บท 16: Chapter 16: Bitter feeling

His mind and body weighed a lot, the boy slowly opened his eyes. Itadori looked at the clean sky.

The pink haired boy gets up looking around him. He seemed to be in a Japanese woods. - "Where I am?!" - Said Itadori.

There were some chopped fruits, sandwiches and some cheese breads. It was a picnic. - "Was all this a dream?!" - Itadori said he got up completely.

The atmosphere he was was extremely quiet, the boy passed a trail without much concern. - "I have a feeling that this is a dream ... Honestly, I haven't dreamed of something so quiet for a long time."

Itadori stopped in the middle of the trail to reflect. "Well that all this could have been just a dream ..." said Itadori.

But his reflection time didn't last long, as the boy slapped the back of his neck. - "Argh! What was that?!" - Said Itadori.

"Itadori! We left for a minute and you decide to walk without us?!" - That voice ... The scar boy knew her very well ... It was nobara.

"N-NOBARA?!" - Itadori was impressed at that moment, he could not react. - "Without us?"

"What is your problem using my first name like that?!" - said Kugisaki.

"Can't you stay a minute doing nothing?" - said another very familiar voice approaching both, it was Megumi.

"M-MEGUMI?! What's going on?!" - Said Itadori even more impressed.

"We are celebrating, hey." - said Kugisaki.

"Celebrating what?" He wondered Itadori.

"Did you go rest and lost your memory or something? We managed to get all the Sukuna fingers and get it out of your body." - Said Nobara.

"What?! ..." - The boy didn't know what to say.

"Let's go back soon ... Jumpei, Nanami and Gojo Sensei are waiting for us to come back." - Megumi said.

"Jumpei? ... Nanami? ... Gojo-Sensei? ... Are you alive?!"- Ascidori asked incredulously.

"Of course they are ... let's go." Megumi said putting his hand on Itadori's shoulder.

Itadori was very paralyzed to understand what was going on, the only thing he could do was cry.

"I-Itadori?!" - Nobara and Megumi spoke at the same time.

The pink haired boy hugs his duo of best friends. Itadori knew that all this was not real, but he wanted it to be.

He wanted all this to be real. That everyone was alive and well, but it wasn't true, so he decided to take advantage of this little time to say goodbye more worthy.

"Why are you crying, itadori?!" - said Kugisaki.

"Why is this suddenly?" - Megumi said.

"...I don't even know ..." - said Itadori whining.

After embracing, the Itadori prepared one for a difficult arrangement. - "You can go, I have to solve some things first." - Itadori said drying the tears.

"You're not ready to die, are you?" - Megumi said smiling at Itadori.

"When the right time comes, we promise to meet again ... You idiot!" - Nobara told the Ititori.

"I promise!" - Itadori said say goodbye to both.

The scar boy continued his trail. Even after walking, he hears a few laughs, the closer he approached, the more the sounds of his laughs.

He arrived in a kind of white bandstand, where two seemingly unknown people were sitting.

"Who are they?" - Itadori approached the duo climbing a white staircase.

After climbing up, the boy approaches the two. The two laughed while drinking coffee.

The first person was a pink-haired girl with a fox tail and ears. The other was a white-bearded man in a black robe.

"You are very funny, Zelretch." - said the girl, laughing at the white-haired man's stories.

"No, the lady who finds everything I say funny.." - said the man called Zelretch.

The pair notice Itadori's presence. - "Who are you?" - Itadori asked.

"How funny, the boy interrupts our conversation and even steals our speech?" - Zelretch said ironically.

"Ah... sorry..." - Itadori said.

"Oh, no need to worry, darling. We're just playing with you." - said the girl with fox ears.

"We know you, Itadori Yuji. My name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg." - said Zelretch.

"And mine is Tamamo no Mae." - said the girl.

"That voice... I think I've heard your voice before." - Itadori said.

"Yes, you've heard... I helped you during Caster's first attack." - said Tamamo

"...I see...this is a dream, isn't it?" - said Itadori

"Sort of... It's hard to explain, but we're both real." - said Zelretch.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" - Itadori said.

"This is your dream, we broke in with a little help from a certain someone to see you." Zelretch said.

The boy was surprised. - "See me? Were you the ones who made me participate in this war?" - Itadori said.

"Well... Yes and no. I will explain. In the vast and intricate fabric of the multiverse, unexpected encounters are woven by the hand of fate. Like the threads of an ever-shifting kaleidoscope, the worlds intertwine in ways that defy even the understanding of the wisest magicians. I have witnessed countless collisions between realities." - said Zelretch.

"You're a mage?! Just like the others in the war." - Itadori said.

"It was at one of these cosmic junctions that I witnessed the encounter between my world and your world. Two distinct realities, now intertwined in an intricate tangle of possibilities. At the heart of this encounter is the power of the Kaleidoscope, a force that transcends the boundaries between worlds and defies the very laws of existence. It is through this power that paths cross, destinies intertwine and new narratives unfold." - Zelretch said.

"My world merged with yours?!" - Itadori said.

"Exactly! For the mages and sorcerers of both worlds, this fusion of realities offers unprecedented opportunities to explore new forms of magic and expand their horizons of knowledge. However, it also brings with it challenges and dangers, as conflicts between the different systems of magic and beliefs can result in catastrophic clashes. As guardian of the Kaleidoscope, it is my duty to ensure that these encounters unfold without causing irreparable damage to the fabrics of the multiverse. helping them understand and respect the nuances and differences that separate them." - said Zelretch.

"That's.... Crazy! If I went back in time and my world merged with yours... It means Sukuna's fingers are here and Kenjaku's plans can come to fruition again!" - Itadori said.

"That's definitely a problem... But as I watch the continual intertwining between my world and the world of Jujutsu, I can't help but marvel at the infinite diversity and complexity of the multiverse. Every encounter, every collision, is a new opportunity to learning and growth, both for me and for those who have the courage to explore the limits of reality. With that I tell you something..." - Zelretch's expression changes.

"With this change, something much worse could happen... So be prepared for what comes next." - continued Zelretch.

"Um... Okay." - Itadori said.

Tamamo gets up from her seat and hugs her boy. - "Be prepared, it won't be easy..." - said the fox woman.

Itadori feels something strange. - "What's that feeling?!"

"You're waking up." - said Zelretch.

"Will I see you guys again?" - asked Itadori.

"Who knows... Only time will tell! See you later, Itadori Yuji." - said Zelretch.

"Bye, Baby!" - Tamamo said after finishing his hug.

'Why is she acting like she's my mother?' - thought Itadori.

The dream where Itadori was began to distort and little by little his vision became increasingly blurred.

The boy opened his eyes slowly, waking up from his long dream. Someone was holding his hand, it was Arturia.

The girl held his hand as she rested on the chair. - 'Arturia?! Has she been waiting for me to wake up this whole time?' - thought Itadori.

"Arturia?" - Itadori said trying to wake her up.

The golden-haired girl slowly opened her eyes and looked at the pink-haired boy.

"Y-Yuji... It took you a long time to wake up." - Saber said, waking up.

"You're holding my hand..." - Itadori said, blushing a little.

"S-Sorry!... It's just that you were crying in your sleep, that's why..." - Saber said, trying to justify herself.

"I see... I saw what you did, that bright light coming from your sword was incredible!" Itadori said, getting excited.

"Thank you. I saw that huge cut, what's the name of that cut?" - Saber asked.

"His name is Dismantle, but it demands a lot of my cursed energy..." - Itadori said looking at his hand. - "Arturia... I feel like we're going to win this war, we're going to make it."

Saber smiles. - "We will win no matter what." - Saber agrees.

The two talked for a while, after that, Saber leaves the room and leaves Itadori alone.

The boy planned to sleep a little longer to recover completely, but someone knocked on the door. - "You may come in." - Itadori said.

Itadori didn't expect it, but the one who opened the door was Kiritsugu. - "Itadori, there's something I need to share with you." - said the man.

"And what would it be?" - asked Itadori.

"I have a plan to defeat Lancer's master. I will need your help." - said Kiritsugu.

"My help? Alright, I'm willing to listen." - Itadori said.

Several hours later.

It was night, Itadori and Kiritsugu were walking towards El Melloi's location.

"Is it okay to walk around so unpretentiously?" - Itadori asked Kiritsugu.

"Don't worry, Saber and Iri will be there to distract Lancer Master's mind." - said Kiritsugu.

The two walked in silence.

'He's not much of a talker, is he?' - thought Itadori, trying not to irritate the mysterious man.

"Itadori... It's a stupid question, but have you ever killed someone?" - asked Kiritsugu without blinking.

"Um... I've... I've killed people. It's definitely not something I'm proud of." - Itadori said with his head down while walking with Kiritsugu.

"I heard from Iri that you're not going to kill the masters, I'd like to know why." - said Kiritsugu.

"Although some of them are horrible people, killing is something I don't want to be part of my being. Some of these masters didn't seem like bad people. I intend to focus only on the Servants, theoretically, since they are no longer alive. " - Itadori said.

"Let's bribe Master El Melloi, be prepared to kill him if necessary." - said Kiritsugu without any hesitation.

Itadori was silent again, the two arrived at the location. It was an old, abandoned building, a place in pieces.

"Is this where he is?" - Itadori said.

"Itadori, can you feel his presence from here?" - said Kiritsugu.

"Yes..." - Itadori said.

Maya suddenly appeared with the body of a woman.

"Maya?! Who is she?" - Itadori said, a little scared.

"She is Lancer's master's wife, she is not dead." - said Maya.

"She will be part of our plan, she will be fine, Itadori." - said Kiritsugu.

"Okay, then..." - Yuji said a little uncomfortably.

About that...

Saber and Irisviel drove to where Lancer and his master were.

"Let's do as Kiritsugu said... There are traces of a magical field, but this is strange... Maybe it hasn't been maintained properly, but it's about to fall apart..." - said Irisviel looking at the sudden appearance of Lancer.

Saber and Irisviel get out of the car soon after. Saber approached Lancer.

"I didn't expect you to come here, Saber." - Lancer said, apparently irritated.

"My... My ally found this place and informed me. He said this is where you were." - Saber said, trying not to give everything away.

"Is this ally of yours your boyfriend?... Forget that infamous joke, could you tell me where my lord's fiancée is, Saber?" - said Lancer very seriously.

Saber looked at Irisviel in doubt and confirmed her answer. - "I don't know. What about it?" - said Saber.

"It's nothing, forget it. Anyway, are you sure about this, Saber? I'm sure you didn't come here to talk. But after using that technique of yours on Caster, you must have spent a lot of your mana" - said Lancer.

"No need to worry about another Servant interrupting, everyone is preparing for a defense. This is the perfect time to continue what we didn't finish." - Said Saber, transforming his black suit into his combat outfit.

About that...

Saber and Lancer were fighting intensely, but someone didn't seem happy with this fight, the Lord Lord. - "Because Lancer can't win! Doesn't he understand that our main objective is to find Sola-Ui?!" - said El Melloi irritated.

Until someone throws a bullet from a gun at the Lord. - "What is that?!" - said El Melloi, turning to where the bullet was thrown.

Kayneth comes across this scene. The snow-white haired girl's Servant grabbing his fainted wife while there was a blood sword at her neck. - "Sola...Ui!"- said El Melloi, scared.

There was another man by her side, it was Kiritsugu who threatened her with a gun pointed at the woman's head. His wife was very injured, she was bleeding a lot. If he took too long, she would probably die.

Kiritsugu made a sign of silence with his hand.

"Soon he..." - said El Melloi.

Kiritsugu plays a role for the Lord, it seemed to be a kind of contract. El Melloi takes the paper with some disdain and reads it. - 'This is a Self-Geass Scrolls... A magical object used by a wizard to form an unbreakable contract... Binding Magic... Affected party: Emiya Kiritsugu. The Emiya family coat of arms commands the following: the pledge must be observed by the affected party upon fulfillment of the conditions described here. Pledge: Kiritsugu, son of Norikata and the fifth heir of the Emiya family, will be eternally prohibited from harming or thinking about harming, kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and Sola-Ui Nuanda-Re Sophia-Ri. Condition...' - El Melloi read those words in disbelief, the young man looked at his wife.

"The Geass curse theoretically cannot be removed in any way. Even if you sacrifice your life, as long as its magical symbol exists, it will bind to your soul even in death. If I follow what is written here, it cannot kill me. But... With these conditions, my fight... Will it end here! He wants me to throw it all away?!" - said El Melloi.

Kiritsugu carries his weapon, this scares the Lord, making the man think quickly about the matter. Kayneth starts to cry. - "Sola-Ui... " - A decision was made.

As Saber and Lancer fought, there was a small gap where Lancer moved away, and that was the moment. The spear knight thrusts his own spear into his chest.

Saber is surprised by this sudden action. Something that even surprised Lancer. The man with the spear spits blood from his mouth.

El-Melloi ordered his Servant to commit suicide. - "The conditions were long." - said Kiritsugu, approaching the battle area together with Kayneth, Sola-Ui and Itadori.

"What?! Wait! It wasn't supposed to be like this." - Itadori said looking at the whole situation.

Lancer writhed in pain from what he had just done unintentionally. - "You want to win... That much? You all want the cup so desperately?!... You ruined the only desire I had in my heart... Don't any of you feel any shame?!" - Lancer said angrily.

'I've never seen him like that... Why didn't they let the fight end?!' - thought Itadori.

"I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU! I WILL NOT FORGIVE ANY OF YOU FOR THIS! LET THE GOBLET BE CURSED FOREVER!" - Lancer said as his spear shattered.

"AND WHEN YOU FALL INTO THE DEPTHS OF HELL... REMEMBER THE RAGE OF DIARMUID!" - Lancer said while his eyes turned red.

The Lancer disappeared like the wind... But at what cost?

"There, now I can't kill any of you." - said Kiritsugu, taking a cigarette.

Irisviel was very reluctant, but it was Kiritsugu's plan, she couldn't fail him. She uses her second Command Seal.

"Iri?!" - Itadori said looking at his master.

"With this Seal I command! Itadori Yuji... Kill Kayneth El-Melloi and Sola-Ui!" - Irisviel said with a pain in her heart.

"WAIT!" - There was no time for the boy to say anything.

Her body told him to do it, he had no choice. - "D-Damn! S-shit with th-that!" - Itadori said, writhing to disobey Irisviel's orders. But it was no use.

Itadori approached the couple.

"But it doesn't mean that someone else can't kill you..." - said Kiritsugu, smoking a cigarette.

"W-Wait! L-Let's review this! I'm not going to participate in t-this anymore!" - said El Melloi, desperate not to die.

"NO!" - Itadori with just one punch, pierces the Lord's stomach. Blood was gushing everywhere. The boy had no reaction to what he had just done.

El Melloi falls onto his back, causing his wife to fall to the ground. Lancer's master died.

Sola-Ui slowly woke up. - "PLEASE! STOP IT!" - Itadori went up to the woman and punched her right in the chest. The scared boy looked directly into Sola-Ui's eyes.

"..Kay..neth.." - The woman expressed a certain astonishment, but in a melancholic way. This expression stuck in Itadori's mind.

That strange feeling of the Command Seal disappeared. - "Why... WHY YOU DID IT!" - Itadori said, enraged, with his hands full of blood.

Kiritsugu turned to Itadori and said:

"Because you are a murderer."

End of chapter 16