Fourth Loop, Chapter 21 : 光を越えた出会い (The Encounter Beyond the Light)

Suddenly, the air shifted.

A low hum began to fill the room, growing louder and louder. The ground beneath Daichi's feet trembled, and a gust of icy wind tore through the chamber, whipping his hair into his face.

"What the—?" Daichi staggered backward, shielding his eyes as the wind screamed around him. The lights overhead flickered erratically, their weak glow faltering.

Then, with a blinding flash, a wall of white light exploded into existence.

Daichi flinched, raising an arm to shield his face. When the light dimmed, the room fell silent again. But as Daichi lowered his arm, his breath caught in his throat.

He wasn't alone.

At the far end of the room stood a figure, its outline shrouded in shadows. The stranger stepped forward, each movement deliberate, his face obscured by the faint glow of the vial.

And then Daichi saw him.

It was like staring into a distorted mirror.

The man's features were almost identical to his own. His hair was slightly longer, streaked faintly with gray, and his face was lined with exhaustion. His eyes—sharp and piercing—carried a sadness Daichi couldn't comprehend.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Daichi finally broke the silence, his voice low and unsteady. "Who… who are you?"

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he closed the distance between them, his footsteps echoing in the hollow chamber. When he stopped just a few feet away, Daichi could see him more clearly. The stranger's gaze seemed to pierce right through him, as though seeing something Daichi couldn't.

"You don't have much time," the man said at last, his voice calm but laced with urgency. "If you hesitate, you'll lose her."

Daichi's heart skipped a beat. "Lose her?" His voice rose in panic. "What are you talking about? How do you know about Izumi?"

The man's gaze flicked briefly to the vial in Daichi's hand, his expression unreadable. "You already know what you have to do," he said quietly. "Stop asking questions you're not ready to hear answers to."

Daichi's frustration flared. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Who are you? How do you know all this?"

The man's jaw tightened, his expression hardening. But there was something else in his eyes—something vulnerable. Regret.

"I've seen it," he said softly, almost to himself. "The choices you'll face. The price you'll pay."

Daichi's fists clenched. "If you know something, then tell me! Stop speaking in riddles!"

The man's eyes sharpened, his voice firm. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is what you do next."

Before Daichi could respond, the ship trembled violently. The pulsing hum returned, louder this time, rattling the walls.

The man's expression shifted, urgency flashing in his eyes. "Go back to where you came from," he said quickly. "She's waiting for you."

Daichi's stomach twisted. "Who is 'she'? Izumi? What are you talking about?!"

The man stepped back, his gaze lingering on Daichi for a moment longer. "You'll understand soon enough," he said, his voice softening. "But only if you move forward."

Before Daichi could react, the light surged again, blinding and all-consuming. The force was overwhelming, like a tidal wave crashing over him.

"Wait!" Daichi shouted, reaching out, but the man was already gone.

The light swallowed him whole, pulling him into a void that felt infinite. He fell through time, through space, through everything.

And then, just as suddenly, it was over.