The moment the calamity from five hundred years ago was mentioned, both Yae Miko and Raiden Ei felt a heavy weight settle in their hearts.
Though half a millennium had passed, the devastation of that disaster remained unforgettable even now.
And now—Yae Miko suspected that New Eridu's so-called Zero Hollows might be the beginning of another catastrophe.
Behind the folding screen, Raiden Ei was silent for a long moment before speaking slowly.
"Miko, then you should go to New Eridu yourself and see."
Yae Miko drew a steady breath.
"Don't worry. Leave it to me..."
Of course, she wouldn't go alone. She had already chosen several reliable allies from Inazuma to handle any unexpected dangers.
Preparations began that very afternoon.
...
The next morning, outside Inazuma City, at the foot of the Statue of the Seven.
Raiden Ei, Yae Miko, Kujou Sara, Kamisato Ayaka, and Sayu gathered together.
Kujou Sara had been sent personally by Ei.
Kamisato Ayaka had volunteered, representing both the Yashiro Commission and the Kamisato Clan.
Sayu had been summoned by Yae Miko herself.
Looking at the assembled four, Raiden Ei fell into silence before finally speaking.
"Be cautious along the way. If you encounter anything beyond your ability to handle, return at once and report to me."
Yae Miko smiled faintly.
"Relax, Ei. Goodbye. We'll be back soon."
Kamisato Ayaka bowed deeply.
"Farewell, my General..."
Sayu stifled a yawn.
"Goodbye, General..."
As soon as the words left her lips, a soft flash of lightning flickered.
In an instant, Yae Miko, Kujou Sara, Kamisato Ayaka, and Sayu vanished, transported by the power of the Seven Statue into another world.
...
Meanwhile, in another distant world—New Eridu's Outer Ring.
Calydon Town.
Morning, near the town square.
After the Sons of Calydon had won the Tour de Inferno, Caesar had risen as the Overlord of the biker clan alliance. With tens of millions in investment secured from Hare's House, Calydon Town had entered a period of rapid development.
The reconstruction effort had begun around the town square.
The ruins that once surrounded it were cleared away, leaving a wide expanse of open ground. Piles of building materials had been delivered, awaiting use.
Several children were playing there, chasing one another around the Seven Statue.
Suddenly—
The long-silent statue erupted in golden light.
In a single flash, four figures appeared: Yae Miko, Kujou Sara, Kamisato Ayaka, and Sayu.
The sudden appearance startled the children.
One boy blinked, then pointed in recognition.
"It's you! The tanuki-cat lady from before—"
Sayu rubbed her sleepy eyes and corrected him.
"Not raccoon cat. Sayu."
The boy quickly nodded.
"Right! Sister Sayu! Boss Caesar, Sister Sayu's here—"
One of the children immediately ran off to report to Caesar.
Another tilted his head curiously at the newcomers.
"Sister Sayu, was that magic? How did you appear like that?"
Sayu muttered lazily, "Not magic..."
Beside her, Yae Miko, Kujou Sara, and Kamisato Ayaka looked around, their expressions mixed with curiosity and unease.
Just as Sayu had described before, the landscape around them was one of ruin—like a wasteland after the end of the world.
Seeing it brought memories flooding back to Yae Miko—villages across Inazuma five centuries ago had looked just the same.
Soon, the child returned with Caesar, Lucy, and Piper.
The moment he saw her, Caesar recognized Sayu.
"So it's you. Where are the others—Arataki Itto, Kuki Shinobu, and Kazuha?"
At the same time, Caesar, Lucy, and Piper cast doubtful looks at the strangers behind her.
It took only a glance to tell that Yae Miko, Ayaka, and Sara were nothing like the ones who had accompanied Sayu before.
There was a noble air about them—far beyond that of ordinary fighters.
Sayu replied slowly, "No need to look for them. Itto and the others didn't come."
Seeing her familiarity with the locals, Yae Miko smiled.
"Sayu, aren't you going to introduce us to your friends here?"
Sayu rubbed her eyes again and mumbled through the introductions.
"This is Caesar, the boss of... uh, some Winter Sons gang. This is Piper, the driver. And this is Lu... forgot..."
Lucy let out an exasperated huff.
"My name is Lucy. Get it right this time. And we're not Winter Sons—we're the Sons of Calydon."
Sayu didn't seem to care much about the name. After a pause, she continued:
"This is the Guuji of Narukami Shrine. This is Kamisato Ayaka, eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan. This is Kujou Sara, general of the Shogunate Army. And I'm Sayu, of the Shuumatsuban..."
She even reintroduced herself.
Though clumsy, her explanation was enough for both sides to get a basic idea of each other.
Still, Caesar eyed Yae Miko and the others with suspicion.
She had never heard of the Narukami Shrine, nor of any great clan named Kamisato. No such noble families existed in New Eridu or the Outer Ring.
That could only mean one thing—these people, like Sam Li, were outsiders, not natives of New Eridu or the Outer Ring.
Piper scanned them suspiciously.
"You didn't drive here. So how'd you get in? Don't tell me you walked?"
Sayu replied dully, "Teleported."
Piper blinked.
"Teleported?"
Before she could make sense of it, a young Son of Calydon ran up in a panic.
"Boss! Caesar! Bad news—"
Caesar's eyes narrowed.
"What happened? Speak clearly. I sent you to buy construction materials with the money. Why are you back alone?"
The boy stammered, "Boss, it's bad! The building materials and the truck—they were stolen!"
Caesar's expression darkened.
"Who did it?"
"It was the Els Organization..."
Lucy clenched her fists.
"Damn it, them again!"
Piper groaned in frustration.
"The Els Organization... This is going to be tough. Caesar, what do we do?"
Caesar roared without hesitation.
"We take it back—right now! Everyone, with me!"
She turned, ready to lead Lucy, Piper, and the others into retaliation.
Watching, Kujou Sara and Kamisato Ayaka exchanged wary looks. None of them had expected to encounter a gang conflict so soon after arriving.
Yae Miko only smiled faintly.
"It seems they've run into trouble. Let's give them a hand."