Final Loop?........... Chapter 30 : 世界の秘密 (The Secret of World)

Daichi drifted weightlessly through an endless void, his body suspended in a sea of darkness speckled with shimmering stars. His eyes remained shut, his mind barely clinging to consciousness as he floated. The battle was over… but what was this place?

"Did I… win?"

A gentle voice, distant yet familiar, called out to him.

"Daichi… Daichi…"

The sound wrapped around him like a lullaby, soothing yet insistent.

"Wake up, Daichi."

Soft warmth brushed against his forehead, as if someone were caressing his hair. His eyelids fluttered open, and he gasped.

The world around him was breathtaking. The vast expanse of space stretched infinitely, yet it did not feel empty—it was alive, pulsating with a quiet radiance. Stars twinkled like lanterns in the dark, and a gentle light shimmered beneath his feet, forming an invisible path.

"Is this… the end?" he whispered, his voice barely audible against the cosmic silence.

"It's not, Daichi."

The same voice answered, this time from behind him. A warm, familiar touch ran through his hair again, and he turned sharply.

His breath caught in his throat.

There she stood—his grandmother. But not as he last remembered her. She was young again, her face serene, her long silver hair flowing gently as if caught in a breeze that did not exist.

"Grandma…? Is that you?" His voice trembled, his eyes welling up. He took a shaky step toward her. "Why do you look so young…?"

Tears slipped down his cheeks before he could stop them.

She smiled, her arms opening wide. "Daichi, dear… you did well."

A sob caught in his throat as he rushed into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her as if she would disappear if he let go.

"Where have you been all this time?" he choked out. "I thought you were gone. I thought… I lost you forever."

His fingers curled tightly around the fabric of her clothes, as if trying to hold onto a piece of her existence.

"I missed you so much."

His grandmother stroked his hair, her touch so real, so comforting, yet laced with an undeniable sadness.

"Daichi… I've already passed on." Her voice was gentle, but the words stung. "What you see before you is merely the reincarnation of my soul, given form in this place beyond time."

Daichi's breath hitched. He wanted to argue, to deny it—but deep down, he knew it was the truth.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally loosened his grip and pulled back, wiping his tear-streaked face. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "What is this place, Grandma? Why are you here?"

His grandmother's expression turned somber. She took his hand and guided him forward, their feet stepping lightly on the invisible floor of the cosmos.

"It's time you learned the truth, Daichi."

As they walked through the endless expanse of stars, her voice resonated in the quiet.

" As you already know, in every generation, thirteen chosen ones inherit the power of the Zodiacs. Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius… and Ophiuchus."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the luminous abyss.

"This place exists outside our universe, beyond any mortal realm. It is where the Zodiac spirits reside before they merge with their destined hosts."

Then, she turned her head slightly and called out, "You can come out now, Leo."

Suddenly, a golden light pulsed from Daichi's ring, and from it emerged a small lion, no larger than a house cat. It stretched lazily, then flicked its tail with a huff.

"Who dares summon me?" Leo grumbled in a regal yet irritated tone.

The moment its gaze landed on Daichi's grandmother, the lion stiffened. Its sharp, golden eyes widened.

"Suzuka…?"

A tender smile graced her lips. "Long time no see, Leo."

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, without warning, Leo darted forward, leaping into her arms.

"Suzuka!!" the tiny lion cried, rubbing its face against hers.

A warm laugh escaped her as she held Leo close, stroking its fur.

Daichi could only watch in stunned silence.

His grandmother… had once wielded the power of Leo?

"You… you were a Zodiac wielder?" His voice barely rose above a whisper.

She looked at him, a glimmer of nostalgia in her eyes. "Yes, Daichi. A long time ago."

"But you never told me… not even when I was a kid."

She chuckled softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face. "I'm sorry, Daichi. Some things… must be revealed at the right time."

Daichi stared at her, his heart swelling with emotions too complex to name. But deep down, one feeling stood above the rest.

With Leo nestled in her arms, Daichi's grandmother continued walking, her steps light yet deliberate. Daichi followed closely behind, his heart pounding in his chest. There was something almost ethereal about the way she moved—as if she was not bound by the laws of reality. The further they walked, the more the void around them shimmered, shifting like ripples on the surface of an endless ocean.

Then, at last, they arrived.

A lone, mysterious door stood before them.

It was unlike anything Daichi had ever seen—tall, ancient, yet impossibly pristine. Glowing golden patterns laced its surface, pulsing like a heartbeat. He felt a strange pull toward it, as if the door itself was alive, beckoning him forward.

His grandmother turned to face him, her expression calm yet solemn.

"Are you ready to see the world's greatest secret, Daichi?"

A lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard.

"Y-Yes," he answered, though his voice was laced with hesitation.

She smiled softly and, with a graceful motion, pushed the door open.

"Welcome… to Eterna Arborium, the Gardens of Worlds."

As the door creaked open, a breathtaking sight unfolded before Daichi's eyes.

An endless expanse stretched beyond the threshold—a vast, rolling landscape of mountains and forests, bathed in an eternal golden glow. Countless trees stood in every direction, each unique in size and color. Some bore luminous white bindings that wove between them like threads of fate, while others stood alone, untouched by any connection.

Daichi stepped forward, his feet touching something solid, yet invisible. As he moved through the field, he noticed that the trees were arranged in groups. Some stood alone, isolated, while others gathered in clusters—thousands, even millions, forming great, sprawling forests.

At the foot of each cluster, a wooden plaque bore a name.

He scanned them, his brows furrowing in confusion.

 "Clannad."

 "Chainsaw Man."

 "Re:Zero."

 "Toradora."

 "Saint Seiya."

 " Steins;Gate."

 "Tokyo Ghoul."

 "Violet Evergarden."

 "Your Lie in April."

And countless more.

"Grandma… what is all this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She turned to him, her eyes reflecting the golden light of the garden.

"This, Daichi, is the multiverse—the other worlds beyond our own. Every memory, every story that exists in those realms is preserved here, in the form of trees."

Daichi's lips parted in awe. He reached out, brushing his fingertips against the trunk of one tree. The moment he touched it, a surge of emotions flooded his senses—joy, sorrow, love, loss. It was as if he was witnessing an entire lifetime unfold in an instant.

Then, his grandmother's voice turned gentle.

"Daichi, I know your heart is heavy. You've lost Izumi twice… and the pain you carry is unbearable."

His chest tightened at the mention of her name.

"But remember this," she continued, her gaze unwavering. "Your sacrifice is but a single thread in the grand tapestry of fate. Many before you have suffered, have lost, have fought against despair… and yet, they kept moving forward."

Suddenly, golden screens flickered into existence before him, displaying moments from countless lives—memories, triumphs, and tragedies of those who had walked the same path of sacrifice.

He saw a young man with a straw hat, standing proudly.

"I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"*

 A determined boy, his eyes fierce and unwavering.

"I never go back on my word! That's my ninja way!"**

 A lone mage, battered yet unyielding.

"My magic is never giving up!"***

A young man with white hair that had sacrificed everything.

"Dear God of Games, if you exist... hear my prayer. This world, erase all the conflicts and war, and make it a world where we can play games together someday. The one who will come to challenge you... please, give the throne to him." ****

Daichi's breath grew unsteady as the screens changed.

The next faces were different—those who had given up everything for their cause.

A lively blonde hair girl.

"Maybe there's only a dark road ahead. But you still have to believe and keep going. Believe that the stars will light your path."*****

A girl who sacrificed herself to take the Apocalypse Virus from a certain man.

"I will always be by your side."******

A masked slender man that wants to attain world peace.

"Yes... I destroy worlds... and create them anew."*******

A girl talking to a man besides her, wearing fox mask.

"Even if I can't touch you, I'll always be by your side."********

His grandmother's voice softened.

"And some… some could not bear the weight of their choices. They fell into darkness."

A chilling voice echoed through the void.

A once commited and kind-hearted man, but the result of years of suffering, revelations, and his deep desire for freedom, he changed.

"I'll keep moving forward until all my enemies are destroyed."*********

His suffering and trauma turned him into an anti-hero willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

"Weak people are ugly... The strong devour the weak. That's just how the world works."**********

A man that believes true power comes from knowing the difference between illusion and reality.

"Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding."***********

"I discovered this place through the power granted to me. But even I cannot step into their realms.", as she caress the tree.

Daichi could only watch in stunned silence.

His grandmother exhaled, as if carrying the burden of understanding all these fates.

"They were all once a normal person, but their fate is different based on what decision that they want to make; what they think are correct to them"

She turned to him once more, her expression unreadable.

"Now that you know the truth, Daichi… what will you do?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came. His heart wavered.

"I… I don't know," he admitted.

She reached out, placing a gentle hand on his cheek.

"That's okay, Daichi."

He looked up at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"You have been given a second chance at life. Make the most of it.."

A somber silence settled between them.

Then, she added, "Soon enough, you will inherit the true power of Leo. And when the time comes… you must travel to other realms to help those who cannot save themselves."

Daichi's eyes widened.

"What…? What do you mean, Grandma?"

She simply smiled.

"You'll understand one day, dear."

A sudden shift in the atmosphere made her gaze darken. She turned to him with a knowing look.

"It's time to go back, Daichi. You cannot stay here much longer."

Panic flared in his chest.

"But… I'm scared, Grandma," he admitted, his voice cracking. "I'm scared I'll make the wrong choice again."

Tears spilled from his eyes, but before they could fall, she gently wiped them away with her fingers.

"Now, now… don't cry, Daichi," she whispered.

Her warmth was fleeting, fragile, like the last embers of a fading fire.

"Leo will always be by your side from now on. You hear that, Leo?"

The small lion, still curled in her arms, pouted. "Y-Yeah…"

She turned back to Daichi, extending her pinky.

"Promise me, Daichi. Promise me you'll make the right choices this time."

He hesitated—then, with a trembling hand, he linked his pinky with hers.

"I promise."

She smiled and placed her palm over his chest. A golden light began to envelop him.

His body… was fading.

"Remember, Daichi…" Her voice was soft, laced with unshakable warmth. "As long as you hold onto your promise, it will resonate beyond the universe. No matter what happens, you will always be connected to them."

The light grew brighter, swallowing his form.

"Goodbye, dear…"

Her voice was the last thing he heard before his existence was carried away into the flow of fate.

And just like that… Daichi was gone.