Chapter 185 — Hutena
The woman stood alone.
The room was silent.
Silvet was gone.
Or at least—
she believed he was.
Hutena stood beside the window and watched the darkness outside.
Asteria slept.
Thousands of people.
Thousands of dreams.
Thousands of futures.
She closed her eyes.
And immediately saw tomorrow.
Brook.
Standing beneath falling stars.
Sera.
Speaking words that changed the air.
Crowley.
Covered in blood.
Henry.
With Charon stretching across the ground like a living shadow.
Rick.
Shoyo.
A city burning.
Then—
nothing.
Hutena opened her eyes.
Her breathing remained calm.
She had learned long ago that the future was not one straight road.
People misunderstood what she was.
They heard Book of the Future and imagined answers.
A person who knew everything.
Someone who could tell them exactly what would happen.
That wasn't true.
Hutena dreamed.
That was all.
Sometimes she dreamed tomorrow.
Sometimes years ahead.
Sometimes possibilities that never happened.
Sometimes—
she dreamed of things so far into the future that even she couldn't understand them.
But recently—
her dreams had changed.
Because Brook had arrived.
And Silvet was here.
Hutena looked toward the stars.
"They've finally met."
Brook woke before sunrise.
He sat up.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
He had dreamed again.
But this time—
there was no woman.
No black sky.
No stars.
Only words.
A voice.
The new world is already being born.
Brook opened his eyes.
He looked around.
Henry slept nearby.
Charon was awake.
The Ectoplasm stared at him.
Brook stared back.
"Don't."
Charon blinked.
"Dream?"
Brook frowned.
"You can tell?"
Charon tilted his head.
"Bad."
Brook sighed.
"Apparently everyone can."
Charon thought about that.
"Everyone bad."
Brook stared.
Then laughed.
Henry woke.
"What happened?"
Brook pointed toward Charon.
"He insulted everyone."
Charon immediately disappeared.
Henry rubbed his eyes.
"What did he say?"
Brook smiled.
"Nothing."
By morning—
Brook had left the palace.
He needed air.
Asteria had already awakened.
Merchants opened their stalls.
Workers moved through the streets.
Children ran through the alleys.
Everything looked normal.
But Brook knew better now.
Somewhere among these people—
the Book of the Future existed.
Somewhere—
Silvet was searching.
Brook kept walking.
Then—
someone spoke.
"Brook."
He stopped.
The voice was unfamiliar.
Brook turned.
A woman stood in the middle of the street.
Nobody around her seemed to notice her.
Not because she was invisible.
They simply walked around her.
Brook stared.
She was young.
At least physically.
But her eyes—
Brook immediately recognized them.
He had never seen her face.
Not properly.
But he knew.
The woman from his dreams.
Brook's hand moved toward his weapon.
The woman smiled.
"Relax."
Brook didn't.
"Who are you?"
She looked past him.
Toward the palace.
"Your friends are safe."
Brook's expression hardened.
"That's not what I asked."
The woman looked back at him.
"No."
Brook stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"Someone who has been waiting for you."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
The woman's smile disappeared.
Then she looked upward.
At the sky.
The stars were gone.
Morning had arrived.
Still—
she looked toward where they should have been.
Then she spoke.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But Brook heard every word.
"He who shall bring the realms down is here."
Brook froze.
People continued walking around them.
Nobody stopped.
Nobody listened.
Brook stared at her.
"What?"
She looked directly at him.
"He who shall define destiny."
Brook's breathing slowed.
The woman took another step.
Brook's instincts screamed.
Not danger.
Recognition.
Something inside him knew her.
The Earth beneath his feet shifted.
Brook immediately noticed.
The woman did too.
Then—
she smiled.
"He who was created to destroy will bring a new world."
Brook couldn't move.
Created to destroy.
The words hit differently.
Brook had heard similar things before.
Lucifer.
The Maker.
The Sources.
Why was he created?
Brook's jaw tightened.
"What are you talking about?"
The woman looked past him.
Her expression changed.
Brook turned.
Nobody stood behind him.
He looked back.
The woman continued.
"The one who was there at the beginning is here as well."
Brook froze.
This time—
he knew she wasn't talking about him.
He slowly turned.
And saw nothing.
But he felt it.
A presence.
Far away.
Watching.
Silvet.
Brook looked back toward the woman.
"Silvet."
She nodded.
Brook stepped toward her.
"You know him."
"I have dreamed of him."
"Who is he?"
The woman became silent.
Brook waited.
"Tell me."
She looked at him.
And for the first time—
Brook saw something that resembled fear.
"Old."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
The woman looked toward the city.
"He was there when things began."
Brook's heart tightened.
The beginning.
Silvet had existed before—
Brook didn't know.
Nobody knew.
Crowley had information.
Hell had records.
But even Crowley didn't understand everything.
Brook stepped closer.
"What beginning?"
The woman looked at him.
And shook her head.
"I haven't seen it."
Brook froze.
"You said he was there."
"I know."
"How?"
She placed a hand against her chest.
"Because sometimes you wake up knowing something you never dreamed."
Brook stared.
"That doesn't make sense."
The woman smiled.
"Neither does your life."
Brook almost smiled.
Almost.
"Brook!"
Sera's voice reached him.
Brook turned.
Sera, Henry, Rick, Shoyo and Crowley were approaching.
Crowley stopped the moment he saw the woman.
His expression changed.
Sera noticed.
"What?"
Crowley stared.
Brook looked toward him.
"You know her?"
Crowley slowly shook his head.
"No."
The woman looked toward Crowley.
Crowley looked at her.
For once—
he seemed uncomfortable.
The woman smiled.
"You've been to Hell recently."
Crowley's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
She looked toward Sera.
"Words."
Sera froze.
Then Henry.
"Creation."
Henry frowned.
Charon appeared from his shoulder.
The woman looked at Charon.
"Death."
Charon immediately hid.
Henry stared.
"What?"
The woman smiled.
"Not yours."
Henry looked at Brook.
Brook understood.
Charon was afraid.
But the woman wasn't talking about Death.
Not directly.
She was talking about Elias.
His death.
The reason Charon had been born with free will.
The woman looked toward Rick.
"Rebellion."
Rick narrowed his eyes.
Then Shoyo.
"Faith."
Shoyo remained silent.
Finally—
the woman returned her attention to Brook.
"Destruction."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Enough."
The woman smiled.
"Sensitive."
Crowley stepped forward.
"You've been dreaming about us."
"Yes."
"How long?"
The woman's expression changed.
"Long enough."
Crowley stopped.
Sera looked toward Brook.
"Who is she?"
Brook stared at the woman.
"I was about to ask."
The woman looked toward all of them.
Then she took a breath.
There was something strange about her.
Not power.
Not the overwhelming presence of Silvet.
She felt normal.
Human.
And yet—
Crowley was watching her carefully.
The woman looked upward again.
Then said:
"My name is Hutena."
Silence.
Crowley's eyes widened.
Brook noticed.
"You know that name?"
Crowley looked toward him.
"The Book."
Hutena smiled.
Brook stared.
"What?"
Hutena looked directly at him.
"I'm the one you've been searching for."
The streets seemed to disappear.
Brook heard nothing except her voice.
Sera stared.
Rick stepped forward.
Henry's hand tightened.
Crowley remained completely still.
Brook slowly spoke.
"You're the Book of the Future."
Hutena nodded.
"Yes."
Brook stared at her.
Silvet had been searching for years.
Watching hundreds of people.
Searching through dreams.
Trying to find her.
And she had simply walked toward them.
Hutena looked toward the city.
"He will find me eventually."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Silvet."
"Yes."
Crowley stepped forward.
"You shouldn't have approached us."
Hutena looked at him.
"I know."
"Then why did you?"
She smiled.
"Because I saw it."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
Hutena looked directly at him.
"I saw myself standing here."
Brook stared.
"With us?"
Hutena shook her head.
"Near you."
The answer bothered him.
Brook looked toward Crowley.
Crowley looked uncomfortable again.
Hutena noticed.
"You're wondering if the future can be changed."
Crowley looked at her.
"Yes."
Hutena smiled.
"So am I."
Silence.
Brook stepped closer.
"You don't know?"
"I dream."
Hutena looked toward him.
"I see."
"But knowing something is coming doesn't mean I understand why."
Brook stared.
"What do you mean?"
Hutena's expression became serious.
"I've dreamed of you."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"Doing what?"
She looked at the ground.
The Earth beneath them.
"I don't know."
Brook waited.
Hutena slowly raised her eyes.
"I've seen you destroy the world."
Nobody moved.
Brook's heart stopped for half a second.
Sera immediately stepped toward him.
Rick's expression hardened.
Henry looked terrified.
Crowley remained quiet.
Brook stared at Hutena.
"And?"
Hutena continued.
"I've also seen you save it."
Brook's expression changed.
Sera looked toward him.
Hutena's voice remained calm.
"The dreams don't agree."
Brook looked at her.
"Then which one is real?"
Hutena smiled sadly.
"That depends."
"On what?"
Hutena looked directly into his eyes.
"On you."
Silence.
Brook looked away.
The words stayed with him.
Created to destroy.
Bring a new world.
Destroy the world.
Save the world.
Define destiny.
Brook slowly looked toward the city.
"What am I supposed to do?"
Hutena's answer came immediately.
"Live."
Brook stared at her.
"What?"
"Live."
She shrugged.
"You're always looking for the next fight."
Brook frowned.
"You don't know that."
Hutena smiled.
"I dreamed it."
Charon slowly appeared.
"Fight."
Brook looked at him.
Charon stared.
Hutena laughed.
Even Crowley smiled.
For a moment—
the tension disappeared.
Then Hutena stopped laughing.
Her face changed.
Brook noticed immediately.
"What?"
Hutena looked toward the sky.
"No."
Brook stepped closer.
"What did you see?"
Hutena didn't answer.
Her breathing changed.
Her eyes lost focus.
She was dreaming.
Standing.
Awake.
Brook reached toward her.
Then—
Hutena grabbed his arm.
Hard.
Brook froze.
Her eyes snapped toward him.
Fear.
Real fear.
"Brook."
"What?"
"You have to leave."
The group became silent.
Crowley stepped forward.
"Why?"
Hutena looked past them.
Her voice shook.
"He's coming."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Silvet?"
Hutena shook her head.
Everyone froze.
For the first time since meeting her—
Hutena looked completely terrified.
She whispered:
"I don't know."
Then—
the sky went dark.
Not night.
Something else.
A shadow passed over Asteria.
Everyone looked upward.
Brook's instincts screamed.
Crowley stepped beside him.
Sera raised her hand.
Rick drew his weapon.
Shoyo prepared a spell.
Henry's Ectoplasm moved.
Charon grew.
Then—
nothing happened.
The shadow disappeared.
The sky returned.
Brook slowly looked toward Hutena.
She was staring at nothing.
"What did you see?"
Hutena slowly looked toward him.
Her face had become pale.
Then she whispered:
"Nothing."
Brook stared.
"That scared you?"
Hutena nodded.
Crowley understood first.
His expression changed.
Brook looked toward him.
"What?"
Crowley slowly spoke.
"The Book of the Future…"
He looked at Hutena.
"…can't see the future."
Silence.
Hutena looked toward the darkening horizon.
And somewhere beyond Asteria—
Silvet smiled.
He had felt it.
Not the Book.
Not yet.
Something else.
Something that had finally made tomorrow disappear.
Silvet looked toward the sky.
For the first time in a very long time—
he looked genuinely interested.
Then he whispered:
"Now that's new."
End of Chapter 185