After sending Nezuko back, Souta made a trip to Little Garden.
Since Black Rabbit was out hosting a Gift Game, he handed the Spear of Indra over to Shiroyasha, asking her to pass it to Black Rabbit when she returned.
"By the way... Shiroyasha, why haven't you been nagging me to join 'No Name' and turn those kids into my followers lately?"
Souta asked curiously, sipping tea in the guest room Shiroyasha provided.
"I originally thought you could help 'No Name' while gaining benefits for yourself. But now..."
Shiroyasha shrugged and said:
"You've already got plenty of ways to collect faith.
Plus, three little brats are about to join 'No Name' anyway, so both sides are covered.
No point in pushing you anymore."
She added:
"Of course, if you want to help, I won't stop you."
"Forget it.
I'm about to wrap up some business in the Akame ga Kill world—no time."
Souta thought of Chelsea, Jägers, and his budding church.
With his current strength, setting things up there was no challenge at all.
It was time to develop Path of Peace into the Akame Empire's state religion and reap a harvest of faith.
His church had been quietly growing for long enough—it was time to cash in.
If he delayed any further, he'd feel like a total slacker.
"Gathering the faith of an entire world, huh…"
Shiroyasha mused,
"Think your divinity can ascend once you do?"
"You have to possess an Authority to ascend," Souta replied, a little puzzled.
"Why do you ask?"
"Don't forget what you promised,"
Shiroyasha said seriously:
"I'm still waiting for you to power up so I can spend points hiring you to help Izayoi defeat Azi Dahaka!"
"I was just talking casually! Don't take it so seriously..."
Souta looked helpless:
"I don't even know how powerful each divine rank actually is until I level up.
Azi Dahaka can casually shatter stars and move faster than starlight.
Just those two Gifts are already insane.
Right now, for me, that's way out of reach.
If my power doesn't catch up fast enough, rushing in would just be suicide."
Then he gave her a strange look:
"Wasn't Azi Dahaka defeated in the original story?
Why not just stick to the script?"
"It's not that simple!"
Shiroyasha shook her head:
"I reviewed that part of the plot... and, well, let's just say there were some serious logical inconsistencies."
That was the real reason she was desperate for outside help.
In the original, the main team defeated Azi Dahaka—but there were lots of holes.
Like how Izayoi could hide right next to Azi Dahaka without being noticed.
Or how he could react and catch a faster-than-light accelerating Vajra Spear and stab it into Azi Dahaka's heart.
Sure, novels could get away with it.
Reality? Not so much.
Logic mattered here.
Shiroyasha laid out her suspicions for Souta.
Souta thought about it.
He remembered another example from Volume 2:
Kasukabe Yō managed to react to an enemy moving at sixth cosmic velocity.
That was absurd.
For beings moving at light speed or faster, the outside world would seem frozen!
Never mind the sixth cosmic velocity, which surpassed even starlight speeds.
By normal logic, you'd be killed thousands of times before you could even blink.
"Shiroyasha, sixth cosmic velocity equals moving faster than starlight, right?" Souta asked.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Equivalent to stellar motion.
It's an extremely powerful Gift in Little Garden."
"And what's the speed of light?"
"You don't even know that?"
Shiroyasha gave him a disdainful look:
"Three hundred thousand kilometers per second.
Geez, you live in a modern world—how can you not know basic stuff like this? Study more!"
"..."
Souta sighed without arguing.
Apparently, light speed here matched his knowledge too.
Meaning... the original story wasn't reliable at all.
After a moment's thought, Souta said:
"If things get messy, we'll just use invitations to call in reinforcements.
Of course, I'll also focus on leveling up."
Since powerful outsiders could endanger his world, he couldn't call in heavy hitters.
But others were fair game.
Like Saitama.
Or magic gods from A Certain Magical Index.
As the two were talking, Souta's phone buzzed.
He checked—someone had posted in the group chat.
Chelsea:
"@Souta. Souta, bad news! The Revolutionary Army just showed up at my place!"
Souta:
"Revolutionary Army? Your identity got exposed?"
Chelsea:
"Probably.
Since I have to go out and calm believers as a Saintess, it's not surprising a Revolutionary spy spotted me."
Date A Live:
"Maybe they're here to propose an alliance?"
Chelsea:
"Exactly.
I haven't met them personally yet—I left them waiting in the VIP room."
Chelsea:
"@Souta. How should I handle this?
If you're planning to reform the Empire, should I just reject them?"
Souta:
"Who came?"
Chelsea:
"Najenda, with Akame and Bulat as her bodyguards."
Souta:
"Huh?
The leader of an assassination group doing negotiations?"
Chelsea:
"She's technically a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army.
She and I know each other, so it makes sense they'd send her."
Souta:
"Don't reject them.
We're going to win them over."
Souta:
"Hold on, don't rush.
I'll come there myself and handle the negotiations."
Chelsea:
"..."
Date A Live:
"..."
Rin Tohsaka:
"..."
Souta:
"What's with the reaction?"
Date A Live:
"I think it's better if the leader of Path of Peace does the talking.
You just... stand there and look important, okay? Don't open your mouth."
Souta:
"Kurumi, even you don't trust me?"
Date A Live:
"I trust you!
That's why I'm giving you advice."
Souta:
"..."
Was this really trust...?
Rin Tohsaka:
"@Souta. I've decided.
I'm going to use my points to comprehend the Second Magic and power up.
For mana supply, I'll just get a dragon core like Saber's."
Saber Artoria had the "Dragon Factor"—a heart that generated magic energy through breathing and blood circulation alone, without the need for magic circuits.
It was on a completely different level from regular magi.
Souta wasn't surprised Rin chose that route.
Way more convenient than magic circuits.
Souta:
"What about energy storage?
You magi have limited magic reserves, right?"
Rin Tohsaka:
"Not urgent for now.
I'll deal with it after I unlock the Second Magic."
Souta:
"You should also add 'Mana Burst' to your skill set.
Magi bodies are fragile.
If enemies get close, you're screwed."
Mana Burst was reinforcing weapons and the body with magic energy.
Artoria had A-rank Mana Burst, which let her clash head-on with Berserker.
If Rin had that, her close-quarters fighting ability would massively increase.
Souta:
"Use divine power to boost Mana Burst to A or even EX rank.
Then, try to develop an internal magic storage field.
With that plus a dragon core and Bajiquan martial arts—you could even go toe-to-toe with Servants."
Rin Tohsaka:
"You're right.
A magus' body is a weak point.
Alright, I'll keep it in mind."
Altair:
"Feels like magi have gone completely off-script."
Souta:
"It's just self-defense."
Altair:
"..."
Souta:
"@Rin Tohsaka.
When are you planning to do your upgrade?
I need to head over to the Akame world soon. Can you wait?"
Rin Tohsaka:
"No need.
You go handle your stuff.
I'll just buy divine power from the marketplace directly."
Altair:
"That's smarter.
System transactions are more fair."
Date A Live:
"Yeah.
If Souta were doing it manually, he'd probably end up giving more divine power than he gets points for."
Souta:
"Why do you all think that?"
Date A Live:
"You know why."
Souta:
"Fine, fine.
Buy it yourselves.
At least I don't have to run back and forth."
Though he said that, Souta still planned to secretly give Rin some extra help.
After all, they were officially a couple now, just like him and Kurumi.
It was normal for "husband and wife" to help each other.
"Come to think of it… Shinobu, Rin, Illya, Miku...
Maybe I am a bit of a sinner," Souta muttered to himself.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Shiroyasha shot him a glance.
"Nothing.
Anyway, I'm off.
Tell Black Rabbit thanks for me."
Souta waved and returned to his own world.
PS: Quick note about 'Cross-World System Fusion':
Simply put, it lets group members' original powers work in any world setting.
Like Rin being able to use Type-Moon magic in other worlds.
Or Souta's magic resistance working against non-Type-Moon magic.
Or members without a spirit rank being recognized in Little Garden through observational approval (though the exact mechanics aren't fully explained yet).
This fusion doesn't mean they can recharge their original powers across worlds—just that their mysteries still function.
Yes, it's kind of double-standard and system cheat-y.
But if Ryuguuin Seiya joined, he could make Avesta(Mondaiji) work universally too.
(Note: This novel isn't aiming for airtight worldbuilding, so don't sweat small logic holes!)