Perhaps tonight, they had all changed because of what was called the truth.
Having passed the solitude borne alone, Yuu resolved to step forward together with them.
Facing a future destined to vanish, Yukino vowed to save the helpless him.
With feelings as her final stake, Haruno gained the courage to feel at ease.
Lacking only the final key of memory, Masuzu wrote down in her book the things that absolutely must not be forgotten, and strove to search for all the illogical fragments of her experience.
Life has no fixed path. Everyone is stepping forward in their own way.
They wrack their brains to think and choose, hoping to find a way to get closer to their goals. Though this process may hurt others, they can only say sorry—after all, if they don't seize happiness first, all these efforts would be meaningless.
The strong desires rising from the depths of their hearts, the overflowing feelings catalyzed, become motivation for them to keep pursuing in this already distorted reality.
Even Asuna, who has not yet entered this situation, looks forward to meeting someone at the cultural festival. She wants to resolve the confusion and palpitations long nested in her heart through him. She wants to understand why that man unconsciously attracts her.
Fates once entangled, even if time is rewound, cause and effect altered, will still entangle again at the intersection in the future.
Thus, in the World of Nothing.
Gloomy ruins blanket the ground. The old LCD screen is still conspicuously embedded in the soil.
Its surface shows no damage, but now, the screen looks somewhat worn.
Scorching sun.
Battering wind and rain.
Summer night heat waves.
At some point, the orbs of light in the sky had united, abandoning the foolish act of fighting and vying for territory. They simultaneously launched a full assault toward the main culprit. They continuously generated derivative phenomena from their characteristics, trying to destroy the LCD screen that seemed to control this world.
Though compared to a gang-up, their actions resembled more a child's helpless venting of anger at an adult—after all, the orbs of light symbolizing hope and gentleness themselves contained no attacking nature.
Even if they could influence this world's reality by developing strange phenomena, to cause damage to someone with their own abilities…
Unfortunately, it might take tens or hundreds of years?
Moreover, as the personification of the system and temporary overseer of this ruin world, the LCD was impossible to affect by strange phenomena from these external visitors. Even if they amplified aggressiveness and continuously blasted wind and rain for thousands or tens of thousands of years, it wouldn't cause the slightest physical damage.
So the screen just sat silently in the ground, until at some point, the black screen suddenly lit up. Messy snow flickered rapidly, and finally stopped in a room with lights off.
[WARNING: Target's mentality has changed. Estimated time—Task can only be completed at earliest in 583 days.]
[WARNING: System energy will not last until the final day. Initiating response procedure selection—Selection complete, initiating phenomenon change.]
The screen shifted. From a beautiful sleeping girl's face, to a messy study dimly lit by yellow lamp light.
Seeming to have just finished one section of work, the black-haired girl in the study lifted her hands from the keyboard. She stretched her back hard until her face flushed, clearly revealing a mature and beautiful figure.
"Hmnnh aaaahhh… Observations during this period were quite useful, at least I thought of some good ideas…"
Muttering lazily, she yawned at the ceiling. She rubbed her watery eyes, and lowered her gaze back to the desk.
Then, the black leather notebook sealed deep in the bookshelf and which she dared not touch out of caution, suddenly appeared on her keyboard, radiating a very strong presence.
"…"
As if time in the study had frozen, she sat motionless in her chair, not even daring to blink. She stared at the black leather notebook with a shocked and fearful expression.
About two or three minutes later, after confirming this black leather notebook had no intent to harm her beyond its overly scary appearance method, the beautiful long-black-haired big-breasted girl slowly relaxed her body. She took several deep breaths while clutching her chest.
"Have to get used to it, have to get used to it. This world isn't as scientific as I imagined… If I don't get used to it, before I can write a timeless masterpiece, I'll definitely die of fright from it…"
Comforting herself like that, she carefully pinched one corner of the black leather notebook. However, she wasn't driven by curiosity to open it immediately.
Instead, like holding a dead cockroach, she straightened her arm and brought it to the window, then opened the window.
Cool wind blew against her face. She closed her eyes, clenched her teeth. Suddenly she gathered all her body's strength, and threw it hard toward the vast night sky's end!
"Supernatural thing that keeps bothering me every day, I don't need you. Go far away as you please!"
Utaha gritted her teeth and shouted softly, afraid of waking her parents.
"Occasionally using weird appearance methods like this to scare me. If I weren't braver than average, this wouldn't be solvable with just a few drops leaking!"
Complaining annoyedly, Utaha still stood at the window with eyes closed. She exhaled strongly, adjusting her mentality.
After her pounding heart calmed, only then did she open her eyes and turn around. She supported her large chest with both hands, and helplessly sneered.
As expected, the notebook still lay quietly on the keyboard. No sound of an object falling outside the window.
"Horror stories look interesting when read, but when it happens to myself, that bone-piercing fear far exceeds the proverb of liking dragons but fearing real ones…"
She said feelingly. She slowly walked back to the desk. Her fingers gently touched the uniquely textured black leather cover. Her expression gradually became serious, as if pondering something.
"Sealed but not appearing directly, instead suddenly appearing before me now… Is there something it wants to tell me? Or wants me to do something? Or perhaps it's time for it to truly function?"
As a novel writer, rich imagination and broad expansion ability are instinct. Just seeing the cover, almost instantly seven or eight possibilities behind it appeared in her mind, and each could be written into an interesting story.
Utaha couldn't help smiling satisfied—Unfortunately, she was a pure romance genre writer, uninterested in supernatural horror. Though it could be popular, she didn't want to spend time writing it.
But after brief hesitation, she sat back in the chair. She combed all her long hair behind. She opened the first page of the notebook with a serious and careful expression.
"I've struggled. Since this thing insists on appearing before me, even if I keep sealing it because I don't want to face danger, who knows if this escape act will bring greater danger… So, no choice!"
Originally just explaining to the air to build courage, but as she spoke, the girl's tone gradually became fanatical and cool-posing.
"Yes, what must be done isn't being a coward, but understanding it, and living alongside it!"
"Make it my own special tool, eliminate the danger inside, then use it to seek breakthrough possibilities—Hah, hah, maybe I can become a superhuman!"
She laughed softly and wildly. Her eyes shone scarily. Her movements suddenly changed, like a writer writing passionately, she boldly and relievedly opened the inner pages of the notebook.
No matter where it came from, what its purpose, and why it had to appear before her.
Though the content resembled a stalker's observation diary, only recording an underclassman's activities, and things like world line changes similar to anime settings.
But at least, Utaha couldn't deny its gum-like magical ability, and its records of various pasts were so real it was hard to doubt.
It was like a door. Once she resolved to push it open, the normal world would distance from her, and her life would drastically change from then.
Other things unimportant. At least after fully using this notebook for herself, she could pretend to be a fortune-teller before that underclassman. She could reveal all his past, making him shocked at being completely seen through by her—
If that twist-filled love story really happened.
If this world really had been altered three times by an unspeakable existence, with no one knowing except her.
Hiding her emotional expression, Utaha's gaze became serious. She thought inwardly:
"…Better stay away from him as much as possible."
Though interested, she didn't want to risk her life—People like that novel protagonist, just approaching could involve danger.
As a novel writer, no one understood this better than her!
Seeking novel inspiration was secondary. Most important was ensuring safety in abnormal situations, not turning from gossip watcher to gossip object.
After thinking many unclear things, only then did Utaha focus her eyes on the first line of the inner page.
The content had changed, no longer the past records she saw then—Hmm, normal operation, nothing to be shocked about.
After sufficient mental preparation, even if this time it was written for her in Mayan script, Utaha didn't feel she'd find it strange. At most she'd grumble two sentences.
Remaining calm, she slowly read downward following the opening.
"…"
She was silent. As time passed, her eyes gradually widened. Her small lips also slowly opened into an O. Her expression clearly shocked, eyes full of confusion.
Let alone strange, Utaha now was so shocked she didn't know what to say.
"No way, this must be a joke…"
On the white paper, indeed written a full page of content that could be called a joke, using neat printed letters.
[The past is set, the future has its destiny.]
[He is the existence observing the past, unable to see the future's form.]
[And in the fog, the end is merely a cliff of nothing, ultimately shattering to pieces.]
[Kasumigaoka Utaha, the stalking at the station has bound your fates, inseparable.]
[You who have tasted its sweet fruit, must pay the cause and effect of destiny, altering the future path for him.]
[At the same time, this is also a choice you will absolutely not regret in the future.]
[Come, please start writing—The first chapter of the perfect ending.]
["Part One".]
[Six days from now, at Sobu High's Cultural Festival, He will pierce Tenkuji Yuu's heart.]
[Failure to change will make your future fall into the abyss as well.]
[Note: Strictly forbidden to reveal the Fate Notebook and Future Path to anyone. Violation will bear the trial of death reincarnation. Please be careful.]
Tonight.
In Utaha's study, as if even breathing sounds were choked.
Total silence.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The next morning.
As soon as Yuu entered the school gate, he could clearly feel the atmosphere change.
From the students' expressions, and the noisy shoe locker area, it was easy to see that Sobu High, which always prioritized studying, had now become increasingly lively and bustling.
Cultural Festival preparations had entered the final stage.
Everywhere, various decorations filled the corridors. Each classroom showed unique decorations or initial stall forms. Even many had changed clothes since early morning. They took photos and joked in front of class, blowing cheerful spirit for this Cultural Festival.
For example, Class 2-J. Since the theme was fashion show, stage and screens gathered at the class back. Some lighting equipment was already installed above. Some took advantage of the teacher not arriving to pose and walk under spotlights, making others laugh uproariously.
Example, Class 2-F. Since the theme was drama, the student playing the protagonist had just put down his bag, already enthusiastically wearing a deer antler mask. He practiced dialogue with the villain actor, enjoying classmates' gazes and applause around.
From one end of this corridor to the other, all were images of youth that happen only once in a lifetime.
Yuu in their midst couldn't help feeling a bit touched—Perhaps due to education system differences, in his previous life he never experienced such a lively school festival. During middle school, focused on part-time work, he never really noticed the smiles and hopes on their faces.
And now, he looked up and scanned those people's expressions. He looked out the corridor toward the enthusiastic shouting sounds. He pondered, and realized he was now one of them too.
He thought he disliked crowds.
But what he truly hated was just the solitude of being outside the situation.
"Yuu-kun, I'm going to the toilet first!" After saying that, Yuigahama rushed to the toilet, as if her butt was on fire.
"Hmm? Oh, be careful." Yuu snapped back. He found her hurried back somewhat strange. Improper thoughts like "did she leak or need to pee urgently" crossed his mind. He quickly shrugged, and casually continued walking to class.
While passing the stairs, he happened to see a beautiful long-black-haired girl stepping down.
Black stockings filled with long plump legs. Both in body plumpness and temperament, she was very different from the long-black-haired beauty he liked.
(Kasumigaoka-senpai?)
Information about the other flashed in his mind. Yuu had no intent to look longer. He casually shifted his gaze.
But before that, he saw the other suddenly freeze on the stairs. She tensed her body like in high alert, staring at his reaction.
"?"
Before he could feel confused, like a startled deer fleeing, Utaha gripped the stair railing, turned and quickly walked up the stairs, and rapidly disappeared.
Yuu couldn't help frowning. He stared at the fleeing black-stockinged legs, and the skirt underside scenery flashing intermittently.
"What's wrong? Do I look that scary?"