, we've never met before, have we?

Of course not.

What's your name, mastermind? I like to know who I'm going to kill before I get to killing them.

...I believe this man's name is Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.

Huh?

Oho, so you know my face, Fuuma Kotarou. Then you must have seen Amakusa Shirou's Heroic Spirit in the correct history.

No, on second thought, there's no sense asking.

If my Heroic Spirit would stand with humanity, he and I are nothing alike!

To think that he would meekly sidle into his spot in the Throne of Heroes instead of burning with fury after undergoing the hell that was Shimabara... What a joke.

...If you think that's funny, laugh all you like. You're far from the only Heroic Spirit who burns with fury.

Surely you know that from the Heroic Spirit Swordmasters you led. But then, I guess you could never understand.

Now I see... So that's what I'm doing here.

Er, I'm sorry. What are you talking about?

I finally figured out why I was summoned to this version of Shimousa.

It's all your fault, Amakusa. You've got so much baggage that you ended up becoming a world-crosser, or a mobile Singularity, or whatever they called it.

Hmm...?

Now you pose a threat to the entire world. So either the world itself, or the Counter Force, or...

Ugh, this is such a pain! I still don't really get it myself!

For one thing, I thought the Counter Force, or a Heroic Spirit chosen as a Guardian or whatever, wasn't supposed to have a personality, unlike a Servant.

I don't know much about alternate timelines, or parallel worlds, so I'll leave that stuff for later.

Amakusa, I'm here to cut you down.

So, at last you realize your role to play, Senji Muramasa! Hehehe, indeed, the Counter Force does reach this far, even though this world is not a Singularity!

That is why you are the one the world chose to summon here.

If you'd remained at your hermitage, wasting your life in peace, I would have left you alone until this world ended.

What a fool you are to come this far just to throw your life away!

My body has long since surpassed the limits of humanity. It is now the equal of the Heroic Spirit Swordmasters! If you think that pathetic little knife you've got there can cut me down, Muramasa, you are sorely mistaken!

I already knew you were no longer human. But I don't care whether you're alive or undead.

The only thing you've got inside you now is suffering and anger. You're just a vengeful ghost in human form.

You threaten the whole world just by being here. You give that Caster a good run for his money.

Onui and Tasuke are going to grow up in this world. It's not yours to play around with!

Hahaha, hahahahahahahaha! Oh, but I will play with it. And I will destroy every Tokugawa in every world in existence!

The Chronicle Theoretical Phenomenon! Proper humanity! The correct human history! Once I have destroyed this world, I will swallow them up, and the rest of your worlds too!

Satan calls to me... He guides me!

No more talk!

It is no use.

...Looks that way!

It is no use. None whatsoever.

Hmm, now what's going on here? I'm disappointed in you, Senji Muramasa.

Since the Counter Force summoned you, I would have thought you had the means to defeat me.

But it seems I overestimated you! Wonderful! Now I truly have nothing to fear!

You two second-rate Heroic Spirits are all that stand in my way. Be honored, for I shall bury you myWhat!?

I believe you meant two first-rate Heroic Spirits, one first-class Master, and one certified swordsman!

So you're the sorcerer I've heard so much about! It's about time we met face-to-face!

？！

...I see. So Empireo has fallen.

That fool. He would never have lost if he had truly embraced Lucifer, the great Satan himself, and devoted himself fully to serving him.

I suppose there is only so far a man of Edo can go. In the end, he was nothing more than a philistine not even fit to join the rest of the rabble.

...Philistine? You think a man with swordsmanship like his was a philistine?

So that's how you really feel, huh? I guess a snake who crawls in the gutters can never understand how it feels for a bird to soar.

Even though he chose to side with stagnation, he never let it sully him, or lost what was truly precious.

Even though he chose to become an evil oni, his pride for his swordsmanship never wavered. Calling him a Heroic Spirit Swordmaster says far more about you than it does about him.

He was a TRUE master of the sword. He achieved a level that even surpassed my father!

So shut your mouth, you damned ghost! You can't even hope to understand how great Lord Yagyu was!

If you truly hated this world, you would just be killing people instead of transforming them into monsters!

That's not an act of anger. It's envy! You have no right to speak of things like that anywhere, let alone in a keep built for governing people!

Hmph. You certainly do yap a lot for someone who disgraced himself at Shimabara. But then, I suppose that was a different Musashi.

...Shinmen Musashi. I see you are every bit the swordsman I heard you were.

Most who dedicate themselves to the sword are fools who cast aside everything else to master it. But not you.

No ordinary stick-waving swordsman could speak of heaven and earth. Only one who has achieved everything can speak a single ultimate truth.

You have learned much over your quest to master every martial art and deadly sword stroke.

Heh... You may be my enemy, but I commend you nonetheless. How truly admirable.

...Why are you smiling about that? Don't tell me you actually pity me?

I do. You could never have faced me if you were aware of what you have done.

You called me a ghost, Musashi? I could say exactly the same of you.

I have indeed crossed between many worlds seeking my revenge, and lost my humanity even as I remained human.

But the same is true of you. I do not know why you began traveling across worlds, nor do I care.

The fact remains that you have lost your humanity as well. You are nothing more than a monster who no longer has the right to call herself human.

Surely, even you must have realized that no one truly has need of you.

Of course not. You are merely a drifter. An unwanted outsider in every world you visit.

I can see from your expression that you hope to return to your own world someday, but that will never happen.

But not because you lost sight of your way home, Musashi.

Ordinarily, those like us who fall into another world are sent back to our own through each world's innate restorative power.

But in your case, you simply fell into yet another world. That can only mean one thing.

You did not lose sight of the way home. Your world as you knew it is gone.

You have no home there; no one who remembers you. Your very existence has been erased.

That is your true identity, Shinmen Musashi. Like me, you are a ghost reviled by the world.

...

Thank you, Fujimaru.

...I see. Well, that's okay. I had a feeling that was the case.

？！

Now that you mention it, I guess you and I ARE like two peas in a pod.

You're right, it is strange. You can't travel across worlds and still call yourself human.

What are you saying, Lady Musashi...!? That's not true. That's not true at all.

You're the one who said all that matters is who you choose to be! That's still true whether or not you have a home to return to!

You bet it is! That's why this isn't bothering me! Doesn't matter one damn bit to me!

...Doesn't matter, you say?

Nope. You may have gone around crossing worlds out of hate, but I do it out of a desire to be free.

I do still look for a way back home, but it's not that important. I can stop whenever I want.

Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said it didn't really hurt to hear my way back is gone, but that doesn't matter now!

Even if the world does see us the same way, that doesn't mean I'm about to let you get away with this!

Sorry to go on for so long, Lord Muramasa! Fujimaru!

But don't worry about me. I'm always in good spirits! So let's just focus on giving this guy what's coming to him!

All the world crossing you've done, and the best you can do is an act of evil built upon your grudge and resentment! There's not a trace of honor in that!

This is going to be our last grand battle! I WILL cut you down and stop you! Lord Kotarou, Lord Muramasa, and...

...Fujimaru, my trusted partner from a far-off world!

This is the last swordmaster duel we'll have to fight! Would you do the honors!?

？！

？！

Ghh...! You foolish little girl. Can you not see that this is meaningless!?

...Very well. No more games.

Ordinarily I would not use this spell on the likes of you, but you have pushed my patience to its limits.

...You said my plan is an act of envy? Of resentment?

Let me show you firsthand what sort of hell gave birth to that resentment!

Lord Muramasa! Lady Musashi! Lord Fujimaru! Get back!

Too slow. Too slow by half, you scoundrels! Far too slow for a would-be Guardian or an assassin!

Now you shall experience my anguish for yourselves! Reality Marble: The Hell of Shimabara!!!

？！

What is this...?

It's so dim I can barely see anything... Everywhere I look it's nothing but haze and fire...

This must be a Reality Marble...an enclosed space the sorcerer created himself!

I can't see any of you, but I can sense your presence! Please, stay where you are!

This air is highly poisonous. If you aren't careful, a mere breath could burn your lungs to ash!

...Dammit. There's nothing here for me to cut...

...Lady Kannon's protection won't help me here. This world is completely closed off. Or rather...

...this is that sorcerer's original world...

I may have lost mine, but he must have engraved his world in his soul this whole time...

...So that's why we're seeing a picture scroll of the hell that was Shimabara, eh. I thought this looked familiar.

So this was your own hell on earth. Shimabara...

Indeed! I trust you can hear me, Senji Muramasa!

This domain is the very heart of my fury! It does not suffer any living person to survive...!

What's more, my Reality Marble has no exit! It is naught but wave upon wave of hellish suffering and resentment!

Now dash yourselves upon its shores like so much foam! Apologize to those of us who suffered here before you break upon its waves!

Rejoice, and hear the gospel that has appeared before my eyes! Onriedo Castle is now fully powered and ready to receive its sacrifice!

Ahh, I can see the sky melting down. It is greater than I could ever have imagined!

...Beautiful. So this is the end of the world...the gift Lord Satan has bestowed upon me!

Hahaha, I have waited so long for this moment! At last, my endless wandering has been rewarded!

It is a miracle that this scenery has finally spread to reality! No one can stop this now! No one!

...So your castle's pretty much done, huh. You should've kept that to yourself, sorcerer.

Grandpa...?

？！

That's right. I don't have any idea where any of you are, so just keep your traps shut for a moment. At long last...

...it's time to do what I was brought here to do in the first place.

You think there's nothing any of us can do to stop this now? You're a fool. Of course there is.

Though I am not Jubei, the invincible swordmaster. Though I am not Hanzo, the great spymaster.

Though I am not Abe-no-Seimei, like your so-called Caster. Though I am nothing more than a swordsmith, why was it I that was summoned?

You could never figure it out, and so you have lost.

I once sought to forge the ultimate blade. Not one that cuts through flesh, bone, or the living.

I sought a blade that terminates enmity... A blade that severs bonds, severs certainty, severs karma.

That is to say, to be free of one's fate.

Uncountable years of toil to reach this place. Forging thousands of swords to create a barrow of blades.

Many paths, converge here. Enduring desires, flow here.

Unjust deaths, gather here. My whole life has been for this single swing.

The heart of the blade is here! Accept this blow from my Tsumukari Muramasa!!!

Tsumu...kari...!

The sword that emerged from the tail of Yamata-no-Orochi...in the ancient Age of Gods...!

Now I see. Mochizuki Chiyome...Shuten-Douji...! Haha. Ha, ha, hahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!

So my Jesuit sorcery was always fated to end this way... Khh...!

But, how? How did your sword reach me from within my Reality Marble?

Because your Onriedo Castle shares part of its name with Edo Castle.

Haven't you heard? The demon blade Muramasa is said to be the Tokugawa's downfall.

In the end, your own plot doomed itself.

If you hadn't rhymed your own castle's name with theirs, you might've succeeded.

...Ha. Haha, hahaha

...What is this? How could a mere metal blade...pierce my heart...?

It's a kunai. A souvenir from Paraíso. You're going to disappear, along with all the hate and suffering of everyone you turned into a Heroic Spirit Swordmaster.

...You may look like the Amakusa Shirou Tokisada I know, but you are twisted beyond recognition.

It's time for you to die, and apologize to everyone you wronged.

Arr...ghh... I cannot believe I die...that my great work ends...at the hands of a little ninja boy...

Arrrggghhh!

RETRIBUTION!

...So the whole place is on fire now, huh. I guess the castle started to fall apart after it died.

Where are Fujimaru and Musashi? ...They must be on the other side of the keep.

They'll just have to escape on their own, then. I'm sure they'll manage with Musashi around.

Kotarou, get the princess and jump clear of the castle, down to street level.

She'll breathe in too much smoke if you take the stairs. Maybe you can handle it, but a human sure can't. Hurry!

Right away. Come on, Lord Muramasa, you need to hurry too!

I know.

I guess this wraps everything up. Hopefully the others manage to get away...

Well, looks like my time has come.

Lord Muramasa, that light... Don't tell me your ether is collapsing!?

I used the Tsumukari in a body that isn't divine. 'Course I'm gonna fall apart.

But I did what I was put here to do. There shouldn't be a problem with me checking out a little early, right?

...Can't say I'm going out with no regrets, though.

I swear, those kids were a handful. Making katana is no different from raising kids.

What an idiot I was, reaching a divine level of swordsmithing back when I was still alive...

Yeowch, it's so hot! WHY IS THE CASTLE ON FIRE!?

？！

Whoa, really? Hey, you're right, the air's normal again! Well, except for all the heat!

Hah! Should've expected Lord Muramasa'd swoop in at the last minute and take all the glory!

I'dve liked to be the one to finish the sorcerer off myself, but the important thing is that he's gone.

Now, we'd better get out of here, on the double!

？！

I bet the sorcerer must've known the jig was up and decided to go out with a bang or something.

Anyway, we need to hurry. Come on, let's... Huh?

？！

My apologies, but you cannot use these stairs. Not as long as I'm here.

You...

I could have taken that boy's head clean off just now, but I chose not to.

The Lord Sorcerer only asked me to kill Shinmen Musashi. He said nothing about that boy.

...Get out of here, Fujimaru. Don't worry about me. Just go.

？！

...I can't believe I've met two exceptional swordsmen on the same day.

This samurai's skill is truly godly. He's at least several times stronger than me!

...I don't know who you are or where you came from, but it looks like you've got some business with me.

You sure you want to do this now, amid this blaze? If we don't get out of here soon, we're both goners.

Indeed, I don't want to throw my life away. I am well aware of the situation. Once I have finished with you, I will quit this place and retire to safety.

Beautiful though you may be, I do not intend to perish with you here. Prepare yourself, Lady Musashi.

...I can't change your mind about this? We don't have any reason to kill each other, do we?

No, we don't. I do have a debt to repay the sorcerer, but at this point, I believe a simple offering will suffice.

There is but one reason for us to fight: we two skilled swordsmen have come face-to-face.

...You're right. I take it back. We have all the reason in the world.

...We may never have met before, but I know your name. It looks like my destiny has finally caught up with me.

Now, the only thing left to do is put everything I have into this fight. Thanks for waiting for me, Sasaki Kojirou.

...I see. So that is my name.

Well then, permit me to formally introduce myself: I am the true Sasaki Kojirou. I am the only swordsman who can wield "The Laundry-Drying Pole."

My apologies. If it is Ganryu you desire, it is not to be so today.

Let's assume that the name comes later. That you are Kojirou is what matters.

Agreed. It matters not who you are, or whether you are male or female.

As long as you fight with Niten Ichiryu, you are worth defeating.

The path I have traveled has been a solitary one. As a swordsman, that has been my way of life.

I have drifted through the rift of history, like a phantom, focused solely on perfecting my Swallow Reversal.

But now, you are here, Musashi. A beautiful flower, blooming before my eyes.

Once Musashi finally encounters Kojirou...there is only one possible outcome.

You're right. I couldn't have said it better myself!

The time has come!

Neither Heroic Spirits nor Swordmasters, we are but two creatures that live and die by the sword!

It is through this, through history's greatest duel, that we will prove who we are!

This shall be the ultimate duel!

Musashi!

Kojirou!

Hraaaaaahhh!

...Ahh. What a wonderfully fulfilling time that was.

I hope you feel the same, Shinmen Musashi Harunobu.

Now that I have finally experienced this, I think I will go on ahead.

Or perhaps I will disappear into a rift that shall never see the light of day, and be done with it.

Although... The Chronicle Theoretical Phenomenon, was it?

If there is someone in the Throne of Heroes, even just one man, who resembles me, I wish I could share this experience with him.

Farewell, Musashi. You were indeed the most heavenly flower I have ever known...

？！

...Nngh.

Oh, I must have lost consciousness. ...So, I guess this means...that swordsman is gone?

It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I know he's gone. If he was still alive, he'd be here smiling as he watched me sleep.

So, that's what Sasaki Kojirou is like as a swordsman, huh.

Looks like the flames are getting pretty close. ...Fujimaru...

Thank you. You inspired me to try fighting for what was right.

But...in the end, it looks like I'm going to die by the sword. I guess... Yeah, that does sound like me.

...I'm sorry. I apologize...

...Yeah. You're right.

？！

I don't know what I was thinking, fighting a duel in a castle going up in flames. Now here I am, without the strength to run away. What a fool I am.

You know...

Just this morning, when I was looking up at the sky... I decided I'd accept whatever happened to me.

I thought, if it helped me reach the void...zero... I would try doing something I usually don't.

Even if I embarrassed myself, and people pointed and laughed at me...I'd give it my all, and see where it led.

Of course...I didn't think everything would go this perfectly overnight...

...or that someone would be here with me through it all.

I never thought things would turn out like this. I guess you've been watching over me right to the end now, huh?

So...

...this is the least I can do to pay you back.

Yah!

？！

？！

Farewell! ...Thank you, Fujimaru!

...! Lord Fujimaru! Wh-why did you jump off of the keep!?

Thank goodness I just barely caught you. If I hadn't been here...!

？！

!?

You'll be...okay, right...? I'm sure...Kotarou...or Grandpa Muramasa...

...will catch you...

(Sigh) I guess this is the end of my journey.

I reached zero. I finally managed to achieve what I've been working for all my life.

And since I've found it...that's it.

Now that I've reached the zero state, there's nothing left for me to do. Besides, my own world is long gone.

This has all been a wonderful, yet fragile dream. ...I have no regrets.

Well...maybe I don't love that I'm going to go out watching a fire...

I guess I'm even greedier than I thought...

If I had my choice... I'd want the last thing I ever see...

...to be the big, beautiful, blue sky.

...It sounds like a hawk is crying somewhere in the distance.

Distinguished elder.

Surely it is too soon for you to coop yourself up here in Reigandou. I can see you are fairly withered, but you cannot be older than sixty at most.

...Seems my destiny has finally arrived. You're late.

I am very sorry. But I am glad to see I am not too late.

You're well past "too late." I can feel death reaching out for me even now. It's reached the point where I'm thinking about my mother.

Thinking back on your mother? Haha, you are a deal more softhearted than I had thought, Lord Shinmen Musashi.

You watch your mouth.

At any rate, it's good of you to finally come. I've been awaiting you for so long. I never thought you would be the one to keep me waiting.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid I cannot rid myself of my regrets. Look. These hands of mine can no longer hold two swords.

I'm so sorry. Forgive me. Please forgive me...!

There is nothing to forgive. Please hold your head high, distinguished elder.

I must say, you have chosen a wonderful hermitage. It's completely cut off from all the outside world's din.

Were I to live a long life and grow old in peace, I believe I would choose just such a place as this little shrine for my last days. It is so quiet and peaceful.

There's no hustle and bustle of the town to be heard. Only the slow passage of time.

I see you have reached a state quite unlike the one I attained.

Haha. Hahaha... Of all the things I thought you might say, praising my final resting place certainly wasn't one of them. You are terrible at giving compliments.

Here, there is no time, no space, no fate, no good, and no evil.

Iori is all grown up. He's carrying on for Mikinosuke admirably. I think he was a chief retainer for the daimyo, last I heard...

I am going to die. That is why I have been waiting for you, my destiny.

I must say, though...I've never seen such a handsome swordsman before.

You look like a cool summer breeze made flesh and blood. Your swordsmanship must be beautiful to behold, my destiny.

Beautiful, you say?

You are my superior in the art of giving compliments by far. I am but a simple eccentric.

All I ever did was hide away in the mountains and spend my days by swinging my sword. I may be an eccentric swordsman, but I am a far cry from a swordmaster like you.

"Swordmaster," eh. Is that what some people call me...?

Hmm, now that you mention it, I suppose I ran into a few of them myself at some point...

Still...hehe, "master" is quite an exaggeration. I am nothing more than a washed-up old man.

"Exaggeration"? You are THE Shinmen Musashi. You will certainly leave behind more than enough legends to earn the title of master.

Miyamoto Musashi. Shinmen Musashi. There is not a swordsman alive who does not yearn to be you, and I have no doubt there will be many more to follow your footsteps.

You will become a legend. I am sure of that much, if nothing else.

...A legend, eh?

I'm just an old man. I was wild and crazy in my youth, but in my old age, I tried to act a little wiser...

But as you can see, in the end, I'm still just a shriveled up old man dying all alone.

...

Still, I suppose there were one or two people who reached out to me.

There was the old monk who never met a lecture he didn't like. Oh, and a young man and woman who followed me around sometimes.

... ...

Those people are why I'm still alive today. No one can survive all on their own, after all.

Of course, by the time I realized that, I was already all alone... At any rate, that's all I had to say. Sorry to subject you to an old man's grumbling.

I believe you are slightly off the mark there, distinguished elder.

As you said, you raised Miyamoto Iori to be a fine young man, and you are leaving behind the Niten Ichiryu as your legacy.

You may be alone here in Reigandou now, but stories of your life will continue to spread well after your death.

Now that I have finally experienced this, I think I will go on ahead.

All I have is my body and my techniques. Once I die, they'll both be as dust in the wind.

...Stop that. Now YOU'RE the one sounding like an old man. I don't want to see you looking so forlorn.

You give yourself far too little credit. You are a refined swordsman. You are the embodiment of the wind, and are more than worthy of being called my rival.

Our duel was not to be in this life...

But perhaps someday, in a different time and place... Ahh, if only this were hell.

Then I could devour oni flesh, stand...and take up my blades!

Worry not. There is no need to mourn our unrealized duel.

What...?

I did duel Musashi, only moments ago. I saw for myself what Niten Ichiryu was capable of.

Oh, I must have lost consciousness. ...So, I guess this means...that swordsman is gone?

Shinmen Musashi did indeed appear before me, and reached zero. I assure you, that is the truth.

...

I see.

...Then I shall take your word for it. I see. So, Musashi did reach the void, and came to know zero.

That is...good to hear, Sasaki Kojirou, my destiny.

Very...good to hear...indeed...

Just what I needed...to put my soul at peace...

Farewell, Musashi. Farewell, Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara-no-Harunobu.

Farewell, my greatest rivals. I am grateful we had the chance to meet.

Even as we were never meant to.