Uriel ventured deeper into the cave, and the further he walked, the heavier the air got.

The soft azure glow of the blue gems embedded in the cave walls acted as his loyal guides, casting ethereal beams of light that painted a path before him.

With every step he took, the number of gems increased, and their collective radiance grew more intense, illuminating his way like a celestial constellation. Yet, as he reached the end of the passage, an unseen force brushed against him, its presence a subtle reminder of the boundaries of an unknown barrier. He stepped through a veiled threshold into a vast underground expanse, rivaling a stadium's grandeur.

Nestled at the heart of this expansive chamber was a big gemstone, its proportions rivaling that of a modest house. Within the gem lay a young woman, her form shrouded by a cascade of glistering silver hair that cascaded like a silken waterfall, enshrouding her like a veil. Serenity graced her features, her eyes sealed in peaceful slumber, and a network of tubes extended from the gem, resembling lifelines that drew energy with unwavering hunger.

Even after all this time, Uriel had no idea who this enigmatic woman was. She had been here even before he had set foot on Avalon Island.

He had a theory that suggested she might be the untouchable source, the wellspring of Ord that breathed life into the island and its strange anomalies.

The only person who might have known the identity of this woman would be the elderly man with a gem on his forehead. Yet, those secrets were now dead with him, lost to the sands of time and unreachable by mortal hands.

A sigh escaped Uriel's lips. He was tired, and in many ways wanted to just run away once again. But then what would he do after that?

Would he again be reduced to a mere observer? Bearing witness to a battle that unfolded beyond his influence or intervention? The notion carried a pang of bitterness, a reminder that the passage of years had not granted him the agency he yearned for.

Amid the underground chamber, a solemn realization took root within Uriel. The longevity he had so earnestly desired had unveiled its own burdens—of histories watched but untouchable, of secrets glimpsed but forever distant.

He felt a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought of it. Living so long wasn't as good as he had thought.

***

My head was a jumble of familiar memories, a carousel of moments I couldn't command. This had been going on for a few hours now, a wild ride beyond my control as I experienced moments of a life long gone.

One memory stood out, a glimpse into my past life as an eighteen-year-old cashier. I could even catch a fleeting thought from back then, hidden beneath the customer service grin I wore.

Wow, I was really average-looking. Despite my rebirth, I seemed destined for an average appearance.

If I remember correctly, during these times, my biggest concern was my lack of a girlfriend. Strange how at eighteen, that had been my world. Funny how life's changed so much as the years passed.

Then the door to the burger joint swung open, ushering in two girls. One of them stole glances at my fast self, her eyes darting away whenever I caught her. The other nudged her companion, mischief evident in her eyes.

Ah, shit. It was that moment... Was I actually in hell? Reliving embarrassing moments for all eternity.

The nervous girl stepped forward and blurted, "Can I get your number?"

In that heartbeat, a flurry of thoughts flooded my mind. I saw us moving in together, sharing a life, growing old side by side. Yet, despite the rush of excitement, my response was, "Sorry, I already have a girlfriend."

No, I did not have a girlfriend! But for some reason, I just went and said that bullshit!

"Oh... alright," the girls retreated, disappointment lingering. My past self's face remained stoic, but inside, I knew he was beating himself relentlessly.

Why in the world had I said that?

Naturally, I'd later convince myself it was all a prank. After all, girls like them didn't ask guys like me out. It was a coping mechanism, plain and simple.

I chuckled at the embarrassing moment in memory, as I looked upon these young years in my life with fondness. Life was so simple back then.

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As the memory ended, I returned to the sensation of floating in water, surrounded by emptiness.

Life had moments when, years later, a man would lie in bed and suddenly remember an interaction with a woman, thinking, 'Wait, was she hitting on me?' The irony wasn't lost on me.

Funny, the way life works.

During my youth, I used to worry a lot about women and finding a girlfriend. Then, once I achieved that, my concerns shifted to money and work. But then, I found myself reborn into a world where my biggest worry was preventing the extinction of humanity.

It's almost funny how each new problem seemed to trivialize the one before it.

All of a sudden, my eyes opened wide, and I realized that I now could see things. I was surrounded by an endless expanse of water, a place that resembled being inside Agon's mind. However, this setting had no moon-like rock with Yamata No Orochi sealed on it.

The space before me shimmered, and a man with silver hair emerged. He had striking crimson-red eyes and handsome looks.

However, what caught my attention was that this guy was the same man who had been interfering with the timeline.

Wait... This was Carpy, wasn't it?

"Did you become strong enough to talk with the dead?" I asked, a grin forming on my face.

A dragon that could talk with the dead? That was pretty badass.

Carpy, however, appeared lost in his thoughts for a second. But when he saw me, he returned my smile and nodded. "Yes."

The moment those words left his lips, my smile faded. I regarded him with a serious gaze. "This is the first time you have lied to me."

"Sorry," Carpy said, bowing his head – a noteworthy action considering he was now a dragon.

"If Master Kon knew what I was doing, you would try to stop me. Sorry to disappoint you, Master Kon, but I will keep this secret a bit longer," Carpy admitted.

He was involved in something I'd attempt to prevent if I knew about it? Was he going on a reckless killing spree? I couldn't picture Carpy harming innocent lives so that probably wasn't it.

"Enough with the bowing. You're a dragon now," I placed a hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to stand tall. When I looked at him, a smile couldn't help but surface. The memory of him as a low-class demon fish that I carried in a bucket was still quite clear.

I never experienced fatherhood, but I imagined this was akin to watching a child grow. "Don't act so subservient to me. You're your own person now, and a badass dragon... You did become a dragon, right?"

Wait, did he actually become a dragon? It wasn't like I could see what unfolded after my death.

"Yes, I became a dragon after your sacrifice, Master Kon," Carpy confirmed.

"You can also drop the 'Master' title now," I shrugged.

When I had thought about turning Carpy into a dragon, I always figured he would get a little rebellious after he became an ultimate class. That's why we had a deal as equals.

But it turns out, my worries were all for nothing. Instead, the main problem was to stop Carpy from believing every word I said as if it were some kind of gospel.

I had so many questions I wanted to ask him, and the idea of affecting the living even after I kicked the bucket was pretty tempting. But I held back from doing anything like that.

Nope, my time's up. I did my part, and now it's Carpy's turn to live his way, without unnecessary stress. My regrets are my own and not his to bear.

"I owe you so much," Carpy said, looking at the ground.

"Don't worry about stupid things," I flickered him on the forehead. Huh, I could him? "I don't expect you to repay me, and you helped me when I was alive as much as I helped you. Go live your life... Okay, maybe blow up an uninhabited island, and we will be even… It was always my dream to see you blow up an island."

"Blow up an island?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's a guy thing, you know. A man's romance is mecha robots, and energy beams that can blow shit up," I nodded.

Carpy looked more puzzled than ever. But someday he'd get the hang of manly stuff, like medieval swords, controlling a giant mecha, and explosions!

"Master Kon, what would you do on an island filled with strange creatures and people from alternate worlds coming?" Carpy asked.

Huh, other worlds? Wasn't that Avalon Island, the one with the time-travel deal?

"You mean Avalon Island?"

He nodded.

What a twist, considering the manga said it was time travel. But if it's parallel universes, that's not much better. Past Carpy probably didn't catch this, so he tried altering the 'past,' and it kind of worked.

But despite the drama, I didn't give two shits about this. I'm dead, so it's not my problem anymore. Plus, they can't even leave the island, so alternate-timeline folks don't matter much.

Still, why would the Dragon King of Twisting Time allow this to happen? The only reason I can think of is the price of his protective barrier against outside demons.

Everything is give and take when it comes to Ord, and even a powerful barrier isn't perfect. So maybe Avalon Island was the catch?

Or I could be totally off. Dead guy here, who still didn’t care. My only real worry was why was Carpy still stuck on Avalon Island. How long had he been there? What's his game plan anyway?

"Do not worry about Avalon Island or crap like that," I said, giving Carpy a stern glare.

If he still holds me in such high esteem, he should listen to my words one last time. "Whatever you're doing, knock it off. You don't need to finish what I started. You don't need to carry a dead man's will. If you're still taking orders from me, here's your last one: Go live your life, do your thing. Forget about a dead man like me and move on!"