Chapter 60

You need to be at the bottom in order to become peerless through knowledge of the original work

The young boy Kazaoka Tsubasa met a mysterious woman named Raphael, and from the following day, their interactions deepened.

Just like Tsubasa, who possessed the supernatural ability of "Gale," Raphael, who excelled at manipulating wind, taught him kindly, carefully, and thoroughly, and her explanations were easier to understand than anyone else’s. On the surface, Tsubasa respected her as his teacher (shishou).

One year later, at the age of ten, an incident made Tsubasa's feelings for her grow stronger.

The string of kidnappings of individuals with supernatural abilities by the evil organization “PSYence,” in which he had been caught up, was resolved when she made a gallant appearance to save the day.

Tsubasa had unfortunately become one of the victims of the incident. Trapped in a cold storage room, in the midst of giving up, he saw her extend her hand to him gently, and his eyes trembled.

“Raphael, nee-san…”

“Let’s go home, Tsubasa. This isn’t where you belong.”

“…Yeah… yeah…!”

As soon as Raphael heard that Tsubasa had been kidnapped from the orphanage, she rushed to his aid, her back adorned with four snow white wings.

At the time, she tried to brush it off by saying, “It’s just an application of supernatural abilities,” but from the viewers’ perspective, it was a rather unnatural deception.

Well, since chronology-wise, the existence of angel-type holy beasts hadn’t been revealed in the story yet, I suppose the excuse might hold up. If it were me, though, I’d go into the offensive and say, “Actually, I’m an angel who came from the skies to save you,” and coax him into believing me.

Still, that kind of awkward attempt at deception… is nice, isn’t it?

I admired the way she exposed her true identity as a non-human being without any fear of being exposed for the sake of Tsubasa.

Man, Raphael-san is so cool. I wish I could pull off something like that. I’ve rescued shitty brats kidnapped by PSYence before, but I doubt I did it with as much style.

Oh, the ending’s starting. It’s that nostalgic traditional stop-and-pull direction*. (tl note: intro starts playing at the end of the story, and just as the melody and tension reach their peak, it switches to the ending video)

The harmonica accompaniment in this track is pretty tasteful. It fits Raphael-san’s theme perfectly. Is this a special ending? The visuals focus entirely on Tsubasa and Raphael, with the other Savers barely appearing, it almost feels like Tsubasa is the protagonist of this ending.

But this flashback episode is longer than I expected. They used the entire B part of the previous episode and all of this one, and it still continues into the next. If it hadn’t been trimmed by Charon-sama’s editing, it would have taken up quite a bit of time. (tl note: A = before the commercial, B = after the commercial, C = after the ending)

『The next one is the last.』

Oh, is that so? So we’ll finally learn the whole story next.

Since I already know Raphael-san has already departed, it reeks of an inevitable bad ending… I’ll need to steel myself to watch it!

Yes.

Right now, following the goddess-like person, the will of the World Tree Sefira, Charon-sama’s intention, the two of us are appreciating the anime harmoniously.

The episode we just watched was Episode 37 of Fairy Savers ∞, titled “Tsubasa and Raphael.”

Despite having just finished Episode 4 moments ago, we jumped ahead to this episode because it reveals the story I was eager to know──the story where Tsubasa’s past is revealed.

It wasn’t from a commercially available Blu-ray, but a recording stored on Charon’s personal hard drive… Of course, the commercials were cut out, and the content was edited to include only the scenes in which Tsubasa and Raphael appear.

To have prepared something like this, is Tsubasa Charon-sama’s favorite? I get that she's popular with the ladies, but are you one of them too?

『The actions of the saviors are all compiled individually.』

Oh… so you’re an all-out stan for everyone. Sorry for being presumptuous.

『I knew you wished to know about Kazaoka Tsubasa and Raphael’s past. Therefore, I prepared it.』

So she made this in advance for me? You're such a considerate goddess. That’s a big help!

Yes, it really is a big help. When I asked her, “What happened in Tsubasa’s past?” and she suddenly grabbed the remote and started searching through the hard drive, I had no idea what was happening, but I never expected her to tell me in such a way.

In the new anime "Fairy Savers ∞," which I didn’t know about, the past of Kazaoka Tsubasa, which wasn’t explored in the original series, is depicted in detail.

By watching it, I was able to acquire the proper "knowledge of the original work" that is useful for intervening in the said original work.

It's true that this method of actually watching the original anime provides the most accurate information, and it’s very fitting as an original protagonist who becomes peerless through knowledge of the original work.

But still… I couldn't help but make a complicated face. I mean, you know?

As someone who has talked with the real Kazaoka Tsubasa in the real world, I felt a slight sense of guilt about peeking into his past in this way.

Well, I don’t even know what I’m saying after flaunting my knowledge of the original work to no end until now. Still, something about prying into his precious memories gave me complex feelings.

But... putting that aside, Fairy Savers ∞ is incredibly well-made!

The consistent quality of the illustration goes without saying.

The voice cast, unchanged from the original, seems even more matured as actors, vividly coloring each scene.

Although the later opening was cut out due to Charon-sama’s edits for some reason, the BGM was excellent across the board. Honestly, I wished they had released this before my previous life’s me died.

And, as I casually mentioned earlier, with "Episode 37," the episode count has already surpassed the total number of episodes in the original Fairy Savers.

Could it be that due to its popularity, they’re planning to go up to 50 episodes or so? If my generation's anime is popular with today’s kids, I’ll be very happy.

Is it because of the characters? "En, Tsubasa, Chouta are so cool! Akari-chan and Mea-chan are so cute!" It feels like it’s becoming popular in that way too.

By the way, it seems that the latest episode, Episode 38, has just recently aired.

Since this is an episode about Tsubasa’s past, it feels completely standalone compared to the others, but with the quality being this high, I’m intensely curious how it’s going with the main story.

Maybe they’re now taking their time with the "Isekai Arc," which was rushed in the original series? If that’s the case, it sounds interesting.

...Hey, Charon-sama, is it okay if I watch all the episodes here?

『You don’t have enough time for that. Even for you, the limit is 30 minutes. If you exceed that, you won’t be able to return to your original world』

Oh dear, that’s a shame. I guess taking my time watching Episodes 1 through 4 wasn’t a good idea... If there’s a time limit, I should’ve just asked you to pick out the parts that seemed important.

Ah, perhaps while I’ve been doing this, Kaballah-chan and Binah-sama have been waiting outside the entire time?

『That's right.』

Yikes... In that case, maybe I should head back, explain the situation to them, and then come back here.

Would that be okay?

『You can’t. The me that’s here is just a temporary piece (fission) inserted by Sefira. By the time you come back, I’ll no longer exist here.』

"I see..."

Hmm... So that means your real body is with the World Tree Sefira.

Either way, our next destination after this island is there, so I guess that works out perfectly.

──Alright, let's watch the next episode and head back.

『...Understood. I will comply with your request.』

After a serious pause, Charon-sama operated the TV remote with a solemn expression. She has a goddess-like face, but what she was doing was far too mundane.

However, her expression was exactly that of a warrior heading into a decisive battle, so I refrained from making any unnecessary comments and silently decided to witness the last part of "Kazaoka Tsubasa’s Recollections Arc."

The subtitle is... "And the Angel Became the Wind."

For some reason, I’m already getting an ominous feeling about this. Oh, it’s starting.

…..

…!

….!?

Do your best, Raphael-san!

…..

…

...Ahh… Ahhhh...!

"Sniff..."

After watching the whole thing, I was crying.

What the heck… The fleeting yet beautiful final moments of the angel, Raphael-san, brought tears streaming down my face.

Fairy Savers ∞ Episode 38: "And the Angel Became the Wind"──I watched it all with my own eyes.

I see... so Tsubasa had a past like this.

Raphael-san… From start to finish, you were such a good person. You were undoubtedly an angel.

Raphael-san became the wind.

She sacrificed her whole life to seal away the “Qlippoth of the abyss,” which had attacked the human world.

──Yes, the Abyss.

It happened when Tsubasa was 12 years old, on the day of his elementary school graduation ceremony.

It's now the third year since Tsubasa and Raphael's teacher and student relationship began, and seeing her beloved pupil grow so well, Raphael smiled, pleased that he was nearly ready to stand on his own and achieve Fairy Burst.

In the previous episode, Tsubasa was still a young boy, but by this point, he was starting to resemble his current self and had become a boy who balanced innocence and coolness.

──Then, one day, a gate to another world suddenly opened in the town where they lived.

What emerged from the ominous gate wasn’t a holy beast that had lost its way… but a shapeless, slime-like entity—an Abyss.

The Abyss consumed a passing thug and began indiscriminately attacking the townspeople.

The local Savers were dispatched, but they couldn’t respond in time.

Starting with the first Abyss to appear, as more swarmed through the gates, the entire town was thrown into chaos.

──And that’s when our angel, Raphael-san, arrived.

Realizing immediately that the enemy was the Abyss, she shed her human disguise, revealing her six wings as she descended upon the town. Not four wings, but six. After taking care of Tsubasa, she herself had evolved to a higher rank as an angel.

Of course, she had left Tsubasa behind. While he could defend himself to some degree, he was still too inexperienced to jump into the maelstrom. When he insisted, "I’m coming too!" Raphael refused, promising they’d meet again before diving into battle alone.

And──her figure as she single-handedly fought off the hordes of Abyss, which even the town’s Savers had a hard time with, was nothing short of spectacular.

When she made that promise with Tsubasa, it felt like a blatant death flag was raised, but to my surprise, she was fighting so well that I thought, “Huh? Maybe she’ll actually survive this?”

However, the situation changed drastically when reinforcements appeared from the gate after most of the enemies had been dealt with.

“Qlippoth of the abyss... Kaitzul!”

Seeing its figure, exuding a malevolence far beyond that of a regular Abyss, Raphael-san within the story shouted.

At that moment, I was shocked and thought, “You again!”

That Kaitzul… He’s the mastermind behind Chesed's absence, right? Fuck that guy.

With nowhere to direct my emotions, I stared intently at the goddess-like Charon-sama.

She watched the screen with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

I see... So this “Qlippoth of the abyss” is also a new character introduced in Fairy Savers ∞, just like Mea-chan.

That means that even though this is a reboot, it’s not just a rehash of the original.

As someone who watched the old anime, this makes it fresh and interesting, but living in this world for real, it’s an extremely tough development.

With enemies far stronger than those in the old series, it’s understandable why someone like me, a cheat original protagonist, would feel like jumping in.

...Wait a minute. Isn’t Kaitzul supposed to be sealed in the dimensional rift? Then why does he keep popping in and out so frequently? What’s going on here!? Explain, Keter!

『That is Kaitzul, but also not Kaitzul. That is a piece that has been separated from Kaitzul’s main unit.』

Oh, thanks for the explanation.

I was planning to ask Keter, who seemed like the most knowledgeable yet most likely to mess things up, but the girl next to me kindly explained it.

In a manner of speaking, the World Tree Sefira is like a mother closely tied to the archangels… so her information should be as trustworthy as Ein Sof’s.

『Mother…?』

What's with that pigeon hit by a peashooter face? (tl note: japanese idiom meaning “The appearance of having one's eyes widened in shock)

But Kaitzul... even while sealed, he creates fragments of himself and sends them outside. What a nuisance.

Since the main body is sealed, couldn’t Keter or Chokmah just deal with him easily?

『It is possible to defeat him, but it is impossible to annihilate him. Unless it’s with the power of an supernatural ability user who has reached Fairy Burst, he will continue to reincarnate, growing stronger each time.』

Ah, I see... That’s why they can’t just defeat him outright.

What a pain… Judging by how how strong Adyeshach’s regeneration was, you probably can’t just leave him half-dead whenever he stirs trouble either. In order to neutralize him without killing it or keeping him alive, sealing it is the best solution.

...Not that incapacitating him’s working right now.

『...I’m sorry.』

N-no, I’m not blaming you, Charon-sama!

I may be an original protagonist, but lecturing (SEKKYOU) good people for their efforts with a condescending attitude feels too much like a power-harassing boss, and I don’t like that.

“Still, this is…”

Kaitzul’s fragment mimicked Raphael-san’s appearance, unleashing a power even greater than the real thing.

Corresponding to the angel Raphael-san, he looks like a fallen angel.

On the screen, an intense battle with movie version-level animation unfolded, and the entire town looked as if it had been hit by a massive hurricane.

Both were strong.

Raphael-san demonstrated power that rivaled the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, while Kaitzul’s fragment, far beyond a typical Abyss, displayed strength that was unbelievable for just a fragment.

And then──

Raphael-san unleashed all of her power and ended up in simultaneous strike with Kaitzul's fragment.

Even as her abdomen was pierced, she clung on desperately, and even as half her body turned to particles of light, she managed to pierce the enemy's head with a spear of wind.

As she began to fade along with Kaitzul’s fragment, she gently called out to her beloved disciple──Kazaoka Tsubasa, who had rushed to the scene, breathless.

"Tsubasa, I affirm you. Even if others deny you, I love you. Just like me, one day, you… will meet someone who truly understands you. So I bless your future… eternally."

Amid the silent stage, Tsubasa wept large tears and cried out, while Raphael-san kept smiling until the very end.

The words she left were her final lesson for her beloved pupil.

"So don’t worry about me. You must live for the future, Tsubasa."

"...! Nee-san... Nee-saaan!!"

Seeing him crying and shouting, Raphael sighed.

Perhaps she feared that her death would become a trauma etched into his heart and weigh on him for life… So seeing him like that, she used the last of her strength to seal his memories.

And as the boy fell asleep, she──the kind-hearted angel, Raphael, became the wind and disappeared from the world.

Then, an emotional special ending played.

Seeing the illustration of her diligently guiding the young Tsubasa brought my tear ducts to complete collapse.

I already knew from the information Tsubasa himself had shared that the story would lead to her parting with him in death, and I was prepared for it.

Still, this is… After they went through such great lengths in the previous episode to carefully depict their interactions! Does the screenwriter have no heart…!?

Ugh… how could they… how could they…

“...Raphael…”

“Tuner, Eight…”

Ah, thanks for rubbing my back, Charon-sama.

I've always been weak at these sorts of things.

Seeing me bawling disgracefully, Charon-sama also wore a sad expression.

──But I'll fight. I'll show you I’ll fight.

Now, I’ve come to understand Kazaoka Tsubasa better than I did before.

Even though I can’t come up with any concrete solutions for his depression, the motivation driving my actions is worlds apart from what it was before seeing this.

That’s right, if saving the characters of the original work is the mission of an original protagonist, then… helping him rebuild his heart, drowning in the sorrow of losing his older sister, is what I must do now!

…I had a beloved older sister too.

In that sense, I also wanted to get closer to him, even if just a little.

You’re going to get the full force of my original protagonist powers! Prepare yourself, Tsubasa.

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