Chapter 225: The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral! (Part 23)
The sudden twist made every viewer's heart lurch to a stop. At this moment, the story of The Garden of Sinners felt like a runaway train, barreling forward with such massive inertia that there was no room left to slam on the brakes—only a mad rush toward the inevitable conclusion.
In a flash, as countless fragments of the past flickered by, a rapid series of breathtaking cuts pulled all the tangled timelines together at last. The audience's hearts shook violently under the impact.
And then—when Araya Souren staggered back, wounded—everyone instinctively realized who the source of that wound must be.
Ryougi Shiki.
Indeed, within the elevator appeared the shadow of that girl.
But her condition was unlike the Shiki they had seen before. Her gait was unsteady, each step swaying slightly. More striking still—clutched in her hand was a long blade, the one that Tomoe Enjou had carried into the building, dropped earlier in the chaos.
Now, without hesitation, Shiki's fingers tightened around the hilt. Her presence exuded the still, suffocating air of a warrior on an ancient battlefield—an aura steeped in silence and death.
Across from her, Araya Souren could not help but speak.
"How did you escape, Ryougi Shiki? The wounds I carved into your body have not yet healed. How can you still move? Why did you awaken? Why—could you not have remained asleep a few minutes longer?"
Shiki gave him no answer. Silence stretched.
At length, Souren muttered to himself, as though filling the void.
"…Was it because of Tomoe Enjou?"
But Shiki's reply came sharp, cutting through the air like her blade.
"It wasn't him. I woke up on my own. I didn't rely on anyone. Enjou has no place here."
The words fell like cold steel. And then—Shiki drew her blade in a single, fluid motion.
Souren responded at once, layers of his triple barrier spreading out around him.
Yet even faced with such tension, Shiki's demeanor carried no fear. Instead, with a hollow, detached tone, she murmured:
"How strange. For the first time, standing before my prey, I can't feel even the faintest thrill. I should be laughing, knowing this fight could go to the bitter end… and yet, nothing."
Her eyes narrowed.
"But I understand now. I don't want to kill you. I just can't stand the existence of a world where you are."
The instant her voice fell, Shiki's killing intent exploded outward. In the suffocating confines of the corridor, the final battle ignited!
. . . . . . . .
The audience erupted as they watched the clash about to unfold.
This entire installment of Paradox Spiral had been a relentless parade of spectacle, but what they had truly been waiting for was this—Ryougi Shiki's brilliance in battle.
After all, The Garden of Sinners had already reached its fifth film. By now, everyone loved this heroine—frail in appearance, yet unyielding in spirit.
Now, all eyes were fixed upon the screen, eager for the storm of steel and sorcery that was about to be unleashed.
At the same time, speculation crackled among the viewers.
"Who do you think will win? Their abilities feel like the pinnacle of everyone we've seen so far."
"It has to be Shiki, right? She's the heroine. There's no way she loses!"
"But didn't she already lose once before? Souren's power isn't something to underestimate."
"That was only because she didn't yet understand his abilities. She let her guard down. If it comes to a real fight, I think Shiki still has the advantage."
"Not necessarily… But don't forget, Touko is still out there. If Shiki can't handle him alone, I'm sure Touko will intervene. With both of them against him, there's no way Souren can prevail."
The debate spread like wildfire, everyone offering their own take on the impending clash.
. . . . . . . .
But compared to the shallow chatter of ordinary moviegoers, the mage s of the Imperial Mage Academy analyzed the matter far more deeply.
"A Magus against the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception… In truth, it resembles the duel between a mage and a knight. Typically, it comes down to speed—whether the mage can maintain distance, or whether the knight can close in before the spell is cast."
"Still… Souren isn't an ordinary magus, is he? His combat strength feels far above that of any normal knight."
"True. And don't forget, Shiki's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception can be channeled through any blade. On top of that, the sword she's holding looks like some ancient artifact of frightening power. Its reach alone is terrifying—no ordinary magus could ever hope to withstand her assault."
"In other words, both of them are already beyond the realm of mere magus or swordsman. Who wins, who loses… that's something only the heavens know."
"…"
The mages argued fiercely among themselves, but even they could not arrive at a decisive conclusion. With characters as unusual as Araya Souren and Ryougi Shiki, rational judgment faltered.
But reason aside, the overwhelming majority of viewers supported the girl without hesitation. Shiki was the heroine. In their hearts, everyone wished for her victory.
. . . . . . . .
On the screen, Shiki's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception flared open. In the same instant, she dashed forward, blade aimed straight for Araya.
"—Sei!"
Araya roared. His voice tore through the air as though summoning the claw of a demon, a hand that rended space itself, crushing and annihilating everything in its grasp.
Yet in the face of this overwhelming destruction, Shiki only swung her sword.
Slash!
A blinding flash cut through the twisted void, severing the collapsing space itself—along with Araya Souren's extended right hand.
The impossible strike left him stunned. Staring down at the wound, disbelief etched across his face, he muttered under his breath:
"…I see. Self-suggestion, is it? You switched personalities the moment you took up that weapon. I was deceived. So… your fight with Asagami Fujino wasn't you at full strength, after all."
Even as the words left his lips, realization struck him deeper still. His gaze lifted to the girl before him, whose entire aura had transformed—something fundamental in her being had shifted.
"…So that's it. At last, I've found it—! The one standing before me now—this is the true Ryougi!"
At his declaration, the glow of the Mystic Eyes suddenly faded. On Shiki's face bloomed a smile—one that could not be captured by words, a fleeting smile that belonged solely to a woman.
The next heartbeat, the Eyes returned, cold and merciless.
Shiki launched forward, blade gleaming with death.
And then—without giving the audience even a moment to breathe—Araya struck back. Their clash erupted into a whirlwind of motion, a duel so fast and ferocious that the eye could scarcely follow.
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/creating-anime-140083067
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