[Volume 2] Chapter 12: The Ten-Year Pact

Director Fuu and Chen-Awelon wrangled for a while longer before finally reaching an agreement: ten years from now, Fuu-Honlon would return to untie Chen-Awelon and compensate him with a Taiyi Soul-Nourishing Longevity Pills.

Until then, Chen-Awelon could just keep hanging from the ceiling for another ten years.

Ten years sounded miserable, but members of the Spacetime Destruction Bureau all had extraordinarily long lifespans. To them, a decade passed in the blink of an eye.

The roster for the Battle Through the Heavens mission was also finalized: Finn, Chen-Awelon, Sainquartz, Bearmont, Jyan-Tyenhaw, and Moonbell.

Moonbell would not enter the Battle Through the Heavens Imaginary World. Instead, she would remain outside to provide technical and intellectual support.

The moment Moonbell heard that Xiao Yan was a lolicon, she immediately decided to stay as far away as possible and flatly refused to enter the Imaginary World.

“See you all in ten years. Try not to die before then.”

Jyan-Tyenhaw waved to the others and was the first to leave the Spacetime Destruction Bureau headquarters.

Jimmy had been sitting nervously in the corner of the sofa the entire time, listening to these big shots talk. He was fascinated, but also terrified.

Sis Avasarala flicked a finger, tossing him an oval piece of jade intertwined with crystalline blue and emerald light.

“Jimmy, this is your Time Jade. Finn will teach you how to use it.”

“Time Jade?”

Jimmy carefully caught the piece of jade in both hands. Blue and green light flowed through its interior like rippling silk, beautiful to behold.

The name “Jimmy” was engraved on its surface.

“Bro, what is this thing?” Jimmy asked curiously.

Finn said, “Standard equipment for members of the Spacetime Destruction Bureau. Countless people throughout the Endless Worlds would kill to get their hands on one.

“Once you fuse it into your body, your current self will become ‘anchored’ in spacetime. From that moment on, the you who exists now will be disconnected from your past and future selves, becoming a permanently independent point.”

Jimmy only half understood, but he could tell this thing was extremely important.

“So how do I use it?”

“Recite your own name in your head, then press the Time Jade against your forehead.”

Jimmy did as instructed.

A faint glow appeared across the jade’s surface before it melted into his forehead, becoming forever fused with him.

Jimmy rubbed his forehead. He didn’t feel any different.

“Bro, I still don’t really get it. What does the Time Jade actually do? I don’t feel anything special.”

Finn calmly explained, “From now on, you have no connection to either your past or future self. You’re a permanently independent ‘point.’

“Put it this way. If someone travels back in time and kills your parents before you’re born, the current you will still exist completely unaffected.

“If you meet your past or future self, it won’t cause any paradoxes either.

“Normally, only experts who have comprehended the Laws of Time can achieve something like this. You may still be a weakling, but after fusing with your Time Jade, you’re already ‘independent’ within spacetime. Plenty of people would envy you for that alone.”

Finn naturally had a Time Jade of his own. It was standard issue for all Spacetime Destruction Bureau members.

Jimmy was ecstatic. “That’s freaking awesome! Wait—nobody’s actually going to go back and kill my parents, right?”

“Once you become famous, if any of your enemies can travel through time, of course they’ll go into the past and kill your parents. Or just kill you as a baby.

“It’s a shameless tactic, but it works. You’re still just a rookie right now, though, so relax. No one has any reason to target you.”

Moonbell cut in. “Finn, that’s not necessarily true. Jimmy’s parents are still alive right now, which means one of two things: either future Jimmy never becomes strong enough for an enemy to bother traveling through time to kill him, or none of his enemies ever gain the ability to travel through time.”

Finn nodded and turned to Jimmy. “She has a point. The fact that your parents haven’t been murdered yet might actually be a bad sign.”

Jimmy: “…”

Bearmont added, “My father was murdered when he was seven. My mother died when she was ten. And on the day my grandparents got married, a Celestial Sojourner blew them up with a bomb.”

“Your family really has had terrible luck!” Jimmy felt his scalp go numb.

Apparently, being a Celestial Sojourner was an incredibly dangerous profession. Anyone capable of traveling through the Endless Worlds was clearly not someone to mess with.

Bearmont continued, “But later, I went back in time and killed the Celestial Sojourner who had been my enemy. I successfully changed the future and saved my parents and grandparents, allowing them to live out their lives in peace.”

With that, the Spacetime Destruction Bureau meeting came to an end.

People gradually filed out. Sainquartz and Bearmont also departed to handle their own affairs. The next time they met would be ten years from now.

Jimmy suddenly remembered that he had already been away from home for almost a year.

He hurried over to Sis Avasarala. “Sis Avasarala, can I go home now? In my original world, I must’ve been missing for months already. My parents and family have to be worried sick!”

Avasarala nodded. “You came from World Gamma-TWO-A-9527 and crossed over at ten in the morning on July 3rd, 2089. I’ll simply send you back to that exact moment.”

With a casual wave of her hand, she drew open a portal through spacetime with her fingertips.

Silvery light rippled like water within the gate.

All Jimmy had to do was step through, and he would return to the past.

“Thank you, Sis Avasarala!”

Jimmy bowed deeply.

Then he straightened and turned toward Finn, his expression full of sincerity.

“Bro, thanks for taking me along on all those missions. I’ve realized you’re the only person here who’s actually nice to newbies! You’ll always be my big bro!”

“No need to thank me,” Finn said calmly. “Everyone starts out as a rookie. Remember what it was like for you, and once you become a veteran yourself, treat the newcomers a little better.”

“I will!”

Jimmy bowed deeply to Finn as well.

Finn thought back on everything that had happened since Jimmy arrived at the Spacetime Destruction Bureau headquarters. The kid had been mocked plenty. Because he was so weak, everyone else was constantly looking down on him.

Finn decided to encourage him. “A lot of people look down on you because you’re too weak. And, to be fair, you are weak. But don’t let it get to you. Recognize the gap, then work hard to close it. One day, you’ll become strong enough to be treated as an equal.”

“Yeah!” Jimmy nodded seriously. “There’s a quote from Dazai Osamu’s No Longer Human that I really like: ‘First come the socks, then come the shoes; first be the grandson, then be the grandpa.’”

…Did Dazai Osamu ever say that? Finn was speechless.

Jimmy continued, “Don’t worry, Bro. I can handle the pressure! I never took any of their insults to heart. Once I get home, I’m going to study hard, get into the Paris Dance Conservatory, and someday perform street dance in Vienna’s Golden Hall! You have to come watch me when that happens!”

“Yeah… I’ll be there. Work hard. You can do it.” Finn gave him an encouraging nod.

“Goodbye, Bro! Goodbye, Sis Avasarala!”

Jimmy waved, then jumped into the spacetime portal shimmering with silver light.

Finn also took a designated cross-world passage and returned to World Alpha-TWO-B-397690, to his home in the nation of Blackthorn on Emberveil Continent.

Olivia was still dressed in her elegant yet alluring maid uniform. She had already prepared a hot meal and was quietly waiting for Finn to come home.

After Finn finished the still-warm meal, he took a relaxing hot shower.

Then, without warning, he swept Olivia into his arms.

She cried out in surprise as he tossed her onto the soft, fluffy bed and pressed himself over her. He intertwined the fingers of his left hand with hers and gently kissed her red lips, while his right hand slipped beneath her maid skirt like a snake…

The two of them spent the entire night wrapped up in passion.

After their intense lovemaking, Finn held the sleeping Olivia in his arms and began thinking about what path her abilities should take next.