A few weeks have passed since I arrived in modern-day Mystix, and I’ve put into motion almost all of the plans to ensure my existence later on in the timeline.

But next will be the most important part of my ultimate plan. It is not merely to help the Systemless Squad reach the final battle with Joe Biden; it’s to seal our victory in the battle against him.

I am admittedly not much of a genius. And this is even what I tell Borguk and Thalia as we sit in the tavern in Bellatrix together. They stayed behind to make sure Miss M eventually took my ghost self away with her, and it was a resounding success in that regard.

“But what about your ultimate plan?” Borguk asks. “You’ve got to tell us everything, or we can’t help you.”

“So far, I’ve been manipulating everyone by only telling them very select facts, often times misconstrued and mysterious... Is it really fine to be transparent with the people I am working with?”

Thalia shrugs. “We’re not exactly vital to your life after this, are we?”

“...No, I suppose not. In fact, as a ghost I never saw either of you again, only Miss M and later Malia. But due to some time travel related tomfoolery, I ended up a hundred or more years in the future and both of you were long dead by the time I regained my own autonomy here.”

The two members of the former Team Fanghook are struck by a cold silence. The inevitability of mortality.

“But... We have a long way to go for that.”

“Please, let us help you,” Borguk says. The two of them begin holding hands in solidarity. It reminds me of their peculiar romance. I genuinely never thought they’d end up together, really. An orc and an elf... it’s a tale normally reserved for the storybooks. But it’s here now in real life as well.

“I’ll give you the details that I can,” I say. “Mystix is going to be invaded by forces from another world. It will be completely conquered, with the only holdouts being the Secret Slayers and Anti-Mage Holdouts.”

“There’s more Slayers?” Thalia asks. “How horrible.”

“Yes, but actually they’re sort of the good guys here,” I attempt to explain. “Anyway, I united a strike team from many different worlds in order to sneak into this one and defeat the leader of the invasion force. But we failed. We got close, but not close enough to secure our victory. The entire multiverse will be destroyed.”

“Multi...verse...?”

“Their leader defeated the strongest warriors in Mystix all by himself. He became the first S-Rank Hero in a millennium, and a [Demigod], and with it gained powers nearly unstoppable.”

“Wait, how did he have the system if he’s from another world?”

“The invasion force kidnapped me and reverse-engineered the system so they could give it to their military. It’s... complicated.”

Borguk and Thalia look utterly flabbergasted.

“Perhaps it’s best if I explain in less detail.”

“Agreed,” Borguk says. “So... This man became an S-Rank Hero and beat you to your big life goal.”

“Indeed,” I say solemnly. “But I made an even greater achievement.” Then I reveal my greatest secret: “I traveled to the ancient past, before intelligent life had even formed. And then I became the first-ever S-Rank Hero in all of history!”

“...”

“...”

“It’s an amazing feat, isn’t it?”

“Wait, this is really you here, not some magical message? You actually time traveled?” Thalia asks. “And didn’t even die? That completely upends all magical theories ever established. And you used the Destiny Deck System before it had ever been created... I just... How did you manage to fuck-up so brilliantly?”

“I don’t think before I act.”

“Obviously.”

“But this time, for my ultimate plan, thinking is all I’m able to do. You see, I can’t change the events that have already been placed into the annals of time. Including this conversation, including all the deaths and pain that will occur between now and the final battle. Including the demise both of you will unfortunately face. But any moment after the one I escaped from? It’s completely up in the air. Up to our definition.

“I have already set upon Clan Solbourne to train for a century and join the battle at the opportune moment. But we need something even more powerful. An irresistible trap that the enemy will fall directly into, that will activate as soon as I return.

“Finally, we will be able to defeat Joe Biden. We will be able to have always defeated Joe Biden from the moment he stepped into that arena!”

“Who?” Borguk asks.

“The enemy leader. Sorry, I forgot to say his name before.”

“Got it. So, what do you want us to do?”

“You still have sway with the Adventurer’s Guild, right?”

“Of course. Tons. Team Fanghook might be over, but Thalia and I were thinking of joining another team for a while after this. We’re both very highly ranked.”

“And do you happen to have any connections to the Construction Guild, or the Bureaucratic League?”

“Uh, I guess so. I know a lotta people.”

“Then I believe we can set upon my ultimate plan with great expediency. We’re going to go to Central Spire.”

“Central what?”

“Exactly, my dear friend. Exactly.”

“...What?”