I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc4] - 27. Surpassing Myth for a Single Sentence!

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Who is stronger, Cyd or Heracles?

The debate about this question has never stopped, whether among those who lived in the same era as them or those who came afterwards.

Both were disciples of the Centaur Sage from Greece, and based solely on martial skill, there shouldn't have been much difference. However, Cyd, being naturally gentle, wouldn't have been as ruthless and decisive as Heracles.

They both challenged the impossible, but in different ways. Heracles was passively challenged by his trials, while Cyd actively sought blessings for himself.

In myth, they never fought, not even in a simple contest.

But they were destined to fight.

Heracles drove their teacher to a fate worse than death, while Cyd was secretly gifted immortality by the teacher.

In the end, both were responsible for the teacher's death.

They were heroes who understood reason, but heroes… their bodies always move faster than their minds.

Setting aside everything, as students who loved their teacher, they were bound to fight!

Whether it was guilt, unwillingness, or anger, men should settle things the way men do.

But unfortunately, they never fought.

When the Pure White Hero Cyd set out on his journey, the great hero Heracles, out of guilt, exiled himself. When Cyd fell into Tartarus, Heracles realized the truth, but it was too late.

Heracles never saw that pure-white figure again, not even in his final moments.

When the Pure White Hero returned, the world had long since changed, but…

The huntress who deeply loved the hero finally gave him a belated kiss.

The teacher, who had been waiting for the hero, finally embraced him and could now close their eyes in peace.

Yet the one who longed to stand by the hero's side appeared before him, having lost all reason.

Roar—————!

Heracles roared, swinging his axe-sword at the familiar figure before him, one he could never truly reach.

How tragic…

Cyd's right hand clenched the air as if gripping a weapon capable of striking Heracles, while the crystals on his left wristguard began to glow.

After so long, meeting again only to end up like this?

The axe-sword disintegrated from the tip, turning into light particles. The weapon, powerful enough to cleave stone, passed through Cyd's body like a gentle breeze. The scattered light particles condensed in Cyd's right hand, and a heavy axe-sword swung downward toward Heracles' neck.

I only wanted to apologize…

Bang———!

Heracles' knee and elbow clamped down on the axe-sword like hydraulic presses, his blood-red eyes devoid of reason, filled only with fury.

Roar—————!

His muscles, as hard as rock, bulged as he lifted his other hand to strike Cyd's head.

The martial skills and strength he had once cultivated to stand alongside Cyd were now being used to take his life.

Black dragon scales surged like a torrent against Heracles' hand, as Cyd reached for the massive Pandora on his back with his left hand.

The blood-red greatsword pierced through Heracles' body, and the black mist that erupted swept through Cyd's hair. Heracles' blood-red eyes began to dim, and his powerful arms slowly dropped.

"Did we win?" Tohsaka Rin's eyes lit up from a distance.

"No, not yet!" El-Melloi II's eyes narrowed.

Roar—————!

Dim red light reignited like flames, molten heat flowing through Heracles' muscles. The blood-red greatsword was slowly squeezed out of his body by his muscles, and his fallen arms came together like a hammer, slamming down.

Boom————!

The black dragon scales, which had formed a shield, shattered under Heracles' strike. Once joined in friendship, their hands now swung to take each other's lives.

"Resurrection? And weapons of the same kind are ineffective?" Cyd's legs sank into the ground, his trembling right arm, supported by dragon scales, blocking Heracles' hands. "How many lives do you have left? Twelve, right? Because you overcame twelve trials!"

As if in response, Heracles roared, kicking Cyd in the stomach. Dragon scales scattered as Cyd was blasted into the ground like a cannonball.

"Twelve lives? And his Noble Phantasm nullifies others? That's too unfair!" Tohsaka Rin shouted in disbelief. "Who can defeat him?!"

"No, it's possible. In the same era, only one person could do it," El-Melloi II closed his eyes. "How tragic…"

"What a pity…" Cyd stood up, the greatsword in his hand transforming into a spear. "Though fundamentally similar, they're different Noble Phantasms. Thirteen trials, thirteen Noble Phantasms, Heracles… the only one who can take your life… is me!"

Roar———!

Heracles threw aside his axe-sword, charging at Cyd like a wild beast. The ground shattered beneath his feet, stones were sent flying by the wind, and a straight path leading to Cyd was forged by his run.

"Heracles! There must be something you want to say to me!"

Cyd roared as he rushed toward Heracles, the silver spear in his hand transforming into countless beams of light, bombarding Heracles' body.

"There must be a reason! For us to meet again when it should have been impossible, so…"

Amid the spray of blood and mist, before Heracles' hands could reach Cyd, the spear pierced through his throat.

"Tell me…"

Cyd lowered his head, his snow-white hair falling to cover his eyes.

"Aren't you a hero? If you're a hero, don't let those damn impossibilities stop you."

Roar—————!

The molten light surged again, and Heracles' raised hands smashed down onto Cyd's head.

Boom————!

Cyd's head drooped heavily, the ground caving in as if struck by a massive blow. The spear that could no longer pierce through Heracles' body was thrown aside.

"What I want to hear…"

Cyd's voice was a faint, almost ethereal whisper.

"Isn't this!"

The spear reverted into a box, splitting into two beams of light mid-air and landing in Cyd's hands.

Countless vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Heracles' hands. Even with the power of blessings to strengthen him, the force that could bear the weight of the world wasn't something vines could restrain, but it was enough.

Cyd flew up, delivering a knee strike to Heracles' chin. Heracles' massive body was pulled down by the vines and collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Bang————!

Cyd stomped heavily on Heracles' chest, the blood-red lines glowing with blinding light.

"What I want to hear is not this! This mindless, beast-like roar isn't your voice!"

Cyd roared, swinging his weapon repeatedly at Heracles' head.

"Tell me something, anything!"

Clang————!

The weapon, which easily shattered Heracles' body before, no longer had any effect because Heracles had already overcome it.

Roar—————!

Heracles roared, grabbing Cyd's leg. His muscles, pulsing with molten light, swelled, while Cyd, seemingly oblivious, continued to swing his weapon in vain.

Boom————!

Heracles raised his other hand and slammed it into the ground. The vines binding him snapped in an instant, and his massive body was violently propelled upward. Cyd, standing on Heracles' body, lost his balance and was thrown toward the moonlit sky.

The once-dim moon suddenly shone brilliantly, the night sky filled with countless flashes of wind. Streams of light rained down from the heavens, bombarding the ground. Heracles made no attempt to defend himself, only roaring at Cyd in the sky before being pierced by the light.

"This is the fourth time already."

In the night sky, dragon wings unfurled like wings of light, and Cyd, holding a silver longbow, slowly descended.

Crack————!

Amidst the smoke, the towering, battered figure swayed before starting to move forward. His massive hand swept away the smoke that obstructed his view, and his scarlet eyes glared intently at Cyd.

"Why..." Gray covered her mouth, staring blankly at the two fighting figures.

They were supposed to be friends, companions advancing together, laughing and placing their arms around each other's shoulders as they gazed at the sky.

But everything had changed. They were shackled by the chains of fate. Because they were heroes capable of achieving the impossible, what they faced became utterly hopeless.

Cyd repeatedly knocked down Heracles, and Heracles repeatedly rose up to charge at Cyd. Whether it was the scorching flames as fierce as the sun, the lightning that could reduce even gods to ashes, or the power that could dry up all life, Heracles overcame them all, just as he had in life. He continuously advanced toward Cyd, the distance between them growing infinitesimally small.

Yet the distance that remained was one he had never crossed before.

"And now..."

The dragon-scaled right hand pierced through Heracles' chest, clutching the Berserker class card.

"Your trials are over..."

Heracles' arms froze in mid-air, and his once undying eyes, blazing like eternal flames, began to dim.

Cyd lowered his head.

This should have been done from the start...

Because he could never hear it...

As a hero, Cyd understood just how unreasonable his current request was. It was something Heracles, in his current state, could never accomplish.

What was he hoping for?

"Come to think of it, I never got to say goodbye back then, did I?"

Cyd raised his head, showing a faint, resigned smile.

"Farewell..."

He withdrew the Berserker class card and turned to walk toward Lord El-Melloi II, while behind him, the massive figure of Heracles slowly knelt down.

"Heracles, my friend."

Cyd lowered his gaze.

[Am I too late once again?]

[Must I kneel here helplessly, watching him leave once more?]

[All because I couldn't pass this thirteenth trial...]

The towering body began to fade, black mist seeping from it as the core class card was taken. He could do nothing but accept this fate.

How ridiculous...

[Don't joke with me!]

A fading foot stomped heavily into the ground, the collapsing body stubbornly propped back up. The enormous figure slowly stood tall again, his mouth opening and closing—not with a deafening roar this time, but with a deep, quiet voice.

"Wait... wait..."

Cyd's eyes slowly widened.

How long had it been? How long had it been since he had last heard that voice...?

[Now... is the time to complete the trial!]

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, Heracles reached out his hand toward Cyd.

"Cyd, move!" Lord El-Melloi II's eyes widened as he roared.

"What..."

The massive hand gently pressed on Cyd's right shoulder, just like when they had first met. It was the same way Heracles had stopped Cyd's steps the first time, and now, it was the last time, at the end of his life.

"Even in death, a hero remains a hero. Were you so determined to prove that?"

Cyd chuckled bitterly, looking up at the sky.

It wasn't an apology, nor a complaint. He merely wanted Heracles to wait for him—a simple request, and yet this man surpassed his own legend for the sake of that one sentence.

Thirteen trials, thirteen impossibilities. He had finally made it, finally no longer filled with powerless rage.

It was almost as if...

"What a muscleheaded fool," Cyd said, stepping back, hands in his pockets. "But still..."

The towering figure turned into light and slowly faded away, but the image of him surpassing his own myth remained forever etched in the souls of everyone present.

"Didn't you already catch up long ago?"