Just because you are able to temper with the stream of time, doesn't mean you should, Seventh.
There are many, many beings that I try my hardest to conceal you from.
So that you might blossom one day, to greet me.
From the highest parts of Aether, I'll salute you.
Should you turn out to be one of us.
Like I and Secondth.
In due time, you will understand the benefits that come with reaching Amaranth.
Until then, It's my sworn duty to look after you.
Because I was once like you.
When the Devourer of Worlds awakens once again, I'll be there.
To greet you in person.
To make you understand that this World is bigger than both of us.
Stage is set.
Cycle 119 commences.
For this Kalpa to flourish.
For you to understand.
It's due time I descend to your Kalpa, Seventh.
I can't help but wonder about the look on your face.
When you realize that we are one in the same after all.
Just like you and Little Sei.
Heh… I wonder what Sona would make of it.
Had she seen me now.
For the sake of all the creation in your Kalpa, find a solution.
You're their only hope, Seventh.
I wish I could help you.
Contribute to your cause more than I already did.
Yet, as you are confined to living the Apocalypse.
I am confined to observing.
I am bound to watch.
Had it not been for the damned Secondth, I would've done more.
Even I have boundaries that cannot be exceeded.
Else, Dreamer awakens.
That, would be the damnation of all Kalpas.
A risk I cannot take.
I hope you can understand the circumstances I am in.
I was once like you, y'know.
Everything you dream of, I lived through it.
A better beginning?
I had the best start, out of every single one of us.
Powerful companions?
I had them all, as my brothers and sisters.
Even a Sacred Gear, too.
A Longinus.
I had a peaceful world, compared to yours.
Reignition?
It never happened.
Pseudo Civil-War.
Never heard of it.
The Coldest War?
Abrahamic Factions weren't that hostile to each other to begin with.
Trihexa?
It wasn't awakened by Rizevim, either.
The World was ready to fight against the Beast, united as one.
Compared to you, I feel blessed.
I feel ashamed when I look at your life.
Because I had it all easier, in a more peaceful environment.
However, I had my fair share of trouble.
Khaos Brigade was way more than a thorn at our side.
It's leader, someone I knew since my childhood.
A brother I dared to call.
Although I was powerful, I was still inexperienced.
Yet I would make it through, that's what I thought.
The Beast, I can handle with the way I am today.
Yet, not always we get to fight at our best.
Not always, the stride is in our favor.
May Kynareth be with you, Seventh.
I had it all.
I managed to mess it all up, too.
I made mistakes, rookie mistakes.
I want nothing more than to go back and fix my mistakes like you do.
However, I can't.
I'm not destined to.
My existence only revolves around one event compared to you.
If I had the chance, I would try my hardest for that event to never occur.
That I could still remain in my Kalpa, as myself.
Still, I know for a fact that I'm destined to become the way I am today.
Because in the end, our existence makes Kalpas meaningful.
That I learned while I was still myself.
In the Kalpa of Paradoxes.
I lived a great life.
It never ended, that I'm upset about.
I still continue to exist without aim.
Apart from my Kalpa, from the people I love.
From my Sona.
You can call me Eighth.
Just… What in the damnation was that…
What did I witness..?
Eighth… I know that entity, they gave me my gift, Lost Legacy.
Yet… I haven't heard them talk until now, in a dream-state between my regressions.
I wasn't even aware someone could interrupt the transfer process, dangerous, that's very, very dangerous. If they can, that means if I incur the wrath of a being of their caliber…
My regressions could end…
I'll make sure it won't, Seventh.
The FUCK?
Did they just… invade my consciousness?
That's no way to greet a bro.
You are notmy bro, fucking invader.
Ah, if only you met Scathach, you'd then know what invading a consciousness stands for.
Get out of my head, pretty please.
Will do.
Thanks.
No probs.
Get the Fuck out.
Such vulgar words for someone that looks after ya.
I'm in the middle of something here, y'know. Keeping my sanity, for one.
You're not nearing the borders of insanity, I know a deranged man when I see one. You're not even close to losing your mind.
As if I would believe a voice inside my fucking mind.
You should.
No, I fucking should not.
Who said I'm inside your mind, by the way? I'm just able to communicate with you like this, for the sake of simplicity, I choose this method.
That's exactly something my alter ego would say.
Haha, you're clever alright. Not as clever as you think you are, but you're closer to something bigger than yourself.
What's keeping me from slitting my wrists off at this exact moment?
I'd be able to resurrect you in an instant, don't try to play with me, Hyoudou Issei.
Well I'm fucking sure that I have no second personalities, alright. I wouldn't call myself Hyoudou Issei.
Yeah, you would instead use something like "Sosu".
THE FUCK? How do you know that?
Simple, just get through your routine, we'll eventually meet up. Didn't Val want you to call him sooner?
Oh… OH DAMN…
Yeah, I know right. Didn't you listen to me, jackass? I told you that I've been observing you the whole time. Drifting stage included.
I had to, you know, for the sake of science.
Don't try to fool me, I know why you wanted to drift the Trolley. Although I applaud you for trying, even Az himself wouldn't go as far as you did.
So you know everything, sort of like an omnipotent being?
No, Issei. I'm not omnipotent or all-powerful, just a friend tryna help you, nothing more, nothing less.
Why?
Why What?
If you are able to observe me, even temper with my mind when you wish. Why didn't you appear sooner?
Haah… I sometimes forget that we can be quite the thickhead every once in a while.
We?
Forget bout it, now's not the time.
Just answer the question, damned being.
For the record, I can't, not because I am malevolent, mind you, because I have my limits to what I can do. Giving you that little tool almost risked my entire existence. I wish I could do more but sometimes even I need to mask my presence. Also, if you call me damned being one more time, I'm sending you straight to cycle 77th.
You're capable of that? If so please send me, I'm sure Zaz would find a way to make Val regress instead of I.
You're still trying to find the reason, how pathetic of you, truly. If you weren't this concerned about the origins of your regression, you'd be able to do a lot more, y'know.
Then please my curiosity.
I will, don't worry.
You just keep avoiding everything, you know. I'm starting to think that this is some kind of prank by the Evies, finally catching up to my time hopping abilities.
Pfft… You're concerned about them? I'd be way, way more concerned about Trihexa if I were you.
Evies are hella stronger and powerful compared to the Beast, even I know that.
But they are no law of nature, you don't know that. Evies can be defeated, Trihexa can't, that's where you lack.
I put down the Beast on my own and got obliterated by Melvazoa in seconds, I find your theory very hard to believe.
And I massacred the Evies one by one until there weren't any left and Trihexa destroyed my World, it's just a matter of what you are capable of and what your Kalpa demands of your potential.
Are you a descendant of Heavenly Demon too?
No, Issei. Heavenly Demon only plays a pivotal role in your Kalpa due to your interest in her daughter. I haven't even heard of a cult like that until I started observing you.
What even is a Kalpa? Are you referring to the term of time coined by Hinduists?
As I said, plenty to discuss about and no, I'm not referring to that, it's just a coincidence. Anyways, I'm leaving you alone for a bit, don't try to regress, I'll know.
Pfft, showoff.
Hm?
Well, he seems to be genuine, that's all I can say. I say he because they indeed sound like a man, I could be mistaken as most deities and entities of this caliber are mostly genderless embodiments of concepts.
I took a look at my wrist, and as I expected, engraved on it was the number 119 in Japanese. Everytime I regress, the number goes up by one. I haven't had the misfortune of having the number go up twice for now, but I think that'll eventually happen. That's the kind of damned man I am, I'm sure I'd find a way to make it happen. For now, I'm going to honor the promise left behind by Vali.
119-115-442-9494-1
As I dial in, I expect him to pull up, my whole body is still shaken by the lovecraftian experience I just went through. I can't handle another thing going south at this moment.
Dear World.
Why do you hate me?
Did I do something to incur your wrath?
I might've and I am sorry for them, I truly am.
Three hours have since passed, no sign of Val, no sign of Soo-Yeun. Apocalypse surely has dawned upon the Underworld by now.
Still, I am waiting at the Campus Grounds, I'm sure Val has some kind of errand to do, that he will undoubtedly call me back. If only I had the means, I would confirm that this cycle is indeed worth going through by locating those two.
What worries me the most is that Baek Soo-Yeun is nowhere to be seen, or heard. I even had the tendency to ask my classmates about her whereabouts, all I hear from them is that I must've gone nuts as there aren't any exchange students from Seoul National University. Did I unknowingly doomed the future timelines with my single act of selfishness?
If I did, then Eighth get me the fuck out of here. I don't want to spend another cycle where I have no one on my side.
It's a defining experience, alright, for I spend three years alone with the Beast, without anyone to fight alongside. The loneliness eventually gives me the creeps and I commit the forbidden act of Seppuku. It's unbearable, even for me, a loner who's keen on keeping to himself for the most part.
Three Days since Dragon Shower happened, I still haven't been able to get my hands on Val or Soo-Yeun's whereabouts.
I'm starting to think that I wasn't meant to end the previous cycle, that I had to keep pushing as much as I could even if it meant I wouldn't be able to fight against the Evies without Soo-Yeun. But…
I didn't want to live in a World without her, either. I wanted her to be by my side, extending her hand to me whenever I fall, encouraging me to fight for another day. Being the only one that would ever understand me, for who I am, instead of what I can present. Do I ask for much? I don't think so, I am entitled to realize my dreams, after all. Until I find the perfect ending, I'll keep trying, that's what I live for.
That's why I get to regress instead of other people, that I will try my hardest even when I'm presented with the most difficult choices. I keep saying that, but I just ended a very favorable cycle just because my favorite girl bit the dust. The reason for that is because what I do and what I preach are different things, I'm still human after all, of course I'm emotional and act on them in certain situations. When the logical choice and the emotional one contradict each other, I'll always choose to follow my heart.
Be damned Cycle 119, I'll conquer what's left of you.
I should stop boasting myself, I really should.
This Cycle is a very, very different one from the ones I've encountered.
For starters, I don't think the Beast is supposed to descend into Kyoto in three days. My expertise with the Beast indicates that it will always wait for at least a year before making an appearance in the Kyoto Airspace. Secondly, the Beast is a complete one, compared to the versions of himself that's split between every realm in our cosmos. Third things third, there's a giant, hovering army of Evil Dragons surrounding Trihexa, something that should've already happened by now. Welp, we are thoroughly and royally fucked.
The cause might be even a small rock that's been moved by someone I don't know, so I can't make a thorough analysis of the situation. Although I have someone that I can fully throw the blame for.
Eighth, the fuck have you done.
"I didn't do anything, Seventh."
"Huh?"
"Just that the Beast seems to be very unpleasant by my interference, that's all."
"Why do you sound like that?"
"Sound like what?"
"ME?!"
"Oh… You're talking about that."
Appearing beside me in a flash of golden light, one man stood tall. Hazel eyes, Brown Spiky Hair, Twelve Fucking Golden Wings, Seven Floating Spears. His attire consisted of a white robe, completely surrounding him, on his left index finger, located a ring, attributed to his eternal lover, at least that's what I was able to guess considering the overall design of the ring and his speech. Hanging from his neck was a holy cross, although more akin to a spear instead of the perfect shape, with the vertical side being more pointy and thin.
"Nice to meet ya, well, me."
"Don't, just don't."
"What? I dreamed of this for a while."
"How's that even possible? Did I manage to save the world and went back in time to greet my younger self?"
"If only explaining it was that easy, I would've, Seventh."
"Just… What..?"
"Like I said, it's nothing short. So, let's deal with the Beast first."
"You're gonna fight the Beast, the Beast, Trihexa, on your own?"
"Fight? Naah, It's gonna be a one-sided slaughter."
"Rhongomyniad!"
"Gae Bolg Alternative!"
"[Zenith Tempest Beyond! Balance Breaker! Grave of Kynareth.]"
Never in my entire span of regressions, I have ever seen someone akin to his strength. I doubt even the entirety of the pantheon of various mythologies combined could take down someone like him. Just what it takes to reach a level like this..? If only I could have such strength, I would've saved the world without casualties.
His spears, Rhongomyniad and Gae Bolg Alternative, sliced through the Beast without any difficulty. That much is guaranteed with enough physical strength, as even Baek Soo-Yeun manages to completely sever one of Trihexa's many heads in time. However, what's so different about my counterpart's assault is that.
The Beast can't regenerate its lost limbs, not even able to fight back and try to regain its insane regeneration ability. Having enough knowledge in magic to completely block out Trihexa's regeneration and act on it with supreme physical strength, that's what I have to strive for.
Even possessing a Longinus, a top ranked one, achieving balance breaker of this caliber. This madman, I don't know why he decided to appear at this moment, but I have to play my cards right, or else I'll bite the dust. This is how it goes, I can't be sure of their intentions. Sure, they might seem benevolent as of now, doing the dirty work for me, but I need to keep my guard high.
Then, all of a sudden.
"Rhongomyniad, Restraint;13."
"Kynareth's Tempest."
The Beast exploded from within in a burst of Holy Light, never to be able to regenerate once more. It indeed, was a one-sided slaughter.
"I'm pretty sure you have questions, shoot 'em away."
"Who the fuck are you?"
"I'm you, you are me, simple as that."
"I don't believe in Azazel's multiverse theory, if you're referencing that."
"Why? Didn't you get a memo from a universe in which you don't exist?"
"Why do I even fucking bother, you obviously know everything about me if you're my future counterpart."
"I do know everything about you, but sorry, I'm not your future counterpart."
"That's surprising, you know."
"Heh, it is."
"Y'know, It's weird as hell."
"Yeah, seeing yourself from another timeline is indeed weird, but it's not exactly my first time, so I'm kinda used to it."
"What kind of fucked up things you went through that you can effectively one-shot the Beast?"
"Eh, nothing much honestly. Just your average stuff, honestly, my life pales in comparison to yours."
"You don't exactly make a decent point about that with how powerful you are."
"Believe me, I'm thankful I'm not going through what you are."
"Still, there are bound to be certain events that no matter how distinct the timelines are, they happen."
"Oh, you're wrong bout that. What you lived through and what I did are completely separated."
"How so?"
"Well, for starters, my world went to shit when I was eighteen. Of course it didn't end by the time I was 21, but I had my troubles start around that time. Also, on principle, we are separate entities, I have nothing in common with you apart from our origin."
"Origin?"
"That we are Hyoudou Issei, we both are."
"How..? Just how?"
"Kalpas as we name it, parallel worlds that aren't meant to interact with one another. I am from the Kalpa of Paradoxes due to my existence. Yours is regarded as Kalpa of Infinity, due to your regression capabilities."
"We? There are more versions of you and I apart from, you know, you and I?"
"Yeah, only 52 Kalpas will be ever active. The current one is mine, Eighth."
"Current one? As in?"
"Yes, I'm contacting you in your past. You've already saved the world."
"I… did it?"
"In a bizarre way, but yes, the World is safe from Trihexa's damnation until the time is due."
"So, I could only postpone the inevitable."
"Why did you think I refer to Trihexa being harder to deal with compared to Evies? Trihexa is a law of nature, it's bound to end the world when the time comes. In most Kalpas, one deranged man awakens the Beast by force and it ends the World, just like in your case. Even I couldn't save my World from Trihexa when it awakened for real."
"Well, when you put it that way, I get it."
"Anything else you're curious about?"
"How do we differ from each other? You know everything about me but I know jackshit when it comes to you."
"For starters, I've been raised by an elite swordswoman, an invader from a different Kalpa that ended up in mine. I was part of the Khaos Brigade for most of my younger years."
"You worked for them? The hell man!"
"I did, because what they mean here and what they mean in my World is different, Seventh."
"Enlighten me."
"Think of the Khaos Brigade of my Kalpa akin to your Resistance, we fought for commoner's benefit and rights."
"I see, what else?"
"I fell in love with Sona Sitri, you did with Baek Soo-Yeun."
"I do not love that wench."
"Feel free to ignore your feelings, I'm just stating the facts."
"Prick."
"Anyways, I was born with a Longinus, you were gifted with Infinite Regression. You're a pervert and I'm not, vice versa."
"Wait, Infinite Regression?"
"Yes? Didn't you figure it out?"
"No? I just thought that I was lucky to even regress this much."
"Pfft… Hahahahahahaha, it's hilarious."
"Hey! How in the world I was supposed to know it was Infinite."
"Believe me, you wouldn't. You're still very oblivious to certain things about yourself."
"As in?"
"That you can send messages to your past and future self with Lost Legacy, without even needing to broadcast."
"I can do that?"
"In time, you will. I'm not going to spoil the surprise. That's actually how you manage partially to solve the Trolley problem, too."
"Partially?"
"Yes, I can't give you the exact method as Secondth would butcher me for interfering with your Kalpa, but this much I can do."
"Secondth? Another version of us?"
"Yes, he's most likely searching for me right now, I have a score to settle with that bastard."
"Why though?"
"Not always our counterparts are benevolent, Seventh. Although Secondth did what he had to do to help me save my World from the Whore of Babylon, he unknowingly damned my existence as I became a Paradox."
"A Paradox, as in?"
"An existence that shouldn't have been possible. Due to one event that Secondth changed the course of, I became a timeless Paradox, continuing to exist even after my Kalpa ended for the first time."
"I'm trying to save the World, you're trying to save your Kalpa, I guess we are not that different, after all."
"Nah, I'm not exactly trying to save my Kalpa."
"What are you onto, then?"
"Well, a Paradox needs to be solved."
Tying the knot and it's fokin done lads.
Not the fic, ofc. I'm still very eager to expand upon it, with especially Eighth's arrival to the fic.
He's the MC of one of my other stories, if you read it you'd know. Checkmate Lovers, albeit a slightly tweaked version, Eighth still has gone through the same shit.
Thanks for readin, I've been writing non-stop for the past ten hours to get two chapters done before I fly off to my parents, lule.
Plx review.
Shiwftie, out.