Bottom A, Top O - Chapter 168

“You will?” Narukami was a bit puzzled. He expected Rick would decline yet that was not the case.

“You’re not going to listen if I say no and afterward, things will become more of a headache. This is more efficient, honestly.”

“I see, then let’s go. Right, can you stop that first?”

As Narukami said ‘that’, he pointed his finger to the sky, the spears to be precise.

“Like I said, I cannot stop it but my partner could. If you meet and talk to him. He probably stopped it. Though, don’t expect too much from him. His line of thought is different,” said Rick as he did not want Narukami to get his hopes high.

Narukami gently nodded as he understood. He was certain there was a way to stop those spears. No way they were going to come down until all life on Earth perished, right?

How do those spears keep regenerating without an enormous amount of energy? There surely was an answer to that and Narukami was planning to get it.

However, it would be good too if he got the answer from the person who could stop it.

Following this line of thought, Narukami had a thought and asked Rick, “You’re the one who uses this yet you cannot stop it?”

“I know you’re going to answer that. The answer is simple, the energy used to supply it is not from using my spiritual energy but from my partner. The amount he could store his spiritual energy is freakish and perverted.

“Even further, his spiritual energy regenerates in a way you least expect it.” Rick sighed as he shook his head and slightly lifted his shoulder. He sounded a bit envious too.

“Is that so? Then let’s go,” said Narukami.

“You’re a busy person, huh?” Rick blurted out as he made strange hand movements and a ring of light was formed in the air.

Behind it was showing something else, not the background of the port. Narukami observed it and saw an old black room with a nostalgic atmosphere to it.

There was a big picture hanging on the wall and it was a group of people with different expressions yet Narukami could feel cheerfulness in it.

They appeared to be a group of good friends taking a picture for memories.

Narukami could not help but sense warmth in that room just because of that picture alone. He was as though see the room filled with these people as they talked, make a joke, argued with one another, playing and went through bad and sad things together.

It was a place with many beautiful memories despite the fact this was the first time Narukami came here.

Narukami step into the ring and his environment changed. The ring behind him shrunk in size before completely vanishing.

“What is this place?” Narukami asked himself.

“Narukami… Shinra?” A voice asked somewhere from the room. It was echoing as it sounded shocked and a bit in disbelief.

“Yeah, I’m Narukami Shinra. Are you the one who sends those spears?” Narukami asked.

“Yes, indeed. It is me.”

“Why? Why go as far as killing innocent people? From this picture alone, I can tell you’re not the person who will involve innocents!”

Keeping this picture meant one thing.

“You treasured your friends a lot and did not want to forget about it! Is such a person seriously going to involve innocents to make me quit from mysticism?!”

The voice did not say a thing. Silence descended upon the room for a good few seconds.

“Narukami Shinra. Have you ever seen someone you care about die?” The voice asked.

“Narukami is fine. To your question, yes. I’ve seen it many times.” In his last few words, his voice was low.

“If you could turn back time, would you save them?”

“Of course, I will, is there a need to answer it?” Replied Narukami.

“No matter what?”

“Un, no matter what. I’ll bring them back to life. Even if I was given the chance to jump down the depths of hell and drag them back to the land of the living, I will do it.”

For a brief moment, a flash of memory where he left a place with fiery fire and a little girl on his back as he carried her to a small door passed through his mind.

“Narukami, I beg of you. Please leave the world of mysticism. The last thing I want to do is to hurt you,” said the voice.

Their voices snapped back Narukami out of his daze.

“Is it because I’ll create chaos in the future or something? Let me tell you something, I have no grudge against the world or I’m planning to have one.

“I know the future is uncertain and many things could happen but I can assure you that me. Ensuing chaos and madness in this world are close to zero,” said Narukami as his eyes flashed over with confidence.

“Mere words are not enough to convince me. What you’ve done in the future is. Why won’t you follow my words? You are a human who still remembers the past life and I heard from Him, you want to live in peace.

“If you left mysticism once and for all. Something like that is in your hands, I don’t get it,” the voice sighed.

“How did you know I’m– Oh, I see. He did as He wished, even to the future and chose another toy so He could mess with me?” Said Narukami under his breath.

“So, do you believe me that I’m from the future?” The voice pondered.

“Would a person do this much if they are not from the future? Even go as far as killing 8.419million lives? Or tried to? If this is a prank, it’s not funny at all.”

Not waiting for the voice’s reply, Narukami hurriedly said: “You don’t understand what’s going on in my side. It is a good offer but now is not the time for me. I will once I get what I want.”

“No good. What you’re looking for is exactly the reason the future is at stake. If you’re still saying no, I have no choice but to kill you, Narukami. This may result in a great and terrifying butterfly effect but it is certainly better than you being alive.”

As soon as that voice said, a black shadow condensed in the air. Its silhouette gradually took form as it became the shape of a human.

Then, a few seconds had passed and it changed to a person which Narukami recognized.

“Saiko…” Said Narukami slowly as he was in shock and perplexed.

“You’re from the future?”

“That’s not important now, isn’t it? So, are there any last words?” Asked Saiko with emotionless eyes. Killing Narukami was no different than crushing an ant.

Narukami reflexively took a few steps back before stopping as he asked, “Wait, I have questions for you.”

“Go ahead. You’re going to die either way, not like it matters.”

“Are you the one who summoned that dragon Anomaly?” Pondered Narukami cautiously as he silently circulated his spiritual energy.

“Yeah, I did.”

“You admit it?” Narukami slightly frowned.

“You’re a dead man. Saying you the truth will not affect anything. What? It can’t be that you bring some kind of device that lets everyone hear what I’m saying?”

“I’m not doing something so cliche. I am simply curious. I see, so you’re the guy who summoned that Anomaly dragon, let it be absorbed by Ryu and make me control fate.”

“Control fate? What are you talking about?” Saiko questioned with a strange look on his face.

Huh? He did not know? Narukami was confused but on second thought, it made sense. Saiko may seem like he knew anything and everything was in his grasp but there were some things this person could not do. Which was a relief.

Facing someone who had an advantage on you was undoubtedly a hard opponent to defeat. Moreover, the enemy is particularly strong.

“Regardless, since we’re not coming up with an answer. How about this, let’s make a Death Binding Vow. If I were to destroy the world, I would die without leaving anything on Earth and you must not bother me again.”

Saiko squeezed his chin as he fell in thought. That was not a bad idea but Saiko was still afraid of the chance Narukami would find a way to break that vow.

Simply put, Saiko has little trust in Narukami.

Seeing his hesitation, Narukami said, “Then can you tell me what I did in the future? Why did I suddenly wreak havoc and turn the world into a true hell of despair, fear, and misery?” Asked Narukami.

By doing so, Narukami could narrow down the word he was going to use in his vow. The more short and precise it was, the more effective his vow was going to be.

For example, I vow with my soul that I will not destroy the world! If he threw plastic, not into a trashcan, he probably would have died as he was considered to be destroying the world as he did not care about the environment.

Although he did not have the intention to, the Death Binding Vow may see it like that.