So I've been thinking about the whole Satoru, Rimuru and Shizu connection, and I might be overthinking this, but hear me out.
If Rimuru sends Shizu back to the past, and she eventually becomes Satoru's grandmother, then Rimuru's own actions indirectly help create the circumstances that lead to Satoru being born. Satoru later dies and becomes Rimuru, who eventually sends Shizu back.
So basically, Rimuru's existence leads to Satoru's existence, but Satoru's existence also leads to Rimuru.
If you follow that logic, where does the chain of causality actually start? Is there even supposed to be a first event, or is it a closed loop where every event is explained by another event inside the same loop?
I'm not saying Rimuru literally created Satoru out of nothing, but could this be interpreted as a causal loop with no original starting point?
Curious what people think, especially if I've misunderstood something about the Volume 23 ending.