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"That's why... please make me want to believe it again!"
Right before he felt himself being pushed out into a different dimension, away from his two important people... Ace reached out to grab Keiwa to his side to make sure that he wouldn't lose them for the second time. And because of that, the two of them ended up arriving at the Room of Creation.
It was at that exact moment that 'it' happened. He didn't even know if he had done it consciously or not, but the moment Keiwa's unconscious body fell into his embrace—he could see it all. Every single memory... from the first moment when Keiwa's heart started to lose faith in him.
When the world was remade again, Keiwa's mind and senses cleared up after what felt like a very long period of darkness...
It felt as if he had just woken up from an awful nightmare... but everything was real. If he could, he'd argue that he hadn't been acting as himself for the past week—but he could still remember it clearly.
How he had tricked Tsumuri into creating a new buckle for him, how he had been mistreating her, attacked Michinaga and verbally abused Ace. Blaming that person and Mitsume for something that wasn't even their fault to begin with. He even tried to kill Isuzu Daichi before Ace had come to stop him from doing that. He could've argued that he might have lost his senses during the past one week period, but it didn't change the fact that he had done all those questionable things.
And because of him and his selfish wish, he'd be robbing Tsumuri of her own freedom and life by turning her into yet another 'tool' for the DGP management people to continue running their 'show'. If he blamed Mitsume in the past for things that the DGP management made her do, how could he excuse himself for the sins that he committed now?
His punishment came to greet him even before he could spare a moment to see the lives that he wanted to save gain a second chance at life. It was as if the universe was trying to tell him that he didn't deserve to have his wish granted since he hadn't earned it the right way.
How could he even make things right again after this? Was it even possible to undo the damage that he had done? And even if there was a way for him to fix everything, could he even go back to that place where he used to belong to?
He didn't think that it was still possible for him anymore. Not now.
"You made your family go Bang!"
Whatever left of his strength or anger that he felt when he stormed in and lashed at Game Master Jitt, none of it had remained after the man whispered those horrid words into his ears. It was as if his soul had been wrenched out of his body, leaving behind a useless and empty vessel. He had no one but himself to blame for all of the bad outcomes that he received...
He went to challenge the 'leader' of the Gang Rider, partially because he wanted to take down the ones responsible for so many lives being lost... as well as 'fix' some of the mistakes that he had caused. Because this was his fault, if he hadn't wished for all of the DGP victims to be revived which included the defeated players... that mass tragedy wouldn't have had to happen. And that sin was something he had to carry for the rest of his life.
"Where's that person who used to yearn for world peace?"
"What's the point of world peace if my own world was not at peace?"
A part of him almost wanted to turn back and free Tsumuri and return her to Ace. But he already crossed the line, and it was too late for him to go back to playing the good guy now. He might as well go all the way in this path of 'Bad End' until the end. He'll fix this mess by himself even if it means sacrificing his own life.
"Who's the one pining for their dead families and trying to get them back while sacrificing the happiness of other people?"
"You're the star of this Apocalypse Game, Sakurai Keiwa!"
"Once Geats is gone we'll be able to restore the Second Goddess and you'll get your wish fulfilled properly..."
Would everything be resolved once he kill Ace for good? Would everything turn out fine afterwards once he revived his family back? Would his heart ever be at peace after he kill Ace with his own hands?
Somehow... seeing Ace in front of him Keiwa started having his doubts again.
He didn't even feel like wanting to unsheath his sword right now. Even though a part of him still wanted to fight with Ace using everything that he had. Because he still wanted the two of them to fight each other in earnest. Even if he had reached a point of no return, at least he'd like to have this final match with Ace.
"Defeat Geats... and you'll get your wish!"
Truthfully, if he really tried to be honest about his own feelings... he didn't want to kill Ace. But if he didn't kill Ace, he wouldn't be able to get his family back. Yet... did he really deserve to have his happiness when he did so by sacrificing other people's happiness?
Perhaps from the very beginning, he already knew the answer to all of those questions...
"Ace, please kill me... please stop me from doing what I'm trying to achieve..."
There's no way for him to turn back now.
But perhaps, if his death could fix all of the wrongs that he had committed... he wouldn't mind sacrificing himself for that cause. Ace would be able to make everything right again... so even if it meant that he had to die for it to happen, then he'll accept that verdict without question. He wouldn't mind dying... if Ace was the one to do take his life.
He wouldn't have any other regrets if he could die at Ace's hands.
The world would be better off without him in it anyway...
"Why did you stop fighting?"
"I... no longer have the strength to do it..."
Ace let out a big gasp as his consciousness returned back to the present. He immediately tightened his hold on Keiwa's still-unconscious body as he frantically tried to sort his thoughts together after seeing Keiwa's memories.
So the trepidations he had earlier was not wrong, even though his assumption was a bit off. He thought that Keiwa already resolved to try to kill him as per Jitt's orders in order to get their wish fulfilled. It never occurred to him that Keiwa would wish for him to kill them in combat. He thought that he resolved to sacrifice his life to keep his promise to his mother to create a world where everyone could be happy. But he never thought... that Keiwa would also have the same thoughts. Except...
How could he be happy in a world where he had to kill Keiwa to create the ideal world that he wanted to create?
Ace pulled away from Keiwa before planting a soft kiss on Keiwa's lips. Gradually, a soft light started to spread all over Keiwa's body as Ace attempted to cleanse Keiwa's heart from the darkness that Jitt and their posse had fed into his precious person. It's the only thing left that he could do to save Keiwa and recover their kind soul.
Ace took several steps back as Keiwa slowly opened his eyes and taking notice of their odd surroundings...
"Tycoon, the world has been changed again... thanks to our strong wishes."
For a brief moment, Ace felt a flicker of fear when the vines had wrapped themselves around his body and kept him in place. But then he recalled that this should be the same vines that used to wrap around his mother's statue, so he quickly understood the reason why the vines came out to get him as well.
Since this was the price for him to get his wish...
Ace glanced up towards Keiwa as his precious partner stared back at him with worry. Keiwa was no longer dressed in black... and they no longer looked gaunt or sickly. Despite everything, the sight made him very happy. Even if his fate may end up following his mother's tragic fate, as long as he could save Keiwa's soul... as long as Keiwa was still alive, he would have no regrets.
Still, he couldn't forget the things that he found out from Keiwa's past memories... and he knew that as long as Keiwa bore those scars in their heart, Keiwa could never be truly happy. So he told Keiwa about Buffa... how everyone had been doing their best to save Sara. It's about time for him to clear all of the lies and half-truths, and straighten out all of the misunderstandings that they had between them. And he hoped by doing so Keiwa could find it in their heart to forgive themselves.
Ace smiled weakly as he glanced up again to face Keiwa.
"If the world is to become a world where people could be happy, there is one thing that we need to do..."
"Even if we hate the sins that people committed, we must never come to hate the people themselves."
If he wanted to save Keiwa's soul, he needed Keiwa to be able to forgive himself. If Keiwa could forgive himself for the sins that he had committed, Ace was sure that Keiwa would be able to find his happiness.
And if Keiwa could be happy, then surely he would be happy as well.
And that should be enough for Ace.