Chapter: 30. The Gift of Retrospection
【We meet again, Kanade.】
A pure white space.
The white boundaries intertwine in ways difficult to perceive with the naked eye, as if this space could infinitely extend.
It is precisely because it is an endless space.
So each place can be seen as the center of this space.
A point that should only exist uniquely, yet can simultaneously exist infinitely here.
Kanade is currently standing dazed in the center of this space, facing the pitch-black flame that also stands in the center.
The flickering flame.
Words resonate in Kanade’s mind, synchronized with his thoughts.
“…Where is this?” Kanade panics and looks around.
“Why am I here? This is not the time to waste here…”
The Ark Academy has been attacked.
Although there is no evidence.
Kanade’s intuition tells him.
At this moment, Konagi is in danger.
He must quickly reach Konagi’s side—
【Do you want to retorosped?】 The voice sounds again in Kanade’s mind.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Right now, I just want to be with Konagi.” Kanade shouts anxiously at the flame.
He no longer wants to experience that kind of accident again.
He must reach Konagi’s side in time—
【So, do you want to retorosped?】
“I’ve told you, I don’t understand what you mean. Who are you exactly? Where is this? Why am I here?”
【Retrospection means choosing the past】
【I am you】
【This is the center of all things】
【Because you are calling for me】
“I’m calling for you?”
Accompanied by Kanade’s murmurs.
The circular tree diagram expands again with Kanade at its center.
Now Kanade completely remembers.
This is the scene he dreamed of long ago, a moment he had almost forgotten.
Even though Kanade has learned so much about the supernatural at Ark Academy over the past two and a half years, he still hasn’t found any rationale to explain his current predicament.
But he is certain that this extraordinary scene before him is not just a simple dream or fantasy.
If there’s anything that fits all of this—
“You… are my ability?” This is the most fitting answer Kanade can think of.
Not having awakened, he does not know what it feels like to awaken an ability.
He has asked many students who have awakened their abilities, and every one of their answers was different.
Does this imply that each person’s awakening experiences something different?
And this pure white space along with the black flame is proof of his awakening—
【No】
But the hovering flame denies Kanade’s question.
【It is a gift】
【It is embers】
【It is an echo】
“What… does that mean?” Kanade feels every word from the other party explode in his mind.
Deep within his brain tells him that this is crucial information.
But at this moment, he finds it difficult to comprehend these vocabularies.
Perhaps… it’s not the right time yet.
Realizing this, Kanade pushes aside the difficult-to-understand notions.
Now is not the time to figure out where this place is.
He must reach Konagi’s side—
“Can you help me get to Konagi?”
【This ability, you already possess】
With the flame’s voice, another small flame suddenly lights up on one of the branches of the tree diagram surrounding Kanade.
“Th-this is…” Kanade tries to look over.
The next moment.
He feels as if he has plunged into the deep sea.
But what he sees is not darkness, but a familiar scene.
Rainy day.
A city shrouded in heavy rain.
Himself running through the streets.
And that wish—
—Konagi, I want to see you again.
—No matter what price I have to pay…
“Th-this is… the scene when Konagi got lost because of being possessed by an evil spirit…” Kanade looks at the scene in disbelief.
“The bell…” At this moment, Kanade realizes that the reason he could suddenly appear in front of Nagisa was because of the bell in his arms.
An artifact from the false god, Shirokure.
The ability of the Mist Authority.
【Do you want to retorosped】
The voice of the flame sounds again.
“…Ah, take me… to Konagi.” Kanade understands.
The current him.
Is re-experiencing the ability he once had—
Dingling.
The crisp sound of the bell.
—————–
Smoke and dust filled the air.
But Nagisa, relying on her exceptional vision, still captures a silver blade flying out from the dust.
The sudden footsteps nearby.
Cause her momentarily to be at a loss about who it is.
So the next second, Nagisa decisively pretends to faint onto Fuuko.
Her persona is that of an ordinary person from the Elite Course.
Even though she is not in life-threatening danger because someone used an ability to protect her, considering that the other party has already lost consciousness and is unable to move, if she still maintains awareness, it feels a bit out of place.
Her best option is to continue acting as a vase-like female protagonist.
“Konagi, are you okay!?”
The next moment.
Kanade’s urgent shout reaches Nagisa’s ears.
Causing Nagisa, who was pretending to faint, to startle.
—Kanade-kun? Why are you here?
Although this place is not far from the Shikikikan.
It is still not a distance that an ordinary person could have covered in such a short time.
Also, the way he appeared is a bit strange.
“How dare you!?” Is it because he noticed her lying on the ground?
Kanade’s tone becomes unusually serious.
Even Nagisa hears Kanade speak in that tone for the first time.
—Wait, could it be that you’re trying to awaken?
Nagisa’s heart skips a beat.
In a moment of inspiration, she quickly moves her fingers and mumbles “Ugh… ugh…” to prove she is still alive.
Now is not the time to help Kanade awaken.
Because the other party is not a fantasy creature, but an ability user.
If he were to find that she died at the hands of an ability user, it would only lead Kanade to harbor hostility towards all ability users.
This cultivates not the hero who saves the world, but the final boss that destroys it.
This is not what Nagisa wants to see.
“!? Konagi, are you okay—”
Nagisa’s subtle movements seem to have had an effect.
The next moment, she feels Kanade rush to her side, trying to help her up.
—No, no, no, the enemy is right in front of you!
Kanade’s overly naive action makes Nagisa feel anxious.
—What have you learned at Ark Academy these past few years?
—Your first reaction upon facing an enemy is this?
“Y-you’re still alive, that’s great, really great…” But the next moment, Kanade’s reaction dispels Nagisa’s dissatisfaction.
Kanade’s actions also indirectly prove how much he cares for her safety.
His priority even above his own life.
—What a fool…
“Tsk, you’re still alive?” The shadow hidden in the dust voices a mechanical sound that’s difficult to discern gender.
“Who are you? Why are you doing this to Konagi?” Upon hearing this, Kanade turns angrily toward the source of the voice.
But the other party does not directly answer Kanade’s question.
This makes Kanade vaguely realize that the other party’s goal is not Nagisa.
If not Nagisa, then what lies here is—
“You know nothing, your surroundings are filled with liars and traitors, and yet you stupidly believe in everyone.”
The pretending-to-faint Nagisa feels a cold sweat trickling down her back.
“What do you mean? What do you mean by ‘liars’ and ‘traitors’?”
“…Tsk, you’re fast.” The voice from the dust grows fainter.
“Tsukimi Kanade, we will meet again soon.”
“Hey!”
As soon as the words fell.
A purple lightning engulfed this place along with a black shadow.
“Damn it, he slipped away too fast.” The figure of the Azure Dragon, accompanied by the purple lightning, lands on the ground, dispersing the thick smoke around.
“Senpai Tsukimi, is Nagisa okay?” And the figure of Amane emerges from the shadows nearby, worry etched on his face as he steps in front of Kanade and takes Nagisa’s soft body from him.
“Amane, why…”
“Let’s talk about that later. I need to get the two of them to the hospital first,” Amane responds without giving Kanade time to reply.
The shadows seem to swallow Nagisa and Fuuko, who lay on the ground.
“I understand. I’ll leave Konagi to you.” Kanade nods vigorously, worried for Nagisa’s safety.
The next moment, Amane departs the scene with the two in his shadow.
Before Kanade can breathe a sigh of relief, a hostile glare makes him turn abruptly.
What greets his eyes is the Azure Dragon looking nothing like his usual self.
“You still couldn’t protect Nagisa!” he says angrily, questioning Kanade.
But Kanade’s focus is on the content of his words.
The words “liar” and “traitor” flash through his mind.
“…Again? Who… exactly are you? What do you know…?”
