"I've visited several universes out there. I've seen the development of various living creatures. Created, destroyed, abandoned—all of it happens to living beings."
Will we face the same fate?
"If you're an experimental creature for the gods, most likely yes. But not me. I developed a time machine to explore the various cycles that have occurred."
What do you mean by cycles?
And why are you here?
"Cycles?"
"Honestly, every time someone uses a time machine to change past events, they can't actually alter what has already happened."
So what happens to that person?
"They'll just experience an endlessly repeating cycle. But it's different for me because I …"
Came here? And stole that gem?
"The gem is just an ordinary accessory, not particularly valuable to me."
Then why did you steal it?
"Because I wanted to use it to buy food."
Oh my gosh, I thought it was something else.
"Do you know why I placed that card on the tree and let someone come to me?"
Was it because you wanted to find your successor?
"More than that. I want my successor to surpass me, to solve the 50 fragments of the world's mystery, and to uncover the reason why various universes are created and destroyed so casually."
And why did you give me the name Kaito Deluxe? Isn't my name Liam's Qeon?
"Because you'll use that identity forever to explore the universes and parallel worlds."
Huh? So this time machine and the joker card …
"Yes, they're my gifts to you. And since I'm going to die, I'll at least explain the Deluxe lineage to you."
Lineage? Deluxe?
"Kaito means mysterious thief, and Deluxe signifies high-class or exceptional. Yes, you'll essentially continue my role as a great thief who surpasses me."
Don't tell me to solve the world's mysteries I have to steal?
"Yes, more or less. But there are three influential lineages in this world: Leonhert, Deluxe, and Cortez. Remember those three lineages if you encounter various people."
"KUH-HAKK!"
Hey! What's wrong with you?
Don't tell me you're going to die soon.
"Death will surely come to those who live."
"I just want to say, please take care of those three potions!"
The man points to three potion bottles on his table.
What are those? Don't tell me!
"The purple-black potion is the Night Demon potion of darkness, the blue potion is made from various parallel timelines, and …"
"KUH-HAKK!"
"The last one, the bright golden potion, is the King's potion, made from the purest energy, the oldest energy from the Tree of Life."
"Don't ever combine those three potions, as they have opposing side effects."
O-okay, I'll protect these three potion bottles, the time machine, and this card.
"Good. If I die, at least I've passed everything on to my successor."
B-but wait, haven't we just met for the first time?
Why do you have to leave me without clear guidance?
"The more you know about the depths of this world, the more you'll wish for a quick death."
Huh? What do you mean?
"KUH-HAKK!"
"The outside world isn't as beautiful as you think. Maybe when we were kids, we thought our parents were cruel for keeping us from the outside world, but in reality …"
"They just wanted to protect us from the harshness out there. But don't think the world is only cruel."
Why do his words … make my eyes well up with tears? Why? Is what he's saying true?
"Out there, across different lives, countless worlds, every timeline, among billions of stars and endlessly spinning universes—there's one soul you're destined to meet."
"Someone waiting for you, and there's a chance that person will be incredibly precious to your life."
"That someone is…"
"KUH-HAKK!"
Hey! You! Who is that someone? And why do I have to meet them?
Please don't leave me yet, Lord Zeko!
Lord Zeko!
"Khhhh …"
"Goodbye, Kaito …"
No, Lord Zeko! We just met. Why are you leaving me like this?
Lord Zeko closes his eyes for the last time in his secret room. His body grows stiff, and his voice is no longer heard.
N-no! What should I do?
Hah? Is this a coffin?
Wait, there's a letter here.
What letter is this?
Is it from him?
"If I leave you because my time has run out, place my body in this coffin and bury me in the backyard of this empty house."
In the backyard of this empty house?
"And I will bequeath everything in this empty house to you. I hope that you, who read this letter, can develop the time machine beyond my capabilities."
Hmm ... Alright, first, I will lay your body to rest as you instructed in this letter.
I took the man's body and placed it in the coffin.
Carrying the coffin to the backyard of this house, I began to dig the soil.
"Scrapeb... scrape ..."
Phew ... Alright, let's lower this coffin into the ground.
"Thud"
Hah ... Alright, I hope you can rest in peace.
Even though we've only just met, at the very least, I want to strive for what you've entrusted to me.
Huh? What's this card?
I picked up the card and climbed out of the dug-up ground.
Well, it looks like I'll cover this grave with the soil now.
"Scrape ... scrape ..."
Phew ... Alright, I'll go back inside and start reading the letter from this card.
I re-entered the empty house, sat at the table near the worn-out time machine, and read the letter from the card I found in the coffin.
[Final Letter]
To you who read this letter, I want you to know what you must do after reading it. But you must consider something to avoid creating too negative an impression.
Negative? What do you mean?
First, develop the time machine I have given you. Explore time before the day comes when the gods punish your race. (The eighth day.)
Second, solve the 50 Mystery fragments scattered across various worlds and do not alter what has been set.
Third, do not use the time machine too often. You are not truly changing the past—you are only creating new fragments of reality while slowly destroying the old one.
Note: At its core, every being has desires that exceed reasonable limits. And when something exceeds its limits, only destruction will follow.
Carry out everything I have instructed you to do and abide by the rules I have given you.
Good luck, Kaito Deluxe, my successor.
Hmm ... For sure, after this, I need to find out more about this time machine.
This time machine looks like an old model.
Could it be that he deliberately gave me the blueprint?
No way, right? He wouldn't just hand over this time machine as is.
Alright, let's secure these three potion bottles.
I began moving the three bottles to the bookshelf on the side.
But ... is that a notebook?
I picked up the book, and it looked old and dusty.
Well, at least this book is still readable.
Alright, let's read this book first.
[My Diary.]
The diary of Master Zero Deluxe.
Alright, let's read further.
[Something excessive can kill you!]
Huh? Excessive in what way?
The future is a consequence of what you do now. The present is a reflection of the decisions you made in the past.
The three are interconnected in time—but not always in space.
[Chapter 1: The Potion Bottles.]
I will explain the three potion bottles. The demon potion bottle from the Dark Dragon Sea has the power to awaken an evil soul within a creature's body and significantly enhance their strength stats beyond what they were before.
Hmm ... The Dark Dragon Sea? Is that the source of the demon potion's power?
I obtained it through various time portal fragments, different spaces and dimensions, and by cracking the code to reach the Dark Dragon Sea.
The Time Potion.
This Time Potion bottle was taken from the branching Sea of Time. More precisely, when I was trapped in the Sea of Time, I took some of its liquid and used it to escape from there.
The reason I entered the Sea of Time was due to a failed time distortion with my time machine, which caused me to become trapped in the vast Sea of Time.
Hmm ... No mention of the effects of the Time Potion?
The King Potion
The King Potion bottle was taken from the energy of the oldest sea, the source of life energy for various universes out there. I took it when I entered a dimensional rift that led me there. But ...
But?
During the journey, I saw a cruel demon king figure passing through various time travels. It seems he was trying to alter the course of time that had already occurred.
Note: Do not mix the three potion bottles, as their side effects could counteract each other. And if you want to time travel, use the Time Potion bottle as sparingly as possible because if it runs out, you ...
Will be trapped there.
Hmm, interesting. Besides fixing this time machine, I also need to be careful with it.
No, this isn't over yet; there's still more to read below.
[Part 2, Chapter 1: The King of Time and Space]
Fundamentally, every time we undertake a time journey, we are actually being watched by an entity we do not know. An entity that guards time to prevent changes to the timeline that should not occur.
But there are times when the timeline does not proceed as it should because time exploration has begun. The time exploration in question refers to journeys intended to alter a timeline that has already occurred.
Every rule has been laid out, meaning it is forbidden to undertake time travel when you intend to change a timeline that has already happened.
But there is one entity that does not abide by these rules.
Huh? Who is that?
The Demon King from the Abyss of Time—he is the destroyer of existing timelines. His presence creates new fragments of the universe and destroys the old ones.
What? But why don't the gods stop him?
The gods may be powerful because they have created various universes, but at their fundamental level, they are not strong.
Huh? What does that mean?
There are five main pillars that form the foundation of the creation of various universes. They are unbound by time or space, making them extremely difficult to find.
They are also highly passive in their actions, but when they do act, all timelines or the balance of various universes can be thrown into chaos, even shaking the tree of life.
The oldest sea of energy can be rattled by their actions. What I know for certain is that if you deal with them, only your name will remain.
The five pillars of life that bear witness to the various cycles and turns that have occurred.
[Chapter 1 End.]
Huh? It's already finished?
I was just starting to understand this a bit, but at least I've completed what I needed to do.
Yup, finishing the foundation of this time machine—maybe tomorrow I'll come back here and create a time machine more advanced than before.
"Ting! Ting!"
Okay, time to head home.
First, I need to tidy up and keep secret what has happened in this old house.
After cleaning up the items, I left the old house and hurried toward home.
But on the way, I felt a strange atmosphere.
Unlike usual, the air here felt too cold and empty.
Why is that, I wonder?
I quickened my pace and headed straight home.
At the Qeon family residence, all family members were gathered at the dining table.
"As usual, Lia's late again," said Father.
"That's how it is, dear, but do you feel something strange?" replied Mother.
"Strange how?" asked Father.
"Well, Pa, it's something unusual we're feeling like this," said Mother.
Huff ... huff ... huff ...
I'm home.
"Welcome back, Liam!" greeted Mother.
"Hurry up and eat, Liam!" called Father.
Alright, Mom.
I went to the dining table where my family was gathered for dinner.
But did they also feel something strange like I did?
"Liam, have you also experienced something odd?" asked Mother.
Yeah, Mom, why is that?
"I don't know, I can't quite figure it out," she replied.
"Don't worry, your father and his colleagues will look into what's going on," said Father.
"Wow, Papa's always the best!" I said.
I hope nothing comes up, and I hope not everything in that book is true.
[If something has exceeded its limits, then destruction will befall it.]