After Echidna's voice fell, everyone turned their eyes toward Pandora, and Eriri finally shifted her gaze in the same direction.
"Pandora, long time no see—or rather, this should be our first meeting. After all, chatting in the group hardly counts as meeting face-to-face."
Eriri studied the girl sitting diagonally across from her with keen interest.
Naturally, Eriri had sensed Pandora's arrival long ago. However, Pandora's power wasn't nearly enough to make Eriri give up her stroll and return to Echidna and the others.
"First meeting indeed. Originally, I thought I would never cross paths with anyone from the chat group, but it seems fate cannot be avoided."
There was no trace of fear on Pandora's face, even as she faced someone capable of deciding her life and death with a mere thought.
"So... how do you plan to deal with me?"
Pandora's gaze was calm as she looked at Eriri. Her lips even curved into a faint smile—she had completely accepted her fate.
"Hmm... well..."
Eriri didn't rush to answer. Instead, she let her eyes wander over Pandora's petite figure before continuing casually:
"Since Echidna has already joined my side, I can't just let you interfere with her plans. Though honestly, with your current power, you couldn't cause her much trouble anyway."
"But since you haven't put your plan into action yet, I can give you a chance to live."
"Starting today, both your body and soul will belong to me. I won't erase your memories or thoughts, but my will shall be the only standard guiding your actions."
"Don't even think about refusing—it's mandatory. You wouldn't want to become a mindless puppet, would you?"
Eriri smiled sweetly as she spoke, her expression that of a villain reveling in control, while Pandora, with her harmless appearance, seemed like a pitiful victim.
To be honest, Eriri didn't hold any deep prejudice against Pandora. Her moral compass was flexible—everything depended on her personal preferences.
As long as someone didn't provoke her, she didn't care what they did.
Thus, unlike some self-righteous crusader, she wouldn't call for Pandora's death.
Besides, Pandora's appearance was rather to Eriri's liking, so she didn't mind keeping her around.
Of course, Pandora's status couldn't compare to that of Arifureta and the others—her true family. Pandora was more like a pet.
A real pet, not a half-metaphorical one like Jibril.
"I understand. As you wish, my master."
Without any resistance, Pandora calmly accepted her fate. Deep down, she even felt that becoming Eriri's possession might not be such a bad thing.
...
A day quickly passed. Having decided on the location for their nation, Echidna and the others had begun preparations for building the city.
Meanwhile, over in the Saekano world, the year's end was approaching, so Eriri chose not to stay any longer in the Re:Zero world.
When Echidna and her group left the city to head for their chosen site, Eriri tore open a world passage and returned directly to the Saekano world.
She didn't bring anyone else along—only her newly acquired pet, Pandora.
By then, Pandora's outfit had changed completely. The white cloth she had worn was gone, replaced by a black-and-white maid uniform trimmed with lace.
After returning to the Saekano world, Eriri didn't formally introduce Pandora to Arifureta and the others.
However, to members of the chat group, Pandora's appearance was hardly unfamiliar. So Arifureta and the rest recognized her immediately.
Although they didn't know why Eriri had brought Pandora back from the Re:Zero world, none of them felt particularly opposed to it.
After all, she was just Pandora. In this villa, she couldn't possibly stir up any trouble.
Over the next few days, Eriri's schedule unfolded much like the previous year. First, she accompanied her parents to visit the Spencer family in England, then made a trip to the Sawamura family estate in Kyoto.
Afterward, she returned to Tokyo to celebrate the coming of the new year together with everyone at the villa.
As with last year, all members connected to the chat group once again gathered in the Saekano world. Even Teru Miyanaga, Koromo Amae, and Tōka Ryuumonbuchi came over—not as mahjong tournament participants this time, but as part of the support group for Nodoka Haramura and Saki Miyanaga.
Likewise, Echidna brought Satella and the others through the Gate of Worlds to the Saekano world.
After all, the nation-building project had only just begun, and taking two days off wouldn't make any difference.
Having not seen Eriri for several days, Beatrice and Puck immediately clung to her the moment she returned, while Satella and her companions, visiting another world for the first time, were endlessly fascinated by everything around them.
For this year's New Year celebration, Eriri and the others made new arrangements instead of following the same program as the previous year.
Even so, just like before, everyone had an incredibly enjoyable day.
...
While Eriri and the others were still immersed in the lingering joy of the New Year festivities, in a mysterious space somewhere within the boundless multiverse, millions of figures had gathered together.
Each one possessed formidable strength—the weakest among them were at least Level 4 or higher, while most stood at Level 6 or Level 7, with a few even stronger.
They varied widely in form—some towering several meters or even tens of meters tall, others barely a meter in height. Some were half-human, half-beast, while others were entirely alien in appearance.
At the center of the vast crowd stood forty-two figures, surrounded in a wide circle by the rest. Though the crowd kept a respectful distance of several dozen meters, their gazes burned with fervent admiration.
The reason was simple—each of the forty-two at the center possessed power above Level 8.
The strongest among them—the apparent leader—had even surpassed the high-tier threshold of Level 8, reaching Level 8, Stage 7.
"Hahaha! After three years, it's time once again to plunder the source of another world."
"I wonder which unlucky universe will be next. Still, to become nourishment for our advancement—what an honor for that universe!"
A burly man with a thick beard and the strength of Level 8, Stage 5 laughed heartily, speaking to the others around him.
"I wonder how long it'll take to gather enough points to reach the next stage. This will be the seventh universe we've plundered, right?"
A voluptuous woman clad in a bikini-style armor, a massive greatsword strapped to her back, spoke wistfully. Her aura revealed her as a Level 8, Stage 6 powerhouse.
Originally, she had opposed the idea of plundering other universes. After all, every universe they invaded was eventually destroyed.
However, after being stuck at her current level for so long without hope of progress, she had no choice but to join this universe-raiding team.
"It's fine. As long as we keep pushing forward, we'll eventually become top-tier powerhouses like those retired seniors—Level 8, Stage 9 peak beings."
A handsome young man at Level 8, Stage 4 spoke confidently, thumping his chest. When he mentioned those retired veterans, his eyes shone with deep admiration.
He wasn't the only one—every one of the forty-two Level 8 beings wore the same expression.
These forty-two were the elite Reincarnators from the Main God Space, and the millions surrounding them were the various Reincarnator teams serving under the same system.
As for this vast dimension, it was a gathering zone provided specially by the Main God Space for the Reincarnators.
Reincarnators could earn points by completing missions issued by the Main God, but they could also actively invade and plunder other universes to obtain massive amounts of points in exchange.
However, initiating an invasion required at least one being powerful enough to open a Cross-Realm Teleportation path between universes.
To forcibly travel to another world required at least a Level 8 power. And to open a passage wide enough for a large number of Reincarnators to traverse together demanded even greater strength—often the combined effort of several Level 8 powerhouses.
However, even with such strength, invading another universe was not without risk. If they were unlucky enough to enter a universe that housed a Level 8, Stage 9 peak powerhouse, the only outcome would be total annihilation.
Though it was possible to send scouts ahead to gather intelligence, no one possessed the means to accurately determine whether such a being existed within the target universe.
Therefore, even among the elite Level 8 Reincarnators, very few dared to initiate cross-universe raids. And when they did, they always gathered as much strength as possible to prevent unforeseen disasters.
That was precisely why this space had gathered forty-two Level 8 Reincarnators and over a million Level 4 and above Reincarnators.
Upon reaching Level 8, each of them had received the same message from the Main God Space: only by advancing to Level 8, Stage 9 would the Main God cease issuing them Reincarnation Missions—signaling their official retirement.
Only then could they be considered truly free.
Despite their great power, every mission still carried a high risk of death. After all, the Main God Space raised Reincarnators through a brutal process akin to a "survival of the fittest" trial. No one ever knew what kind of enemy awaited them in the next mission world.
Thus, all low-level Reincarnators pursued strength to survive, while all high-level ones aimed for retirement.
"Alright, enough talk. Our full force has assembled—it's time to open the passage to the next universe."
At the center of the crowd, a cold-faced man who appeared to be in his early thirties—one of the few high-tier Level 8 Reincarnators—cut through the chatter.
"No problem. Let's begin!"
"I've been ready for ages!"
"..."
With a surge of excitement, all forty-two Level 8 Reincarnators unleashed their immense power simultaneously, their energies fusing into a single, razor-sharp force.
With a thunderous roar, the power erupted skyward, tearing open a colossal rift over a thousand meters tall in the space above them.
Without hesitation, the forty-two Reincarnators soared into the fissure. Moments later, the millions surrounding them rose into the air and followed, vanishing into the massive tear.
Once every last figure disappeared, the rift slowly sealed itself shut—leaving the space empty and silent once more.
...
Saekano World — Eriri was out shopping in Ginza with Arifureta and the others.
Even though only a few days had passed since the New Year, Ginza's commercial streets were still bustling—perhaps even more so due to the extended holiday season.
At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in Eriri's mind.
"Onee-sama! Onee-sama! Over a million Reincarnators have suddenly appeared in the To Love-Ru world!"
"Oh? Let me take a look."
Eriri lightly activated her All-Seeing Eyes, instantly perceiving everything occurring in the To Love-Ru universe.
"I see... interesting. Forty-two Level 8 Reincarnators, and over a million Level 4 to Level 7 ones, huh? Looks like things are about to get entertaining."
A sharp grin curved across Eriri's lips, her expression brimming with excitement rather than concern for that world's safety.
At her side, Arifureta, who was holding Eriri's arm, noticed her expression and asked curiously:
"Eriri, did something interesting happen?"
On Eriri's other side, Shea's exquisite face lit up with curiosity as well, her bright blue eyes shimmering eagerly.
Seeing their expressions, Eriri nodded with a mischievous smile.
"That's right. Looks like our little shopping trip is over for today—time to go have some real fun."
At the same time, she issued a mental command to her system.
"Little Skirt, post the related mission in the chat group."
"Understood, Onee-sama!"
—
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