110: Chapter 110 Return and...

"Come, Goetia."

In the final battle, PD didn't choose those top-tier main DPS characters with maxed-out Noble Phantasms and levels.

In his Servant list, his finger slid across rows of golden avatars before finally... selecting an ordinary, unremarkable three-star Servant—Cu Chulainn (Lancer).

To PD, this wasn't just a Servant; it was his "first sentiment" in this game, second only to Mash.

He clearly remembered how, when the server first opened, he relied on his "money power" to pull a full squad of five-star SSRs, only to be unable to deploy them in the first main quest due to Cost limits, getting crushed by a few small skeleton soldiers.

Later, it was only after copying White Night's strategy that he learned to deploy low-star Vanguards first to generate points, finally clearing that incredibly frustrating first stage.

Cu Chulainn was that F2P God of War who had blocked countless "first-sight kills" for him and helped him through the early-game grind.

For a "human" with only five minutes of life left, crushing him with mindless stats would be a profanation of his birth into this world.

Using this original bond as the conclusion was the best tribute to this journey.

"Let us bring a close to your brief life."

This was a duel no longer bound by cold code. Every time Human King Goetia swung his sword, one of the ten false rings above his head, representing his life, would shatter.

"[Ten Crowns]!"

"[Wisdom of the Sage]!"

As the rings shattered, his HP plummeted off a cliff.

Goetia's body was collapsing, his blood boiling; in these final five minutes of life, he experienced for the first time what pain was, and what the limits of humanity were.

Yet, on that broken face, there was a smile unlike any seen before.

He was burning his newly acquired, incredibly precious life, launching a desperate charge toward the player!

And the players responded to the obsession of this newborn human with the most simple, unadorned normal attacks and fists!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Blades and fists collided repeatedly in the collapsing temple. There were no flashy special effects, only the dull thuds of flesh hitting flesh.

"Arghhh—!"

As Goetia roared, squeezing out the last drop of his life force to release one final skill called [Ten Rings] and strike with this lethal sword...

PD did not flinch.

Facing this fatal blow capable of instakilling any low-star Servant, Cu Chulainn let out a defiant, wild laugh and thrust his crimson spear forward without fear against the destructive flash of the sword!

Boom—!!!

"Are you kidding me... I am Cu Chulainn!!!"

Cu Chulainn roared as the spear in his hand turned into a bolt of crimson lightning burning with the limits of life, letting out a hum that shattered the void as it pierced through Goetia's chest!

At the moment of impact, Goetia's HP hit zero.

His broken body could no longer withstand the recoil, and like a kite with a broken string, he fell heavily onto the scorched earth in front of Fujimaru.

"Oh, honestly..."

Goetia looked up at the crumbling void; the Clairvoyance that once "saw through the past and future" could now only see falling rubble.

Yet, on his blood-stained face, a smile of relief actually appeared.

"I see... So this is the sweetness of life reaching its end..."

"...So-called life is unnaturally short, yet incredibly interesting."

With one last whisper of release, Goetia turned into golden dust and vanished forever within the Temple of Time.

At the moment he vanished, the collapse of the Grand Temple of Time reached its limit. The white door leading to Chaldea was about to close, but the ground beneath the Master's feet suddenly shattered!

"Holy crap!!"

PD cried out. From the game's perspective, the Master instantly fell into the endless void.

It's over!

A sense of despair rose in the hearts of all players simultaneously.

After defeating every enemy, were they really going to fall in the collapsing ruins?

At that critical moment...

In the weightless void, a slender hand with a familiar, warm touch suddenly grabbed Fujimaru's wrist tightly!

"Senpai! Grab my hand!"

This crisp, anxious, yet incredibly pleasant voice rang out in the ears of all players like lightning splitting the night!

"Ma... Mash?!"

A-Dai cried out in disbelief, staring blankly at the pink-haired girl who was pulling her onto the ruined platform with all her might.

Not only had she not turned to ash, but her spirit origin, once covered in scars, was now completely intact!

How is that possible?!

While everyone was too shocked to breathe, a strange yet somewhat childish and gentle voice suddenly spoke.

"...Even though I knew it would turn out like this, seeing it with my own eyes is still very sad."

In the void, the small white beast that usually just acted cute in Chaldea was now floating in mid-air, emitting a holy and massive radiance of magical energy.

"Nice to meet you, and it's also the last time we'll meet, everyone from Chaldea."

"I am... Beast IV, Cath Palug."

Along with Fou's confession, all the players gasped.

This mascot that followed them every day was actually a Beast?!

"Don't be afraid; I have no intention of becoming your enemy. Because you have taught me many things."

White light enveloped the small beast, and its voice became softer and softer. "The magical energy and wisdom I've accumulated over these hundreds of years are just enough to perform a miracle that connects life and death—[Transfer of Destiny]."

"I will give up all my sapience. I'll trade my accumulation of hundreds of years for the miracle of this girl having a full lifespan, just like an ordinary person."

As the miracle was performed, the intelligent light in Fou's eyes gradually faded, and it turned back into a real, ordinary beast that could no longer speak.

But in the second before it completely lost its sapience, the look it gave Mash was still filled with endless tenderness.

"Farewell, Mash..."

"I have indeed seen... beautiful things."

"Congratulations, kind people of Chaldea."

Accompanied by magical energy falling like starlight, that gentle voice left behind its final hymn to humanity:

"The Fourth Beast... has been defeated by you."

"Fou..."

With red-rimmed eyes, Mash picked up the small beast that had lost its sapience, turned her head, and gave the Master that most classic, brilliant smile, just like when they first met.

"I'm back, Senpai. Let's... go back to Chaldea together."

Light swallowed the two of them.

As the last two breaths of life departed, the Grand Temple of Time fell into a deathly emptiness and silence.

The camera didn't cut away immediately; instead, it slowly zoomed out.

In the center of those ruins where even time was reaching its end, only the throne that once drove all of humanity to despair now floated quietly in the void.

Upon the throne, there was no one.

There was no longer a Demon God King looking down on all living things, nor was there that foolish doctor in a white coat who smiled and said he would steal the spotlight.

On the cold and broken throne, only those ten golden rings emitting a faint light remained, left behind in silence.

They witnessed the omniscience and omnipotence of the King of Mages, the birth and fall of human evil, and the greatest farewell of a mortal man.

In the endless storm of the void, the ruined temple was peeling away and disintegrating bit by bit.

Then... the throne and the Ten Rings fell silently together into the eternal darkness.