"Darling, I have the clothes you need."
Nyaruko produced a black tuxedo from seemingly nowhere, her face beaming with satisfaction. "This suit is just as high-quality as the white one. Hurry up and put it on, Darling."
"How did you know about this?" Toya asked, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.
The details of the World Mission were system-generated; Nyaruko shouldn't have known about the mission, let alone the specific requirement to wear formal black attire.
Nyaruko rolled her eyes playfully. "The cry for help Darling heard came from the mirror, didn't it?"
"I figured you'd want to investigate. But to explore the mirror in the basement, one must be dressed for the occasion."
"It is a banquet of shadows. Only a black tuxedo will prevent you from looking out of place."
"Of course, if Darling had already reached the realm of a God, such rules wouldn't matter."
"Is the mirror dangerous?" Toya seized the opportunity to ask.
Nyaruko gave a mysterious smile, pausing for a long moment before answering. "I can't tell you, Darling!"
"Just know that if you want to enter the mirror, you must wear a black tuxedo. It doesn't matter who made it, as long as it fits the code."
With that, she began to help Toya dress.
Moments later, Kawashima Toya stood dressed in an exquisitely crafted black tuxedo. His temperament, already cool and detached, now exuded the noble, solitary aura of a dark aristocrat.
Soon after, Toya stood before the Mirror of the Past, Present, and Future in the basement. He turned back to Nyaruko, who was guarding the entrance.
"Nyaruko, make sure no one enters."
He still felt a lingering unease, so he warned her again. The atmosphere in the basement had shifted since the afternoon, exuding a subtle, eerie vibe that prickled at his senses.
"Roger that, Darling."
At 1:03 AM sharp, the cloudy, dim surface of the Mirror of the Past, Present, and Future suddenly clarified.
A mysterious, ancient aura radiated from the glass.
Toya's handsome reflection appeared clearly, his black tuxedo making him look particularly cold and refined.
As Toya observed the reflection, the "handsome self" in the mirror suddenly broke character. It smiled—a wicked, unnerving grin.
"Welcome, Savior Kawashima Toya."
"Which banquet would you like to attend?"
"The Past? The Present? Or..."
The reflection's smile widened, becoming even more grotesque. "Or perhaps... the Future?"
"..."
Toya's eyes narrowed. He didn't answer immediately.
The basement fell into a profound silence—a silence so deep it felt unnatural. The world seemed to have lost all sound, leaving only him and the mirror.
The reflection continued to grin wickedly. Dressed in the same black tuxedo, it looked like a demonic twin waiting to drag him down.
Where should I go?
Past, Present, and Future were clearly three distinct locations.
The reflection had placed a heavy emphasis on the "Future," suggesting it was unique.
Go to the Future? Just as the thought formed, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him. It was a warning: if he stepped into the "Future," he would face consequences far too terrible to comprehend.
The Past?
His instincts gave him the answer. Toya spoke calmly, "I choose the banquet of the Past."
"The banquet of the Past welcomes you, Savior Kawashima Toya."
"I wish you... a pleasant time."
The reflection bowed humbly and politely, then slowly stepped backward, revealing a hazy, ethereal passageway within the glass.
The tunnel seemed endless, its destination obscured by mist.
Toya stepped into the mirror without hesitation, ignoring his humble, smiling reflection as he walked toward the end of the tunnel.
Once he entered, the mystical aura of the Mirror of the Past, Present, and Future vanished instantly.
The glass returned to its original, cloudy state.
Nyaruko quietly appeared in front of the mirror, her expression complex.
"That broken mirror is always so creepy, no matter when I see it."
"Always playing mysterious tricks... one of these days, I'm going to smash you."
Don't be angry, Nyarlathotep...
"At least Darling didn't go to the Future."
.....
The chaotic, lightless tunnel seemed to stretch on forever.
"The way back is gone? I can only move forward?"
Toya glanced behind him and realized the path he came from had vanished. The only option was to keep walking toward the end.
After walking through the chaos for about thirty minutes, Toya finally saw the exit.
The destination was a dim, lightless world.
Everything seemed gray and washed out, like an old, yellowing photograph. Decay, malice, and various forms of disgust assaulted his senses.
"Let's go in and take a look."
Toya stepped into the strange, sepia-toned world.
"The tunnel disappeared?"
"Looks like I'll need to fulfill some condition to return."
The path behind him was gone, as if he had always been in this world.
Toya stood on the street and looked around. Despite the bizarre atmosphere, he recognized the layout immediately.
"Tokyo?"
This was the city he lived in.
"Oh? Then let's check out the Trash Fox Agency."
A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes as he headed toward his old office.
Seeing the agency would clarify the nature of this place. Was it simply the literal past? Or was it some unpredictable, unknown reality?
Minutes later, suppressing the strange feeling in his gut, Toya navigated the familiar streets and arrived at the location of the Trash Fox Agency.
Standing in a hidden spot, he observed from a distance.
The office, which had been destroyed during his fight against the avatars of the Evil Gods, was still standing intact.
Old, yellowed lights illuminated the building, seemingly pushing back the grotesque atmosphere of this world. Inside, playful figures could be seen moving about, and laughter drifted out into the street.
"This scene... I remember this. It's from when Sora and Jashin-chan were playing video games."
Toya watched calmly, trying to gather as much information as possible.
This world was too strange. It was so odd that even he felt uncomfortable. Rashly investigating might trigger unnecessary trouble.
Most importantly, he couldn't feel the "Protection of the Era" in this world.
Perhaps this world was flawed, lacked a Savior, or had some other fundamental difference.
Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
"I feel safer with these on."
Toya's clear blue eyes, now glowing with mystic power, stood out starkly in this yellowed, photo-like world.
"No issues?" Toya stared intently at the agency, but he couldn't find any anomalies.
Inside, Kasugano Sora and Jashin-chan were indeed playing games.
Everyone was there.
Everyone, that is, except for him.