Chapter 147: "Kara no Kyoukai Comes to an End! (Part 1)"
When the film depicted the true abilities of Shiki Ryougi, the archmages of the Alchemy Tower immediately began their discussions.
Even for these archmages who stand at the pinnacle of the magical profession, they were deeply shocked when the mystery of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception was revealed.
"I never imagined it would be Mystic Eyes capable of seeing death. How is that even possible?"
In response to Dean Hohenheim's remark, the archmage specializing in necromancy quickly said:
"I originally thought the concept of Mystic Eyes was merely a tool for instantly casting magic, like an aid for spellcasting. But now it seems the essence of Mystic Eyes might be far more profound, not just a simple matter of human modification."
The other archmages also began to discuss the concept of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception within their respective fields.
"The essence of magic in our world lies in the exploration of elemental forces and spiritual energies. All magic fundamentally explores and utilizes the nature of the world. However, the extraordinary abilities in Kara no Kyoukai differ from this. Do you recall what the professor said earlier in the story? He suggested that superpowers are like a special frequency that only a few people can tune into. This idea has some similarities to our understanding of magic, but it's also quite different."
"Indeed, although magic in our world also requires elemental affinity and magical circuits, and only a select few can truly grasp it, once someone crosses that threshold, there's no barrier to knowledge. Any mage can equally study the mysteries of magic."
"Exactly. The extraordinary abilities in this story are fundamentally different from magic. It's not just the surface that's different; the core of these powers is essentially distinct from our understanding of supernatural forces."
"Perhaps if we consider it from the perspective of the soul, we might be able to glimpse the essence of this power?"
As soon as Archmage Rosa voiced this thought, all the other archmages turned their attention to her.
Undeterred by their gaze, Rosa calmly continued, "Shiki Ryougi once had two souls within her, indicating a mutation in her soul. Fujino Asagami had her sense of pain sealed away when she was young, and in her long state of numbness, her soul also underwent an unconscious transformation. Perhaps the common thread between the two of them is the distortion of their souls, which has become the source of their power?"
The other archmages nodded in agreement with Rosa's hypothesis.
After all, when it comes to the study of the soul, they had to admit she was more knowledgeable. For now, in the absence of a better understanding of the concept of Mystic Eyes, this explanation seemed to make the most sense.
"So, what do you all think about Shiki Ryougi's statement, 'If it lives, even a god, I'll kill it for you'?"
When Dean Hohenheim brought this up again, the other archmages immediately began discussing it.
"It's probably just something she said without thinking. Shiki Ryougi has never encountered a real god, so how could she know if she has the ability to kill one?"
"Exactly, and she also set a condition: the god must be a living thing. But no one knows what the true nature of a god is; perhaps the concepts of life and death don't even apply to them."
"Honestly, if she can kill any living being, that's already quite extraordinary. Shiki Ryougi might be one of the most powerful assassins ever."
"The only thing we still don't understand is how Shiki Ryougi's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception came to be. Before her examination, she didn't seem to have this ability."
"It seems there are still many mysteries left in this film. Are they really only showing three episodes this time?"
"Damn it, if it ends in a ridiculous place like Fate did, I'll have to go kidnap Durin and make him work day and night to film the continuation!"
"Well… forget it, I just want to say, increase the effort!"
Just as the archmages of humanity were strategizing how to urge the next part, the film finally reached its conclusion.
The true ending of Kara no Kyoukai was about to unfold before their eyes.
---
Under the spectators' tense gaze, the ending of Kara no Kyoukai: Remaining Sense Of Pain slowly emerged.
Shiki Ryougi had defeated Fujino Asagami and pinned her down.
"Why do you want to kill me? I kill people purely because the pain in my wounds is unbearable."
"You're lying. If it were really like that—why are you smiling? Back then and now, why are you so happy?"
"…"
"In the end, you truly enjoy it. You like hurting people, so that pain will never disappear."
"Is that the answer?"
"Didn't I say? We're very similar."
Feeling the murderous intent radiating from Shiki Ryougi, Fujino Asagami couldn't help but scream in desperation.
In the next moment, everything began to distort. Buildings, bridges, the earth, and the sky all warped and deformed!
"Boom!"
Everything on screen collapsed into ruins.
---
Mikiya Kokutou and Aozaki Touko arrived at the battlefield between Shiki Ryougi and Fujino Asagami, but all they saw was a wasteland.
"What is this…?"
Aozaki Touko sighed and said, "As expected, everything was already beyond saving."
"What do you mean?"
"Fujino Asagami's real pain didn't come from external injuries. The true source of her constant agony was her appendicitis. So, Fujino Asagami was mistaken about the source of her pain. She believed her wounds hadn't healed and desperately tried to kill the people who hurt her, but in reality, she had no wounds to begin with."
"How could this be? So that means…?"
"Fujino Asagami's motive for killing was invalid, and she was doomed to be unable to escape her guilt. Moreover, her appendicitis had progressed to a nearly fatal stage. If you calculate the time, it's about to rupture completely. Although it's tragic… she is undoubtedly doomed."
"…"
"Also, the most important thing is that the one who entrusted me to kill Fujino Asagami was her own father. I suspect he knew about Fujino's abilities and, upon learning of the victim's tragic state, deduced it was her. Her father wanted me to kill that monster. Even her own father, the only one who could have protected her, wished for her death. From any perspective, she can't find redemption."
"Damn it!"
Mikiya Kokutou let out a mournful groan, and at the same time, Shiki Ryougi's figure appeared before them.
She was dragging a mangled arm through the ruins as she walked slowly.
"Hey, you all arrived so quickly?"
"Just losing one arm? Shiki."
"Touko, that person even awakened her X-ray vision in the end. If left unchecked, she will inevitably become a formidable abnormal power user."
"X-ray vision? If her ability were combined with clairvoyance, she would indeed be unbeatable. Wait, you just said 'if left unchecked'?"
"That person ended up regaining her analgesia. It's quite despicable. Such a Fujino Asagami doesn't deserve my intervention. Since I can't do anything about her, I'll have to eliminate the pain in her abdomen. If I act quickly, she might still have a chance to survive."
Upon hearing Shiki's words, Mikiya Kokutou's eyes flickered with a hint of relief, and he quickly went to inform the guards and medical staff.
Once everything was over, Mikiya Kokutou and Shiki Ryougi left the scene under a light drizzle.
The two first discussed Fujino Asagami, assessing the extent of her crimes and the future moral repercussions she would face. After confirming these points, Shiki Ryougi slowly said:
"I suppose someone like me doesn't even really understand what a conscience is. Is it really okay to let a potential criminal like me roam free?"
"Well, if that's the case, then I'll bear the weight of your sins."
"I finally remembered, you've always made such serious jokes. Frankly, it made things very difficult for me back then."
"Haha, this is no joke."
"Let me be honest about something else: due to this incident, I've gradually come to understand my way of life and what I truly want. Though it's vague and dangerous, it's the only thing I can hold onto right now. And the thing I rely on isn't as terrible as I imagined, which is somewhat comforting. It's a slight—just a slight—leaning toward your murderous impulse."
With that said, Shiki Ryougi's face broke into a radiant smile in the rain.
---
Kara no Kyoukai: Remaining Sense Of Pain concluded with a beautiful ending theme, marking the end of the three-part TV premiere.
Durin, who had watched it all at the Edward Tavern, felt immensely satisfied. He now felt the changes in the world more clearly.
It could be said that under his guidance, the world was gradually becoming just the way he had always dreamed.
For Durin, this was the greatest happiness in life.
While Durin felt fulfilled and happy, others in the tavern were experiencing intense frustration.
"Ahhh, it's over again!?"
Helena was the first to express her protest, her staff waving wildly, as if she might cast a fireball spell at any moment.
Even the usually composed Chase looked unsatisfied.
After all, Kara no Kyoukai still had many unresolved plot points. Compared to Fate Zero, which at least allowed some speculation about future content, Kara no Kyoukai remained shrouded in mystery and ambiguity.
Anyone who saw only half of the story and couldn't see the continuation would naturally groan in frustration!
At this moment, across any corner of the empire, viewers sitting in front of their TVs were voicing various protests.
The audience was almost impatient to see the continuation, leading to near-riots in taverns across the land.
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