Lying alone on the rooftop, no one beside me, I stared at the distant blue sky and found myself wondering just how many plotholes this world really has.
They said the end of the world was supposed to come with the Land of Steel. That was the original narrative. But then FGO came along and said the world ends with someone incarnating all of humanity and another planting the seed of a tree that spawns the whole Lostbelt timeline.
Maybe I'm just confused because I never played FGO. Still, that's not really the point.
But in truth, regardless of the version, regardless of which ending is canon or which one carries more narrative weight, it doesn't change how I feel.
This world is sick.
In the end, humanity is nothing more than a pawn moved by unseen hands toward a conclusion not of its own choosing. The timeline itself is merely a toy, manipulated at the whim of the Counter Forces. Humanity's survival isn't dictated by its own strength or resolve, but by the will of forces beyond comprehension. This is the essence of the Nasuverse.
To be born here is to be shackled. You either accept your fate and meet death with calm resignation when your time arrives… or you reject it, take up arms against inevitability, and attempt to overturn the very laws that bind the world.
To live a normal life here requires courage—true courage. To smile, to laugh, to find joy, even as the shadow of annihilation looms overhead. And to fight against the impossible? That demands more than just strength. It demands unshakable conviction, and perhaps a touch of madness.
Neither path is easy.
In fact, both are nearly impossible.
Even Zelretch, the wielder of the Second Magic, the one who can peer into infinite realities—even he was caught in a larger scheme. Used as a pawn to destroy Crimson Moon, only to find himself shackled all the same by the will of the Counter Force.
This world is not kind to those who seek meaning. And yet, meaning is all that gives this world weight.
At first, I chose to live quietly. I accepted my fate, accepted the way this world would eventually end. I let myself drown in pleasure—chasing the thrills, indulging in worldly fun, and feeding my own delusions of grandeur like some doomed philosopher playing at being a king.
But fate... fate's a tricky, fucked-up thing.
I planned a life of hedonism, no attachments, no weight. And then she showed up—my sister. She crashed through the arrangement I had so carefully built and forced her way into my life.
And in that moment… I saw something I thought was already dead inside me.
Hope.
Hope that maybe—just maybe—I could fight back against the impossible.
I can't say I know what she truly felt back then. It sure as hell wasn't love. But when she cared, even a little, that meant something. It meant you had a chance.
It's only when she stops caring that you're fucked—no warnings, no games, just total obliteration. But if she lets you in? If she lets you get close enough to kiss her, touch her, fuck her on this very rooftop?
Then that means something too.
It might not sound like the most romantic place for a girl to lose her virginity. But things needed to be done.
This might've been my last time I'd ever have sex with anyone. But it was worth it.
Manaka. Of all people... for her to be my last—that alone made it worth every second.
But hey, I'm still alive, aren't I?
And not just alive—I came back stronger. More powerful. And she's mine now. Twisted as it is, in a way that only makes sense in this broken-ass world, she belongs to me.
Because this is the Nasuverse.
If you're not a little fucked-up, then what are you even doing here? Go back to a vanilla-ass world like DXD, where reincarnated grown-ass men pretend high school is the pinnacle of life while swimming in boobs and pussies.
So welcome, motherfucker. If you want to survive here, you've got two choices: embrace the madness and die like a legend, or run off to DxD and become another idiot like Issei.
Simple as that.
Hearing the creak of the rooftop door opening, followed by footsteps approaching from a distance. I didn't need to turn around.
I knew exactly who it was.
"You came, Manaka."
"Brother... you reek of another woman." She sniffed the air with a slight frown before settling down beside me, lying down next to me, both of us staring at the endless blue sky stretched above.
"If I hadn't come, you might've gone and repeated your old habit."
There was no accusation in her voice. No venom, no blame, no trace of jealousy or rage.
Just a calm, detached statement. Like she was pointing out the weather.
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the tone.
Then I started thinking.
She wasn't lashing out?
That wasn't like her at all. Usually, she'd explode, act on emotion, throw herself into chaos without a second thought.
But now—now she was just calmly facing me.
As if she'd grown past it.
Or maybe... something had changed.
I gave my answer after a moment.
"Maybe... but honestly, probably not. I'm not the kind who waits. I don't like playing the long game. I don't have the patience for it. No desire to chase something that demands time and emotional investment just to see a result. If I want something, I want it now, placed right in front of me. If I don't get that, then I stop caring. Just like that. It's simple, really."
My meaning was clear. And Manaka understood it immediately, without needing it explained.
"I believe in you, brother."
She turned toward me and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a warm, familiar embrace.
I stroked her soft, blonde hair and let out a quiet sigh.
That kind of sincerity—how long had it been since I'd last heard it?
Honestly, I half-expected her to snap, to lose control, maybe even pull something drastic. If she had, I wouldn't have stopped her. In fact, a part of me almost wanted her to. That way, I wouldn't have to play nice anymore. I could drop the mask without guilt.
Because deep down, I've always been an egoist. I put my own desires first. Always have.
But that doesn't mean I feel nothing when someone shows me genuine sincerity.
It's just that sincerity is rare. Always has been.
People who act sweet and loyal can turn on you the moment they see no more benefit in sticking around. It's happened too many times.
Feeling anything for others—empathy, care, connection—has become a distant, blurry fantasy in my mind.
Being betrayed isn't just painful. It's gut-wrenching.
Especially when it's by the people you once gave a damn about.
It leaves this discomfort buried deep in your stomach, a sick feeling that doesn't go away. And beneath that, there's a silent rage, a bitterness not just toward them—but toward the world.
This is life, I thought bitterly.
And life doesn't care how much you bleed.
"Brother, maybe you should stop being so hard on yourself. Not everyone has always been against you." Manaka looked me straight in the face, her voice carrying a serious tone that made me pause.
"I'll be with you. Always. So please, brother… can you trust me? Just once?"
"I always trust you, Manaka," I answered without hesitation, my voice steady, meeting her gaze with the same seriousness she gave me.
But deep down, I knew that wasn't the full truth.
I trusted her—as a person. I trusted her loyalty, her presence, her love. But her judgment? Her wisdom? That was another matter. Just like with humanity.
I believed in the strength of the masses. Their power, their fury, their will to rise and destroy when pushed far enough. But I never once believed in their wisdom. People didn't choose what was right. They chose what felt good.
"That's good," she said softly, her smile warm, radiant, almost too pure for someone like me.
Then she leaned in closer. So close I could feel the warmth of her breath, the softness of her skin just inches from mine.
"Thanks for trusting me, brother."
Her lips pressed to mine—gently at first, then deeper, needier.
And I didn't pull away.
Our kiss burned under the watchful sun and the wide blue sky, two souls clinging to each other in a world that never made sense. Her lips were soft, her body warm, and for that moment, I let it happen. I kissed her back. I kissed my sister.
Because out of everything in this fucked-up world, she was the only one who ever stayed.
...
Note:
Yeah, it's been two weeks since I bothered to update this fic, huh?
In the end, I couldn't updating the story regularly.
Let's be real—I can't. I've got too much baggage in the real world.
Still, I'll try to update this story whenever I have time.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do the same for my other story.
Some ppl here have been asking whether I'll post Gilgamesh in Mobuseka in the future. I can't give you any guarantees. Posting means responsibility and commitment.
I may not care much about being responsible, but if the story ends up becoming popular, that's a different matter—I don't want that kind of pressure.
Rather than Gilgamesh, I'm more interested in creating a story where the MC is reborn as Ito Makoto from School Days, merging all the old anime like Yosuga no Sora, Mirai Nikki, and many more nostalgic animes that stuck in my mind.