2-2. I will be back
#S02
There is a saying that when people are too surprised, they become stiff.
Judging from experience, this is an expression that makes some sense.
This was the case with Adeshan, who was unexpectedly kissed under the polar lights, and with Varen, who was handed a club activity plan a long time ago.
Even now, when I suddenly call Asher’s name, he becomes paralyzed, as if struck by lightning.
But I had a hard time empathizing with that expression.
Even when I was shocked to the point where my hair straightened out, my hands always moved reflexively.
“Sarante.”
It was like that this time too.
When Sarante suddenly appeared, I swung my sword instead of stiffening or giving him a welcoming hug.
The blade came to rest in front of Sarante’s neck, a leaf apart.
“······.”
The sword was stained with Brigia’s blood.
Drops of blood naturally sprayed onto his neck.
Although it must have been quite a scary experience, the old elf’s eyes did not waver.
As I was facing him, I slowly lowered my sword.
“It’s true. “I thought it was an illusion like last time.”
“Last time?”
“That happened. Nice to meet you Sarante.”
“I’m happy too. “Looking at your reaction, I’m sure it’s Ronan.”
Sarante laughed.
A gentle smile stimulates nostalgia.
Except for the strange clothes, everything was just as I remembered.
What was in front of me now was the elf who served me tea straight from the temple in the Vaidian Mountains.
“There are so many things I want to ask.”
It was just confusing.
The Sarante I knew was still frozen in stone.
After the war with Nebula Clazier, he appeared before me briefly, but it was not Sarante, but Seniel, who had changed his appearance.
Moreover, Phrygia was clearly the woman whose head I had cut off with my own hands.
There’s no way he’s alive.
The memory of burying him in the Baidian Mountains under drizzling rain was still vivid.
Sarante hesitated.
“I understand. But, if possible, may I briefly explain it to you? “I don’t have much time.”
“You don’t have time?”
“yes. After just a few minutes, I was kicked out at my original time. With Brigia getting involved, the time they could stay was further reduced. “I also want to have a serious conversation with Ronan at this time of year, but it’s just a pity.”
“This is some kind of bullshit again.”
It was difficult to understand what was being said.
Sarante was calmly wiping the blood from his neck with a handkerchief.
I frowned as I thought back on what I was saying.
“So… are you really from the future?”
“That’s right. “You understand quickly.”
“You’re really hitting the nail on the head. “Can you prove it?”
“of course. I am in a position where I have to persuade Ronan no matter what. Would you like to see this first?”
Sarante took out a sphere from his arms.
Small letters were engraved on the surface of the fist-sized lump.
Paaaat!
The letters glowed white, and a three-dimensional image appeared above the sphere.
“what···!”
“It’s a new product from Didican Industries. “I’m glad I was able to fully convey what happened in the future.”
A familiar name was mentioned, but I did not respond.
It was hard to believe that the scene unfolding in the video was real.
As I watched the devastation, I could barely speak.
“···So, this is the future?”
“That’s right. Ronan.”
“If you’re joking, stop it now. “Right now, I’ll just treat it as a broken nose.”
“I’m not funny enough to use something like this as a source of humor.”
Sarante smiled bitterly.
Actually, I asked knowingly.
There was no one who would giggle while watching something like this.
My eyes were fixed on the video even while we were talking.
– Bwaaaaaaaa! Run away!
– Autocannon fire begins! Hold on while the Dainhar Brigade comes!
The city was under attack.
The skyscrapers and neon signs rising along the main street hinted at the passage of time.
Terrified people were screaming and running away.
Winged giants roamed above their heads.
– Elkines carries out the sentence.
– Everything is according to His will.
Every time the spear of light struck, a huge explosion exploded.
The hemispherical force field was blocking the attack, but it seemed like it wouldn’t be able to hold out for long.
An army armed with futuristic weapons was fighting desperately.
On the ground, fanatics dressed in pure white clothes were besieging the city.
“Nonsense.”
I almost pulled the hilt of the sword without realizing it.
The bald men, as pale as octopuses, were undoubtedly the invaders.
These are the people who annihilated the people of this planet while pooping on them.
It was impossible.
I definitely made them extinct.
By personally destroying the power that was the source of the race, he even liberated the souls that had been captured by them.
But how?
What am I doing at that time?
The video ended before we knew it.
As the light of the sphere faded, darkness fell.
I opened my mouth with my eyes focused on empty space.
“Sarante.”
“yes. Ronan.”
“What am I doing in the future, but my nose isn’t even visible? What about Adeshan, Asher, and Schlieffen?”
“that······.”
Sarante trailed off.
He looked into my eyes for a long time and eventually lowered his gaze without answering.
Like a spy trying to keep a secret despite harsh interrogation.
A huge pendulum fell on my heart.
“no way.”
“…Everyone is still safe. The ones who immediately sent me to the past were Asher and Erzebet. However, I don’t know how long I can endure if this situation prolongs.”
“Not yet?”
“yes. We are in a situation of great overload. Their numbers are much greater than before. “Even the savior is not here this time…”
Sarante sighed.
I didn’t bother to ask any more about what happened to people in the future.
I didn’t think I would be able to maintain my composure if I heard the truth.
“Holy shit.”
I felt dizzy.
I also felt nauseous.
Happy days were passing through my mind.
What comes to mind most clearly is what happened just a few days ago.
I was lying on the floor with Adeshan’s knee cut.
My right ear was stuck to my stomach.
She gently stroked my head and asked if I felt a kick.
Even though it is not yet time for the fetus to arrive.
– Oh, I can’t hear you.
– Still, listen carefully. Do you know anything?
– If it kicks now, it’s not a baby, it’s a monster.
Afterwards, we had a conversation about common topics for prospective parents.
It’s trivial things like what to name the child or who you want the child to be more like.
In between chats, I kissed her belly button, which was not yet swollen.
Adeshan giggled, saying it was ticklish.
“Whoa…Whoa…!”
It was difficult to breathe.
The sound of giggling laughter was ringing in my ears.
What is certain is that neither of us had any doubts that a happy future awaited us.
“···Is there no way to stop it?”
“there is. “That’s why I came.”
“That’s good. Please tell me quickly.”
My vision was narrowing.
The sound of my heart beating was heavier than usual.
I slowly wiped my face and muttered very softly.
“Because it feels like my body is going to explode.”
“······!”
Sarante flinched.
For a moment, it seemed like the forest was shaking, and then thousands of birds took off and flapped.
The silence that fell.
A drop of cold sweat ran down Sarante’s temple.
“······That’s right. “If it’s okay, could you please calm down a little?”
“yes? iced coffee.”
It was only then that I realized that I couldn’t control my emotions.
After taking a few deep breaths, the feeling of death calmed down.
I scratched the back of my head as if I had no shame.
“sorry. “You acted like a brat.”
“no. Rather, I think I understand why you sent me to this time period, Ronan.”
Sarante laughed.
His gentle face was already soaked with sweat.
It was a sign that he was trying hard not to lose consciousness.
He continued.
“Ronan. Do you know the concept of parallel worlds?”
The moment I heard the word parallel world, my eyes lit up.
This was a topic I had discussed with Asher just a few hours ago.
“···I heard roughly.”
“Aha, then the explanation will be quick. “The giants you just saw all came from a parallel world.”
“yes?”
“There are a total of three parallel worlds that resemble our world. These are all worlds that have been destroyed or are scheduled to be destroyed by Nebula Clage. The door leading to those places has been opened.”
I just blinked.
I wanted to ask in-depth questions, but it seemed like there would be no end if I did that.
I assumed that everything Sarante said was true and then asked a question.
“···great. Let’s say that’s the case in a parallel world. “But why three?”
“It’s simple. My wife. So, Adeshan has returned three times.”
“What the fuck?”
I cursed without realizing it.
It was rude, but it couldn’t be helped.
Who wouldn’t say harsh words after being hit on the head with a brick?
“You must be embarrassed. Of course, this is not information that everyone knows. It was only after the Nebula Clage invasion occurred that Adeshan revealed that he was a regressor in order to cooperate in investigating the cause. “Such a conclusion was reached after scholars of the time put their heads together.”
“So what Asher said was true? He said that when he turns back time, the world does not disappear, but that he moves on to a new parallel world.”
“Half right and half wrong. To be exact, a parallel world was created every time Adeshan returned. He lost his life and at the same time created a new world, moved there and lived a new life. A life of overthrowing Nebula Clazier.”
“I was so dumbfounded… was that real?”
I was truly shocked.
It was the moment when the delusion that had been bothering me recently was revealed to be the truth.
There was no salvation in the world where Adeshan disappeared.
The abandoned world was holding its breath like a beached whale, waiting for its imminent end.
Maybe he has already become a cold corpse.
Sarante continued.
“So Adeshan won’t be there in the parallel world. This is the world after death. What Ronan must do is travel through three parallel worlds, destroy the rift connecting the future, and find and kill Akasha.”
“Akasha?”
“Now that you think about it, I didn’t tell you… It’s the root of all the evil that led to this situation.”
Sarante’s brow furrowed slightly.
A spark of hatred bloomed in his eyes.
“A disaster that appears in the future. He is the first wizard in history to be able to manipulate parallel worlds. “I’m also good at other types of magic.”
“You sound like a crazy bastard just listening to it. Even Asher can’t do that, right?”
“That’s right. Mages Asher and Erzebet succeeded in sending me to the past after squeezing out most of their magical power, but they were unable to touch the parallel world in the end. “If it’s not Akasha, it’s impossible to even enter the crack.”
Sarante gritted his teeth.
He seemed quite angry at having been trampled on by someone who was called Akasha or something.
I tapped the hilt of my sword and listened to him.
“Even at this very moment, he is going back and forth between parallel worlds and randomly creating cracks between dimensions. It’s a literal disaster. “In a future where the entire planet is under attack, there is no talent left to catch him.”
“But if you could send one person to the past, wouldn’t you just have to reform or kill Akasha before she does something stupid?”
“If I had known who he was, I would have done that. But no matter how hard he tried, it was impossible. “All we know about Akasha is that he is an unimaginably powerful wizard.”
Sarante pursed his lips.
It was impossible to nip in the bud a disaster that we did not know when or where it was born.
They did not know Akasha’s purpose or even her exact appearance.
Akasha, who always wore a full-body robe and a mask, was an unrealistic being that could literally come out of a nightmare.
“But if this happens, doesn’t the time zone not match? Akasha is a person from the future. “Even if I wanted to catch and kill him, I don’t think meeting him would be possible.”
“We will be able to meet. It’s a parallel world. It is locked in a separate time zone from our world.”
Sarante said that the time zone of the parallel world will be consistent regardless of whether it enters the present or the future.
A complicated explanation followed, and I nodded at the right time.
Anyway, the only thing that mattered to me was whether or not I could blow off the head of that guy named Akasha.
“We will push Akasha into a parallel world as much as possible. It may be a difficult task, but Ronan would be grateful if you could catch the guy trapped in the fish trap.”
“That’s a really big fish trap.
I get the idea now. “You said you couldn’t go in unless you were Akasha, but the reason you came to see me is because the crack that connects the world is also a type of magic, right?”
“Exactly. It’s a diversionary operation that only Ronan can pull off. While future Ronan destroys the cracks that appear in the future world and stops the giants, present Ronan can destroy the cracks in the parallel world.”
“I understand. Then come on… hm?”
I narrowed my eyebrows before continuing.
For some reason, Sarante’s body seemed to have become somewhat transparent.
The same was true of Brigia’s charred body.
“what. “What’s wrong with your body?”
“Ah… there really isn’t much time left. “Let’s hurry.”
Saying that, Sarante took out a small bottle.
Inside, a liquid as red as blood was flowing.
“This is the blood of Akasha that we dramatically obtained.”
“What the fuck. Was it real blood?”
“yes. Akasha uses her own blood as a catalyst to open a rift leading to her parallel world. It’s a very bad magic. The moment the blood touches somewhere, a crack opens. “He is spreading his blood all over the world.”
It is said that Akasha’s blood transforms into a dimensional rift the moment it touches the air.
The wizards who discovered the principle obtained blood with the cooperation of Sita and the vampires.
Blood just before it turns into cracks.
“I earned it really hard. Sita did a great job. “It’s barely enough to create a single crack.”
“for a moment. You can just open that…”
Before I could say anything, Sarante opened the bottle cap.
The blood staying in the bottle evaporated in an instant.
I thought an indescribable smell was spreading, and then a pure white line began to appear over the space in front of me.
It was a moment when incontinence expanded explosively.
Kwajangchang!
With the effect of a glass window breaking, a crack appeared that was barely large enough for one person to pass through.
The inside of the slowly blinking crack was covered in brilliant white.
“Ronan. You will be embarrassed. “You suddenly wonder what’s going on.”
Sarante said.
He was much more transparent than before.
The forest scenery was clearly visible behind the body.
“I know very well.”
“Forgive us for making this choice. People from the future decided that only Ronan of this time was the key to saving the world. “I am truly sorry for burdening you with this burden before we could even share the joy of our reunion.”
“My personality is like that. Well, I know you don’t have time, but there’s just one thing I want to ask you.”
“hmm? “What is it?”
“Can the future really change?”
It was a serious question.
Sarante was unable to answer right away and was dumbfounded for a moment.
He was about to say something.
I shook my head, brushing my bangs.
“no. Just don’t answer. “It’s better not to listen.”
“but···.”
“It’s a meaningless question anyway. “What matters is that you asked me to do it.”
It was a creed that did not change throughout my two lives.
Do what needs to be done.
Don’t ask unnecessary questions about it.
If I was the only one who could save the world, I would do it.
A slightly sad smile appeared on Sarante’s lips.
He took off his coat and held it out to me.
“Please take my clothes. “We’ve given it a special treatment so it won’t disappear like I did.”
“What is it, a farewell gift?”
The moment I accepted it, the coat stopped becoming transparent and regained its original density.
I heard so many stories that I felt like I needed to organize my thoughts.
“Then I will rearrange it. The goal is to destroy the rift and kill Akasha.”
“That’s right.”
“How can I return to the original world?”
“There is another bottle of Akasha’s blood in the inside pocket of the coat I gave you. You can keep it well and open it after you are done.”
I looked through my coat and found that there was another bottle of the same name.
It seemed like it needed to be managed with great care.
If this thing breaks, you’re literally screwed.
“If I am alive in a parallel world, please visit me. “Maybe it will help.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
When I looked back, I saw a forest filled with darkness.
Asher seemed to be still asleep because I couldn’t hear his voice looking for me.
It was a sight I would probably never see again.
I thought it would be really sad if that happened.
Losing a happy present while trying to change an uncertain future.
“All kinds of crazy things are happening.”
Nevertheless, my thoughts did not change.
I wasn’t sure I could change the future.
However, Asher and Erzebet decided that no one but me could do this, so they sent Sarante here.
In this situation, there was a limit to what I could do.
Trusting your friends.
And believing in myself that my friends believe in.
I put on the coat that Sarante gave me.
The hem of the dress fluttering in the night wind was reminiscent of Sita’s wings.
The texture wasn’t bad, probably because they used good quality fabric.
“It’s light. Good?”
“Fortunately, the. “It’s made with future technology.”
“Well, it’s a heavy thing to carry, so at least the clothes should be light. “I’ll dress well.”
Sarante was now almost invisible.
The last voice echoed in the forest.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the future.”
I turned and faced the crack.
As if to urge me on, the blinking intervals were getting faster and faster.
“Whoa…”
Now it was time to go.
I looked back one last time before taking a step.
The place where the gaze stopped was in the direction of Phileon, where Adeshan was staying.
I sent greetings to my wife-to-be and the life she was dreaming of in her womb.
“I will be back.”
And then I took a step.
I hope the world beyond this isn’t so shitty.
A pure white crack engulfed me.