Eisen saw the look of sudden understanding on Ling's face and knew she'd finally grasped the principles and limitations behind time rollback.
"Looks like you don't have any other questions?" he asked, confirming.
Ling took a deep breath, forcing the chaos in her mind down.
She lifted her head and nodded firmly.
"Mm, none! Thank you, Boss!"
Eisen gave a slight nod, then shifted his gaze to the floating chat interface beside him.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: Any remaining questions about time rollback? Ask them now. @All Members
[Grilled Eggplant (Mash)]: Yes, yes! (raising hand.jpg)
[Grilled Eggplant (Mash)]: Boss, can you rewind my world too? (expectant.jpg)
In Chaldea, Mash—sitting at the edge of her bed—looked solemn. Just as the group owner had described, her world's stability depended on certain key historical nodes; only by keeping those events intact could Human Order persist.
What Chaldea was doing now was exactly that: using Rayshift to travel to twisted Singularities and forcibly restore history to its proper track, preventing the Incineration of Human Order.
But the group owner's method of rolling back time was completely different from Rayshift. Even if it couldn't bypass those critical nodes, maybe it could still accomplish what Chaldea couldn't.
For example—stopping Professor Lev from detonating Chaldea… or saving every Master in Team A who died in that catastrophe…
If it were truly possible, she'd have to discuss it carefully with the Master, Doctor Roman, and Da Vinci.
Eisen's attention lingered on Mash's question. In his mind, he rapidly reviewed what she'd previously revealed about her world.
After a brief silence, his reply appeared in the chat.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: I think… it's probably a long shot. (helpless shrug.jpg)
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: Your world has a powerful "world will." Not the planetary Gaia consciousness or the human collective unconscious Alaya—those aren't what I mean. I'm talking about the Root: the vortex of origin that represents all truth and beginnings in the universe, the thing magi spend their entire lives chasing.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: If the Root permits it, then in theory, it's workable. But if the Root refuses… setting aside whether I can even elbow my way past it—if we actually fought, the aftershocks alone could probably destroy your world multiple times over.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: I'll need to visit and do an on-site assessment before I can say for sure.
[Grilled Eggplant (Mash)]: Understood! Sorry to trouble you, Boss. (thanks.jpg)
[Purple Sweet Potato Taro (Kafka)]: In our world, it should be looser. As long as Boss isn't burning the whole universe and is only rewinding time, it's probably allowed. (elegantly sipping tea.jpg)
Kafka's world already contained an Aeon—born at the end of time—who moved backward through time to the dawn of creation and altered history to save the world: Finality.
Because of that, the universe's rules weren't inherently opposed to changing the past.
[Giant Daifuku (Tsunade)]: Going back to the past… When you have time, please come to my world too. I'm begging you. (hands clasped.jpg)
Inside an izakaya, Tsunade stared into her cup of sake. The faces of her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Dan—so young—flashed through her mind.
If Nawaki hadn't died…
Maybe Orochimaru wouldn't have fallen into the abyss and become mad and obsessive.
Maybe Jiraiya wouldn't have left the village to chase Orochimaru's shadow…
If Dan hadn't died, maybe she wouldn't have spent years drifting, unable to face the pain.
If the Three Sannin had remained in the village, perhaps on the night of the Nine-Tails, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki wouldn't have had to die—perhaps the enemy wouldn't even have dared to attack.
Without the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha wouldn't have been suspected; the massacre might have been avoided.
Under Minato's gentle leadership, the Uchiha's chances of integrating into the village would rise dramatically, and Danzo's Root could be effectively restrained…
Tragedies like the White Fang Sakumo Hatake—and countless sacrifices made in darkness—might all be rewritten.
The temptation to change the past was the sweetest poison, giving off a lethal fragrance.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: OK.jpg
Eisen waited patiently for a moment. The group chat quieted; no new questions appeared.
[Group Owner (Eisen)]: Since no one has more questions for now, I'm going to close this text relay. (wave goodbye.gif)
[Group Assistant]: Text relay has ended.
With that prompt, the relay panel—separate from the main chat—flickered once and vanished.
Eisen's attention returned to Ling. He reminded her:
"Then I'll head back to my own world. You prepare on your side—get yourself into the right state. When you're fully ready, notify me."
"Mm-hm! Got it!" Ling answered quickly.
Returning to his own world didn't require anyone else's permission. Eisen's utterly ordinary figure disappeared from Ling's bedroom.
Ling sat back down by the bed, unconsciously twirling a strand of hair around her finger, starting to plan how she was going to explain this entire unbelievable chain of events to her brother and her master.
Just as Eisen returned to his world and was about to have the group assistant continue introducing items in the group shop, a new member—apparently busy until now—finally found an opening to join the conversation.
[Classic Lunchbox (Saki)]: Sorry, seniors. Because of some matters in my real life, I wasn't able to greet everyone in time. (bow.jpg)
[Classic Lunchbox (Saki)]: My name is Toyokawa Saki. It's an honor to join this chat group. From here on, I hope to learn from all of you. (elegant salute.jpg)
A black Maybach was driving toward the run-down apartment where Toyokawa Saki lived with her father, Toyokawa Kiyotsugu. The air in the car was suffocatingly oppressive.
Saki's grandfather—head of the Toyokawa conglomerate—Toyokawa Sadaharu, spoke without emotion, voice perfectly flat:
"This should be a good lesson."
He paused, still not turning to look at his granddaughter—as if granting her the last shred of dignity.
"Don't worry. I've already paid the cancellation penalties for the tour."
"Come back."
Saki's fists clenched tight on her lap.
Yet in the end, she neither argued nor raged. There was only heavy numbness.
Failure after failure had already ground down her pride and spirit until almost nothing remained.
Now, her grandfather paying that massive sum—something she had absolutely no ability to afford—also yanked away her last reason and courage to resist for her father's sake.
An enormous sense of defeat and helplessness pressed on her until she could barely breathe.
And then, a strange screen abruptly appeared before her eyes.
[Group Assistant]: The sixth member [Classic Lunchbox] has joined the chat group—everyone, welcome the newcomer!
[Athletic Lunchbox (Ling)]: Welcome!!! (confetti.gif)
[Giant Daifuku (Tsunade), Purple Sweet Potato Taro (Kafka), Grilled Eggplant (Mash), Group Owner (Eisen)]: +1
[…]
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 80)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 80)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter50)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter50)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter50)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter50)
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