The Course of the World's Future

The battle was over, and Destiny Stage gradually faded away.

Garp chose not to go with them. He left alone, probably to see his granddaughter.

He and Roger had agreed that the next time they met, they would fight to the death.

For the two of them, that chance to settle things might have mattered even more than the ultimate victory.

Konan held Ryougi Shiki, who had yet to recover, and stared silently at the villa that had been destroyed before Destiny Stage opened.

She looked calm, but inside, her emotions were still running high.

After all, she had survived.

She had escaped what should have been certain death. That almost miraculous turn of events left her with a feeling she could hardly put into words.

"What do we do next?"

Touko Aozaki lit a cigarette. As she smoked, her mature charm took on an allure all its own.

Konan could not help looking at her a few more times.

Touko was her new companion, after all.

But Konan had not forgotten the question.

"First, we find somewhere Shiki can recover." Konan smoothed the hair of the woman in her arms and smiled gently. "We made it through this thanks to Shiki and you. It's been a long time since I fought alongside companions."

A very long time indeed.

"I've decided to stick with you anyway. We'll have plenty more chances, won't we?" Touko said casually.

"No, it shouldn't be about following me." Konan shook her head, sounding thoughtful. "True companions shouldn't simply revolve around one person. We each have our own role. We change one another and make up for what the others lack. That's what companions are."

In the past, she and Nagato had followed Yahiko.

But Yahiko had failed.

Then she had followed Nagato.

But Nagato had