Maybe it's a ploy of sorts. I mean the tombstone could be there to just act as though Negi died but in reality he is still alive. I mean since he doesn't age at the same rate as others, I'd assume this would be somewhat problematic for many to see possibly

Despite how terrible this situation is, all one can and will always be able to hold onto is faith and hope.

I'd agree with others speculating that Negi probably isn't dead. Just like how many of us assumed Nagi was dead but he wasn't, it's probably a similar situation.

I'm wondering why Asuna doesn't have her pactio card on her for easy checking of Negi's status of being alive or dead. I could see the series easily continuing if they just shove Asuna back in the time she belongs. Though how Ken plans to wrap up loose ends is up to him, the wales unpetrification seemed pretty....meh

thats the best point so far, why she didnt use her pactio card to check up wether negi was dead or alive or even better why not use the card to talk to him?, maybe she was so confused once she woked up that she didnt think of that =P

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Ore no Riaru to Netoge ga Rabukome
Anime -Westbound Apocalypse
- Fog hill of the 5 elements
- Batman of Shangai
- Kuiyu chouyuan

If he makes a real contract with someone, all of his provisional contracts are voided. And considering Chao's there, it's a definite possibility.

When I read this the scene where she breaks his ankles with a sledgehammer immediately came to mind.

On Topic(Rurouni Kenshin Spoilers):

It's all a dream! I'm telling you guys, it's all a dream! Asuna's still sleeping and is having that realistic dream. Dammit! It should just be a dream!

*sob*

Anyway, in the end, the future wasn't rewritten since there's an existent Chao. What was the point of saying all that crap that the future was 'free for all' for everyone when it's going to end up the same way.

With this, the possibility of a sequel is almost next to impossible. Seeing this direction the story's headed, Ken seems to be really closing it up. Well, I just want the unresolved issues to be answered in the next chapters. I'm not even looking forward to a happy ending anymore.

...Umm, that Chao's there doesn't mean nothing's changed. First of all, Negi's plan succeeded, something that does not compute with Chao's stories of the collapse of the Magic World and war with Earth.

Sorry, I didn't specify. I was referring to the pairings. It seems that the one he ends up with is set in stone.

How so? Chao is his great-granddaughter if I remember correctly. Negi's child could get together with Ku Fei's son, for example. Or some totally unrelated Chinese person. Nothing is set in stone based on that information alone.

Ok from what I strained from the video picture Negi left for Asuna I'm thinking Akamatsu is setting u a harem ending. The little girl that took her to Negi's grave looks a lot like a descendant of Ayaka and Negi, Chao is obviously from another bloodline, and Chisame's line of "So we're not good enough for you?" makes me think he was together with multiple girls. I'm willing to bet there will be a way to send her back so she can be happy and complete the harem ending.

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Too bad we won't know for another week or two.

Considering that it is most probably the same Chao in both timelines, it's safe to assume that there were no changes in the ancestry. Even with your example, the fact that Negi ended up with whoever and their child ended up with whoever is the same in both timelines. Thus, nothing changed in that area, and that's why I'm saying it seems like it was set in stone. If there was even a slight change, then Chao should be nonexistent in the new timeline.

If that sounded confusing, then maybe this would be simpler. In timeline A, Negi (A) got together with someone (B). They had a child (AB), and that person got together with someone (C), and Chao (ABC) was born. If it changed in timeline B, like AB getting together with D, or A getting together E instead, then it would be someone other than Chao (ABC). So, what I'm saying is timeline A = timeline B. There were no changes. And, I repeat, that would make it seem that it was set in stone.

Time travel has a tendency to screw with plot anyways. I mean there's no one way to do it right?

Pretty sure someone mentioned something that Chao as a time traveler should exist "outside" of the timestream or whatever. So she's like still around though things are changing. Hopefully Ken can wrap this all up in 3 chapters.

What was the Haruhi theory on time travel from Mikuru again? Something about time isn't like a river and more like a flipbook where you can hop where you please, though certain parts aren't written or accessible yet.