This is not the date I wanted.

"Idiot! Do you think those guys will keep their word? Even if you go with them, there's no guarantee that they won't kill me and Mana!"

"That is--"

"As long as you're still by my side, they won't attack Mana! In that case, there's still a chance. Taking Mana back while letting you live happily is the best route, right?"

What an unrealistic dream. Zhenshi laughed at himself in his heart. He had no wisdom, no power, and as a frog in the well, how could he paint such a beautiful dream?

He just didn't want to watch the happiness in his hands disappear like this.

(And then, Mio...)

"...! Yeah, I understand, Shin!"

(Why... you always believe me without hesitation?)

--boom! ! !

At this moment, a sound of breaking wind different from the sound of gunfire was heard, and the sharp lightsaber pierced through the spiritual shield and disappeared into the dark forest.

Lowering his head slightly, Zhenshi saw that there was a hole in his chest. His heart, lungs, internal organs - everything was hollowed out by the big hole.

Just like that, splattered blood covered Mio's dazed face.

——————————————I am the dividing line for shifting perspectives————————————

"Target, confirmed kill."

After disabling his manifestation device, Alan replied calmly.

"Oh my, this is really embarrassing for me. I didn't intend to lie."

Westcott shrugged and sighed helplessly.

"Do you want to retrieve the elves now?"

“…No, forget it.”

After thinking for a moment, Westcott shook his head.

"why?"

Allen asked confused.

"From a while ago, the value of the spiritual power detector has been rising at an alarming rate. I'm afraid it's because of the shocking effect that the death of that boy has had on the elves."

Westcott looked ahead and heard mournful cries echoing in the mountains and forests, attracting countless flocks of birds.

Countless light dusts gathered from all directions and turned into a giant crystal tree that towered into the clouds, flashing pure white light in the darkness.

"Besides, should I say it's lucky or unlucky? Deus (God) has fully awakened, but I don't have any spells prepared to fight against him. If I stay here, I will definitely die."

Having said that, Westcott waved his hand in disappointment and turned away.

"Retreat, there's no point in staying here any longer."

"I understand. But Ike, can you please not contact Elliot and the others?"

"Ah - if you look at what Elliot said, he must have betrayed me. Otherwise, do you think that boy and the elf could escape safely from the forest he was guarding?"

"Varied--"

Ignoring Alan's surprised voice, Westcott looked back, stared at the light tree with some obsession for a while, and then sighed with some regret.

"Alas... It looks like this will be a protracted battle."

..............................

(What on earth am I doing?)

Shinji thought in confusion.

For some reason, my limbs lost feeling and severe pain like electric shock spread throughout my body. I couldn't move or breathe. It was like being immersed in an icy sea and my body was losing temperature bit by bit.

——Really! Don’t die!

(…Mio. What’s going on…)

——Please! Don’t die! Really! Please don’t die!

The only thing that remained in the lifeless eyeball was Mio's tearful, desperate and helpless expression.

(…Don’t cry…Mio, I’m right here, right?)

Shinshi wanted to try to tell Mio this, but he found that no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach out to wipe away Mio's tears, nor could he make a sound.

Gradually, the voice faded away, and the tearful eyes of the beautiful woman in front of him gradually blurred. It seemed as if everything was leaving Zhenshi.

No, he actually understood. It was him who was going to leave Mio.

(Please...Mio...don't cry anymore...)

(I didn’t do this… because I wanted you to look like that…)

(Please… please…)

(…Stop crying…)

Just like that, Shinshi's consciousness was swallowed up by nothingness.

27 He in the past, me now

==============================

Gokawa Shidao's world became dark.

It was pitch dark, and I couldn't even see my outstretched hands. The sound of my shouting vanished into thin air in the distance. My five senses first became sharp, then gradually became cold and dull.

Shinji Takamiya is dead. Shidao clearly understands that the world that is suddenly empty is the symbol of the end of Shinji's life.

Playing the life of Soumiya Shinji, Shidao's emotions are very complicated. He is happy about their meeting, blesses their relationship, is indignant about their experiences, and finally feels sad about their separation.

Feeling like he couldn't stay out of it, Shidao tried to change it, but the tragedy still came to an end against his wishes.

This was not the present where he was, but a past that existed only in his memory. Even if he tried to change something forcibly, it would be meaningless.

(And, I...)

——!

Suddenly, this world with nothing in it moved strangely, and began to collapse gradually from some corner. In order not to involve Shidao Gokawa, a powerful thrust surged out from below, pushing Shidao's consciousness out like a geyser.

Rising, rising continuously, even though there was no convenient reference to direction in this world, Shidou still instinctively had the impression that he was constantly moving.

Finally, after reaching a certain boundary line, the empty feeling disappeared, replaced by being enveloped by warm water and a light floating feeling.

Looking up and around, I found that I had returned to the deep blue sea filled with colorful bubbles without knowing when. The door that was open like a patio under my feet had disappeared, and only the seabed filled with sand and mud was left.

"it's over……"

Just when Shidao thought everything was over, a few tiny bubbles suddenly spurted out from the cracks in the mud on the seabed.

Like a carefully polished diamond, it is clear and dazzling.

"Is this...Mio's?"

As if he understood, Shidou carefully held the bubbles in his palm.

——Don’t die!

——Please don’t leave me!

——I will bring you back to life! I will never let you go, and I will never make the same mistake again!

——So, don't leave me again.

Mio's prayers turned into emotions that poured into Shidou's heart.

After that, Mio, who had lost her beloved, felt as if a big hole had been torn in her heart, and she burst into tears.

However, desperate cries will not bring about any changes, the world that has lost its color will not be restored, and the lost hope will never return.

Then one day, Mio stopped crying and started to act towards a purpose.

Resurrect Somiya Shinji. Of course, resurrection alone is not enough. The human body is too fragile. Even if you escape death that time, there are still countless malice in the world that can easily drive your lover to death.

Homicide, accidents, natural disasters, illness - even if he managed to avoid them, one day, his life would come to an end and he would die of old age and leave her.

Having already experienced separation once, she really doesn't want to experience such despair again.

She uses her power to absorb the body of the Shinshi into her body, thereby reconstructing and nurturing a new body. In this way, the newly born Shinshi has the opportunity to accept her power.

In order to prevent Shinshi from absorbing too much power in one go, she initially only gave him one ability.

——The ability to absorb power.

Afterwards, she divided her power into several parts, purified them into crystals that humans could absorb, and entrusted them to others. One day, the stable and growing Zhenshi collected all the power one by one.

In this way, the true warrior will have the power to not be harmed by anyone and will become an eternal life.

Then by then, Mio will be able to stay with him forever as his lover.

“Ha…I see.”

Shidou sighed in realization. Although Soumiya Shinji was dead, his life did not end. He just changed his form and continued to exist as "Gokawa Shidou".

Incredibly, Shidao originally thought that he would be very angry after knowing the truth that he was just a replacement prepared to resurrect the real Shi, but at this moment, his heart was very calm.

Perhaps it was because the memory bubble before him was too pure.

In order to revive just one person and bring him eternal life, Mio involved countless people.

Kotori went berserk and burned down a town.

Origami lost her parents and stepped into a world of gunfire.

Erya was tortured and nearly died.

Rokuko broke up with his family and drifted alone in the universe.

Kuang San accidentally killed her best friend and became a murderer with blood on her hands.

Not only them, but also other elves and many strangers had their lives turned upside down because of Mio's decision.

All this is just for the eternal life of one person. This idea seems twisted to Shidao, but it is Mio's wish to give up everything and realize it even if she is hated by everyone.

It is conceivable how important Somiya Shinji is to her.

"Ha, you are really loved."

Shidou couldn't help but laugh and sighed.

——I am not worthy of her love.

Suddenly, a deep voice sounded beside my ear, responding to Shidou's words.

Turning towards the voice, he saw a young man named "Takamiya Shinshi" who looked similar to him standing silently behind him.

When exactly did he appear beside him? Shidou couldn't help but wonder.

No, maybe the other person has always been there, but Shidao has always been afraid that he will be replaced by the other person, so he has been ignoring him, rejecting him, and turning a blind eye to him, and finally forced the other person to drive him away in an almost haunted way.

"Why... do you think so?"

Shidou asked softly without being startled, as if he was facing a familiar relative.

——I am just an ordinary person. I don't have any powerful strengths, nor any merits worth mentioning. I just happened to survive the disaster, and happened to be the first to appear in front of Mio, becoming a special existence in her heart.

"Zhenshi" frowned and answered in a very low voice.

"That's not the case. It's because you don't care about her identity and treat her as an ordinary girl that she will open her heart to you, right?"

——That’s just my insignificant inferiority and vanity.

"Zhenshi" laughed at himself.

——The first time I saw Mio, I fell in love with her at first sight. But I soon realized that she was a special existence, and I was just a mortal and could not become a special existence. So I had to treat Mio as an ordinary girl. If not, I was not worthy of being by her side.

Hearing the words of "Mashi", Shidao pursed his lips somewhat bitterly.

"I don't need any qualifications to like someone."

——It is necessary. Awareness without power is nothing but cruelty that hurts others.

"Zhenshi" said firmly.

——At that time, I had no power, but I kept painting beautiful fantasies for Mio. She trusted me without any reason, but in the end, I not only had to be protected by Mio, but also left her with painful memories.