June 21st, 11 PM. Ohmori Shuichi sat before his television, watching the final episode of Code Geass R2.
Some viewers online felt that episodes 20 through 24 of R2 had a somewhat rushed pace, and he was one of them.
He still loved the anime, but he was now worried it might end with a whimper after a strong start.
If the audience had been satisfied with episodes 20-24, a simple, well-executed ending would have cemented its status as a phenomenal anime. But given the current situation, unless the final episode somehow exceeded expectations and satisfied over 90% of the viewers, a disappointing conclusion seemed almost inevitable.
Regardless, he had to watch it.
The TV skipped the recap.
Outside, the battle raged on. Inside the base, Nunnally, seated in her wheelchair, spoke to Lelouch: "After eight years, I'm seeing my brother's face again. Is this the face of a murderer? I suspect I share the same face as you, don't I?"
Lelouch was a murderer, and so was she. She knew full well that she had fired several Freya warheads, her hands surely stained with blood.
"So it was you who fired the Freya earlier?" Lelouch asked.
"Yes, I did it to stop you, Brother. Even if it meant your death. That's why I can't give you the Freya... the key to Damocles, even if you use Geass on me!" Nunnally said firmly.
Lelouch was initially troubled, until he understood Nunnally's true intention—that she would even oppose him to achieve it.
"Damocles will become a symbol of hatred," Nunnally explained. "All that hatred will gather here, so everyone can welcome tomorrow."
Understanding this, Lelouch hesitated no longer. He immediately used his King's Power to command Nunnally to hand over the Freya's controller.
Nunnally resisted fiercely, struggling and crying, "I can't add any more sins to my record!" But under the King's Power, she finally surrendered the Freya's controller with both hands.
Lelouch knelt on one knee before Nunnally, speaking gently, "Nunnally, you've been living by your own will. So I can finally walk my own path."
He took the Freya controller and added, "Thank you. I love you, Nunnally."
By the time Nunnally reacted, Lelouch had already risen to his feet, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.
"Did you use it? The Geass?" Nunnally's voice was filled with anger.
Lelouch maintained a cold expression, said nothing, and turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Nunnally pushed her wheelchair forward in pursuit.
But she was at the top of the stairs, and her wheelchair couldn't easily descend.
In her desperation, she fell from her wheelchair, tumbling down the steps.
Lelouch stopped and turned to look back at Nunnally.
Nunnally looked up, her voice choked with grief and fury. "Brother! You're a devil! So despicable! So cowardly! How could you... how could you be so cruel!"
By the end, her voice trembled with tears.
Lelouch offered no defense, didn't help her up. Instead, his face tightened as he turned and walked steadily away.
Having secured the Freya controller, Lelouch used it as a threat to force the entire world to submit to his will.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
In Neon, Lelouch sat on the throne atop a parade float, leading the imperial army through the streets while escorting prisoners to the execution grounds.
News reports on television covered the event, also mentioning details of the recent great war, including the sacrifices of many soldiers, such as the Knight of Zero Suzaku Kururugi, which had paved the way for this unified empire.
Among the prisoners being transported to the execution grounds were key members of the Black Knights, as well as Schneizel and Nunnally. However, Nunnally was treated differently, bound by hand and foot shackles and chains, her hair disheveled. She sat on the same float as Lelouch, directly beneath his throne.
Countless people lined the streets, their faces a mixture of anger and fear, yet none dared to speak.
Suddenly, the crowd gasped.
A figure dressed as Zero charged through the ranks of the army, cutting down soldiers as he raced toward Lelouch.
Lelouch drew his gun and fired, but his shot was easily deflected by a sword. The figure, now identified as Zero, assumed a fighting stance, his blade pointed at Lelouch.
The scene abruptly shifted.
In a spacious hall, Lelouch and Suzaku stood facing each other under the bright lights.
"Suzaku, as we agreed, you're here to kill me."
"Do you really have to do this?"
"As expected, the world's hatred is converging on me. If I disappear, I can sever this chain of hatred. The Black Knights will preserve the legacy of Zero, and Schneizel will obey him. This way, the world will no longer rely on military force; disputes can be resolved at the negotiating table, and we can move toward a brighter future."
The official story was that Suzaku had died, but in reality, he was still alive.
By impersonating Zero, assassinating the Tyrant Lelouch, and severing the chain of hatred—this was the so-called "Zero Requiem."
In Lelouch's own words: "Only those who are prepared to be killed have the right to pull the trigger."
The flashback ended, and the scene returned to the present. The Zero impersonated by Suzaku pierced Lelouch's chest with his sword.
The crowd gasped in astonishment.
"Lelouch..."
Beneath the helmet, Suzaku couldn't hold back his tears.
Lelouch murmured softly, "This is also a punishment for you. As a messenger of justice, you will forever wear this mask. You will no longer live as Suzaku Kururugi. The happiness of ordinary people—everything—will be sacrificed to the world, forever and ever."
"I have truly accepted this 'Geass'," Suzaku said, his voice trembling slightly as he pulled his sword free.
Lelouch stumbled forward two steps, sliding off the high platform and falling beside Nunnally below.
"Brother?" Nunnally whispered.
She leaned closer, placing her hand on Lelouch's. Images flashed through her mind one after another.
She understood. For the first time, she truly grasped the real purpose behind everything Lelouch had done.
"How... brother, you've been... all along..."
She spoke in disbelief, clutching Lelouch's blood-stained hand as tears streamed down her face.
Lelouch's eyes flickered slightly, and he murmured softly, "Ah, I will... destroy the world... and then... create it anew."
Memories flashed behind his closed eyes as he spoke. When he finished, he closed his eyes weakly.
The insert song, "Continued Story," began playing. Its gentle chanting, combined with a classical religious style, created a sacred atmosphere, greatly enhancing the tragic grandeur of the scene.
"Brother!"
"No! Open your eyes!"
"Brother! Brother!"
Nunnally was overwhelmed with remorse, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, Cornelia, the former Second Princess, who had been hiding in a building, waved her hand and issued an order: "The Demon King Lelouch is dead! Release the hostages immediately!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Countless people rushed forward, surging toward the royal carriage.
On the execution platform, Toudou stared at the figure standing atop the carriage, realization dawning on him. "Could that be...?"
"It's Zero!"
Karen's eyes welled with tears, but her voice was firm. "That's... Zero!"
The camera cut back to Nunnally.
"He was too cunning... I just wanted my brother to be here."
"How can I face tomorrow without him...?"
She cried heartbrokenly, clinging to Lelouch's blood-stained chest.
Around her, the crowd chanted "Zero! Zero!"
They hailed the Suzaku-portrayed Zero as a hero, unaware that the true hero had already fallen.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon