Dear Readers,
Today I'm not writing to tell a story or share an idea, but to open my heart. It's difficult for me to put these words on paper, but I feel the need to be honest and transparent.
Life has curious ways of teaching us about value and fragility. For many, sound is just part of daily life: a child's laughter, the melody of a song, the simple "good morning" from a friend. But for those who live with hearing loss, these little treasures become memories—echoes that seem to fade away a little more each day.
I know exactly what that feels like.
In recent years, I have lost much more than just the ability to hear. I've lost moments, conversations, laughter, and even part of my independence. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where silence is not a choice, but an imposition? Where you struggle to read lips, interpret gestures, and still feel like you're always one step behind everyone else? That is my everyday life.
A hearing aid could change my life. It's not just about hearing sounds again; it's about regaining dignity, about being part of conversations again, about no longer feeling isolated in a group. It's about hearing the voices of the people I love. It's about feeling that I belong to the world around me.
The problem is that, in my country, this device costs USD 4,000. For some, that number might not seem so distant, but for me it is almost unreachable. It is a huge wall between me and the chance to live fully again. I work hard, I do what I can, but that amount is far beyond my reality.
And this is where I step into delicate territory: asking for help. It's not easy for me. I've always tried to solve things on my own, but I've learned that sometimes we need the kindness of others to move forward. That's why I write this message with all the sincerity of my soul: I need your help.
You may not know me personally. Perhaps you stumbled across this text by chance. But if my words have reached you, please know that every contribution—small or large—will be like a breath of hope. I'm not just raising money. I'm trying to reclaim the right to hear life itself.
Think of everything sound means to you. The unexpected laughter of a friend. The song that comforts you on hard days. The birdsong at dawn. Now imagine losing that. That is how I live, and that is what I want to recover.
I believe in the power of empathy. I know the world can be cold and harsh at times, but I also know there are incredible people who extend their hand even to those they've never met. People who understand that generosity is an act that transforms not only the life of the one who receives, but also the one who gives.
If you can help me in any way, you will be giving me back something priceless: the chance to hear again.
Maybe you're thinking: "But I can only give a little, does it really make a difference?" Yes, it does. Every cent is one less brick in the wall that separates me from the world of sound. Every bit of help is one more step toward freedom. And even if you cannot donate, simply sharing my story is already an enormous form of support.
That's why I ask you to consider subscribing to my Patreon. There, you can contribute monthly with small amounts and, in return, follow my journey more closely. This recurring support is a way to give me stability and security for the future—not only for the hearing aid, but for all the care and adjustments my condition requires.
My Patreon: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
I don't know if I will reach this goal, but I know I have to try. And if you give me this chance, I promise your kindness will never be forgotten. I promise that on the day I put on this device, every laugh, every word, and every melody I hear again will also be a victory of yours.
Today, silence dominates my world. But with your help, this silence can be transformed into music, into life, into love.
With an open heart, I ask: help me hear again.
Thank you for reading this far, thank you for dedicating a moment of your life to think of mine. If you can reach out, know that you will be changing my life forever.
With gratitude, Adam_Kadmon...
************
After nearly being killed by Artoria Lancer, Georg gasped, his body freshly expelled from the dimension trembling with exhaustion and fear. He immediately jumped to the dimension where he had left Cao Cao, only to witness him die right before his eyes!
A flash of despair gleamed in his eyes, and, ignoring the pain and cowardice that always dominated him, he gathered the little energy he had left.
No.
He knew he couldn't escape from Kazuya, and so he attempted a desperate attack to kill him. Purple mist flowed from his body and surged toward the 'Strongest of Humanity.'
It was a final act of courage… and suicide.
In a fraction of a second, Kazuya raised his chin. His eyes turned a vivid blue, streaked with thin pink veins that pulsed like neon in the dim light. The atmosphere shuddered as he silently activated the [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception]. For Kazuya, the entire battlefield unraveled into invisible lines delineating the exact points where Life surrendered to Death.
Georg barely had time to comprehend. With absolute precision, Kazuya traced the line of death across Georg's neck, appearing in front of him like a ghost.
In a single clean cut, Georg's head rolled across the ruined ground, separating from his body in a shatter of flesh and nerves, and death itself consumed that corrupted body in a second.
The head hit the ground, and in a flash of putrid horror, the skin and flesh withered, taking on a greenish hue with dry crackles. The bulging eyes popped and peeled away in decay while the tongue twisted in a final grimace. The fleshy gills fused into a mosaic of rot before simply disintegrating into dust.
Georg's body and soul were erased instantly. The bandaged clothes gave way under the disintegration: joints collapsed, muscles melted like wax, and tendons crumbled to dust. In a blink, all that remained was a handful of black powder and fractured bones that collapsed onto the ground, scattering like ashes.
Kazuya stood motionless, his eyes still glowing with the blue and pink of the Mystic Eyes, contemplating the void left by Georg's death. The purple mist of the Balance Breaker no longer haunted the air, as Kazuya grasped it in his hand and absorbed the [Dimension Lost], claiming another Longinus.
How did he do it?
Magic, obviously.
All he needed was the magic he always used to steal Sacred Gears from a distance.
With one last glance at the blackened dust, he sheathed [Tsumukari Muramasa], and the thin pink lines in his eyes faded, returning his field of vision to the reality of the battlefield.
Kazuya took a deep breath and advanced through the remnants of the battlefield. Cao Cao's body lay there, split in half, with the [True Longinus] beside him flickering, slowly fading away.
He crouched down, extended his right hand, and without ceremony, channeled his Sacred Gear-stealing magic. A blue spark flickered at his fingertips for a moment as brief as a blink, and the spear lost its own glow.
In a second, it dematerialized from the ground and reappeared in Kazuya's palm, light as a feather and spinning gently.
Kazuya twirled the [True Longinus] one last time before dematerializing it.
The dimension created by the Balance Breaker of [Dimension Lost] was now under the complete control of his [Innovate Clear], so he didn't need to worry about how to leave.
With a simple gesture, Kazuya extended his hand, and the air before him tore like fabric. A portal with blue and silver edges formed, pulsing with energy. On the other side, he could see the silhouette of Yasaka, the leader of Kyoto's youkai, moving furiously in a ghostly replica of Urakyoto. Her golden nine-tailed fox aura crackled, filled with rage and frustration as she struck the void, searching for a way out.
Kazuya stepped forward, the corner of his lips curling into a slight smile. He waved his hand, his voice echoing through the portal with a calm, almost playful tone.
"Here, Yasaka-dono!"
Yasaka's eyes immediately turned to the portal, her expression shifting from fury to surprise. Without hesitation, she leaped through the portal with graceful agility, her tails rippling like living flames. Emerging onto the battlefield, her imposing presence dominated the environment, the power of her youkai aura making the air vibrate. She looked around, eyes narrowed, searching for threats.
"Where are the invaders?" she asked, her voice laced with authority but with a hint of urgency. Her tails twitched, ready to retaliate against any remaining enemies.
Kazuya tilted his head, casually pointing with his thumb to the remnants of the battlefield. To the left, the handful of black dust and fractured bones that had once been Georg. To the right, Cao Cao's body, split in half, the ground stained red. He shrugged, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"Me and my lovely wives already took care of it… Nothing left for you to worry about, Yasaka-dono."
Yasaka blinked, processing the scene. Her eyes widened briefly as she saw Georg's remains and Cao Cao's state. She crossed her arms, her tails slowly calming as her expression shifted from surprise to a mix of relief and mild irritation.
"You… handled everything alone?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. There was a hint of challenge in her voice, but also a trace of respect. "I wanted to deal with those bastards myself. Couldn't you have gotten me out of that prison first?"
Kazuya laughed, scratching the back of his neck casually. "Well, it wasn't exactly on purpose. Georg was a bit… creative with his dimensions. But, hey, I got you out, didn't I? And I took care of the guys who put you in that mess. I think I deserve at least a 'thank you,' no?"
"Thank you so much for saving my life and the lives of my subordinates…" Yasaka sighed. "And please forgive me if my words were rude, Kazuya-dono. But I hope you understand my frustration…"
She clenched her fists and bowed slightly.
"I understand, Yasaka-dono. So, no need to worry. And also, just call me Kazuya… After everything we've been through here, I think formalities aren't necessary anymore."
Yasaka nodded, her aura calming completely.
"In that case, call me Yasaka too…"
Kazuya gave a slight smile as he saw Yasaka finally relax.
With a snap of his fingers, reality split once more.
The portal's edges opened with a supernatural hum, glowing with a silvery-blue light. Magical energy seeped from the spatial rifts as if he had torn a celestial fabric.
And then, like an explosion of color and alcoholic fragrance, Shuten Dōji emerged with a graceful leap from within the dimensional tear.
"Anata~" she cooed in a honeyed tone, before her feet even touched the ground.
But she didn't touch the ground.
Shuten landed directly on Kazuya's back, her arms wrapping around his neck with the lightness of an affectionate snake, her sharp teeth immediately biting his earlobe with a mix of affection and animalistic desire.
"My, my… such bad manners…" Kazuya murmured, the corner of his mouth lifting in an ironic smile. One of his hands reached back, firmly squeezing Shuten's backside, making the oni let out a satisfied giggle and press herself even closer against his back.
"Fufu~ anata is in a good mood…~"
"Depends… did you have fun with Jeanne?"
"Of course~ that lovely woman resisted so much, ah, she was so stubborn…!" Shuten's eyes gleamed like a child recalling a prank. "Can you believe it, anata~? She dared to say something cruel about you!"
She pouted sulkily, her eyes filling with fake sadness laced with perverse theatricality.
"Humph. What a tasteless woman. But I forgave her, you know why~?"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow, already accustomed to the oni's dramatics.
"Because she died in such a fun way. So… sweet~!"
Before he could respond, another portal opened right beside them.
This time, two feminine presences burst from the tear like a bolt of pure rivalry.
Ishtar and Ereshkigal.
The former with her haughty gaze, red eyes half-closed and a victorious smile. The latter with a furrowed brow, a jealous expression, and steps as firm as a subtle thunder.
Both immediately glared at Shuten Dōji.
"Tsk! The oni again? And clinging to him like a drunken tick!" Ishtar retorted, crossing her arms.
Ereshkigal huffed.
"Get off him right now, you depraved drunk! You know his body is sacred!"
Shuten merely laughed, raising a shimmering bottle of sake that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Ara~ are you jealous, aren't you? Do you also want a sip of my enchanted sake…? It's an aphrodisiac~"
"I'D RATHER DROWN IN A PIT OF ICE!" Eresh shouted, while Ishtar was already preparing an energy sphere to hurl at her.
Shuten only clung tighter to Kazuya's neck and gave another provocative bite to his ear, whispering, "Anata~ tell them I'm your favorite… just to make them even angrier~"
Kazuya sighed deeply, the weight of a thousand universes on his back—most of it, literally, Shuten.
"If you all keep yelling, I swear I'll summon Gilgamesh here… with 80% of his usual arrogance."
The silence was almost instantaneous. Even Shuten made a genuinely frightened grimace.
But the moment of peace was brief.
Another portal opened with a dry dimensional snap, and from within emerged Artoria Pendragon (Lancer), carrying an unconscious Arthur Pendragon over her shoulders, along with Le Fay Pendragon, equally unconscious.
Yasaka turned upon seeing them, and her expression changed immediately. Her golden aura roared like a solar storm, her eyes widening in fury. Her instincts as Kyoto's leader, as a mother, and as a warrior exploded in a second.
"They were with the bastards who attacked my people! They allied with those who sealed us, Kazuya! I'll kill them!"
Her body lunged forward, golden flames enveloping her in a furious vortex. Her nine tails glowed…
Kazuya raised his hand.
"Not now."
His voice wasn't loud, but it stopped Yasaka mid-leap.
She hovered in the air for a second, surprised, before landing with a crash that cracked the ground around her.
"Kazuya…!"
"They'll be judged. But not here. And not now."
His eyes were calm, but the authority in his voice brooked no argument. It was the kind of tone even gods would recognize as final.
She gritted her teeth but took a deep breath. The hatred in her chest was legitimate, but she trusted him since he was the one who saved her and everything else; if she didn't, she'd just be ungrateful.
"…Very well," she murmured. "But if they try to escape…"
"They won't," Kazuya assured, and with that said, he decided to get everyone out of this devastated battlefield.
The layers of [Dimension Lost], now under the dominion of [Innovate Clear], began to shatter like glass plates, fragmenting one by one. Portals collapsed. False skies closed. Magically generated streets and buildings crumbled into particles.
…Everything dissolved, except for a single dimension, carefully preserved by him, where a battle was currently taking place…
In a second, everyone found themselves standing in the devastated courtyard of Urakyoto, where the destruction caused by the Hero Faction remained like an open wound in the heart of the spiritual city.
Then, a purple lightning bolt appeared on the horizon and approached where they were.
It was Scáthach.
Her clothes were visibly damaged: torn at the legs and flanks. Dried blood decorated her side, though her body was intact.
Ishtar was the first to react.
"Wow, look who decided to show up…" she said with sarcasm and a mischievous smile. "The Lady of Painful Training finally took a beating? Who would've thought."
Ereshkigal's eyes widened, but instead of mocking, her face filled with a mix of surprise. "Wait… is that real blood? That's rare… I only remember seeing you like this when you train Kazuya…"
Shuten Dōji, still hanging onto Kazuya like a lazy snake, laughed with a musical sound, her eyes half-closed in malice. "Ara ara~ Scáthach-chan looks like she's been having fun too~ I hope the opponent was handsome… or at least begged before falling…"
Scáthach, for her part, didn't seem fazed by the taunts. She raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling into a cold, confident smile.
"You talk as if I'd returned defeated. Lugh is dead, and I'm here. I see no reason for your sharp tongues. If you're so eager to talk, why don't you face a god next time? Maybe I'll teach you how to hold a spear properly."
Ishtar huffed, but before she could retort, Yasaka interrupted.
"Sorry, but I have urgent matters in the city. I'll send someone to accompany you later. I need to see my daughter…"
Without waiting for a response, she launched herself through the buildings toward the heart of Urakyoto, moving with the muted grace of a flame in the wind.
Kazuya sighed, scratching the back of his neck as he watched Yasaka leave, before turning to his wives, who were already starting to trade barbs again.
"Anata~," Shuten purred, rubbing her face against his neck. "You don't think I'm more useful than those two grumpy goddesses, do you~? At least I keep you warm!"
Ishtar gritted her teeth. "Insolent drunk! Kazuya, tell her I'm the most important here! Who else has the charm of a goddess of war and love, huh?"
Ereshkigal, blushing furiously, pointed at Shuten. "Have you no shame, you classless oni?! Kazuya, ignore her! I… I'm the only one who truly understands the weight of your soul, right?"
Her voice wavered, a mix of jealousy and insecurity.
Scáthach, brushing the dust off her torn clothes, merely rolled her eyes. "If you're done with this childish competition, maybe we can focus on what actually matters. Like, for example, what to do with these two."
She pointed at Arthur and Le Fay, still unconscious on the ground.
Artoria Lancer, who had been silent until now, nodded, her expression serious. "They're allies of the Hero Faction. We can't just ignore them. Master, what do you suggest?"
Kazuya looked at the unconscious bodies, then at the group of wives, each with their explosive personalities and unquestionable loyalty. He took a deep breath, a slight smile forming on his lips.
"First, all of you stop fighting. Second, we'll wait for Yasaka to return with reinforcements. These two will answer for their crimes, but I won't let anyone touch them until we have a fair trial." He paused, his eyes gleaming with a mix of authority and amusement. "And, Shuten, get off my back. You're giving me cramps."
Shuten laughed but obeyed, sliding to the ground with a graceful leap. "Fufu~ only because you asked, anata~."
After the oni got off his back, Kazuya's expression grew a bit more serious, and he said, "I wanted to bring Yasaka back to ease Kunou's worries and all… But now we have a more urgent matter to deal with!"
That caught the attention of his servants.