sǝuı⅂ ǝɥ⊥ uǝǝʍʇǝᗺ :¿¿¿ ɹǝʇdɐɥϽ

Let’s rewind time for a bit, back when the two Miis separated from Lucas. Right there, now...pause.

Time stilled and the image of a violet haired Mii consoling the black haired Mii also stopped as well. Even Mii-2’s tears quietly floated in midair without the slightest trace of movement.

However, not everything stood still.

At some unknown time, a figure quietly walked behind the two Miis.

This person had black hair with bits of white, a familiar yet aged and mature face, and a shining white sword on his hands.

This person is none other than Lucas II. The future Lucas who had gone back in time to pave his past self a way to become him in the future. The hidden guardian who kept everything intact as much as he could.

He looked at the black haired Mii for a while then turned to look at the other.

For a moment, a melancholic look appeared in his face, followed by streams of tears that flowed down his cheek, and turned into speckles of light that drifted in the air, slowly fading away.

“Mii, I spent countless timelines, trying to find a way…”

“Countless timelines, I watched the world be destroyed…”

“Countless timelines, I watched you die in the most horrible way…”

“Countless timelines...I lived with you...made a family with you...aged together with you...”

“Countless times...I had to keep making whether this decision is right...”

“Countless times...no more...”

Lucas II lifted his sword and rested it just before Mii’s neck. His expression was full of hesitation to the point where he gritted his teeth so hard, blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.

It has been decided by [Fate] that Lucas and Mii can never be together. One only needs to look at [Earth-2] to understand this.

The Lucas and Mii of this world got together and lived peacefully for a few years, but in the end, a zombie apocalypse happened. Only, in this world, it was Lucas who died a gruesome death instead of Mii.

The moment Lucas died, [Fate] allowed this world to be saved. And this was in the form of [Earth-1] Lucas ‘accidentally’ traveling to this parallel world.

However, the Mii of [Earth-1] has traveled here as well, but that wasn’t outside Fate’s intentions. On the contrary, that was planned as well. Because this will give him the opportunity to once again test Lucas.

“Mii...I’m sorry...the least I can do...is make it as much painless as possible...and kill you with my own hands...”

Lucas II swung his sword hard and fast, never looking away, hoping to burn the image of her death deep inside his mind, heart, and soul.

For he knows that this is the only way he can repent...by torturing himself with regret, grief, sorrow, guilt, and pain.

He can become as powerful as a God or even more, but there’s never a way to escape the pain of killing someone you love with your own hands.

However, just as the sword touched her neck, a hand came out of nowhere and stopped him.

Lucas II’s eyes widened and exploded a mysterious force around his body to force back whoever stopped him.

He didn’t hold back at all, for he knew, that for someone to appear now where time had stopped and stop his attack, this person...is at the very least, as powerful as him.

However, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Because clearly, the other wasn’t even pushed back by a millimeter!

This person...is definitely stronger than Lucas II by a margin!

One should know, that Lucas II’s strength isn’t possible to measure by normal means. Even if people who were on the same level as him exist, he can easily defeat and usurp them as if they’re ants.

So for a person who can easily stop him appear...one can only imagine just how monstrous he is!

But the shock didn’t stop there.

When he saw who had interfered him...he was surprised to find his own self!

“HOW!?”

Lucas II was surprised. All this time he spent, going back or forward time, he had never met his own present self.

Imagine a road.

On that road, there’s a person walking forward.

As the person walked, he would leave his afterimage behind, causing multiple clones of himself. However, he would never know they existed because he only looks and walks forward.

However, at some point on the road, the person decided to look back, and walk backwards.

What would happen? Of course, he would see his own self right?

Then, what would happen if after moving backwards, he turned back again and walked forwards, then back again?

He would see his own future self going backwards as well right?

However, in Lucas II’s case, the only duplicate he was able to see whenever he goes back in time is Lucas, the past him and only him.

Even if he goes back in time for when he knows he would go back to watch Lucas, there will still only be one Lucas II.

How was this possible?

Lucas spent a long time to figure it out but in the end, he concluded that it’s part of his ability and just thought it was a good thing as dealing with multiple copies of himself will only be more troublesome.

But now, seeing this other Lucas II in front of him that was clearly more powerful than him, suggesting that this one is far older than him, he grew confused at why he was able to see him.

More so that he was even more confused as to why he stopped him.

After all, if this person is really his own future self, Lucas III, then he should also know that killing Mii is the only way to save the world.

“You...why did you stop me?”

“...If you kill her, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

“I’m already regretting it! But there’s no choice right!? You, of all people, should know that this is the only way! Hers and my past self’s feelings for each other have already started to grow again. I know what I must do. Back then, I always felt confused why Mii would suddenly disappear...now I know...it was because of me.”

Lucas II gritted his teeth hard again and proceeded to attack Mii but the other Lucas, Lucas III once again got in his way.

Lucas II frowned and didn’t understand why this guy kept on hindering him.

“You...I don’t know how much time you spent trying to find a way to save her to get this strong, but it’s all useless! I’ve tried everything! Everything!!! Nothing will work! Not a single damn thing! The world will always end and she will always die a very horrible death! And not just her! Freya, Eu, Aeran...everyone! I don’t care if it’s me who will die, but we both know that we can’t afford to die! Because if we die...then the girls will also follow...that...how can I let that happen!?”

Lucas II roared. For the first time, he had someone to vent his anger to and let out all of his frustrations without restraint.

Still, Lucas III never moved away.

Seeing this, Lucas II was even more pissed.

To him, making this decision was already hard enough, and the moment he mustered up the courage to do it, someone appears to stop him!

As he sees it, this other Lucas in front of him was someone who was created from another timeline where he kept thinking of a way to save Mii. To the point where he got so strong yet, for him to come here and try to stop him like this meant that he never succeeded.

Because if he truly found a way, he would’ve long since say it and show him the future where he succeeded.

Yet, Lucas III only stood there to block him.

Lucas II was unafraid, thinking that Lucas III is his future, he knows that this person cannot kill him. Because once Lucas II is dead, Lucas III cannot exist.

Once he thought of that, another mysterious force exploded from within him.

Black mist covered his whole body.

His eyes turned golden, two horns with runic carvings appeared on his forehead, a bright yellow double halo hovered on his head, and 8 black feathered wings sprouted from his back.

His black clothes fluttered as a golden green aura covered it along with a golden red transparent armor that appeared over it.

Behind him, a blood moon appeared which caused anyone who sees it to feel nauseous and pressured from the endless murderous intent leaking from it.

Purple smoke rose from beneath his feet, turning into a countless sickles that hovered around him.

Overhead, a huge pair of hands appeared, which seemed to feel as if it can grasp the heavens itself.

Elemental surges continued to erupt from within him, causing the surroundings to experience countless climate changes.

Reality itself seemed to distort around him.

All in all, the world was on the verge of breaking, just trying to contain the power Lucas II released.

Actually, this is still not the fullest power he can release because even though he is pissed, he still kept his rationality and he knows, that if he were to release his full power, this world would already break and his own past self will cease to exist as well.

“This is the last warning. She has to die!”

“No.”

“...Fine. Since you never dared to do it, I’ll kill her myself!”

Lucas II charged and attack Lucas III to forcefully push him away.

Lucas III sighed and similarly released the same amount of power and stopped Lucas II.

Lucas II gritted his teeth and continued to attack but after a while, he came to a conclusion that even though Lucas III can never kill him, he can still easily block him.

But he didn’t give up. He continued to attack Lucas III with everything he can at the moment.

This lasted for thousands of years. All this time, Lucas II already knows he cannot defeat Lucas III so while attacking, he tried hard to convince him instead.

It got to the point where he truly got frustrated and finally asked.

“WHY!!!??? WHY DO YOU KEEP STOPPING ME!!!??? WHY DO YOU KEEP GIVING ME HOPE!!!???”

*BANG!*

He was truly frustrated. The more he failed to get Lucas III out of his way, the more the feeling of hope started to rise again.

He was afraid...he was afraid that if this hope resurfaces...then he will become Lucas III...forever living in a timeline where him and Mii are together, and at the end, Mii and the rest of the world dies...leaving only him...forever...stuck in this endless loop…

Is this really my fate?

FATE!!! YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!!! IS THIS YOUR PLAN ALL ALONG!!!??? OUR DEAL WAS FOR YOU TO STOP THE LOOP ONCE CROW KILLS MY PAST SELF!!! WHY!!!??? WHY DO YOU NEED TO TORTURE ME SO!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

“WWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

In the end, Lucas II can only let out a world shattering roar to release his grief and sorrow.

His palm became bloodied as he tightly clenched his fists.

“...I know how you feel...I feel it as well...but still, I can’t let you kill Mii.”

“WHY!? DID YOU FIND A WAY TO SAVE HERE!? DID YOU!?”

“...No.”

“THEN WHY!?”

“Because I’m from the future where you did kill Mii...”

Hearing what he said, Lucas II’s eyes went wide as a notion started to form in his head.

“Y-you...don’t tell me the world was still destroyed!? But that can’t be! I don’t remember anything like that from my past memories!”

“The world wasn’t destroyed, but you’d torture yourself from the guilt of killing her. And this feeling...I don’t like it.”

“You might be willing to spend an eternity watching her die repeatedly but I’m not! You think I want to do this!? If I can live with her and the girls peacefully outside the control of Fate, then I’d do it! But that’s not possible! Don’t you get it!? We cannot escape [Fate]! Us and Mii are never fated to begin with! You want to live with Mii, then in the future, get even stronger! So strong that we can kill that bastard! Then we can go back in time and save Mii! Just...endure!”

Lucas II started to sound as if he was begging. He truly can no longer watch Mii die a horrible death another time...so this time, he had mustered up his courage to kill her with his own hands and make is as painless as possible.

“I’m done enduring! Lucas...believe me when I tell you...it’s impossible to kill Fate!”

“I refuse to believe you!”

“Tell me, have you seen what Fate looks like?”

Lucas II frowned, then shook his head. He truly hasn’t seen what he looks like. Every time they meet, Fate would have this mysterious force around him that blurred his senses, causing Lucas II to be unable to see him.

Lucas III sighed and also shook his head.

“I also haven’t seen what he looks like...but, I can guess...if I’m right, then it would be truly impossible to kill him. But at the same time, it means that there is a chance to save Mii! I spent a long time...and I...I think I know how to save her!”

Lucas II was about to ask who Lucas III thought Fate was but after hearing the latter half of his statement, he froze, then quickly asked him what it is.

Even if they failed, it doesn’t matter, worst comes to worst, he could just come back to this time again and finally kill her again...but if there really is a chance. Even if there’s just 1%, he would definitely try it!

“What is it!?”

“I spent a long time understanding the power of [Fate] in order to know how Fate makes it so that when Mii and us fall in love and get together, the world would end. Finally, I was able to make a slight understanding. That is, the moment me...us and Mii get together, the [Red String of Fate] connecting the past Lucas and Mii to Fate would release a mysterious power, that will flow through every string of fate and cause the world’s end.”

“Then? Can you stop this mysterious power?”

“No, but for the world to end, the mysterious power needs to be joined together.”

Lucas II frowned, unable to understand how exactly everything worked but after a while, he just thought simply.

Maybe...we can just stop one?

Lucas III smiled and nodded, seemingly understanding what Lucas II had thought.

“We cannot stop both of them. But we can stop one. Particularly, the one that will come out from Lucas.”

“But...how?”

“I have studied enough regarding the power of [Fate]. Just believe in me.”

Lucas II thought for a while, then finally nodded.

With that, the two disappeared out of sight and time continued to flow.

No matter how long the two spoke to each other, the actual time that passed wasn’t even a millisecond and no one noticed anything apart from certain gods who chose not to meddle with these two abominations.

After a while, the two Miis met up with Lucas and though faint, [Earth-1] Mii and Lucas had begun to get back together.

Even though this feeling is faint, it was enough to activate the mysterious power within them and started to flow out through the [Red String of Fate].

“Now!”

Unlike Lucas II, Lucas III was already able to see the strings so he immediately stopped the time, yet this still didn’t stop the mysterious power.

He already knew this so it didn’t bother him, instead, he bit his thumb and blood flowed out from it.

The blood continued to flow out, connecting to Lucas’ red string, turning to another red string that connected to himself.

Like a train changing tracks, the mysterious power from Lucas deviated from its original path and flowed towards Lucas III.

Once the mysterious power was inside him, he disconnected the red string he created. But it wasn’t over…

Lucas III started to experience immense pain. Pain like nothing he ever experienced!

It was as if he was being skinned alive from inside out! His heart felt as if it was pierced countless times! His soul seemed to burn up continuously!

This pain was really enough to drive even gods into madness and despair!

Seeing Lucas III in this condition, Lucas II grew worried. After all, this guy was still his own self! How can he not be worried!?

“O-oi! Are you okay!?”

“I-I’m f-f-fine...t-this...it-it’s be-tter thi-this way...”

“Damn! Hang on! I’ll heal you!...Shit! Why isn’t it working!?”

“It...s use-less...y-you...can-not heal...fate...nor k-kill it...”

“Then what!? I should let you die!?”

“Yes...”

“...”

Lucas II gritted his teeth helplessly. He was truly too weak...he can’t even save his own self…

Why...why am I always so weak!? Why can’t I protect everyone that I care!? WHY!?

“...D-n’t...w-worry...Mii...i-is-is...s-sa-fe...t-there will...st-still-...be a...ca-lamity...but...th-is time...it-s...po-...sible...to-...st-stop it...”

Lucas II nodded deeply. Looking at his own future self who was slowly starting to disappear from existence.

He thought about why Lucas III didn’t explain to him how he will save Mii and now he understood...this guy...he had already known that he won’t survive after it…

Lucas II also understood why...because if it was him, then he would’ve done the same. That’s why, he could only nod.

“Fate...who is he?”

“He’s-……………”

Lucas II remembered that Lucas III had guessed who Fate truly was and finally asked, only, he was already late.

In the end, Lucas III had died and was unable to know the answer.

Lucas II sighed and with a thought, he turned Lucas III’s body into ashes and let it scatter throughout the world.

Watching this, in his heart, he made a promise.

Just you watch...I’ll never let someone I care for die. No matter what. Even if the whole world collapses, I’ll never give in to [Fate]!

After a while, he returned the flow of time back to normal and quietly disappeared.

Lucas and the others were still talking to each other with a pinkish atmosphere as if nothing had happened at all.

+ + +

Everything that occurred, was of course, all seen by Fate.

However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Fate didn’t display any emotions of anger or even stupefication.

Instead, he smiled.

This smile was somewhat insane, yet sad at the same time. It was unknown what was in his mind.

Only...that he had already expected this outcome.

Whether that is a good thing or not, that’s another story.

Author's Notes

Well, this chapter is a bit different than normal. It's already obvious just looking at the chapter title hehe.

The reverse word thing doesn't really mean anything, I just had fun doing it and thought it would be good to show in this chapter which is not part of the 10+prologue chapters per volume that I usually do.

This chapter is and is not a side chapter. I said it like that because it wouldn't matter whether you do read this, or not read this. Only, if you don't read this, then the explanations done here would only be known to you in the 3rd Book.

As for who Fate really is, it will definitely blow your minds like a nuclear bomb! You can guess who it is but I won't say anything...even if you're right...I was supposed to make Lucas III utter a single letter as a hint but thinking about it, it would be pretty obvious if I did so I didn't.

And yes...this chapter was really hard to write...

Oh, and I wrote a new story. though still polishing it and I dunno if I will continue it...might make a lot of changes in the early chapters...I already learned from past experience that I shouldn't release a newly created story so easily as I would have some mistakes in the early chapters which would be hard to patch up...

Link is here: Broken Reality if you want to read ahead but be warned...I will keep changing some details in the chapters so it might get confusing in the future.

Japtem Version