Chapter 172

**WARNING: The following chapter hasn't been officially translated, and thus contains spoilers.**

In the enclosed dimension, Luciel, still in Lucy's body floats above the domed space. He comments the separation of dimensions is home to the great ones, it's the world of light and darkness as well as Dark Lessa's home. Luciel states that Ra's creation lies somewhere beyond this place, a world so small it can be held in one hand. Luciel addressing Ra as his father, tells him that, sending him here to this dimension, won't stop the end from happening. Luciel takes up his spear, and states this is what he wanted. Luciel uses his power along with Dark Lessa's power, and manages to cut through the dimension, destroying hundreds of billions of galaxies in the process, creating a tear in the fabric of space. Luciel exclaims the Dark Power is magnificent, that hundreds of billions of galaxies have been destroyed in an instant and that Ra's world could have been among them.

Ra uses his power to try and hold the dimension together, and stop any further destruction, by surrounding the dimension with his light. Luciel laughs seeing Ra trying to protect his creation, calling Ra's decision foolish. Luciel asks Ra if the cosmic energy from the hundreds of billions of destroyed galaxies is worth trading with the world he created, adding if he's forgotten that he too is Ra's creation, that this is a joint venture between light and darkness, and he too will have to play the price. Luciel ends by saying his world will soon perish.

Ra asks Luciel why he hates his world so much. Luciel moves over to Lucy's bound spirit and runs his hands through her hair, and replies that the world Ra has created can never be eternal and only the world of '0' can be eternal. Luciel tells him the balance has already begun to slip and that his world will soon be placed on that scale, ending by saying this is destruction. Explosions ring out, as galaxies continue to shatter. Ra states that he will place his life, on the other side of that scale.

In a forest, Rano wakes up and wonders where he is. He takes in his surroundings, and looks around. He gets up and as he's walking around, wonders if he's in a forest. Rano deliberates why he's here and why he can't remember anything, and feels like he's forgetting something important. While walking through the forest, he notices a man, crouched on the ground, dressed in white, wearing a grey cloak and a hat. Rano is surprised by the man and approaches him, politely informing him, he's lost and asking whether he can help him. The man ignores him and carries on planting the tree, he's been planting. Rano speaks to the man again. The man gets up, dusts himself off and asks Rano if he could help him plant a tree. Rano agrees to help.

Rano is planting a tree, and appears to be struggling. The man asks Rano if this is his first time planting trees. Rano isn't sure, but thinks it must be. Rano looks down at his hands and asks if there are no tools, since it seems inefficient to plant the trees by hand. The man tells him it has to be done carefully, as it's better not to hurt the tree. Rano wonders what's wrong with this guy, and looking around wonders when he planted all these trees. Rano thinks it isn't the right time to be planting trees. He looks at the trees still needing to be planted and mutters this tree is the only one that's black. The man asks him to leave that tree alone, as it's a very old tree. Rano picks up the tree, and asks if the man shouldn't plant it quickly if it's that old, before it rots even more. The man thinks Rano has trouble following instructions and walks over to him, taking the tree away from Rano. The two continue planting trees. Rano states they've planted the last one, and the man asks what he can do to help Rano.

Rano tells the man he can't remember anything. Where he's going, what he's doing, and that's why he came asking for his help. The man grabs Rano's hand, much to Rano's puzzlement, and begins to pat his hands down. Rano wonders what he's doing, but before he can finish his sentence the man, has dusted down Rano's calloused hands and states it must be hard. Rano shrugs it off replying not really. The man asks Rano to take a look at a specific tree, stating he planted it for Rano. It's always been in this place, waiting for this day.

The man moves Rano's hand towards the tree. As Rano reaches out and touches the tree, it begins to glow and Rano sees a flashback of when he was a child, playing with his mother. Rano is sad, and about to call out to her, when someone bumps into him. He turns to see Lucy, pulling her tongue out at him, holding Marco as a puppy. He turns around to see himself, pulling Lucy back by the collar. He then sees his friends, Yuzuru, Miena, Lexter and Young-sam. The man tells him he lived a really nice life, and this is everything he's created. Rano feels like there's something missing and so walks away from the man. The man watches as Rano returns with the black tree.

Rano begins to plant the tree and the man tells him it isn't necessary, he doesn't have to try and remember something too old. Rano plants the tree and sees a flashback from his previous life, when he stabbed Lessa. Rano becomes distressed as the memory comes flooding back. He takes on Diane's form and wonders how he could ever forget, he tried to kill his friend. She states that her existence should have ended, but why was she reborn, that she must never be forgiven. The man kneels down and tells Rano that he shouldn't deny all that he's done, and asks whether he's forgotten about the countless people he saved in this life. Rano turns to him as Michael smiles and calls Rano his child. Michael tells Rano he believes in him, before disappearing. Rano is left saddened and confused. He notices that he's changed location, and finds himself sitting in a garden, in front of a large statue of the angel Michael, his father.