Chapter 530: with translation of chapter title

「「Mom… I don't want to die…」」

「「……」Liuying took a deep breath, she turned around, in those usually gentle and shy eyes now flickered a hint of unusual resolve: "Actually… it's not completely hopeless."」

She lightly clenched her fist, as if cheering herself: "Do you remember, Xing? The script said I would experience three deaths in the Land of Dreams. I think now is the omen of the 【third】."

「「What are you planning to do? 」」

「「You may already know this—I was born without the ability to dream, and the way I enter dreams is a special method of the Star Core Hunter. This lets me do things ordinary Dreamchasers cannot. As long as I can endure the pain brought by the pressure of memory substance, I can dive into the primitive memory realm beyond beautiful dreams, and this will give the 【Radiant Long Stone】 a slim chance of survival. 」」

「「She said this, her eyes dimmed slightly, but quickly brightened again as she gazed intently at Xing. 」」

「「I will take this bomb deep into the primitive memory realm… at least as deep as possible into No Man's Land. That way no one will get hurt. 」」

——

Marvel Universe

「「Oh… this plan…… nobody knows it better than me. 」」

But the more familiar he was, the clearer Tony became about just how brave a decision the girl before him had made.

Without order's protection, she took the neutron bomb to the primitive memory realm; the final outcome had only one possibility…… death.

Although just shortly before she had been discussing with Lady Jade how to "survive," in the blink of an eye they now had to discuss how to die, how to use her death to save more people; this left Tony feeling…… somewhat unpleasant.

Having fought side by side with Tony for so long, Steve also rarely saw Tony inadvertently reveal such a forlorn expression.

「「Is there really no other way? For example, let Ji Zi's drone transport this doll to the depths of the memory realm? Or…… let Dan Heng directly operate the Water Dragon to destroy this doll remotely? 」」

「「I'm afraid not—Huohuo is still on this ship; she probably wouldn't allow them to use such a shortcut, and if it were a remote‑detonation type bomb, it would likely explode immediately? 」 Steve said. »

……Really should go find that girl and give her a stern lesson.

「「Agreed, but that's talk for later." Suo'er sighed deeply, "……I really wish this girl was just pulling a scary prank, but even then I'd want to give her a beating. 」」

——

「「What about you? 」」

「「Don't worry." The girl's tone carried a hint of barely noticeable apology and playful ease, trying to offset the obvious risk behind this plan: "I believe this firefly armor is enough to get me to where I need to go before the countdown ends… and even possibly return safely. 」」

「「This is also the best and most reasonable choice right now. After all, this long story ought to have a 【perfect】 ending. 」」

「「Liuying's steps stopped at the pool's edge, she turned around and gave a faint smile: "Let me share a sentence with you—actually it was Miss Huangquan who told me, she said 'The so-called impossible things are merely things that have not yet arrived'…… Right now there are simply too many impossible things happening…… but do they really absolutely not happen? In my view, maybe the moment these 'impossibilities' are denied just hasn't come yet. 」」

「「Whether it is a literal ending, or a pain like death, or a perilous situation on the brink… before the predetermined endpoint arrives, they are no different, and I can still make a choice. I also firmly believe…… 」」

「「At the moment we make a choice, the 【result】 in our hearts already has an answer. 」」

「「Liuying turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the shimmering reflection in the pool, over the lofty splendid dome of the hotel, toward the horizon of the sky where the starlight gradually faded and was tinged with the faint dawn light. 」」

「「It is not fate that shapes us, but we who shape fate. 」」

——

fate/Emiya House Meals

「「That girl named Liuying speaks so well. 」」

In the Emiya household's living room, Lancer was holding a rice bowl, one hand scooping fish rice while staring fixedly at the sky curtain, "But the atmosphere is getting more and more tragic, this trip to Pinokangni won't really end in tragedy, will it?"

「「It shouldn't be." Acher held his tea cup, glanced expressionlessly at Ku Qiu Lin: "If it's a real death, I feel Ai Li Ou wouldn't let Liuying go to Pinokangni, but if it's blown into severe injury and disability…… that's possible. Still, compared to the Holy Grail War, the casualty count in Pinokangni is already quite well controlled. 」」

「「That's not bad, and speaking of which……" Yuan Ban Lin pinched her chin, brows slightly furrowed: "Excluding the Huohuo incident, after this whole Pinokangni ordeal, the Star Core Crisis has been resolved, the family conspiracy exposed, all factions seem to have more or less achieved their goals, or at least had a new beginning…… the feelings between Xing and Liuying have also warmed up. 」」

「「Isn't that great?" Shi Lang asked from the side. »

Looking back at the whole situation, except for the voluntarily sacrificing dream master, it seems the only real casualties were the Underworld Fire Duke—oh wait, I mean the Underworld Fire Manor. Just because of one invitation letter, the entire Annihilation Gang was dragged in.

「「Hmm…… even so, little girl, don't mock the Underworld Fire Duke." Lancer switched to a grave tone and said solemnly: "As a warrior, even in death he keeps his promises…… such a person, even as an opponent, is quite worthy of respect. It's just a shame I haven't met him; if one day Pinokangni erupts in a Holy Grail War and could summon both of us to the past…… I'd actually like to cross blades with that duke. 」」

——

「「The Stellar Train and the Star Core Hunter…… are like light and shadow. We walk different paths, tangled yet moving forward together, growing fervently……」」

「「Liuying walked to the pool's center, transformed into Sam, and grasped that Huohuo doll in her hand. 」」

Without hesitation, more without doubt. The back thruster suddenly lit up, a firelight brighter than neon bursting forth behind, the sonic boom tearing apart the dawn tranquility of Pinokangni, Liuying turned into a wisp of fire and vanished into the horizon in an instant.

「「Perhaps the endpoint is certain. But… it's not now. 」」

「「Suddenly, the Huohuo doll in Liuying's hand's eyes suddenly lit up, its body began to shake violently, accompanied by the sound of Huohuo's extreme excitement. 」」

「「Given how smoothly things are going… hehe…… the countdown will speed up! 」」