The words are so painful they nearly send me into a coma.

“That’s right,” Biden repeats. “An S-Rank [Demigod]. Far as I know, there’s never been one on Mystix. I’m the first one ever.”

Biden has already done it.

He beat me to my most important life goal.

He has become the first S-Rank hero of the millennium. And a [Demigod], no less.

It makes sense. He’s the President of the United States. He had access to unlimited resources. Ultimate power. And with this multiversal invasion he’s had more time to fight than anyone else in history.

I’m defeated, not only in combat but also symbolically.

“I told you I’m on the way to Godhood,” he says. “I already completed the Destiny Deck System. I already have access to The Goddess’s Domain. Thanks to your work, I’ll be able to create my own Domain soon too.”

Delta, the only one in the entire group of heroes left standing, spits on the ground. Blood comes out, which they sigh about. “I hate you so much, Joe.”

“Bet you voted for Bernie or some shit, you hippie Californian.”

“Yeah, you got that right. Bernie’d kick your ass if he had the system.”

“Yeah, I bet he would,” he says, “after rambling for forty-five minutes about the inequalities of destiny. He doesn’t realize that destiny ain’t ever gonna be equal.”

“Yeah, and you ain’t ever gonna be a God.”

He shrugs. “Well, we’ll see. Want to go one-on-one, Delta Rafati?”

She grimaces at the taunt. Both of them know they can’t possibly have a real fight at this point. Delta could barely make it over to him.

I notice Julie shifting about. She’s down, but not totally out. She’s getting back up a lot faster than I expected for how hard Biden beat her down.

I whisper to her, “What now?”

She looks at me, as if I am the one to answer that question.

“Yeah, so I’m about to deliver the finishing blow here. I got a card called [Finishing Blow] and I’ve never actually used it before. It says, ‘Destroy any surrounding foes with low health.’ That sounds like... All of you!”

My breathing gets heavier and heavier. I try as hard as I can to pick myself up, to get standing again.

[3,140/50,000 LP].

I’m closing in on dead myself. I wouldn’t survive the blast.

A few [Major Heals] would do some wonders, you know. Luckily, I’ve got two.

{Eryk... Are you going to make it?} Francis thinks to me. His thoughts are weak. I understand exactly why.

I... I could use these healing skills on him to keep him safe for a few hours longer. But he won’t survive the [Finishing Blow] even with that.

{It’s alright, dude,} he thinks. {I’m just riding this out.}

{I can’t let you perish,} I say. {Or anyone else.}

{Well then, are you gonna do something awesome?}

{Yeah, my dear, I will. I’ll be so awesome that Biden won’t even see it coming.}

{Why are you lying in your own thoughts? I can totally see the whole self-doubt.}

I don’t respond with any direct thoughts.

Instead, I muster all concentration I can, and get to my feet.

Delta looks at me and nods a simple nod.

“Just let me heal up to 80,000 Life Points,” Biden says, “and I can unleash this attack. You’ll all die without even thinking about it. I bet it’ll be all peaceful and pleasant, really. No more pain, just instant reincarnation.”

“But nobody’s even reincarnating anymore,” Delta says.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The Goddess isn’t working, so nobody has reincarnated since the war began. Karmic destiny building up and all that bullshit, I don’t know.”

Biden looks confused. He’s clearly never heard anything of the sort. But he appears to dismiss it immediately as some sort of ploy and starts to heal himself.

Julie looks up at me. I look back at her.

“I have one trick left,” she says with a faint voice. “I’m going to protect my family.”

“How?” I ask.

“Grab him. Teleport us to The Goddess’s Domain. Use my Armageddon Power. It’ll destroy the whole thing. Cut off the Americans from the multiverse. And my wife and daughter will be safe.”

“N... No. Julie, you can’t...”

“You promised me one thing,” she says. “And you broke that promise.”

“I...”

Julie stands up. Readies herself in a lunging position.

Biden notices her and laughs. He’s almost fully healed.

Just seconds to go before one of the two acts, one of the two causes massive, permanent destruction--

I look at my Destiny Cards for anything, ANYTHING.

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: Bow and arrow.

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: Bow and arrow.

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: The Warring Core

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: (Empty)

Irredeemable Force: Rank 10. Inertial mass is cut by 1562.5 KG/s for 100 seconds. Cost: 6000 LP.

Counterspell: Rank 5. Counter target magic. Scry 1. Cost: 188 LP.

Ultra Reverse: Rank 6. Reverse the entropy of target. Cost: 800 LP.

Major Heal: Rank 4. Gain 3,000 LP. Cost: 0 LP.

Major Heal: Rank 4. Gain 3,000 LP. Cost: 0 LP.

Sparkle: Rank 1. Flash and glow in blindingly dazzling lights. Cost: 30 LP.

Double Dip: Rank 3. Doubles the effects of the next Destiny Card you use. Cost: 600 LP.

Time Acceleration. Rank 4. Speeds up time x5 for what feels to you like 5 minutes. Cost: 800 LP.

Cancel: Rank 2. Stop the effects of an ongoing Destiny Card skill you have activated. Cost: 39 LP.

I could, I don’t know, use [Ultra Reverse] to try and send Biden’s attack in on himself? No, that probably wouldn’t work like I want. We would all still perish. I could try a [Counterspell] and pray he has no counter to my counter? I could... Wait.

And then it hits me.

A plan.

I can prepare.

I can win.

Somehow, all the puzzle pieces fit together in these final seconds. It all makes such perfect sense now.

Esther, did you really know all this all along?

Probably knew some of it.

But it might be too foolish for such intelligent minds.

Only a moron like me can pull it off.

I bend down and grab Francis by the waist. Pick him up with all my strength. Hold him tight and start running in the opposite direction of the battle.

{What the hell are you doing, dude?} He asks with almost no strength left in him.

{Just stay alive. That’s all I ask!}

Julie, Biden, and Delta look at me with absolute confusion.

First, I activate both the [Major Heals] and get myself a few more life points at my disposal. This is going to be expensive.

Then I use [Ultra Reverse] and target myself.

My entropy is going entirely the wrong direction now. I’m moving backwards. Every step I take is two steps back.

Then I activate [Time Acceleration]. Time is moving faster and faster... In the wrong direction.

The physical world fades from existence. I’m now entering a zone beyond space. Only time, now.

Francis’s eyes open wide as he realizes what’s going on.

To increase the effects of my end combo, I use [Double Dip] to make things go absolutely haywire.

And for my final card... [Irredeemable Force].

We start to move faster, and faster, and faster--

Escaping the battle by moving further and further back into the past!