The wind howled relentlessly, sweeping black dust across the city in vast waves. I sat in quiet contemplation.
Actually, long ago, in the world of light, the very first time I saw Sylvia Blue, I felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. I even wanted to reach out and touch the ends of her hair. The feeling was strange, as if I had known Sylvia for ages. She carried an aura much like Rachel Lan’s.
That aura is something I could never mistake. Later, after Rachel Lan was resurrected, I looked at the two of them—so different, yet possessing something similar. Even their temperaments and personalities had parallels.
I once had the thought: could Sylvia be the daughter of Rachel Lan and me? But I couldn’t be certain, nor could I bring myself to ask. It seemed that if I ever voiced the question, Sylvia might simply vanish.
“Enough. Let’s not talk about those unpleasant things.”
Future Ethan Zhang spoke as he began to float upward. I followed him, drifting toward the apartment building. I glanced back at the Wraithlord, who had already turned completely to stone.
“He’s only sealed for now. After all, if you had no emotions, you’d be a major problem for those around you.”
I made a small sound of acknowledgment.
“That’s true. That hollow, empty feeling inside is really unbearable.”
We landed at the small pavilion by the apartment building. I stared in surprise as the little pavilion gradually took shape from mere light and shadow. Future Ethan Zhang sat down, and I followed, reaching out to touch the cold stone bench. It was real—not a shadow.
“It’s unbelievable that such a thing is even possible.”
“It’s all thanks to Coexistence—just that. The primal instinct that’s been with us since the beginning.”
I nodded, watching Future Ethan Zhang intently, hoping to learn some truths from him. That was my only thought.
“Where should I start?”
Future Ethan Zhang gave a bitter smile, resting his chin on one hand as he looked at me.
“In the end, this terrible future was decided by my choices, wasn’t it!”
I spoke, and Future Ethan Zhang nodded.
“Let’s start with Exile Town. Back then, maybe you should have chosen Endbringer instead of Coexistence. Or perhaps I should have chosen Endbringer, since that power was always under control, dictated by will. The Earthly Soul is probably still hesitating now.”
I swallowed hard.
“I really do miss it—Exile Town. Such a pleasant place. But it was ruined by human actions. That was our first mistake, wasn’t it? Choosing this most unbelievable instinct in all this illusion: Coexistence.”
“Maybe so.”
I lowered my head. Everything about Exile Town was still vivid in my mind, even now. That was the first time I truly risked my life for something. I’d never felt that way before, never had that resolve.
As a human, I was timid and weak. Maybe it was because Rachel Lan was there. Seeing that light on her face, I threw myself into the fight. Thankfully, Redmond and Yuna Ji arrived and stopped what I couldn’t handle.
It was then that I first heard the voice of Endbringer, but I refused that immense power. At the time, my mind was on Rachel Lan and those I’d just met. I’d had enough of loneliness and isolation—I didn’t want to repeat the past. The solitude of my school days is something I’ll never forget.
“Coexistence was born from our strongest desires. Maybe it wasn’t just a coincidence, because Exile Town itself was a place where humans and ghosts coexisted. I remember that first night Rachel spent there—the envy she felt, seeing humans and ghosts living together in peace. It wasn’t perfect, but only Exile Town could bridge the gap between the living and the dead.”
“So you mean Coexistence didn’t exist from the start, but was born in that instant when our will flickered?”
Future Ethan Zhang nodded.
“Exactly. Coexistence was born in that moment. Think about it—why are you able to use John Chou’s power?”
Suddenly, my eyes widened as I looked at my fingers. In moments of crisis, I’d used blood-red threads to attack and temporarily ease the danger. That was John Chou’s ghostly energy. And when fighting the Twin Reapers, my body was already infused with his ghostly power and true words.
Thinking about it now, it’s truly incredible.
“It probably didn’t start in Exile Town, but at some earlier point, when my heart was filled with a strong hope to bring two completely different things together—to realize Coexistence.”
Future Ethan Zhang spoke, and I nodded. Without planting that seed, it wouldn’t have sprouted in Exile Town. True instinct awakened in the Forest of Desire.
“Do you remember all those years with Lily Wu?”
I made a sound of acknowledgment, lowering my head. Future Ethan Zhang gazed at the sky, his face full of nostalgia.
“Back then, I desperately wanted to be understood. Human obsession is terrifying. For the sake of building something from nothing, for the sake of doing it all myself, I stubbornly refused to rely on anyone. I thought I could make it with my own two hands. Maybe it was that very obsession—subtle as it was—that made me hope my ideas could coexist with others. But those were two fiercely conflicting beliefs. Perhaps that was when the seed was planted.”
I kept my head down, silent. After a while, Future Ethan Zhang patted me on the back.
“Do you remember Lord Wraith?”
“Of course I do. That was the first time I truly felt powerless, facing such a formidable enemy. Especially at the very end—if Brother Owen and Quinn Lee hadn’t destroyed Lord Wraith’s heart, even with my cousin triggering the Buddha Statue of Visions, we would all have been wiped out.”
Everything from the past is now crystal clear in my mind.
“It seems you’ve recognized your past self. There was a mistake in your choices back then.”