Chapitre 250: [FGO]: 250
"Such remarkable skill at chess; I imagine only the God of Games could surpass you."
"Ahaha... You flatter me..."
The tall figure coughed violently, his fragile health apparent. The shorter figure beside him hurriedly reached into their cloak, pulling out what looked like a flexible tube—almost as if they were about to refuel him. But the tall man stopped them with a raised hand. Ryou's expression turned slightly amused. Though brief, he'd observed what lay beneath the smaller figure's cloak: ball-jointed appendages and softly glowing mechanical components.
"You truly go to great lengths for humanity," Ryou remarked, his tone filled with admiration. He knew exactly how much the man before him had sacrificed to end the great war engulfing their world and to ensure humanity's survival. Yet, there was no trace of pity in Ryou's words; for someone like this man, pity would be an insult.
"Perhaps this is what it means to be a true hero," Ryou thought.
The tall man seemed momentarily taken aback by the comment but said nothing. Before he could respond, Ryou snapped his fingers. A soft green glow emanated from the back of his hand, radiating an aura of vitality. The energy flowed like a living stream toward the tall figure.
"What are you doing?!" the smaller figure exclaimed, leaping to her feet. Her cloak fell away to reveal her true form—a mechanical being with a futuristic design. Her right arm transformed into an advanced energy weapon, glowing circuits lighting up as she pointed it at Ryou. A bright blue targeting reticle appeared before the gun, centered on Ryou's chest. The tactical visor over her eye activated, scanning him with precision. Energy surged within the weapon, its circuits glowing an ominous blue.
"Shuvi, stand down!" the tall man ordered, his voice filled with urgency. As the green light coursed through his body, he could feel it repairing the radiation-induced damage that had ravaged him. For the first time in years, he felt his strength returning.
"Relax," Rupi said with a sly smile. With another snap of his fingers, Shuvi's weapon malfunctioned. Its gathered energy dissipated harmlessly into the air, forming faint blue trails that converged into a glowing sphere before Ryou. But that wasn't all. The green light didn't just restore the tall man's health—it began regrowing the arm he'd lost to the war's harsh conditions. When feeling returned to the newly formed limb, he was so shocked he pinched himself, leaving a bruise on the tender skin. Tears welled in his eyes from the sudden pain, confirming that this was no dream.
Both the tall man and Shuvi were stunned, the reality before them defying their understanding.
"Now, shall we have a proper conversation?"
Ryou asked, his tone calm but confident.
The tall man, regaining his composure, nodded solemnly. Shuvi lowered her weapon, her concern for the man evident despite her mechanical nature. The tall man suddenly stood, bowing deeply to Ryou.
"Thank you," he said.
Ryou waved his hand dismissively.
"There's no need for thanks. This is simply my respect for all you've sacrificed for humanity and this world."
The tall man, known as Riku, caught the deeper meaning in Ryou's words. A bitter smile crossed his face as he realized his secrets had been uncovered.
With a thoughtful pause, Ryou continued, "I will soon journey to the Elven Continent, pierce the Star Core, and claim the Suniaster to end this war once and for all."
Riku's eyes widened in shock, a sense of helplessness washing over him. From the beginning of their conversation, it was clear he'd been outmaneuvered. Ryou knew everything about him, while Riku knew nothing. Riku wasn't used to feeling powerless, but at this moment, he couldn't deny the gulf between them.
"You need to do nothing," Ryou said, his voice resolute.
"Simply wait for the war to end."
The weight of those words left Riku dazed. Could his lifelong goal—one he'd sacrificed so much for—be within reach so easily? Was it truly this simple? The new arm he flexed and Shuvi's worried gaze reassured him this was no illusion. Yet, he had one final question.
"Forgive my boldness, but are you... human?"
Ryou paused, momentarily caught off guard. Then he smiled, answering firmly, "Of course. I take pride in being human and have never considered abandoning that identity."
"I see," Riku murmured, a rare look of relief crossing his face. Reaching into his cloak, he produced a weathered map, its edges frayed from years of use.
"Riku!"
Shuvi gasped, her expression pained. She knew how much he had sacrificed to obtain that map.
"It's alright, Shuvi," Riku said gently, handing the map to Ryou.
"I entrust this to you."
As Ryou accepted the map, Riku's face softened into a smile—a rare moment of peace, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Oh, right, perhaps you should start preparing in advance," Ryou suddenly remembered something, flashing a meaningful smile.
Riku paused, instinctively asking, "Preparing for what?"
"Riku-kun, don't you think you owe Shuvi a grand wedding?"
"What!?"
Riku froze, staring at Ryou with a dumbfounded expression. He felt completely lost, unable to follow Ryou's train of thought.
At that moment, Riku felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He turned his head quickly.
"Riku..."
Shuvi looked up at him, her eyes filled with longing and anticipation.
"I... I understand. I'll do it."
Though overwhelmed, Riku couldn't bring himself to refuse Shuvi's seemingly reasonable request. As if things weren't chaotic enough, Ryou interjected mischievously, "Well then, let me be the first to congratulate you two on your upcoming marriage. Oh, by the way, with our current technology, we can create a human body for Shuvi. So, if Riku-kun agrees, certain... reproductive actions are also possible~."
"Ugh!"
Riku, humanity's great hero and savior of the war-torn world, nearly collapsed on the spot. In reality, he merely spat out all the tea he had just sipped. After teasing the iconic couple, Ryou made a hasty exit.
In truth, before he was transported to this world, Ryou had been a staunch supporter of the Riku x Shuvi ship after watching No Game No Life: Zero. Just as he had fiercely defended the Sieg x Astolfo pairing in Fate/Apocrypha, Ryou vowed to protect his favorite couples.
Upon stepping outside, a voice called out from nearby.
"Commoner, you seem to be in a rather good mood."
At the corridor's corner stood Gilgamesh, her arms crossed as she regarded him with interest. Her posture accentuated her perfect curves, making her presence even more commanding. Meeting her ruby-like eyes, Ryou shrugged.
"Well, I did just fulfill a small wish of mine."
"Oh? I thought with your shamelessness, you'd have made a move on that mechanical girl by now."
"Ahem!"
Gilgamesh's blunt remark left Ryou choking in shock.
"What? Did I hit the mark?"
A glimmer of amusement flashed in her gemstone-like eyes.
Ryou shook his head helplessly.
"I do have a strong sense of possessiveness..."
Gilgamesh's expression instantly turned into one of triumphant understanding, as if she had perfectly predicted his nature. But then Ryou continued, "...However, it seems you misunderstand me. I am still human, and there are one or two sacred places in my heart that I wouldn't defile."
The moment he said this, the atmosphere between them grew peculiar. Gilgamesh began scrutinizing him as though seeing him for the first time. Feeling unnerved under her gaze, Ryou asked, "What? Was something I said strange?"
To his surprise, Gilgamesh laughed.
"No, I simply find you more amusing than I thought. Commoner, keep dancing for me and bring me more entertainment."
With that, she left, leaving a bewildered Ryou behind. At that moment, he couldn't help but internally quip, "If foolishness had a color, maybe it's not just blue but also gold…"
Of course, he wouldn't dare let a certain Golden Queen hear this thought.
...
With the current trajectory, as races continued their endless wars, weakening themselves further, humanity quietly developed in the background. At this rate, even without Ryou's intervention, humans could eventually claim victory on their own. But clearly, the other races weren't so foolish as to let humanity develop unhindered and then snatch the fruits of their labors. Wars rarely involve just the original belligerents. Over time, others inevitably get dragged in. Watching from the sidelines? A pipe dream.
Without warning, the most powerful faction—led by Old Deus—made its move against the human continent. Above humanity's capital, Fuyuki City, a grotesque, oversized mass resembling warped flesh descended from the dark clouds. This was an Avant Heim, a mythical entity and the mobile fortress of the Flügel race. Without any notice, it had invaded another nation's airspace—a blatant act of war.
The Flügel's hostility was unmistakable. Suddenly, a voice boomed across the heavens.
"I am Artosh, the God of War!"
The strongest of the gods, Old Deus Artosh, who had slain multiple divine beings and surpassed them all in power, had directly entered the fray, targeting humanity. As if to proclaim his might to the world, his voice resounded across the entire Disboard.
"Insignificant ants, you are no more than specks of dust. Yet you dare to covet the victor's throne? Pathetic! Laughable! You know nothing of true power! The weak must grovel before the strong! The weak must accept the fate bestowed upon them by the mighty. Weakness is a sin. To covet what belongs to the strong is a crime punishable by death! Rejoice, insects! For today, here and now, I, Artosh, the God of War, shall grant you all the equality of death."
Artosh's declaration of war was as arrogant and domineering as his nature. And why not? Artosh alone, supported by one phantasma beast, a flying fortress, and less than a thousand Flügel, dared to challenge the entire world. Following his proclamation, the black clouds above churned into a storm, crackling with purple lightning. A massive magical array formed, covering the sky, its bullseye directly above Fuyuki City. At its center, pure black energy swirled, devouring the land's mana and pulling it skyward in a dazzling display of floating snowflakes.
The earth trembled as an enormous gravitational force pulled everything upwards, forming a spiraling gray column visible even from space—a tower of destruction. Above the tower, a colossal magic circle unleashed devastating energy.
"Divine Strike!"
With a single command, wings of light spanning hundreds of kilometers unfurled. A radiant glow erupted in the sky, and when it faded, a gigantic fireball—like a miniature sun—descended. Its searing heat distorted the air itself.
In Fuyuki City, no one panicked. Men, women, and children stopped what they were doing and looked skyward. There was no fear in their eyes—only resolve. Having survived the horrors of war, they would not bow, even to the mightiest of gods.
Faced with such unwavering humanity, Ryou knew what he had to do. He would answer their unyielding will, ignite the flames of hope, and strike down the arrogant War God from his divine pedestal. Humanity would not be trampled!
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone