Fifth Loop, Chapter 23 : 影に分断された世界 (A World Divided by Shadows)

His tears fell freely now, streaking his soot-stained face as he clutched the glowing vial in his trembling hand. The faint light of blue and purple flickered against his skin, almost fragile compared to the storm swirling in his heart. He gritted his teeth, his gaze locked on the figure hovering in the distance—the warped and cruel reflection of the woman he loved.

"Izumi…" he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of her name. His hand tightened around the vial. "I'm sorry… but I'll save you. Even if it costs me everything."

The vial's seal broke with a faint hiss, the glowing liquid swirling inside like a living entity. Without hesitation, Daichi brought it to his lips and drank.

The moment the serum touched his tongue, it felt like swallowing fire. He choked, dropping the empty vial as his knees buckled.

"Ahhh!" A scream tore from his throat as his veins ignited with an unbearable heat, glowing like molten lava coursing through his body. The pain was unimaginable, his muscles convulsing as if trying to tear themselves apart. His vision blurred, alternating between white-hot light and darkness. Every nerve screamed in protest, and he collapsed, clawing at the earth beneath him.

But then, as abruptly as it began, the pain subsided.

Daichi gasped for air, his body trembling as he slowly pushed himself to his knees. The pain was gone, replaced by an otherworldly strength coursing through his limbs. His skin shimmered faintly, veins glowing with pulses of blue and violet energy. When he opened his eyes, they reflected the same vibrant hues, their irises blooming like flowers made of starlight.

A surge of power rippled through him, distorting the air around his body. Pieces of rubble nearby hovered as if caught in an invisible current, the faint hum of energy crackling in the silence. He stood, his feet steady, his heart pounding with both resolve and sorrow.

"Izumi…" he murmured, his voice trembling with equal parts grief and determination. His fists clenched, energy rippling from his fingertips. "I know you're still in there. No matter what it takes, I'll bring you back."

Across the broken cityscape, Alter Izumi floated gracefully, the swirling black sphere above her palm casting a dark, ominous glow. Her crimson eyes burned as she observed him, her expression unreadable. Then, a small, mocking smile tugged at her lips.

"So, you chose to take it," she said, her voice resonating with both familiarity and something entirely alien. "And now what, Daichi? What do you hope to accomplish with that borrowed power?"

Daichi took a step forward, the ground cracking beneath his foot as his aura flared. "I'll stop you," he said, his voice steady. "No matter what."

For a moment, Alter Izumi's smile faltered, a flicker of something—hesitation, doubt?—crossing her face. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"You're a fool," she said, her tone sharp, cutting. "I'm doing this for you, Daichi. Everything I've done… everything I'm about to do… it's all for us." Her voice softened, almost tender. "Why can't you see that?"

"Destroying humanity isn't the answer!" Daichi shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. He took another step forward, his aura growing brighter, more turbulent. "This isn't you, Izumi! I know the real you would never—"

"Enough!" she snapped, her voice echoing with unnatural power. The black sphere in her hand pulsed, sending ripples through the air. Her crimson eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into a cruel smile. "If you're so determined to stop me, then show me, Daichi. Show me the strength of your convictions."

Daichi's breath caught in his throat as the tension between them reached a breaking point.

And then, she moved.

A burst of energy propelled her forward, faster than a streak of lightning. Daichi barely had time to react, raising his arms just as her hand swung down like a blade. Their clash sent a shockwave rippling outward, shattering what remained of the nearest buildings.

"Izumi, stop!" Daichi shouted, his voice straining against the roar of their collision.

But she didn't stop. Her attacks came faster, more relentless, each one aimed with lethal precision. Daichi dodged and countered, his movements fueled by instinct and desperation. Each time their energies collided, the ground trembled beneath them.

"You're hesitating," Alter Izumi sneered, her crimson eyes gleaming as she caught his wrist mid-strike. "You can't win if you're afraid to hurt me."

Daichi gritted his teeth, his free hand sparking with energy. "I don't want to hurt you!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "I just want you back!"

Her grip tightened, and for a moment, her expression wavered. "Daichi…" she murmured, her voice soft, almost vulnerable.

But then, as if remembering herself, her eyes hardened, and she shoved him back with a burst of force.

"You're too late," she said coldly, the black sphere above her hand expanding. The energy it emitted grew darker, more chaotic, crackling with red lightning. "This world… these people… they've taken everything from us. I'll end it all, Daichi. And then we can finally be free."

Daichi staggered but caught himself, his chest heaving. He stared at her, the woman he loved, now twisted into this monstrous form.

"Izumi," he said softly, tears welling in his glowing eyes. "You're wrong. Freedom doesn't come from destruction. It comes from fighting—for ourselves, for each other. That's what you taught me."

Her hand trembled, the black sphere flickering as if reacting to his words. For a moment, her crimson eyes softened, and her lips parted as though she wanted to say something.

But then, her expression twisted into one of anguish and fury. "Stop it!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "Stop making me doubt!"

The black sphere crackled violently, its energy distorting the air. The pressure around them grew unbearable, the ground splitting apart as Alter Izumi raised her hand higher.

"Don't make me hurt you, Daichi," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please… don't make me do this."

Daichi's fists clenched, his aura flaring brighter, more intense. He stepped forward, his voice steady despite the tears streaming down his face.

"I'll fight you, Izumi," he said, his voice filled with both sorrow and resolve. "Not because I want to… but because I have to. I'll bring you back. No matter what."

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, raw emotion flickered across her face—grief, anger, fear.

"Then you've already lost," she whispered, and with a final, heart-wrenching cry, the black sphere above her hand surged, its energy ready to consume everything.

The air was heavy, choking with dust and the metallic tang of destruction. Daichi's chest heaved as he stood amidst the crumbling ruins, his gaze locked onto the woman who hovered above him. Her presence was a storm of chaos—dark energy rippling around her like a living entity. Her glowing crimson eyes bore into him, cold and unrecognizable.

But he knew the truth. He refused to believe otherwise.

"Izumi…" His voice was a whisper, trembling yet filled with conviction. "I know you're still in there."

She didn't respond at first, the silence stretching between them like a chasm. Then, her lips curled into a sardonic smirk.

"Still clinging to that delusion, Daichi?" Alter Izumi's voice was sharp, cutting, yet there was an undertone—an almost imperceptible crack in her confidence. "The woman you knew is gone. She died the moment humanity betrayed us."

"No!" Daichi shouted, the desperation in his voice echoing through the broken city. "You're wrong! This isn't you! The Izumi I love—she wouldn't want this!"

For a fleeting moment, her crimson eyes flickered, softening into something almost human. Almost. But then, her expression hardened, her smirk vanishing into a cold, emotionless mask.

"Love?" she scoffed, her tone laced with venom. "Do you think love can undo what's been done? Can it erase their sins? Their lies?"

Daichi clenched his fists, the glow of his veins intensifying. "It doesn't have to erase anything! We can move forward—we can heal! But this… destroying the world won't bring peace, Izumi!"

Her laughter was low, bitter, echoing unnaturally in the charged air. "You're naïve. You always were."

Daichi took a shaky step forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet. "Maybe I am. But I'd rather be naïve than give up on the woman I love. You told me once—back then—that even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to keep moving forward. Do you remember that, Izumi? Do you?"

Her expression faltered, her crimson eyes darting away for the briefest of moments.

"I…" She hesitated, her voice barely audible. But then she shook her head, her hair whipping around her face as the black energy surged around her like an angry tide. "No. Don't do this to me, Daichi. Don't make me doubt."

Daichi's heart ached at her words, at the anguish hidden beneath her fury. He knew he was reaching her. He just needed to keep going.

"Izumi," he said, his voice softer now, pleading. "Please. You don't have to carry this alone. You don't have to fight anymore. Let me help you. Let me save you."

Her hand trembled, the dark sphere above her palm flickering with instability. Her crimson eyes met his, wide and vulnerable, as though she was on the verge of breaking.

But then, like a shattering mirror, the moment was gone.

"No!" she screamed, her voice cracking. Her aura erupted outward, sending a shockwave that tore through the ruins around them. "You don't understand, Daichi! I've already made my choice! And you… you'll hate me for it, but I'm doing this for us!"

"For us?" Daichi's voice broke, his anguish bleeding through every word. "How is this for us, Izumi? Destroying everything we've ever fought for—everything you believed in—how is that for us?"

Her lips trembled, her gaze dropping for a fraction of a second. "Because… because it's the only way," she whispered, her tone hollow.

"No, it's not!" Daichi shouted, his energy flaring violently. "You're just scared! Scared of what will happen if you let go of this anger—this pain!"

"Shut up!" Alter Izumi roared, her crimson eyes blazing as she hurled a bolt of black lightning at him.

Daichi barely managed to dodge, the ground where he had stood exploding into shards of debris. But he didn't stop. He couldn't.

"You think I don't know what it's like to be scared?" he continued, his voice trembling yet resolute. "I've lost everything, Izumi. My family, my friends, my home… even you. But even so, I refuse to give up! Because that's what you taught me!"

She froze mid-air, her hand faltering as the swirling energy around her flickered. "I… taught you?" she repeated, her voice small, almost fragile.

"Yes," Daichi said, his tone softening. "You were my light, Izumi. Even when everything fell apart, you were the reason I kept going. And I know—deep down—you're still that same person. You're still my Izumi."

Tears welled up in her crimson eyes, her grip on the black sphere wavering. "Daichi… stop. Please. Don't make this harder than it already is."

"I won't stop," he said firmly, stepping closer. "Not until I bring you back."