Chapter 44. The Constantly Tossed Coin

Looking for more translated chapters?

Over 30 chapters are available at [patreon.com/kurato6180].

---

I Will Eventually Embark on the Path of No Return Called a Hero [Arc2] - 44. The Constantly Tossed Coin

---

"Fantastic!"

Shakespeare sat under a tree, continuously writing in a blank book he held.

"Reversal! Reversal! Reversal!"

"Life is just like a coin that's constantly being tossed. The distance between hope and despair is so unbelievably short! It's wonderful! The Holy Grail War is truly marvelous!"

As he spoke, Shakespeare looked up and gave a thumbs-up to Shirou Kotomine.

"Master, don't you think so too?"

"Caster, we're actually in a real crisis now," Shirou Kotomine sighed, gazing at the Hanging Garden from afar.

The massive iron stakes, composed of twenty thousand stakes, stood upright on the ground like trees. The Hanging Garden was like a kite tangled in branches, unable to move. Either they had to clear away all the invading stakes or leave with this huge iron tree.

Neither option seemed feasible.

"But I'm useless for this!" Shakespeare shrugged.

"But I hope you can at least say a few encouraging words," Shirou Kotomine sat down beside Shakespeare and lowered his head.

"Well, Master, didn't you say it yourself? Whether you succeed or fail, you won't hold a grudge. If you fail, it just means the Lord has denied your wish," Shakespeare closed the book, "But as I've said, the distance between hope and despair is unbelievably short. Master, your coin hasn't landed yet."

The gentle light spreading to Shirou Kotomine's feet made his eyes narrow sharply. It wasn't the light of a Noble Phantasm but something more natural, something he could see every day: dawn!

Shakespeare stood up, spreading his arms towards the rising sun.

"The time for despair hasn't come yet. I'm not finished either. Master, please continue tossing that coin called life. Whether it's despair or hope, it's all up to you to decide!"

"You really are... easy to talk to when you're not the one suffering," Shirou Kotomine patted his backside and stood up, once again smiling brightly. "Though dawn has come, the Black Faction may not give up. The coin is still flipping in the air."

"Then Master, why don't you just knock the coin down yourself?" Shakespeare shrugged. "Go on, I'll be here, depicting your story."

"You really put me at ease. I hope the Lord will bless me," Shirou Kotomine sighed and ran towards the Hanging Garden.

"You have to struggle, Master~" Shakespeare bowed to Shirou Kotomine's back. "The Lord won't decide the coin's heads or tails for you. As long as you haven't given up, you still have the right to keep tossing the coin."

Shakespeare lifted his head and slowly disappeared into the light.

"Until the coin lands on the side you want!"

"Dawn has come," Vlad III gritted his teeth. Dawn signified the end of the Holy Grail War, but the end was meant to hide the mystery. With the Hanging Garden so conspicuously pinned in the sky, it was clearly impossible to keep it hidden. It was better to make a decisive move now!

Chiron squinted and took a step forward, clearly thinking the same.

"Oh dear~ The giant has been dealt with. Although it's unfortunate, I can't let you, my teacher, dismantle this Hanging Garden," Achilles, driving his chariot, blocked the way in front of the iron stakes.

"Besides, it's in front of the Ruler. Do you want to break the rules~?"

"Well, dawn has come. All fighting should stop immediately," Cyd rubbed his shoulders.

"That's the idea. Let's get along well," Achilles jumped down from his chariot and familiarly put his arm around Cyd's shoulders.

Vlad III nodded after a moment of silence. At his current exhaustion, he might not be able to match Achilles. If Achilles were to severely injure him and kill him, all the iron stakes he brought would disappear, and the Hanging Garden would fly away immediately, which would be truly over.

"However, before that, have your Servants hide this Hanging Garden," Cyd looked at Shirou Kotomine, who was running breathlessly.

"I'm a bit irritable right now and won't listen to your opinions," Cyd raised his now Apollo-form [Reforged Pandora], "Hide or disappear?"

Cyd wasn't foolish. The Red Faction was clearly planning something big and then openly leaving with the Hanging Garden, disregarding mystery and concealment. Since they had the Holy Grail, they didn't care. However, the Red Faction only succeeded halfway and was caught by Vlad III while escaping.

Since the Red Faction wouldn't listen, Cyd wouldn't bother speaking nicely.

Shirou Kotomine's eyes narrowed sharply. Despite the astonishing heat emanating from Cyd's bow, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

"We'll certainly cooperate well," Shirou Kotomine raised his hands in surrender, actually wanting to give up.

On the other side, Semiramis was cursing furiously. Who exactly was being cursed was unclear due to her rapid speech, but her elegance and authority were gone. At least she was listening to him and hiding her Hanging Garden.

"I don't want to see any Servant engage in battle before the sun has completely set," Cyd scanned the surrounding Servants.

"Although the Ruler exists to prevent the exposure of mysteries and resolve abnormalities, it doesn't mean we're responsible for cleaning up after you. I'll deal with anyone who acts out of line next time."

Cyd said in a haunting tone.

"I'll have them disqualified."

"Report! Our Black Faction has always strictly followed the rules!" Astolfo jumped up.

Indeed, as the instigator of the Holy Grail War, the Black Faction was surprisingly obedient, only sealing off their own territory without doing much else. As for hiding the Holy Grail, it was to decide the winner internally, no problem. It was similar to how one Master bribed others before the Holy Grail War began.

In contrast, the Red Faction had bigger issues. Though they appeared to be the passive side, the reality was the Black Faction was being played. As for why…

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon required collecting items from places where Semiramis lived to construct it. Given the current scale of the Hanging Garden, it clearly wasn't something prepared in a day or two.

Rather than saying Shirou Kotomine passively participated in the Holy Grail War, it was more accurate to say he had been waiting for the Holy Grail War to start while the Black Faction naively thought they were ready.

Cyd shot a glance at the pink-haired figure hopping in front of him.

"The Holy Grail War will resume after the sun sets."

With that, Cyd bypassed Astolfo and walked to Jeanne d'Arc's side. "Well done."

"Ah~ Actually, I didn't do anything," Jeanne scratched the back of her head.

"Mm, so well done," Cyd patted the petrified Jeanne.