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The Mage's Association will now cooperate with the Einzbern and Macchiato families to host a true Holy Grail War. As for the other participants, they will each receive a ticket to the Holy Grail War.

“Yes, that makes sense.” Shirou nodded.

"Of course, I'm only saying this here. I won't admit to anything outside the house. Also, I hope you can keep this a secret. This is also for the benefit of the Magic Association."

The old man's voice was gentle, but the threat in it was chilling.

“Alright,” Reines stepped forward and looked at Shirou. “You already know everything, Mr. Shirou. What are you going to do? If the whole thing has to be made public, you can’t put all the blame on me, and on me alone, can you? I said I’d be happy to, as long as you can manage it.”

The girl said with a mischievous smile.

Shirou glanced at the director of the Secret Realm Train.

“You’re the one in charge here, Mr. Frederick,” he said. “What do you have to say?”

Mr. Frederick looked pitifully towards Weber for help.

However, Webber acted as if it were none of his business, which meant he knew things would get complicated and that's why he didn't want to get involved in the first place. Besides, with this old monster around, what was there to think about? It concerned his life and fortune.

After a moment of silence, Frederick cleared his throat.

“In my opinion, Shirou,” he said, “your first reasoning is correct, and there is no more correct one. I propose that once the snow spirits have calmed down and the relevant departments of the Mage's Association arrive, we present this conclusion!”

Those present readily agreed and nodded.

“Then,” Shirou said, “I declare this reasoning session concluded.”

.........

After Snow Spirit's rampage subsided, the relevant departments of the Mage's Association arrived, and everything was handed over as agreed. Shirou and Waver then took their leave and prepared to fly to London.

At the platform where he was leaving, the girl Reines came up to see him off. She leaned over to Shirou and said with a smile:

“Mr. Shirou, you and that long-haired gentleman are welcome to come to the Clock Tower to visit me. I am very interested in you both.”

"Yes, definitely." Shirou replied with a smile.

"Uh, cough cough..." Weber, who was smoking a cigar and oblivious to everything else, coughed a few times.

So the two set off.

Shirou's journey has only just begun, and new cases await him in London.

...........

High above, in the depths of the universe, two similar figures were watching this scene unfold: one a red-haired human, the other a white-haired deity.

Shirou's conversation with the white god (ending)

"Is there anything else you're dissatisfied with? These are all worlds I created!"

"It's not that I'm dissatisfied, it's just that I'm not capable enough..."

"This has nothing to do with ability anymore. I have accumulated a huge database and have been constantly improving, adjusting and changing the rules of the world, but I still cannot achieve the perfect happiness of all mankind."

"Where is the problem?"

"Where does the problem lie?"

In the depths of the universe, far beyond Earth's reach, there exists a space filled entirely with white.

There floated countless mirrors, reflecting images of people moving about. It seemed that each mirror contained a living person, yet the people inside had different appearances, appearances, and behaviors, as if they were from different worlds.

This is the new abode of the White God, who had been sleeping and waiting to be completely eliminated. However, due to his energy being repeatedly absorbed by his clones, he finally awoke before the balance was broken.

Inside the dwelling bathed in white light, there was a huge marble round table. Above the center of the table was a mirror, in which only the red-haired youth could be seen following Sherlock Holmes as they boarded a luxury cruise ship bound for the United States.

On either side were crystal thrones, with two figures sitting on either side.

On one side was a red-haired boy, a little over 1.7 meters tall, who pointed at the mirror and said:

"This is also one of our possibilities: to follow the most famous detectives in human culture on a mission to track down a phantom thief, solve unfortunate cases, and uphold justice. It would be a blessing for those who are helped."

Sitting opposite him was an older young man, about 1.87 meters tall, with long white hair. He remained silent, “…”

The red-haired boy reached out again and swept his hand across the air. The mirror above the table rotated and switched positions with one of the floating mirrors around it.

"Look at this...look how sweet her smile is."

The mirror reflected a blonde girl with a blue ribbon tied behind her head, enjoying afternoon tea. She was using a fork to pick up a small piece of cake and put it in her mouth, her happy smile making everyone who saw her feel sweet.

The young man with long white hair remained silent.

The red-haired boy, a smile playing on his lips, continued to flip through the scenes, moving on to the next world:

In one world, a café is located at the foot of a mountain near a school. It solves problems for the people in the neighborhood while making delicious food to reward those who work hard to make a living.

In a certain world, when I went to a comic convention with my friends, the works I created brought joy to others, and I felt recognized and happy.

Oh right, in one world, they were cursed and turned into cats.

Each time the red-haired boy turned the mirror, gazing at the scene within, he let out a nostalgic sigh. It was as if he had experienced all the events depicted in the countless mirrors here. But if that were truly the case, even ten lifetimes wouldn't be enough for one person.

Although it seems incredible, it is true. Even though I haven't been there in person, in some worlds, there are beings who have broken away from the connection with the white deity and become independent, pursuing their own happiness there.

"Although I'm very happy, but..."

The white-haired man couldn't help but speak at this moment; his voice was deep and powerful.

"Back then, I understood from the beginning that if one person's ability is limited and it is impossible to make everyone happy, then I should do my best to protect the people in front of me and safeguard the happiness of those around me."

But once I gained power, my vision extended further, and I couldn't help but think that I needed to protect even more people, thus requiring me to acquire even more power..."

The red-haired boy spoke up.

"So I found the Holy Grail, sought the root, sought a better way, and in doing so I became a god. God's ears can hear everyone's prayers, God's eyes can look down on every piece of land, but... God still cannot help all those who need help, nor can He bring happiness to all those who seek it."

"God worked hard, creating incarnations and creating the world in order to find a world where people could all be happy."

"God felt his mistake and chose to sleep. If he was an obstacle to people's happiness, then God chose to disappear."

However… in my slumbering dream, I still saw many, many things. In the dream, I tried to continue helping others, and I received help from others. Every sigh, every moment of emotion, shook God's heart.

"God still couldn't help but think this way. Even as a mortal avatar, he still tried his best to fight, while his powerful self just slept. Was that really a good thing?"

At that moment, the red-haired boy and the white-haired youth spoke at the same time.

"So I woke up, wanting to try again to find a way to make humanity happy."

The white god sitting on the throne and the red-haired boy sitting opposite him, conversing with the white god, are actually the same being.

However, at this time, the collective wish of Shirou from all parallel worlds—the white god—is divided into human Shirou and god Shirou;

This time is different from the last time;

The gods of the past chose to abandon humanity and separate their own desires into a concept dedicated to protecting humankind. Their other avatars were subject to the gods, so when the gods lost their way, everything lost its meaning.

This time, the white god, as the central entity, split into two, while also respecting the will of the other incarnations, treating them as equals.

They are both human and divine, referring to themselves and others as "I," possessing equal rights. In this way, they can simultaneously observe the entire world through both human and divine perspectives.

Humans can tell God not to ignore human desires and feelings.

God can remind people not to be too reckless or act on emotion.

"The previous operation failed, but this time, it might succeed."

"I don't think my idea is wrong. The idea of ​​wanting people to be happy is correct. Just like seeing these smiling faces makes me happy, it's the same principle."

If everyone loves others, they will respect the elderly as they would their own parents, and care for the young as they would their own children. Thus, people will not only love their own parents and children, but will ensure that the elderly have a place to end their days, the able-bodied have a place to use their talents, the young have a place to grow, and the widowed, orphaned, lonely, and disabled will all be cared for.

Then everyone would be loved by others, if everyone in the world could do that, except…

“We shouldn’t interfere too much…” the white-haired man interjected.

“Since the world was created, time came, and it began to flow, it has become uncontrollable. Living beings have their own thoughts and wills, which are beyond our control. If we forcibly interfere, the nature of things will change, and sometimes it will become even worse.” As the red-haired boy spoke, he spread his hands, palms facing upwards, and a virtual projection-like image appeared in the void.

The mirror image showed a pile of rocks, slowly attracted by gravity and clumped together. At first, they were huge, irregularly shaped clods of earth, gradually forming a gray sphere. Time inside was spinning rapidly, and the gray sphere began to change color. The Earth was formed from the aggregates and rotated with the sun; the moon also formed and rotated with the Earth.

This planet is sometimes covered in pure white ice and snow due to cold waves, sometimes covered in the ocean by meteorite impacts, its watery blue color almost obscuring the land, and sometimes the floods recede, revealing lush, verdant forests. Then, disaster strikes, and the forests on the ground are almost entirely crushed by earthquakes, sinking thousands of meters underground, at which point the planet turns a yellowish-brown.

Suddenly one day, the Earth's crust moved, and the land plates that had gathered together began to split apart, moving to opposite sides of the planet. From then on, the land animals on both sides were separated by the sea.

Then... one day, the planet suddenly began to be covered by cities of steel and concrete. The former forests and foothills were dug up and leveled by steel monsters controlled by a creature.

Then one day, the planet turned red, just like the sun, covered in scorching flames.

Then it briefly returned to its previous state, but was quickly covered by white again. Several huge 'trees' grew on the planet, absorbing sound, plundering resources, and growing wildly.

This is just one of the possibilities for the extinction of humanity. Just like those lost Lostbelt worlds, there are many parallel worlds where humanity has also gone extinct. Through observation, thousands of ways can be found that could lead to the disappearance of humanity.

The white deity can use their power to reverse these events, or to transfer the dead to another world. At least to prolong their lives, but this is ultimately only a matter of time.

But one day, humanity will surely become extinct. The relics they leave behind may sink into the water or be buried in the earth, enduring thousands or tens of thousands of years until the next generation of highly intelligent life excavates them. From the remaining traces, they will find fragments of what humanity once experienced.

There are hundreds of millions of species that have evolved on Earth. If we include microorganisms, the number becomes so vast that it is beyond the imagination of the human brain. Humans are just one of the shorter-lived members in this group.

And each person is but a drop in the ocean.

The mirrored image shifted to Captain Nemo's Nautilus, a ship renowned worldwide even before the invention of submarines, which was named after the first submarine in human history when it was built. It was leading the Chaldea group towards the seas where Atlantis was located.

Mashu, a shield-bearer girl with pink covering half her eyes, and Ritsuka Fujimaru, an energetic girl with red hair, are sailing on the sea in an armored vehicle. Compared to their previous energetic spirit of throwing everything away and going all out, their faces now show more confusion and heaviness.

When humanity was burned, he accepted the Grand Order of 'Protecting Humanity' and became the last human Master, challenging Goetia, the Lord of Demonic Arts, all for the sake of justice.

After the world was wiped clean, the girl shouldered the will to survive for all of humanity across the entire pan-human history, engaging in a life-or-death competition with the other seven Lostbelts, where only one world could survive. This had become a war where neither side was inherently right or wrong.

At this time, the Nautilus was being attacked by a high-tech fleet of Greek gods commanded by Odysseus.

The Chaldean forces fought valiantly and managed to repel the fleet and the goddess wielding a spear.

Above the seas of Atlantis floats a colossal spaceship made of steel and divine technology. Like an artificial satellite, it orbits the Earth, measuring 1500 meters in length.

This is the goddess Artemis, the ruler of the Greek sky and stars, who gathers energy in the universe, aims at the sea, and fires an orbital cannon shot—a shot powerful enough to completely obliterate an island.

Captain Nemo made a decisive choice to undertake Imaginary Submarine, similar to the phase shift of a Faerie Dragon. However, due to hasty preparations and the lack of joint calculations, it was extremely risky. If they stayed in place, everyone on the ship, whether Servants or Masters, would surely die.

Finally, under the bombardment of a massive beam of light from space, the people of the Nautilus scattered and drifted from the sea to nearby islands.

The red-haired boy looked at Gudako in the mirror, who had lost consciousness and was washed ashore by the waves. She was thin and fragile, like a rootless duckweed, being washed by the sea, as powerless and pitiful as an ant walking halfway through a rainstorm.

“Look, their war is not just; they are pursuing happiness, but it is built on the misfortune of others.”

"But without guidance, humanity will continue to make mistakes and fall into misfortune."

"It is this feeling that drives people to seek happiness. It is because of dissatisfaction that change occurs, which is why humanity has never stopped evolving."

"But... even if she cuts down all the Imaginary Trees, defeats the other Lostbelts, and saves the world, it doesn't mean her life will be happy; misfortune will still accompany her throughout her life."

"It's okay, it also means that happy things will happen."

"Our existence and our creation are meant to create a happy world, but at the same time we are creating more unhappiness."

"Did our intervention truly help those people? If it merely postponed their misfortune, and they will still face even greater misfortune later, then were we simply meddling?"

"Even if we are saved this time, we will inevitably encounter misfortune again next time. Humans are inherently prone to repeating the same mistakes and stumbling over similar problems repeatedly. In the end, have we really helped anyone?"

Inside the mirror, Gudako, having completed her journey, finally reunited with Mash and her companions. Fou jumped from Gudako's shoulder into the pink-haired girl's arms, and everyone laughed at their reunion, with the girl's smile being the most radiant.

"At times like these, I feel self-doubt, sadness, and even despair—these are human emotions. But whenever I see these smiling faces, I no longer have any doubts; indeed, it was not wrong to create these worlds."

"It doesn't matter if you don't achieve perfection all at once, or if you don't achieve absolute happiness."

"If it can bring happiness to one more person, then it's worth doing!"

In his sleep, the white deity, through his spiritual avatars, continuously enters various worlds to explore what true happiness for humanity is.

At first, Shirou was in despair, but even in such a world, he still wanted to make the people around him happy.

He ventured into the Roots, escaped the moment he entered, and in doing so, connected with his other selves in parallel worlds. Through the convergence of shared desires, his soul was elevated to godhood.

Gods live a life completely different from humans, dwelling alone in the depths of the universe. They do not need to sleep or eat delicious food. As time goes by, the longer the gods live, the further they drift away from humans, and they gradually become less understanding of human nature.

Therefore, Shirou, as an individual who yearns for happiness, challenges the gods, even at the cost of his own life.

At this moment, the white deity was awakened to its humanity and the most important emotions of the past. After realizing its mistakes, the deity chose to slumber, dissolving itself in the universe over time.

Then, in his sleep, under the influence of his subconscious, he was still exploring the world. He couldn't let go of the many worlds that he could see when he opened his eyes and could still clearly feel when he closed them.

In a world of peaceful routine, Shirou acknowledges the determination of those who strive for their dreams.

In an era when the world has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Shirou acknowledges the king who leads humanity.

In a world shrouded in villains, Shirou acknowledges the hero.

In a world where gods gather, Shirou chooses to acknowledge the gods there.

And so the white god gradually remembered his original intention, and he made a decision...