Chapter 143

“That’s… what do you mean…?”

Evan asked the man, his expression stiffening in response to the man’s previous words.

– It means exactly what I said. I am your future self.

Future self.

Yes, somehow… Even while thinking it couldn’t possibly be true, Evan finally understood why the man looked so similar to him.

If this man was indeed his future self, it explained why they shared such a similar appearance.

However, realizing the explanation and believing it were two very different things.

Evan questioned the man with a trembling voice.

“Huh, but… does that even make sense? Just now, you said this necklace is the remnant of the ancient heroes’ will…”

– True, I did say that. If I hadn’t existed as a remnant within this necklace, you would have encountered the ancient hero who was the last to inherit this necklace.

“Then why are you my future self…?”

– I don’t know that either.

“You don’t know?”

After confidently stating that he knew everything just moments ago, how could anyone believe him now when he claims ignorance?

I was about to tell him to stop making senseless claims and demand an immediate answer, but the man shook his head, seemingly genuine in his lack of knowledge.

– The only wish I made to the goddess was to return to the past.

“Wish…?”

The mention of “wish” caused Evan’s eyes to widen significantly.

Wish.

There is essentially only one place where a wish could be involved.

“Did you defeat the Demon King?”

– Yes, I succeeded in defeating the Demon King. Unlike a simple seal, it was a definitive defeat, so peace will surely last for a long time.

“…!”

Upon hearing this, Evan broke into a joyful smile.

If the man introducing himself as his future self was telling the truth, it meant that he and Aria had indeed succeeded in defeating the Demon King.

He had always thought that with enough hard work, it would eventually be possible.

But…

The man who introduced himself as Evan’s future self was not smiling; instead, he trailed off and wore a sorrowful expression.

Now that he thought about it, that was true.

Though the man confidently declared the Demon King’s defeat, his subsequent expression was filled with sadness.

Why…

Why…?

“Then, why did you try to return to the past?”

Feeling uneasy, Evan asked, but…

– □҉̨̟͕̃̈́̿̀̐̀̕̚̚□҈̧̮͈̩̜̉̎̅̓͠□̴̨̜̬̜̤͇̙́̂̕托□̵̢͉̞̲̘̭̠͇̘͑͗̿͞□̴̨͍̯͉̥̆͐̃̉̅́͑͡ͅ□҈̡̠͉͚̣̈̐̄͆̊͠□̴̘̮̲̯̜́̍́́̉̋͢͠□̴̢̯͚̯͊̆͝□̴̢̠̯□҉̧͉̠̪̭̮̝͚̦̉̀̓̈́̐͞□̶̨͈͕͖͕͎̽̒̍̏͠□̴̡̠̫͍̗̩̯̣̩̈́̇́̕喜□̴̨̛͙̱̭̦̗̊͊̓̽͑̅̆͌□҉̨͉̯͚̙̬̙̋͂͞□҉̨̗̤̳̬̉̇̈́̊͂͛́̊͝□҉̝̝̦̞̪̩̜̓̉̄͛͑̕͜□̶̡̮̬̜̬͎̎̄͑́͝ͅ□̴̣̝̖͔͇̇̑̆̎͜͡ͅ□̴̡̥͕̲̳͗́͒́̆̎̎̚͞ͅͅ□̴̘͈͎̮͂̊̀̇̌̈̅͜͠□҈̢̜̫̪̤͚͖̒͊͐͝ͅ□҈̘͓̯͇̞̭̣̖̅̒͢͠瑟□̶̛̥̝̤͎̗̖́͐͛͢□҈̢̩̱͍҇̋͐͌̒́̇̚□̶̧̟̥̲̑̃̔͞□҈͚̳̰̬͉͎̐̃̊̎̋̐͜͠愿□̶̧͇̿͐͂͊̆͛͡ͅ□̵̢̞̟̘҇́͗̈͑͊□̵̢̛̣͍͎̍͐́□̵̨̛̱͚̩̳͋̓͊͗̇̊̾志□҈̫̬͍̤̮̪̜͓̂͒́͐̆͢͞

Although he was clearly saying something, his voice was inaudible.

“What…?”

As Evan was about to ask what strange thing the man was trying to say, the man clicked his tongue.

– It seems I’m blocked from saying anything more.

“Blocked?”

– If you were a hero with power beyond the rules, you might be able to fully understand. Unfortunately, it seems I can’t say anything beyond this point. I could break through the constraints, but I expended too much power helping you out last time.

“…Ah! That monster back then…”

Indeed.

That attack was far too powerful to be something Evan could use.

In fact, he had been puzzled as to how the man used the attack without showing any signs of fatigue.

– It’s only because of your second awakening as a hero that I’ve been able to share any of this now. If you hadn’t reached this point, even discussing this would’ve been impossible.

The man bit his lip tightly and muttered under his breath.

– Even the wish to return to the past wasn’t completely fulfilled? Simply remaining as a remnant in this necklace is all that’s left of what was once a great hero? And now, I can’t even provide the full information! What does it all mean!?

Finally, the man shouted, his voice filled with frustration at the current situation.

– I don’t want to believe in fate, but these constraints are incredibly strong…

Constraints.

Fate.

All these words were incomprehensible.

“If you defeated the Demon King, why did you try to return to the past?”

– …It seems I can’t explain that either.

“…”

– Don’t worry. You already meet the conditions for the second awakening. And at this stage, I can ensure that you receive the power without unnecessary complications.

Still, that was it.

Even though Evan hadn’t come expecting any information, it was frustrating that the man teased him with half-explanations but offered nothing.

– I’m sorry. Though I said I’d grant all your wishes, unfortunately, it seems altering the past wasn’t something even my future self could accomplish.

But.

The man continued.

– If I was going to give up at this point, I shouldn’t have even attempted it in the first place.

“…!”

There was, in fact, a way.

The constraints only applied when dealing with others.

Though technically the same person, Evan and the man had lived different timelines. They have lived different lives, accumulated different experiences. From this perspective, they could be considered as different individuals.

But if they were seen as the same…

Even if they were different in time, as long as they were the same person, there was one more way that was possible.

The man, who had already realized what had to be done, stared intensely at Evan.

It had to be done. It must be done now.

The man shouted.

– Listen carefully, Evan! From this moment on, you must focus entirely on training and strive to reach your final awakening as quickly as possible! This is your last chance!

Then he boldly approached Evan.

When Evan looked up at the man who had suddenly appeared before him, he swallowed hard.

– I’ll help you awaken now. And…

The man extended his hand.

Evan looked at the hand extended toward him, then glanced up again in confusion.

– I’ll expend all the power I have now and reside within your subconscious.

“Huh? That’s…”

– Don’t worry. I am you, after all… Nothing will change about who you are when I enter your subconscious. All I aim to give you are the experiences from my subconscious, and…

The man continued with a bittersweet expression.

– I want to convey my memories to you. This… is the reason why I came back to the past, despite all the hardships.

“…”

Evan couldn’t find the words to respond.

Perhaps realizing that there was no need to remain here any longer, the man smirked and focused his attention on Evan.

Soon, all the energy within the man began to flow toward Evan.

As Evan felt the power flowing from the man towards him, he could sense his own strength rising.

It was real.

This was truly happening.

The man was giving him everything.

Thinking that if this continued, the man might fade away completely, Evan was horrified and called out to him repeatedly.

But the man continued to transfer his power without hesitation.

“Wait, hold on!”

By now, all that remained of the man was a mere fragment of his consciousness. Though transparent and blurred, he still gazed at Evan.

“Wait, please! I still have so many questions…!!”

– You’ll understand everything eventually. Since I’ve given you everything, you’ll know it all once you achieve your final awakening.

With a sense of relief, as if he had finally let go, the man smiled faintly at Evan.

– Please take care of Aria…

Finally fading away completely, the world inside the necklace began to collapse.

Sinking to his knees inside this crumbling world,

For just a moment,

Free from the constraints of this world—just a fleeting moment.

“…Ah.”

Evan wore the expression of someone who had come to a realization.

And then the light burst forth, plunging the world into darkness.