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The Swirl of the Root (根源の渦, Kongen no Uzu?, "the Vortex of Radix" in the English localization) is a metaphysical location that acts as the "force" that exists at the top of all theories in every dimension, as well as the source of all events and phenomena in the universe. It is also known as the Root (根源, Kongen?, "Radix" in the English localization), the Akashic RecordsWP (アカシックレコード, Akashikkurekōdo?, or simply "AkashaWP"), and occasionally, Heaven (空, Sora?).

The Root is referred to as the "Outside of the World," as opposed to the World and its Reverse Side. Existing outside of time, it stores and archives information of all possibilities and events, past, present, and future, of the world. It is the place from where all souls, including those of Heroic Spirits recorded on the Throne of Heroes, originate from and to where they return after death. At least one dying soul heading towards it sees it as a lightless, colorless vortex that simultaneously contains nothing and everything.[1]

In Kara no Kyoukai, the Swirl of the Root, or Akashic Records, is the name used to pronounce 「 」 (quoted empty space, equivalent of " "). This term corresponds to the "Emptiness" (空, Kara?) in the series' title.[2][3] Although, because the Swirl of the Root is a name, it automatically can't be said to be the same anymore, since 「 」 is a space of nothingness that can't even have a name.

Reaching the Root[]

The ultimate ambition of the magi is to reach the Root and many focus their experiments into discovering a path to it. The First Magic and Fifth Magic were the result of reaching the Root, while the Second Magic, Third Magic, and Fourth Magic were meant as a means to reach it.

There are various methods used in attempts to reach the Root, usually involving reaching the pinnacle of a certain concept. There are also methods meant to reach it through manipulating certain systems, such as the Holy Grail War using Heroic Spirits returning to the Holy Grail as a way of making a hole to it. Once a route is used, it is closed for good upon becoming established. If one isn't entered, it can be left until someone does claim it, thus closing it off for good.

Although Magic was a goal for many magi before the creation of the Fifth Magic, it is not their ultimate objective. The main goal for magi remains the Root itself, and the "truth" of the universe that it holds.

Seeing the Root, touching it and then managing to understand it will completely erase the meaning of "impossible", granting the magus what some would describe as "the capabilities of God".[4] Needless to say, this is impossible for even the most talented magi.

The heiress of the Ryougi family, Shiki Ryougi, belonging to the Demon Hunter Organization, is a special case. Shiki Ryougi was fated to be erased by the Counter Force before birth due to having the Origin of 「 」; however, the Ryougi used specific methods to prevent this from happening. Her third personality born from the body, 「Shiki Ryougi」, can be said to be directly connected to the Root because of her Origin, and she can even be called the Root itself. While Shiki Ryougi can see the Root with her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, 「Shiki Ryougi」 can go even deeper, connecting to where all cause and effect begin and everything and nothing exist.[5]

「Shiki Ryougi」 claims the ability to do anything she wishes, as being connected to it makes her an equivocal existence and she have a equivalence to a transcendence of abstract level of existence. She claims restructuring the laws governing atomic matter, going back in time to change the evolution and development of all life, and reconstructing the orders and laws of the world would be easy for her to accomplish. It is not actually changing the existing world, but instead annihilating the old world with a new world.[6]

Manaka Sajyou possesses the ability to connect to the Swirl of the Root to interfere with reality much like Shiki Ryougi but is limited by the quantity of her Magic Circuits. Although she can use her connection to the Root in order to realize Saber's wish of an eternal Britain, the correcting force of the World's Quantum Time-Lock would easily reverse this. She intends to use Beast of 666 as a boost of magical energy for her abilities, overcoming the limits of her Magic Circuits quantity.

Individuals with a Path to the Root[]

Notable Attempts to Reach the Root[]

  • Souren Araya attempted to reach it by using the path to the Root that Shiki Ryougi's body presented.
  • Touko Aozaki studied the human body while aiming to recreate the original human body, under the belief that modern humans could no longer reach the Root after becoming too diversified genetically.
  • Norikata Emiya wished to accelerate time to observe the end of the universe and the Root that would appear afterwards.
  • Nagato Tohsaka, due to his martial arts background, believed that he could reach Akasha by attaining a state of nothingness and enlightenmentWP.
  • As it has no connection to this actual world, the Holy Church, which is only interested in this world, finds it completely meaningless.

Those who have touched it directly have never returned to the world. Those who have managed to touch it ceased to exist on the spot, as their human souls are either going back to "where they came from", becoming absorbed into the Root, or something similar. The exact details are unknown, so even Magi who have left their names in history have refrained from touching it.

There are also Magicians who have come close to it, but backed away before touching it, like Aoko Aozaki, and magi who have gotten close to it to stabilize their own magecraft in a hurry. Aoko believes that it is possible those who end up there "become God" in a sense, so there is no reason for them to come back. It is also possible they cannot come back because "being God" isn't truly such a wondrous event as humans may think. Both those who succeeded and failed touched it and couldn't return to the world. It may be they told people about it is because the first person to become God wanted companions out of loneliness, or that their work on that side was so massive that they needed other companions.[4]

References[]

  1. The Adventures of Lord El-Melloi II Volume 8: Fem's Casa (Lower) - Chapter 5
  2. [v] Kara no Kyoukai Special Pamphlet - Encyclopedia: 「 」 [Others], p.028-029 [T]

    「 」 [Others]
    If you really wished to pronounce this term, call it "Kara".
    Its meaning varied depending on each individual's understanding. To put it in simple terms, it was the Spiral of Origin.
    However, since the Spiral of Origin was called the Spiral of Origin, it was no longer ' '.
    To properly express this term was a source of headache during the production of the drama CDs.

    「 」【―――】【その他】
    仮《かり》に読み方をつけるとしたら、から。
    受け取り方は人それぞれ。端的に分かりやすくいうのなら、根源の渦。
    が、根源の渦は根源の渦、という名前がある為、やはり「 」とは別物である。
    これをどう台詞《せ り ふ》にしてもらうかがドラマCD時での悩みのタネだった。

  3. [v] Tsukihime Dokuhon PlusPeriod - TSUKIHIME Dictionary: Root [Term], p.179

    Root [Term]
    A term that has nothing to do with the story of Tsukihime at all.
    For more information, please consult Kara no Kyoukai.

    根源【用語】
    月姫本編には関係しない。
    詳しくは空の境界を参照のこと。

  4. 4.0 4.1 Mahoutsukai no Yoru - Chapter 13: "A Story of the Stars"
  5. Kara no Kyoukai - Original Epilogue

    "...Indeed. Shiki is incapable of causing anything but destruction. And as far as you're concerned, I'm Shiki after all."
    "---Shiki?"
    "...My Origin is Nothingness. As a result, Shiki, who is possessed of that body, can perceive death. Two years ago--- when she fell into a coma, the outside world was shut off to her. Her vision turned inward toward the nothingness called Ryougi Shiki, and she felt the touch of death.
    Shiki floated on the sea known as the spiral of origin for a long, long time. A solitary form in the void of 「 」."
    ...With an Origin like "Nothingness" the girl would certainly feel compelled to return everything to nothing.
    Therefore, she was able to kill all things without exception. Even if the personality of Shiki tried to deny it, her soul itself was oriented toward the death of everything.
    "That is Shiki's ability. Just like Asagami Fujino, she has a unique channel that can see things normal humans can't. Eyes that can glimpse the spiral of origin, itself a microcosm of the greater world.

    But, I can dive even deeper than she. Or rather... I suppose you could say that I myself am that spiral."

    「……そうね。式は、壊すことしかできないもの。あなたにとっては、やっぱりわたしは式なんだ わ」
    「――式?」
    「……わたしの起源は虚無だから、その肉体を持つ式は死が視える。二年間――昏睡状態で外界を見ることもで きず、ただ両儀式という虚無を見つめ続けてきた式は、死の手触りを知ってしまったから。
     式はね、ずっと根源の渦と呼ばれる海に浮いていたのよ。ただひとり、「 」のなかで式というカタチをもっ て」
     ……たしかに虚無というものが起源であるのなら、彼女は全てのものを無に|帰《き》したいと思うのだろう 。
     だから例外なく、式はあらゆるモノを殺せた。式という人格が否定しようと、それが彼女の魂の原型なのだか ら。虚無であるが故に、あらゆるものの死を望む方向性――。
    「そう、それが式の能力よ。|浅上藤乃《あさがみ ふじの》と同じ、人とは違ったモノが見れる特殊なチャンネル。根源の渦という世界の縮図を|垣間《かいま》 見られる特別な眼。
     けど、わたしはもっと深いところまで潜っていける。いえ――わたし自身が、その渦なのかもし れないわ」

  6. Kara no Kyoukai - Original Epilogue.
    "Right, that is Shiki's power. Like Fujino she can see channels that normal people can't see, she is able to see the spiral of origin with her eyes. But, I can go even deeper. No... maybe I myself am that spiral."

    ".... Spiral of origin, its where all cause and effect begin, where everything and nothing exist, that is my true identity. Even though we are just connected, but since I am part of it, I too am an equivocal existence, right? That is why I can do anything..hmm like restructuring the laws governing atomic matter, or go back in time to change the evolution and development of all life, to reconstruct the orders and laws of this world is easy for me too. Not making change to the existing world, but rather annihilate the old world with a new world."

Concepts
Bounded FieldConceptual WeaponMagic (Second MagicThird MagicFifth Magic) • Magical Spells (AstromancyGradation AirFlash AirTuning) • Marble PhantasmMystic CodeMystic Eyes (Mystic Eyes of Death Perception) • PsychicReality Marble
Creatures
BicornCentaurDaemonDead ApostleDemonDemon BoarDivine SpiritDollDragonD'yavol TronFairyFamiliarGazerGiantGolemHomunculusHumanHydraLamiaMagicianMagusMixed-BloodOniOuter GodPhantasmal SpeciesSoul EaterSphinxSpiritsVampireUltimate OneTenguTrue AncestorWitchWizardXianYaga
Holy Grail War
Anti-HeroCatalystCommand SpellBlackeningGreater Holy Grail of FuyukiLesser Holy Grail of FuyukiHeroic SpiritHoly GrailIncarnationMasterMirror WorldOverseerNoble PhantasmParameter RulesSaint GraphServant (Class CardDemi-ServantGrand ServantHigh-ServantPseudo-ServantServant Universe) • Servant classesSkill
Organizations
Holy Church (Burial Agency (Remake)) • Chaldea Security OrganizationDemon Hunter OrganizationMage's Association (Clock TowerAtlasWandering Sea) • Spiral ManorSummit CourtThe Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors (Remake)
Terms
AdvantageAkashaAuthorityAnti-Purge DefenseCounter ForceIncantationsImmortalityElementsWorldWorld of MagecraftMagic CircuitMagical EnergyMagic CrestMagical WorkshopMysterySoulSpiritronStarlogResurrectionTextureTime TravelTradition ProtectionParallel WorldQuantum Time-LockUnderworld
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