"It is useless to say more."
Ending her brief yet long recollection, Tsukishiro Yuki opened her eyes:
"Since fate did not give me the chance to meet you, my Animus, then I will go and create a fate that belongs to us."
"I do not want anyone to destroy this fate created solely by my own hands,"
"Including you, Animus!"
"Now, let me see... Wu?!"
Tsukishiro Yuki looked toward the group. She raised her hand, intending to stack and mix multiple types of magic again to bombard the barrier summoned by the girl holding the Silver Key.
But in the blink of an eye, Sanskrit chants resounded in her ears, and the colors of the world around her completely shifted————
By the time the Great Witch came back to her senses, the place she stood was no longer the Tribunal on the floating island in the sky.
She was standing just like that within a giant palm of emerald-green glaze, obscured by infinite golden light that covered half its body and face.
If one looked down, one could still see patterns spreading like lines on a human palm, extending along the ground beneath her feet toward the endless distance.
Where is this?
Tsukishiro Yuki's heart trembled. She had never seen such a giant, such a colossal statue, nor had she ever seen such a giant palm.
Is it a god?
Could it be that even a god wants to stop her from realizing her wish?
On what basis!
Since a god exists, why did they not step forward when the Witch race was exterminated?
Since a god exists, why did they not appear on the day her Animus's spirit decayed?
As an immortal and imperishable Great Witch, Tsukishiro Yuki could clearly feel how boundlessly vast the aura of this giant palm holding her was.
But flames still ignited and flowing water gathered in her hands respectively.
What she wanted to perform was the act of turning falsehood into reality; what she wanted to do was to end delusion and birth truth.
Those who dare to obstruct her from creating her own fate—let alone all of humanity,
Even if it is a god, she will kill it for you to see!
Massive energy fluctuations surged within the center of the giant palm. Gazing at the "God" in the distant sky whose features and face could not be seen, Tsukishiro Yuki gathered magic power with all her might.
Decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen, then pressurizing and heating it with high temperatures.
Finally, when it reached a certain critical point, she suddenly detonated it————
BOOM——!!
An explosion sound that would be earth-shattering in the outside world exploded at the head of the "God" within Tsukishiro Yuki's vision. The massive mushroom cloud seemed to become a second sun between heaven and earth.
Light and heat filled the world; this terrifying energy was enough to evaporate steel.
Tsukishiro Yuki's figure floated, flying toward the heights, intending to check the damage she had caused to the owner of this giant palm————
"——?"
But in just the blink of an eye, she suddenly discovered she had returned to the center of the giant palm.
The faceless God in the clouds cast its gaze upon her, still so compassionate and merciful.
As if persuading her: The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn back and you are on the shore.
At the same time, Suke's voice rang in Tsukishiro Yuki's ears.
[I know what you want, Little Yuki.]
Enough...
[Calm down, how about listening to me?]
Stop talking...
[I have a way to...]
I won't listen!!!
Suke: ?
Focusing his mind on the stand he was controlling, Suke simply watched the Great Witch named Tsukishiro Yuki dumping magic power randomly into his stand's palm like a madwoman.
All kinds of magic blossomed in the glazed palm like gorgeous fireworks, yet they could not cause even a single crack in the glazed palm.
Tsukishiro Yuki also tried several times to use [Levitation] and [Monstrous Strength] to rush directly out of the palm's range, but that glazed palm space, which seemed non-Euclidean, made her spin around in place.
How should I put it? Suke felt this scene gave him quite a sense of déjà vu.
Old Yuki, I know you like to somersault, but you don't need to copy Great Sage Sun!
Never mind.
Suke knew that the current Tsukishiro Yuki wouldn't listen to anything.
If you haven't suffered what others have, don't persuade them to be good.
He had neither experienced the hatred of genocide Tsukishiro Yuki went through, nor could he completely understand the suffering of the reincarnation the girl had sculpted for herself.
What he wanted was nothing more than an ending where everyone could sit together properly, drinking cola and eating pizza.
But...
For some reason, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, Suke hesitated.
Somewhere in the unseen, he had a premonition that his choice now might cause unimaginable impacts on the future.
Does he really want to stop Tsukishiro Yuki from taking revenge on humanity?
Leaving aside how Tsukishiro Yuki treats others, whether in reality or illusion, she seemed to have never truly been hostile toward him.
Even to the point of regarding him as her "Animus".
...Anyway, let's calm the other party down first.
The Statue's energy still had more than half remaining. Suke turned his stand's hand, causing it to press down on Tsukishiro Yuki.
He deliberately controlled the force; at most, it would just knock away the girl's magic and make her lose her ability.
As long as Tsukishiro Yuki is willing to calm down and communicate, all problems can be easily solved.
————Suke thought so.
But... is this really what the Witch named Tsukishiro Yuki wants?
Unable to resist.
Is this the so-called god?
Truly... unfair.
Does it end here?
The overturning giant palm seemed to carry the force of millions of jun; that peculiar power, which exceeded the physical level, was completely beyond Tsukishiro Yuki's cognition.
Emerald radiance seeped from the center of that giant glazed palm, stripping away her stamina and magic power, then gave a gentle push, knocking her down from the high heavens.
She had failed in the end.
Defeated at the hands of the Animus she loved.
Her body fell from the sky like a kite with a cut string. This body, which was even smaller and thinner than Abigail's—no one knew what kind of wishes the girl had entrusted to it.
"Stop making such a bitter face!"
"Why are you acting like those 'Jirai-kei' girls who like to secretly cut themselves up? Listening to advice won't make you lose a piece of meat!"
The girl felt her body, drifting down like a feather, being caught by someone in a princess carry.
That was the arm of the male she was familiar with, as well as the scent that made her feel at ease.
Did you make such a choice...
If this is what you expect, Animus, then fine...
The girl stared blankly at her own Animus, then slowly closed her eyes.
She hugged the male's arm a bit tighter, not wanting to think about anything anymore.
Suke did not know what the Great Witch was thinking. He landed on the ground and stood firm.
It was fortunate that Tsukishiro Yuki was light enough, and the height was limited.
Looking at his Health bar which had only dropped a tiny bit, Suke couldn't help but lament that if Miss Pink Elf had smashed down like this, he would have definitely suffered a fracture and been left with critical HP upon catching her.
Alright, the situation is perfectly resolved!
The storm surrounding the island gradually dispersed.
The solitary island floating in the sky also gradually and steadily settled into the ocean, supported by the tentacles of darkness summoned by Abigail.
Asking Hikami Meruru to hurry over and check Tsukishiro Yuki's body, Suke began to busy himself with handling the aftermath.
In his perspective, everything seemed to have reached the most peaceful resolution.
He successfully helped Emma fulfill her wish in this world; everyone survived, and no one was injured.
He also successfully harvested a cross-realm gate to a brand new world, as well as a group of young girls who had established friendships.
Oh, the biggest harvest should still be the memories of nearly ten thousand years of experience brought to him by Tsukishiro Yuki.
Although some parts inside were filled with repetitive and meaningless plotlines, he could see that it was content the girl had woven with all her might.
He watched Hikami Meruru take Tsukishiro Yuki to the infirmary, momentarily unsure how to get along with this Great Witch in the future.
After all, the other party could not come to Stardew Valley.
Abigail was just a special case. Not everyone has an Outer God as an uncle, and is a Door Witch themselves.
But let's leave these thoughts for later.
That night, he fulfilled his promise to the girls who had finally broken free from the plague of the Witch Factor, holding a grand banquet.
Suke discovered that after dealing with the affairs of the other world this time, the Stardew Valley farm system did not pop up a hidden achievement.
He also couldn't figure out what the trigger conditions for hidden achievements were, so he had to let it go.
Night fell, and the moon began to rise.
The evening glow still lingered on the edge of the sky.
The time to part ways had arrived.
Suke weighed his words carefully. After sending Abigail back to Stardew Valley to rest first, he was thinking about how to face this Great Witch who held passionate emotions toward him alone.
But after waiting for a long time in the second-floor banquet hall, with the banquet about to start, neither Tsukishiro Yuki nor Hikami Meruru, who was responsible for taking care of her, had come to attend.
Perhaps he should go check on Tsukishiro Yuki in the infirmary again?
"This Hikami Meruru really is something too. Isn't her [Healing] magic pretty bugged? Why hasn't there been any movement after so long?"
"Koko, I'm busy here, could you trouble yourself to go to the infirmary and check on Tsukishiro Yuki's condition!"
Because he was still busy preparing some utensils for the banquet, Suke asked Sawatari Koko to check the infirmary on his behalf.
"Ha?"
"Uncle, what do you mean by that sentence? What Tsukishiro Yuki?"
Sawatari Koko looked at Suke with doubtful eyes while eating the appetizers placed on the hall table.
"Tsukishiro Yuki, ah! Just that Great Witch with long straight white hair!"
Suke turned his head in astonishment to look at Sawatari Koko. Does this child have the memory of a fish?
Although Tsukishiro Yuki hadn't introduced herself to the girls, weren't the characteristics of the female name he mentioned very obvious!
The recognizability of this Great Witch couldn't be that low, right?
"Uncle, what are you talking about?"
"What Moon-something Yuki? And that Hikami Meruru who was the mastermind—didn't she choose to commit suicide after being defeated by Uncle's group this morning?"
"Uncle, what do you mean? Are you asking us to take things to pay respects at her grave?"
Sawatari Koko revealed a surprised expression, as if asking Suke why he was acting crazy.
"..."
"Emma, Hiro!"
Suke stopped the Emma of this world and Nikaido Hiro who were about to pass by him.
"Do you remember the name 'Tsukishiro Yuki'? A very good friend of yours in the past!"
"Tsukishiro Yuki?"
Sakuraba Emma and Nikaido Hiro looked at each other; the expressions of both were blank.
"Tsukishiro Yuki... I indeed do not recall having such a name in my memories."
"Did something happen, Mr. Suke?"
Nikaido Hiro's reaction was relatively sharper. She realized that Suke suddenly speaking this name would not be without cause.
But the confused expression on her face could not be faked either.
She looked at Suke, seemingly waiting for the follow-up to his words.
"Mr. Suke? Mr. Suke!"
Striding out, no longer continuing to prepare the banquet utensils, and disregarding the girls calling out to him from behind,
Suke jumped down from the second floor, taking the stairs almost four at a time.
He sprinted to the door of the infirmary on the first floor and kicked it open. Inside, it was empty.
Only a red and yellow [Phoenix Ring] lay quietly,
Placed on the bedside cabinet next to the bed where the Tsukishiro Yuki he had sent there earlier had stayed.
[Congratulations Farmer, you have triggered a delivery quest: Tsukishiro Yuki's Lost Ring]
[Quest Requirement: Deliver [Phoenix Ring]*1 to Tsukishiro Yuki's hand]
[The Great Witch named Tsukishiro Yuki lost her cherished ring. She has been looking for it for 641 years, but cannot find it no matter what.]
[Can you help her?]
[Quest Rewards: ① Bus Ticket*1]
[② Tsukishiro Yuki will be very happy!]
[Special Item: Bus Ticket]
[Give it to a partner you have met on your journeys outside Pelican Town. If fate allows, they will board the bus and come.]
[Like a water-wheel drawing water, like a silkworm making a cocoon, like clothing made of hemp, like fire produced from wood, so are living beings born of illusion, and so are all destinies!]
——"Lankavatara Sutra · Scroll One"
____
New Story: FGO: Building a Lostbelt from Scratch, the Winner is Canon
🔥We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead of everyone else.
✅ Get cool exclusive stuff and updates!
Let's hit these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = 1 extra chapter for the public!
🚀180 MEMBERS = 5 extra chapters on all stories for supporters!
👻 P - Walnutchan