-Xuanhuan Universe ??? 3RD POV-

For an ordinary earthling, it was supposed to be just another regular day, and reincarnation was supposed to remain an appealing subject, revealed only after death. As a fiction fan, James had explored many eventualities and wasn't entirely unprepared for the fantastic event that he confirmed after falling ill, but not being able to keep his memories was very disappointing.

Now, in the vastness of interstellar space, the two transparent humanoid figures appear within an enormous molecular cloud with dense regions forming stars that shine from all around creating a baffling scenery.

"Oh. My. God..." James blurted with eyes and open mouth admiring the breathtaking scenery as his body slowly rotated. "We are...in a Parallel Universe?"

"Alternate Universe." The Guardian corrected and clarified. "Parallel Universes are from the same Multiverse. We traveled to a different Multiverse with slightly different Laws on the same Plane of existence."

"Ohhh! Cool... And what defines a Plane thingy? Are there just two?

"We are on the second out of four Energy Divisions of our Krosmous. Let's go with 'Cosmos.' Now, each Plane has countless Universes, Multiverses, and other strange dimensions with a range of energy levels, but this one is superior to Earth's."

"Woaaah... So, it's like an apartment building where Planes are floors and apartments are the Universes?"

"Not exactly, but it's a close analogy."

"Fascinating... What else is there about Reality?"

"Hoho... So curious~ That's a good thing. I would also like to converse for years, but unfortunately, I can only give you a rundown."

"Aww!"

"Now, our Cosmos is one among a hundred million within a primeval structure that allows spontaneous or artificial creation of Cosmoses. Let's call it Cosmorial."

"Daaaang! That's...unfathomably big... If a building is a Cosmos, then a large Country would be a Cosmorial. Amazing..."

"Except that Size doesn't work like that in higher dimensions. Remember Fractals of finite volume but infinite periphery?"

"Oh, yeah..."

"The Cosmoses have varying energy levels as well. Some even have hundreds of Planes! One needs to visit other Cosmos with higher energy levels on the path to evolution. I can only hope..."

"Ahhh! It's like a dungeon! Fascinating... What else?"

"Beyond that is the Primordial Hyper-Space where Cosmorials and other structures exist. Then, encompassing all imaginable possibilities of existence itself manifested into energies and information with all conceivable dimensions is Hyper-Reality."

"...WOAH! That's...extraordinary..."

"Indeed. The scale of Hyper-Reality is simply too immense for our thoughts to comprehend. Beings that transcend Cosmorials say we are about one-third of infinity to Eternity. It's incomprehensible to us, but think of it like a sphere where energy and information become infinitely smaller towards the center."

"Uhh... Wait... Isn't our reality the lack of energy and information like a bubble in a liquid then?!"

"It is so."

"Wow! And what about outside?"

"Beyond All the imaginable Realities is what Sentient Beings tend to call 'Nothingness.'"

"Nothing? Why?"

"Because there's no Dimensions. No Time, no Space, and no Logic as you know. Certainly, not matter either."

"Woah... But ... there must be 'something' that you know, right?"

"Naturally. We call it something akin to 'Hyper-Existence.' Beyond the Void that is this Hyper-Reality, Energy Forms and information are infinitely dense, containing infinite possibilities. Possibilities like Hyper-Realities that are beyond the imagination of all Sentient beings in our Hyper-Reality..."

"Woah... Fascinating... What are these 'Energy Forms' though?"

"The best I can put it is, 'Existence fluctuations.'"

"Hmmmm... What???"

"It is similar to Space before the Big Bang."

"...Uhh... Ah! I see it. Everything was a tiny point with all possibilities... But that doesn't explain What it is made out of."

"Well, when you discover what 'Space' is, then you'll be closer to understanding Hyper-Existence."

"...Did I just get Homework?"

...

James pondered filled with excitement and wonder when he unknowingly willed his weightless body to rotate at an accelerated rate until he spun out of control.

"Uwaahh?! Help me NASA! I didn't train for this..."

"Enjoying yourself? Just think how you want to move..."

"Yes, I almost have the Record Guinness for spinning in space--This is fucking confusing!" The human complained trying to orient himself without a sense of direction.

The Guardian waited a moment before intervening and forcibly stopped the spinning figure. The mysterious being claiming to be a Protector made the mortal feel safe without knowing

"...Phew!" James sighed relieved and willed his hands into view. He could see through the crystalline limbs a myriad of colors around dense clusters while the stars flicker in the background with unbelievable contours, but it was a well-defined projection of his body. "This is...Astral projection...?" He asserted about the out-of-body experience and looked at the other transparent humanoid without distinct features.

"Technically, I'm sustaining these artificial vessels harboring our consciousness while maintaining a connection to our true bodies, but you may call it that."

"I see... So, our bodies are fine while 'we' are here?"

"Yes. Nothing to worry about."

"Phew..." The human exhaled relieved and noticed an inconsistency. "Hey... Isn't outer space supposed to be more...colorless? No, wait, how can I see any light with a translucent body?!"

"James... Who am I?"

"Hm? Guardian #355G--Ah... Oops?"

"Good. Memorize our designations. You'll need it someday..." The protector instructed and repeated the two strings of numbers.

"Hmm..."

"As for the Light... I process a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum for you. Not just visible light."

"WOAH! That's why the view is so vivid." James asserted with his mouth agape and continued admiring the view for a few more minutes. "Yep! This is way better than a picture..." He affirmed nodding at the Nebula and stared at the protector's blurry figure before wondering. "Say... Are you Human?"

"...No. I only use the appropriate appearance and behavior to receive Souls after death..."

"I see..."

"I'm not showing you..."

"Aww!"

"I know you are curious about my magnificent form, but this isn't about me."

"Somebody is shy..."

"Nonsense! Now, come on. You'll love this..." The Guardian declared and oriented their bodies in a particular direction.

"Pfft!"

A region of the nebula magnified increasingly faster as the two traversed vast distances more quickly than light without feeling the speed giving a sense of incongruity.

"Hm? This speed... Navigator, we appear to be moving at Warp 5!"

"We are skipping space to avoid time dilation and...get there within your lifetime..."

"Ah... Right... But why can't we teleport to our location in one jump?"

"It's dangerous. I'm connecting 3 Universes, and the Dimensions around here become increasingly unstable the further ahead. Space could collapse and cause feedback..."

"Woahhh!? That's worse than I thought!"

"Don't panic, James. Guardians aren't as reckless as you."

"S-sorry... Ha ha ha..."

...

They continue passing stellar objects for 10 minutes, but their destination didn't seem any closer, and the human on the right became increasingly bored.

"Hey, you know that I'm quite accepting of other creatures, right?"

"I know, James. You have been different creatures yourself. But still not showing you..."

"...EH!!? Wh-what creatures...?"

"A Rat, a Wolf, A Draconian, and Human three times."

"...S-seriously??!! So many lives... The people who called me 'animal' would be happy to hear that! Haha..."

"Oh, yes, you are quite the oddity. Souls tend to find compatible bodies in the same species. But 6 is not really many... You didn't start from the lowest lifeform."

"I see... Guardian, you... How long have you watched over me?"

"Hmm... It's been almost half a Millenia already since your Soul came into existence from a common rodent in the lowest realm."

"...Wh--at!!? I'm so old!! And you...you have been like a father to me...or a mother?" The mortal blurted embarrassingly.

"No, I've been your Guardian. I look after other hundreds too. It's my Job, and I'm good at my Job. Though you are the most troublesome. I should've traded you!" The guardian complained making a slight smile barely visible.

"Ha Ha Ha... Hm? Now that I think about it, I have some dreams of the animals that you mentioned."

"Your hunch is correct again. You get to keep a memory imprint of your choosing. It's like 0.00003% of each Lifetime. They usually emerge in dreams."

"Woah?! It's not all gone? Good, good... Which dreams are actual memories? Was the Rat the first Lifetime?"

"Yes. A curious animal that wandered into a She-Wolf's Den and...curiosity killed the Rat. You wouldn't believe the hurdle it was dealing with it!"

"...Sorry?"

"That's alright. It's the Job."

"But I can't remember anything relevant."

"And you won't... The animal was short-lived, and the Soul was too frail..."

"I see..."

"But you'll recall the next one. The little rodent desired to be his predator, and from the very Wolf that ate it, you found life once again."

"Woah! My killer became my mother...ironic."

"A rare compatibility... But you didn't stay in the same pack for long. The Gray Wolf ventured in the wild and encountered another curious canine doing the same. A White She-Wolf. The partnership grew into affection and eventually, she became your Mate. You experienced love and happiness for the first time in your existence, James."

"...AH! How could I forget those bittersweet dreams...? I remember what it felt to have a Pack, to have children, to hunt and defend our territory together... But...they're all gone now... Did we...did we have a good life?"

"Yes, it was a successful Pack even after you were gone, but ordinary wolves have short lifespans, so it wasn't forever. You demanded to watch them from my pocket dimension..."

"I see... And that was allowed?!"

"For a time, yes. The Grey Wolf watched the she-wolf grieve him on the spot he perished until she passed away there as well, but it wasn't enough. He also watched their descendants for years..."

"Y-years!!?"

"You were very stubborn. Even got enraged when I couldn't meddle with their Souls. Unfortunately, it was beyond my capabilities at the time to locate her Soul, and no external help appeared."

"Sorry? Again... But I understand the sentimental Wolf. She was an outstanding Alpha. I would want to meet her again as well."

"Perhaps you will meet that Wolf again someday..." Guardian declared oddly confident.

"Ah! The Soul preference thing... Well, I wouldn't mind being a wolf again to meet her."

"Hmm-hmm... That's what I like about you, James. You are open-minded and don't deny your beast past like others..."

"Oh? Thank you. But maybe I'm just envious of my Wolf self haha..."

"Because of infidelity...?"

"..."

"...Understood." The Guardian interpreted the silence and resumed the previous topic. "The Wolf wished for his future self to live long and experience affection as he did, so I found him a compatible vessel in a modern world. He was curious about the Human creature. Although it was a Dragon-human hybrid, a Draconian!"

"Aha! I knew that dream felt a little too detailed and...the emotions a little too strong..." James affirmed with mixed feelings and recalled reluctantly.

The hybrid lived a normal life in modern England until an explosion destroyed his workplace and was saved by the Dragon lineage, but it made him unable to continue living among humans. Luckily, Beast relatives took him in, and provided for his needs, but he was forced to live secluded in the mountains watching civilization ravaged by war. The Draconian lived the rest of his days bitter and grieving before the last traces of his race disappeared with his death.

"The Draconian was...an interesting individual. He lived 3 times the normal human age and experienced much. Laughed like a maniac after meeting me too. His mind was broken for a while..." The being narrated with a nostalgic tone.

"Ugh... I can imagine from the intense melancholy in that long, long drea--nightmare. Poor guy."

"...You haven't remembered everything, it seems. He left that imprint on purpose."

"I see... But I rather not recall."

"Understandable. Then, moving on... He received 2 options like you and wished for his next lifetime to reborn in a Video Game-like World as a Human with High-level System privileges."

"Say, whaaaaa--!!? Was I in a Skill world with a cheat before? Did I make a harem?"

"Weeeell... Do you remember the dream of the bloody city where you met the 'Monster?'"

James recalled the memory where he was a timid Hunter in a party with 5 other classes to subjugate a high-level Monster that threatened a Town. But they were too late. The humanoid creature slaughtered thousands and used their bodies to adorn the buildings like Halloween decorations. The party, confronted with the horrifying scene, realized the severity of the situation and decided to take drastic measurements to complete the mission. They quickly found the target sitting on a church's window and sent their weakest member to gain time while the mages charged a powerful spell.

"No way... T-that really happened!!? Those bastards really used me as bait?? I really went to live with that...that thing?!"

"Yes. They used the 'creepy Hunter' for 'the greater good.'"

"Ugh! Kinda glad they all got killed instead... But why was I spared?"

"Your Soul felt soothing for the Monster and took you to live in the wild despite its hatred for humans. You solved the problem peacefully..."

"Ugh... So much for a Harem... And that monster was genderless!"

"But that didn't stop you from--"

"Don't say it!"

"--Living a good life with it."

"Oh..."

"However, the Hunter sacrificed too much for other people! They hindered his growth, and that Monster was too overprotective, so the Special Skills never developed. An opportunity given twice in your existence was...wasted! All the Draconian's hopes and efforts were...wasted!" The Guardian admonished sternly and disappointedly as his time was also wasted.

"Ack! T-that--... Ughhh! I get it. That 'me' really blew it. The draconian would be furious if he finds out..." The mortal reproved his past-self with an assertion. "But I don't like playing Hero. I know that I must evolve and discover all reality has to offer!" He declared with a firm resolve and boundless curiosity.

"Good. Good. I wish the Hunter were that reasonable and motivated. He just wished for the next life to be a handsome human that could 'Charm' women."

"Ugh... He prioritized womanizing over evolution and discovery...? The fool!"

"Foolish indeed. But at least your Soul evolved enough to Ascend to the 2nd Plane."

"So, I just started on this Plane?"

"Yes, on the lowest energy range too."

"Can you send me to the third Plane?"

"Denied! An energy density higher than your Soul would harm it. High enough density could even dissolve your Soul."

"Seriously!!?"

"No shortcuts, James."

"Alright. I get it." He shrugged, coming up with another idea. "So, what about the First Plane?"

"Your Soul would be strong enough to influence the Reality greatly and become a Super-Human."

"FOR REAL?!!"

"Yes, things like Telekinesis and Martial Arts like the Movies are possible."

"Awesome! I can be an anime character with a power level over 9000!"

"But there is a downside to descension." The Guardian denied with a short shake of his head, ruining the Mortal's fun.

"Oh, come on..."

"A Soul from the Second Plane like yours would have a very slow Spiritual progress down there. It could take thousands of times longer to evolve..."

"Yikes! ... Everything has a price, huh?"

"Yes... But perhaps you'll get your chance one day..."

"Yeah..." James stayed silent with a somber expression.

"Now, about the playboy... He enjoyed the upper-class life fully until the 18 birthday when--"

"The dude was rich too??!!"

"...Yes. But that was his undoing. He attended the opening of a Resort built over caves that were unsealed after centuries. Only, they weren't empty. Ancient Serpents were trapped inside by a natural disaster and woke up hungry from hibernation. You were one of the people eaten in a hurry. Do forgive them."

"AAH! I remember! I was fucking swallowed alive! Goddamn it! That shit was real too..." James recalled the nightmare and complained with a scrunched face.

"A horrifying end, no doubt. The young boy cursed endlessly after recovering from the traumatic death."

"Uuugh... Did the girls accompanying him survive?"

"They did not. All humans there perished one way or another."

"Dang! I hope somebody got demanded..."

"You said the same back then. And yes, they did..."

"Good. But to find snakes in the middle of nowhere... Is my luck negative or does reality refuses to let me live long?!"

"Don't exaggerate. A worse fate befell those serpents who struggled to survive for so long, ate some people, and died without knowing what happened. Humans turned their skin into purses and belts. It was an unfortunate event..."

"Uh-huh... Why do you sound sympathetic for the snakes...?" The human asserted suspiciously.

"I'm just...easing your trauma. He left those memories behind after all."

"Ugh! That asshole... Wait... Are you a snake too?"

"How insulting... I am a Guardian! That's all you need to know. Hmph! A mere snake, he says... Honestly..." The protector snapped and grumbled unhappily.

"Erm... I'm-I'm sorry, Guardian..."

"It's okay... Hmm... You know, it would be a joyous occasion if one of my protected Souls comes to visit my real body in the Higher Planes."

"Really?! It'll take forever though."

"You need all the motivation you can get."

"Alright... So, anyways, what stupid thing did the playboy wished for?"

"Believing in bad luck, he wished for a Vessel with high-survival chances and a safer World."

"Laaame! And how was that achieved?"

"By finding a person in the Multiverse who survived countless accidents, or a World with System privileges which is riskier."

"Woah! You can do that?"

"Not very extensively, so another being did it."

"Sweet! I had a Cheat... I should've worked as a Daredevil..."

"Yes, you even survived suicide, twice, yet illness still got you, somehow."

"Ugh! That's...a dark chapter of my life... But how are genetic problems my fault?"

"Well, the vessel was carefully selected from a Septillion people, so its life was practically assured, but the Soul is an outside influence in the Multiverse..."

"Hmm... Are you saying that I'm so unlucky that I'm killing an unkillable body?"

"...It's probable."

"Ugh... That sucks..."

"Perhaps it wasn't your fated body."

"Uhh... Is that a thing too?"

"Factually, it's the vessel in which you evolve beyond mortal constraints. Religiously, it's a fated body that completes your being and breaks the rebirth cycle."

"Riiiiight... So, are there really infinite versions of my current body doing many things?"

"Yes. All kinds of Jameses..."

"Haha... And combinations with different Souls too?!"

"Precisely. But there is something that makes your Soul Unique. We are...kin, in a sense. Our Souls do not originate from this Reality like others."

"SERIOUSLY!!? I figured there was a reason for being favored, but...that's ridiculous! Why is it...?"

"Understandable. You see, Eons ago, before the creation of this Cosmorial, a Hyper-Existence entity appeared at the edge of Eternity and scattered fragments of itself in Hyper-Reality. Let's call it Celestial. Later, the 10 biggest Fragments became self-conscious and received instructions from the Main Body. The rest wandered through many Realities and became creatures where they belonged while others continued their journey. It was only recently that the Fragment #7DSE00028111029643270 chose a Universe and sprouted roots... That's why you only have six lives."

The eyes of James opened wide and shouted with a perplexed expression. "SERIOUSLY!!? I have of those Fragment thingies attached to my Soul? W-what should I think...? H-how should I feel...?"

"'Something attached,' you say? The Fragment IS the embodiment of your Existence! It's the Unique Code of your existence which defines the Soul at the most fundamental level."

"Huuuh?! T-t-that means..." James stammered and paused momentarily as a cold realization crept into his mind. "I'm not...really 'me,' I'm just--I'm just a piece of somebody!?!? No... I don't want this..." He blurted without restrain as a turmoil of emotions in his head formed existential crisis of the likes he had never experienced.

The Guardian moved his right hand immediately and taped James' shoulder without stopping their advance. "You ARE, you! What you are does not dictate who you are!" He affirmed, raising his voice with encouraging words that pierced deeply into the troubled mind like a ray of light through the darkness.

The mortal flinched and glanced to the side, calming down.

The Guardian rebukeded as he pulled back his hand. "This isn't like the movies you saw."

The Human felt embarrased and lowered his head. "S-sorry..."

"It's okay. It can happen when you are highly self-aware." The Guardian dismissed, paused for a moment, and continued. "Some of us are the opposite. I feel proud to be part of that Entity. But saying that you are part of that Entity is like saying you are part of this Universe. No, even more detached than that. It's like that Entity just 'introduced a new possibility' into this Hyper-Reality, like a Seed that sprouted."

"Haaahhh..." James did a long mental sigh of resignation and blinked once before retorting. "I get it jeesh. But I don't feel completely free."

"For now..." The Guardian corrected. "One day you will appreciate the benefits."

"...Benefits??!"

"Oh, yes... The Fragment is indestructible with diverse functions and has a Spatial pocket where the Soul is stored upon death."

"Awesome! I have a Cheat... How big is it?"

"Your spatial dimension is around 3 cubic feet currently and grows with your Spiritual evolution. The outside is bigger than an Atom, but it doesn't grow much..."

"SMALL! And how does anything get inside?!"

"With energy manipulation. But the current 'you' can't even sense it and your Spirit is too weak for the restrictions on Earth..."

"Oh... I see... What's Spirit?"

"The influence of your Soul in the dimension like roots of a tree."

"Ah, right... Superhuman abilities..."

"Yes. Although the Fragment doesn't have an actual 'gate,' so your Soul can still be destroyed by intruders, hence our Job..."

"That's...a fatal flaw of epic proportions..."

"Perhaps, but the Soul does reforms as long as the Fragment is active."

"That's good! I wouldn't cease to exist..."

"Yes, but Souls are like Roots in the Cosmos, so when it's destroyed, the Fragment slips off to wander again for eons or become inactive."

"Ah... That--... Hmm... Yeah, that's bad. Must avoid at all cost!"

...

After passing many stellar structures, the two holographic humanoids entered a dazzling cluster with thousands of average-sized Stars gravitationally bound. They approach a Dark region seemingly at the center of the Cluster while Stars orbit closer and faster within Lightyears around them.

The mortal noticed what force of nature could cause such an effect and spoke up worriedly. "Hey... You do know we are heading for a Black Hole, right?"

"That's no Black Hole. I fear no Stellar phenomena in these lower realities, but that thing is endangering the Spatial stability of every Dimension and Multiverse it's overlapping."

"HUH...!? Seriously!? W-what the heck is it?"

"Patience... I chose this Universe because it has the highest energy levels in this Plane which makes it quite stable, and there are no Sentient beings around. Usually, there are even civilizations gathering around this thing not knowing Spacetime could crumble at any time."

"Woahh..."

The two continued getting closer while slowing down gradually and stopped 20 million kilometers from a Void 2.5 million kilometers in diameter. Hundreds of average Stars orbit at hundreds of kilometers per second around the round void as light and charged particles formed a brilliant accretion disk.

"...Looks like a Black Hole."

"Because only extremely intense radiation escapes that apparent event horizon which you'll be able to interpret... Observe." The Guardian informed and waved a hand before filtering out the light.

The enormous dark smudge gradually cleared until a Star-sized Dragon curled in a fetal position became distinguishable. The Beastly entity had forelegs crossed on the chest holding the tail tip, huge Wings covering the lower body, and the neck bent while looking down showing strands on the head. The fantastic creature appeared dormant with eyes shut, and unmoving as if Time was frozen save for the multicolored Fractal Scales glowing iridescently.

"W-WUT...!!! What the hell is that?!! An optical illusion?" James questioned with round eyes about to pop out and accused the one responsible for his perception.

"It's not a trick."

"Whaaa--!" James uttered baffled and scrutinized the frozen creature once more before pointing with a phantom hand. "Th-that can't be real!! An organic life form of that magnitude defies logic too much. It should be a Black Hole!"

"Actually, that logic doesn't apply everywhere or to Highly evolved beings..."

"Ahh..."

"That Entity transcended this Cosmos already and descended to lower realities using many structures as a foothold. So, no, it can't be made of something as simple as 'Matter.'"

"WoOAH! It doesn't poop then?"

"Really, James? That's too primitive for it..."

"Hehe... But why look like a Dragon then?"

"Is that's what you see?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... Maybe it's a useful form or a prideful shape or was the fated body. Either way, there's no reason to be shapeless."

"Oh, that's true... But why is that relevant to me again?"

"Listen closely, James. Mortals think it's always been here, but ever since the temporal appearance of that Entity, many powerful beings have been searching its Cosmic Timeline for diverse purposes. However, the Higher-ups in our system found it first... We aren't sure which mortal Lifetime it originated from, but we know your Soul is the temporal point of origin of that entity."

"...!! COME AGAIN!!?"

"That Dragon...could be the future you."

"Whaaaaa...!?! No way, no way... I dreamt of greatness, but this is way--WAAAY outside of my expectations!"

"Technically, it can either be your next life or one after countless rebirths, or something else..."

"Ah, that's true. Becoming such an unbelievable being would take eons also."

"I knew you'd get it!"

"Can I touch myself?" James requested curiously and reached out a hand.

"Impossible! Anything that's not close in existence gets erased instantly. Be it Stars, Black Holes, or even our Souls through the connection to our bodies...gone."

"WHAT!!? Why?? Isn't it me?"

"Call it suicide. Its nature is fundamentally different from the current you."

"Yikes! But what about a Paradox?"

"Time is...complicated with different rules depending on the reality and the being in question. Essentially, your Timeline would crumble like a house of cards and release all the energy borrowed, explosively. There won't be a paradox without Multiverses, right? Not many would even remember we existed..."

"Hoooly shit... Why the hell take such risks then??! Why not interact with me? Why is it just dormant there?"

"I cannot say for sure... Perhaps you are supposed to see it? Communication is nearly impossible though. That Entity may appear unchanged throughout the entire timeline of this Universe, but it's just an instance from its perspective."

"Ohh..." He sounded, in awe and excitement with his mouth half-open before it transformed into a smirk. "Well, at least I can actually tell people they haven't seen my final form!"

"NO!" The Guardian strongly opposed it.

"Huh?!" James uttered in confusion as his expression turned serious. "...Why? Besides the obvious fact that I will be laugh at?"

"That's naive, James. High Beings could use Clues to find your Timeline and catch your Soul at certain points in Time."

"Yikes! So, don't make enemies of powerful entities, then?"

"That's a given. But it's worse than you think." The Guardian spoke foreboding words, catching the Human's attention. "It is possible to Devour your Soul and acquire your possibilities to evolve and even become 'that'" He announced before pointing at the Cosmic Dragon.

"...Wait, WHAT??!! How's that possible??!!" James shouted in their minds, making a expression of disbelief.

"It's complicated, but Time loopholes certainly exists. Your Future Self could make mistakes or simply lack the perception. There are many possibilities which even I don't know. Though it is risky, there are many Entities that are greedy enough to come after you regardless of consequences. And we can't protect your Timeline forever. You have to start doing that yourself, soon. Your Timeline is...not very defined..."

"Ughh!" The mortal let out with a helpless expression. He remained quiet, processing the information as emotions surged in his mind before finally speaking. "...Godamn it! I'm not supposed to be some Unique Monster that gives high Exp!!!" He grumbled in outrage and then stared into the distance.

"Hmm..." The Guardian was troubled. He wanted to motivate the mortal but didn't know how. It was then he remembered some earthly knowledge. "You know, James... There are certain creatures that lure prey with a Delicacy, right?"

"...Ah!" The mortal turned as his expression brightened, understanding. "I see what you mean!"

"And you know what they say. 'The higher the risk-..."

"The greater the reward!" James finished the proverb and nodded with a smile. "I can turn this situation in my favor!"

"That's the Spirit!"

"Yeah... If my Soul is Divided, then there will be multiple Timelines...and there will be multiple Paths and possibilities to reach the top. And if one of us becomes the Bait, the others will have a better chance to make it."

"...!!" The Guardian was taken aback by the relevance of that idea. There was not much he could say. "That's not-..." He was about to correct but stopped. He then shrugged and approved. "Well, I suppose that works too..."

"Yeah... As long as one of our Personalities Evolve and become that Entity, then our existence will be preserved..." The Human declared with enthusiasm and paused for a moment before saying in a dark, deprecating tone. "But...it won't be me, huh?"

"...James... Are you planning on becoming a sacrifice?" The Guardian questioned with a solemn tone.

"I...I don't know. I don't want to... But this isn't about dying anymore, it's about preserving the existence of my Soul. It's about preserving our memories, however small. All our Personalities deserve to be remembered."

"Then you must all do whatever is necessary to achieve that end. And I mean a n y t h i n g. Things beyond Human morals, things that you find appalling now. Unthinkable things--"

"Ugh! I get it, dude." James stopped the lecture and thought for a moment. "I must find a way to pass my ideas and knowledge to the other Personalities and have us all participate...or something else even better..."

"Oh, my... That's ambitious... But you do have two options to make many things possible."

"Yeah... I really need to make the best out of my Two Wishes, huh?"

"Indeed." The Guardian affirmed with a nod proudly. He then waved a hand, and summoning a table set.

*Zoom!* A simple wooden table with two chairs appeared between the two crystalline humanoids.

"Woah!!"

"Relax, and take your time..."

The mortal reached out his hand to a Chair's back frame and slid a finger across. "Woahhh! I can touch this!" He said, pleasantly surprised, and moved around the chair before sitting down with the Stellar Dragon to the left.

"Hm?" Guardian flinched suddenly and looked to his left.

The mortal noticed the subtle change and inquired. "What is it?"

"We were just probed by immortals..." He informed with a hint of concern.

"WHAT!? Didn't you say there wasn't anyone here?"

"There weren't... Strange..." The Guardian reaffirmed while frowning. "They are coming here at high speed now."

"What?! Should we leave?"

"No need."

"What if they are after me?"

"Then it would be good to know that..." The Guardian declared with a fierce look, gathering his energy.