Translator:imperfectluckEditor:Kurisu

As a way to organize his thoughts, Seiji decided to call the previous timeline with so many people dying the Destruction Timeline. This current timeline he was in would be called the New Timeline.

Voidfire from the Destruction Timeline, or Destruction Voidfire for short, had given Seiji a password. As long as Seiji told this password to New Voidfire, the Voidfire from the New Timeline, it was highly likely that he could convince New Voidfire to change his actions and avoid the Destruction Timeline fate for the city.

However, there was a serious problem with this.

Seiji didnt know what Destruction Voidfires password meant.

If this password somehow let New Voidfire learn that Seiji possessed the ability to travel back into the past, the consequences would be disastrous.

Even if New Voidfire didnt act on this information immediately, it was highly likely that he might do something with this information in the future, perhaps leaking this information to other members of the Messengers. This would probably end up causing something terrible and unexpected.

Seiji didnt want to have to worry about this every day. He wanted even less to be forced to load far back into the past back to before this point if this became a big problem in the future. And, if his ability was leaked, he might not even get a chance to load in the worst case scenario.

That was why Seiji preferred to contact New Voidfire through Kamitani instead of using Voidfires password and cell phone number. Seiji would try and convince New Voidfire by saying that he had a prophecy about the future.

Compared to the ability to go back in time, a highly accurate prophecy would be less risky.

Still, this also had its dangers. A truly working prophecy ability would forever be highly valuable. It was just that the spiritual society seriously doubted the veracity of all prophecies, which was why this would be much safer. Not to mention, Seiji could make up all sorts of excuses, such as by saying that it was difficult to activate this type of prophecy magic, that there was a great cost, a particularly long cooldown etc., etc.

While this was less risky for himself, it caused the current problem that Seiji was facingNew Voidfires distrust.

It seemed quite difficult to convince New Voidfire to change his actions based onlyon a prophecy.

Or, another way of saying it was that it would be very difficult to change Voidfires suspicions, so Seiji had trouble continuing down this path.

In that case, he would either have to say the password right now, or load to the Destruction Timeline to talk to Destruction Voidfire again in an effort to obtain more information.

Seiji felt like loading back to that time would be a good idea. Still, how could he get Destruction Voidfire to tell him more specific information? There was also the problem of how long they could talk for.

Would he be able to obtain more time if he went and contacted Destruction Voidfire earlier in the Destruction Timeline?

Seiji figured that this was unlikely. If he contacted Destruction Voidfire faster, this would only attract the Sakura Catastrophe Goddesss attention faster as well. In the end, the time to talk wouldnt be increased.

In that case, the issue was how to swiftly convince Destruction Voidfire to give Seiji more information in a short amount of time.

The critical point was still the password!

Seiji managed to come up with a conclusion after organizing his thoughts.

He didnt need to tell the password to New Voidfire. Instead, he could tell the password to Destruction Voidfire!

Having Destruction Voidfire hear the password would likely be the fastest way to obtain his trust. After all, he was the one who told Seiji about the password And even if it didnt work, there would be no harm in trying, since Seiji had already decided to give up on the Destruction Timeline. No matter what the password meant, Seiji wouldnt have to worry about any potential future consequences.

Seiji made up his mind.

Indeed, I dont know the specific connection between your actions and the destruction that I saw, Seiji admitted after his long period of silence. Even if you stop your attack on Soul Society, it might be true that the destruction wont be avoided. I probably thought of things too simply and naively So, just do as you like, Voidfire-san.

Seiji then pretended to be disappointed as he started to leave.

Wait a moment. Voidfire stopped him. Thats all? Are you willing to leave things like this, Seiji Haruta?

Seiji stopped walking away.

What else can I do even if Im unwilling? I believed too much in my own prophecy, so I tried to change the future like an idiot All I can do is to notify you of the potential danger, Voidfire-san.

You can do far more, Voidfire stated. Your power should be much stronger.

Thats right, immediately after I finish talking to you, Im going to jump back into a future timeline to obtain more information from your future self, and then come back here to talk to you again, Seiji thought to himself.

Seiji didnt want to use his save and load ability right in front of Voidfire. Maybe he was being overly cautious, but Seiji felt it would be safer to say goodbye and leave first.

However, Voidfire seemed to have a different idea.

What do you want to from me, Voidfire-san? Seiji asked Voidfire the same question that Voidfire started out with.

You can help me. We can act together, Voidfire said raspily.

Now this was a truly incredible suggestion!

I dont wish to become enemies with Soul Society. Seiji rejected this proposal.

You believe that their plan is wrong. Yet, you dont want to stop them from making this mistake?

I would if I could. However, I dont have the power to fight against Soul Society.

You will if you come along with me, Voidfire insisted.

Seiji fell silent for a moment before replying, This is only our first meeting, Voidfire-san. You said that you were happy to meet me, and you even told me your real name. Im grateful for that. However, this doesnt mean that Ill instantly trust you, just like how you cant completely trust me.

Even if we cant completely trust each other, cooperation is still possible. Voidfire continued insisting.

Yes, I also realize that its possible to cooperate without complete trust. But, even cooperation requires both parties to know a decent amount about each other. Thats not the case with us. Seiji turned around and looked at Voidfire again. Kamitani told me that you were really strong. I also agree now that Ive met you. Youre indeed strong enough to attack Soul Society all by yourself. So, why does someone like you want to recruit someone like me that youve only met for the first time? All Ive done is tell you about a shallow prophecy that I have which says your attack will be a mistake. Although you seem to like me, you dont really need me to join your side, do you?

Voidfire fell silent this time for a while.

Because I think that perhaps you might be able to become my companion, Voidfire spoke in a low voice.

Hmm?

Seiji Haruta, I dont have a single companion. Not even one. Nor have I ever met a single person that Ive ever wanted to become my companion.

Youre a high-ranked member of the Messengers.

So what?

Dont you treat the Messengers as your companions? Seiji furrowed his eyebrows.

I dont. They arent my companions at all. Theyre only using me, and Im using them in turn. Thats just how my relationship with the Messengers is.

Since you dont agree with the Messengers, then why dont you leave them?

Because I have nowhere else to go, Voidfire stated raspily. I have nowhere to go, nowhere I should go, and nowhere that I want to go. The Messengers use me, and I use the Messengers. Theres nothing else apart from that. I dont need anything else. I thought that this was fine until I met you. When I met you, I felt for the first time thatmaybe even I can have a companion. Perhaps youll become my companion, or perhaps you wont. Its only a possibility. But, its exactly this possibility that makes me want to invite you to join my side.

Thats all it is. Seiji felt like he could hear Voidfire saying this.

He felt that Voidfire was telling the complete truth here.

Voidfire didnt need his assistance in attacking Soul Society. His invitation was simply because he had gotten interested in Seiji. However, even this interest was apparently incredibly rare. His interest also seemed to include a certain type of need.

A subtle yet concrete and mysterious need.

Seiji sensed all of these emotions coming from Voidfire. Suddenly, Seiji felt like he understood why Dousei Ashiya had chosen the code name Voidfire.

Fire obviously represented the magic that he was most skilled at. And Void that represented his foundational essence.

VoidfireDousei Ashiyawas incredibly strong, but he lacked a soul, or at least he lacked a soul like the one normal people would have.

Seiji felt that this was all incredibly subtle as he thought about Voidfires words and notorious family history.

Because Im not human Im not human, yet Im like a human, or maybe I should say that Im human yet inhuman. Is that why you want me to become your companion?

Something flashed in Voidfires eyes as he nodded rapidly.

Yes. I want the you whos like this, Seiji Haruta.