Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

Ishtar: "In the end, all tragedies are caused by humankind itself."

[Jeanne: "Yes, you've been absorbed by 'Jack the Ripper,' or perhaps you've been absorbed... Even if I could defeat you, I couldn't save you."]

"How could this be?" "No!" "We...we are..."

"You should understand now, I will begin to wipe you out."

Without wavering, Joan of Arc began the baptismal chant.

[It's not about salvation, it's about annihilation.]

Atalanta: "Joan of Arc! What are you planning to do?!"

Joan of Arc: "...This is the best way."

Amakusa Shiro: "For these children, this may be the best ending."

Atalanta: "What nonsense! How can you be so heartless! They are already so pitiful!"

Achilles: "Boss..."

"Stop! Ruler, stop!"

Just then, Atalanta suddenly stepped in to stop Joan of Arc, shielding all the children behind her.

Her right hand was stained black, clearly indicating she was possessed by an evil spirit.

"What do you want to do? They're just children! Harmless spirits, not even evil! They're victims, pitiful souls crushed by the world! Why can you bear to destroy them?"

Joan of Arc: "...Archer, you should understand. Those children are beyond saving. True compassion lies in allowing their souls to return to peace."

Atalanta: "What kind of mercy is this! Saving is your duty as a saint! Saintess of Orleans, why do you not draw your sword on the battlefield, but only wave your flag? It's because you don't want to kill! To keep your hands from getting stained with blood..."

"Is that what you think?"

Atalanta's words clearly enraged Joan of Arc, whose voice turned cold as she said, "Because I didn't use a sword, my hands are clean? How could that be! From the moment I entered the war, my hands have been stained with blood. Don't underestimate me; I didn't hesitate for a moment to annihilate them!"

Atalanta: "Then, then you're not a saint at all..."

Joan of Arc: "You're right, everyone calls me a saint, but I myself never think of myself that way."

Bluebeard: "That's not true at all! You are the greatest leader who can lead the country and the people to victory!"

Bluebeard: "You woman, how dare you insult the Holy Maiden like this!"

Atalanta: "Am I wrong?! Look at you, and then look at her in the video, you're two of a kind!"

Achilles: "Big sister! Calm down!"

Atalanta: "How can I stay calm! Those children, those children, they are the most pitiful ones. If I abandon these children, who will love them..."

Achilles: "..."

Atalanta: "You say you want their souls to return, but that's just simple killing! I won't let you do that!"

Just then, a child came out and looked at Joan of Arc with a blank expression.

Joan of Arc crouched down to be at eye level with her and asked, "What is it?"

"You... you wouldn't care even if you killed us?"

The child's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Joan of Arc's heart.

Did she really not want to save her? No, she truly couldn't.

As long as the legend of Jack the Ripper lives on, these children will never find peace.

The child seemed to understand Joan of Arc's meaning and said, "Even so, even so, we must continue to move forward."

At that moment, all the children's hesitation and fear vanished, and one by one they stepped forward, ready to face the final judgment.

"No, no, don't go! Please don't go!"

Atalanta tried to stop the children, but they all avoided her.

Atalanta: "No, you can't go there..."

Achilles: "Boss, they've realized it and made their own choice."

Atalanta: "Waaah..."

Demon King: "Hmph, the sins of adults are made to be borne by a bunch of children. How disgusting."

Kotomine Risei: "May your souls be redeemed..."

Zig: "Children..."

Liu Daolingxia: "Jack, my Jack..."

Jack: "Mom, don't cry, I'm fine now."

Liu Daolingxia: "Mm."

"...There's nothing we can do about it."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. May you find peace."

The chanting continued, and the children naturally took each other's hands, disappearing one by one, accepting their own deaths with equanimity.

This is not repeated death, but annihilation, as the word suggests.

Chapter 289: The Final Battle is About to Begin

These children will be excluded from the cycle of reincarnation; no matter what kind of Holy Grail War it may be, they will never be summoned again as "Jack the Ripper."

It may seem like salvation, but it isn't.

Atalanta: "Joan of Arc, you!"

Amakusa Shiro: "Atalanta, this is the best way."

Liu Daolingxia: "So, Jack, she..."

Feng Xi: "No, Jack will continue to exist as a heroic spirit, but these evil spirit children will no longer appear."

Feng Xi: "From this point on, Jack is no longer a collection of resentment, but a truly independent individual, Jack the Ripper."

Jack: "Am I... myself...?"

Feng Xi: "To you, it probably makes no difference."

Liu Daolingxia: "Really? That's great."

In the darkness, only one young girl remained, gazing at Joan of Arc with innocent eyes.

Will we disappear?

"Yes, because that's the way things are."

"I see, so that's how it is. We can't go back anywhere, we can't go anywhere. We can only keep going in circles, wandering aimlessly, but we can't reach anywhere."

The girl smiled and asked, "Are you sad?"

Joan of Arc: "...No, you are simply going where you are meant to be. This is nothing to be sad about."

"That's why you didn't cry."

Joan of Arc closed her eyes and finished her final chant.

"May the departed souls find peace."

"You're so pathetic."

The girl disappeared, everything ended, and the consciousness of Joan of Arc and the others returned to reality.

Weber: "It's over. Although I know there is no afterlife, I still hope that these children can be reborn into good families and will not have to experience such pain again."

Wife: "Yes..."

Atalanta: "Damn it..."

Atalanta: "Ruler, you killed them, didn't you?"

Joan of Arc: "...Yes, I killed them."

"Really? You're one of those cutting ties too? Those children just wanted to live, and you're one of those trampling on their lives?"

Atalanta shakily rose to her feet, tears welling in her eyes, mingled with a deep killing intent.

At this moment, Atalanta and Joan of Arc were no longer simply on opposing sides, but were true enemies.

"They can be saved."

Atalanta smashed a nearby wall with a punch, growling, "They can be saved! They can be saved! Even if my power can't do it, the Holy Grail should be able to save them!"

Atalanta: "That's right, and the Holy Grail! We could have saved them with the Holy Grail!"

Achilles: "Boss..."

Feng Xi: "Stop making a scene!"

Feng Xi: "Even if you can save them with the Holy Grail, what can you do? Can you expect Amakusa Shiro to give you the Holy Grail?"

Feng Xi: "Don't forget, you can only make one wish."

Amakusa Shiro: "..."

Atalanta: "..."