Part 377: Liberation

Video: Liberation (mirror)

After discussing it, I left the very end part in. If you have a problem with tits, you shouldn't watch past 9:43.





"……I killed her. Nee-san cared about me, but I killed her"

Sakura's voice isn't directed at me.
She's rejecting everything.
Her own body, covered in Tohsaka's blood, her darkened self, the pillar connected to her.
She's cursing everything with all her might.



"I was stupid. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There's nothing but pain. You always told me not to lose, but I was too stupid to understand. Senpai believed in me, but I just kept betraying him"

The shadow's binding Sakura.
The black Command Spell's binding Sakura's body.

"……No… I have to stop… But I can't go backno, no, I don't want this!"

She's refusing it.
Sakura's refusing the shadow.
She's hating herself, refusing the temptations from the shadow, and trying to kill herself.

But she can't.
Sakura's necessary as a host for the shadow.
It won't allow her to take her own life.
Sakura's being torn apart by both the shadow and her own guilty conscience.

""
…So Tohsaka won.
Sakura regained her sanity.
Tohsaka chose her sister's life in the very end.



Sakura's Sakura.
Her heart doesn't change, no matter how much the shadow swallows her.
…I'm the one who made her like that.
This would never have happened if I hadn't gotten scared back then and scolded her.



"Sakura. Tohsaka's still alive."



"?"

"Right, she's not dead. She can be saved. No, she has to be saved. We have to save her. Right, Sakura?"

"Aheh?"
Light returns to her eyes.
The restraint of the shadow loosens a bit.

Her eyes focusing on us, Sakura finally sighs with relief,



"! No, run, Senpai!"



and frantically tries to control herself.

"! !"
Covering Tohsaka's body with my own, I receive the shadow's blow on my back.



"Ahno, Senpai. I, I……!"



The shadows come up behind Sakura.
……Damn it.
He's not alive yet, but his sense of danger's first-class?

"I know. It's that kid's fault for not giving up. He's throwing a tantrum because he doesn't want you taken away.
Hold on. I'll smack him and get him off of you."

Music: Into the Night

I start walking towards Sakura.

"Noplease stop, Senpai!"



The shadow grazes my cheek.
It should've cut through my neck, but Sakura's scream made it miss.



"Haaah, ah, uh……!"
Clutching at herself, Sakura fights against it.



Instead of disappearing, the shadows keep increasing in number.

"Uh… uhh, uhhhh…"
She's crying.
Sakura's crying.
It's not because of the pain of the shadow swallowing her.
She's crying from frustration because she can't suppress herself.



"……No, Senpai. I can't suppress it. Nee-san taught me, but I'm going to lose. …I wasn't strong. I'm a coward, a wimp, and a terrible person."
Another step.
The shadow's lance grazes my cheek.

"! No, why are you coming, Senpai…!?
I'll kill you if you come any closer…!"
Another step.
I put my right hand on my left shoulder.



You can forget about me…! I'll, I'll die here! I can die by myself…! I don't want you to see me like this…!"

The shadow's pressure gets stronger with each step.
My advance is hurting Sakura's body and mind.



I won't hold back if you're going to come any closer. I'll kill you before you kill me…!"
"I don't need to explain. I'm going to get you out of here and save Tohsaka. That's what I said, right?"





…Don't. I can't be saved. No, I shouldn't be saved. I shouldn't live."

Another step.



"!"
The shadow hits my stomach.
…It didn't pierce me. It's just a strike.
Sakura's intentionally trying to push me away.



Andeven if I do go back…"

"…I've killed a lot of people. I killed many people, killed Nii-san, killed Grandfather, and killed Nee-san…!



WhatWhat do you want me to do…!? I can't give back what I've taken. I've killed many people. Are you still telling me to live…!?"



She can't back out now.
She's trapped by crimes she can't atone for.

There's no salvation.
Even if it wasn't Sakura's will, those actions will haunt her forever.
Even if she's released from the shadow, the darkness will remain within her.
But.

"Of course. You took lives, so take responsibility, Sakura."



The last time. I remove the red cloth that barely kept me alive.





…I feel faint.
I have to go forward before I disappear.
There are things I have to tell her.

"Sen… pai."
"Yes. I don't know where the crime is, or how heavy it is."











"……!"
The shadows lance toward my chest, shoulder, left leg, and stomach.
Clank.
The shadows don't pierce me, but slide off with a spark.

"But I'll protect you. I'll protect you from everything.
It may be hypocrisy, but my ideal has always been to protect the one I love"





I move forward.
Sakura's right in front of me now.

"NoSenpai, your body's…"
……Trace, on.
I only think about one thing.
I use every last ounce of my remaining magical energy for its projection.







I raise the dagger that breaks all contracts.
I can't see her face clearly.

"Sen, pai."



"I'm going to punish you. This is gonna be harsh, so grit your teeth."



""
I hear her gasp.



Then.
With a "yes", Sakura holds out her chest









"Let's go home, Sakura. Cut your ties with him."

And I thrust it into her heart with a single breath.