FLAGS. 269 The Reboot (Reboot)
How many times has it happened in any video game to press a button just in case? The primary button, New Game (New Game), from there the adventure starts from scratch, the Continue button (Continue), every time you re-enter the game the game continues from where you saved it, then there is the Retry button (Retry), which when pressed causes you to retry the thing you failed at. But did you know that there is one particular key that commands all three, and is even more powerful than New Game? Well, it exists, and it's called Reboot (Reboot)… When it is pressed the life of the video game is completely reset, it is restored from the beginning, it is a clean slate. AH! But it's the same as New Game! No. Because if New Game deletes a file, and sends it back to the beginning, Restart reformats the whole game. And today a person who thought he could Continue rather than thought he had finished the game, will undergo the Reboot. A reboot that didn't choose him. So, was the Reboot decided on a whim of Fate? Or was it planned from the start? It will take a lot to answer this question. Assuming you can answer…
THE WORLD GOD ONLY KNOW GOD ARRIVALS! START!
A white space with mirrors. Keima had happened there. But was it real? No, he was dreaming there was no doubt. Of all dreams, one could not happen to him in his world of video games. No indeed, a black screen with no one. Only him in there, even in dreams he wanted to be alone. Well even if the environment wasn't ideal, he was still alone. Or not?
"Wake up Katsuragi."
"…? Dad?" Keima jumped. It was not a female voice, but a male one. The only clear male voices were few for Keima. His father, Prof. Kodama and some of his classmates.
"Don't you remember? Today is your day."
"No? Here…" – Keima tried to connect all the voices. It didn't look like any of the items he'd listed. But then…
"Mm you don't even know where to start do you? I'll take care of refreshing your memory… God of conquest"
A transparent figure without a precise shape manifested itself in front of Keima. That figure, however, had a shape that could be defined as almost human. It almost looked like a ghost made of water.
"Who are you? Where we are? And above all, you don't even know who I am!"
"Of course, I know."
"Huh?"
"Let's see… Keima Katsuragi 18 years old born June 6 11:29:35 married. Aka God of Conquest, Brainy and… tsk Nii-Sama?"
"Where are you hiding stalker? Are you in my dream? And how dare you tell me I'm married and use my nicknames?"
"How dare you address a God like this!"
"A God?"
"Oops, I said too much."
Silence immediately fell. Keima didn't understand anything. What it was? In order not to dream of goddesses, was he now inventing gods? What an interesting defense mechanism… No, it couldn't be like that! But then, a God in his dreams? Are we kidding?!
"Anyway – continued the revealed God – values of conquest above the average: you have conquered more girls than me when I was your age."
"But what does it have to do with it?"
"And you're even married at 18, which isn't easy after hurting so many people almost permanently and having quite a few lovers."
"First, I'm not married, second, I have no lovers and third… (I'm raging) who you really are, show yourself!" Keima said while screaming
"The time will come when I will have to show myself, in fact I will do it today at the first opportunity. You have; indeed, we have a task to continue…" - the figure was already leaving.
"I no longer have any duties." – Keima hid in his opinion.
"But really? As far as I'm concerned, you have some unfinished business. - the figure changed its mind and turned back approaching Keima.
Keima was about to ask what accounts, but the figure preceded him and began to take human form. When he finished "modelling" Keima was pronouncing the name of the person in front of him: "Ayumi!" Keima was fainting.
"What is it you don't recognize me anymore? Don't recognize the first person you conquered and kissed? Well, I haven't forgotten about you and who you are. You are a worm! – the person who should have been Ayumi lunged at Keima to kick him, but Keima dodged quickly. She didn't know if the pain was real or not and she didn't want to find out. He had already tried Ayumi's kicks and didn't want to try them even in dreams.
"Come on. Do you think I'm fooled by a copy of Ayumi? That's why I wanted to forget about them.
"Then you forgot about me." Keima recognized the voice and turned instantly. When he confirmed that there was also the "owner" of the voice he jumped back.
"Kanon?"
"So, like everyone else, you too forgot about my existence. You want to make me invisible again. All the words you said to me… I was right then. YOU ARE JUST A LIAR!" – Kanon pulled out her kitten-shaped tasers. Too bad that in dreams the tasers do not know if they are safe or not. Kanon looked like a fury, like when she was possessed by the soul of the Underworld.
"KEIMAAA!" - Ayumi also began to charge him, again, with another kick. In response to this Keima ducked and finished as Ayumi hit Kanon and both went down.
(I'm getting out of here.) – thought Keima but he didn't even take a step when some books fell on his head. Not only were they heavy but they hurt, really hurt. Keima looked up and saw, "Shiori? Tenri? And you too Tsukiyo?" - but the two did not answer they stood there staring at him without moving. But the eyes spoke for themselves. Shiori's were emotionless, Tenri's looked like they were holding back tears, and Tsukiyo's looked like her Luna doll she was holding in her arms. Keima came out of that "quagmire" of books but Yui showed up in front of him.
"NOOOOO! NOT YUI! NOT HER!" – Yui was holding a female dress and a long hair wig ready for Keima to wear.
"What's the problem. Keima?" – Yui was getting closer and closer but Keima ran away managing to overtake her.
"Please tell me they're over! – but his "prayers" were not heard. Before him the last person. THE REAL FINAL BOSS! Chihiro." - yes, her. The "normal girl".
"Why are you calling me by name, Katsuragi?" – those words were so cold that they could have frozen Hell. Keima couldn't react as he was surrounded by the other girls.
"Why? What happen?" Lost in his own confusion, Keima was reeling.
"These are your words, aren't they? You have no outstanding accounts. Your job is done. Well, before you are the proof, not really true, but living proof of what you have pending. Girls! All the girls turned to the figure. - Keima is everything for you." - having said these words, the girls began to approach Keima.
"Stay away from me! You are nothing but faded copies!" – Keima said trying to remember the characters of those 3D girls.
"I'd say fifty-fifty, Keima. True they are copies but they are not faded at all. This is what they think of you now. For every action there is a reaction." - having said this he snapped his fingers and immediately all the girls fell to the ground in excruciating pain.
"What are you doing? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Keima finished the sentence and saw something he shouldn't have seen. Black miasma came out of each girl's heart in the form of smoke.
"Keima. Why did you do this to us?" – those words were full of pain and sadness, while tears flowed from the eyes of all the girls.
"It's not me. It was this shapeless f*****!" - Keima pointed his finger at the transparent figure who was observing the scene leaning on an invisible wall or column.
"Oh Keima. But this is your fault." Keima felt his veins freeze
"DON'T SAY SHIT! GUILT NOT…" – Keima didn't finish the sentence that the figure interrupted him.
"It is not? Who is it that broke their hearts. You or me? Or rather you or you?"
"What?" Keima was losing his voice.
"Didn't you notice Keima? All of this is the result of a broken heart. First negative emotions pile up with each other and explode in contact with the person who causes them. But this is a momentary effect because then comes the second consequence. Heartbreak sets in, angry emotions fade, and sadness takes over. The humiliation of having given one's heart to a person who has one chained to it." The transparent figure jerked his fingers a second time and Keima felt a pang in her heart. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE! He could see his heart, full of chains that were held very tightly and could not be broken by the beating of the heart itself.
"When a chained and perfect heart - the figure began to narrate - meets a broken heart and tries to mend it, then the latter will be broken again and possessed by the miasma of sadness. So, say the prophecies, indeed the laws of love.
"Who are you to dictate the laws of love?"
"Easy. Because the creator of love, I am. And now I have to fulfill one of the prophecies."
"Who are you? The creator of love? And of what prophecies and prophecies?"
"Soon said. When the chained and perfect heart meets the creator of love then they will have to unite to heal the damage caused by the first and collaborate to stop the one who feeds on suffering and pain. - and having said this he pointed to the girls still on the ground and who were suffering more and more.
"Do you want to save them?" the voice asked.
Keima lowered his head: "I have to."
"Keima, love is not a duty. - the figure scolded him - But it's better to discuss this another time, then the restart is complete. NEW GAME START!"
"This sentence is mine!" – this Keima wanted to say but he couldn't do it, because as soon as the figure or rather the guy had stopped talking Keima's right hand shone and Keima screamed in pain because he felt a burn as if they had blown out a match at the point where the light came out . After the light passed Keima saw that a mark was engraved in his right hand but it was not written in Japanese, nor in a normal language. At least that's how it seemed.
"Ouch! What did you do to my hand?" Keima asked as he tried to erase the sign with his other hand.
"What are you doing? – asked the figure - The mark of a God is made of pure light and cannot be erased. This mark proves that from now on, you are my partner and I am your partner. Now I have to set the last things. Let's set the game to HAREM mode!"
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? BRAKE 5 SECONDS! WHAT IS THIS HAREM MODE?!"
"You disappoint me Keima. Don't you the God of conquest know what a harem is?"
"And who told you I don't know? I'm the one who doesn't have one."
"You're wrong. You have it and you know it too. But it is reduced to a somewhat questionable condition." – and as he spoke he indicated one by one, all the girls still on the ground with heartaches that never stopped evaporating miasma.
"I never wanted that. I never wanted this." Keima lamented.
"Hey! Whether or not you wanted a bicycle, you still have to pedal. And now I leave."
"WHAT?! AND YOU LEAVE US IN THIS STATE?!" Keima could no longer bear to see the girls writhe in pain.
The figure stopped abruptly but answered without even thinking too much: "You must be the one to mend their hearts again, not me. But before their hearts we must take care of yours."
"Of my heart? And then we have to? Plural?" Keima didn't understand
"Of course, we'll start today, I don't feel like suspending the game as soon as it's started. See you around… Partner."
"Where, when and above all how!"
"Oh true, I forgot the forecast. - the figure seemed to ignore the question - So I predict a rude awakening, don't take it too personally. Old acquaintances will reveal themselves and… that's right, our meeting. ASAP, but we have to be alone, if you know what I mean.
"No, I don't understand, I don't fall asleep in class and now answer…" – Keima couldn't say anything else because.
Suddenly he heard a sound: *TIC, TIC, TIC… 7:00 AM* The alarm clock rang and Keima jumped in the air leaping out of the blanket, was the alarm clock crushing him? (What kind of devilry is this? Elsie was it you?) - Keima wondered as he punched the tentacle that was choking him by the neck, until Keima somehow managed to press the off button of the alarm clock. The tentacle returned inside the alarm clock and Keima opened the window throwing that alarm clock out.
Keima took a deep breath. And then: "What a disgusting morning! Almost killed in a dream and then in reality. Seriously off to a good start!" Keima commented, still furious about the alarm clock, and with another doubt nagging him and as he went down the stairs he thought about it again.
(A God in my dream? Something's not right here. No wait!) – Keima quickly controlled his right hand. No branding, no nothing, just her unscarred skin. From now on he would eat less heavily in the evening.
"Nii-Sama!" - Elsie was already making herself heard.
"Ah… Elsie" – Keima said absently.
"I am Eri in the family. Something wrong? Elsie asked, seeing him downstairs.
"Sorry, I don't think I'll get used to it soon. Well, it happened to me…" – Keima tried to say.
"Keima!" Mari called him.
"Oh mom!" - Keima always spoke absently.
"How to say: Ah mom? - Mari couldn't bear to see her son half distracted - Have you forgotten that today we start all over again?"
"Well yeah I remembered that." - Keima said with the briefcase in his hand.
"I think both you and Eri are looking forward to seeing your friends."
(Oh no I forgot that!) – Keima said at the thought of seeing everyone again.
"Already above all… and why… and then…" – Keima had stopped listening to his mother, horrendous thoughts resurfaced in his head: (A rude awakening… Old acquaintances… From now on you are my partner… HAREM MODE!... We'll meet today partner…) – if I had to list all Keima's thoughts I would run out of dialogues. Indeed, there were so many that they would have bugged a screen without problems, and maybe two.
(I hope that "the invisible" never returns). - Keima hoped thinking that he had imagined the voice and the whole dream.
"Don't count on it too much, Partner." said the voice of the dream. Keima whirled to deliver a kick but stopped when he saw that he was going to hit Elsie instead of what the disembodied person in his dream thought.
"N-Nii-Sama?" Elsie looked confused and frightened.
"Keimaaa!" Mari yelled at him furiously.
"OUCH!" yelled Keima who received a blow on the head from his mother.
(Let's continue well…) – he thought in pain as he checked himself if a bump had sprouted.
****As…****
Nii-Sama, wait for me!" – Elsie for once was having a hard time keeping up with Keima who was deep in thought and was punching the PFP keys at speed using partial God of Conquest mode: (Damn my "mate", Elsie and all reality. I'd like to go back to sleep. I really don't want to see any 3D girls today. Wait that's) – Keima noticed something
Not far from the school gate a girl with tied brown hair and crimson red eyes.
(Speak of the devil!) – thought Keima recognizing the person.
"Devils are much worse." – but Keima ignored the voice this time.
"Diana!" Keima recognized her
"Good morning, Keima-San" – Diana said calmly
There was a brief moment of silence
"I thought you goddesses had left the Earth."
"It was supposed to be like this, but..."
"But?" Keima asked curiously
"But our brother, he hasn't shown up yet." Diana said worried
"Brother?"
"Yes, did you think there were only goddesses?" Diana asked
"Actually yes, you never told me about it. But why doesn't this one come here?" Keima asked puzzled
"He said he had to find the perfect body to house since a normal lucky pervert could never house him."
"Huh?" – Keima still doesn't understand us much
"To make it easy, he wants someone worthy of him as a guest. As do the rest of us. But he should choose someone close to us at the same time. Wow, Cupid is always immature."
"Cupid?" Keima was fed up with the gods. Now the boys were coming too?!
"Yes, our brothers Cupid, Neptune and Dionysus are much more demanding than us."
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious, Keima?" said a half-familiar voice.
"Mercury?" Keima said incredulously
"Yeah and we're all here." - having said these words, Apollo, Vulcanus, Minerva and Mars appeared behind her.
"What are you all doing here?" – well, it wasn't abnormal. All the guests of the goddesses, apart from Diana, frequented the Maijima.
"Diana warned us"
"So, it's your doing?" Keima asked, looking at her badly.
"Yes, but because we had to tell you all about our brothers."
"Huh?"
"We Jupiter sisters have always had four brothers: Cupid, Neptune, Dionysus and Hades. – Diana began - One of these, however, was the most restless: Hades. Unlike us, he didn't aim at love but at suffering. So, we created a suitable place for him: Hell, where he threw himself into it without hesitation, but in doing so he underwent the Inversion that transformed him into a demon making him lose his wings and his original powers.
"Thus began his reign of terror, in his desolate land, but one day he tried to ascend to heaven without success, so he looked for an interlude to connect and created Purgatory."
"However – Mars retorted – those who entered Hell could not for any reason approach Purgatory, and therefore this method of his was shattered. This infuriated him and since his attempt failed, he still tried to get out of there through a dimension not created by him and full of those called sinners: the Earth.
"Let me guess: he succeeded and started the war with your brother" – guessed Keima.
"Yes, that's right" - Vulcanus confirmed.
"And then?" Keima asked, wanting to know the rest.
"And then he was the one who created the conflict between the demons of Hell and the gods. We all sacrificed to seal away the demons of the Underworld. And then, and then… we don't know" – Diana said sadly.
"As?" Keima asked dumbfounded.
"Our memories stop there." Mars said with his arms folded.
"Fine, but what am I for in all of this?" Keima asked suspiciously.
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Keima?"
"You must help us find our brothers sooner rather than later."
"They will explain to us what happened that time, they will help us defeat Hades and then we will leave the bodies of our guests."
"Yeah and you Keima will help us. So, I'll be clear and precise. You will have to cooperate with us."
"Well, I'll be clear and specific. Forget it." Keima said decisively. - Our collaboration was over; I don't want to have anything to do with you or even with your guests. You've made more trouble than anything else. I risked too much. These otherworldly affairs do not concern me. Why should I help you again?"
Diana looked at him severely: "Keima, don't you notice something strange?"
"What? Have you changed your peculiar eye and hair color?" - Keima was sarcastic.
"Don't be funny. Rather look at my back, and now look above my head." Diana turned quickly and Keima only then noticed something strange.
"Your wings and halo are… gone." Keima noted.
"Yeah, and it's all your fault." - Vulcanus scolded him
"And why on earth?" - Keima said in an "innocent" voice
"And you also ask? You hurt the girls who loved you and still try to win you over. You broke their hearts and you continue to do so. By doing so we have lost our wings and halos."
"Mars actually still has them" – Keima pointed out.
"His guest is a special case even if her powers aren't quite right either. All of us except Mars have lost our wings. And I, Minerva, Vulcanus and Mercuris have also lost our halos. In a little while I don't think we will be able to manifest ourselves anymore."
"I repeat. So?"
"You are really stupid Keima. If you don't help us get our wings and halos back, then help us find our brothers."
"And may I ask how should I do it?"
"We do not know. You'll come up with something."
"The answer is always no. Even assuming that I am responsible for your disempowerment and for breaking the hearts of your guests, I have no reason or method. Besides, I'd already said that my job was done and that I wanted nothing more to do with the goddesses. I'm not going to do anything anymore. I'm not forced by a beheading collar. Since you arrived you have turned my life upside down. I've always had to invent feelings to get to the "finale". And now my plan to make your guests forget me is working. I won't stop now. I don't care about your Guests!" Silence fell. A dangerous silence.
"Katsuragi…" – Vulcanus was already on the scissor path. He wanted to cut it short with Keima. Literally.
And then… – a tear fell down his cheek as he said these things and thought over all his experiences. There was dead silence for a few seconds. - Already now I'm single again. Your guests must stay away from me!"
"Then this boy has feelings" - observed Vulcanus almost amazed.
"Vulcanus!" Diana scolded harshly.
"He's running away!" Mars pointed out.
"Stop Keima!" they all shouted.
But Keima was already far away and running as fast as he could towards his class.
NEXT STEP! FLAG 270!
NEXT STEP! FLAG 370!
?: "That hassle. I'm not in control yet..."
KEIMA: "A HALO?! And who the hell are you?
A brand-new God approved on Earth. Indeed, in Keima's body.
?: "My name is Cupid, eldest son of Jupiter and Juno and God of Love and you, as you can see, are my lucky Guest. Katsuragi Keima-Kun…"
KEIMA: "N-NOOO!"
THE TRUE GOD OF CONQUEST.
CUPID: Don't ignore me, Partner. partner? PARTNER!"
KEIMA: "Someone kill me…"
Author's note: If someone finds some English mistakes it's my fault, I raise my hands... The adventure can begin again. Continues!