Indeed.
The entire plan, from the start of the ceasefire until now, was proposed by Gilgash, and it was currently in its first phase.
The plan had two objectives, which could be seen as two different branches—one primary, and one secondary.
The secondary one might not work, so let's set that aside for now. The primary objective, once revealed, was quite simple: a stable, orderly—mass death. Enough people had to die for the Greater Grail to activate.
Who knows when or how Gilgash had figured out the chanism of the Greater Grail's operation, but sohow, he knew. From this understanding, he crafted a competition-like plan—one-on-one duels, progressing in such a carefully controlled manner that it was almost unnerving in its precision.
The earlier grand prix was designed to compensate for the differences in strength between Masters and Servants. It was a comprehensive thod to screen participants and give everyone a relatively fair chance—and, of course, Shinji was sure that part of the plan was just Gilgash wanting to have so fun.
After the tournant ended, Gilgash chose Scathach as his opponent, not only to give Rin a chance to settle her grievances but also to have a satisfying duel with a rival he had long acknowledged. There was also the intention of using both his and Scathach's souls as sacrifices—that was the responsibility Gilgash had ntioned, and it was also Scathach's responsibility.
Since Shinji's side was the biggest beneficiary of this plan, they had to pay a price—and that price was Scathach's soul. As Gilgash had foreseen, the most likely outco of their battle was mutual destruction.
Scathach understood the deeper aning of this, which was why she was the first to respond to Gilgash's proposal.
Shinji had understood the first few points but had overlooked the final one. He thought that once he dealt with Rin, Gilgash would be as good as dead.
He hadn't expected Rin to fight so fiercely, nor that Scathach and Gilgash would skip the so-called probing phase and imdiately engage in the most intense, direct form of combat, ultimately resulting in both of them perishing before he could subdue Rin.
"You people are just—just too—too reckless."
Realizing the full scope of everything, Shinji complained, his heart aching with bitterness.
He wanted to scream, "Why couldn't you just follow my plan for once?"
"Heh, I've always been like this. It's the privilege of the strong," Scathach smiled as she gently caressed her disciple's cheek.
"If you're not satisfied, co to the Land of Shadows and find . I'll listen to all your complaints then."
"Does that an I'll have to duel you again?"
Shinji shook his head in exasperation, surprisingly not showing too much anger or sadness.
Though he had hoped to avoid it, he was sowhat prepared for this outco. After all, Scathach never left him any openings.
"As long as you understand," Scathach replied matter-of-factly.
"Alright, I got it," Shinji replied, his tone almost resigned as he dispelled his magic.
"Just wait for there. I've already committed patricide, so adding a little betraying the master won't make much difference."
"Hmm, that's exactly the spirit I want to see," Scathach nodded in satisfaction.
"Your upcoming actions may face so difficulties, and there could be unexpected developnts. When that happens, you must remain calm and not let your emotions cloud your judgnt. ntal fortitude is a double-edged sword—used well, it's a strength; used poorly, it becos a hindrance."
Though her words seed to carry so aning, they were vague, and Shinji couldn't quite grasp the key point.
"Shishou?"
"I can only tell you this much. In the end, your path is yours to walk," Scathach said no more, turning her gaze to Gilgash.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
"Take good care of Rin—as paynt, I'll give you a piece of advice," Gilgash said.
"The closer you get to success, the more careful you need to be. The more impossible sothing seems, the more likely it is to happen. Don't be swayed by appearances or by great temptations. Don't forget the most important thing to you—that is the source of your strength."
Here we go again, another cryptic, roundabout speech.
"You people with clairvoyance and the ability to foresee the future—can't you just say things clearly for once?"
Shinji complained.
In response to this, Gilgash gave a delighted smile.
"I'm pleased. If you're capable, co to the Throne of Heroes and challenge —but I doubt you'll make it."
"Now's not the ti for you to be stirring up trouble," Scathach glared at the King of Heroes, who was trying to provoke sothing.
"Even the highest level of clairvoyance isn't omniscient. The future is full of possibilities, and that's what makes it so compelling. I don't want you to be overly influenced by these visions, as they could limit your potential—rember, never forget your original intent."
"Should I also rember shinzou wo sasageyo?" (Dedicate your heart)
Shinji instinctively quipped.
"What's that?"
Scathach looked puzzled.
"Nothing," Shinji muttered.
"Sounds like another one of those amusing references, but sadly, I don't have ti to hear it," Gilgash chuckled, tossing aside the empty potion bottle.
"All in all, this ti in the human world wasn't bad—except for the unpleasantness with you and the King of Knights. If there's a next ti, be ready. I'll personally crush you."
Shinji chuckled as well.
"Then I'll make sure to summon Enkidu next ti."
"If you could truly reunite with my dear friend, I'd only thank you," Gilgash said, smiling.
"Tell Rin farewell for . I've fulfilled all the promises I made to her. Even without , she mustn't fall into diocrity."
"I got it, I'll pass it on, though she'll probably just tsundere reply."
"That's part of her charm, but I won't be around to see it," Gilgash said, spreading his arms as he faced the wind and the moon, slowly dissolving into the air.
"My ti has co too," Scathach's spiritual body began to rapidly dissipate.
"Shishou!"
Shinji reached out, but Scathach pushed his hand away.
"Who are you showing that weak expression to? I'm not so little girl. If you want to do sothing for , then here's your final task."
"What task?"
"Go kill Cú Chulainn."
"Wait, Shishou, I don't understand."
"One of the souls ant as a sacrifice is acting strange. To be safe, it's best to eliminate another Servant. Take this chance to prove you can exceed expectations."
With those final words, Scathach's spiritual core completely disappeared, leaving Shinji holding Rin with a dumbfounded expression.
What was all that about? Is this what it ans to have a master who puts their disciple in a tough spot?
Reviews
All reviews (0)