Chapter: 163. Correction of Fate
Time rewinds slightly.
As the storm continues to howl, a flash of white returns the power of chaos.
Cold raindrops slide down Nagi’s cheeks, blurring her vision.
Held in Kanade’s embrace, the scene before her is overshadowed by another image.
—A sight not belonging to this moment, but the “possibilities” of the past that once occurred, now obscured by the world line’s regression.
Takahiro SEMA has already tracked her whereabouts and sent Midrash. The storm domain of Garuda finally places Midrash and Nagi within the same “connection,” allowing her to glimpse the “possibilities” from the previous world line through the chaotic authority of Nyarlathotep.
What emerges in Nagi’s view are the figures of Shuumatsu Nagi in a maid outfit and herself reflected in the mirror ahead, clad in a pure white wedding dress.
The plan learned from Shuumatsu Nagi, her realization and declaration as she wears the ring… and so on.
At this moment, the two Nagi from different world lines merge into one.
As she peers into the events of the two world lines, Nagi feels, for the first time, the sensation that can be called “the correction of fate.”
The best example is the “Lifetime Regret” plan.
In her heart, this is meant to allow Kanade to become a savior who stands on her own.
But in Shuumatsu Nagi’s heart, it is a plan to turn the “greatest obstacle” of “Tsukimi Kanade” into an indiscriminate beast that destroys the world, and to some extent, the probability of this possibility occurring is far greater than the former.
It seems that her actions have always, invisibly, pushed this world toward the brink of destruction.
Thinking from another angle, even if she hadn’t intervened in Kanade’s life, according to the original plot of “Star Pull 2,” he would still grow to become the protagonist who saves the world. Even if he might not awaken enough times or possess enough power, the ability to “rewrite” would be the greatest support in saving the world.
In other words, her “intervention” is to completely eradicate or utilize the greatest obstacle to the destruction of the world.
Although her initial intention was to save other heroines as much as possible, allowing them to avoid the same tragedies as portrayed in the original work, this above purpose could also explain it. Is this what Shuumatsu Nagi sees as the “Lifetime Regret” plan?
Nagi feels she understands why Shuumatsu Nagi would help her complete the “Lifetime Regret” plan.
Clearly, even if she did not take action, according to the trajectory of the original work, this world would still see “Tsukimi Kanade” become the “protagonist.” Yet everything she did seemed to be invisibly “corrected” by “fate,” step by step moving in another direction.
Why?
Why do I so badly want to destroy this world?
Why, even if I lose my memory, without harboring such thoughts, will “the correction of fate” still descend upon me?
The answers to these questions have already scattered into fragments across the world, transformed by the power of annihilation.
Yet Nagi faintly feels that she and this world seem to share a deeper connection.
In the depths of her mind, it’s as if a voice is calling out to her—
Lost in thought, Nagi is pulled back to reality by the sound mixed with the wind from Garuda.
“Protagonist, Shuumatsu has arrived—”
No sooner had Garuda’s words fallen than Nagi, through her own eyes, caught sight of the figure suspended in the distant half-space, its eyes shimmering with dark purple starlight, appearing extraordinarily radiant in the dim environment.
—Do not let it know!
A sharp intuition warns Nagi.
Since she has already glimpsed the “possibilities” of other world lines under the influence of Nyarlathotep’s chaotic power, she absolutely cannot resonate with Shuumatsu Nagi now—
Otherwise, Kanade’s greatest trump card would be exposed before Shuumatsu Nagi.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Nagi resolutely decides on her own death, determined to allow Kanade to perform a “regression” once more before Shuumatsu Nagi discovers the truth.
With her resolution made, Nagi conveys her thoughts to the surrounding contracted beasts through Garuda’s power.
The next moment, as the contracted beasts withdraw their power, some fantasy monsters previously isolated from the domain begin to descend within it.
A towering, octopus-like fantasy monster suddenly appears—
—I’m sorry, Kanade-kun…
As Nagi silently apologizes in her heart, she forcefully pushes Kanade away from her.
Unexpectedly, what surged within Nagi at this moment was not the courage to face death, but the joy that Kanade could live on—
—So you are more important to me than anything else now?
Realizing this, Nagi, in her final moments, genuinely shows Kanade a gentle smile.
……
……
Tick-tock—tick-tock—
—————–
Tick-tock—tick-tock—
In a white space.
A familiar sound echoes in Kanade’s mind.
As consciousness returns, Kanade finds himself once again standing in this pure white world.
The scene before him seems unchanged, as if nothing that happens within all the possibilities can affect this space.
That pitch-black flame still hovers in mid-air, expanding and contracting.
【Shall we try again?】
The low voice of the flame rings in Kanade’s heart.
It’s as if every time Kanade comes to Caora’s box because he cannot accept a certain outcome, the other party mechanically poses this question.
“I… still couldn’t save Nagi?”
Kanade bends forward, heavily resting his hands on the ground.
Unlike before, the result conveyed by Kurokawa this time is different.
This time, the death of Nagi before his eyes delivers a profound emotional shock, allowing him to more deeply experience his own powerlessness and the despair of losing someone so important.
He initially thought that if he retained his memories and consciousness to try again, he could do better.
He thought he would be like the protagonists in other “time-travel” stories, pulling off a grand rescue of his beloved heroine.
But it’s only at this moment that he realizes just how naive he has been.
He was not prepared at all.
Takahiro SEMA is not the only threat; there are also fantasy monsters from the future.
He clearly learned in the last world line that Nagi is the “true protagonist,” but this time arrogantly assumed this didn’t matter, leading to this outcome—
“Damn it, I’m such a fool… as if it’s all for Nagi…”
Kanade feels angry at his own naivety.
Although he can rely on Caora’s box to recount Nagi’s death in the world line.
For Nagi, each of her deaths is an undeniable reality.
She truly feels the pain of dying each time.
And he, in this moment, is undoubtedly making this young girl pay for his mistakes with the pain of death.
—This time, I will definitely save Nagi.
He does not know how much time has passed.
Kanade finally snaps back from his self-recrimination and forces himself to think rationally, figuring out what he can utilize—
The fantasy monsters have evidently targeted Nagi and are prepared; with only his own power, he cannot contend with them.
He needs help.
“Takahiro SEMA…”
Kanade recalls that in the previous world line, at the moment Nagi was attacked, Adam would learn that Nagi was indeed the true protagonist.
In other words, as long as he protects Nagi to endure that moment, Takahiro SEMA would be able to overturn the claim that Nagi is Shuumatsu, and he could gain assistance from Takahiro SEMA.
“Cooperate with Takahiro SEMA…?”
This time, Kanade has carefully formulated a complete plan.
“Let’s try again.”
Tick-tock—tick-tock—
New possibilities unfold once more within Kanade’s resolute words—
