The Last Requiem at the End of the World - 神威x巡音

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 In a world where the end had been foretold, everyone knew what would happen when the seventh crack appeared in the sky. The sun would gradually lose its light, the earth would crumble into darkness, and the once-prosperous kingdoms, vast forests, and towns blessed with clear, flowing rivers would all disappear with the destruction of the world. Yet, within an ancient legend, there remained one final hope. When a Songstress from another world encountered a Musician whose soul resonated with hers, the two could perform a piece known as the Eternal Requiem. Its melody could reverse everything that had already been destroyed, return time to the moment before the world fell apart, restore life to the barren lands, and mend the shattered sky. But the price was the Songstress's life. No one knew where this prophecy had originated, and no one could change the ending recorded within its ancient words. Not until Megurine Luka appeared in this world. She had originally come from another world, accidentally crossing a rift between two realms and arriving upon this unfamiliar land. Her voice possessed the power to awaken ancient magic, and because of that, the kingdom recognized her as the legendary Songstress. Kamui Gakupo, meanwhile, was the chosen Musician. He was the kingdom's finest knight, possessing swordsmanship powerful enough to protect the Songstress and a talent for allowing magic to resonate through music. He should have been nothing more than her guardian, accompanying her until she fulfilled her mission and then escorting her safely back to the royal capital. Yet fate had not intended for them to remain mere companions. They had fallen in love. Throughout their long journey, Luka had taught Gakupo how to recognize the constellations of her world and explained how the wind felt different in each season. Gakupo, in turn, had taught Luka the swordsmanship of this realm, guided her through quiet forests, and prepared warm tea for her whenever she grew tired. They had watched the dawn together and, on countless nights, rested beside one another while talking about the future to the distant sound of flowing rivers. Until the day of the world's end finally arrived. And now, the two of them stood within the last sanctuary in the royal capital that had not yet collapsed, performing the world's most tragic legend. It was a final performance dedicated to the entire world. Outside the sanctuary, the sky had already split apart. Dark purple clouds churned overhead like countless serpents entwined with one another. In the distance, mountain ranges crumbled amid deafening roars, while the lights of the city went out one by one. The sun, which had once illuminated the land, had been reduced to a faint ring of light. It seemed as though the world were slowly sinking into an endless night. At the center of the sanctuary stood a black grand piano. Gakupo sat on the piano bench, still dressed in his knightly formal attire. His long hair was tied back, with a few purple strands falling beside his face. His violet eyes rested on Luka, who stood beside him. There was none of the composure he usually displayed before his enemies, nor the unwavering determination he carried as a knight. There was only profound reluctance to part with her. Luka gently took his hand. “Gakupo.” “I'm here.” He answered immediately. She looked at him as though she wanted to preserve every detail of this moment in her memory. She remembered the day they had first met, when he had stood in a rain-soaked forest and draped his cloak over her shoulders. She remembered how, when her first attempt at using magic had failed, he had been left covered in soot by the resulting explosion, yet had still earnestly told her that she would succeed next time. She also remembered how, whenever she grew sad at night from missing her home, he would quietly sit beside her and let her hold his hand until she could smile again. Those memories were so vivid. So vivid that she could hardly accept that they had already reached the end of their story. “Do you remember the first day we played music together?” Luka asked softly. Gakupo paused for a moment. “I remember. Back then, you didn't believe I could understand the magic within your voice.” “Because you looked far too serious.” “I have always been serious.” “Yes.” She smiled, but her eyes gradually reddened. “That's why I fell in love with you.” Gakupo tightened his grip on her hand. There were so many things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her that he remembered every melody they had performed together, the slight curve of her lips whenever she sang, and the way she would turn to call his name beneath the morning light. More than anything, he wanted to tell her that if fate had determined this ending from the very beginning, he would rather never have met her at all. At least then, she would not have to endure such a fate. But he knew he could not say those words. Luka had never been someone who would abandon others for the sake of her own happiness. And he could never stand by and watch her bear this final burden alone. Gakupo raised his hand and gently brushed the pink strands away from her forehead, tucking them behind her ear. “Are you ready?” Luka took a deep breath. “Yes.” She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “This time, let me protect you.” Gakupo closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “Then I'll stay by your side the entire time.” There were no farewells, nor any unnecessary vows. They both understood that once the music began, there would be no stopping it. Gakupo placed both hands upon the piano keys. As the first note rang out, the magical runes throughout the sanctuary illuminated. It was an ancient summoning melody. The deep, distant piano notes rose along the stone pillars, pierced the shattered dome, and resonated with the ever-widening cracks in the sky. Each note seemed to originate from the moment the world itself had first been born, awakening the power that lay dormant deep beneath the earth. Luka closed her eyes and began to sing. Her voice was clear and gentle, without fear or resentment. Her song traveled through the sanctuary, crossed the collapsing city, and reached the forests and oceans that were disappearing before the world's eyes. The flowers that had already withered trembled faintly in response to her voice. Silver light emerged along the cracked riverbeds, and countless stars scattered across the sky began to shine again. It was the miracle of the Songstress. And it was also the price she was paying. As the melody deepened, Luka felt her strength gradually slipping away. At first, only her fingertips grew cold. Then her legs began to lose their strength, and even breathing became more difficult than before. Yet she did not stop singing. Because she could see it. Through the visions revealed by the magic, she watched collapsing walls fit themselves together again. She saw dead trees sprout tender new leaves and villages swallowed by darkness slowly regain their former appearance. The world was turning backward. Everything that had been destroyed was following the flow of time, returning to the way it had once been. And behind her, Gakupo remained seated at the piano, accompanying her until every note of the melody had been played. His fingers never stopped. Even when his fingertips trembled from the backlash of the magic, even when an invisible force seemed to crush his chest, he refused to let a single note stray from its intended course. He was her knight. He was also her Musician. Above all, he was the person in this world who least wanted to lose her. When the final passage began, every crack in the sky finally started to close. Sunlight pierced the clouds once more. The distant mountains regained their former shapes. The collapsed towns reappeared across the land, and the lost waters returned to their original riverbeds. It was as though the world were awakening from a long nightmare, with everything that had been destroyed returning to its rightful place along the reversed flow of time. Luka sang the final line. Her voice was so faint that it was almost inaudible. The last syllable dissolved into the air. At that very moment, the piano fell silent. The entire sanctuary became frighteningly quiet. Gakupo remained in his playing posture, his hands suspended above the keys. He gazed at the sky, which had finally returned to its former brilliance, yet there was no joy in his eyes at having fulfilled their mission. Because he heard the faint sound of movement beside him. “Luka?” She did not answer. The strength that had kept her standing finally vanished, and she began to fall forward. Gakupo rose from the piano bench almost instantly. He did not even have time to consider his own legs, weakened by the backlash of the magic. He simply reached out and swiftly caught her in his arms. “Luka!” His voice rang through the empty sanctuary, filled with urgency. Her body felt so light that it frightened him. Her hands hung limply at her sides, her long hair spilling across his arms, and her once-clear blue eyes struggled to remain open from sheer exhaustion. Gakupo held her tightly and slowly lowered himself to his knees, finally settling onto the cold stone floor with her. He cradled Luka against his chest, one arm securely supporting her shoulders and back while his other hand carefully protected the back of her head, preventing her from striking it against the ground as her strength failed her. “Look at me, Luka.” He lowered his head, struggling to keep his voice steady. “Can you hear me?” Her eyelashes trembled. After a long moment, she managed to open her eyes. When she recognized the familiar face before her, a faint smile finally appeared on her lips. “Gakupo...” “I'm here.” He answered immediately, holding her more securely. “I've been here the entire time.” Luka seemed relieved at last. She tried to lift her hand but discovered that even such a simple movement had become difficult. Gakupo noticed what she was trying to do and gently took her hand, pressing her cold fingertips against his palm. Her gaze fell upon their joined hands. “Has the world... been restored?” “Yes.” Gakupo looked at her and nodded gently. “The sky has returned to normal, and the towns have reappeared. You did it, Luka.” Her eyes brightened slightly. “That's wonderful...” The words were as light as a sigh. She tried to smile more brightly, but tears gradually gathered at the corners of her eyes. “Those people... everyone will be able to keep living.” “Yes.” “The forest will grow flowers again, and the rivers will keep flowing...” “Yes.” Gakupo answered her again and again. He did not hurry her, nor did he ask her to stop speaking. He simply stroked her hair tenderly, allowing her to speak about everything still weighing on her heart at her own pace. Luka rested against his chest, listening to the familiar sound of his heartbeat. It was the most reassuring sound she had ever known in this otherworldly realm. “Gakupo... thank you.” His fingers paused for a moment. “Why are you thanking me all of a sudden?” “Because... you've always been with me.” Luka's voice was broken and intermittent, yet she continued to struggle to make herself understood. “When I first arrived in this world, I knew nothing. I didn't know why I had come here, and I didn't know how to return home... Back then, I was truly frightened.” Gakupo lowered his eyes and listened quietly. “But you never abandoned me.” She gently tightened her fingers around his. “You helped me learn about this world, practiced magic with me, and taught me how to read the writing here. Whenever I thought I couldn't do something, you always told me to try one more time.” She paused to catch her breath. Gakupo immediately looked down at her, placing his palm gently against her forehead. “Take your time. There's no need to rush.” “Mm...” Luka obediently answered. He stroked her hair with a tenderness that seemed almost afraid of disturbing a wounded little bird. “You've done so well, Luka. Truly.” Hearing those words, she could no longer hold back her tears. Not because she was afraid, nor because she regretted her choice. It was simply because she understood all too well how precious the person before her truly was. She had once believed that she was merely a traveler who had accidentally passed through this world. Once she found a way home, she would leave and remember everything she had experienced as an extraordinary dream. But Gakupo had taught her that some encounters did not become unreal simply because they happened between different worlds. She had found a place where she belonged. She had found someone to care about. And she had found someone she would always want to return to, no matter where she went. “I'm so happy... that I met you.” Luka spoke through her tears. “If I hadn't met you, I would have been so afraid of this world.” Gakupo's eyes finally reddened. He lowered his head and rested his forehead gently against the crown of her head, struggling to suppress the trembling in his throat. “Me too.” He said nothing more. He simply continued to stroke her hair, allowing her to rest against him in peace. After a while, he spoke again. “Luka, listen to me.” His voice was low and gentle, yet more resolute than before. “You've already fulfilled your mission, but you don't have to bear anything alone anymore. Let me take care of you now, all right?” Luka slowly raised her eyes. “But... I've already...” “Don't think about that right now.” Gakupo interrupted her gently, without the slightest hint of reproach. He merely drew her a little closer, allowing her to rest more comfortably against him. “All you need to do now is rest. When you want to talk, I'll listen. When you want to close your eyes for a while, I'll stay with you.” He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “So please, don't rush to say goodbye to me.” Those words brought fresh tears to Luka's eyes. She reached out and struggled to grasp the front of his clothes, as though she feared that if she let go, she would lose the last place where she could find support. Gakupo immediately held her hand. “I'm here.” He told her once again. “Luka, I'm right here.” She looked at him, her eyes filled with exhaustion, uncertainty, and an attachment too deep to relinquish. “Please... don't be sad, all right?” Gakupo did not answer immediately. He knew what she was worried about. He also knew that every expression on his face might become one of her final memories. So he forced himself to lift the corners of his lips, offering her the gentle smile she knew best. “Then promise me one thing.” “What is it...?” “Stay and talk with me a little longer.” He gently wiped the tears from her cheek. “Just like we used to. You can tell me what the stars look like in your world, or tell me where you'd still like to go. I'll listen carefully and remember every word.” Luka gazed at him in silence. After a while, she nodded faintly. “All right...” She rested her face against his chest once more, listening to his heartbeat as she struggled to find enough strength to speak. “Then you have to remember... there are still so many things we haven't done.” “I remember.” “We haven't watched the sunrise over the sea together... and we haven't returned to that forest filled with white flowers...” “Mm. We haven't gone there yet.” “And... you promised to teach me how to finish that unfinished piece of music.” Gakupo's fingers paused in her hair. That piece was a melody they had composed together during their journey. It had a gentle opening and a bright middle section, but it had never received its final ending. Gakupo had originally intended to finish it slowly with Luka once everything had settled down. He had never imagined that this promise would become something she still struggled to remember at the end of the world. “I remember.” He answered again, his voice now carrying a tremor he could barely conceal. “I'll teach you. Once you've rested enough, we'll finish writing it together.” Luka seemed satisfied with his answer. She gently closed her eyes, yet continued to hold his hand tightly. Gakupo lowered his head and watched her. Outside the sanctuary, sunlight illuminated the reborn land. In the distance, birds began to sing again. A gentle breeze passed through the broken stone pillars, lifting Luka's loose pink hair. The world had been saved, countless lives had been given the chance to continue their journeys, and the sanctuary that had witnessed their final performance had finally welcomed peace once more. Yet Gakupo's world remained frozen at the moment she had fallen. He held Luka tightly in his arms, stroking her hair again and again as he quietly told her that he was right there. He did not release her hand. Nor did he allow her to face whatever came next alone. “Luka, can you hear me?” She gave a faint response. “Mm...” Gakupo gently kissed her forehead. “Good. Then stay with me a little longer.” His voice was so tender that it almost sounded like a plea. “We still have so much to talk about.” Luka did not answer. She merely tightened her grip on his hand a little. That small response made Gakupo lower his head again, holding her more securely against him. He still did not know whether the price described in the legend was truly impossible to change. He did not know what else he could do for her. But at least, in this moment, he could still feel her hand. He could still hear her voice. He could still let her lean against him. So he would not stop speaking. He would not stop stroking her hair. And he would not write an ending to their story on her behalf while she still needed him. “I love you, Luka.” At last, he spoke the words he had kept hidden in his heart since the performance began. “So please, keep listening to me a little longer.” Sunlight fell upon them both. Leaning against a pillar in the sanctuary, Gakupo held his weakened beloved in his arms, gently resting his forehead against hers. The world had been reborn. And he remained by her side, waiting for the next moment when they could hold one another's hands again.