Chapter 69. Yukino: Mana Transfer? Let's Do It!
"How could Archer possibly travel back to the past… how is that even possible..."
Hawking was completely stunned. Even when he found out he had ALS, he wasn't this shocked—this was like being attacked and flattened by a four-dimensional object from aliens, trembling in a lower dimension while looking up at a higher one, brutally crushed from the very foundation of his perception.
Even after being injected with a tranquilizer, it still couldn't calm the tremors and shock surging through him now.
How could a human possibly achieve time travel?
That's impossible!!
If it were possible, then why, three years ago when he held the "Time Party" and invited people from the future to dinner… did not a single person show up?
Was his reputation not big enough?
Moreover...
Archer's intention to return to the past was actually to kill her younger self.
What was she trying to do?!
Did she intend to rewrite the predetermined past, to overthrow Pan-Human History?
The future Yukinoshita Yukino, was she truly unafraid of creating a time paradox?!
Just thinking about this made Hawking even more shaken to the point of being unable to think, trembling like he had Parkinson's.
And it wasn't just him.
Countless eyes watching the Celestial Curtain were nearly driven mad with fear—too horrifying, too terrifying...
And far too shocking.
Nations and peoples across the world, from commoners to political and capitalist tycoons.
So many people on Earth were shocked to the point their scalps tingled, their whole bodies trembled uncontrollably, mouths agape in speechless disbelief, their throats constricted, unable to breathe.
What Heroic Spirit Yukino had done truly echoed through ancient and modern times—unprecedented and unrepeated!
The whole world was on the verge of being stunned into silence.
Some people stared in a daze, mumbling in shock.
"No wonder Yukino could Project the Noble Phantasm Kanshou and Bakuya, turns out they're the same person all along!!"
"She copied the results of her future self into her past self, pouring countless battle experiences and muscle memory into her own mind, evolving rapidly from a half-baked Magus into a powerful one capable of repelling ordinary Noble Phantasms."
"But blessings and misfortunes go hand in hand—Archer went against the Time Stream originally to kill her."
"Before that, she kept observing Yukino, seeing if she could bend the ideals of her younger self."
"If Yukino could be made to give up becoming an Ally of Justice, then there would be no need to kill her."
"But Yukino was too determined, that blazing fire of ideals couldn't be extinguished."
"That's why Heroic Spirit Yukino resolved to kill her own immature self."
At that moment, many people's minds trembled, eyes widened, breath held in nervous tension.
Sword Saint, King Arthur, Child of Light, Witch of Betrayal, Heracles...
The Fifth Holy Grail War had long since revealed that those who could become Heroic Spirits in each era were all brilliant and unmatched—though their fates rose and fell, most were tragic—yet they were undeniably chosen by destiny!
Who would've thought that in today's era, the one chosen by destiny would be Yukinoshita Yukino!
"No wonder Archer was so composed from the beginning, as if everything was just according to her plans—it turns out she already held the script in hand."
Someone suddenly widened their eyes in realization, recalling the unusual behavior of that white-haired female Heroic Spirit.
If that's the case, then it all makes sense now!
"It's really hard to imagine..."
Big shots from various countries trembled as they drew their cigars, one after another issuing orders to relevant departments to pull Yukino into their fold.
Although the Yukino from a parallel world had already become a Heroic Spirit and taken the form of Archer to return to the past, according to speculation from the Magus of Flower, Merlin, who appeared in the Pacific—
There was a high possibility that Heroic Spirit Yukino could descend into this current world through some form of medium.
This was a walking human natural disaster, capable of firing countless missiles in an instant, with a nuclear explosion as her ultimate move!
Absolutely must not be offended!
...
Toyogasaki Private Academy.
Kasumigaoka Utaha was also trembling, overwhelmed not only by shock but also a powerful sense of defeat.
Who would've thought that two people once called "The Flowers of the Academy" would achieve such vastly different futures?
"A Heroic Spirit… becoming a Heroic Spirit in the current era..."
"What exactly did she do to achieve such dazzling, brilliant feats!"
...
"So Archer really was Yukino all along..."
In her room, Yukinoshita Haruno sighed, feeling both as if it was within expectations and yet still beyond them.
As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Yukinoshita family—with a mother who was a "prefectural commissioner" holding life-and-death power over countless people, and family assets exceeding one trillion yen—she often had to attend many events, missing quite a few plot details from the Celestial Curtain.
She was not like Yukino, who in that moment had noticed the ruby red pendant around Archer's neck suddenly flash when she was summoned.
But, as a great sis-con, she was the one who understood Yukino best in the world!
The more she looked at Archer, the more familiar she seemed—so familiar that she didn't dare believe her own suspicions.
When the truth was finally revealed, she let out a breath of relief.
As expected, her little sister was a once-in-a-lifetime genius, bearing a great destiny, achieving the deeds of heroes.
But...
She didn't know just how much suffering the girl had endured to walk the path all the way to the end.
A flash of sorrow passed through the bottom of Yukinoshita Haruno's eyes.
Thinking of the PV video—white-haired Yukino in the Middle East, engulfed in the flames of war...
She must have experienced a hundred years of sorrow, endless loss, in order to become a Heroic Spirit. Only then did she realize that no matter what, an Ally of Justice could never save everyone, and began to regret stepping onto that path. But once she became a Heroic Spirit, she was immortal.
The path one chooses for oneself can never be changed.
All she could do was give her all to return to the past, to change who she used to be in her passionate youth.
Whether it was the girl Yukino or Heroic Spirit Yukino, both were her beloved little sister…
If either died, it would cause Haruno unbearable pain.
She could only hope that the two would no longer fight each other again.
...
In the world of Celestial Curtain, countless people were gathered around Yukino, talking in astonishment.
Honma Meiko shouted excitedly: "I get it now."
"Why Raku-nii didn't use a Holy Relic, and yet still summoned Archer…!"
"It must be because they became husband and wife in the future, the most intimate people in the world. Raku-nii has become Yukino-onee-chan's 『exclusive Holy Relic』—no matter how he summons, it can only be Yukino-onee-chan!"
Hearing this, Natsuki Subaru suddenly had a revelation, but then a new doubt arose in his mind.
"If Heroic Spirit Yukino kills the Yukino of the past, then the future where Raku Sou and Yukino marry would be denied, history would be overturned and vanish."
"In that case, Raku Sou wouldn't have been able to summon Heroic Spirit Yukino in the first place."
A stir went through the crowd—everyone felt that this otaku's words made a lot of sense.
In the crowd, Futaba Rio, wearing a white lab coat, pushed her glasses and calmly said,
"What if it's not Yukino returning to the past from the future, but rather moving from one parallel world to another?"
"If that's really the case, then your hypothesis wouldn't necessarily occur."
"..."
Everyone scratched their heads, feeling that this busty JK's words also made sense.
"If Yukino really did return from the future to the past, then there's still one more possibility."
Yagami Light's sharp gaze and calm voice rang out in the air, "That during the Fifth Holy Grail War, Heroic Spirit Yukino, due to various accidents, failed to kill the Yukino of the past—thus preserving history without overturning it."
"But with Heroic Spirit Yukino's strength, killing Yukino should've been easy."
"If she didn't kill her, then the waters of the parallel world must be truly deep..."
"There's a high chance an invisible will exists—hm, let's tentatively call it the Suppression Force."
Everyone looked at each other.
Why does it feel like everyone's explanations make sense?
Whatever.
Screw it, just keep watching how Celestial Curtain develops—this is seriously way too thrilling.
...
At this moment, tens of billions of people on Earth clutched their chests with tension, shaken yet full of anticipation as they watched the Celestial Curtain.
Even the demons, ghosts, and monsters of all camps and factions felt uneasy, a sense of helplessness spreading from the tips of their hearts.
Some elderly scientists truly couldn't handle it anymore and gritted their teeth as they downed several heart pills, eyes wide as they continued watching.
If they couldn't die, they'd just watch themselves to death!
The BGM played with a leisurely feel, the atmosphere in the ruins depicted as somewhat peaceful and harmonious. Archer and Lancer suddenly ceased fighting, the two sides quietly staring at each other, rather silent.
["Kid, you're impressive..."]
[Lancer blue sighed with a trace of regret, withdrawing his spear.]
[Who would've thought the joke from back then about meeting Yukino again in the Throne of Heroes would really come true? That girl had become a great hero in the future, her strength immense.]
[Even his Gae Bolg was blocked by her—he only managed to take one of her arms.]
[His Noble Phantasm is Archer's natural enemy—against a Servant of the Archer class, it's basically guaranteed death. (Note: I feel like the author's plot here is a bit contradictory.)]
[And yet Archer Yukino managed to block it. This is truly unbelievable, the level of difficulty is no different than a kitten getting run over by a container truck weighing dozens of tons and somehow not dying—completely going against the disadvantage of her class, defying the heavens to act.]
[To be an Archer and yet able to Project a shield-type Noble Phantasm to directly block his trump card Noble Phantasm.]
[Outstanding,]
[Far too outstanding...]
[Cu Chulainn sighed, no longer interested in fighting.]
[It wasn't that he felt awkward—if he went all out, he could still take down Heroic Spirit Yukino.]
[After all, he was the Child of Light from Irish mythology, the great hero who dared to rebel against the gods!]
[Even if he wasn't fighting on home ground, with no bonus buffs, he was still invincible among mortals.]
[But seeing the little girl he once protected become an enemy—what kind of feeling should that be called…?]
[Oh well~]
[Since it's someone killing their own self, he'd let her off this time.]
[If there's a next time, it wouldn't be too late to deal with it then.]
"Lancer has always been so confident and arrogant..."
Hearing Cu Chulainn's heart full of confidence, everyone couldn't help but sigh.
Perhaps Lancer really was the strongest in this Holy Grail War, second only to the Demi-God Heracles.
...
["...Heh~ not fighting anymore? Cu Chulainn, I was just getting ready to surrender, you know."]
[The white-haired Heroic Spirit seemed to smile mischievously, calmly raising her snow-white hands.]
[A standard French-style surrender gesture was thus born.]
[But this made Lancer in blue a bit irritated, and he spoke.]
["Hmph, your mouth is insufferable now. You were much cuter back then."]
[Cu Chulainn curled his lip. He still preferred the honest version of young Yukino.]
[So honest, yet so strong. Eyes filled with transparent justice and spirit.]
[How did the future become so twisted, full of lies, slippery like an eel, with a venomous mouth and flirtatious tone, making people want to punch her teeth out.]
["This time..." Cu Chulainn waved his hand casually, expression calm. Suddenly, his pupils shrank as he stared into the distance toward the Shinomiya residence, muttering, "This presence… it's more than one Servant?!"]
[He furrowed his brow, vaguely guessing that Yukinoshita Yukino was also there.]
[Blue Lancer hesitated only for an instant, then gathered strength in his legs and shot off into the distance.]
["...So the time has come?"]
[The white-haired Heroic Spirit smiled faintly, slowly walking in the opposite direction.]
...
The perspective quickly shifted, cutting to the mountain region near the Shinomiya estate.
Two unparalleled Heroic Spirits were locked in fierce combat in the mountains, their eyes cold as ice, executing extraordinary martial techniques without equal. Under the moonlight, they looked even more breathtaking.
However, despite being a Servant of the Saber class, it was clear she was on the losing side.
Though the Magecraft aptitudes between Matou Makoto and Yukino weren't all that different, due to an abnormal summoning, Saber's base stats were extremely poor—she couldn't even handle a normal Rider, and counterattacking was nearly impossible.
Strength weaker than Medusa's could be compensated with Mana Burst—but what about Agility?
Wouldn't she just be a walking meat shield?
How to fight?
How to continue this battle?
["Keng!!"]
[The sound of swords clashing rang out piercingly. A chain with a sword-point at its tip flashed like a dazzling white streak across the night sky, its offensive relentless.]
[Though Artoria's eyes were sharp and her skill matchless, she still could not avoid being bloodied beneath the high heavens.]
[It hurts,]
[It hurts, it hurts so much…!!]
[Medusa's expression remained calm as she flew in the air, continuously lashing her chain.]
[Two minutes—at most two minutes and it would be over.]
[Cybele and Bellerophon, for now, would remain in reserve as trump cards.]
...
["...Archer has betrayed us."]
[The young master in white was slightly stunned upon hearing the news.]
[Unbelievable…]
[Highly doubtful.]
[Could Yukino be lying?]
[But after repeated questioning, and with Yukinoshita Yukino's detailed description, he was forced to believe this truth—instantly finding it utterly laughable, before falling into deep thought, considering how to respond.]
["Rumble rumble rumble...!!"]
[A corner of the wall exploded with a thunderous blast, forming a jagged pit several meters wide.]
[The intense battle had now reached the Shinomiya residence.]
["…Let's deal with the enemy in front of us first. Archer's matter can wait."]
[Raku Sou took a deep breath.]
["Raku-kun, what should we do now?"]
[The black-haired girl furrowed her brows lightly. At this point, she was convinced that the actions of the white-haired female Heroic Spirit weren't commanded by Raku Sou, but carried out on her own will.]
[But the current issue was that Rider was attacking, and Saber had fallen into a disadvantage.]
[At this rate, Artoria would soon be defeated—and then it would all be over.]
[Raku Sou paused in thought. "I have a way to strengthen Saber."]
["What way!!"]
[Yukino immediately lit up with joy—Raku Sou was always so capable.]
["Mana transfer."]
[The young master in white maintained a calm expression as he said it nonchalantly.]
["Okay, then let's hurry…"]
[Yukino grabbed Raku Sou's hand eagerly, then suddenly looked puzzled.]
["Hey, Raku-kun, what exactly is mana transfer? How do we do it?"]
["..."]
[Raku Sou explained calmly: "Simply put, it's a method of supplementing mana between magi—accomplished through mutual bodily fluid exchange."]
["Exchange of… bodily fluids..."]
[Yukino was stunned, and then her beautiful face flushed red instantly.]
[Got it.]
[So that's how it's done? Incredible.]
[She felt a little embarrassed, gazing at Raku Sou's face, then finally gritted her teeth and agreed, "Okay, I'll go to the room!"]
[Upon hearing that, Raku Sou was a bit surprised.]
["…Go to the room for what? We'll do it right here."]
["Huh?!"]
[Yukino was dumbfounded again.]
[Her voice trembled.]
[Her mind went blank, imagining countless indecent positions.]
[Instinctively she wanted to refuse, but when she looked into the distance and saw the heavily wounded King of Knights, she hesitated for a moment—then clenched her teeth and agreed, "Alright…"]
...
The whole world seemed to explode—countless people immediately looked toward the Celestial Curtain with shock and excitement.
So this is content I can watch without even paying?
This is awesome!
Too thrilling.
Old perverts around the world rubbed their hands together in glee, wishing they could glue their eyeballs to the screen.
"YAMEROOOOO."
At the Celestial Curtain, Yukino Yukinoshita was also panicking and horrified—she absolutely didn't want to become famous this way!
You have to know, Fate is broadcast globally!
It's over, it's over...
My lifelong reputation is completely ruined.
...
[Outside the Shinomiya estate.]
[Yukino took a deep breath, as though preparing to face death. Her snow-white hand reached for her collar, ready to pull it down.]
["…Why are you undressing?" The young master in white looked surprised.]
["Huh?!"]
[Yukino was once again in shock—hadn't he said mana transfer was needed?]
[Raku Sou looked at the girl's expression as if something had dawned on him. Suddenly, he seemed to realize, giving a mocking smile and casting a meaningful gaze at Yukino.]
[Under that gaze, Yukino also froze—and then suddenly came to her senses, realizing what she had misunderstood. Embarrassed, she hugged her face and squatted down.]
[So embarrassing I could die, so embarrassing I could die...]