I wake up at Lake Mikado. Issachar and I head to the gauntlet rite. The gauntlet responds. The usual stuff. I'm pulled aside by a high ranking samurai. It's the other me!

"So," he explains, "You finnaly spoke again. Listen, I know you want to save Issachar, but you can't. I know, I've tried. Just save Walter and Jonathan. Don't go silent again. God is pissed as is. Play along, and everything will be fine." The other me disappears into the shadows.

I run into Navarre. "We were so close!" Navarre exclaims, "What happened?"

I sigh, "We can't save Issachar, no matter who gets the gauntlet. If I get it, he becomes a demon. If he gets it, he's to strong for us to stop."

Navarre responds, "Well, what if he could reset?"

"That's an idea," I reply, "thanks."

"No problem." Navarre smiles, "Hey... Sorry about being a prick in the first timeline. At first I thought you were just some lucky farmer, but now, I consider you a friend."

"Same here," I reply smiling. In all honesty, when you've been stuck in a time loop, anyone else who realizes will grow on you real quick. "So how we gonna pull this off?" I ask.

"Simple," Navarre replies, "I've watched what happened on the surface quite a few times while pretending to go crazy. Issachar gets the book at sundown. I'll pretend to go crazy again, and head to the forest. I'll convince Issachar to not get the book. After that, we're completely in the dark. I have no clue how this will change things."

"Got it," I reply, "Thanks."

We do everything normal until the forest catches on fire. My friends and I go to the forest. This time, Issachar doesn't stop us.

We run into the Black Samurai. She's with someone else wearing a the exact same suit. The other person holds Issachar hostage.

The other masked figure casts a powerful wind spell, blowing away the Black Samurai, along with my other friends. The person removed their mask. It's other me!

"You can't save Issachar," he explains, "God has forbidden it. If you do this, he might come for you himself. You aren't ready. LET HIM DIE!"

"Never," I growl, my hand glowing with magic.

Issachar looks like he was about to speak, but he gets confused and his voice fails him.

Other me tosses Issachar aside and draws his plasma sword. "One on one," he decides, "That way, if you do win, I have an excuse." He casts Luster Candy, he stands taller, and looks stronger.

I counter with Antichion, the blast of energy focused on him. He dodges the blast with inhuman speed.

"You think you're strong?" Other me taunts, "you've hardly begun to gain power. Your armor is mediocre at best, you still haven't summoned Mother Harlot, and you haven't even gotten the Trumpeteer's earrings. You aren't ready."

"You act so high and mighty!" I snap back, "You're just a pawn! You failed Walter and Jonathan! You are a failure!"

Other me stops dead in his tracks, a sad look on his face. He falls silent and puts his helmet back on. He lunges with inhuman speed again. I dodge, mere millimeters from his blade.

I take the opportunity to blast him in the face with cold world. However, the attack barely phases him. He lunges forward, slashing downwards. I douge left and hit him with Antichion. He grows a bit slower and weaker.

He fires his gun at me. I douge narrowly. I cast Antichion again, he begins to appears sickly and pale. He strikes the ground with the technique known as "Hades Blast," I jump as the ground shakes.

He casts Luster Candy and continues his attack. However, I summon Demiurge, catching him off guard. At this point, all that matters is that I save Issachar and make him destroy the Yamato Reactor. I don't have to kill my double.

I pull Issachar to his feet. "Run!" I demand. We flee towards the city.