Renji wandered deeper into the Mirror Spiral, where the inverted streets began to spiral downward like a sinkhole. Gravity bent sideways. The ground breathed.
He followed the glowing thread etched into the Spiral Blade—one of many truths he had to face. It led him to the outskirts of the twisted town, where a rusted gate stood embedded in fog.
A cemetery waited beyond.
But this wasn't any normal graveyard.
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A Cemetery of Renjis
Each headstone bore his name.
Hundreds of them.
Some were fresh. Others cracked, clawed open.
Each one marked a different version of himself—lives he could've lived, lives he'd abandoned, timelines that had folded and died.
> Renji Aoki – Age 16: Chose silence, lost everything.
Renji Aoki – Age 18: Ran from the fire.
Renji Aoki – Age 20: Took the Spiral's deal.
Renji's breath caught in his throat.
Each version whispered to him. He could feel them beneath the earth, stirring.
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Meeting the Lost Ones
At the far end of the cemetery, a large mausoleum stood shaped like a broken clock.
Inside, three coffins lay open.
And seated on one—arms folded, eyes full of accusation—was Renji. Another one.
This version wore dark Spiral tattoos across his face. His eyes glowed with crimson light. He grinned without warmth.
> "You think you're the real Renji?"
"I'm the one who fought the Spiral alone. I survived more loops than you can imagine. You only won because of luck and friends."
This was Renji Prime—the version who lived longest in the loops. Hardened. Bitter. Alone.
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The Duel of Selves
"I'm not here to fight you," Renji said.
But Prime was already on his feet, drawing his own twisted Spiral Blade.
"You don't get to carry the memory unless you earn it."
They clashed.
Blow for blow. Blade against blade. Time warped around them as the cemetery groaned. Every strike triggered echoes of past choices: Emiko's scream. Aoi's tears. Kuro's death.
Prime struck hard—brutally. But Renji fought with heart.
And when the final blow came, Renji didn't strike to kill.
He opened his arms and whispered, "You don't have to carry it alone anymore."
Prime paused.
Then dropped his blade—and began to fade.
---
Another Fragment Returned
Renji knelt as the fading Prime pressed something into his chest—a memory. A shard of identity.
"Don't waste this," Prime muttered. "Live… better than me."
The shard pulsed and merged with Renji's heart. A second line on the Spiral Blade glowed bright.
Two truths faced.
Two wounds healed.
Renji stood, alone again.
But stronger.
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End of Chapter 54
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To Be Continue