Chapter 238: Last
What was he trying to do?
Suicide?
Just like every enemy who had ever faced Brother Last directly... upon seeing the boy raise his silver revolver and press it against his own temple, a sliver of doubt flashed across the Gravekeeper’s mind.
Could it be that he intended to end his own life to avoid being captured alive, and to prevent the 「Fool’s Library」 from falling into the hands of the Gravekeepers?
But that would be utterly meaningless. The sniper shot from earlier was clearly beyond the capabilities of a Sixth Tier extraordinary being—it had definitely involved an external power. There was no doubt that the 「Fool’s Library」 was still inside Last, not yet passed on to anyone else.
Even if he chose suicide, for a Quasi-Angel, reviving a fresh corpse whose soul hadn’t yet dissipated was merely a trivial task.
That thought flickered and vanished in a flash.
The next moment—
Click.
The trigger was pulled.
The hammer released, the cylinder spun, and a flash of white burst from the muzzle.
However, what followed was not the expected scene of a head pierced, flesh flying.
That silver revolver did not fire a bullet.
Yet with that trigger pull, Last’s temple seemed truly pierced by something unseen.
A glacial blue brilliance suddenly ignited within his eyes.
Boom—
A vague silhouette roared into manifestation behind Last, obscuring the dusk-shrouded sky.
It was a magnificent Sky-Piercing Tower, stabbing through the darkened clouds.
Through the pitch-black tower’s body, twenty-one pale long stairs could be seen, stretching upward from the earth, ascending directly to the tower’s peak—at the far end of the night sky.
At the base of each long stair, a faintly rotating illusory card hovered. Some cards were so obscure that only the Sequence-symbolic card backs were discernible; others were clear, their illustrated figures on full display.
The tower’s projection pierced the sky and earth, illuminating half the heavens.
Within the Imperial Capital, from the noble dignitaries attending the wedding to the most ordinary citizens, all who lifted their eyes could now see that towering structure.
Constructed from seared bricks and lacquered stone, it was grand and solemn... Overhead, it touched a sky illuminated by countless suns, and below, the brightly lit, lantern-drenched bustling capital sprawled. From among those giant lanterns, the tower rose like a blade, plunging into the black clouds. To the people watching from the vast wilderness, it seemed they could hear the eternal pounding of hammers echoing day and night from within.
“Fool’s... Library.”
High above the Imperial Capital, the Gravekeeper rasped out the true name of the Sky-Piercing Tower.
Before this towering construct, his once-proud mythic beast form, so imposing and majestic like an Ancient Dragon, now felt as insignificant as dust.
As a member of the Gravekeepers, he was no stranger to the 「Fool’s Library」—it had once belonged to them, only to be stolen by a loathsome traitor, a Despicable Fire Thief, several eras ago.
Yet now, faced with the Library’s real-world manifestation, seeing that grand tower with his own eyes, he was still struck with immeasurable awe.
In the primordial Age of Gods, the Fool—who had led humanity to rise amid the relentless pursuit of Ancient Dragons, High Elves, Demon Wolves, and other mythic races—had left behind a tiny seed: the spark of the 「Fool’s Library」.
Over time, generation after generation of Librarians poured their lifetime of insight, experience, knowledge, abilities, and techniques into the Library, until at last, it sprouted.
Through unending inheritance, era after era—
That once-tiny seed had now grown into a towering tree encompassing all phenomena.
In the face of such unfathomable passage of time and accumulated knowledge, even a Quasi-Angel’s power was as minuscule as an insect.
“But no matter how powerful the weapon, it still requires a worthy wielder.”
“You, who haven’t even reached the Legendary Realm—no matter how vast the Fool’s Library’s accumulation—just how much of it can you actually wield?”
The Gravekeeper calmed himself and once again gazed at the youth standing atop the Sky-Piercing Tower, thousands of meters in the air, just like himself.
No matter how awe-inspiring the Library’s projection was, its current master was merely a weakling—not worth fearing.
His wings beat.
Those membranous wings, akin to a dragon’s, stirred up a storm in the sky, transforming into a mighty thunderous gale surging toward Last.
...
High in the skies, nearly ten thousand meters up—above the clouds, beneath the stars.
Last stood within the Sky-Piercing Tower, staring at the tempest rushing toward him.
He understood clearly that the Gravekeeper’s words weren’t wrong.
Between a Quasi-Angel and someone like himself, who had not even touched the Legendary Realm, there existed a chasm as vast as heaven and earth.
To think that one could bridge that gap with nothing more than sacrificing a single piece of Crest Equipment through Fantasia Collapse... such an idea was indeed arrogant.
That was why, from the very start—his earlier sniper shot, which permanently shattered the 「Sevenfold Perspective」, had only been a probe.
And only now had everything truly begun.
「You have equipped the Nightblade Grimoire of 【War Chariot · Shiltina】 — 'Infinite Blade · All Things Are Weapons'」
A deep blue notification flickered rapidly in his mind.
At the same time, a pale silver brilliance suddenly lit up in Last’s eyes.
【All Things Are Weapons: Imbue anything with the concept of "weapon" and place it completely under your command.】
This was the most fundamental ability of Shiltina’s Nightblade, derived from an ancient tale of a knight who could not be defeated even barehanded.
For Shiltina, even wielding a branch could match the power of a finely-forged blade.
But for Last, the concept he imposed upon all things was not “sword,” but “bullet.”
His gaze slowly fell upon the Sky-Piercing Tower.
The next instant, everything within the tower—from the twenty-one endless stairs stretching into the heavens, to each of those rotating illusory cards—began to tremble violently, bursting forth in dazzling radiance.
Boom—
The incoming storm and thunder, along with the Gravekeeper’s formidable Quasi-Angel power that had been unleashed within it, shattered the moment they touched the tower’s body.
The towering structure piercing heaven and earth grew increasingly faint, increasingly transparent...
The 「Fool’s Library」 dimmed continuously, its very presence becoming so faint it was nearly imperceptible.
And yet, at the same time—
Far above, the black-haired, black-eyed boy’s eyes blazed brighter than ever with pale silver light.
Though his figure was slender, thin, and frail, the aura he emitted was radiant, scorching, and indescribably magnificent.
Dark motes of light gathered behind Last, condensing into countless illusory feathers, which in turn coalesced into a pair of pure black wings.
They were wings of darkness, symbolic of downfall. With each flap, they left a pitch-black trail across the sky, scattering black tail feathers that cast an eclipse-like shadow over the city below.
Dusk spilled its golden glow upon the upper clouds, also illuminating Last’s form as his wings spread wide—his shadow stretched hundreds of meters across the clouds, like a demon loosed from the grimoire of Solomon.
In some myths, he was called the Ancestor of Elves, “Iblis.” In others, he was the Evil God “Set.” But in Last’s past life, he was most commonly known as the “Fallen Angel,” the “Devil”—
Sataniel.
“An Angel!”
The Gravekeeper’s voice quivered with shock—his first loss of composure since attaining the Legendary Realm, but he couldn’t help it.
Though the form was different, the black wings behind the youth were undoubtedly the “Wings” of an Angel—Last had, through unknown means, briefly touched the “Divine Realm” accessible only to true Angels.
And unlike the Gravekeeper himself, whose Mythic Beast form as an Angel was still incomplete and bore many imperfections—
The Fallen Angel before him, whether in form or wings, was far more complete.
This... was a true Mythic Being. A flawless Angel.
“There’s really nothing to be surprised about.”
Last stared at the horrified Gravekeeper, his illusory black wings slowly beating, casting a shadow vast enough to block out the sun.
“Equivalent Exchange is the only law that holds in the extraordinary world.”
“To destroy a piece of Crest Equipment through Fantasia Collapse as the price—of course that alone couldn’t let me transcend my tier and slay a Quasi-Angel.”
“Then, what if what I’m about to ‘collapse’... is something even more precious?”
The boy, cloaked in the wings of corruption, like the devil Sataniel, slowly raised his hand.
Pale silver light gathered midair, forming an iron-gray revolver — the gun named 「Iron-Marked Moon」.
“Not just all of my Crest Equipment, but also my ‘Tower’ High Sequence Tier, my Nightblade ‘Fool’s Library’.”
“My mind, my spirit, my memory, and my soul…”
“Everything that belongs to the human named ‘Last’.”
To burn away both body and soul.
Using the power of “All Things Are Weapons,” he imbued the concept of “bullet” into his High Sequence Tier, the 「Fool’s Library」, and the entirety of his flesh and spirit…
He condensed everything — all of it — into a single fantasy bullet loaded into the revolver’s chamber.
Then, using Fantasia Collapse, he would fire this shot.
This was the only way Last, with only Sixth Tier power, could not merely defeat — but completely annihilate a Quasi-Angel.
At the same time, this was also the only path within Last’s plan that could lead to a rapid breakthrough toward the Legendary Realm.
The so-called “Tower” was, after all, a tarot card depicting the Tower of Babel struck down by lightning — symbolizing pure destruction.
If it had never been struck, if the Sky-Piercing Tower had never collapsed, then what destruction could there have been?
And without destruction, what rebirth could follow from the ruined remains?
Last gently spun the chamber of his revolver.
Click—
Though there was nothing visible between his fingers, a crisp sound of a bullet being loaded echoed clearly from the Iron-Marked Moon.
Then—
Color gathered silently in the void.
Unlike the earlier sniper shot — no blazing red comet tearing through the dark skies.
Instead, it was a shade of absolute black.
It swallowed sound, devoured color...
Once this shot was fired, in that eternal darkness, neither fate nor light would ever escape.
...
“If you fire this shot, there will be no turning back.”
Just then, a soft female voice echoed deep within Last’s soul.
“You still have time to regret, Last. Whether you choose to accept protection from the Imperial Royal Family, or simply disappear and hide away... it’s fine. You’re only being hunted by a Quasi-Angel, after all. That’s hardly an inescapable calamity.”
“Even if you end up with nowhere to run and no retreat, you can still admit failure. Entrust the 『Fool’s Library』 and the Shoreguard’s mission to your successor — let the next generation, or the one after that, continue your cause and ideals. That’s what Cisel-leader and I did, once.”
“But once you pull that trigger, everything changes.”
“The Gravekeepers are heavily restricted in the Present World. The one they sent now isn’t even their strongest force... But if you fire that bullet and not only destroy the body, but erase his Fate Imprint from the Eternal Night Stele — making resurrection impossible—”
“Then the Gravekeepers will be enraged. They’ll unleash the accumulation of countless cycles across thousands of years. They’ll hunt you down by any means, at any cost, without restraint.”
“At that point… the peaceful life you’ve known will be shattered beyond repair.”
“And that’s still not the end of it.”
The female voice paused briefly.
“Brother Last, you will lose the right to ever ‘concede’ again.”
“Because once the 『Fool’s Library』 collapses, there will no longer be any new Shoreguard to inherit your mission. No successor will be able to take this heavy Shackle from you.”
“‘Even if I fail, it’s fine. As long as I raise a good successor and pass everything to them, I can finally be free.’ Even that thought... will become a luxury.”
“Brother Last, you will wear the Manacles of the ‘Shoreguard’ for eternity, carrying the curse of everlasting life — wandering through the endless wastelands, the eternal purgatory, where even death offers no release.”
“Is it really worth it... to go that far?”
Hearing the girl’s voice echoing from deep within his soul, Last smiled slightly.
He knew — this was a Remnant, or rather an Imprint, left by Grey within the 『Fool’s Library』.
It was the final protection left to him by that former Fate Angel.
In the moment before the 『Fool’s Library』 was to collapse, Grey’s shadow had been triggered, offering him one last soft inquiry.
“I think... this is the part of yourself you once had, but lost over your long years as a leader, as an Angel, Little Grey.”
Last smiled. “At the beginning, it was simple admiration — the smile you had when you picked me up from the burning ruins of Canaan.”
“Later on, lost in the endless time loops, I’d lost direction and meaning… Like a broken person desperate to patch a hole, I took that admiration from memory as a lifeline to fill the emptiness in my spirit.”
“By chance, I mistook a borrowed, fake dream as my own purpose in life.”
“But in the end, it was still a wish from my heart — not because someone needed me or gifted it to me, but a desire born from within.”
“The dream of breaking this hopeless cycle.”
“The dream of protecting the people, of dying like the sun on the Fractured Coastline — as the old man did, who gave up Eternal Immortality for his beliefs.”
“And... the unrealized ideals of a girl who gave everything to protect the Sixth Era’s future, only to achieve nothing.”
“So, to me, being a ‘Shoreguard’ isn’t a Shackle or a curse I always wanted to break free from — it’s a desire I chose for myself. Something that pushes me forward.”
“Even if it means hell — I welcome it.”
Behind Last, the previously fading projection of the Sky-Piercing Tower suddenly began to shine again.
With a thunderous rumble, dust shook from its surface.
Twenty-one dim High Sequence Tiers lit up one by one. Seals unraveled layer by layer, transforming into dazzling light that streamed into the distance.
“Even if you already know the tragic ends of the last two Shoreguards…”
“Even if your life, lived like a machine, ends up being nothing but a pathetic illusion... a mirage... You won’t regret it?”
Hearing Grey’s question, Last didn’t respond directly — instead, he asked one of his own:
“Little Grey.”
“Do you know... where the name ‘Last’ comes from?”
For the first time, Grey hesitated slightly.
She knew “Last” wasn’t his original name… Not only did he lack a surname like most, even the pronunciation was somewhat strange.
Long ago, before Canaan was destroyed by Temporal Collapse, the black-haired boy before her had borne a different name — one buried by time.
It was only—
After Canaan’s fall, when young Last was brought to the Sixth Era, rescued by Grey… and heard her speak of the ideals and duties of a ‘Shoreguard’—
That little boy had changed his name to “Last.”
From then on, both Aimeith and Grey had only ever called him Last.
“If I remember right, you chose that name yourself. You’re probably the only one who knows the reason behind it.”
“Brother Last… did you remember something?”
Hearing Grey’s question, Last shook his head.
“No. It’s been far too long. It was just a childish fantasy back then… I already forgot it in the time loops at Deep Blue Port. I can’t recall it clearly anymore.”
“But now, I think I have a guess—”
“The origin of the name ‘Last’.”
A hint of reflection passed through his eyes.
“Little Grey, your name comes from a language of my homeland… ‘Grey’ means gray, because your hair is gray. That’s why I named you Grey.”
“As for my name, it actually comes from the same language.”
“In that language — Last, Last — means ‘final’, ‘the last one’.”
“Now that I think about it… it’s kind of funny.”
“That thing I was so clear about as a child — after everything I’ve experienced, after I’ve grown up — I almost forgot it…”
Far above, the Fallen Angel like Sataniel beat his black wings.
Last slowly raised his revolver.
Then, he aimed at the far end of the sky — at the Gravekeeper, like an Ancient Dragon.
“Seven eras, tens of thousands of years, countless collapses and rebirths, more than ten generations of Shoreguards holding the line…”
“This waiting… has gone on long enough.”
“‘Even if we fail this time, we’ll try again next time,’ ‘If this era fails, the next one will continue it,’ ‘If I fail, I’ll leave it all to my successor’… To me, that way of thinking is escapism. It’s weakness in disguise.”
“It’s fine to retreat and bide your time when you lack strength. But if you always avoid and delay, if you always endure — saying five chances out of ten is too risky, six is reckless, and even eight or nine isn’t ten so you should still step back — then that’s not caution. That’s cowardice.”
“Anyone can ‘avoid the edge and endure for now’. But what people often lack... is the courage to stand and fight with no retreat — to burn the ships behind them and advance with no return.”
“The Gravekeepers strayed from their founding ideals during the Age of Gods, degenerating into the eternally obsessed beings they are now... precisely because they lacked that courage.”
“And if we keep running… then one day, the Shoreguards will fall the same way.”
“So—”
“Little Grey, this is my choice.”
First came the scattered sparks.
Then, between Last’s eyes and the gun barrel, they turned into a blazing fire that could ignite the entire sky of the Imperial Capital.
“I will become the Shoreguard.”
“To break this endless cycle, this hopeless fate — to bring an end to this story that has spanned seven eras, and more than ten generations—”
“The Last Shoreguard.”