The battle had ended, leaving only a blood-soaked battlefield strewn with countless corpses. Fragments of massive warships lay scattered everywhere, and flames from leaking fuel continued to burn, painting the sky in darkness.
Sitting on a throne amidst the devastation, I felt the suffocating silence, where the scents of smoke and blood melded into the air, creating a surreal feeling of war that could make anyone shudder. My eyes traced over each remnant of the battle, and I realized this was the world's rawest nature, an end more catastrophic than anything imaginable.
"They're gone... what meaning does this world hold anymore?" I murmured, looking up at the ashen sky, seeming to collapse under the weight of the desolation below.
Suddenly, a faint sound came from the nearby rubble. For a brief moment, I thought someone had survived this nightmare, only to realize it was just a piece of glass from a fallen ship, shattering and blending into the endless ruin.
"How dull... Now even dying by my own hand wouldn't kill me..."
I gently swiped my finger through the air, and a transparent screen appeared before me, displaying familiar, faded images. They showed familiar scenes — none other than those from Date A Live. The familiar faces of Shido, Tohka, Kotori, Origami, Yoshino, each appearing one by one, their bright eyes and radiant smiles capturing moments of simple happiness. These scenes, which I'd seen countless times in Date A Live, were now things I could never touch, neither in the real world nor this one.
I reached out to touch the screen, my eyes reflecting a fleeting hesitation. Touching the images of those I once admired, only to feel the coldness of an unfeeling screen, deepened the emptiness within me. It all felt like a dream, one too distant to grasp.
"Just a dream…" I whispered, a heavy sense of solitude pressing in. "In the end... what remains of me?"
In that oppressive silence, the screen suddenly shut off, returning darkness to the remnants of the battlefield. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness consume me, hoping it would help me escape from this lingering void.
"Shido... Shido..."
"I knew you'd end up this way."
"Huh? The Chronicler? Why are you here?"
"Oh, I just wanted to watch how you'd fight."
"Are you crying?"
I quickly covered my face, turning to him in anger.
"No, it's just the smoke irritating my eyes."
The Chronicler merely chuckled, his gaze understanding without needing further explanation. He took a few steps closer, his eyes seeming to see everything but maintaining their usual calm.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked, his tone steady as if speaking to an old friend.
I remained silent, offering no reply. A world in ruin, familiar faces now only in memories, and myself, the last wanderer in the chaos I had wrought. Now, this victory held no meaning.
The Chronicler sat beside me, his gaze reaching out toward the misty horizon. "You once yearned to protect everyone, believing you could change everything. But in the end... the outcome turned out far different from what you hoped."
"Don't talk as if you know everything about me," I retorted weakly, my voice weary. "So... is everything I've done so far all meaningless?"
The Chronicler shook his head. "Nothing is meaningless. Every action, every choice you've made, has left a mark, whether for good or ill. And above all… is there still something you truly wish to do?"
I looked at the screen still playing the familiar faces, the beautiful memories I'd erased in a fit of rage at being abandoned. Now, a faint glimmer of hope flickered in my heart — a wish I had never dared admit.
"Is there... any way I could start over?"
The Chronicler sighed, his eyes showing a trace of regret. "I'm afraid… not."
A bitter smile crept across my face. "Is that so? Perhaps... that's the ending I deserve."
"Don't be disheartened, Watano. You could join our group, you know. After all, we're all just you, all [----------] from the real world, aren't we?"
"We've been waiting for you."
"Really?"
"Yes. Together, we'll search for a new universe. One amidst hundreds of millions, billions of universes — where no one has to die, where everyone can live happily together."
"Sounds like a beautiful dream, doesn't it?"
"Indeed. So, come with us."
The Chronicler stood, extending a hand toward me. I hesitated, uncertain of what to do.
"What's holding you back?"
"You must be joking. How could I not trust 'myself'?"
"But I refuse. Thank you for the generous offer."
"After all, I should take responsibility for what I've done."
As if expecting my answer, the Chronicler withdrew his hand, a satisfied look crossing his face as he prepared to leave.
"Hey, Watano, you want to redo everything, don't you? Very well, I'll give you one chance."
Hearing those words, a spark of hope reignited in my eyes.
"Really?"
"I can completely recreate this world. But I won't interfere too deeply with the endings that other 'selves' have chosen."
"So I'll have to do it on my own?"
"Yes, with your own strength. But…"
"What is it?"
"Your strength… is just barely enough."
"What do you mean?"
"If you use up all the power you have, it still won't be enough to recreate the world."
"And to gather enough energy, you yourself must become part of that energy source."
"I… will become part of that energy source?" I repeated, feeling a vague dread creeping in.
The Chronicler nodded to confirm it.
"So if I agree, will I disappear?"
"I'm not sure," the Chronicler answered, his voice slow. "Perhaps you'll still exist, but within the very world you create. Every blade of grass, every drop of water, every breath in that world will hold a part of you. Or you may vanish entirely."
I closed my eyes, picturing a new world where all the pain and loss could disappear, where I could create a different future. But at the same time, I realized I would have to relinquish my current self to do it.
The weight of a difficult choice felt exactly like the moment I decided to stand against Shido and the Spirits after a relentless onslaught of horrors had fallen upon me: the pain of abandonment, the terror, the brutal violence of the Spirits, and the helplessness of being unable to save everyone. My ideals had dimmed, lost since I was reincarnated into this world.
"At least let me watch the last of the Date A Live episodes, can you?"
"So you've agreed?"
"Yes. If my sacrifice can bring something good, that would be enough."
I calmly sat back on the throne, watching the final scenes of Date A Live in my life.
The light from the screen reflected in my eyes, and I realized I didn't have much time left. The Chronicler stood there, silent, as if granting me these last moments with something familiar. My hand trembled slightly, not out of fear, but from a strange feeling as I prepared to face my own end.
One by one, the final scenes closed. I stood, looking up at the sky, which began to shift to dawn, sunlight breaking through the dark, my heart swelling with a mix of sorrow and peace.
"Do you have any last words?" the Chronicler asked, his voice calm but tinged with sympathy.
"Last words… Ah, cut that beard of yours, old man. 'I' would never let myself look that unkempt!"
He laughed, a warm sound resonating in the air. "Indeed, no matter the universe, 'I' remain the same."
The Chronicler raised his hand, and from it, a brilliant light erupted, enveloping me like thousands of stars igniting across the galaxy. My body slowly dissolved, piece by piece, from fingertips to entire limbs, transforming into pure energy, shimmering like particles of light floating in the air.
Each beam carried a fragment of my memories, emotions, joys, and pains, as if I was imparting my entire being into every breath of the universe. All around me, the light expanded, filling the space, merging with distant stars and blending into endless currents, intertwining with the pulse of each planet, each galaxy.
In that miraculous moment, I could feel every form of life, from hidden underground springs to the heartbeat of the smallest creatures. I realized that I hadn't just disappeared but was reborn in a new way, existing within each branch stretching toward the sun, each breeze drifting across the green woods, and even within the peaceful dreams of humankind.
My memories, the ideals I once held close, now mingled with the life blooming everywhere. I was no longer a solitary individual but had become a part of this boundless universe, where everything would forever hold a piece of me.
"That's just perfect, Watano."
◊
*Ring Ring*
"Oh no! I'm going to be late for school!" I jolted awake, leapt out of bed, grabbed a sandwich from the fridge, threw on my clothes, and snatched my schoolbag. As I stepped out of the house, I suddenly spotted a familiar group of friends standing at the corner of the street.
"Hey, isn't that…?"
"Watano, over here! This way!" Tohka waved with a bright smile.
"Tohka, Shido, and everyone! Are you all running late too?"
"Yeah, for some reason, my alarm clock didn't go off," Shido said, laughing sheepishly as he ran. "I couldn't wake anyone up, so now all of us are almost late!"
"Didn't anyone from Fraxinus call you?"
"Reine and Kotori tried, but somehow my phone ended up on silent."
"Really? I had the strangest dream myself…" I mumbled, recalling the vague, lingering images in my mind. "But anyway, we'd better hurry up, or we'll all get marked tardy!"
Suddenly, Tohka cheered excitedly, "How about this: whoever gets to school first gets to go out with Shido! How's that?"
"Alright!" the other Spirits chimed in eagerly.
"Don't worry, Shido! Just leave winning this race to me!" I laughed, quickly joining the race with everyone.
"Watano…"
Laughter echoed along the path as we sprinted, bathed in warm spring sunlight amidst the vibrant cherry blossoms. Petals danced in the breeze, mingling with our hurried steps and cheerful voices, filling the air with joy and the rush of springtime energy.