All five of Maki Zen'in's basic stats had finally hit their peak. Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, and Magic—all maxed out. There was no room left to grow at her current level.
Even in the world of DanMachi, only a handful had ever surpassed the S-rank threshold.
One was Bell Cranel, the protagonist blessed with the cheat-like skill "Liaris Freese," who didn't just break past S-rank—he blasted through to SS and even SSS.
The other was Alfia, Bell's great-aunt and a former top executive of the Hera Familia, known as the "Monster of Talent." Even she only broke through in Magic, reaching SS-rank.
For those without insane abilities or blessings, breaking the S-rank wall was absurdly difficult. Maki had managed to do it thanks largely to her unique physique—the Heavenly Restriction. Though hers was still incomplete, the pure physical boost it granted made the climb possible.
"If you're ready, we can do your level-up now," Akiyama Ren said, looking at her with a warm smile.
"Un!" Maki nodded eagerly. After a whole month of battling, this was the moment she'd been waiting for.
Ren summoned a trace of divine power to his fingertips, his hand glowing faintly as he began inscribing her updated Falna.
Soon, a list of Development Abilities presented themselves. There were six in total: Hunter, Swordsman, Lancer, Striker, Mage, and Continuous Attack.
As expected of Maki, who was proficient in a variety of weapons and martial arts, her options were diverse. She found herself overwhelmed, unable to choose right away.
"Ren-kun… what do you think?" she asked, her expression tinged with hesitation.
Ren didn't answer immediately. Instead, he explained the attributes and benefits of each Development Ability in detail, patiently laying out the pros and cons.
After some thought, Maki made her decision. "I'll go with Hunter. It feels the most balanced."
Hunter was a staple first Development Ability among adventurers. It enhanced overall performance when fighting monsters and even applied outside the Dungeon. Since Maki also dealt with Cursed Spirits and various supernatural beings in her own world, it was a fitting choice.
She passed on Swordsman, Lancer, and Striker due to her broad weapon usage. Mage, though tempting, could wait for a future level-up. With her decision made, Ren finished updating the Falna.
[Name]: Maki Zen'in
[Level]: Lv2
[Ability Values]: Strength: I0 | Endurance: I0 | Dexterity: I0 | Agility: I0 | Magic: I0
[Development Abilities]: Hunter
[Magic]: —, —
[Skills]: Heavenly Restriction (Incomplete)
Ren handed the status sheet to Maki, who looked it over with a stunned expression.
"Eh?! Why are all my stats reset to zero!?"
Ren chuckled at her panicked face. "Calm down, baka. That's just how leveling works here. Your Lv1 stats are embedded into your body now. What you see are your Lv2 stats, ready to grow again."
"Ohhh... I-I see. Geez, you scared me!" Maki sighed in relief, pressing a hand to her chest.
Ren grinned. "Thirty days have passed in this world. You've got seventy left. Think you can hit Lv3 before then?"
"Easily!" Maki declared with a cocky smirk. "I might not even need the full seventy days!"
"That's the spirit. Let's give the people at Jujutsu High a real shock when we get back," Ren said, already imagining the look on Gojo's face.
"Not just them. I'm taking the Zen'in Clan for myself," Maki said with fire in her eyes. "No more being looked down on. I'll become the clan head, just you wait!"
Ren smiled. If Maki became head of the Zen'in Clan, that was as good as him holding the reins. With Natsume handling the Tsuchimikado Clan and Kyoko the Kurahashi Clan, half the Jujutsu world and Onmyōdō society would be in the palm of his hand.
Sure, he could've taken control through brute force. But brute rule breeds resentment. Loyalty forged through trust, strength, and personal bonds? That's much more durable—and way more satisfying.
Since the Jujutsu Alliance and the Onmyō Agency insisted on sending him beautiful, talented girls, he might as well accept them. Turn them into his loyal retainers, empower them, and let them run the world for him.
"Ren-kun, why're you grinning like a pervert?" Maki asked suspiciously.
"I was just thinking about your incredible tight—"
"B-Baka!!" Maki turned beet red and smacked him on the arm.
Ren caught her fist, rolled them over, and pinned her beneath him with a devilish grin.
(I'm skipping this one)
That night, the tent once again shook into the early hours.
...
The next morning, Maki Zen'in woke up early, stretching with a satisfied yawn. She moved about quietly so as not to wake Ren, who was still sprawled out on the futon, snoring softly. After quickly preparing her gear and packing some dry rations, she left a small note on the table and slipped out of the house.
"The upper and middle floors can't help me grow anymore," she had murmured to herself. "It's time to push further."
Ren, of course, wasn't truly asleep. The moment the door clicked shut, he cracked one eye open, a faint smirk curling on his lips. "That stubborn girl… always trying to prove herself."
He wasn't worried, though. A trace of his divine energy still lingered on her, like an invisible thread. Should she face any real danger, it would activate instantly, allowing him to teleport to her side. For now, he decided to indulge in a bit more rest.
By 8:30 a.m., Ren was fully awake. After washing up and donning a fresh set of modern clothes, he looked out the window. With Maki off grinding in the Dungeon, there was little point in staying idle. He made his way to The Hostess of Fertility for breakfast. As always, Syr greeted him with a warm smile, while Mama Mia barked at the waitresses to keep moving. Ren chuckled. This place never changed.
After a hearty meal, he returned to the small wooden house. But the moment he stepped inside, he frowned.
"It's time to do something productive," he muttered.
Summoning the Star Gate with a flick of his wrist, the swirling blue vortex opened before him. With a final glance back, Ren stepped through, leaving the Dungeon World behind.
...
Type-Moon World — Germany, Einzbern Castle
Natalia was deep within the grand library, flipping through centuries-old grimoires with intense focus. Although Ren had tasked her with overseeing the Einzbern family affairs, she delegated most of the mundane tasks to her assistant, Ahaad. Her true passion lay in Magic, and with the vast treasure trove of knowledge housed within the Einzbern archives, she could study to her heart's content.
But her tranquility was abruptly interrupted.
A ripple formed in the air beside her, twisting the space until a shimmering blue vortex emerged. Moments later, Ren stepped out casually, brushing imaginary dust from his coat.
"Mas—Master!" Natalia exclaimed, quickly standing and bowing.
"Relax," Ren said with a wave of his hand. "Sit."
Natalia hesitated. Instead of sitting down immediately, she offered her seat to him and went to fetch another chair. Ren, amused, sank into the warm chair she'd just vacated.
"You've been sitting here a while, huh?" he muttered, smirking to himself.
When Natalia returned and seated herself across from him, Ren finally asked, "How are the preparations?"
"Claudia Ortensia has been brought to the estate," she replied promptly. "As for the Holy Relics, we've secured several potential leads, but there's still no trace of Avalon."
Ren frowned but nodded. "Keep pushing. I want the Holy Sword Sheath found—no matter the cost."
"Understood," Natalia said, her voice unwavering.
"Good. Now take me to see Claudia."
Natalia stood immediately and guided him through the ancient halls of the Einzbern estate to a private chamber. She knocked gently.
"Come in," a soft voice called from inside.
Natalia opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing for Ren to enter first. He raised an eyebrow at her overly formal conduct but said nothing.
Inside the room sat a pale woman with short, curly white hair. Her body was frail, wrapped in bandages, and an eye patch covered her left eye. Her golden iris shimmered in the morning light, filled with quiet curiosity.
Claudia Ortensia.
Ren had read about her in fragments. Karen Ortensia's mother. Kirei Kotomine's estranged wife. A woman cursed with the Shiroko constitution—unable to heal, unable to defend herself. Her body was a canvas of scars.
Ren approached, smiling softly. "Mind if I examine you?"
Claudia tilted her head. Without a word, she stood and began unbuttoning her blouse.
"Wha—wait, what are you doing?!" Ren asked, startled.
"Didn't you say you wanted to examine my body?" she replied calmly.
Natalia turned bright red and turned her face away. Ren smacked his forehead.
"I didn't mean it that way," he groaned. "You don't need to undress."
Claudia shrugged, sat back down, and nonchalantly replied, "You've already seen it. What's the point of putting them back on?"
Ren sighed, muttering something about the women in his life being too bold. He walked over and placed a hand on her forehead, injecting a thread of divine energy into her body. At the same time, he activated his enhanced Six Eyes, scanning her constitution in detail.
It didn't take long to confirm. The Shiroko condition was more than just genetic misfortune. It was spiritual in nature—a karmic weight bound to her lineage.
"It really is a harmful constitution," Ren muttered, removing his hand. "I can remove it."
Claudia's eyes, previously blank, now shimmered with hope. "What will it cost me?"
Ren's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Become my woman—and bear me a daughter."
The room fell into a thick silence. Natalia froze, her face drained of color.
Claudia simply stared.
Ren said nothing else. He wanted to test the laws of causality, of fate. If Claudia bore him a child, would the Type-Moon World attempt to course correct history? Would her daughter mirror Karen?
He wanted to test whether a "historical correction force" truly existed in this world.
The plan was simple. He would take three key women from the timeline—Claudia Ortensia, Irisviel von Einzbern, and Aoi Tohsaka—and see if, even with him as the father, they would still give birth to their canonical daughters: Karen, Illyasviel, Sakura, and Rin.
If the children still turned out to be the same, that would mean the world corrected its own history, a subtle but powerful mechanic.
If they didn't—then Type-Moon's universe didn't self-correct at all. It simply bent to the strongest will.
Still, Ren was inclined to believe in its existence.
After all, the phenomenon of the Lostbelts practically screamed of alternate histories fighting for dominance against a fixed "correct" timeline.
And weren't Karen, Illya, Rin, and Sakura central figures across multiple timelines?
Claudia sat quietly for a while.
Then, to Ren's amusement, she nodded without hesitation.
"Alright," she said plainly. "You're handsome—and honestly, my type. I don't mind becoming your wife."
Ren's grin widened.
"Kotomine Kirei, your cuckold crown is officially in place," he murmured inwardly. "Let's see if you still find joy in suffering now."
Forming a sword-hand seal with his right hand, Ren chanted in a low, resounding voice:
"In the midst of Toyoashihara, the Central Land of Reed Plains, I, a Calamity God, descend upon this place. This segment of karma—severed from this point!"
The moment he finished, his sword-finger sliced downward, aiming at Claudia's chest.
Immediately, blinding white sigils burst from her body. The patterns twisted, then unraveled, transmuting into eerie black mist before vanishing into the air.
Claudia and Natalia both froze in shock.
That chant... that technique…
Had he just called himself a God?
And those markings—was that her curse literally unraveling in real time?
Even the renowned Mystic Eyes of Death Perception could only perceive and sever life. But what Ren had just done… was on another level entirely. He had severed karma itself.
Natalia's thoughts were racing.
The longer she spent around Ren, the more she questioned everything. Was he really human? Or had a divine being taken mortal form?
Gods weren't supposed to exist anymore. The Age of Gods had ended.
So then… what was Ren?
He ignored the stunned silence and simply asked Claudia, "How do you feel?"
Claudia blinked, her body slowly catching up with her mind.
She flexed her fingers, stretched her arms, and stood up fully.
"...Lighter. Stronger," she whispered. "It's like the weakness is gone. Completely."
She quickly unwrapped her bandages. The pale, sickly skin that used to be riddled with welts and scars was now smooth. Her trembling fingers moved to the eye patch covering her right eye—she peeled it off.
Clear vision returned.
Her golden eyes widened.
Not a single injury remained.
No more pain. No more curse.
Just... freedom.
****************
In Fate/Grand Order, Lostbelts are alternate versions of Earth's history — timelines where events diverged significantly from the main, "correct" human history (known as the Proper Human History, or PHH). Each Lostbelt represents a world that, due to some critical difference in its past, developed in a vastly different — and often darker, more inhuman — way.
These timelines should have been "pruned" (i.e., discarded or collapsed) by the laws of the universe because they deviated too far from the Proper Human History. However, in the story, they somehow survive and begin invading or competing with the Proper Human History to overwrite it and become the new reality.