Tap, tap.
As the sound of footsteps ceased, a chilling intent to kill began to permeate the library.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment. The biting killing intent caused the atmospheric pressure of the hidden archive to plummet swiftly as if it were breaking free from human comprehension, reaching the pinnacle of the heavens.
Kirei Kotomine, who had always stayed by Alaric's side—even when Zelretch appeared, he had never left—felt as if the blood in his body was solidifying. Just the leaked killing intent alone was enough to send an uncontrollable shiver down his spine.
What kind of experiences would it take to refine such an overwhelming killing intent, one that could trigger a reaction in others through sheer will alone?
Kotomine Kirei didn't know. Moreover, in this secret conversation, he had no right to speak.
And one of the protagonists of this conversation—
Upon hearing the shocking statement from the Second Magician, Zelretch, Alaric fell into silence.
To leave behind all worlds governed by Human Order—
The Human Order exists to make humanity stronger, more resolute, and more prosperous. Even the saint who saved the nation had proposed the concept of the Human Order in the Temple of Time.
If one were to depart from the world governed by the Human Order, then what would remain would inevitably be a world where humanity is in decline...
And where there is decline, there is balance. As humanity weakens, its strongest representative—the Primordial Being, Alaya—would also weaken, resulting in the growth of Gaia.
In an instant, countless thoughts surged through Alaric's mind.
A startling idea emerged—
The possibilities of the world are infinite. If a world where the Human Order prospers exists, then a world where the planet itself flourishes must also exist.
In such a world, while humanity still exists, it is no longer the absolute protagonist.
The True Ancestors, the very embodiment of the planet's will, would be the only ones to shine.
"What if I refuse?"
Alaric's gaze turned cold, his gem-like Mystic Eyes locking onto the figure before him.
Everything he had honed for years was now being put to the test. If Zelretch, the man who had once defeated the Crimson Moon, were to become his enemy, he would be facing his strongest opponent yet.
And who, exactly, was the Crimson Moon?
The King of the Moon, Brunestud of the Crimson Moon. One of the Ultimate Ones (Originals) of the Moon, the strongest lifeform of the lunar world. With his power alone, he could have annihilated every single existing lifeform on Earth.
He was known as Type: Moon.
Summoned by Gaia—the planetary consciousness of Earth—as a substitute for its inability to act, the King of the Moon was created to establish the True World (Realm of the World), ultimately intending to dominate Earth.
"Since you cannot act, I shall protect you in your stead."
With his deep crimson, awe-inspiring yet gentle eyes, the King of the Moon made this vow to the planet.
Whenever Gaia deemed it necessary, it would create the True Ancestors in the image of the King of the Moon—natural mediators, embodiments of the planet's will, and Gaia's direct defense mechanism against humanity.
And yet, the old man standing before him had annihilated the King of the Moon. The greatest and most glorious moment of Zelretch's life had been his battle against the Crimson Moon; everything afterward was merely the remainder of his days.
Thus, just the mere presence of Zelretch at this moment was enough to make Alaric want to flee.
There was no chance of winning.
Alaric was fully aware of this. The gap between his current self and Zelretch was insurmountable. Even with the Little Red Riding Hood's half-body in his possession, it would not be enough to bridge the difference.
Zelretch, the Wizard Marshall, could use the Second Magic to obtain true infinite mana. This power, which transcended the very laws of existence, was beyond what Little Red Riding Hood could hope to rival.
Yet, despite this—Alaric had no intention of surrendering.
After all, he was the man who had endured both the Sixth and Seventh Singularities, who had personally slain the Oldest Hero King of humanity, who had confronted the God of Origins, and who had witnessed the Almighty King return divine grace and bring an end to the Age of Gods.
Years of accumulated martial prowess, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, the Holy Spear Rhongomyniad, and—Independent Manifestation.
Though he had yet to master it, and even though he couldn't be certain he could use it successfully, as long as he held Independent Manifestation, he could negate time travel and attacks from parallel worlds.
Zelretch would not be able to banish him so easily.
Moreover—
Even if his physical body were obliterated, Alaric would not die.
Since that day, years ago, when he had witnessed the Noble Phantasm unfold in the Temple of Time, proclaiming the Ars Nova.
From that moment on, Alaric had understood the true weight of his soul.
Even if his body were to perish, even without the Third Magic, he could survive as a soul, and perhaps even undergo the metamorphosis into a Beast-class existence.
However, such a path would mean severing his future—something Alaric had no desire to do.
A chilling silence spread.
As time passed, the horrifying killing intent began to solidify, transforming into countless invisible blades that pierced Kotomine Kirei's skin.
His blood was racing. His heartbeat, accompanied by a rising heat, pounded in his ears. Even as an Executor trained in the Church, he could not withstand this dreadful killing intent.
Fortunately, the silence did not last long.
A certain someone's laughter shattered the oppressive atmosphere.
As the killing intent swiftly receded, it became clear—a decision had been made.
"Whether you leave or not—what does that have to do with me?"
With a smile, Zelretch glanced at Alaric and said,
"As long as you continue wandering between worlds, sooner or later, you'll be pushed to the other side. I'm merely giving you a warning."
"So I can never truly take root?"
Hearing Zelretch's words, Alaric—who had finally withdrawn his killing intent—fell into a rare moment of silence.
Just as Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, had sought the Holy Grail to obtain a physical body and remain in this era, Alaric, too, wished to be truly accepted by this world.
His desire was simple—he no longer wished to be rejected.
But Zelretch's words had already revealed the truth of his future:
Alaric would forever be a rootless wanderer, an existence that the world itself would continue to reject.
As long as his instability remained, Alaric would never be able to stay in one world for long—he would eventually be expelled to a world beyond the Human Order.
"That, I do not know."
Casually pulling out a tome on the Second Magic from the shelf, Zelretch spoke leisurely,
"But tell me this—are you truly prepared? Is this world prepared? Is humanity prepared?"
"Do you have time for the apocalypse? Are you truly ready for it?"
The three consecutive questions made Alaric furrow his brows.
He didn't understand.
"The possibilities of the world are infinite. No one is truly unique."
Handing the tome to Alaric, Zelretch continued,
"I won't bore you with unnecessary theories—just know this: you are the only miracle of your kind."
"A miracle, huh..."
Accepting the tome from Zelretch, Alaric subconsciously murmured.
What kind of miracle had brought him to this point?
"Your very existence is a miracle recorded in the Quantum Timelock. No interference from the past or future can prevent you from reaching the Star's Inner Sea."
Still flipping through the tomes, Zelretch added,
"This should have been impossible—but in one particular timeline, it happened. A change that only occurred in this era."
Even if one moves from the Fixed Zone to the past in an attempt to change history, the moment they reach the Fixed Zone, history will forcibly revert to its original state.
In a universe with a quantum-recorded Fixed Zone, any outcome registered within it will never change. Time travelers can only alter the process leading to that outcome.
This is the Quantum Record Fixed Zone, known in the world of magecraft as the Foundation of Human Order.
"Have you ever tried changing it?"
"Time travel should be effortless for you."
"Why would I bother changing it for no reason?"
Zelretch waved his hand dismissively and said, "Honestly, even meeting you this time was something that shouldn't have happened, but I couldn't suppress my curiosity."
"After all, if you wish to learn the Second Magic, that would technically make you my disciple, wouldn't it?"
"Just like that?"
Alaric was stunned by Zelretch's explanation.
Was that the only reason Zelretch had appeared?
Moreover, judging by his attitude, it seemed that he had no objections to Alaric learning the Second Magic. He might even be supportive of it.
That made all of Alaric's struggles up to this point feel like a joke.
Unable to comprehend such goodwill, Alaric couldn't help but ask, "Why is it that everyone except the Human Order accepts me?"
The Human Order exists to ensure the prosperity and stability of humanity, yet it rejects him. Meanwhile, beings such as the Jewel Magus Zelretch and Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan-i-Sabbah seem unbothered by his presence.
"This question pertains to you," Zelretch said, turning around with an unusually serious expression. Just his gaze alone exerted an overwhelming pressure on Alaric.
"As the one entrusted with the will of the Star, when will you finally confront this issue?"
"Is it because of the Path?"
Alaric narrowed his eyes and said, "What if I reach the Root and become a Magician?"
Magic is an isolated existence, transcendent beyond the laws of the planet. The Five Magicians are beings who stand outside the world's rules.
Magic is the realization of the impossible—miracles that cannot be achieved regardless of time or resources. In the distant past, when civilization was still in its infancy, many sorcerers were capable of using true Magic, but now, only five remain.
And every single Magic is a threat to the world—an existence capable of destroying it.
Despite this, Magicians continue to move forward alongside the world.
"Someone once attempted to achieve the Sixth and failed. Do you think you'll be the next?"
Zelretch mused, "Or are you planning to take the seat of an existing Magician?"
The positions of the Magicians are not immutable; they can be replaced or inherited, as seen with the Fifth Magic.
"Who knows?"
Alaric shook his head, not giving a direct answer. Instead, he continued, "The possibilities of the future are infinite. Who can say for certain what lies ahead?"
Just as Zelretch had demonstrated, the world still had room for different outcomes.
Because "Even if our history fails and leads to destruction, perhaps somewhere, another version of us has succeeded."
This idea brought hope to a world that had already begun to lose its dreams. Thanks to it, the lifespan of the world was extended.
It wasn't just about proving possibilities to the world—it was also about unveiling a future of possibilities to humanity.
Alaric did not believe he would fail. Even if the road ahead was shrouded in darkness, he would never give up.
Seeing Alaric's determination, Zelretch simply nodded. He didn't seem surprised by Alaric's response.
"I won't interfere with your choices. After all, I'm just an observer."
As long as the Earth remained intact, Zelretch would continue to watch from the sidelines.
With Zelretch's movements, the number of books in Alaric's arms continued to grow, almost reaching his chin.
Alaric showed no reaction, silently watching as Zelretch pulled out book after book.
After a moment, he finally asked, "If you don't mind me studying the magecraft you compiled, is there any price or requirement?"
"There's no such thing. No one studies my magecraft anyway."
Zelretch looked bored. "The Tohsaka descendants seem like decent kids. Maybe I'll check on them when they've grown up."
As Zelretch grumbled like a retired old man with nothing to do, Alaric recalled some rather unimportant information.
In the Mage's Association, being Zelretch's disciple was almost synonymous with being ruined.
But there were exceptions—Tohsaka Nagato, the ancestor of the Tohsaka family, was one of the rare cases who became Zelretch's disciple and returned unscathed.
This Magician, who had existed since before the Common Era, seemed to have a rather... peculiar method of teaching.
A master trained by Solomon, the King of Magecraft, yet his way of teaching disciples was...
Thinking of this, Alaric suddenly recalled Solomon's past and quickly abandoned any complaints about Zelretch.
Regardless of the circumstances, Alaric had successfully obtained the Second Magic's magical texts, and Jewel Magus Zelretch himself had no intention of stopping him.
Although it was a bit disappointing that he wouldn't receive direct guidance from Zelretch, Alaric was confident that he could figure out a way to traverse parallel worlds on his own.
"By the way, Mr. Zelretch."
As if remembering something, Alaric fixed his gaze on Zelretch's back and asked, "Can Fuyuki's Holy Grail, which is related to the Third Magic, help me achieve soul materialization?"
Zelretch would undoubtedly know the truth about the Fuyuki Holy Grail, so Alaric was eager to find out whether it could fulfill his requirements.
"You mean that contaminated cup?"
Zelretch raised an eyebrow at the question. After thinking for a brief moment, he shook his head.
"Who knows? The Third Magic hasn't been seen for a long time. I have no idea what state it's in anymore."
Alaric wasn't disappointed by the lack of an answer. He simply continued observing Zelretch's actions.
By now, they had reached the end of the archive. Zelretch had taken out every book related to the Second Magic, and there was nothing left in the Tohsaka family's collection that could further aid Alaric.
Yet, Zelretch remained still.
He turned around, scrutinized Alaric from head to toe, and asked,
"Will you become a Beast of Humanity—or one of the Ultimate Ones?"