Hitomi POV

Rika didn’t seem like she’ll respond to me. Actually I think she’s been busy since. It’s been 2 months since she last contacted me. I’ve been slowly leveling my skills and making new ones. Skill levels starting at level 1-50 is novice. From level 50-100 is adept, level 101- 200 advance, level 201-500 master. No one alive has gotten past that for levels. Well Rika was probably the first one but she was alive before the worlds all combined. I’m still in the level 40s for my skill understanding and leveling them. But from what Rika told me before she left.

Levels 501-700 is grand master, 701-1000 is Saint, meaning they’d be on the same level as those mythical heroes you’d hear in fairy tales that can pierce the earth into two or create storms with your own skills and abilities. I did ask Rika what’s the skills naming and her understanding of it but she told me it’s too far off for the current me.

My hand went to the book in my hand that Niana gave me earlier. I haven’t sneaked out because a certain someone was injured in bed. So I’m in her room nursing her.

“By the way sister Lan said we’re on lockdown until she’s back.” (Hitomi)

“Why the heck is that. I’m perfectly fine now. It’s been a month.” (Niana)

“But why this story book. The Tale of Raqeis. This twisted story of the princess sacrificing herself for a scum of a hero. She did everything behind the scenes for him. Even killing the demon lord, just for him to kill her. Telling her that he didn’t want to marry her. Such a person shouldn’t even be a hero.” (Hitomi)

“Yet isn’t the story with the saint and the hero romantic.” (Niana)

“He married an even worst woman who cared for only her reputation. Whereas the princess was the one who cared for his wellbeing. Isn’t this a definition of scum man. Hero or not he killed the one who helped him through the start of the journey. Married the saint that he saw only at the beginning of the story and the end of it.” (Hitomi)

“The princess was irrelevant wasn’t she. Rather she was stupid.” (Niana)

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she hunted and cursed them as a dead soul.” (Hitomi)

‘You aren’t in most cases. When a strong soul has such strong attachment and hatred towards the living they can manifest as a banshee. This story was recorded to a similar case I know. She wasn’t a human princess though. The hero was worst than scum, narcissistic. As for the girl let’s just say the elven princess is very much a menace.’ (Rika)

“You’re pitting someone who isn’t even involved with us nor is she such a person. Did she seem kind when she got rid of the assassins, demons, monsters and rebel’s after his life but she didn’t even ask if he wanted all that.” (Niana)

“Love is illogical Niana. Kinda like your situation right now.” (Hitomi)

“How the hell is it similar.” (Niana)

“Don’t growl at me Niana. The dead should even weep if they were killed by the one who they love. You are as blindly charging ahead as the princess.” (Hitomi)

“Hphm as if you’re one to talk. You haven’t even fallen in love.” (Niana)

I didn’t answer her as I closed the book. This book is the one I hate the most. Yet Niana reads it with such a askew outlook.

‘Actually it’s like the levels and skills name of understanding of it. Though the level skills of adept and whatnot is hidden in tiny ant like letters. Then again the world of yours is like that strange unnatural and very twisted. Niana herself doesn’t realize it either.’ (Rika)

I didn’t say anything of that and headed to my room after tossing the book aside. Rika was right my sister was always strange in her own way. Rather she was much like the inhabitants of our world.

‘Why do you think that even without my magic for the females to reproduce. They somehow got around it and now it’s that if their lover consents they can have children together.’ (Rika)

‘I for one don’t like it. Her personality seems to be strange. She’s not normal. How can she say that the innocent one has to die just because that person loves someone and protects the one that they love. Niana’s actions and words make no sense.’ (Hitomi)

‘It’s in nature of emotions. It’s like how you ignore something you dislike. For her though it’s her perception that’s telling her that it’s something that she doesn’t need. Sympathy towards others isn’t something that Niana feels. She only acts on it because the family told her to. She’s not much different from your Kana Née.’ (Rika)

‘Shit you’re saying she’ll explode at some point.’ (Hitomi)

‘Just be glad you didn’t have to deal with her siscon ness anymore.’ (Rika)

Wait why does it sound like I think it did. The itch and shiver in my body told me something was very wrong. So I did the thing that my instincts was telling me I ran as fast as I could to Kana Nee’s room. Even if she injured mother her room was still intact and untouched. But the words of Rika set me off in a I don’t like the sound of that. I slammed the sliding doors open in front of me.

The pictures and videos in front of me made me cringe in shock. Too much pictures of me. Rather what the fuck is all this. She recorded everything that happened in the house from even from when I was 1 years old. That person scares me now.

‘Aren’t you glad the obsessed siscon stalker is gone. You’d never know when she’d go Yandere on you if she found you fooling around with a lover.’ (Rika)

‘Warn me before hand. This is my life your talking about.’ (Hitomi)

‘Rather shouldn’t you warn Ling Yue that the human Empress Jiang Xue was there in the academy. The Flying Flamed Empress was your childhood friend and she’s a magnet for trouble. If I remembered correctly there was one time you visited her with family on a trip and undead resurrected on the spot. Or the other time when you almost become dragon food with her.’ (Rika)

Shit, that idiotic cultivator won’t even care for her surroundings. Rather she’d probably find them amusing that everyone is fussing.

‘Wasn’t the third time like a Demon lord revived on the spot when you were visiting her in her sick bed. That person is the worst too. Her nonchalantness seems to be very high.’ (Rika)

Like hell I’ll let that person see or be near Ling Yue. She’d probably just stand there and watch the chaos in amusement. The only time she reacted was when everyone was risking their own hides for themselves. She didn’t even flinch at her life in danger. Damn that bitch maybe a friend but she doesn’t really talk much either.

The only time she did was when she smiled and said “that’s all your.” When they barely scrapped by when their lives.

‘Isn’t she worst than a time bomb. If humans had a title for it, I’d say she was something that attracted the unnatural unconsciously.’ (Rika)

Wait was there a possible outcome like that. Rather I hadn’t heard anything like that.

‘There is. Once every 1000 years or so a human is born that attracts all sorts of unnatural things to kill it. As if they’re stirred by something more than instincts to just end the person.’ (Rika)

That means things will always come for her. This isn’t reassuring for me. It means I could do nothing as Jiang Xue is inside the city at the same school.

‘Which reminds me your sister behavior isn’t surprising. It’s like the emotions of all races that they casted out that they were afraid would corrupt them. Especially so when they are so human like in nature. Greedy, emotional and very unstable. Much like the gods who allowed such actions to happen.’ (Rika)

What the heck is Rika trying to hint at now. Is she trying to say that we don’t have a leash on our emotional side. But does mean that negative emotions were an outlet to something more terrifying.

‘I’m not saying she’s terrifying, just don’t get caught between her and the gods. Her and my hatred towards the gods is something that is common. Luna isn’t really helping it either.’ (Rika)

The direct words and worry in her voice sounded so firm yet serious. Something tells me Rika will do something detrimental to our current lives and change many, people’s lives. Just because her own emotions that seemed as illogical as what she just said.

‘Would you too like to be a play thing for your next 1,000 lives for the gods to control you, along with your loved ones for entertainment.’ (Rika)

Her direct words of anger left a weird aftertaste after she left. That’s why she’s busy. Yet it unsettles me because I saw it coming. The memories from her that showed me had me throwing up a month ago after Niana was injured. The memories of when Rika was still projected through the link to protect the upper worlds in a balance. Yet the gods and goddesses were abusing their power over those that were short lived that were reincarnated.

They either had them kill, massacre, steal, and etc. from their old and new loved ones as well as every sin known to humans. It disgusted me about how low they can go. The gods twist and twist the person until they’re but their former shell in their last life as that individual soul. So much so that there is nothing for them to feel anymore in their next reincarnation but sorrow, immense anger, and hatred towards themselves. But the truth is they were never in control of their life. The phrases that Rika then let out in my mind.

‘For what is left but a life on a thread. A thin thread that they couldn’t forgive and forget even if they reincarnated. Corrupted by power of the divine who abused their authority on a former noble soul until nothing but a speck of dust is left from the shine of that bright soul. How low have we gods fallen that we don’t even let go of the younger generations even on their death.’ (Rika)

Now it all makes sense even if it was from first person view of that person that was manipulated. They themselves didn’t want anything to do with that but the gods went around the rules of them being reborn. Just to use them as an interest for their nasty hobbies in boredom. To break their will of their glorious self.

I think I understand what that deep sadness inside the link was really. Rika couldn’t let go of the upper worlds not just because Luna. But because to her we’re all her children and responsibilities that she couldn’t let go. In our stead she became angry, her hatred towards her own former race was also showing to the extreme. This means the one she dislike maybe the humans that caused her death but her actions that were strange in those projections of hers was her deep connection to every individual.

Yet the gods and goddesses besides Luna didn’t notice her. I think something happened to her reincarnation before this one. Something big happened but I don’t know what. That might be why she’s no longer in good sisterly relationship with Luna either.

“Your analysis is pretty good.” (Lilith)

I flinched when I saw Lilith. She does exist on all timelines as herself. Meaning her being high level and being to read my mind isn’t wrong. She came here for Ling Yue from her being in the past as Lydia. But her being her now seems unnecessary.

“Right I’m unnecessary to the current you. But it’s interesting that a certain kitten is fishing in the ever more dangerous sea. Sometimes not knowing is the best. All that awaits you is a former goddess who discarded her divinity for everyone else. What is there possibly to see of someone broken by her own family member.” (Lilith)

I frown as her looks went from a sexy succubus to a 20 year old grey haired office lady. Even her former purple hair earlier had me confused. Yet the golden eyes earlier told me something more annoying. This person looks like a Destruction Phoenix but isn’t one.

“Oh, how funny. You as Rika’s source to stay put and listen to you. The mad forgotten goddess has really fallen down low. So much so that she’s playing family with you. Does she think that she can amend what Luna did to you in the last time line in the main one. Luna purposefully broke your souls and sealed it in all of the small mini worlds so that you could never reunite with your loved ones. It was interesting to watch those two bicker. But I do think that main (course) run through made Rika darker and more depressing now. Even if she did get your soul back to itself as what it was now.” (Lilith)

Damn it Lilith came like a damn storm. She came with answers and left like a tornado after the mess. That person is very annoying in her own way. But her words still hurts me. Meaning I was but one of the reasons that Rika was being nice to me. Yet her words unsettled me. The way she said it was as if we’d lost and had been through a second run after fucking up the last boss fight.

Rika POV

I stared at the room of Hitomi silently as I stayed invisible. Rather it wasn’t my fault that Luna was being in such a insecure position. Things didn’t exactly seem normal after that point. It was my feelings that got the better of me. That was what put me in this situation.

‘Rika, do you think one day they’d all live for another day with all memories unchanged by the gods for once. Even you can’t do so without my help. Was that not why you and I combined our souls, you wept for the dead souls that couldn’t pass on.’

Don’t say it like that Eris. You were born from that bastard looking for the bad timeline that he was the personification of. Everyone lost yet you were the time concept born to a new timeline where it was a lifeless world.

‘The lowest world survived didn’t it. But the unbalance of no souls in the upper worlds made me and the rest of the world dying. At least I filled in your missing half of your soul.’ (Eris)

Yet you were so weak being born that you couldn’t take even a form before we fused into one and resetted everything back to the beginning. Luna’s carelessness and attitude of everyone should die with me is bothersome.

‘I might be a new soul. The new concept of Time personality made but I came from a dying world. It was also there that you peeked into the outcomes and different timelines of if you lost or won. Each outcome has a different effect. Luna shouldn’t had left things go that far just because she hated all others as if they’re below her.’ (Eris)

There was three unneeded out come. Only one was needed and that was to start before the Heroes era. Before Luna had authority over information. Allowing small individuals and couples to rise in to power remember their past lives. As well as allowing them to happy with their soulmates. I didn’t like watching them be more miserable than my own life.

‘I think you playing matchmaker looked annoying. Forcing them to meet and guiding them directly was so problematic. But you really should do something about your sight.’ (Eris)

We share one body though that much is true Eris. Yet I can’t see a person’s face anymore much less their hair color. It’s as if I’m also losing my eyesight every once in while.

‘That’s not exactly a good thing. Hitomi would get suspicious of us if you don’t interact with her. You also have to fix the soul system by linking it to the status system so that Luna, they wouldn't exploit it again.’ (Eris)

You didn’t mind that I named you right. Even though you too were dying there with me in that 5th timeline that he created. The other 4 recorded means we’ve been through this that many times already.

‘I don’t exactly mind. After all I don’t have a body. I became aware after we fused. Dying was the only option left. Plus what’s the use of knowledge when you can’t use it. Your main body is slow at learning because we’re getting into sync because we’re two different souls in one body.’ (Eris)

Yes I know you don’t hold it against me that I’m seeking my own death. That much you also understand why.

‘The souls are something you nourished to be what they are now in the upper worlds. You want them to survive and continue to live. Not be destroyed into nothingness. To thrive and live their lives as their own of their own choice. But I will interfere if you really seek to end yourself. You know that right.’ (Eris)

I understand Eris, it’s because you and I share the same body. You don’t wish to be alone again. Whereas I just want to selfishly go towards my own goal without considering that we’re linked to one life line.

‘Rather no one would probably even notice an odd soul stuck to you at all. Especially one such as myself.’ (Eris)

Yes that’s true, no one noticed. Not even Yu Mei who had authority over the upper world here. Ling Yue didn’t even notice it either. They probably won’t notice until we get recycled into the system again.

‘True it does feel like we’re outsiders that have too much authority but got kicked out by the status system.’ (Eris)

As an outsider we can’t exactly cheat the system unless we interfere directly. It resets if we did indirect help to a said individual or population itself. Thus more problematic stuff crops up.

‘At least this time Hitomi is getting a happy ending right.’ (Eris)

9 million run throughs and this is the smoothest she’s actually going after Yu Mei interfered. After I asked for a favour.

‘Well thanks to me she got to keep her memories of it intact. But damn I didn’t account for Lilith being able to cheat like that too.’ (Eris)

That person is on no ones side. Her actions benefit herself and her interests. She will return favours because she hates being indebted to someone. That’s who Lilith is. Instead I feel like I’m a ghost from the past who can’t move on and lingering here to fulfil my selfish wishes. I’m not exactly as noble as Hitomi made me out to be. My wish is for everyone in the void and all the other souls to survive. Kana is the one I most worry about since the gods abuse their authority on her as a goddess of death.

‘I know. She will be fine this time around. Longest Luna doesn’t find out that she’s her niece this time around. I’ll try to limit me talking to you when others are around. But I’ll try my best to sense the surroundings for you.’ (Eris)

‘Thanks Eris.’ (Rika)

‘Your sight has been damaged since Luna blinded you. Us resetting the upper worlds doesn’t mean your past injuries reset too. We may have authority over time but if it’s also damage made by another over it. It’s no use healing it. You did seal your goddess traits so you’ve been using my abilities over time.’ (Eris)

‘The damage done by Luna is all that’s left. It can’t be helped that she joined hands with the one person we least expect.’ (Rika)

‘Don’t use my powers too much an anomaly happening isn’t something we want them noticing. Use the racial traits of the half Astra bloodline that you picked for us.’ (Eris)

‘Actually I have a great idea, why don’t you appear for the first time in history. Like in front of Hitomi. Like since we share the same body it should be fine right. You also want to go out right.’ (Rika)

I know it, Eris is different from those concept of time born since the beginning. She’s one that is born when a Timeline itself is ending and dying. Eris seemed more powerful after we reset everything. Because she herself isn’t dying anymore. She does have the same authority as the bastard that killed me but she’s like an innocent active child.

Not too naive but playful and full of interest in the living things around us. I can understand we came from the edge of a dying world. There probably wasn’t much to see at all. The scenery was there but there’s no more souls to be recycled into the system thus no living beings aside from some plants. Zero intelligent life form to interact and you have a closed off child. Eris deserves as much as that since she too was something born from nature itself. I want her to at least get a chance to also live her own life.