Chapter 576 - 566 It was certainly a possibility.

Chapter 576: Chapter 566 It was certainly a possibility.

Usually, she was a lewd-minded, troublesome goddess who constantly dragged everyone around her into her antics.

But there wasn’t even a trace of that usual atmosphere about her now.

And somehow, that made me realize what was going on.

"Using that power will kill me, won’t it?"

It was certainly a possibility.

Even her power as "Ignis" was only a tiny fraction of her true strength.

There was no way she could wield her original power without paying some kind of price.

However, my answer was only half right.

『Yes. You may lose your life. But that’s not all. If you use this power, you will... no longer be yourself.』

"You mean... I won’t be myself anymore?"

I repeated Ignis’s words as I asked her to clarify.

Ignis continued.

『When you use this power, you will push your abilities as a Revolutionary beyond their limits. And you will awaken as a Vessel.』

"A Vessel...?"

I repeated the word.

Awaken as a Vessel?

What did that mean?

More importantly, what exactly was a Vessel?

『A Vessel capable of receiving the collective will of humanity and the world. A mass of power that receives people’s wishes and gives them form. Countless wishes and feelings will flow into you. And you will be able to transform those feelings into power. With it, you could even change the world itself.』

"So it’s like an upgraded version of the Revolutionary’s power?"

『Simply put, yes. But that’s where the problem lies. What will flow into you is the will of everyone in the world. That will swallow the existence known as "Hyoudou Issei." It’s like adding a single drop of water to a vast ocean. Your existence will dissolve into the ocean of the world’s collective will and disappear. The moment you use this power――the soul and will of Hyoudou Issei will vanish completely.』

My soul and will would disappear.

In other words, even if someone used the power of the Holy Grail, I wouldn’t be able to come back.

Even if I somehow managed to be resurrected, the person standing there would no longer be "Hyoudou Issei."

There would only be an empty existence left behind.

Ignis wore an unbearably pained expression.

『Someday, you will desire this power. To protect the people precious to you. That’s why I bestowed my power upon you. I gave you the key to evolve. But... the truth is, I never wanted you to use it.』

A single tear streamed down Ignis’s cheek――.

『I don’t want you to disappear. I want to keep watching over you from your side. ...And yet, you’re going to go anyway, aren’t you?』

There was none of her usual joking manner.

She wasn’t the cheerful goddess I had always known.

No... Perhaps she had been troubled by this all along, deep down.

Maybe, despite never showing it through her expressions or gestures, she had always been praying that this day would never come.

I let out a quiet breath.

"I see. So this is what he... what Light was talking about."

『Why are you bringing him up all of a sudden?』

"He told me something once."

―――――You’re going to change. But I want you to remain the same at your core: the stupid, lecherous, straightforward "Hyoudou Issei." My best friend, and everyone’s hero. Right, Issei?

I doubted he’d actually predicted this exact situation, but perhaps he’d understood something on some level.

That the day would eventually come when I might cease to be myself.

I gave a faint smile.

"Hey, Ignis. I have no intention of dying, and I have no intention of changing, either. I promised that I’d definitely come back, remember? If I’m no longer myself when I return, then I’d have broken that promise. ...After living this long, I’ve finally arrived at an answer."

『An answer?』

Ignis repeated the word, and I nodded firmly.

"Self-sacrifice that causes the people you love to die because of you... That’s wrong. Those left behind have to carry that grief with them for the rest of their lives. I don’t want Miwa, everyone else, or even you, Ignis, to bear that burden. That’s why――"

I spread my arms and looked up at the sky.

Then I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"I’ll survive no matter what for the sake of the people I love! And I’ll protect them no matter what! I’ll stay alive and make absolutely sure they’re happy! Well, I guess that’s not very convincing coming from someone who was just turning his own life into power a moment ago."

I gave an awkward laugh.

Honestly, I really thought I could pull it off.

They said a devil’s lifespan was practically eternal, and my current power had already reached the level of a Dragon God.

W-Well, I had to admit that my judgment had been a little too optimistic.

More importantly, Asem’s attack had been absolutely ridiculous!

I continued.

"So what if I stop being myself? Do you really think those guys would allow that to happen? Even if I get swept away by this so-called will of the world and am about to disappear, they’ll definitely pull me back out. Even if my life is about to run out, they won’t let me disappear. That’s how much I believe in them."

I looked straight into Ignis’s eyes and told her those words without hesitation.

Even if my life ran out and I was about to lose myself, those guys would save me.

You could laugh at me for relying on someone else in the end.

But there was something I wanted to make clear.

"This isn’t self-sacrifice, you know? I believe in my comrades and my family. That’s precisely why I’m willing to use that power. To protect everyone."

Ignis closed her eyes for a moment before giving me a small smile.

『That’s right. I suppose that’s exactly the answer you would give. Very well. In that case, I’ll believe in you and those girls, too.』

Ignis walked toward me, and a warm light began spreading from her body.

The rainbow aura pouring out of Ignis traveled throughout this world of stars――.

『Red Dragon Emperor, Red Hero, the One Who Connects. Hyoudou Issei, I shall grant you a power unlike any other.』

The rainbow aura surrounded both of us, swirling around us.

『I shall give you my true name. The true name I have kept sealed away. I am the god of "Creation of the Stars", the beginning of all things, who is both "World" and "Universe". My divine name is――』

She gently touched my cheek and spoke that name.

Her true name.

『――Exceria.』

Her lips pressed against mine.

―――――It’s a promise, Issei. You must come back. No matter what...

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