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IBHJ Chapter 272
🕑 Added 2023-05-19 23:15:59 +0000 UTCShirou started tying up loose ends, knowing that once he left, the military's strength would undoubtedly take a significant hit.
The innate skills he had bestowed upon them would surely fade away, and the projected holy swords and Gae Bolgs would gradually vanish too.
But such changes were to be expected. In the wars to come, the battles wouldn't pit humans against supernatural beings, but rather humans against one another.
To tackle this situation, Shirou had begun preparing six years ago, taking proactive measures.
He developed the Steel Reinforcement technique, which significantly boosted steel production and led to the creation of iron weapons. During their training, he ensured that Gawain and others consciously practiced using iron and bronze weapons instead of relying solely on Gae Bolg and holy swords. Their adaptability had been honed over time.
As a result, once he departs, there will undoubtedly be a significant reduction in military strength. The army won't consist solely of heroes anymore, but the soldiers of the Camelot dynasty will still be a formidable force.
Having grown up amidst the ongoing struggle between humans and supernatural beings, their circumstances differ greatly from those of a regular human army.
Shirou started addressing internal threats methodically, but he was aware that eliminating them entirely was an impossible task.
Time was running short for him, and he understood that all he could do was alleviate the situation and devise a strategic governance plan to be passed on to his successor, Morgan.
The hope was that as long as Morgan didn't mishandle things and the dynasty didn't face unforeseen catastrophes like a meteor falling from the sky and causing chaos by taking out the successor, they would be able to maintain stability after Shirou's departure.
Furthermore, he did something incredibly cruel.
He started to put an end to the Age of Gods!
As Shirou strolled through the lively streets of Camelot, observing the cheerful crowds that warmly greeted him, his heart ached.
It was a painful realization that the Age of Gods needed to reach its conclusion, lest there be occasional criminals like Vortigern who sought to reverse the course of history.
The process of hybrid transformation was already in motion. From a racial standpoint, the Britons had moved away from being purely creatures of the Age of Gods, heralding a new era.
Nevertheless, this shift also meant that the current generation had been left behind.
They had been ruthlessly forsaken by the era they held in high regard and the king they revered, all with their own hands.
The gleaming Tower of Light in the palace symbolizes a beacon of hope. However, in truth, it represents the light of destruction that shatters the old era.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the Tower of Light was gathering and dispersing the True Ether.
In the midst of all the chaos and ignorance, this generation will gradually grow older and eventually perish, making way for the next generation.
Within a maximum of thirty years, this cycle will reach its culmination, leading to the complete depletion of the True Ether from the world and marking the end of the Age of Gods.
In addition, this implies that the king they held in high regard has forsaken them.
This was the cruelest and most terrifying realization.
For this reason, he chose not to disclose this information to Morgan. He confided only in Merlin, his trusted advisor.
He asked Merlin to oversee this matter and eventually lay to rest the holy lance Rhongomyniad.
Thirty years is an arduously long period, and he himself has just one month remaining.
Carrying the weight of this burdensome, devastating, and heart-wrenching secret, he will depart from this world.
Subsequently, Scathach also bid him a farewell.
Inside the palace, Shirou gazed at her and asked, "Are you leaving?"
Regretfully, Scathach responded, "I'm sorry, my king. The world's aversion towards me has grown stronger, and I can no longer suppress it." After Vortigern's demise, Scathach found herself facing the world's rejection.
"No need to apologize. You've contributed immensely to both me and this dynasty. It is I who should express my gratitude," Shirou replied, shaking his head.
"Would you like to engage in another one-on-one battle? I've meticulously documented all my defeats throughout the years and synthesized them. I have achieved genuine enlightenment!" she exclaimed.
Shirou shook his head and replied, "That's not true enlightenment."
Raising a finger, he asked, "How many is this?"
"I remember this! It's both one and two!"
"Wrong. This is three."
She was confused.
Shirou approached, causing Scathach to instinctively shield her head.
"Don't worry. Let me show you what true enlightenment means," he reassured her.
Curious, she asked, "What does it mean?"
"Go back and let go of your record book. Forget all about the times I bullied you. That's what true enlightenment is," he stated earnestly.
"Really?" she locked eyes with him.
"Of course," Shirou gestured towards his own eyes and asked, "What do you see?"
She studied him, her gaze fixed on the genuine brightness in his eyes. After pausing for a moment, she cautiously replied, "I see a pair of beautiful eyes?"
"While that's not entirely inaccurate, what I want to convey is the sincerity reflected in my eyes," he clarified.
"Oh... I see..."
"This is the reward I'm offering you, revealing true enlightenment. Material things will lose their significance, and holding grudges is futile. You must let go of every memory of my past bullying, release the resentment and animosity. Instead, remember the lessons I imparted to you and internalize them. That will be enough," Shirou conveyed earnestly.
"Oh... Oh..."
"I have one more task to ask of you," he stated.
"Please, go ahead," she replied.
"As you're aware, I possess knowledge of all things and can perceive both the past and the present. Therefore, I want you to assist me in training a child—a remarkably unique and precious child, to put it simply, a well-mannered and kind-hearted child."
"Who is this child?" Scathach asked.
"He exists in a future, 1,500 years from now. The details will be conveyed by Merlin at the appropriate time, and he will arrange for you to enter the child's dreams and train him. However, it's crucial to remember that you must approach his training with kindness and treat him with the same respect as you would treat me. Never bully him, and certainly refrain from any random acts of aggression. Always bear in mind that he is an incredibly special child, the future embodiment of Camelot," Shirou explained.
"I understand. I will treat him as I would treat you," Scathach affirmed with a nod.
Shirou smiled warmly and gently ran his fingers through her hair. He whispered tenderly, "What a good girl. Now, it is time for you to go back to your homeland. Your mission here is done."
Scathach took a few steps forward but couldn't resist looking back at Shirou. She expressed, "Um... I want to thank you for everything over these past six years! I'm truly grateful that you allowed me to experience a normal life for six years! Thank you so much! I will cherish this memory in my heart forever!"
"Go on now!" he waved his hand, observing Scathach's departure from the palace.
"Do you want me to reveal your true identity to her when the time comes?" Merlin asked.
"No." Shirou shook his head and explained, "If you disclose my true identity to her, I won't have any positive experiences to cherish from my childhood. Even though she unknowingly tormented me in the past, it was done without malice. If she discovers the truth, it will undoubtedly make matters worse."
"I see..."
Merlin nodded, his expression calm. However, beneath his calm exterior, a mischievous smile emerged, similar to Marik from Yu-Gi-Oh!
'Oh, how naive you are, my king! Rest assured, I will certainly tell her, without a doubt! Hahaha!'
...
Scathach bid farewell to everyone and reluctantly departed, casting five longing glances back before finally leaving.
As she sat on the ship, she leafed through her book of enlightenment, lost in the memories of the past six years.
The more she dwelled on those moments, the anger within her grew, fueling her desire to stab that bastard king to death.
However, she knew deep down that she could never return to that period of time again.
"Um, Lady Scathach, we've arrived in Ireland," the boatman gently reminded her.
"I'm aware," she replied, her gaze fixed on the now-distant Camelot. She pursed her lips, turned away, and finally set foot on the soil of Ireland.
From that moment onward, joy and connection would forever elude her grasp.
She would be exiled from the world, condemned to witness the obliteration of all things from the outside, embracing the eternal solitude of immortality.
A mortal experiencing an eternity that even the gods could not attain.
Was this a blessing or a curse?
Scathach couldn't say. She simply buried her book beneath a towering tree in Ireland, stole one last glimpse at Camelot, and set forth.
From then on, she bid farewell to her youthful era, severing all ties with the world.
She returned to the Land of Shadows, the realm of death.
"I'm back, Aife!" Scathach shouted loudly.
However, instead of a warm welcome, what met her was a furious swing of a hammer.
"You dare to come back? We agreed on three days! Just three days! And now it's been six long years! Six whole years! Don't you understand that not everyone can live forever like you do? You've squandered six years of my life! You... you... why are you crying?"
"It's... it's nothing... I... I have endured years of bullying... and now, I am finally free... I... I'm happy," Scathach choked out between tears.
In the days to come, she would stand alone, forever, in this desolate and lightless realm of death.
Oh, how will those who have witnessed the light ever fathom the eternity that not even the gods have tasted in this abyss of darkness?
