Basically, I understand why the writer has no other choice but to discontinue this- because the plot is so tangled up there is just no way of tying together al the loose ends. To clarify-
1. Takashiro ending up THE villain here is just an afterthought and was never in the original plan. Remember it was Takashiro who tampered with the reincarnation of the Zweilt guardians and of Yuki to win against the Duras... and that was with the approval of the clans. So it doesn't make any sense to know ONLY NOW that the Elders of Giou and those of the ten clans have, IN FACT, been INVOLVED IN THE EXPERIMENTS TO summon demons to earth, including LUCIFER, for the sole purpose of amassing power and influence. It doesn't make sense that the war with the Duras has been going on for 1,200 years, killing the precious guardians and other members of the clans when the ORIGINAL INTENT, according to Reiga, was just the exact opposite- not to kill the Duras but to use them to summon Lucifer. Obviously, this is just the biggest BS that's ever been created using fake memories as an excuse. Sci fi often uses fake memories to introduce revisions that would contradict the original premise on which the story rests. Again, it's being used here to do the same- but instead of creating a more interesting plot, it just creates more plot holes big enough to sink whatever logic kept this story going in the first place.
2. The only pairing that has a somewhat dynamic development was Shusei x Hotsuma- and even that was DOOMED to play THIRD WHEEL to Luka x Yuki. Obviously the writer wanted readers to know Yuki and Luka are the MAIN COUPLE- but by constantly repeating, in every chapter Luka's lines "I will stay by your side," the writer seems to be creating redundancy rather than a real romance. Even if Hotsuma seems hopelessly in love and attached to Shusei and little by little seems closer to acknowledging that embarrassing yet poignantly vulnerable part of him, the writer just has to BREAK the momentum by repetitively adding those annoying scenes where Yuki's arrival inevitably takes Hotsuma's attention from Shusei.
Love triangles are amusing- but hey, can't the writer develop the romance between and among the Zweilt guardians WITHOUT putting Yuki on a pedestal so every character has to worship her and just feel unnecessarily conflicted between her/him and their partners? And if the bond with Yuki is just the product of being "genetically" a guardian dependent on her healing powers, isn't it cruel that their desire for Yuki will always be unrequited?
To me, this unconditional bond does nothing but add needless drama to an already overused romantic plot. It's the MOST UNJUST, ILLOGICAL, and ANTI-CLIMACTIC romantic device ever invented. Why? It does nothing but make Yuki seem like a harem owner who exists to cock block every ship by being EVERYONE's SUBCONSCIOUS LOVE INTEREST. It's painful to see Hotsuma and the other guardians swaying and faltering- one moment they're so in love with their partners- the next moment, they're pining for Yuki.
And all the while, we know that Yuki is exclusively Luka's with NO COMPETITION at all.
I love Hotsuma and Shusei's dynamic and only managed to read this far because they seem to be the only pair with depth and elegance. They seem to be the only ones capable of struggling with and thinking through their emotions while the rest are too busy spouting cringe confessions to create the perfect, romantic moment. Their conversations don't sound forced or overdramatic. I often wished Shusei and Hotsuma would be more straightforward and selfish, instead of always trying to find a balance between their loyalty to each other and their commitment to Yuki. But I guess that's also charming in its own way- even when Yuki's presence is always being used as a distraction for Hotsuma.
3. If there's anything good about this story- it's certainly NOT in the direction of moving Yuki and Luka's romance forward. Basically, it doesn't even seem to be their story at all. Beyond Yuki's being reborn as a man rather than as a woman, there's absolutely NOTHING ORIGINAL to this romance. I even question their status as protagonists since the story actually revolves around the Zweilts and their neverending battles- their short lives, their tampered reincarnations, and their internal struggle to be exclusive to their partners while being unconditionally dedicated to Yuki as their master. They are all LOVERS IN A LEASH. I'm just glad that the writer gave Hotsuma and Shusei enough chances to be alone with each other to sort out their feelings.
Rather than Luka and Yuki's stilted conversations, it's the relationship between the guardians and their partners that's truly worth calling "romantic" in this entire manga. And Hotsuma pointing to his heart, saying he knows he would "go get Shusei" no matter where he goes "because you're home is here" (in his heart) is just ABSOLUTELY priceless- because we realize, at this point, that he's come a long way... that far from being just another immature brat with self-denial issues, Hotsuma must have a heart and a will strong enough to choose Shusei over everyone else- everyone including Yuki who is indelibly stamped in the heart and soul of every guardian that's ever lived.
Basically, I understand why the writer has no other choice but to discontinue this- because the plot is so tangled up there is just no way of tying together al the loose ends. To clarify-
1. Takashiro ending up THE villain here is just an afterthought and was never in the original plan. Remember it was Takashiro who tampered with the reincarnation of the Zweilt guardians and of Yuki to win against the Duras... and that was with the approval of the clans. So it doesn't make any sense to know ONLY NOW that the Elders of Giou and those of the ten clans have, IN FACT, been INVOLVED IN THE EXPERIMENTS TO summon demons to earth, including LUCIFER, for the sole purpose of amassing power and influence. It doesn't make sense that the war with the Duras has been going on for 1,200 years, killing the precious guardians and other members of the clans when the ORIGINAL INTENT, according to Reiga, was just the exact opposite- not to kill the Duras but to use them to summon Lucifer. Obviously, this is just the biggest BS that's ever been created using fake memories as an excuse. Sci fi often uses fake memories to introduce revisions that would contradict the original premise on which the story rests. Again, it's being used here to do the same- but instead of creating a more interesting plot, it just creates more plot holes big enough to sink whatever logic kept this story going in the first place.
2. The only pairing that has a somewhat dynamic development was Shusei x Hotsuma- and even that was DOOMED to play THIRD WHEEL to Luka x Yuki. Obviously the writer wanted readers to know Yuki and Luka are the MAIN COUPLE- but by constantly repeating, in every chapter Luka's lines "I will stay by your side," the writer seems to be creating redundancy rather than a real romance. Even if Hotsuma seems hopelessly in love and attached to Shusei and little by little seems closer to acknowledging that embarrassing yet poignantly vulnerable part of him, the writer just has to BREAK the momentum by repetitively adding those annoying scenes where Yuki's arrival inevitably takes Hotsuma's attention from Shusei.
Love triangles are amusing- but hey, can't the writer develop the romance between and among the Zweilt guardians WITHOUT putting Yuki on a pedestal so every character has to worship her and just feel unnecessarily conflicted between her/him and their partners? And if the bond with Yuki is just the product of being "genetically" a guardian dependent on her healing powers, isn't it cruel that their desire for Yuki will always be unrequited?
To me, this unconditional bond does nothing but add needless drama to an already overused romantic plot. It's the MOST UNJUST, ILLOGICAL, and ANTI-CLIMACTIC romantic device ever invented. Why? It does nothing but make Yuki seem like a harem owner who exists to cock block every ship by being EVERYONE's SUBCONSCIOUS LOVE INTEREST. It's painful to see Hotsuma and the other guardians swaying and faltering- one moment they're so in love with their partners- the next moment, they're pining for Yuki.
And all the while, we know that Yuki is exclusively Luka's with NO COMPETITION at all.
I love Hotsuma and Shusei's dynamic and only managed to read this far because they seem to be the only pair with depth and elegance. They seem to be the only ones capable of struggling with and thinking through their emotions while the rest are too busy spouting cringe confessions to create the perfect, romantic moment. Their conversations don't sound forced or overdramatic. I often wished Shusei and Hotsuma would be more straightforward and selfish, instead of always trying to find a balance between their loyalty to each other and their commitment to Yuki. But I guess that's also charming in its own way- even when Yuki's presence is always being used as a distraction for Hotsuma.
3. If there's anything good about this story- it's certainly NOT in the direction of moving Yuki and Luka's romance forward. Basically, it doesn't even seem to be their story at all. Beyond Yuki's being reborn as a man rather than as a woman, there's absolutely NOTHING ORIGINAL to this romance. I even question their status as protagonists since the story actually revolves around the Zweilts and their neverending battles- their short lives, their tampered reincarnations, and their internal struggle to be exclusive to their partners while being unconditionally dedicated to Yuki as their master. They are all LOVERS IN A LEASH. I'm just glad that the writer gave Hotsuma and Shusei enough chances to be alone with each other to sort out their feelings.
Rather than Luka and Yuki's stilted conversations, it's the relationship between the guardians and their partners that's truly worth calling "romantic" in this entire manga. And Hotsuma pointing to his heart, saying he knows he would "go get Shusei" no matter where he goes "because you're home is here" (in his heart) is just ABSOLUTELY priceless- because we realize, at this point, that he's come a long way... that far from being just another immature brat with self-denial issues, Hotsuma must have a heart and a will strong enough to choose Shusei over everyone else- everyone including Yuki who is indelibly stamped in the heart and soul of every guardian that's ever lived.