(Titus's (Ferdiad's) POV)
I thrust the spiral sword into Scathach's chest, and at that moment, a violent surge of energy ruptured from it. The rings on the sword shifted and aligned, casting a spell.
[Spell for undead curse has been created.]
[Removed curse successfully.]
[MP: -10]
Instantly, multiple notifications began popping up, indicating the ongoing process of removing both blessings and curses from Scathach's body. Each rotation of the sword expelled a curse or blessing, simultaneously draining my MP.
Gazing downward, I observed Scathach's closed eyes, an eerie silence enveloping her despite the sword piercing her chest. Despite her attempt to heal by pushing the sword away, I firmly maintained my grip, refusing to release it.
I couldn't bear witnessing Scathach in agony, so I shut my eyes tightly, a singular thought dominating my mind: never let go of the sword, no matter the circumstances.
Several seconds drifted by, the only sound resonating through the Land of Shadows being the echoes of the violating energy, yet nothing substantial occurred.
Suddenly, a strained sound tore through the air. "Khhh!!" Scathach's agonizing moan pierced the silence. It was the first time I had heard her cry out due to pain. Her struggle was palpable; she seemed determined not to scream, yet the pain must have overwhelmed her.
"Aaa..!" A small scream escaped Scathach's lips, causing an internal urge within me to relent, to open my eyes, but I resisted. I understood that witnessing my wife in distress would shake my determination, leading inevitably to failure.
At that moment, a wave of pain surged through my body.
"[All MP has been drained.]
[WARNING!]
[Life source is being used.]
[Max HP has been reduced by 1]
[HP: 956/956]
[HP: 955/955]
[HP: 954/954]
[HP: 953/953]"
The notifications blared a dire warning as my life force began to diminish, each successive decrease in my HP a testament to the sacrifice I was making.
I wasn't losing HP through bleeding; instead, I was sacrificing my life force to eradicate the high-level curse from Scathach's body. Waves of pain coursed through me, urging every instinct to release the sword, but I clung to it tenaciously. It felt as though blood cells were igniting and bones were shattering, yet I persevered in holding the sword.
Sensations spread like wildfire.
My toes grew dry.
My bones crumbled into dust.
All my internal organs dissolved into nothingness.
But that was acceptable.
I harbored no regrets in sacrificing my body to nothingness. If that was the toll for liberating my woman from a painful fate, I willingly embraced it, even if it meant descending into hell.
"Aaaaa! Kyaaa!!!" Scathach's painful cries reverberated, her struggles mirroring the agony coursing through both our bodies. She didn't attempt to push me away or break free; her reactions were simply a visceral response to the overwhelming pain.
Despite the urge to scream in the face of impending death, I clung to a resolute will, persisting in burning my life force. Every part of my body had already turned to dust, except for my heart and brain, destined to follow suit.
Ten seconds remained, and in that fleeting moment, I caught Scathach's desperate whisper.
"Please… stop…!"
Nine seconds.
The urge to open my eyes surged, but I resisted.
Eight seconds.
"Aaaa! I can't…..!" Another cry escaped Scathach.
Seven seconds.
Six seconds.
Five seconds.
Each scream from Scathach felt like a relentless assault, making me grit my teeth until a drop of blood trickled from my mouth.
Four seconds.
Confidence surged; I knew I had this. Only three seconds remained. However, Scathach's palms on my hand disrupted the perceived flow of time, stretching moments into eons.
Three seconds.
A mistake. I succumbed to the temptation to open my eyes, and the sight that unfolded shook my soul to its core. There lye Scathach, blood streaming from her eyes and mouth, a horrifying image that paralyzed me. In that instant, the haunting memories of Nero's demise in my arms and Tamamo pierced by arrows flashed before my eyes.
Two seconds.
"Stop! I can't take it!" Scathach's agonized scream compelled me to release the sword.
One second.
"[HP: 0/1]"
Whether I had truly killed Scathach remained uncertain, but darkness enveloped everything.
[Main quest has been completed.]
[You will directly see the farewell message]
The darkness dissipated, giving way to a new reality that unfolded before my eyes—a place unknown to me. Standing atop a hill shaded by trees, a distant castle wall came into view.
"This is where I used to play as a child," a voice broke the silence. It was Cu Chulainn, clad in his signature blue outfit. However, it differed slightly from his appearance in life or the anime; it resembled the version from the Fate/Extra series.
"So, you're the one who aided me in winning the next Moon Cell Grail War?" I smiled, prompting Cu Chulainn to nod in affirmation.
"Yeah, I remember it all—my alternate timeline where I perished as a hero, my participation in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, and my time once more alongside my friend, Ferdiad," Cu remarked, casting a bright smile in my direction.
"Well, I merely played a role. Perhaps the real Ferdiad was someone else," I replied nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders. The Ferdiad Cu Chulainn knew should indeed be different from the persona I had assumed for my mission, much like Tacitus.
"Who knows, but the Ferdiad in the original... No, the Ferdiad from the previous timeline was much like you. Calculative yet a diligent worker. A bit harsh in words, but harbored the kindest soul within," Cu Chulainn reminisced.
I chuckled. "Alright, let's drop the cheesy lines," I replied, my face flushed with embarrassment. "Ahem, so how was your life?"
"Yeah, I was going to ask. But what in the world did you teach Aoife? She kept striking odd poses and making predictions about some kind of Pillar Men revival..." Cu Chulainn raised the perplexing issue.
I couldn't help but palm my face, utterly embarrassed. "Just think of it as one of Scathach's quirks transferring to Aoife. Best to ignore it."
"Besides that... my life was pretty good," Cu Chulainn gazed at the sky, recounting his story. "People often romanticize the tales of heroes and their deaths without considering what heroes truly desired."
Indeed, no one aspires to sacrifice themselves for others. Everyone harbors their own desires and wishes to live.
"I initially thought I'd made a wrong choice by prioritizing love over heroics. Raising so many children was tough," Cu Chulainn admitted, prompting an eye roll from me. It was his own fault for sticking his dick in every hole.
"But as I watched my children grow, choosing the right path and eventually holding my grandchildren, I realized that such joy far surpassed the act of killing for others. Life wasn't without its challenges, but I found a better conclusion. No regrets," he smiled, a relaxed aura emanating from him for the first time. I could relate; completing the London Dreamshift had given me a similar sense of fulfillment. Raising children in a righteous manner shapes and completes you.
"But why did you set the quest for Scathach?" I queried. I wasn't certain if I had summoned Scathach in the Moon Cell, and I doubted it was part of the main quest.
"In that alternate timeline, I loved Scathach and wanted to do something for her. However, the moment I understood her desire, I simply fled. It haunted me daily, maybe leading to the point where I allowed Medb to toy with my fate and accepted my death," Cu Chulainn explained.
"Too bad, she's with me now," I remarked, crossing my arms. The game hinted at Scathach being in love with Cu Chulainn, but the reality seemed to be the opposite.
"Haha, both of you are quite possessive of each other. I'm just glad she found the right man," Cu Chulainn chuckled, extending his hand toward me. "Summon me whenever you need. I'll offer my aid and willingly lay down my life for you."
I shook his hand, offering a smile. "I'll be relying on you quite a bit."
With those words, everything faded into darkness once more.
---
(Scathach's POV)
Lying amidst the murky fog, I gazed up at the sky. My body gradually healed, and my strength returned, yet I remained motionless. I sensed the impending end, a liberation from this accursed immortality, and I was prepared for it.
The sky fractured, and from its ruptured expanse emerged my beloved pupil. Titus bore a pained expression; it must have been excruciating for him to end the life of someone he loved. But the blame for his suffering lay squarely on my shoulders.
I am a cruel woman.
He constructed a time chamber, a means for me to truncate my 2000-year existence into a mere year. Yet, I persisted in seeking an end to my life.
Did I love Titus? No—love was foreign to me. How could a woman devoid of emotion or pain comprehend such a complex feeling? I was merely deluding myself, clinging to the notion of romance. The harsh reality was that I yearned for Titus to come and release me from this existence.
However, I was certain that Titus was aware of this truth, yet he chose not to broach the topic. He loved me unconditionally, driven by nothing but a modicum of respect.
I yearned to reciprocate his affection. Truly, I did. Yet, my longing for a human demise eclipsed all other desires. All I craved was a departure from this cursed existence.
And so, Titus thrust his sword into my chest, and as always, I felt no pain. But as the rings on the sword began to revolve, I sensed my body growing lighter.
Curses and blessings were being expunged from my being. It felt as though my soul was ascending directly towards the heavens. Finally, I was on the verge of becoming human once more. Finally...
But I had misjudged my own resolve.
As the curses lifted and my humanity returned, a myriad of emotions flooded back—pain, anger, the sense of touch, grief, and most significantly, the memories I had lost over time.
Moreover, I recalled the reason for my immortality. It was because I had been a coward.
I had been a merciless monster, thirsting for nothing more than bloodshed. Whenever anger clouded my judgment, I exchanged it for a curse to never feel it again. When pain hindered my progress, I bartered away my sense of touch. The agony of losing someone was too much to bear, so I cast away that emotion. If fighting the undead demanded it, I embraced becoming the queen of the cursed wasteland, destined to battle endlessly. All this came at the cost of those painful memories I desperately sought to evade.
Yes, I wasn't a saint or a valiant warrior. I was simply a coward who relished shedding blood above all else.
And now, that cowardice returned to haunt me. Pain surged through my body, prompting involuntary screams and moans. I resisted the urge to cry out, but my body betrayed me.
Like a coward, I screamed, relinquishing control to my desires, pleading with Titus to cease inflicting this agony upon me. I believed that if I lay there, Titus would eventually end my life. I felt the specter of death looming, its chains tightening around my neck, and fear crept in. I yearned for death, yet simultaneously recoiled from it.
In that moment, I raised my arms and begged Titus for a final reprieve.
A mistake born from my own cowardice.
The rupture ceased, and as I opened my eyes, I beheld Titus, his eyes filled with anguish. His sword, poised to strike, remained frozen in the final moment.
"No… no…"
I had been on the brink of death, yet Titus faltered in delivering the decisive blow. Rising to ask him to activate the spell, I reached out to him, but he dissipated into light. His form turned to dust, carried away by the winds.
"He was using his life force…"
The cost must have been immeasurable, considering the multitude of curses and blessings I bore. A drop of water fell from my eyes, landing on my lap at that moment.
"Tears?"
I couldn't recall how long it had been since I last shed tears, but it felt oddly comforting. Sensation and emotions flooded back.
The only remnants of my body were the original blessing of eternal youth I had been gifted since birth. If I slit my throat now, I could still embrace death.
But I chose not to. Not out of cowardice, but because I saw this as a second chance—to become the skilled warrior and respected individual that Titus had once loved.
"Thank you, Titus. For everything. I will meet you after 2000 years."
Fixing my gaze upon the desolate sky of this wasteland, I uttered those words.
Though I detested this land, I resolved to use this opportunity to transform for the better. Retrieving the spear Gungnir he had left behind, I stepped into the castle.
When he would return after 2000 years, I aimed to be prepared—as Scathach, truly capable of reciprocating the love he once bestowed upon me.
===
So how do guys like this Volume? I tried to keep drama minimum and invested in MC to grow stronger. Please provide some feedback. This volume will be finished in few chapters.
Lets continue the legacy with higher goals.
Bonus Chapters milestones
1k PSs
1.2k PSs
1.5k PSs
It means that you all will be getting three bonus chapters this week. If the goals doesn't reach till the end of the week, I will lower the milestone.