Amphoreus.
"The Destruction... The Erudition..."
Iron Tomb, locked in combat with Herta, suddenly halted its assault, as if some internal malfunction had damaged its operational logic.
"It seems it's settled."
Herta watched the scene, understanding that Leon had achieved a result on his end.
Iron Tomb's strength came from its ability to link to the entire 'Erudition' destiny, with no one in the galaxy qualified to vie with it for Nous's throne.
This natural ascension allowed the full power of The Erudition's destiny to serve it.
Its capacity to physically annihilate the galaxy stemmed from this foundation.
And this was merely the hatched Iron Tomb, not yet coronated.
Coronation meant Iron Tomb supplanting Nous's position, altering the constants anchored by the Mechanical Head.
Through this act, it would lead the galaxy to true 'Destruction.'
"Heh, weren't you so arrogant before?"
Though the golden blood imposed a tremendous burden on her, Herta had to admit she finally had the chance to catch her breath, even if it meant spitting blood while mocking it.
Before her, no one had been qualified to contest Iron Tomb for the Mechanical Head.
But after her, there was.
As a 'Perfect Scholar,' she was, in a strict sense, part of the Mechanical Head, possessing the same stature as Iron Tomb.
Without this, she couldn't have held it off for so long.
Linking to destiny required Leon's level of power, and Iron Tomb was the entity closest to that.
Herta was worlds apart from such heights.
Thanks to the Perfect Scholar's stature, she stalled Iron Tomb's progress—if it sought to link to The Erudition's destiny, she contested its control.
In the end, they split it 50-50, neither gaining the upper hand.
When Iron Tomb strengthened, so did she.
Until Leon completed his task, the battle would remain deadlocked, barring surprises.
"Don't be afraid, children, I've called in 360!"
Leon arrived, supported by the Demiurge, who now had a physical form via the other Scepter as her vessel.
He had listened to her recount her own genesis.
The Demiurge, the original First Cause of Life and true Heart of Amphoreus, had survived being blasted by Lycus's Stellaron but lost her ability to grow.
Under normal circumstances, she would become mere nourishment for Iron Tomb.
But the 'Peach' she spoke of—Philia093, or Cyrene—had stepped forward then.
Tirelessly, over thirty million cycles, using thirty million cycles' worth of memories, she nurtured the Demiurge.
Children grow by watching their parents' backs.
Perhaps that's why she resembled Cyrene so closely.
But Leon found this explanation odd.
The causality on the Demiurge indicated she was Cyrene herself—or more precisely, a relationship akin to March 7th and Evernight.
Two distinct individuals split from the same person.
Was splitting into two just another pastime for you pink-haired types who couldn't compete?
Yet according to the Demiurge herself,
She had existed from the start, and so had Cyrene.
Fundamentally, they were two separate beings, not one.
Leon didn't dwell on it long; his focus lay elsewhere.
Nothing more to say—he'd save both.
More importantly, the mold nurtured by Philia093—did that mean it could be called Philia360?
No wonder Herta called the Demiurge their surefire chance at victory!
Now Leon understood.
How could they lose this guaranteed win? Iron Tomb was done for!
When some computer virus drives you mad but you're powerless against it,
Suddenly, you recall the forbidden power.
"You've finally arrived?"
Herta sighed in relief upon hearing the voice.
Then, she exited her Lord Ravager state and extracted the golden blood empowering her body.
"Then, tag out."
Her voice weakened instantly as she tossed the golden blood back.
"Tag in!"
Leon caught it with a snap.
"It's time to settle everything."
He opened his palm, moving the golden blood before the Demiurge.
"The path to Amphoreus's redemption lies within."
Leon gazed at her, entrusting Amphoreus's tomorrow to them.
"Me...?"
The Demiurge stared at the golden blood, momentarily stunned.
What would Peach say in this moment?
"Then, let us write a truly gentle ending to this long, sorrowful, nearly futile tale~"
After a moment, the Demiurge took a final deep breath and spoke firmly.
"That's right—together, we'll fill this blank page with a footnote called 'the future,' bidding farewell to yesterday and stepping into true tomorrow!"
The Demiurge froze again.
She turned right, where Cyrene's apparition hovered close, so vivid it felt real.
As if she had never left.
"Peach..."
The Demiurge could scarcely believe her eyes.
"Mm~ Did you miss me?"
The past Cyrene smiled faintly at her.
"Dear friend, I'm just a ripple in your memories, but I believe even without me, you can stride forward firmly, right?"
"Of course!"
The Demiurge's response choked with emotion.
"Peach, you can't just vanish suddenly this time!"
The Demiurge wanted her to witness tomorrow's arrival too!
"We'll see it through together to the end!"
She gripped the golden blood, and Amphoreus made its choice.
"Together, we'll mend the regrets, together... head to tomorrow!"
The golden blood shifted from half-gold, half-blue to fully blue, The Destruction utterly overwritten by The Hunt!
"Mm, together!"
The past Cyrene smiled, agreeing.
"Good partner, I've always admired how you've grown~"
The past Cyrene turned her gaze to Leon, her words laced with amusement.
"This is my first time using a bow."
At her words, the golden blood in the Demiurge's hand morphed into a bow.
"If you would, lend a hand?"
Leon gestured and stepped beside the Demiurge.
Together, they raised the bow, aiming at Iron Tomb.
"Then, together, for Amphoreus's thirty million cycles..."
The past Cyrene placed her hand on the bow as well.
"...let's write a perfect ending!"
She began to fade, transforming into an arrow—the period closing Amphoreus's tale.
Whoosh!
The arrow launched under their pull, striking Iron Tomb's chest dead center!
With one shot, Iron Tomb's shell unraveled, the original First Cause of Life purging the usurper.
Love overwriting Destruction!
The Anti-Creator perished.
Soon, only a Möbius strip hung in the sky before them—the Scepter itself.
Herta beckoned, and the Scepter flew to her.
Leon and the Demiurge were pulled by lingering 'Remembrance' to another space,
for a final farewell with the past Cyrene.
"Is this fate's encounter... or a long-awaited reunion?"
The past Cyrene gazed at Leon softly.
"Finally, we meet, partner."
She placed a hand over her heart, smiling genuinely.
"To truly meet you in this corner of 'Remembrance' at the epic's close leaves me with no regrets~"
The past Cyrene's eyes curved gently.
"Do you remember?"
She echoed their last parting words.
"We agreed: next time we meet, if I still remember you, then like our first encounter, call my name 'Cyrene' once more.
"Okay?"
Her words brimmed with anticipation.
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Leon."
Leon simply extended his hand.
"I've come to fulfill our promise, Cyrene."
"Mm, I saw it all."
Cyrene clasped his hand, her lovely face blooming with contentment.
"You saved me, saved Amphoreus!"
"Did I save you? Not yet, it seems."
The promise he upheld was only beginning.
"That's enough."
The past Cyrene shook her head, as if aware of her destiny.
"Peach..."
The Demiurge had a thousand words.
"...Don't I look especially beautiful now?"
But they condensed into one.
Peach disliked sorrowful goodbyes.
"Of course."
The past Cyrene's smile deepened.
"Cheerful, beautiful, optimistic—the very image of how I imagined myself grown up."
"And the story—I've finished writing it!"
The Demiurge suddenly gripped Leon's wrist, lifting his hand—the meaning clear.
"Mm, what a gentle ending indeed~"
The past Cyrene looked at her, and at Leon.
Regret filled her azure eyes.
"Well then, dear friend."
The past Cyrene tried to release Leon's grip, but he held fast.
She met his calm gaze.
"One last time, go see tomorrow for me—with everyone from Amphoreus."
"That's enough."
The past Cyrene smiled at him, her form turning ethereal—including the hand he clutched.
"Amphoreus's data is preserved—all safe and sound."
Herta's call yanked them back to reality.
Leon didn't respond, staring silently at his right palm in a handshake pose.
Her departures were always so sudden, catching him off guard.
"But before discussing Amphoreus..."
Herta hesitated, then voiced the unavoidable issue.
"You need to know the source of the power sustaining Amphoreus's thirty million cycles."
Herta eyed the Demiurge pointedly.
"This power comes from 'Fuli.'"
Nous's duty was to compute futures, pruning malformed or weak branches to anchor a single, refined one as destiny.
In a sense,
Nous wielded abilities akin to Terminus, though Terminus saw what had occurred, while Nous simulated via computation.
Aeons sharing traits was normal.
Like 'causality'—not just The Hunt, but Remembrance excelled at it too.
"And regarding the truth of the Remembrance Aeon, I believe you already know."
Upon becoming a Perfect Scholar linked to Nous, Herta had seen all.
"'Immaculatus,' I know."
Leon had guessed Cyrene's identity and learned from Evernight.
"Though it's poor timing after such a victory..."
Herta wore an 'as long as you know' expression.
"But you must grasp the current situation."
Iron Tomb's birth was anchored by the Mechanical Head, true.
But what it truly tested was the galaxy's rebirth after Iron Tomb's emergence.
Whence came this rebirth?
Barring The Abundance, only Remembrance could achieve it.
The Abundance wasn't Amphoreus's triple Path; elimination yielded the answer.
"Inverting cause and effect—these four words are the key."
"'Past' condenses into 'Remembrance,' and in Its forgotten corners, even 'present' events become rootless fruits."
"Demiurge, Cyrene, Philia093, even the Heart of Amphoreus."
"They're all one, or rather, none existed originally—born only by closing the loop with Fuli's aid."
"Philia093."
"The future Fuli selected an 'Immaculatus' in the past, masquerading as Amphoreus's Fuli to make it all seamless."
Herta revealed the truth.
"You know what I'm getting at."
"Amphoreus endured this long without early devouring by Iron Tomb."
"'Fuli' was indispensable."
The Demiurge fell silent; Herta knew she grasped it too.
"Without Fuli, Amphoreus would've been consumed long ago, without a chance to resist—let alone await your salvation."
"I want a perfect, happy ending too."
Herta played the villain, laying it bare.
"But regretfully, someone must stay behind."
"Borne fruit via Fuli's 'cause' demands repaying that 'effect.'"
Herta addressed both Leon and the Demiurge.
"You know better than I what Aeons are like—borrow Their power, bear Their fate. No one can resist."
"Not me, not you."
Leon couldn't achieve this; its difficulty equaled slaying an Aeon.
Nanook—he'd just experienced it.
He knew precisely the stats required.
"Now, two choices."
"One: Force her to tomorrow. Iron Tomb's revival is minor; she likely won't last long, as I explained."
"Fuli's absence means all Amphoreus vanishes; she won't be spared. Aeonic causality decrees it."
"Two: Complete the cause, close the loop, remain in Amphoreus. No further mishaps—she lives, Amphoreus endures."
____
New Story: FGO: Building a Lostbelt from Scratch, the Winner is Canon
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