Root

The **Swirl of the Root** (根源の渦, *Kongen no Uzu*), also known as the **Root** (根源, *Kongen*), or the **Akashic Records** (アカシックレコード, *Akashikku Rekoudo*), is a location within the Universe 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. 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.

It is referred to as the "Swirl" because the entire universe rotates around it, much like a wheel around its spoke.

## The Root and Karma

All karma held by beings in the heavenly realms and the underworld is gradually retrieved by the Root. It is naturally attracted to the Root in a spiral motion, much like how gravity pulls water down a drain. The flow of karma can be harnessed to produce mana, thus the Root is also responsible for the proliferation of mana and the ability to use Magecraft.

## Reaching the Root

The Root can be reached by becoming enlightened. Thus, over the near infinite number of past creation-destruction cycles (*Maha-Kalpa*) of the universe, countless of people have reached the Root. In our current creation-destruction cycle, 4 people have reached the Root, with one final Buddha remaining before the universe is destroyed.

Their names are:

 Konagamana
 Kassapa
 Gotama (current)
 Metteyya

However, reaching enlightenment takes a myriad of lifetimes to achieve.

Thus, the ultimate ambition of the Magi is to reach the Root in their lifetime and many focus their experiments on discovering a path to it. There are various methods used in attempts to reach it, 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 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.

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". Needless to say, this is impossible for even the most talented magi.

## Individuals with a Path to the Root

* Magicians, such as Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg and Aoko Aozaki, draw their Magic directly from the Root.
* Shiki Ryougi's body is directly connected to the Root, due to her origin being "emptiness".
* Manaka Sajyou's body has been directly connected to the Root ever since she was born.
* Satsuki Kurogiri's Unified Language acts as a door to the Root.
* The Earth Mother Goddess appears to draw its power from the Root.[4]

## 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, attempted to reach Akasha by attaining a state of nothingness and enlightenment in his lifetime.
* As it has no connection to this actual world, the Church, which is only interested in this world, finds it completely meaningless.

Those who have touched it directly without being enlightened have never returned to the world. They exploded into atoms and had their soul retrieved by the Root.

To try and touch the Root without being enlightened is tantamount to suicide. Thus, organizations who wish to reach the Root are unwittingly operating as suicide cults.

Certain magi have theorized that it may be possible to get close to the Root and harness its power from a safe distance. However. according to modern research, no one has done this and lived to tell the tale...