Serne knew instinctively. This man was also Simon Polentia, but his aura was completely different. He was a far cry from the ’boy Simon’ she knew, who was always pure and passionate, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. This man’s eyes seemed to have transcended sorrow, pain, hatred, and anger, as if he had experienced it all. He possessed a solid stability she had never seen in the Simon she knew. His slightly darker hair and a light beard were captivating, and his lips held a slightly roguish, mature smile.

"It’s been a while, Serne." As he spoke, he casually stroked Serne’s head with a hand as large as a pot lid. "A teenage Serne in a school uniform, haha! How nostalgic."

Ever since she came of age, no one had dared treat her like a child. Serne was momentarily stunned.

"I’d like to say hello to Pier, but it seems he’s busy protecting Simon. And you... you must be the Ghost of Time, right? A pleasure to meet you!"

[Hehehe! What a peculiar sight.]

After lightly greeting everyone, Future Simon looked down at the floor below.

"Something noisy is coming from below."

At his words, Serne snapped back to her senses.

"The Tower Master is coming! Simon is in this state, so—!"

"Don’t worry." Future Simon tapped the hilt of the Greatsword of Ruin. "I’ll take care of it."

With a single gesture, the structure of the tower changed. The floor became transparent as glass, allowing them to see clearly down to the levels far below. And there, around the seventieth floor, they could see the Tower Master, Bermude, smashing through the ceilings as he ascended.

[SERNE!!] his enraged voice echoed up to them.

Future Simon stroked his chin with a refined motion and made a "hmm" sound. Despite one of the continent’s strongest powerhouses approaching, this man showed not a hint of anxiety or tension.

"Normally, I could get rid of someone like that with a flick of my finger." A hand, calloused and covered in scars, rose before him. "But all I can use right now is the power of my ’younger self." He placed a hand on young Simon’s shoulder. "I’ll borrow this for a bit."

A black power and a white power spread out from either side of young Simon. Future Simon grabbed both without hesitation and merged them.

’What... was that?’ Serne’s eyes widened at the supernatural act unfolding before her.

"Chaos is nothing more than a baby step before using the Void," Future Simon said with a wide smile as the two opposing forces mixed, emitting a dazzling light. "It’s about teaching order to chaos."

When Jet-Black and Divinity, without any other elements, purely embraced and accepted each other, the world shook. A dark blue orb, a combination of the two opposing forces, was born.

"A miracle is born." The orb, which looked exactly like Simon’s Jet-Black, was hideously distorting even the space around it.

Holding the dark blue orb in his hand, Future Simon grinned and looked down. In that moment of pure laughter, he looked exactly like the young Simon.

’FWOOOOOSH!’

Eighty-fifth floor. Ninetieth floor. Ninety-fifth floor. The momentum of the Tower Master, accelerating while clad in lava, seemed unstoppable as he incinerated every floor.

"Kugh!" Serne shielded her head with her arms. It was as if the sun itself was approaching. The walls were melting from the heat, and she couldn’t open her eyes.

However.

"Trying hard, aren’t we." Future Simon flicked his finger.

A black line was drawn through the air. It seized the core of the approaching sun and began to slam it downward, hundreds of times faster than it had ascended.

’CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!’

90th floor. 80th. 70th. 60th. 50th. Debris and wreckage scattered everywhere. The Tower Master plummeted, creating another hole next to the one he had made, collapsing the ceilings of the entire Ivory Tower as he fell.

40th. 30th. 20th. 10th.

And then.

’CLAAAANG—!’

Finally, all the way to the first floor. Only after piercing through the ground and digging into the basement did the black line disappear, and a thick cloud of dust erupted, covering the surface.

"Well." Future Simon, who had effortlessly slammed down one of the continent’s strongest, lowered his fingertips. "A fitting exit for the Tower Master. That was a good show."

’Thump.’

Her legs gave out, and Serne collapsed to the floor. Overwhelming. She couldn’t breathe. Her whole body was trembling so much she couldn’t move. All she could do was gaze at the blue-haired man who was nonchalantly looking down.

’My judgment... was right.’

Serne’s arm trembled. The future of the continent would be reshaped around Simon Polentia. This future version of him was now proving, in its entirety, that her judgment was correct. She couldn’t get a grip on herself. She felt herself being captivated. By his appearance. By his power.

"I’ve adjusted the properties of the Void. It’s pure physical force," Future Simon said, lightly dusting off his hands. Even such a trivial habit was identical to Simon’s. "If this is the Tower of Time, it must be less than a year after Silage of the Blood Cult died, right? Even if investigated from the outside, it will look different from when Silage was killed." As he said that, he winked at Serne. "I’m counting on you to clean up later, okay? Little Serne."

"Ah, yes." She nodded, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Her heart suddenly started pounding as if it would break.

"Now then, I need to solve this problem." Future Simon looked down at the still-berserk young Simon. He was somehow holding on with his own magic and Pier’s control, but if left unchecked, he would go berserk all the same. "I need one more actor."

Future Simon placed his hand on the hilt of the Greatsword of Ruin again. The entire tower responded to his command, and someone was spat out from a wall on the hundredth floor.

It was none other than Merida.

She had a rather sulky expression. She had just managed to shake off the guards and get down to the first floor, but suddenly a wall had swallowed her and brought her back up to the hundredth.

Belatedly, she tilted her head and looked around. There was Simon, who looked like something was wrong with him, the man who looked exactly like him, a floating ghost, and finally, the famous Serne Aindark.

"To stop Simon’s rampage, I need your help," Future Simon said, looking at the two of them. "You’ll cooperate, right?"

---

The operation began immediately. Merida cast ’Phantasus Original Sleep’ on Simon and maintained the maximum of five stacks. Serne attached so many feathers to Simon’s back that he looked like a porcupine.

"I’m ready," Serne said.

"Me too," Merida added.

The two girls closed their eyes on either side of Simon. Future Simon directed the operation.

"When I give the signal, Merida, increase the intensity of the sleep all at once. Serne, drop Simon into his subconscious." He waved his hand. "Begin."

’Whoosh!’

At that signal, Simon, who had been wandering aimlessly in the labyrinth of time while berserk, fell into pitch-black darkness.

He looked around. It was a void where nothing could be felt.

"Hello." Future Simon appeared before him as a figure of light.

Simon’s eyes widened at the sight.

"You... you’re... don’t tell me...!"

"That’s right." Future Simon smiled gently. "I’m your future self."

"How did this happen?"

"Think of it as a strange phenomenon that briefly unfolded due to the power of time."

Simon’s eyes sparkled as he circled his future self, taking in the sight. Then he crossed his arms and nodded.

"You look cool. Can I become like you someday?"

"No." Future Simon smiled playfully. "You’re more perfect than me. You’ll become a ’future me’ who is far greater than I am."

"I don’t know what that means."

"Neither do I."

The two of them chuckled in the darkness. Then, as if realizing this was no time for that, young Simon quickly raised his head.

"Wait, I have so many questions for you! About the Union! About Magnus! About White, too! And I’m curious if I’ll be able to create the dragon I saw, and this midterm exam—!"

"Sorry." Future Simon shook his head. "I can’t tell you."

"Oh, huh?"

"The reason we can exist like this is because the future Simon and the present Simon are clearly separated. The moment I say something about the future and influence your future, I will disappear, and an unknown error will occur in your life." As he spoke, Future Simon smiled at the Nephthys necklace hanging around young Simon’s neck. Its power was preventing Simon from being consumed by time. "And there are other reasons, too."

"Ah, okay. I get it."

"Just remember one thing." Future Simon gestured, and the hilt of the Greatsword of Ruin appeared in the empty space. "No matter what end awaits you in the future. No matter what frustration, doubt, or hatred tries to defile you." He took young Simon’s hand and made him grip the hilt. "Believe in yourself, and do not waver."

Simon slowly nodded.

"It was nice meeting you, future me."

Future Simon smiled.

"You too."

---

A moment later, Simon’s eyes shot open.

"Ah...!"

The Tower of Time was collapsing. The last thing Simon did with Future Simon was destroy the dungeon with his authority as Dungeon Master. The tower’s durability was already at its limit from the battle between Future Simon and the Tower Master, so when the command was given, it began to collapse all at once.

"What about the Ghost of Time?" Simon quickly looked back. Just then, the ghost’s form was becoming faint. "Ah...!"

[Hehehe! Don’t make that face!] the Ghost of Time said with a laugh. [I simply bet on the side with a slightly better chance. I have no regrets.]

"I’m sorry. If only I were stronger..."

[When the ’Frozen Clock’ goes berserk, no one can control it.] ’Swoosh—!’ His body gradually faded away. [But thank you. I did everything I could. It was a life without regrets.]

The Ghost of Time shouted as if relieved, and then completely disappeared. Simon closed his eyes for a moment and prayed for his peaceful rest.

"Do you have time to be so relaxed?" Suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled. Simon was yanked to the side just as the floor he had been standing on crumbled away.

"Serne...!"

She smiled brightly.

"We’re about to fall from the hundredth floor."

Simon looked up. The ceiling and walls of the hundredth floor had collapsed, and now only the floor remained. Through the gaping holes, the dawn was breaking.

"I’m out of Jet-Black. Can’t move," Merida stated, opening her subspace and pulling out a blanket. "If I have to choose when to die, I’d at least like to die in my sleep."

"What are you doing, Merida?!" In the midst of the chaos, she spread out her blanket, laid down her pillow, and got comfortable.

"If I die, I die. If I live, I live."

The pillar supporting the hundredth floor collapsed, and the floor cracked. Soon, Simon, Serne, and Merida were all falling together.

"Aaaaaaaargh’!" Looking down, Simon saw countless heaps of rubble collapsing. From the distant ground, the sound of buildings crumbling echoed—’thump, thump’.

"Hehe, enjoy this moment, Simon," Serne said nonchalantly, stretching her legs out in mid-air. "Falling from the top of a hundred-story collapsing tower. It’s not an experience just anyone can have."

"How can I enjoy it when I’m about to die?!" Simon shouted, then laughed at the absurdity of it all. Serne joined in, covering her mouth as she laughed, and Merida chuckled, her face buried in her pillow.

"Haha." Giving up, Simon also laughed and looked at the rising sun. The night was passing, and a bright day was finally arriving.

’Voom! Voom!’

The feathers Serne had attached lit up, controlling their falling speed. The three of them fell slowly through the air, watching the brightening dawn together.

"Merida!" Simon shouted as he fell. She turned her head. "My future self told me something!" Future Simon had said that while he couldn’t change the future, he could give hints to others, so long as it didn’t alter the outcome.

"What?" Merida asked, not sounding very interested.

Simon shouted loudly, "Senior Phantasus! He gets married in the future!"

Merida’s mouth fell open, and she shot her head up.

"No way! I won’t allow it!"

A relationship between a man and a woman was not something she could control. Simon smiled and continued, "And he also said this! The more you obsess over Senior Phantasus, the more distance he’ll put between you for your own sake!"

Merida was silent.

"So live your own life, Merida!" Simon turned his head to look at Serne. "Serne!"

"Is it my turn now? What did he say?" Her eyes sparkled.

"If you want to find your roots, he said to look for someone named ’Gahen’ in the Holy Federation!"

At the word ’roots,’ Serne’s pupils wavered for a moment. She squeezed her eyes shut and chuckled.

"An interesting suggestion, but my roots don’t matter to me anymore. More importantly, Simon."

"Yeah?"

From the top of the collapsing tower, Serne’s ivory hair fluttered freely.

"How about growing a beard?"

Hearing that, Simon chuckled. "Not in this lifetime." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The sun rose completely, and the world turned a brilliant blue.