After returning to the house, Rin Yuki explained everything he had done while Saeko listened carefully.
He told her how he had eliminated the threat of nuclear bombs and placed a powerful energy barrier around the house.
This barrier wasn't just for show—it completely isolated the house from the rest of the world. No sound, no movement from within could be detected outside. It was like the house existed in a separate pocket of space.
Even if the world outside was torn apart by nuclear explosions, EMP blasts, or anything else, the house would stay untouched and safe inside that invisible bubble.
To outsiders, it would just look like a boring, regular house on the street.
But Saeko and the others, who were inside, could sense the truth. The house had a unique power—it warped how others saw it, like bending reality itself.
They could also still observe the outside world from within, staying informed and aware even while hidden.
But survival wasn't just about protection.
They needed energy too—electricity, power, things to keep them going.
It had only been two days since the apocalypse started, so the city still had electricity. But Saya Takagi, ever the realist, estimated it wouldn't be long before the power plants failed. Maybe a week at most.
Once the grid collapsed, total darkness would follow.
When Saya brought this up, Yuki didn't even flinch.
With the girls watching him in awe, he casually crafted—by hand—a small device. It didn't look like much at first, just a tiny machine that gave off a faint, warm glow.
But it was a universal, infinite-energy generator.
It made nuclear fusion look like a battery-powered flashlight. Antimatter energy couldn't even compare.
This machine defied science itself, generating limitless power without needing any kind of input. It broke the laws of physics with ease, spitting in the face of energy conservation like they were meaningless ideas.
Saya, who had spent years studying science, was completely shaken. Her mind couldn't keep up. Her worldview cracked apart as she stared, stunned into silence.
Afterward, Yuki reached into his memory and created something even more unbelievable—a black, sleek mask that pulsed with eerie power.
"Shadow Army Mask: Complete," he announced.
With it, the wearer could summon nine entire legions of the Shadow Corps at will.
That alone changed everything. With those forces behind them, Saeko and the others could carve their way through the chaos of the apocalypse far more easily.
He didn't stop there. Yuki handed each girl a set of armor—gear made from advanced, celestial-level tech. It looked sleek, elegant, and otherworldly, yet lightweight and strong. The kind of protection only gods might wear.
Once everything was finished, Yuki stepped back, his part done for now. He gave them a nod, said his farewells, and returned to his own world.
Miyamoto Rei stood quietly, watching him disappear.
Her lips parted—she wanted to speak, to say something—but the moment slipped away.
Her hand trembled slightly, then dropped back to her side. She looked down at the floor, frustrated with herself, quietly scolding her own hesitation. Why couldn't she just speak up?
Saeko walked over silently and placed a gentle hand on Rei's shoulder.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "Yuki… he'll return whenever he wants. You'll have other chances."
That little reassurance was all Rei needed.
She looked up, eyes shining faintly with hope, and nodded.
When Yuki arrived back in his own world, he glanced at the clock.
Only about two hours had passed here.
That confirmed what the Dimensional Travel Card promised—it slowed down time in his home world while he was away.
After tidying up his room, Yuki laid down on his bed. It was still night here. What else was there to do but get some sleep?
As he settled in, he instinctively pulled up the Chat Group on his phone. It had become a habit—just like before the world went crazy, when he'd scroll through messages before bed.
But tonight, the chat was buzzing. Everyone was talking about Saeko and what she had gained.
Raiden:"Saeko hit the jackpot this time!"
Seitenshi:"Right?! That mid-tier lottery draw alone is incredible!"
Huaizhu:"Plus the fate-altering points she got afterward! I swear, if I had those, I'd boost my strength five times over!"
(After Yuki saved Yuriko Takagi and stopped the nuke threat, both he and Saeko received fate-altering rewards.)
Artemis:"Now Saeko's power's close to mine! Ugh, I'm so jealous!"
Saeko:"Hehe~ No need to be. Your turn will come soon."
Raiden:"She's even stronger than me now. Let's spar sometime, Saeko!"
Seitenshi:"Pfft! She's got 9,000 points and I'm still the only mortal here... cries"
Huaizhu:"Aww don't cry, Seitenshi! I'll send you some cultivation manuals."
Yuki:"That won't work. First, she can't read them. Second, her world has no spiritual energy to absorb."
Artemis:"Eee! Yuki's here! Mwah! Kisses for Yuki~ "
The moment he joined, Artemis dropped her usual goddess-like pride and turned into a lovestruck fangirl, flooding the chat with kisses.
Everyone else groaned.
Saeko:"Yuki, you're back! Are you safe? What time is it over there?"
Her gentle message stood out—a graceful, soft tone. She was truly a Yamato Nadeshiko, caring and composed.
Raiden:"'Yuki' now? On a first-name basis, are we?"
Artemis:"CONFIRMED! Something's totally going on between them!!"
Seitenshi:"Wait, if what Yuki says is true... then I really am stuck as a mortal forever... that's kinda depressing..."
Huaizhu:"...Sorry, Seitenshi. I tried."
Seitenshi:"It's okay. I'll just keep doing daily log-ins. I've got 250 points. At 500, I'll try an enhancement."
Yuki:"Better to save for a lottery draw. That's what worked for Saeko."
Seitenshi:"That'll take forever!"
Yuki:"Not necessarily. Aren't you investigating the Gastrea Virus right now?"
Yuki:"That might trigger a fate-altering quest. Easy points."
Seitenshi:"You're right! But… if I do get into trouble, Yuki, you have to come save me, okay? 🥺"
Yuki:"Deal."
He agreed without hesitation. He'd get rewards for helping anyway—and honestly, he wanted to visit her world at some point.
Tokyo Administrative District – Government Office
Far away, in another world, a snow-haired girl sat at her desk.
She blinked.
Then suddenly her whole face lit up.
The Empress of Tokyo—just sixteen years old—had never expected Yuki to say yes.
She had half-joked when she asked him to save her if she ever needed it. But now… he agreed.
Her heart beat faster.
"He… said yes…" she whispered, stunned.
Even though she ruled a city, she was still a teenager. Part of her longed for something more than just paperwork and responsibility. And right now, her heart felt light and warm.
She stood up and twirled happily in her office, spinning like a dancer across the floor.
She reached the tall windows and gazed out. Massive black Monoliths stood in the distance, towering over the city—protecting them from the monstrous Gastrea.
But her smile faded a little.
She remembered what Yuki had told her about "anomalies" in her country. And the more she investigated, the more she realized… he was right.
There were strange things buried in Japan's past. Old, heavily classified research programs—no names, no known locations, no records.
And the Gastrea Virus?
It wasn't natural.
It was a failed result of some secret experiment.
That truth weighed on her shoulders. She clenched her fists, the pressure of her duty crushing down again.
Just then, the door opened.
An old man with snow-white hair and deep wrinkles stepped in, leaning on a cane. He moved slowly, but with rigid control.
She saw him and immediately composed herself.
"You've worked hard, Chief Advisor Tendou."
Her voice was calm and formal.
The old man didn't reply right away. He placed a file on her desk, then stared at her with eyes that seemed to see through everything.
"Your Excellency," he said slowly. "There are some things in this world that should never be disturbed. Leave them be—and they'll remain harmless. But if you poke at them…"
He trailed off, turned, and walked out.
The moment the door clicked shut, the Empress's hands trembled—just slightly—before she clenched them into fists.