Chapter 314: Alaya, Get Out and Clean Up Your Mess!
"The foundation of power lies in fear and love. People obey out of fear and remain loyal out of love."
This quote comes from The Prince, a book Charles loved and read most frequently.
It was also Charles's favorite saying, one he held as a creed and executed with unwavering dedication.
Through his love, he prevented his children from slaughtering each other, unlike the constant threat of assassination he and his brother had faced.
Through fear, he stood above millions, maintaining the emperor's dignity.
Yet now, these words did not come from Charles's mouth but from behind, as if echoing from a distant past.
Charles instinctively turned around. Below, on a platform that seemed to hover in mid-air, stood a man and a woman.
But their appearance did not surprise Charles in the least.
"So this is the C's World. It really does feel different."
Mahiro looked around curiously, like a country bumpkin visiting a grand garden, fascinated by everything.
It was his first time entering the C's World in the flesh, but it didn't feel particularly special.
Seeing this, C.C. couldn't help but smile wryly.
She had expected this young man to display a dignified or ruthless side to confront Charles head-on.
Yet he had completely abandoned any pretense of majesty.
Still, C.C. patiently explained to him:
"This is merely the surface of the C's World, the location of Ragnarök."
"I see."
Hearing C.C.'s words, he disappointedly withdrew his gaze.
His eyes met those of the imposing man in the temple above.
Clad in a magnificent cloak with white curly hair, the man's body showed no signs of aging, exuding an awe-inspiring presence that made him appear exceptionally tall. His eagle-like gaze fixed on Mahiro, and his words carried oppressive authority.
"You've come after all, Mahiro!"
"What, can't I come, Mr. Curly-Hair?"
Faced with Charles's authoritative, oppressive, and reverberating voice, Mahiro seemed utterly unfazed. Instead, he shifted his gaze slightly to Charles's side.
There stood another woman—tall, with beautiful black hair, her face gentle yet coldly mature, bearing some resemblance to Lelouch and Nunnally. It was Marianne, long dead and now a spiritual entity.
"My, my, it's been a while, Lady Marianne. I never expected you to show up here," Mahiro feigned surprise.
Seeing his exaggerated expression of shock, even C.C. couldn't help but want to facepalm.
She naturally knew Mahiro's plan and that Anya had been personally thrown out by him.
But putting on such an act now—wasn't it a bit too much?
It felt less like surprise and more like mockery.
Yet, whether it was his mocking nickname or his exaggerated, theatrical performance, Charles seemed unbothered.
Instead, he spoke again:
"It seems you've made your choice."
These words were not only directed at Mahiro but also at C.C., who had remained motionless all along.
Charles's heart was currently filled with excitement. Even though his face remained an expressionless mask of authority, his emperor's heart—which never allowed anyone to glimpse his inner thoughts—betrayed a sense of joy.
This was only natural.
After all, the wish he had pursued his entire life was about to be realized. A new era was about to dawn, and even the weapon to slay gods was already prepared.
Anyone who had come this far would be elated.
And the so-called weapon to slay gods was none other than the Sword of Akasha—a program to approach and kill God, the one and only supreme sword capable of judging all things!
God is the root. Humanity was differentiated from this root. So why do humans fight? Differentiated mortals have forgotten their origin. Why do humans lie? Differentiated mortals do not know how to merge. All things evolved from the same origin. Since this is God's will, then all we need to do is slay God!
This is what Charles believed.
Some mortals cannot return to the origin—that is the curse of the immortal Code. Some mortals know how to merge—that is the equation of Geass, which allows mortals to act.
If we remove the origin, and simply prevent mortals from returning to the origin and merging with one another, then God will die. A new root will be born, unified by the sole memory of Akasha.
God is dead. The cycle of reincarnation will end. Humanity will attain infinite peace, realizing a world without lies or conflict!
This is what Charles now sought to achieve.
It was the grand ambition of his lifetime.
Like a high priest, Charles spread his arms and proclaimed in a voice as thunderous as a thousand peals, heralding the divine-slaying feat he was about to accomplish!
So excited was he that he failed to notice when Mahiro had stepped onto the stairs, when he had arrived on the platform of the temple, or when he had approached the pillar of the great hall.
"Choices... how boring."
"What did you say?"
Charles's expression instantly darkened, his shadowed eyes revealing a faint trace of confusion.
"I thought I spoke clearly enough. Are you deaf? I said your wish is boring."
Mahiro repeated expressionlessly, but his gaze remained fixed on the nearly ten-meter-tall pillar before him as he reached out to gently stroke it.
His fingertips lightly traced the surface of the pillar, feeling the traces of time engraved upon it.
Then, as if it were nothing, he continued:
"A world without lies or conflict sounds wonderful, like a legendary utopia.
But, Mr. Curly-top, do you know what humanity has relied on to progress from ancient times to the present? It's conflict."
It is precisely because of conflict that human technology has continuously advanced. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of progressing to our current heights?
For a better life?
That's complete nonsense.
Life is merely a byproduct; in essence, it still serves conflict.
With humanity's technological capabilities, we may not be able to destroy planets, but we are certainly capable of leveling the surface. It could be said we have long stood at the pinnacle of the carbon-based biological chain.
"It is precisely because of conflict that we have the lives we do today.
As for lies, they are also indispensable to humanity."
Because among lies, there also exist white lies—a kind of well-intentioned deception meant to soften the blow for those involved, giving them a buffer.
Otherwise, many words spoken too bluntly can be deeply hurtful.
"All of this is sophistry!"
"Mhm, you're right, I don't deny it."
Facing Charles's rebuttal, Mahiro shrugged and said frankly, "That's why I think there's no point in talking if we don't see eye to eye!"
As soon as the words fell,
Mahiro's hand, resting on the stone pillar, instantly transformed into a sharp claw. He violently wrenched the heavy pillar from its place and swung it toward Charles like a divine sea-calming needle.
As if having anticipated this move, Charles merely snorted coldly and quickly retreated backward, dodging the attack.
But the next moment, specks of crimson began to seep from his chest.
A dagger was embedded in Charles's chest. He looked down in disbelief at the wound, then incredulously at the person before him.
"900...."
Indeed, the one who had stabbed him was none other than his most trusted, most beloved consort—Marianne.
"Sorry, Charles, but I think Mahiro-sensei makes a fair point."
Marianne playfully blinked, the corners of her lips still curved in a mischievous, impish smile.
Yet all of this only fueled Charles's rage.
"Marianne!!!"
"Too noisy!"
Boom—
Charles was instantly crushed into "Charles paste," and Mahiro even used the pillar to grind him back and forth forcefully.
It was like a millstone, continuing until every last drop was squeezed out.
"Tch, why are you shouting so loudly? Do you think you're the only one with a mouth? Or do you just have the loudest voice?"
While cursing, he lifted his gaze toward Marianne, who had already drawn near.
Who would have thought that Miya's mental interference magic was so formidable?
As an experimental subject, Marianne's psyche had been completely rewritten by him, all to give Charles a little "surprise" and also to collect a bit of interest for the torment Nunnally had endured since childhood.
After all, these inhuman parents had treated Lelouch and Nunnally as experimental subjects from a young age, constantly sending them into laboratories for modifications.
Their goal was to enhance their Geass adaptability, then use them to get close to C.C. and fulfill their own plans.
They just never expected that C.C. would be intercepted by him halfway.
"Marianne, how dare you betray me!!!"
At that moment, Charles suddenly reappeared, like an enraged lion, lunging fiercely toward Marianne.
"No memory at all."
Snap!
Mahiro snapped his fingers, and Charles instantly turned to dust and scattered.
As long as the target wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, his "Cloud Dispersion" was just that unreasonable.
And Charles had now fully tasted its tyrannical nature.
No matter how he revived or reappeared, he would be decomposed the moment he emerged.
After who knows how many dozens of attempts, Charles finally gave up his reckless actions. He merely glared furiously at Marianne before standing still in place.
He never could have imagined that someone who longed for immortality and shared his ideals would betray him at a time like this...
"Hey, not charging forward anymore?"
This time, Charles did not fly into a rage. He merely raised his palm, where the engraved red bird mark began to glow, resonating with the CODE mark on C.C.'s forehead.
Only two CODE marks could guarantee a hundred percent success in deicide—Charles knew this well. Fortunately, C.C. did not resist his actions.
The moment the two CODE marks resonated, all the Twilight Gate ruins across the world trembled.
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
The entire world was swept by a violent magnitude-seven earthquake!
Inside the Twilight Gate, the scenery also changed.
Twilight welcomed eternal silence. All falsehoods shattered like glass, leaving only the cold machinery in operation, connecting to the sky above that led to C's World.
"Now, C.C., merge your CODE mark with mine. This way, your wish can be fulfilled, and your curse can come to an end."
Charles believed that as long as C.C. did not resist, even if Mahiro tried to stop them, it would be utterly futile.
But in the end, he was one move behind.
"Why, C.C.? Don't you want your wish to be fulfilled?"
Charles furrowed his brow deeply, for he saw that as he approached, C.C. actually took a step back, hiding directly behind Mahiro!
Meanwhile, Mahiro, while holding C.C.'s outstretched hand, also stepped forward, looking at the man before him with a playful expression.
"Do you really know what C.C.'s wish is?"
"C.C.'s wish? Why don't you ask her yourself..."
Charles sounded as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. His gaze fell on C.C., and he spoke in a low voice.
"My wish?"
At that moment, Charles noticed C.C.'s expression was strange—as if she had hesitated for a long time, or perhaps was deep in thought. Finally, she spoke slowly:
"...My wish is—to die! To bring my existence to an eternal end!"
C.C. spoke with conviction, each word clear and resolute.
Upon hearing this, Charles felt a wave of relief wash over him. But the very next moment, fury surged within him once more.
"But that was a wish from the past. I've come to know my true wish, my true desire—it is to be loved, an eternal and unchanging love."
This time, C.C.'s voice was soft, so soft it seemed it might vanish with the breeze at any moment.
"C.C.! Are you trying to betray our agreement?"
Upon hearing C.C.'s words, Mahiro merely smiled silently, while Charles questioned her with uncontrollable rage.
Yet, C.C. responded with a charming smile:
"Haha, Charles, who do you think I am?"
Her laughter was as clear as a silver bell. Facing Charles's angry words, C.C. revealed a bewitching expression, almost mocking as she said:
"...I am C.C., after all—a Witch who has lived for over a thousand years. How could a Witch ever let others have their way?"
Now, Charles finally understood: these two were in cahoots, making a fool of him!
Coupled with Marianne's betrayal, he completely lost his sanity.
Suddenly, Charles pulled a pistol from his chest, aiming not at C.C., but at Mahiro!
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out.
But the fired bullet was caught between Mahiro's two fingers.
Glancing at the golden bullet tip between his fingertips, he chuckled lightly and tossed it to the ground.
"How pathetic, Charles. Have you lost your mind in anger? You think a toy like this can deal with me? If you had used your clumsy martial arts to exchange a few moves with me, perhaps I might have thought more highly of you. But now..."
As he spoke, Mahiro shook his head in disappointment.
Then, with a casual wave of his hand—
Whoosh!
A sharp wind blade instantly severed Charles's legs. Within the cold space operating the Sword of Akasha, agonized screams echoed.
Immortality does not mean immunity to mortal pain.
Moreover, he had only cut off Charles's legs, making it impossible for him to resurrect using CODE even if he wanted to.
Mahiro couldn't be bothered to waste more time on this guy and simply shouted toward the space above:
"Hey, Alaya! Come clean up this mess!"
As if hearing his call, a soft sigh came from the space above.
The Sword of Akasha suddenly transformed. The humans entwined around it seemed to be liberated and, like Charles who had lost his legs, crawled like insects onto him, dragging him bit by bit toward the abyss behind.
"Mahiro!!!"
At this moment, Charles once again felt that long-lost fear—the terror of facing death.
And the first person that came to his mind was V.V.
"Brother... Brother, save me!!!"
Unfortunately, this time, V.V. could no longer save him, and he was slowly dragged into the abyss.
But all of this had nothing to do with Mahiro anymore.
Meanwhile.
On the battlefield, the Britannian army was also suffering continuous defeats.
Although all the Knights of Rounds had rushed to the battlefield and temporarily reversed some of the losses, it was only a slight improvement.
The strongest First Knight, Bismarck Waldstein, was invincible with his Geass named "Future Prediction." However, after shattering Delta's Knightmare, he was torn apart along with his own Knightmare by the enraged Delta.
For others, a Knightmare might be a good experience or an aid, but for Delta, it was a troublesome seal—one she had never been willing to damage.
Once it was destroyed, Delta's endless wrath was inevitable.
As for the other Knights of Rounds, most were either dead or captured.
But the most tragic was Suzaku Kururugi. On the battlefield, he was betrayed and stabbed in the back. While fighting Kallen, Monica suddenly appeared, piercing Lancelot's cockpit with a sword and killing Suzaku Kururugi along with it.
Monica, of course, fled to the Shadow Garden's camp. Even if Britannia reacted and tried to pursue her, it was already too late.
From then on, Britannia faced a complete collapse, forced to shrink its defenses and gather its remaining forces to defend its final stronghold—
The magnificent Pandora Palace could be said to be the very manifestation of how the world now revolved around this place.
For it was the imperial palace of the world's foremost superpower, the Holy Britannian Empire.
The towering main hall was surrounded by numerous high-rise buildings and structures that blended Britannia's unique aristocratic culture, their complexity and overwhelming scale far surpassing the governor's mansions located in the various colonies.
But now, the former imperial palace no longer retained its past splendor. Scars of war were everywhere, reminiscent of Shinjuku, Japan.
"Will you detonate it?"
Inside the command room of the aerial fortress Penglai Island, Alpha handed the detonation device to the girl beside her, Sumeragi Kaguya.
Not long before, Zeta and the others had infiltrated the imperial palace and quietly planted the bomb [Lovelace], completed by Nina, deep within its confines.
Now, pressing this button would instantly reduce Britannia's capital to ashes.
But she still offered Kaguya a choice. If she wished, she could personally exact revenge.
Looking at the detonation device Alpha offered, Kaguya only hesitated for a moment before taking it, even pressing the button without a second thought.
She understood this was the sin she should bear, and also the release she deserved.
The next second, a blinding white light enveloped everyone's vision. After the light faded, an ear-splitting explosion followed.
A massive mushroom cloud rose. In an instant, the entire capital of Britannia was reduced to ruins, vanishing into dust and smoke in the blink of an eye. At the very center of the explosion,
an unbelievably enormous crater was left. Within a ten-kilometer radius, even steel and concrete were vaporized. Even the peripheral areas affected by the Lovelace were flattened by the blast winds.
But this was not the end. Just as everyone thought it was over, another explosion point suddenly erupted in the distance.
Unlike the first, that explosion was even more intense, as if it intended to burn through the heavens and shatter the sky!
"Heh, trying to escape? It's not that easy."
Eta expressionlessly put away the tablet in her hand, gazing at the one-time-use "Material Burst" she had created in the distance, lazily collecting data.