Chapter 35: A lesson of Limits

After David returned to the scene, the area was eerily quiet, the once chaotic battlefield now sterile and clean. The bodies had been packaged up by forensic specialists, leaving only the haunting echoes of what had transpired.

Enryu stood alone, a complex mixture of emotions playing across his face. There was anger, confusion, sorrow, and an underlying sense of failure. He was trying to speedrun his strength, to become the hero he believed he could be, but the enemy he had faced at the beginning was an absolute nightmare.

David, as the author of "Redo of a Hero," knew exactly what was going through Enryu's mind. Enryu had thought he could save everyone, that his determination and power would be enough. But his noble intentions had only ended up getting the people he cared about killed.

"None of these people should've died today," Enryu said, his voice filled with regret.

"You can't save everyone, Enryu," David replied, his voice steady but compassionate. He knew all too well the harsh reality of the world they were living in. "Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't change the outcome."

"The events shouldn't have come to this," Enryu continued, frustration creeping into his voice. "We had one more day, and his method of attacking was all off. I'm starting to think the future is changing, and I must've done something to cause it."

David looked at Enryu, his eyes filled with understanding and empathy. He knew that Enryu was grappling with the crushing weight of responsibility, the burden of being a hero in a world where victory could never be assured.

"We can't control everything," David said softly, placing a reassuring hand on Enryu's shoulder. "All we can do is our best. And sometimes, our best isn't enough. But that doesn't mean we stop trying. It doesn't mean we give up."

Enryu looked at David, the words sinking in, a glimmer of determination returning to his eyes. The pain was still there, the loss and regret, but there was also a resolve, a recognition that he could learn from this tragedy.

"You're right," Enryu said finally, his voice filled with a newfound determination. "I can't change what happened, but I can learn from it. I can grow stronger, be better. I won't let their deaths be in vain."

David watched Enryu's face, the determination and resolve clear in his eyes, and a complex mixture of emotions washed over him. He knew that Enryu was going to go on a pursuit of power that could lead him down a dangerous path. But at the same time, David found himself feeling a similar hunger, a yearning for strength that mirrored Enryu's own obsession.

Even with Enryu's fraudulent adaption power, Shadow was too much of a problem to go up against in the story at this given time.

The enemy was an absolute nightmare, a force that not even Enryu's extraordinary skills could contend with. David, understanding the characters and plot better than anyone else, knew that this moment was a turning point, a harsh lesson in the limits of power and the painful realities of their world. It was a sobering reminder that even heroes, no matter how strong, could fall when faced with insurmountable odds.

'He's going to go after treasures, legacies, and techniques he got a hunch off of in his previous life,' David thought, a chill running down his spine. And yet, he couldn't shake the realization that he wanted those same treasures for himself. He wanted to grow, to become more powerful, to prove that he too could rise above his limits.

'If I start monopolizing them, he'll think I'm a regresser too,' David mused, wrestling with the idea. The temptation was there, the desire to take what he could for himself, to forge his own path to power. But he knew that such a course of action could lead to conflict, to mistrust, to a rift between himself and Enryu that might never heal.

The realization that he and Enryu were both driven by the same hunger, the same relentless pursuit of strength, was both thrilling and terrifying. They were walking parallel paths, driven by the same desires, but their goals could put them at odds, could lead them to become rivals rather than allies.

With a heavy heart, David knew that there were no simple answers, no straightforward choices. He and Enryu were both caught in a complex dance, each trying to balance their own needs and ambitions without losing sight of what truly mattered.

But the pull of power was strong, the allure of growth and mastery intoxicating. And as David stood there, watching Enryu's face, he knew that their shared hunger for strength would shape their futures in ways neither of them could yet imagine.

The silence between them stretched, the weight of their thoughts heavy in the air. Finally, Enryu broke the stillness, his voice laced with concern. "Are you still leaving the academy, David?"

"Well, do you want to stick around after our teachers just got killed like that? At least if I'm out doing field work for Omega 6, I know the dangers. This place isn't for me; I'm a grown man." David's heart skipped a beat, and his tongue slipped before he could stop it.

"David, you're only 16." Enryu's eyes narrowed, and he eyed David suspiciously.

Caught off guard, David scrambled to recover, a sheepish look in his eyes.

"Yeah, but I'm too mentally mature for these academics here and school," he said, his voice firm but tinged with a hint of embarrassment.

They stood there for a moment, each assessing the other, the truth of their words hanging in the air. They were both driven by the same desires, both hungry for power and growth, but their paths were diverging, leading them in different directions.

After that exchange with Enryu, David continued to leave the academy, his mind made up. He didn't even intend on going back to his room in the school. With the academy closed down in the wake of the tragic events, there was nothing left for him there. Instead, he returned to the Jupiter Family Household on his cruiser that came to pick him up.

As he settled into the cruiser, his heart pounded in anticipation. The realization that the original David was probably an extra in the grand scheme of things, someone who likely died during the Shadow attack in the original timeline, weighed heavily on him. It was a sobering thought, a stark reminder of how fragile life could be, how quickly things could change.

He looked out of the window, watching the academy disappear into the distance, the memories of what had happened still fresh in his mind. The path ahead was uncertain, filled with dangers and challenges, but he knew that he had to move forward, to seize the opportunities that lay ahead, to grow and become the hero he knew he could be.

Even though David had seen this view from above many times before, it never ceased to amaze him. Each time he looked out over Fairhaven, he found something new to marvel at, a fresh detail to admire. Whether it was a newly constructed building, a superhero demonstrating a power he hadn't seen before, or an innovative piece of technology, the city was always evolving, always alive with possibility.

The familiar sight served as a reminder of why he was driven to pursue greater strength and play his part in this extraordinary world. The magic of Fairhaven, with its blending of technology and superpowers, resonated with David's own aspirations. It was a view that inspired him, fueled his determination, and reminded him that he was part of something far grander.

As the cruiser continued on its path, David's mind drifted back to the challenges ahead, but the image of Fairhaven's bustling skies remained etched in his mind, a symbol of the greatness he sought to achieve.