The Death of Araya / Orange, Bedridden

"Hmph, trying to run away!"

Seeing Kiritsugu Araya, who easily deflected the barrage of bullets fired from the other side by raising a barrier, snorted coldly. However, the other party's next move made Araya show an incredulous expression.

Kiritsugu, who had already reached the corridor, did not flee in panic as Araya had predicted. Instead, he threw Shiki Ryougi, who was wrapped in a cloak, out of the apartment through the corridor balcony.

"What are you doing?!"

As Shiki Ryougi's figure disappeared beyond the corridor railing, Araya, disregarding the troublesome rat, was more concerned for Shiki Ryougi's safety than anyone else. He braced himself against the railing and jumped down.

From the very beginning, whether Shiki Ryougi lived or died was completely unimportant to Araya, because all he needed was that physical body; he only wanted that body connected to the Root.

But if I'm not mistaken, since that rat dared to throw Shiki Ryougi down like that, there must be someone waiting downstairs, and maybe Aozaki and that man are down there too. In that case, I must get Shiki Ryougi's body before they do, even if it means killing her in the process.

But the moment Araya leaped down the corridor, he realized he had ultimately done something foolish—

Below him, there was no sign of Shiki Ryougi, as if everything the man had just done was a ridiculous trick.

Not only that, but the chilling killing intent emanating from behind also Araya feel as if he were being pricked by thorns.

Araya had barely managed to twist her body in mid-air, raised her head and found herself at the edge of the corridor where the man she had called "Rat" was coldly raising his weapon.

[Bang--]

Seeing the flashes of light shooting from the muzzle of the gun, Araya felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

As for the reward, it will be the same as last time, 20,000 words per update. I won't be offering any more threats this month, since I don't have full attendance bonuses.

We'll consider it next month.

I'll try to finish that chapter tomorrow.

(Above)

Chapter 309. The Death of Araya

"Cough--"

The blood he coughed up had stained the entire lawn outside the apartment red. At this moment Araya looked up at the starry sky, and all that remained in his eyes, which were gradually losing their vitality, was calm.

"That's incredible..."

The Magecraft, whose chest and abdomen had been ripped open, muttered to himself.

Bang--

The bullets shooting from the black muzzle gave Araya, who was rapidly falling through the air, a strong sense of crisis.

Having severed his connection with the barrier [Sixty-Four-Layer Offering Hall], Araya could no longer easily manipulate the space within the barrier, and naturally could no longer dodge the attack as before.

However, this doesn't mean Araya will just sit idly by and wait for his doom.

"Silence!"

With Araya's roar, the barrier he relied on, [Six Paths Boundary], finally unfolded in its entirety. It was a terrifying power that could instantly destroy the surrounding space, and also a powerful protection capable of repelling all invaders.

Souren Araya also reached the level of a first-class barrier master precisely because of this ability.

Unfortunately, the barrier that had saved Araya's life countless times betrayed him this time.

The so-called barrier was less than a piece of cheese in the face of Kiritsugu. Araya, watching his barrier being shattered, didn't even have time to think before the bullets from above embedded themselves in his chest.

The next second--

Araya's perpetually tormented expression suddenly contorted, and blood gushed from his throat before he could even let out a scream.

"... Ugh!"

In that instant when excruciating pain coursed through his entire body, Araya, a master of taijutsu, immediately discerned the exact nature of the problem.

His heart, lungs, and nervous system were torn to shreds by the bullet embedded in his chest.

Even because of her fragmented nerves, Araya's body, which was rapidly falling in mid-air, began to convulse uncontrollably, as if she were suddenly performing a comical dance.

"Using the Origin to directly destroy the opponent's Magic Circuit —this brutal fighting style..."

The falling body made a dull thud as it hit the ground. Araya, who had fallen from mid-air, still had a distressed expression on his face and frowned resentfully.

"This is unbelievable... Araya, to be defeated by someone like that."

"Looks like you've failed again this time."

Under the still-cold moonlight, the sound of footsteps approaching from afar reached Araya's ears, interrupting his thoughts.

"..."

Whether due to his severe injuries or the impact of his defeat, Araya ignored Touko Aozaki who approached him.

"It's truly tragic. Collecting human deaths, creating hell, experiencing their suffering. Doing these things only brings pain, doesn't it? Why force yourself to this point? Why are you so obsessed with pursuing the Vortex of Root? Are you still seriously pursuing your dream of saving humanity, which you had when you were a Tendai monk?"

"I've long forgotten the reasons."

Araya's answer did not surprise Touko Aozaki. After taking out a cigarette from her pocket, lighting it, and watching the wisps of smoke dissipate into the air, Touko Aozaki asked again:

"Have you even forgotten the reason? What you desire is [ ], and even the origin is zero. So, what exactly are you?"

"I am nothing; my existence is merely a pursuit of the conclusion of all this."

If all these ugly, filthy, vile, and ignorant humans can leave behind after they die—then I can conclude that this ugliness is precisely the value of humanity.

If I know that ugliness and incurable existence are the very essence of humanity, then I can be at peace."

Looking up at the starry sky, Touko Aozaki sighed softly.

"--So that's why you want to access the Root Vortex? It holds all the records; even if you don't find what you want there, it can return everything to nothingness. Do you want to annihilate all of humanity for your own sake?"

"That's right, there's only one step left..."

It's always the same; just a few steps away, the world gets in my way. The passage can't be opened; even those born with it are stopped."

Perhaps it's ironic, but those who take the Origin so seriously have their last hope extinguished by those who use it as a weapon...

"What a... what a pathetic struggle before death..."

After uttering those words with a strained tone, Araya's eyes began to lose focus.

Araya's ability to remain conscious after being hit by the Origin Bullet is truly remarkable, demonstrating remarkable willpower. Even so—

"This body has reached its limit."

Araya still maintained his troubled expression; the darkness and heaviness on his face resembled the eternally unsolvable problem that a philosopher was exploring.

"Are we starting all over again? How many times has this happened? You really don't learn your lesson."

Touko Aozaki glanced at him with obvious disdain, then tossed away the cigarette she was holding. As a result, she didn't get a single puff of the lit cigarette.

Although she looked down on him, she didn't dislike this Magecraft had transformed into a concept.

She took one wrong step. No, if she hadn't taken that wrong step, she would have become the same thing. Neither human nor biological, but merely a theoretical manifestation of a simple phenomenon.

Now, she finds that truly tragic.

Araya coughed and spat out blood. At the same time, his body began to turn to ash and disappear, starting from his feet.

"This is my last body. If we meet again, it will probably be in the next century."

This is what makes Araya so troublesome: having awakened the Origin "Stillness," Araya has transformed his life into a concept. Under the protection of "Stillness," even if he is blasted to ashes, he will "resurrect" after a long period of time.

"By then, there might not be Magecraft or anything like that anymore, and we probably won't see each other again! You'll end up alone. Even so—won't you stop?"

"Of course, I will not admit defeat..."

"Besides, there are still some traces of me in this era that haven't been completely erased."

"Tsk, you're such a hassle."

Upon hearing Araya's words, Touko Aozaki clicked her tongue in annoyance. However, the man before her was already nearing the end, and she had no interest in arguing about such things.

He simply closed his eyes, letting this brief exchange to settle long-standing grievances come to an end.

In the end, she asked Souren Araya a question in her capacity as the Magecraft Aozaki Touko.

"Araya, what are you pursuing?"

"--True wisdom." The black Magecraft's feet were destroyed.

"Araya, where is it sought?"

"--Only in one's own heart." The coat fell off, half of her body drifting away in the wind. Aozaki Touko watched these changes unfold.

"Araya, where is your target?" Araya continued to disappear, leaving only his mouth, which vanished before his words could be transformed into sound.

[You already knew this; it's the end of this paradoxical spiral.]

She felt as if she had heard that reply. Touko Aozaki took out a cigarette, lit it silently, but didn't put it to her lips. She just watched the wisps of smoke spread in front of her eyes.

The smoke swayed like a mirage, seemingly nonexistent.

P. S. The Kara no Kyoukai (The Mirror of Time) is nearing its end.

(Above)

PS2: Regarding the bounty, let's keep it up for now, 20,000 words per update (dreaming).

As for making up for missed updates, it should be around the New Year period. I'm a working person, so please be understanding.

(Currently 1 chapter unfilled)

Regarding extra chapters

Regarding the extra chapter, I'll just post a separate chapter instead, lol.

Just like last time, a bonus chapter will be added for every 20,000 donations, but this time there won't be any more hate mail, because I can't handle it (sob sob).

Regarding the timing of the extra chapters, the author will be working until New Year's Eve...

So in the meantime, I'll try my best to update as much as possible. If that's not possible, I'll just have to wait until the New Year to update more (die).

Thanks again to [Romulus] and a certain BBA who wishes to remain anonymous for the donations~

Current number of chapters owed: 1

Chapter 310. Touko Aozaki in Bed

Time has quietly slipped past the New Year, and all of Japan is immersed in the atmosphere of welcoming the new year. However, this atmosphere seems somewhat out of place for someone at this moment...

[Mifune City, Garan no Dou]

Thump thump thump--

The faint knocking sound made Touko Aozaki frown slightly in her sleep, and then her drowsy consciousness was awakened by the soft sound of the door opening and footsteps.

"Master, I'm coming in."

"It's Fujino Asagami..."

Judging from the voice, Touko Aozaki slightly raised her eyes to look at her disciple, but unlike usual, the light in her warm eyes was much dimmer.

"Are you feeling any better, Master?"

Fujino Asagami, carrying the medicine bottle, came to the bedside and looked at Touko Aozaki, who was struggling to sit up in front of the bed, with a worried expression.

--The reason Touko Aozaki was bedridden was because she had caught a bad cold.

Shortly after defeating Araya, Touko Aozaki suddenly developed a high fever and has been bedridden ever since.

Wang Xiaoming had been busy moving and hadn't visited for a while, so he was completely unaware of Touko Aozaki's illness.

Although Fujino Asagami had considered telling him about it before, Touko stopped Touko Aozaki and generously said that she was sick because she didn't have the antibodies to fight off this year's cold.

However, Fujino Asagami, who already had some understanding of her master's personality, naturally understood—

That's just because of his pride.