Chapter 7: Special Short Story: Sakura's Dream
The conflict between reality and ideals reached its conclusion.
The countdown ended.
"There are two more dessert segments. First, let us all witness the highlight reel of our video's protagonist in combat."
"The second dessert segment 'Sakura's Dream' will play 10 minutes after the highlights conclude!"
As the announcement echoed, a short montage detailing Shirou's key deeds unfolded rhythmically on screen.
This segment was notably richer in content than previous ones.
His training regimen was enough to silence many viewers.
Amidst the graceful music, scenes of the youth defeating foes unfolded seamlessly.
The footage frequently intercut with Archer battling enemies.
Finally, within a starry bounded field,
A golden-haired, crimson-eyed king conceded defeat with dignity, while the justice-chanting youth delivered the decisive strike.
Even the arrogant King of Heroes maintained composure in defeat, openly acknowledging his loss to the unwavering boy.
"Brat... I must admit."
"At this moment, you are stronger!"
The screen gradually faded to black.
This biographical edit was thoroughly satisfying!
While viewers from other worlds might not recognize the golden-haired man's identity,
Those from the Type-Moon universe watching the edit knew exactly who he was.
The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh!
Servant tiers generally fell into: second-rate, first-rate, and transcendent categories.
But Gilgamesh was exceptional.
Though countless Servants reached transcendent tier, none could rival his supremacy.
Gilgamesh, reigning atop the Servant hierarchy, could nearly match Grand Servants in combat at equivalent Spirit Origins!
Infinite armaments, power matching his boundless arrogance.
The golden flashes flooding the screen painted a despairing spectacle—who could possibly escape death?
At Fuyuki Wharf during the Fourth Holy Grail War.
Previously confrontational Servants now sat together amicably.
Including the silently smoking Kiritsugu and the hidden Kayneth.
The magnanimous King of Heroes had bestowed fine wine upon them.
And yet...
"Quite the spectacle, wouldn't you say, Archer?" A flushed Iskandar, emboldened by drink, looked up and raised his cup to tease the king perched atop a streetlamp, bathed in moonlight. "Or should I call you Gilgamesh?"
This tactless provocation was the Conqueror King testing the Golden King's temperament.
But the tension made everyone uneasy.
Judging from the edited footage...
This guy had a terrible temper!!!
As they braced for combat.
Unexpectedly.
"Hmph, don't underestimate me, mongrels."
"Can failure be avoided? So-called futures are merely microscopic examinations of life."
Gilgamesh crossed his arms, his eerie red eyes gently closing. "What's to come remains unknown."
Victory or defeat?
He wouldn't show weakness, but the boy called Shirou Emiya had captured his attention.
"Besides, if I concerned myself with trivial futures..." He glanced at the murderous Irisviel. "Wouldn't that make me like this mongrel?"
This woman had worn that expression ever since the footage showed him killing her daughter.
"Worry not, mongrel."
"When we reach that point in time, I'll peacefully close her eyes exactly as you witnessed."
He burst into unrestrained laughter.
Irisviel gritted her teeth, wanting to speak, but Kiritsugu stopped her.
He shook his head. "Calm down, Iri. Everything can be avoided if we obtain the Grail this time."
Fortunately, the editor had marked this as a parallel world from the beginning.
But regrettably, they hadn't witnessed their future son's wish firsthand.
Meanwhile,
At the Tohsaka residence.
Rin, who had gone to bed early, was urgently pulled from her covers by Tokiomi.
The young girl felt terribly wronged.
Fortunately, her father gave her an exquisite and expensive gemstone pendant.
All girls love beauty, even in childhood.
She caressed the gem obsessively, completely ignoring her father's repeated emphasis on the pendant's importance.
This drove Tokiomi frantic!!
If he could secure this son-in-law, he could afford to abandon this Grail War! He could just wait ten years for his son-in-law to fulfill his wish!
"Listen to your father—we can prepare to withdraw from this Holy Grail War!" Having made this declaration, Tokiomi returned to his desk.
Recalling every detail from the footage.
But he also remembered the boy seemed close to Sakura too.
Additionally... the heartwarming short, Sakura's Dream...
At this thought, Tokiomi's heart tangled in confusion.
Which of his daughters had this boy chosen?
Hateful editor! Couldn't you have included more daily life or post-Grail War scenes??
Tokiomi was tearing his hair out.
Simultaneously,
A sorrowful melody suddenly filled the air.
The mournful music cast a heavy atmosphere.
As "Hana no Uta" began playing, the narration resumed.
"The hero of justice, guardian of order."
"However you describe this youth with noble ideals would be fitting."
"But is such a person... truly perfect?"
These words
Stunned everyone before their screens.
Devoted to justice.
Pure goodness from beginning to end—still imperfect?
"No one's perfect," muttered Naruto, already influenced by the justice ideal. His words sounded less like defending Shirou and more like excusing his own mischief of vandalizing the Hokage faces.
"Hmph! However flawed one's personal life may be, as long as their heart pursues justice, they commit no wrong!" Akainu voiced his opinion upon seeing this.
Across all realms,
People unconsciously rejected the concept of "perfection."
Not only because such a standard was impossible to meet,
But also because no one wanted to see a truly perfect person exist in this world.
"Indeed, perfection cannot exist."
Even Shirou himself understood this.
But he wondered—what flaw was the edit referring to?
Had he never realized Kiritsugu taught him incorrect Magecraft?
His stubborn persistence toward his ideal?
Or the countless lives he'd taken in the name of justice?
Countless conjectures, endless speculations.
However—
"None of these! Every guess you've made is wrong!"
The narration echoed again.
The audience was speechless.
This editor was truly mischievous, actually negating viewers' guesses?
After complaining, everyone grew even more curious.
What deficiency did this justice-seeking youth possess?
The answer...
No one knew.
Even the narration didn't specify.
Only the previously subtle tragic music intensified.
A blooming cherry tree opened the scene.
In the behind-the-scenes footage, the rainy scenes felt particularly desolate.
The purple-haired girl walked slowly through the streets, her inner monologue gradually becoming audible.
Though lacking context, everyone understood this was a segment from the video edit [Sakura's Dream].
The camera zoomed from distance to close-up as Sakura Matou appeared beside Shirou. Accompanied by this heart-wrenching music, Sakura's voice flowed gently.
"Senpai, I'm so happy to cook here."
"I'm glad I'm improving."
"I want to repay the senpai who taught me this joy."
"And also... if it weren't at senpai's house, the food wouldn't taste as good."
Though these were warm words of affection,
The girl's smiling expression made Tokiomi's heart ache uncomfortably.
Unbeknownst to him, in another dark corner, a young man named Kariya Matou watched this scene, tears streaming as he clenched his blood-soaked palms.
Then,
Subtitles appeared.
The title [Sakura's Dream].
This seemingly warm phrase was tinged with oppressive dark purple hues.