Arc 5: Break - Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Arc 5: Break - Chapter 16

It's a new day, and the quiet feels almost unnatural. This morning carries an unusual air—both foreign and yet oddly familiar. The reason is clear: everyone is still affected by my performance from last night. Even now, they remain in that altered state, untouched by time, their minds ensnared in the lingering aftereffects of my display.

I've already attempted to revert them using Boundary Manipulation, yet it has failed to restore them. This only reinforces a sobering realization—despite all the cheats I've obtained, they are not omnipotent. Each one harbors hidden limitations I have yet to uncover.

Still, this merely means I need to obtain more cheats—more ways to bypass the unseen restrictions imposed upon me by using other cheats that deal with those restrictions placed on the current set of cheats. Fortunately, I have an abundance of options. Within the depths of my shadow, countless glowing books lie in wait, their numbers increasing as new ones continuously emerge.

However, I may not need to rely on them just yet. I already have an idea—one that could render Boundary Manipulation's hidden limitations nearly nonexistent when combined with specific other abilities.

With time on my side, I can afford to refine this approach. But first, I must fix the others.

Behind me, Solomon's Gate manifests, its intricate patterns shimmering with ancient power. A moment later, the Malevolent Shrine expands outward, merging into the very fabric of my surroundings, distorting reality itself. In my left hand, Marble Phantasm materializes, pulsing with raw potential, while my right hand grips Ichimonji. A dense purple fog seeps from my form, coiling around me like a living entity—the Ultimate Poison, its mere presence a testament to its lethality.

Channeling the power of the Language Grave through Ichimonji, I begin inscribing kanji into the air. Each stroke glows with esoteric energy, carrying the weight of the words' power. As I chant, Solomon's Gate trembles in response, its mechanisms stirring to life.

Through the Marble Phantasm, now woven seamlessly into the fabric of the room and extending even to the Malevolent Shrine, I pull the kanji I've inscribed into its vast, reality-defining influence. The Malevolent Shrine sharpens the precision of the process, ensuring nothing is overlooked. Simultaneously, I infuse the Marble Phantasm with the Ultimate Poison, its presence saturating the environment with an intangible but overwhelming lethality.

Then, I activate Boundary Manipulation.

With a single command, I push every cheat and godlike item I'm wielding beyond their natural limitations, forcing them to temporarily break through their intended peak performance. The result is immediate—and catastrophic. Cracks spiderweb across everything I'm using as if the very concept of their existence is fracturing under the strain. Even Boundary Manipulation—an ability that has never once exhibited anything close to sentience—emits what can only be described as a scream of pure agony and death.

Fragarach materializes almost instantly, the Tsukuyomi Unit following suit—both appearing in direct response to the consequences of my reckless gamble. But I don't stop. I push forward, forcibly rewriting reality itself. Memory, body, soul—everything that was altered by my performance with the violin is undone and restored to its previous state. Yet, I ensure that a single, fragmented remnant remains embedded in their minds—just enough for them to grasp that I was responsible for something that caused them immense harm.

The final stroke of the kanji is completed.

A chilling crack echoes through the room as Fragarach, having absorbed the brunt of the unknown consequences of my actions, violently shatters. The remnants do not simply remain—they are erased. There is no trace left of its existence, as if it had never been forged in the first place.

I grit my teeth and force-activate Boundary Manipulation once more, this time to revert the rest of my surviving cheats and godlike items back to their original state. The process succeeds, but I can feel it—each one is now fragile, hanging by a thread. Another reckless use like this, and they may not recover.

The visions granted by the River of Time confirm my fears. If I attempt something like this again, destruction will be inevitable.

Even Boundary Manipulation now clings to existence by a thin thread, its very essence teetering on the edge of collapse. This forces me to exercise extreme caution—against powerful entities, against restrictions too absolute. Yet, despite its critical state, I can feel it slowly recovering. How long that recovery will take, however, depends entirely on my future actions.

It's a miracle that, out of everything, I've only lost Fragarach. The rest may be in a badly damaged state, but they still exist. That alone is a victory.

"Jin..." Ruby's voice, weak and breathy, drifts toward me like a whisper carried by the wind.

I snap my gaze to her just as she lets out a faint cough, her eyes still shut, her body trembling ever so slightly.

A long sigh escapes me—relief, exhaustion, and the weight of my gamble pressing down on my shoulders.

My eyes flicker back to my work, to the aftermath of my reckless attempt at rewriting reality. It wasn't flawless. It wasn't perfect. But out of all the possible futures glimpsed through the River of Time, I managed to grasp the best possible outcome.

In all honesty, I could have ignored almost everyone else and focused solely on Ruby, Weiss, and Molly. It would have been easier, cleaner—at least in theory. But then I'd have to deal with the pantheons behind them. Well, maybe not Sora and Shiro; they're a different story. Still, that would have forced me into an even greater predicament—one where I'd need to acquire either a clone-type cheat or a way to exist in multiple places at once. Otherwise, I'd be left scrambling to protect this group from threats coming from two different locations simultaneously.

And besides, the reality is harshly simple—aside from Ruby, Weiss, and Molly, everyone else remains completely defenseless until I fix them. No one else is going to do it. No one else will do it. This entire catastrophe is mine to bear, my responsibility to correct.

All because I let my curiosity get the better of me.

I just had to test the Heart of Eldritch through the violin.

Looking back, the sheer impulse behind that decision is both baffling and deeply concerning. It was unlike me. It felt… unnatural.

Okay, that's a lie.

I know I would have done something like this eventually.

But not like this.

Not at the cost of hurting Ruby and Weiss.

I walk over to Ruby, intending to use Boundary Manipulation to restore her to peak condition. But in its current fragile state, that's impossible.

Instead, I reach for her hand, my grip firm yet careful. Her skin is cold, but there's still life within her—still warmth, however faint.

As I stand there, I watch the remnants of my godlike items retreat back into my mindscape, one by one. Their presence flickers, barely holding together. I can feel it—the unease rippling through them, the shaken essence of my cheats and godlike items alike.

No doubt, none of them ever truly believed they could be destroyed.

Or at the very least, not in a way they would ever dare imagine.

My gaze hardens as something else stirs beneath my awareness.

Glitching feels too calm.

So does Secret Arts.

And then, realization strikes like a sudden snap in the fabric of my mind.

I must have used them both—unknowingly.

Even Invasion seems tangled up with them.

The weight of this discovery sinks in. At some point, I did something with these three, something drastic enough that even my own memory has been affected.

Actually, now that I think about it, it seems I've used the River of Time a couple of times recently, looking into the past, but I can't recall actually doing so. The nagging suspicion that my memory has been tampered with grows stronger, and the theory I've made is becoming more and more less of a theory. I've found many past events that happened this morning and last night.

The question now is why? Why would I erase or obscure these moments from my memory? And did I use Invasion to delete these fragments, these memories? If I did… why would I do something like that?

I don't have answers yet, but the puzzle pieces are slowly starting to fit together in ways I wish they wouldn't.

I pull a Senzu Bean from my mindscape and feed it to Ruby, watching her body begin to respond almost immediately. After her, I move to Weiss and then Molly. This is the fastest way I have to restore them right now—my only option, really.

Other than Thou Shalt Not Die, but that's a tool better saved for when someone is on the brink of death. It's a last-ditch effort—only good for physical treatment, and I'm not about to rely on it when I can handle things more cleanly.

"Ugh, my head…" Weiss winces, her hand pressing against her temple as her eyes flutter shut. She's clearly trying to hold still, but the pain is too much to ignore. "It's like someone smacked me with a hammer…" Her voice is strained, and the effort to stay calm and not make sudden movements is noticeable.

"Yeah, just rest for the time being. I'll watch over everyone." My voice is calm as I gently rub Weiss' head. As I do, I use Boundary Manipulation, focusing on her headache. The subtle shift of power seems to bring her some relief. But I only keep it active for a few seconds before I let the effects fade. I don't want to overdo it, especially with Boundary Manipulation still in such a fragile state.

I shift my attention to the others. It looks like only Ruby and Weiss have 'woken up' from whatever state I put them in. The rest are still unconscious, but at least they're stable now. They should be fine after some more time. They'll be able to walk on their own soon enough, but anything beyond that—well, that might take more effort.

"It feels like I've gone through nonstop fighting without any rest for days. And can't you continue rubbing my head, Jin?" Weiss groans in pain, and I can hear the playful whine in her voice as she feels my hand leave her head.

I can't help but smirk at her request. "Well, at least you're in a better state than Ruby here. You can complain, while she can barely say a word."

I move my hand to Ruby, gently rubbing her head just like I did with Weiss. The moment I make contact, Ruby lets out a soft sigh of relief, leaning into my hand as she relaxes. Her usual energy is nowhere to be found, but at least she's responding—her body reacting to the comfort, even if she can't fully express herself.

I let out a hum, a brief smile curling on my lips as I watch over Ruby and Weiss. For a few seconds, I allow myself the rare moment of peace, but it doesn't last long.

Suddenly, an unsettling feeling washes over me. Cold sweats begin to bead along my forehead.

Crazy voices. I got the feeling that my time here at the high school with everyone isn't going to be quite easy and carefree anymore.