The threads went wild.
Not calm anymore.
Not stable.
They twisted, collided, and clashed—
As if the story itself couldn't decide how it should end.
Asad stood at the center—
Holding multiple threads at once.
Struggling.
"…It's resisting…"
His voice was low.
Leon stood beside him—
Aura flaring.
"…Then we push harder!"
The threads surged again—
Trying to pull Asad in.
Trying to complete the "original ending."
Erase the Author.
Finish the story.
Asad clenched his teeth.
"…This is the default ending…"
"…Author disappears… story stabilizes…"
Leon shook his head.
"…Then we reject it!"
He stepped forward—
Grabbing a thread directly.
The moment he touched it—
A shock ran through his body.
"…GHH—!"
Asad's eyes widened.
"…Leon! Don't—!"
But Leon didn't let go.
"…I'm not letting this end like that!"
His aura exploded—
Light and darkness perfectly balanced.
The thread reacted—
Violently.
Then—
It changed.
Asad froze.
"…You… modified it…?"
Leon smirked slightly, even in pain.
"…You're not the only one who can rewrite…"
The threads trembled.
Unstable.
Conflicted.
Two different endings—
Clashing.
Asad looked at the threads—
Then at Leon.
For the first time—
There was uncertainty in his eyes.
"…This could break everything…"
Leon stepped closer.
"…Or create something new."
Silence.
The space around them began to distort again—
Not collapsing—
Transforming.
The system.
The rules.
The structure.
All unstable.
The Origin's faint voice echoed—
Broken.
Distant.
"…Unacceptable…"
"…Ending… must remain… consistent…"
Asad's eyes sharpened.
"…You're still trying to control it?"
The threads tightened again—
Trying to force the original ending.
Asad took a deep breath.
"…Alright…"
A pause.
Then—
He let go of some threads.
Leon's eyes widened.
"…What are you doing?!"
Asad smiled slightly.
"…Trusting you."
Silence.
Leon froze.
"…What…?"
Asad stepped back.
Not controlling everything anymore.
"…This isn't just my story."
A pause.
"…So I'm not the only one who decides the ending."
The threads reacted instantly—
Splitting.
Half moved toward Asad.
Half toward Leon.
Balance.
Leon felt it.
"…So now…"
Asad nodded.
"…We both choose."
The space trembled.
Two forces.
Two wills.
Two endings.
Clashing.
Asad raised his hand.
"…My choice…"
Dark energy gathered—
Calm.
Controlled.
"…A stable world…"
"…where everything continues."
Leon raised his sword.
Light and darkness merged—
Brighter than ever.
"…My choice…"
A pause.
"…A world where no one has to disappear."
Silence.
The threads reacted—
Violently.
The two choices collided.
For a moment—
Everything stopped.
Then—
A massive surge of energy exploded.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The entire space shattered.
Reality broke apart—
Then—
Started reforming.
Not according to one rule.
Not according to one system.
But something new.
Asad's eyes widened.
"…This is…"
Leon looked around.
"…We did it…?"
The threads stabilized.
But differently.
No longer controlled.
No longer fixed.
Free.
Asad slowly smiled.
"…We created a new ending."
The light around them softened.
The pressure disappeared.
The system—
Gone.
The Origin—
Silent.
Leon exhaled deeply.
"…So… what happens now?"
Asad looked at his hand.
Then—
At himself.
He was still there.
Leon noticed immediately.
"…Wait…"
"…You didn't disappear."
Asad looked slightly surprised.
"…Yeah…"
A pause.
"…Looks like your ending worked."
Leon smirked.
"…Told you."
Silence.
Peaceful this time.
For the first time—
There was no pressure.
No control.
No system.
Just…
Freedom.
But—
One final step remained.
[Chapter 19 End]