Chapter 150 - We’re Both Gays

I’m dead.

No, seriously. I’m dead.

My story should have ended right there, fading into nothingness. Yet somehow, I find myself in a place that feels like a dream, or perhaps a cruel joke. There is nothing here except an endless horizon, a sky painted in soft, pale blue without a single cloud, and a floor of shallow water stretching as far as the eye can see. It reflects everything above it, like a perfect mirror, creating an illusion of infinity.

I lower my gaze to my hands. They look perfectly normal, each finger whole and unbroken. But then I notice the strange sensation in my chest—a numbness, cold and hollow. When I touch it, my fingers sink into nothing. There is no flesh, no bone, only a gaping void where my chest should be.

I know what this means. My heart has been obliterated by the Cosmic Goddess’ laser. My ribcage and lungs… gone. Even my spine must have been vaporized in that instant. By all logic, I shouldn’t be standing, shouldn’t be moving. And yet, here I am.

“I’m already dead, aren’t I?” The words escape my lips, barely a whisper, carried away by the silence that fills this place. A helpless smile tugs at my face, though it feels strange, almost unnatural.

Shock still lingers in me like a dull echo, but there is nothing I can do now. It’s over. I died fighting the Cosmic Goddess. At least I got to hold Myrrh’s hand one last time. That small comfort is all I have left. I was too young to die; it feels like such a waste. But death never waits for the right moment. It always comes uninvited.

Now there is a bitter taste in my mouth, sharp and metallic, like regret turned into something physical. I know I’ve lost the battle. And if I have fallen… humanity will likely lose the war as well.

I turned around, and my breath caught in my throat. Before me stood a colossal tree of pure gold, towering so high that its crown vanished into the very edge of the heavens. It was no ordinary tree; this was the Cosmic Tree—the one Neil had created, the one Dianca gave her life to plant and protect.

Now it stood in its full glory, an overwhelming sight that dwarfed everything else in existence. Its trunk shimmered like molten sunlight, and its roots seemed to pulse with an otherworldly rhythm. The branches stretched endlessly, bearing leaves of crimson and gold that glowed like embers, scattering light across the void. They reached far beyond the skies, past the stars, grazing the galaxies and brushing against the very fabric of the universe.

“I guess we lost, huh,” I whispered, my voice almost swallowed by the stillness.

The truth was undeniable. The Cosmic Tree in full bloom meant only one thing: the Cosmic Goddess’ true form would soon awaken. And when that happened, reality itself would collapse. The entire universe would be wiped clean, turned into a blank canvas awaiting a new creation. Everything we fought for, all of it, would vanish.

“No… not yet.”

The words echoed from behind me, soft yet steady.

I turned slowly, and my heart clenched at the sight before me. A familiar figure stood there. His brown curls framed a face I could never forget, his eyes still carrying that warmth I once relied on. But he was changed. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and from his neck crawled jagged scars resembling tree roots, snaking up to claim half of his face.

Despite it all, he looked calm. Peaceful, even. And he was smiling.

“Neil,” I breathed, the name leaving my lips like a prayer.

Neil walked toward me with a calmness that felt almost surreal. His footsteps barely rippled the mirrored water beneath us. When he reached me, he placed a hand on my shoulder, before turning his gaze toward the towering Cosmic Tree. He pointed at it, his expression unreadable, as if declaring ownership of something that had already consumed him.

“Dianca… no,” he corrected himself softly, his voice carrying a bitter edge. “The Cosmic Goddess told me the truth. The Cosmic Tree isn’t a symbol of hope. It’s a device—a machine to erase reality and reshape it to her will. She came into our world disguised as a helpless student at Orbital Tech, pretending to be one of us, just to find the perfect candidate. The one who could become the seed of the Cosmic Tree.” He let out a shaky breath, his eyes glistening. “And here I am… completely played, all the way to the end.”

“Neil…” My voice faltered as I said his name.

He looked at me then, his gaze raw and wounded. “I’ve been manipulated my entire life. First by Treenity Innovations when I was just four years old. Then by the Neo-Terrestrial Reich in my teens. And now, by the Cosmic Goddess herself… for her own twisted design.” His voice cracked, his lips trembling as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. “I really couldn’t keep my shit together, could I?”

“That’s not true,” I said firmly, stepping closer. “Even if everything in your life was planned, even if they used you… the time we spent together—me, you, Myrrh, Fei, Cindy, and Remuel—that was real. It was short, but we meant it. We treasure you as a friend.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he lowered his head. “I don’t doubt that. Honestly, I think… even Dianca cared about me in her own way, despite her hidden motives.” His voice softened, fragile like glass. “I’m glad… I’m glad you still see me as a comrade. Even after knowing I’ve been nothing but a weapon all my life.”

I let out a scoff, trying to lighten the crushing weight between us. “Hey, don’t go all sentimental on me now. You’re starting to sound kinda gay.”

Neil chuckled, the sound wet with tears, yet genuine. “I might as well be.”

“What?” I recoiled, my voice cracking in disbelief.

Neil stepped forward slowly, his feet disturbing the mirrored surface beneath us, ripples spreading out like silent alarms. He stopped just inches from me, and for a moment, I couldn’t look away from his eyes. Behind him, the Cosmic Tree loomed like a god, its golden branches framing him in an almost divine glow—a cruel backdrop for what was about to happen.

Then, without breaking eye contact, Neil reached behind his back. My heart skipped as his hand emerged, holding an old, rusty morpher. Its metal was scarred and weathered, a relic from another time. He extended it toward me with a steady hand and an expression that chilled me to the bone.

“Since you’ve always been so adamant about killing me,” Neil said softly, almost with a laugh, “I’ll do it myself.” His smile was gentle, but it cut deeper than any blade.

“What? What the hell are you saying, you dumb fuck?!” I shouted, my voice trembling with both rage and fear.

“This is my destiny, Zaft.” His tone was calm, like he had already made peace with it. “The Cosmic Tree is a device meant to destroy reality. But instead of letting her erase everything, I’m going to twist that power… and destroy the reality of your death.”

My fists clenched so hard they shook. “Then that’s good! That’s perfect! We’ll use that power together! We’ll kick the Cosmic Goddess’ big fat ass and end this!”

Neil shook his head slowly, his curls casting small shadows across his scarred face. “You still don’t understand, Zaft.” His voice carried the weight of inevitability. “I am the Cosmic Tree. And the Cosmic Tree is me. I’ve told you this again and again, but you never wanted to believe it. Once I activate its power to deny reality… I’ll be gone. Completely.”

I felt something hot sting my eyes, blurring the shimmering reflection of the Cosmic Tree. My throat tightened as his words sank in like a blade.

“Neil…” I whispered, barely able to hold back the tears.

Neil tightened his grip on the rusty morpher, lifting it slightly as if presenting a sacred relic. “Take this,” he said, his voice low but firm, “and keep fighting the Cosmic Goddess.”

“No.” I shook my head hard, the word ripping from my throat like defiance itself.

“If you refuse,” Neil continued, his expression unwavering, “everything, literally everything, will vanish. No stars, no planets, no people. Not even memories. You don’t have a choice, Zaft.”

“Fuck!” The word exploded from my chest, raw and broken. My hands trembled as I reached out, my heart heavy like iron chains dragging me down. Slowly, reluctantly, I took the morpher from his hand.

The instant my fingers touched the cold, rusted metal, something inside me shattered. My vision blurred with tears I couldn’t stop, and my jaw quivered as the storm of emotions crashed through my soul like a tidal wave.

“Oh?” Neil tilted his head and smirked, his voice laced with a teasing edge that felt painfully familiar. “Don’t cry, you goon. Men don’t cry. Hey… maybe you’re the one who’s actually gay.”

“Shut up, you idiot!” My voice cracked, rising into a roar. “You’re the one who’s gay! Dying is gay!”

Neil scoffed and let out a dry laugh. “That’s rich, coming from you. You died too. Guess that makes both of us gay.”

I choked on a bitter laugh, but the sound broke halfway. My hands gripped the morpher so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Then, without another word, Neil turned his back to me. His movements were slow, deliberate, almost ceremonial. He faced the Cosmic Tree in silence.

And then it began.

The colossal tree shuddered, its golden and crimson leaves breaking free in a storm of light. They spiraled upward into the infinite blue sky, scattering like burning feathers. One by one, the branches followed, fracturing into fragments that drifted away like dying stars.

The branches crumbled first, breaking apart into shimmering fragments of gold. They drifted upward like countless fireflies, then dissolved into fine dust that glowed against the endless blue. The sound was eerily soft, like a whisper carried away by an eternal wind.

One by one, the mighty limbs gave way, until only the massive trunk remained—radiant, towering, defiant against its own undoing. Cracks of brilliant light spread across its surface like veins of molten gold, until, with a final blinding flash, the trunk exploded into a storm of golden dust.

And then… Neil.

His form began to unravel, starting from his fingertips. His flesh peeled away into petals of shimmering light—fragments of him spinning into the air like autumn leaves caught in a gentle breeze. The scars on his face glowed brightly before vanishing into nothingness. There was no scream, no sound of pain. Only a smile lingering for one final breath before even that faded.

“No!” My voice tore from my throat like a beast’s roar, echoing in the hollow expanse. I reached out desperately, my arm outstretched, fingers clawing at the empty air. “Neil!”

But he was already gone, swallowed by the golden storm, carried away by the same wind that erased the tree. The place where he stood was empty now—just dust, light, and silence.