Wuthering Waves: For The Future of Me, Myself and I

"Hm... This axe looks old. Do you think it was used in a war before? With these amount of rust, I bet many blood was spilled on it, don't you think?" Danjin tapped on the transparent glass as she scrutinized a weapon.

"And this rectifier... Let's see what the description says, 'A weapon once made to honor the hero of Rinascita, the one that had suppressed the Lament single handedly.'. Woah, that's a crazy description. There is actually someone out there that could push back the Lament? That's hard to believe..."

"Hm? Oh, this case is empty? Looking at the size, it's probably supposed to hold either a longsword or a spear? There's no description... Probably always empty then."

"What do you think, Katsuri? The history of ancient weapons are really hard to come by."

Katsuri followed every step Danjin took and observed every weapon she observed.

Listening to Danjin talked was enough to warm her heart.

Much better than listening to her pained cries.

"They're all weapon, there's no other use if they're not used for fighting. Weapons made to be only used as aesthetic are entirely useless." She gave her honest opinion.

Danjin, not surprised, smiled and said, "That's true. In the end, weapons are made for fighting."

"But that doesn't mean that's the only thing a weapon is useful for. How about a shield? It could work both as a weapon and a form of protection. But it was also made to make fighting less risky."

"Personally... I like shields the most. Even though I've never used them, just imagining the things I could've done, the people I could've protected, the children I could save... It really gets my heart racing."

"Just one of the few things I wished I've had a long time ago. But I realized that the shield doesn't suit me. In the end, I made the longsword my main weapon."

Katsuri hummed as she looked around, more and more people were leaving the exhibit to witness the play in the plaza.

Which meant that the hour of end was coming closer and closer.

"Danjin."

"Yes?"

"Let's go to the plaza."

"Right now? I heard that there were more stuff deeper inside though..."

"It's alright, we'll visit it after the event hosted by the Fool's Troupe."

"Really? It's a promise then. Let's go!"

It was quite easy trying to convince Danjin to leave the exhibit. After all, the mysterious voice had done it's thing already.

It traced the weapon that could effectively stop the catastrophe.

Nobody would remember its existence, nobody would question its disappearance.

Now, she just needed somebody to wield it.

Someone who wouldn't mind getting their hand dirty.

"..." Does it really matter who would wield the weapon?

'So, you're telling me that the person who wield this weapon wouldn't have their memory wiped, just like me?'

[No, it's a percentage of chance they wouldn't remember anything in the next round. It is either they remember, or they don't. There is no in between. But there's no need to worry because this round is practically a guaranteed success.]

[Ragunna may still be flooded, but the Comet wouldn't arrive anymore.]

[Most the population would still die, but the few that survived would no longer have to worry about death looming over their shoulder.]

[You will survive.]

"..."

While on their way to the plaza, suddenly, the sky opened its curtain. A single figure stood atop the sky, Phrolova waved her lycoris as red petals dropped from the sky.

All echoes became stiff, red energy surrounded the,.

Here it is, the moment the story arrived at its climax.

The moment a fated happy ending turned into a tragedy.

Katsuri watched as Danjin's face turned and twisted in multiple different emotions.

Without a doubt, even if she didn't tell her about anything that would start happening, Katsuri knew that Danjin would immediately realized what's happening.

She is Danjin, after all.

Her Danjin.

At the end of all these scenarios, only smiles would remain on that face.

She has no one else to trust other that the mysterious voice's judgement.

This was also her final lifeline before she could truly die.

So, Katsuri would make sure everything turned out a success.

The patterned sky waved, as if greeting all bystanders and audience to a show most would regret missing.

Of course Katsuri knew. The things that would go off the rails would do so in the most dramatic way possible.

"...Katsuri, stick close to me and never get out of my sight."

"Hm."

In a tacit understanding, Katsuri allowed Danjin to lead her somewhere safe.

If her experiences in the previous lives were something to take note of... then they'll be going back to the place they had once witnessed the sun rose.

Somehow, Danjin's instinct had successfully led them to safety, away from the flood that would drown Ragunna.

As they reached the top, Katsuri could now see it, the fight between Rover and Phrolova, a battle of the sky and that she could only dream to be a part of.

Not that she would ever want to be.

They reached the rooftop once again. This time, the atmosphere weren't at all at lax. It was tense, a single knife could cut the tension in the air.

Danjin was frowning, Katsuri watched her face closely from the sides.

Her two guns at her sides, she grabbed one of them using her free hands.

"...This should be pretty strong, right?"

[Yes, that weapon is strong enough to pierce even the toughest of skin. You can rest assured at the power it holds.]

"In that case..."

She twirled the gun around, trying to act cool for one last time.

Fortunately, she succeeded.

Although nobody saw it, Katsuri felt proud of herself.

"Danjin."

"...Yes, what is it." Danjin replied. It's very nice of her. After all, there's almost no doubt that she was thinking of a way to safe everyone. If this was the normal timeline, then Katsuri would've told her to not worry as Rover would save everyone again.

But no, she's witnessed this many times previously, she can't confidently say that everything would turn out alright.

Because they never would.

Not as long as she's here.

"...Big sis, I'm scared." Then, another voice.

'Ah, right. I forgot Faith would appear at this point.'

"Give me a moment, Faith. I have something to tell Danjin. Also, don't worry about death anymore, I've found a way to get you out of these loops."

"...What about you, big sis?"

"Me? I'm doing alright. I've never felt better before."

"...I understand. Are you going to tell me to go to sleep again?"

"Yup, you understand me well. This time, I promise. You'll wake up to a bright place, free of the darkness."

"...Ok!" Fortunately, Faith's mood seemed to have risen a little.

Now...

Katsuri turned her attention to Danjin, the girl had probably forgotten that Katsuri had called her in the first place.

She's way too focused on what's happening around her to take notes of the small things.

[Weapon that had been Traced can now be summoned, please cut off the head of the Threnodian.]

[Note: The Threnodian can not kill another Threnodian.]

'...You're stupid or something? Where am I going to find another Threnodian in this time? Even the game haven't introduced the Threnodian that's staying inside Ragunna.' Katsuri thought to herself.

'...I guess that also means that I can't do this to myself.'

"Danjin, listen to me." Katsuri tugged on Danjin's hand, the one that had kept a tight grip on her hand since the moment the sky's curtain opened.

Katsuri placed back her gun on her waist and summoned another weapon...

It was the sword from the exhibit. The one that nobody had realized disappeared.

Katsuri reminded herself of the original description the weapon held: 'A sword forged using a forgotten ore, one that comes from an ancient leviathan that had haunted the sea for eons, never to remember, never to forget. Any and all subject having this weapon pointed at them were forgotten by history, never to tell the tale of their battle.'

"...I have a favor to ask of you."

All she would need to do was make it so that her very existence never existed... and it just so happens that Danjin owed her one.

"Heh, I told you I would get back at you for pushing your killing intent on me that one time."

Repay all good and bad, make sure no regrets are left behind... Empty promises are replaced with nonexistent promises to a person that had never come to be.

After today, they will no longer owe each other anything.

They are both free of one another.

Even in another life.