Chapter 60: This World's Despair! The One Who Covets a Deity! Akemi Homura Awakens!
『 The bustling city was enveloped by the night.
Madoka and Homura stood in a field of flowers, quietly gazing at the busy streets.
"Has it already been a month since Homura transferred here?" Madoka sighed.
"It's strange, it feels like we've always been together, and yet time has flown by in an instant," Homura chuckled.
"If the Nightmares don't appear tonight, I hope everyone can have a good, happy sleep," Madoka gently stroked Kyubey's head, smiling as she looked at Homura.
"It feels so magical. I feel like I've always wanted to chat leisurely like this with Homura."
Madoka chuckled, "Is that strange? It's just a small thing, after all, we can see each other every day."
But this feeling... Homura didn't dislike it; in fact, she quite liked it.
If she could be with Madoka, then staying like this forever would be wonderful. 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Jibril (No game, No life): "W-wah, I'm tearing up! I've been shipping this couple for so long, but I've never seen such a harmonious scene!" ]
[ Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach): "Is this... real?" ]
[ Doctor Strange (MCU): "Like a dream, like an illusion, both real and unreal, it's unfathomable." ]
[ Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion): "I have... a confusing feeling like seeing those monsters, my mind is so chaotic. Was everything that happened before just a dream?" ]
[ Sparkle (Honkai: Star Rail): "Someone has fooled everyone~" ]
[ .....]
〜Neon Genesis Evangelion World〜
"Can humanity truly break free from the shackles of fate? Why must children be sacrificed?"
In a dark room, Shinji Ikari curled up into a ball.
He stared blankly at the wall, filled with fear and loneliness.
—
〜Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou desu yo World〜
"Could it be..."
Izayoi Sakamaki's mind conjured a possibility.
"Could it be what? Spit it out!"
Black Rabbit urged.
"Do you remember Homura Akemi telling Kyubey everything?"
"Yes, are you suspecting...?"
Black Rabbit seemed to have realized something.
"Kyubey, the supreme race in the universe, came here to seek energy to save the universe."
"After the Law of Cycles, Kyubey lost all its memories, and thus believed that collecting energy under the Law of Cycles was the correct method."
"But what would an absolutely rational race, one without even emotions, do upon hearing of a more effective way to collect energy?"
"Undoubtedly, Experiment! Experiment is the sole criterion for testing truth!"
"Perhaps... this is a feast targeting the Law of Cycles,"
Izayoi Sakamaki murmured, frowning.
But... was there something wrong?
—
『 In a maiden's boudoir, Hormones surged, nascent love stirred, and the maiden, dressed in a nightgown, took cute little steps, nervously calling the object of her affection.
"Yes, Kamijo, who always works so hard, is so handsome and charismatic, I like him so much..." Hitomi Shizuki hugged her pillow tightly, rolling back and forth, her eyes filled with adoration and longing.
"Handsome Kamijo... dependable Kamijo... admirable Kamijo," the girl rolled around, hugging her pillow.
But at some point, the light in the girl's eyes faded, replaced by madness and chaos.
Everything around her had already transformed into an unspeakable scene. Fish swam in a sea of lines, and the lines then swallowed the girl.
The unique colors of the girl attracted the Nightmare, transforming her into a Nightmare—
Meanwhile, Mami Tomoe, who had just finished washing up, sighed at the sight of the cute doll, Bebe, calling out to her.
"Again? Seriously, staying up late is the enemy of beauty." 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Lady Avalon (Type-Moon): "Oh my~ This is truly full of plot holes~, making one scratch their head, Mami-senpai~" ]
[ Sapphire (Type-Moon): "Eh? Aren't witches allowed to appear in this world? Also, Mami-senpai, be careful, this Bebe might bite your head off!" ]
[ Mami Tomoe (Puella Magi Madoka Magica): "...Hahahahaha, I... I don't think so." ]
[ Deadpool (MCU): "I'm starting to wonder if I've been smoking too much." ]
[ Sayaka Miki (Puella Magi Madoka Magica): "Seriously... can't escape Hitomi and Kyosuke anywhere, can we?!" ]
[ Kirishima Touka (Tokyo Ghoul): "Under the Law of Cycles, witches transformed into Nightmares, and Nightmares are born from human emotions. These are the enemies of Magical Girls." ]
[ .....]
〜So I'm a Spider, So What? World〜
"Ugh, please don't tell me it's another love-struck plot!"
Kumoko shivered.
—
『 Kyoko and Sayaka, who arrived first, saw the bizarre Nightmare, which resembled a frog.
"I say, is that Hitomi Shizuki's Nightmare?" Kyoko asked.
"Hitomi has it tough. Who told her to date such an airheaded guy?" Sayaka said helplessly.
"Ah! Coming from you, that carries a lot of weight!" Kyoko was shocked.
Just then, Mami-senpai, Madoka, and Kyoko also arrived.
After transforming into Magical Girls, the group immediately launched an attack on Hitomi's Nightmare!
With their synchronized teamwork, the Nightmare was trapped on a round table. Bebe's doll also transformed into a doll with a giant black maw, surrounding them.
Homura, seeing Bebe for the first time, was scared speechless. That abyssal maw... she felt an inexplicable malice towards Mami-senpai.
Finally, Bebe descended from above and devoured the cake-like Nightmare. Hitomi's Nightmare was purified, and the girl fell into a peaceful sleep.
The Magical Girls, having defeated the Nightmare, celebrated with each other. Homura was also affected by their joyful atmosphere, but...
Looking at everything around her, a sudden trace of confusion welled up in Homura's heart.
Dense water lilies covered the pond's surface, reflecting their figures.
At this moment, Homura Akemi suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of loneliness and absurdity.
Is our battle... truly enough like this? 』
『 .....』
〜Type-Moon World, ????? Worldline〜
Ryudou Temple—
A Buddha, with hands clasped together, gazed at the water lilies on the screen with an unperturbed gaze, letting out a soft sigh.
"Foolish child."
But how could this not also be a trial for the savior?
The Buddha lowered his eyes as if falling into a deep slumber.
"Tsk tsk, water lilies? Doesn't this make one overthink?"
The yellow-haired Tezcatlipoca, with the coolest art style of the last century, chuckled.
In Greek mythology, there's the River Lethe in the underworld, where water lilies grow. Drinking its water causes loss of memory.
In Egyptian mythology, water lilies symbolize the very beginning of the world, as well as rebirth and resurrection.
"It must be a coincidence~"
Tezcatlipoca grinned.
( Translator-kun: What in the world... Which Worldline is this??? )
—
〜A Certain Magical Index World〜
The safest city—Academy City
"The language of white water lilies... purity, aloofness, innocence, untainted."
"Love that is desirable but unattainable..."
Saten Ruiko gazed sadly at the confused Homura on the screen.
Is it truly reality? If it is reality, please let it continue like this.
—
『 A subtle absurdity deepened the girl's unease.
Are all people truly real?
Apart from Madoka and the others, the faces of her classmates and teachers in her life were all shrouded in a veil, their features unclear...
Although such a life was beautiful, Homura always felt an inexplicable sense of unreality... and confusion.
What exactly was her purpose?
One day, Homura approached Kyoko, "Sakura-san, don't you think things have been a bit strange lately?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kyoko was puzzled.
"It's just... everything is strange," Homura approached Kyoko first because Kyoko felt the strangest to her.
"Sakura-san, when did you come to Mitakihara Middle School?" Homura pressed.
"Ah, I transferred earlier than you. When was it again... when?" Kyoko couldn't remember either.
She only remembered that after the peaceful situation in Kazamino next door, she came here to help Mami and had no plans of going back.
"....." Time seemed to slow down at this moment.
On the table where only the two of them sat, eight cups had appeared at some point. Wind chimes gently jingled, and Homura, looking at the rippling coffee, asked, "Sakura-san, can you come with me to Kazamino City right now?"
"Huh?!"
Although she didn't understand, Kyoko still agreed to help this weak girl.
"There's a ramen shop there I often go to, it's really good. Treat me to a meal there, that's the condition."
The two figures departed, and on the table, cups had appeared at some point— 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Enoshima Junko (Danganronpa): "Splendid, we're getting closer to the truth~" ]
[ Kinuhata Saiai (A Certain Magical Index): "It feels... super creepy. Madoka and the others are all normal, but watching Homura from a god's perspective gives me goosebumps." ]
[ Senji Muramasa (Type-Moon): "Yes, it's like being in a witch's barrier, but this witch isn't completely insane; her mind isn't that chaotic." ]
[ Artoria ⦍Caster⦎ (Type-Moon): "Uwah! Don't scare me!" ]
[ Tiamat (Type-Moon): "Aaaaaa——" ]
[ .....]
〜Type-Moon World, ????? Worldline〜
In Imaginary Space—
Tiamat placed her hands on her chest, a hint of unbearable sadness in her twinkling eyes.
Battle... children... salvation.
—
『 At Homura's invitation, Kyoko arrived on time and took a small boat with her to the neighboring city.
In the twilight of the setting sun, the sky was dyed crimson.
The road twisted, and the world's boundaries became increasingly blurred.
The two took a ferry, then a bus, but no matter which stop, they couldn't reach Kazamino City.
Did they take the wrong stop? The wrong bus? Did the route change?
That night, the two once again boarded a bus heading to Kazamino City. The bus sped along, yet they could never leave Mitakihara City.
They exchanged glances and decided to get off.
"This time, let's walk to confirm." Homura's eyes gradually became somewhat hollow, and the girl said softly, "We can reach Kazamino by turning left at the three-way intersection, right?"
"Yes," Kyoko also noticed the strange phenomenon, but she didn't realize that Homura's voice had become increasingly somber at some point.
They walked, constantly walking. The moving beach city, yet they could never arrive.
"Damn it! Is this an illusion or something?! To prevent us from leaving!" The hot-headed Kyoko was about to transform into a Magical Girl, but Homura stopped her.
"I don't think it's that simple." The girl's usual shyness was gone, her face as calm as still water. "This Mitakihara might not even have an outside."
"I say... hey," Kyoko was startled by the assertive Homura. She had never seen... Homura liked this before...
"I'm sorry, Sakura-san, please don't tell everyone about this. There's something I want to investigate on my own."
"Idiot, how can I let you do something like this alone?" Kyoko said, displeased.
"It's okay, I think it will be safer if we pretend not to have noticed."
At some point, more and more figures like puppets surrounded the two of them.
"On the contrary, the more we act rashly, the more desperate our situation will become. This must be a trap of this kind."
After some persuasion, Kyoko decided to trust Homura.
"Perhaps my memories indeed have many discrepancies, but it's strange," Kyoko smiled, "I'm seeing such a forceful Homura Akemi for the first time, yet I'm not surprised at all."
"Rather, I think this is more like you!" Kyoko pulled out a lollipop and tossed it into Homura's hand, then vanished from the spot.
Homura hastily caught it, a ripple flashing in her eyes as she watched Kyoko's departing figure. The girl lowered her gaze.
When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was resolute.
Sure enough... am I the only one who remembers?
The girl took off her glasses, untied her hair, and walked against the flow of people.
A closed, dreamlike space, designed to lure and confuse its prey, with no exit to the labyrinth.
That's right—this is!
A WITCH'S BARRIER!!! 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Jibril (No game, No life): "Did Homura finally remember?! As expected, this Homura is much cooler! So everything isn't real, right?!" ]
[ Uzumaki Naruto (Naruto): "Masaka...! There's a hidden witch under the Law of Cycles! Damn it, have I also entered a witch's space?! Why do I feel so disoriented?!" ]
[ Killua (HunterXHunter): "In a place like this, I can't fully utilize my strength." ]
[ Kizaru (One Piece): "Oh, how scary~ Other worlds are too dangerous, a small fry like me probably wouldn't even be able to run away~." ]
[ King Hassan (Type-Moon): "Even death... is but a mere concept. A fleeting illusion." ]
[ Buddha (???): "It was the future she yearned for, yet she couldn't help but seek the truth. Foolish child." ]
[ .....]
『 Walking up the dark stairs, walking across the long bridge.
Countless mirrors flashed with fragmented images.
That's right, Homura Akemi had recovered all her memories.
Witches were harbingers of despair, and also the cursed forms that Magical Girls eventually took after falling into despair.
Once, she had repeated the same thing countless times, fighting against cruel fate.
Hope—despair, again and again.
Finally... with the sacrifice of one girl, the cruel chain of hope and despair was severed.
The world should have been led to a new truth.
Homura quietly gazed at Madoka's face in the mirror, the darkness and chaos in her eyes flashing away.
However, we forgot, no, we were forgotten.
Someone deceived our memories, wanting to frame us!
In this false Mitakihara Town—
The wind blew through the girl's clothes, and Homura once again returned to loneliness and despair!
The girl's hollow eyes quietly gazed at this world.
Absolutely... absolutely no one is allowed to destroy the world she wants to protect! 』
『 .....』
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Someone deceived our memories?
Everyone murmured, almost without hesitation, they aimed their suspicions at Kyubey!
It must be that guy!
It must have heard what Homura said about Madoka and the Magical Girls and Witches!
So, Kyubey enveloped the entire Mitakihara City into a farm?!
THAT DAMNED KYUBEY!!!
.....
〜A Certain Magical Index World〜
The safest city—Academy City
Aleister and Aiwass both chose not to speak, but their gazes were somewhat strange.
Aleister suddenly asked,
"How far do you think that girl can go?"
Aiwass's sacred face gazed at Homura Akemi on the screen, then shook her head after a moment, saying nothing.
—
〜Lord of the Mysteries World〜
"Hey, hey, Could it be true~"
A young man in black clothes, with black curly hair and a monocle, chuckled with interest.
Can such a thing... be stolen?
If it's true... then that would be truly delightful~!
Even he, this error, would have to pay homage then~
The path to godhood is right at his feet.
Amon smiled, habitually pinching his eye socket.
—
『 Homura, having recovered all her memories, first sought out the witch in Mami-senpai's house!
In Mami-senpai's memory, Bebe had been with her for a long time, even longer than Sayaka and Madoka.
Homura smiled, "Then, Mami-senpai, do you remember why Bebe came to be with you?"
The two were stunned. Kyubey's gaze sharpened, and Bebe, scared, crawled under the table, looking at Homura Akemi with some fear. 』
『 .....』
〜Type-Moon World, ????? Worldline〜
Somewhere In Unknown Place—
"Why did she come to Mami-senpai's side?"
Lady Avalon's delicate face was filled with thought.
Was it because Mami-senpai was strong? Handsome? Dependable?
No, no, this should start from the beginning, right? Starting from Mami-senpai's head?
—