Chapter: 1. Fragments and Memories
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The rain outside pattered softly, slender droplets sliding slowly down the glass, merging into a blurred water mark.
The room was very quiet, only the faint sound of footsteps in the distance, and the gentle dripping of liquid into a transparent container.
He pushed the door open, deliberately lightening his footsteps to avoid making too much noise.
The woman in the room was half-reclined against the pillow, a white quilt lightly covering her legs, the cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing a thin wrist.
“It’s raining again,” her voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced the silence of the room, intertwining with the sound of rain outside. “I’ve found that I unexpectedly like rainy days.”
The woman slowly turned her head to look in his direction.
“The story you wrote before, I’ve finished reading it. Doesn’t it have a name yet?”
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——▍▍▍▍ World Line of ——
Two days ago.
Kawano City.
“What… have you done to me?”
“The power of Hydra.” Shūen Nagakage abruptly changed from his former chatty habit and answered Nagio’s question briefly.
He took the resurrected Nagio away from the cemetery.
The night was heavy, and the park was silent.
The streetlights emitted a dim yellow light, casting pale illumination on the benches, swings, and the leaves that trembled slightly in the wind.
Warm lights glowed from the distant streets, yet were swallowed up in the dark far away.
Nagio’s bare feet touched the cold ground, slightly curling inward.
Her body was still adapting to this abrupt “resurrection”; her fingertips trembled slightly, perceiving the humidity and temperature of the air, even the sensation of the fabric brushing against her skin. Shūen Nagakage draped a spacious bath towel over her.
The clean, soft fabric easily evoked images of the towels used when delivering babies, and the towel retained some warmth, seemingly metaphorically marking Nagio’s “resurrection” as a “rebirth.”
Shūen Nagakage stood in the night, blending into the contours where dim light and shadows intertwined.
“…The power of Hydra can only restore the physical body.”
“Of course, so I spent a lot of time piecing together your already shattered soul, but it’s still not perfect—”
As Shūen Nagio spoke, she handed a small makeup box to Nagio.
The latter took it and, with her still slightly trembling fingers, opened the lid.
What came into Nagio’s view was her appearance at 17, which was normal since she was that age when influenced by Hydra’s power; Hydra’s ability would only “restore” her body to that time, neglecting the passage of time during this period.
However, Nagio’s attention was not on her appearance.
A shattered starry sky.
If one were to use a certain scene to metaphorically describe her current pupils, this might be the most fitting example.
Her pitch-black pupils resembled an endless night sky, with tiny specks of light glimmering on her iris. As light passed over, those fragmented lights seemed to flow, like starlight leaking from cracks, and deep within, countless subtle fissures could be faintly seen, as if the night sky had once shattered, leaving behind countless star fragments in her eyes—broken, yet still brilliant.
“Your fiancé, or husband’s blow not only completely erased the fragments of finality in your soul but also shattered your soul, fortunately, I can still stitch your soul together by other means—at least ensuring you do not lose your original memories.”
Shūen Nagakage explained.
“However, the contracts in your soul weren’t so fortunate; even I cannot repair them for now.”
“…..Why? Why are you doing this?” Nagio closed the lid, “Do you really think I will help you destroy this world?”
“I understand your determination, but—let’s put this question aside for now; there are more important and urgent matters to address.”
“What?”
“He has come, the singular existence that presides over all world lines and possibilities.” Shūen Nagakage said slowly, “He discovered this world line that should not exist.”
The Only One, Tsukimi Kanade.
As a die-hard player of the “Star Pull” series, Nagio was naturally all too familiar with his existence.
He was the protagonist in the true ending of “Star Pull 2,” the male protagonist Tsukimi Kanade who fully mastered the box of Kaola, a collection of all Tsukimi Kanade across all pathways, simultaneously controlling all rewriting directions and wielding the power of all possibilities. He was the only “Only One” in the “Star Pull” series, also referred to by players as “Kanade,” “Only Kanade,” or “Solo.”
In “Star Pull 2,” he played roles akin to “Guardian,” “Arbitrator,” “Tuner,” etc. When the “Tsukimi Kanade” in a world line refused to accept the death of the heroine and continuously rewrote the world line, even the rules themselves, upsetting the balance and safety of that world line, he would intervene, ensuring that “Tsukimi Kanade” accepted his fate while restoring the world line back to a balanced state.
The true ending of “Star Pull 2” involved players controlling the “Only Kanade,” persistently intervening and fixing the unbalanced world line.
“Master, this world line is an erroneous one, one that should not exist from the start.” Shūen Nagakage said in a low voice, “If he discovers this point, then this world line itself will be erased—”
“……Isn’t that what you want? To see the destruction of this world?” Nagio retorted coldly.
“It’s different, completely different, Master.” Shūen Nagakage shook his head: “What I desire in ‘destruction’ is merely a means; saving this world is my true goal.”
“But if the Only One erases this world line, then everything will be moot, Master.”
“Before I destroy or you save this world, the people you care about will be completely erased by him—”
“No one in this world can stop him, not me, not the fantasy monsters, not even your fiancé. Only you—”
“Master, if you can reclaim the powers and memories that once belonged to you—”
Silence once again enveloped the two under the night.
What was unfolding before them indeed exceeded Nagio’s expectations.
She had thought that the Only One might intervene in this world, but the purpose would only be to make “Kanade” give up rewriting and accept “himself” dying.
But as Shūen Nagakage said, the world line she was in did not exist in the original work.
If the Only One acted according to his modus operandi in “Star Pull 2,” then indeed, this world line could be erased by him—
Was all this her fault…..?
Why? What is guiding her? Why would she not give up on this world?
“I….. how can I judge that you’re not lying? Shūen?”
“Because I currently do not have the energy for that.”
As the words fell, Shūen Nagakage stepped out of the shadows for the first time.
When the light finally fell on her, the scars that had been hidden in darkness revealed themselves, with unhealed wounds scattered throughout her form. Instead of blood, those wounds leaked slowly a nebulous black mist, resembling smoke in the night, drifting gently with her movements.
Shūen Nagakage’s complexion was pale; her originally delicate features and beautiful face appeared even more haggard due to fatigue and pain.
“The Special Circle SEMA, the Three Great Academies, and your fiancé have been searching for me day and night. I no longer have sufficient energy to think about these petty schemes.”
Nagio realized that Shūen Nagakage was not lying, and she also had a foreboding about the interference of the Only One. Ever since her “resurrection,” this sense of unease had lingered in her heart until Shūen Nagakage articulated it, leading her to understand its origin—
After a moment of silence, she seemed to accept Shūen Nagakage’s words: “So, how should I regain my memories and powers?”
Nagio looked around: “Did you gather those who carry the fragments here? And then I resonate with their souls one by one?”
“I’m afraid this suggestion was effective three years ago.” Shūen Nagakage smiled helplessly.
“Your fiancé’s power has been thoroughly studied by the Three Great Academies over the past three years. They have developed a vaccine-like serum that, once injected into the body, can sever my perception and control over the fragments. So even I do not know who still harbors fragments deep in their souls.”
“……Three years?”
“Yes, it has been three years since your ‘vacation,’ Master. Thanks to the reminder from that incident, the Special Circle SEMA and the Three Great Academies have maintained a high level of vigilance regarding my powers and have been hiding those fragments until the power of ‘Black Flame’ was researched out—but I still managed to find a very key target.”
Shūen Nagakage handed a crumpled photo to Nagio.
“This person in the photo was once a core researcher of the ‘Fragment Clearance Plan,’ possessing the list of all individuals infected by the fragments, and he is also a holder of the fragments.”
After taking the photo, Nagio recognized this person; she had interacted with him during her time as the “Elemental Sovereign.”
“He is currently a professor at the Star Academy, and his memory surely still retains that list. As long as you reclaim the fragments from his soul, you can catch a glimpse of his memories and find all the fragment holders.”
“……I guess you didn’t kidnap him from the Star Academy.”
“Bad news, I am being pursued by the entire world, and there simply isn’t enough time. However, I believe you have a way to approach him.”
“So? Do you want me to infiltrate the Star Academy and resonate with his soul?”
“Another piece of bad news, Master, my powers are ineffective against those who have been vaccinated, and I believe you wouldn’t want to use your abilities in the academy under regulations.” Shūen Nagakage denied Nagio’s suggestion.
“However, I have good news; the way to reclaim the fragments is precisely what you excel at.”
“What do you mean?”
“Though the starlight power cannot resonate with fragments hidden in the soul, if the target actively activates the power of the fragments, then it can be reclaimed—such as when he ‘awakens’ or ‘second awakens.'”
“Your old trick, Master, you can try to play his favorite good student and then die in front of him to trigger his awakening.”
Author’s note: Requesting monthly votes in the middle of the month~
In the fourth volume, Kanade and others might be offline for a while, aligning with the progression of the plot.
By the way, to explain the concerns of the readers: the ongoing content is from the main storyline of the world line; other world lines (the beginning ones) are merely background introductions and setting supplements; the if-line side stories will also be updated, generally pausing for a few days to a week after one chapter, then continuing to update the next chapter; while the main storyline here will be updated daily!
