pertwk Kanade Tachibana from Chapter 2072 of "Angel Beats," after her death in the World Battlefr
Kanade Tachibana from Chapter 2072 of "Angel Beats," after her death in the World Battlefr
Kanade Tachibana from Chapter 2072, "Angel Beats!", after her death in the World Battlefront.
When did Bai Xuan begin to fall in love with Zhi Xin?
When they first met, the undisguised amazement and pure curiosity in her eyes stood out exceptionally clearly amidst the gazes of awe and admiration.
Was it the unquestionable loyalty she showed when she solemnly swore to protect him? Or was it the presence she gradually instilled in him during the years of gentle companionship that followed?
Bai Xuan's memory contains every moment since he met Zhi Xin.
He can go back in time, analyze, and find countless "special moments".
Perhaps it was the moment she silently draped a robe over him as he sat quietly gazing at the stars; or perhaps it was the way she unconsciously bit her pen and furrowed her brow when she encountered a bottleneck in her research on formulas.
Or perhaps it was because it was her first time trying to prepare a drink for him, and she ended up making a strange-tasting beverage. After taking a sip herself, her face scrunched up in disgust.
Every scene seems to be a reason for the emergence of "special emotions".
But is it because of these things? Is it because of these things that the emotion called "love" was formed?
Bai Xuan seemed unable to provide an answer.
From the moment he awakened the [Natural Authority] after the spiritual energy revived, his life embarked on a journey into dimensions unimaginable to mortals.
The power increased at an incredible speed, and the perspective also rose accordingly.
His will gradually merged with the vastness of nature, especially when he merged with the "authority of the goddess of nature from another world" and officially ascended to godhood in the real world, which further solidified his divine status.
His perspective on the world shifted from a "human" viewpoint to a "divine" viewpoint.
In his eyes, the mountains and rivers, plants, insects and fish, and even the various emotions of human civilization gradually lose their specific details and reveal more of the underlying laws.
His emotions, the part that belonged to "humanity," did indeed become indifferent and thin under the influence of divinity, almost dominated by absolute rationality.
All decisions and all actions seem to be explained by rationality that best conforms to "natural balance".
Although his senses were gradually restored through enlightenment, it could also be said that because his power was too great and his authority too omnipotent, his "super wisdom" told him that he could rely on super power instead of thinking only with reason, and his senses returned from then on.
So, what about Zhixin?
She is his guardian angel, her loyalty is beyond question, and her presence is beneficial to him, whether as a partner, an assistant, or a companion in his long future.
Her love for him was so vivid, so pure, and so unreserved.
A powerful, beautiful, and unwaveringly loyal being who is completely devoted to you, who accompanies you day and night and cares for you, is naturally special to Bai Xuan. However, Bai Xuan is not sure if he has fallen in love with Zhi Xin.
He has lived two lives. In his previous life, he drifted in an era of information overload but emotional alienation, while in this life, he is growing rapidly amidst a transformation of power and a dramatic shift in his worldview.
Whether in his past life or this life, "love," this complex emotion, is a completely unfamiliar territory for him.
His power can create the world, define the rules, glimpse some tributaries of the river of fate, and understand the most essential laws of all things.
But "understanding" is not the same as "experience," and "analysis" is not the same as "ownership."
His omnipotent power allows him to know everything, but the information he knows cannot interpret emotions in the true sense.
However, he must have loved Zhixin, but his love was not as deep as the love Zhixin gave him.
The love of angels is to push a kind of faith-like purity to its extreme.
Love what he loves, think what he thinks, bear his pain, and help him through his suffering; whether poor or rich, whether lowly or noble, whether in chaotic times or abandoned by God.
She will draw her sword for him and fight, and fold her wings for him.
Never to be separated, forever.
This is a kind of love that involves completely surrendering oneself and becoming fully integrated into the other person's life.
When Zhixin looked at him, the light in her eyes was the embodiment of this vow, pure and unwavering as a star.
He loves her, but he may not be able to place "loving him" at the very top of his own existence, just as she does.
But what does it matter?
Feeling the softness behind him, Bai Xuan felt a sense of peace.
He felt no shame, nor did he intend to force a comparison of who loved more deeply; emotions take many forms, just as no two leaves in nature are exactly alike.
To be loved so purely and steadfastly is itself an incredible blessing, a gift that can soften divinity and warm the soul.
He doesn't need to demand the same "concentration" from himself using ordinary standards; cherishing this favor and responding with the "specialness" he can offer is enough.
In this relationship, Zhixin was the one who gave without reservation, while he was the lucky one who accepted her feelings.
Just then, a gentle breeze blew by at the perfect moment.
A gentle breeze swirled around his loose hair, causing a few strands of his dark hair to rise softly before falling back down, brushing against his chin and bringing a slightly ticklish sensation.
The wind also stirred Bai Xuan's long, fiery golden hair. A few strands of hair, like silk woven by sunlight, floated gently with the wind, intertwining with Bai Xuan's flowing hair, shimmering faintly in the sunlight, indistinguishable from each other.
"Ding, group member [Tachibana Kanade] has joined the chat group."
The chat group's voice rang in everyone's ears.
Boil Daigo into soup: "Welcome, newcomer."
The richest man in the city: "Welcome the newcomer."
Touma Kazusa: "Welcome, newcomer."
Ogiso Setsuna: "Welcome, newcomer."
Ogiso Setsuna: "I'm so happy that Kazusa has become more outgoing."
Ogiso Setsuna was somewhat surprised to see Touma Kazusa welcoming the newcomer faster than she had, but then a pleased smile appeared on her face, clearly indicating that she was happy about it.
Touma Kazusa: "Too long-winded."
Touma Kazusa was slightly annoyed by the teasing.
An ordinary group admin: "Welcome newcomer."
An ordinary group owner: "Wait, this name, are you Tachibana Kanade?"
Su Yunqing naturally knew Tachibana Kanade, the girl group president known as "Angel" in Angel Beats!
A girl with silver hair and blue eyes, few expressions, amazing fighting power, yet obsessed with Mapo Tofu and a simple "thank you".
Memories of the confrontation between the "Afterlife Front" and the "Angels," the regretful youth, and the eventual sense of relief and liberation all surged forth.
She actually joined the chat group? At what point in time did Tachibana Kanade join? Did she just enter the afterlife, or had she already experienced her encounter with Otonashi Yuzuru, or even earlier?
Meanwhile, in the world of Angel Beats!
Tachibana Kanade lay quietly on the hospital bed, her body connected to various life-sustaining tubes.
Her face was pale, as if she hadn't seen the sun in a long time, and her figure was so slender that she seemed fragile. Her long silver hair was spread out on the pillow, like the cool moonlight.
Those deep blue eyes were staring blankly at the ceiling, or perhaps at the virtual screen that had suddenly appeared in front of them.
The flood of information that rushed into her mind, and the virtual screen that appeared out of nowhere in front of her, exceeded most of her life experience, which was filled with illness and treatment.
She showed no fear, nor did she exhibit much emotional fluctuation.
Her long-term bedridden illness and isolation from the world had made her emotional responses slower and less sensitive than those of ordinary people; she only blinked slightly, and her thick, butterfly-like eyelashes trembled gently.
"So much information."
She murmured softly to herself, her voice slightly hoarse from not speaking for a long time, so soft that it almost disappeared into the sounds of the instruments.
The rapidly scrolling welcome messages on the screen in front of her were like gibberish to her.
Chat groups? Countless worlds? Gods? Demons?
Is it a hallucination?
Are these hallucinations caused by a worsening physical condition and approaching the finish line?
Or is this what you will see before you "die"?
She thought about it calmly, without much inner turmoil.
She wasn't afraid of death; it was perhaps just another form of "leaving," leaving this hospital room, leaving this frail body that had burdened her entire short life.
Her gaze slowly swept across the flashing text and avatars on the screen, finally settling on the latest one, a question posted by someone named "Ordinary Group Owner" with a clearly surprised tone:
"Wait, this name... you're Tachibana Kanade?"
She knows my name? A hint of doubt flashed in Tachibana Kanade's eyes.
Is it someone I know? No, I don't recall anyone named "Su Yunqing" or who calls themselves "group leader".
Are they hospital staff? Or something else?
No, it seems there was something like "the group owner who knows the future" in the message just now.
She tried to concentrate and "touch" the screen in front of her.
She didn't know how to reply, but subconsciously thought, "I am Tachibana Kanade."
The instant this thought crossed her mind, a simple line of text slowly appeared after the ID of [Tachibana Kanade] in the chat group:
Tachibana Kanade: "I am Tachibana Kanade."
The richest man in the lighthouse: "No, don't you guys need to look at what you're talking about?"
The richest man in the lighthouse said: "The newcomer's group name is [Tachibana Kanade]. Who else could it be but Tachibana Kanade? Is this something that needs to be confirmed?"
The richest man in the lighthouse: "'Are you Tachibana Kanade?' 'I am Tachibana Kanade,' wow, what a meaningful conversation."
Tony watched their conversation speechlessly; wasn't this just pure nonsense?
An ordinary group admin: "That's not what I meant."
An ordinary group admin: "Forget it, I can't explain this to you guys who haven't watched the anime. @Tachibana Kanade, are you dead now?"
As soon as she asked the question, the entire chat group was instantly flooded with a row of neat question marks.
The richest man in the lighthouse: "???"
Boil Daigo into soup: "???"
Kasumi Shiko: "???"
Qianwumei Xiaomi: "???"
Human Head Dog and True: "Although I know the group owner probably asked this question to confirm the newcomer's timeline, this question is just too much! Asking someone if they're dead right off the bat, even I wouldn't be able to say that!"
Kazuma Sato couldn't help but complain.
Although he himself dies frequently, the group admin's question is rather impolite.
But faced with this audacious question that could be described as a "death question," Tachibana Kanade, lying on the hospital bed, merely tilted his head slightly, his expression remaining unchanged.
Death was not a topic she needed to avoid or feel offended about.
Her life was inextricably linked to this word.
Whether it was the inevitable end foreshadowed by her increasingly decaying body, or the "possibility" that she vaguely sensed in her heart that transcended the present world, she did not have much of the fear or taboo that ordinary people have about "death" itself.
She just thought about it seriously for a moment.
The body is still being maintained by the equipment to maintain basic vital signs, the consciousness is clear, the patient can feel pain, and can see the screen in front of them. So this shouldn't be considered "dead", right?
Although the information about the "hyperdimensional chat group" in my mind is bizarre, my current perception should be a real state of "being alive".
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Tachibana Kanade replied:
Tachibana replied, "No."
Su Yunqing's eyes lit up when she saw this answer.
"As expected, it's a point in time before death, before entering the afterlife. That's great."
She instantly imagined many things, such as how to avoid the tragedy of Tachibana Kanade, and how to change that heartbreaking ending.
However, right now, she still needs to explain to this girl, who seems completely unaware of her situation or has calmly accepted the status quo, what exactly is going on with the chat group.
Although the chat group will send relevant information after members join, it's better to explain Tachibana Kanade's situation.
However, just as Su Yunqing was thinking this, Tachibana Kanade suddenly spoke up in the chat group.
Li Hua played: "It hurts."
There was no cause and effect, no explanation, just one word.
But everyone present could feel her pain from those simple words.
Li Hua played: "My heart is aching."
This extremely restrained statement, combined with her previous calm confirmation of her "not dead" state, instantly painted a picture in everyone's minds.
A young girl lying in a hospital bed endured excruciating pain in her heart, but she barely even frowned. She simply "reported" this fact to the people in the chat group.
Perhaps it was the stimulation of pain, or perhaps she finally began to realize that this "chat group" might not just be a hallucination before her death, but a real place where information could be exchanged.
Meanwhile, in the real-world hospital ward, Tachibana Kanade only frowned slightly before relaxing her brow.
A sharp, familiar, stabbing pain shot through her chest, making her already pale lips even paler.
She subconsciously bit her lower lip, pressing her teeth against the soft lips, trying to distract herself a little.
His expression remained largely unchanged, but his deep blue eyes seemed to mist over with a faint hint of moisture due to the pain.
"Ding, the group owner has sent an exclusive red envelope."
An ordinary group owner: "@Lihua Zou, claim your red envelope."
An ordinary group admin said, "There is a part of my power in there that can cure your heart disease."