Sky of Destiny – Climax (4)

“…Hey, the path ahead is hell.”

“I know. At least that the past you had to face, the future I will face, is hell.”

“Even after seeing my past, are you still dreaming of vain delusions like a world where no one gets hurt?”

“…I knew from the beginning. That the ideal I dream of is nothing but a vain delusion.”

“But, that’s certainly not wrong.”

“…What?”

“That wish for everyone to be happy without getting hurt, it can’t possibly be wrong.”

“So it’s okay to lose to someone else. But I absolutely can’t lose to myself…!”

“Ah, this is really crazy!”

“This is incredible! The reason I’ve been watching this animation called ‘Sky of Destiny’ until now was for this very moment!”

“I acknowledge that Yuri! Seeing that charisma, that guy deserves to grow into the archer in the future!”

Episodes 17 and 18 of “Sky of Destiny” showing Yuri and the archer, who is Yuri’s heroic form, fighting.

And the viewers’ reactions to this episode 25 and 26 were hotter and more passionate than any other episode so far.

A boy who, after living for a long time, had his pure childhood dream twisted and corrupted.

He wanted to atone for the countless wrongs he had committed in the past, and in the end, he only wished to kill himself with his own hands.

But his current self refuses to accept such a future self.

Because he was determined to carry through what he had believed in until now, and never regret it.

That is their fight.

Not a battle of power against power, but a battle to determine whose ideals are more righteous.

The boy, for what he has believed in until now, for what he will believe in from now on.

The young man, to erase the mistakes that will be repeated by his own hands in the future.

The two of them, unable to acknowledge each other, swung their swords at themselves.

And seeing such a development, all the otaku in the Empire couldn’t help but clench their fists.

Because this was exactly the cliché in anime that otaku go crazy for.

The ring composition structure that meshes like gears in the first episode and the latest episode.

The protagonist who was utterly incompetent in the early parts of the work, but somehow grew and now swings his sword at the enemy.

And a fierce battle with himself, denying his own past.

This could be called the trinity of clichés that drive otaku crazy.

If you’re an otaku watching anime, you can’t help but have your heart race at such clichés.

Moreover, it wasn’t just such a burning development and clichés that captured people’s hearts.

“Hey, do you remember that song that only appears in episode 25?”

“Ah, you mean the song that played when Yuri awakened in that battle?”

In fact, this wasn’t the first time Ragna had inserted songs into the animation to manipulate viewers’ emotions.

Without going far, there was the insertion of a children’s song in the scene where the machine gods do a talent show in episode 25 of “Machine God Chronicles”.

Or in episode 50, there was the incident of inserting soft classical music in the scene where all of humanity turns into orange juice, flipping people’s composure.

But the song that appeared in episode 25 of this “Sky of Destiny” was somewhat different from the previous ones.

“How should I put it, a song that strikes the heartstrings? How could one forget such a song that suddenly played in such a memorable scene?”

“The title of the song was… ‘The Last Starlight’, wasn’t it? Certainly, when such a song plays in the scene where Yuri and the archer’s past and future intersect, it has tremendous impact.”

“I heard somewhere that the Knight King’s voice actor sang that song? Huh, I hope she sings it again with that voice sometime later.”

That’s right.

Ragna had somehow persuaded Serika to sing a dedicated OST just for this episode 25.

Because throughout his past and present life, Serika’s voice was the most beautiful among all the voices Ragna had heard.

And he thought that if she sang the OST with that voice, it would have an impact beyond imagination.

Of course, Serika was just a voice actor, not a professional singer, so her singing skills were a bit lacking.

But he thought that could all be covered by Serika’s voice.

And in reality, that judgment proved to be excellent.

The excellent OST that played exactly in sync with the scenes that excited people in episode 25 succeeded in completely conquering the viewers’ hearts.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

While the development of the current self fighting the future self and the awesome OST were important elements that made “Sky of Destiny” episodes 25 and 26 shine.

More than anything, the decisive factor that drove viewers crazy was none other than.

“That technique used by future Yuri, wasn’t it incredibly cool to be honest?”

“Ah, you mean that technique that forms a barrier with countless swords stuck in it? Certainly, it was much cooler than the abilities used by most heroes.”

“The name of that technique was ‘Imaginary Realm’, wasn’t it? If I could learn to use such magic, it might not be bad to actually enter a magic tower?”

“From now on, if a technique using barriers appears in animations, it would be worthy of being a disciple of this technique that deploys a realm.”

“Certainly, if there’s something that somehow resembles it, it is indeed a disciple.”

A technique that creates a barrier reflecting one’s heart and draws the opponent into it.

Raging flames, and countless swords stuck in the long-stretching ground.

A technique that could be called the ultimate of replication magic, replicating and deploying all the weapons Yuri has seen so far.

Moreover, to use this technique, there was even a setting that you had to chant an incantation that somehow felt like reviving childhood sensibilities.

“The body is made of swords… was it? Honestly, that incantation is cool.”

“I’m writing that incantation in my notebook and repeating it every day to memorize it.”

“Ah… I admit. I should take some time soon to memorize it too.”

“But I don’t know much about this, do magicians actually mutter such words when they use magic?”

“Hmm… I don’t know much about magic either, but I think I’ve heard something about having to chant incantations when using magic.”

“Summoners also chant incantations when they summon, right? I heard that even the summoner who summoned the white dragon in the past chanted an incantation like this. The gathered wishes become a newly shining star. Become the path of light! Something like that.”

“Is that so? Well then, it was historically accurate. Historically accurate.”

Naturally, hearing such words from people, magicians couldn’t help but feel like their composure was being flipped.

I’ve been learning magic for about 20 years, but I’ve never seen barrier magic that implements scenes from one’s heart.

No, if we’re talking like that, the replication magic used by Yuri, the protagonist of “Sky of Destiny”, doesn’t make sense from the start.

Where on earth is there such magic that completely ignores the law of equivalent exchange?

And incantations are not necessarily required for casting magic.

Moreover, where would you have time to chant such long incantations in actual combat?

Haven’t you guys even heard of silent casting?

Lastly, Ragna, you bastard.

You’re a magician too, so you must know these facts, but why did you deliberately set up the animation’s settings like that? Huh?

…Well, they wanted to voice such complaints directly to Ragna’s face.

But while they had such thoughts, the magicians didn’t actually put them into action.

Because most magicians had personalities similar to hikikomori.

Most of them were only interested in the element of magic, and were extremely indifferent to other elements.

Also, they judged that it would be more ridiculous to seriously respond to settings in an animation anyway.

Naturally, Ragna bit his lips tightly as he saw such reactions from the magicians.

‘…These pathetic bastards without any guts. Why aren’t they throwing tantrums en masse?’

In the end, Ragna had no choice but to pull out the last resort that he had been trying not to use until the very last moment.

That method was none other than.

“Um… Count. I heard you were looking for me.”

William, one of the chief reporters of the “Empire Newspaper” that Ragna often reads.

He was constantly watching nervously, seemingly uneasy about Ragna’s sudden summons.

Well, that was only natural.

One of the most influential figures in the Empire currently, and at the same time known to maintain close connections with powerful figures across the continent.

Moreover, a person who could be called the very embodiment of power, having been awarded the title of count from being a mere baron’s son through the achievement of producing animations.

Such an extraordinary person suddenly summoned him, saying he wanted to talk with a mere newspaper reporter like himself.

Wouldn’t it be stranger not to be nervous in such a situation?

But then.

“Well, it’s nothing much. I just had something I wanted to entrust to you, reporter.”

“…Something you want to entrust, you say?”

Fortunately, it seemed Ragna hadn’t called him here to ruin him or socially destroy him.

“I should do whatever the Count orders. So, what do I need to do?”

The chief reporter spoke in a somewhat lighter tone, having relaxed a little upon realizing this fact, but.

To put it bluntly, that seems to have been a big mistake.

“It’s nothing much. Just write an article for me. Regarding ‘Sky of Destiny’.”

“…An article related to ‘Sky of Destiny’? But the front page of our newspaper is already full of articles praising the development of ‘Sky of Destiny’ recently, there’s no need to add anything-“

“No, I’m not asking for praise. Rather, the opposite. I mean, I want you to write an article criticizing ‘Sky of Destiny’.”

“…Pardon?”

For a moment, he tilted his head as he heard Ragna’s words.

Because with his intelligence, he simply couldn’t interpret the hidden intention behind what Ragna was saying.

But.

“In other words, I’m asking you to insult it, not praise it. For example, write articles saying that the magic-related settings in ‘Sky of Destiny’ are too unrealistic, or questioning whether it was necessary to put nonsensical settings like ‘Imaginary Realm’ into the anime, or asking if Director Ragna is ignoring magicians. Do you understand?”

“…?”

No.

I don’t understand at all…?