Chapter 63 – The strongest enemy

“…Ahh…”

Before I know it, I’m back in the white art gallery.

I guess I got through the trial, but…

“…Ahh… Ahh…”

My head hurts. My memories are in disarray. I can’t stop crying.

I put my hand on the wall and squat, while trying to catch my breath.

Eventually, I faintly whisper.

“…I… Remember…”

I remember that trauma.

That trial made me experience all the pain and sadness I forgot, but thanks to it, I remembered something important too.

(Yes… Memoria was my partner in my previous life.)

I didn’t accomplish that ‘time leap’ by myself, that was magic to send memories to the past.

We developed it together, and promised we’d go back to the past together.

But only one person could ‘time leap’, so only I made it back to this time.

I can’t save that future anymore. I can’t save that girl from that future.

I didn’t save anyone in my previous life.

(…It wouldn’t hurt if I forgot.)

It’s true. If Memoria didn’t make me forget back then, my heart would probably have broken.

But I’m glad I remember.

I’m sure I can make it in time now.

(…I have to find Memoria quickly.)

It’s tough, but I get up.

This time I will save her, and fulfill that promise from a hundred years in the future.

“…Kuh… Ahh…”

I stagger my way deeper into the castle, but when I reach what looks like a pure white dance hall…

My legs stop.

“…”

All of a sudden, memory pages gather in this hall, and take form one after the other.

What appears… Are things I know all too well.

The first demon king, Ancestral Dragon Verboros.

The second demon king, Ultimate Life Form Ultimelt.

The demon kings I fought recently manifest in front of me again.

But it doesn’t end there.

Sinful Flame Princess Scarlet.

Holy Angel Serenade.

Black Death Butterfly Historia.

Sky King Sphere Note.

Giant Godly Stronghold Turgia.

Hundred Eyed King Ai Vi.

Absolute Zero Princess Frost Field.

Dream Hallway Night Gate.

Death Eater Bug Eurynome.

Mirage Dragon Traumerei.

Dust King Kaioh.

Meandering God Doleland.

Toxic Queen Zaritze.

Swirling Wind Pazuzu.

Pillaging King crow.

Key Keeper Twins Lu and Lu.

Calamity Princess Desire.

Infinite Changing Road Scherzo.

Cosmos Dragon Balfut.

Spirit King Oratorius.

Giant Stone God Alma Kina.

Goddess of the Underworld Hanahana.

Angel of the End Finne Ram.

These powerful enemies I met and fought in the future take form in front of me.

(…Is this the next trial?)

Reemergence of memories.

Fighting powerful beings one met before.

If that’s the case… It’s really bad.

(I need to get to Memoria quickly…)

I can tell all the powerful enemies in front of me are just as strong as when I fought them.

This is a terrible trial for someone like me, who fought powerful enemies for so long.

And if powerful beings are being drawn from my memories and replicated…

…There’s no way he won’t be here.

“Chronos (Space-Time Control) Unos (First Hand).”

A white flash of a sword surges, and with it, all the demon kings are slashed horizontally.

They all turn to dust in a second, and what appears from behind them is a solemn looking demon king holding two transparent swords.

“…Of course. There’s no way you wouldn’t be here.”

I know this demon king better than anyone else.

The demon king who killed demon kings.

History’s strongest calamity, who destroyed the world in the future.

The last days of the boy who couldn’t become a hero.

“…”

The demon king silently walks forward as his white robe flutters.

Destruction ripples from every step he takes.

A noise is heard that sounds like the world itself is wailing, as space-time cracks with black lightning… And breaks.

“…”

I break out in cold sweat, and my whole body is trembling.

I feel like running away. Like giving up.

But I still have to press forward.

I promised I wouldn’t give up anymore.

I promised this time I would save everything.

I take a deep breath, silently hold up my sword, and face the strongest enemy in history.

“Let’s begin, Space-Time King Chronogate.”