Do You Ever Get That Feeling of Deja Vu? [LitRPG Time Loop with a Twist]

Chapter 91: How it Actually Ends


The five of us descended to the lowest level of the tomb.

I led the way, with Gaelith and Kelltins close behind. Yana followed, her arm wrapped protectively around Diona, offering silent reassurance.

In the floor's only chamber, Gaelith's Darkness stood motionless at the center, as if waiting for us.

He didn't attack. He didn't even move.

I had expected this.

In our conversation here last time, Erebus said I'll never be able to reach him again. And yet, despite his certainty, I did reach him. We fought, and I won.

Now, I was here again. And the only reason for that was because I refused to accept the price I had paid for that victory.

But surely – hopefully – Erebus had taken notice of my resistance. That's why he didn't lash at us the second we had entered. That's why he waited here patiently for us despite knowing where Gaelith was. That's why the End of the World message hadn't popped up during this run.

"Why isn't he moving?" Kelltins asked warily.

"He's thinking," I replied.

My gaze dropped to the floor, scanning for a single fragment of the Millennium Prison. It was a key item, and Pixelle and Balthor had explained that key items existed as singular entities across all loops. Meaning that even though the Prison had been shattered here, its shards should still remain somewhere in this chamber.

And the tampered shard – the one Dolos had swapped? Well, that was where Erebus came in.

A glimmer of dark stone caught my eye, and I crouched to pick it up. No larger than a coin, it was one of the shards - no doubt in my mind.

I turned to Gaelith. "You should be able to recall the rest of the shards and reconstruct the Prison, right?" I asked, hoping I wasn't overestimating his abilities. But he was a demigod, after all...

Gaelith studied the small fragment, offering a weak smile. "I will try."

Good. Last time he said he'll try, he succeeded.

As he closed his hand around the shard, the air around us shifted. A moment later, the floor trembled as scattered fragments flew upward, some rising from underneath the ground – likely buried under after our fight here. They drifted toward Gaelith and began reconnecting to each other, slowly rebuilding the familiar Millennium Prison.

Meanwhile, I stepped closer to the unmoving Erebus.

He was waiting for me. That much became certain the second my surroundings shifted, and I was standing in pitch darkness.

Then, his voice echoed around me.

Aidan Dar.

Why are we here?

I took a deep breath, knowing the entire world depended on what I was going to say next.

"You said you didn't believe in my resistance. You said I would never reach you again if I failed to convince you." I gestured to the void around us. "And yet, here I am. Facing you for the second time since that conversation. What do you think about my resistance now?"

Silence.

When Arabella Smith sacrificed herself to stop me, I was left impressed by her resolve.

When you chose to face me again, despite already winning, I was left…baffled.

Explain to me why you did it.

I nodded, already prepared. "Because that is what humanity is all about. I couldn't accept the sacrifices of the few for the safety of the many. So, I thought of another way – one that required no more bloodshed, no more sacrifices. And I tried again. And now, I stand before you once more."

Silence.

And yet your plan is built upon me surrendering willingly.

What if I refuse?

What will you do then?

Will we fight again? Surely, you understand that you will not defeat me a second time.

"We won't fight again," I replied, my voice firm. "I was wrong about you. All this time I thought of you as some divine force of destruction, a being that blindly devours worlds. But no. You have sense. You have order. I will never agree with your methods, and I will always fight to protect my loved ones – my world. But at the end of the day, you're not some chaotic evil. And I believe what you told me before. You said that if I could convince you, you would stop."

I exhaled sharply, then continued.

"I managed to unite the last remnant of a lost people, a demigod, and the woman I love to help me get here again without slaying a single monster. A despicable Rogue who once kept killing me made the ultimate sacrifice to give me the power I needed to stand here. I fought you once, and I won.

"Tell me, Erebus, is all this not enough to convince you of humanity's resistance? Of my resistance?"

A long silence stretched out.

Then, finally, he spoke.

You are unique, Aidan Dar.

Unlike any human I have ever faced before.

I blinked. "T-Thank you?" I stammered, caught off guard by what sounded like praise.

Do you understand that your world has no potential?

Do you understand that saving it is merely delaying the inevitable?

A smile crept onto my face. "Yes. And even if that's the case, I want to live my life to the fullest. I want to accept my world as it is because it's the only one I've got. To watch it rise or crumble with my own eyes, or through my descendants. Because that's what it means to be a human."

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Another long silence.

Goosebumps prickled my skin as I waited.

Then, the answer came.

Very well.

I am convinced of your resistance.

I shall spare your world.

Farewell, Aidan Dar.

Perhaps you will be the one to break your world's cycle and truly save it.

Either way, I shall remember you long after you're gone.

Then, slowly, the Darkness around me dissolved, and in my hand appeared a dark shard.

"Aidan, come here," Gaelith called, seemingly unaware of what had just transpired – none of them seemed to notice.

I approached him, calm and satisfied. Victory – actual victory – was finally within reach.

"I left the fake shard out - the one you told me about," Gaelith explained. "But we're still missing the real one."

Without a word, I handed him the last missing piece. His eyes widened in surprise as it immediately connected to the rest, completing the Millennium Prison.

[Millenium Prison - Active]

Gaelith smiled, his expression one of quiet relief. "You're full of surprises, my friend." He handed me the prison. "Will you do the honors?"

I nodded, taking the Millennium Prison from his hands.

Gaelith's Darkness expanded outward, spreading across the chamber peacefully, revealing Erebus' heart at the center of the chamber.

I raised the Prison, the tether connected, and instantly, all the Darkness around us got sucked in, and the prison dissolved into nothingness.

Erebus was gone.

And so were his marks on us.

It was finally over.

***

After Darkness was gone, time froze around me. Only Gaelith, Yana, and I remained moving.

"What's going on?" Yana asked worriedly.

I took a deep breath, already understanding what was happening. "You're about to meet my last day's boss."

"Your boss?"

A blue portal appeared out of thin air, and from it stepped Chronos, followed by Pix, Balthor, and – of course – Goren.

Chronos was completely healed, the blight that once marked his body now entirely gone. He approached us, clapping his hands together with a wide smile on his face.

"Aidan, I don't even know what to say!" he called out. "This has never happened before. No one has ever managed to talk down Erebus to a surrender!"

Before I could respond, Goren threw his hands in the air and shouted, "Spellsword, you're my hero!" making Chronos laugh.

Yana, however, remained bewildered, glancing between them and me. Then, suddenly, Pixelle and Balthor appeared at her side, gently guiding her away.

"Miss Yana, allow us to explain everything that happened to your Mr. Dar," Balthor suggested.

"Sure…" Yana nodded, raising an eyebrow as she caught my gaze. "But who are you people exactly?"

I gave her a reassuring smile as Pixelle looped her arm through Yana's and led her off. "Oh, we're just Aidan's best friends – besides you, of course."

I turned back to Chronos, Gaelith and Goren.

"So, you're the God of Time?" Gaelith began, studying Chronos.

Chronos nodded, stretching his hand forward. "I thank you, Gaelith Alloraine. For all your help. We couldn't have done this without you."

Gaelith shook his head, stepping back slightly. "I can't accept that. I'm the son of your enemy."

"Nonsense." Chronos grabbed his hand anyway and gave it a firm shake. "You are not your father. And, thankfully, you will never be him."

Gaelith, shocked, nodded slowly before returning the handshake. "I thank you."

"What will you do now?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "I feel like my time on Earth is over. There's nothing left holding me back anymore. But…" His hands clenched into fists. "There's someone I need to find. Someone I need to punish." His eyes burned with fury. "He raped my mother. He killed my brother. And he threatened to destroy my world. I don't know what being a demigod truly is, but I want to use my power to hunt him down and make him pay. To make sure no one has to suffer because of him anymore."

Chronos studied him carefully. "I don't want revenge to be the thing that drives you. It never ends well. But I can help you reach your full potential in godhood. To guide you to become a better god."

"Well, I'd surely feel much better knowing gods like you exist, Gaelith," Goren chimed in, adding a small grin.

Gaelith smiled back, then turned toward me. "What do you think, my friend?"

I was silent for a moment, recalling the requirement on his sword.

"I think you were already chosen for godhood," I said finally. "I couldn't wield your sword because it was reserved for the 'Chosen of the Light'. And if Light is the opposite of Darkness, then…I think Chronos' father – the Creator – was watching you all along."

Everyone grew quiet.

Chronos nodded thoughtfully. "I don't remember much of him. He created me, gave me a purpose, and then left. But considering his cryptic interferences – like gifting your world the Core System – I wouldn't rule out any additional influences of his." He turned back to Gaelith. "If you've decided, you can leave with us through the portal."

"I have," Gaelith replied almost immediately, his voice firm.

I extended my hand. "It was an honor, Gaelith. Thank you. For everything."

Instead of shaking my hand, he pulled me into a brotherly hug. "I should be the one thanking you, Aidan. Thank you for never giving up on me."

Then, after nodding to Goren and Chronos, he turned and walked away, stepping through the portal, disappearing to Chronos' realm.

Chronos turned to me next, punching my shoulder playfully. "Well? How do you feel?"

"Like shit," I admitted. "I just want to rest."

"Look at this humble guy," Goren said, leaning against Chronos' shoulder. "A true hero, huh?"

Chronos rolled his eyes, amused. "Dude is a level 253 in a world where 100 is the max and acts like it's no big deal."

"I'm telling you, the guy's a saint!" Goren added.

I chuckled as I watched them. It was strange how naturally they got along. Like they'd been friends for years.

"What happens now?" I asked. "After you leave?"

"Well," Goren smirked. "I assume you'll take all these treasures and become the most famous adventurer in the world. And the kingdom's hero."

"And the Déjà vu System?"

Chronos sighed. "I have to take it back. It exists as a singular copy, so I can't exactly leave it behind. You'll lose all its abilities, along with 70 levels."

"Oh…"

"But don't worry!" Goren grinned. "You do get to keep mine!"

My eyes widened.

Chronos nodded. "Instead of level 253, you'd be 183. It's still 83 levels higher than your world's strongest."

"But, then – "

"Yeah." Chronos nodded, glancing at Goren. "This never happened before either. Dolos' Champions never exactly gifted mine anything before. They usually just take and take." He turned back to me. "You'll be quite a celebrity now. Use your powers wisely, Aidan. Your kingdom might approach you, ask you to be a conqueror. You're free to decide your own path, but remember – saving the world from Erebus doesn't mean the world is saved. The real danger isn't always some god or deity. More often than not, humanity is its own greatest enemy."

I nodded slowly, recalling Erebus' words about the saved worlds that destroyed themselves shortly after. I wouldn't let that happen here. I would use my new powers to protect humanity, all of it. Not just Tepan.

"Well, Aidan," Chronos suddenly said, pulling me into a tight hug. I was surprised, but I returned the embrace. He whispered, "Thank you for everything. You opened my eyes to a lot. I'll make sure to improve. I'll make sure that my future Champions never feel used or played. You taught me more than I ever thought was possible."

I glanced at Goren, who stood quietly watching us, grinning. I whispered back to Chronos. "Your new assistant can teach you a lot about human growth and choosing the right path. I believe I'm leaving you in good hands."

We stepped apart.

"I believe so too," Chronos agreed with a smile, before turning to where Pix, Balthor, and Yana stood. "Wait! I want to talk to Yana too!"

He rushed toward them, leaving me alone with Goren.

"Well," Goren smirked, watching Chronos walk away. "Anything else, Spellsword?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Last time you asked me that, you tricked me into deleting you from existence."

"And look how that turned out! I'm a genius!" He grinned, but his eyes were teary. "I've bet on the right horse...You were always the one to end this."

I stared at him. He was no longer the killer I had once despised.

"I'll help Chronos for as long as I possibly can," Goren said. "I've done terrible things. Things I can never fully redeem myself for, but…I'll save as many lives as I can across all worlds. I'll help Chronos destroy that bastard Dolos once and for all. It's the least I can do."

I stretched my hand toward him. "I know you will."

He shook it before pulling me into a hug.

Seriously, what is up with all these hugs today??

"I know you'll be busy now, Spellsword," he muttered in my ear. "But…watch out for my family, okay? Money was always tight. I'm afraid that without me – "

"Say no more." I cut him off. "I'll look after them. I promise."

He patted my back before stepping away.

Without looking back he walked toward the portal. "Goodbye, Aidan."

Meanwhile, Yana approached, sliding her hand into mine, resting her head on my shoulder as we watched them leave.

"I still have so many questions," she whispered.

I chuckled, squeezing her hand. "And we'll have so much time to talk about them."

I turned to face her fully, looking into her beautiful green eyes.

"I love you, Yana."

"I love you too," she whispered back, smiling.

My heart was whole again.

Together, we watched my friends wave one last time before stepping through the portal.

Chronos lingered at the threshold, turning back to face us.

"Love is a beautiful thing, isn't that right, Aidan?" he said, smiling gently. "Au revoir! Ne lâche rien!"

And with that, he stepped through the portal, and it disappeared back into thin air.

Just like that, they were gone.

"What the hell was that last bit?" I muttered.

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