If he wanted to intervene in the Toaru world, Takumi needed to determine the flow of time and then plan carefully. Takumi already had some ideas regarding that world. For example, there were the 10,000-plus Misaka Sisters. Weren't they the best candidates for residents? As for their genetic defects, Falna sublimation could completely solve them. When the time came, he could let them travel to various worlds, allow them to experience the great deeds of world-traveling, improve their level of Grace, and sublimate their bodies as containers. Their defects would naturally be resolved.
Or even simpler, a panacea should do the trick. As for such a remedy, through Takumi's material creation, it was just a matter of consuming a little magic power. Not to mention, he now possessed a cheating device like the Infinite Magic Furnace, which provided so much magic power that it effectively cost nothing. Also, although the power system in the Toaru world was outrageous, the magic system there was actually mature and contained a vast amount of related knowledge. After all, there were more than 103,000 volumes of magic books listed as banned books, which showed how deep the knowledge of the magic system was.
This knowledge was also very useful to Takumi. The more knowledge he prepared, the easier it would be for him to use magic for creation. At the same time, these magics could be used to expand the skill reserve of the Divine Path System, serving multiple purposes. But there was still one problem: the Toaru world was very dangerous for Takumi. Going outside was not as safe as being in the farmer's world. Takumi did not have systematic protection outside to suppress the strength of outsiders for him. In that world, especially those Magic Gods, the ridiculous bonuses of their reality meant each of them was almost at a universal level.
Takumi, as a talented general who could theoretically destroy stars, was simply not strong enough compared to them. Even if Takumi felt this way, Hestia and Hephaestus definitely could not be relied upon for combat. Their current abilities were not even as strong as Takumi's. Therefore, if Takumi wanted to plot something within the Toaru world, he had to be very careful.
Takumi glanced at Misaka Mikoto, who was sitting opposite him. He could also just rely on her to give him rewards, avoiding the need to take risks. The biggest advantage of his Dimensional Gate system was that it allowed him to guard the gate and enjoy the benefits. Although statistics from several practical experiences showed that rewards for tasks triggered by him personally going to other worlds were much better than staying home, he could choose not to take the risk if it was too great.
It was just that the rewards obtained that way were not necessarily as good. It was simply more time-consuming to get what he wanted. But Takumi was not short on time now. He did not have any pressing goals or powerful enemies to face. Even now, he was invincible in the main world, and he could play his own games at home regardless of what happened outside. Thinking about it this way, Takumi felt that this approach was also feasible and quite good.
And yet... he felt he had been too busy lately. Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy life? Why did he have to look for trouble? He calmed down and looked at the current situation of himself and the Dimensional City. Comparing it with his original situation, Takumi couldn't help but feel that he had been a bit frantic recently. It was mainly because the pace of life had changed.
He had clearly wanted to enjoy life from the beginning. Building a Dimensional City was just a development goal that happened to come with acquiring the system. The purpose of recruiting new residents was simply to have more manpower for construction, reducing his own burden and making things easier for himself. Why was it that he could obviously enjoy it now, yet didn't want to stop? Why was he actively thinking about going out to make extra money?
Even if he wanted to develop the Dimensional City, he didn't have to work this hard. Looking at the results of the past six months, they were actually quite good. Forget it; winter was coming soon anyway. Why not take the opportunity to take a break, enjoy life, make plans, and work hard next year? Takumi suddenly woke up and regained his original intention. It was time to enjoy life seriously—to eat, drink, and relax when he should.
Was this a waste of time? How could this be called a waste? He had been busy for almost half a year! Could he not take a break? Even the production team's donkeys couldn't be driven like this! However, planning was still necessary. Although he didn't have to go to the Toaru world himself, he could encourage Misaka Mikoto to help him achieve his goals.
So, when Takumi took Misaka Mikoto to visit the Dimensional City, he sighed seemingly unintentionally: "Alas, there are still too few people here. It is called a Dimensional City, but it is currently only the size of a village." Hearing this, Misaka Mikoto tilted her head and thought, "Is that so? I think it's okay. Everything here is magical, and everyone lives quite happily."
She was a little unsure what Takumi meant by telling her this. She didn't dare to elaborate further and could only talk about the current situation of the Dimensional City as she saw it. Takumi thought to himself that it would be weird if they weren't happy. There was no pressure in life within the Dimensional City. Tuesdays were off, and the standard working hours were eight hours without overtime.
In terms of welfare, there was free medical care and a complete set of extraordinary systems. You could gain strength through hard work, and even just eating could strengthen your physique and extend your life. There were even many free entertainment resources. Where else in the world was there a place with better treatment than this? Even the only ordinary resident, Asuna Yuuki, could enjoy these benefits besides the power-gaining aspect of the Divine Path System.
It could be said that apart from the fact that it was not lively enough due to the small population, the welfare benefits of the Dimensional City would make 99% of people envious. This was simply a paradise! Of course, Takumi was also being a bit boastful. He told Misaka Mikoto this just to leave an impression that the Dimensional City was short on people and willing to recruit residents.
Then, when she completed the events of the Level 6 Shift project and had to arrange for the 10,000 Misaka Sisters, she might consider the Dimensional City. As for whether it would happen, he would just let nature take its course. He mainly wanted to see Misaka Mikoto's impression of the city. It was undoubtedly good now, but there was no guarantee it wouldn't change, or that she wouldn't find other choices.
If compared to the original story where she might rely on others, the Dimensional City was undoubtedly a better option. Although Misaka Mikoto would likely trust Shirai Kuroko more, the Dimensional City had its own advantages. For example, Misaka Mikoto could visit at any time, and the Misaka Sisters wouldn't have to be separated, giving them more peace of mind. But in the end, it was Misaka Mikoto's choice, and Takumi could only do his best.
After taking Misaka Mikoto around, they saw many girls who happened to be resting that day, practicing in the square. It was actually a sparring session or a form of military practice. This was a practical combat sport using cold weapons. Generally, both sides would wear protective gear and hold blunted weapons to simulate actual combat. But obviously, these girls were not ordinary.
They used wooden weapons, which were safer for them, and wore no protective gear. Although being hit by wooden weapons hurt, it wouldn't be fatal. With their strength, even unedged iron weapons could kill. By not wearing protection, they could practice their durability and gain experience points for their rank.
The rules were very simple: two people fought each other. They attacked parts that would incapacitate or be fatal to an enemy, such as the limbs or head. A hit counted as a point. Notably, to stay close to actual combat, there was a rule for "post-mortem" attacks. This meant that even if you "killed" your opponent, if they had already launched an attack, that attack still counted. If you failed to block it and were hit, neither side scored a point, even if both "died."
This rule was very close to real melee combat. Even if an enemy is dying, the kinetic energy of their strike does not disappear. Many close-combat encounters where both fighters died were due to these types of strikes. Incidentally, this training method was proposed by Asuna Yuuki. In the original worlds of the other girls, this specific style of training was either not popular yet or didn't exist.
In the world of Sword Art Online where Asuna lived, it was quite popular among young people, and she had learned of it by chance. There were some local factors involved, as their style of swordsmanship had been popular since childhood. Whether it was martial arts, Kendo, or fencing, the only differences were the rules and restrictions; the core content was the same. Once this project was launched, it quickly became popular in the Dimensional City. Since practicing swordsmanship required competition anyway, why not make it more entertaining?
"Don't they feel pain?" Misaka Mikoto asked, watching the girls fight passionately. Seeing them strike at each other's faces and hands with enough force to whistle through the air—and seeing one break a wooden sword—made her eyes twitch.
"Actually, it's okay. It definitely hurts, but it's also a form of exercise," Takumi replied.
Misaka Mikoto raised her eyebrows. "Then why do they need to exercise like this?" She felt like she had discovered something important.
"This is because..." Takumi scratched his head, hesitated, and then told the truth. "My place is actually located in a dangerous area known as the Forest of Death. There are many powerful monsters in the forest. Although they are not a huge threat to us, we still need to clear them out from time to time. Moreover, I believe you can see that their strength is quite high."
Misaka Mikoto nodded. Judging from the intensity of the fight, anyone could see they were strong. She felt they were even stronger than some Level 3 or Level 4 ability users who focused on body enhancement.
"The Dimensional City has its own power system which is complete and has a very high limit. As for how high, it can probably lead to godhood. The road is right in front of them. If it were you, would you take it or not?"
Misaka Mikoto could not refute that. If it were her, of course she would! Not everyone was like a certain hero who thought being too powerful was a burden. But... could they actually become gods? If he wasn't lying, that was incredible. She was secretly shocked but only nodded to show her understanding.
Takumi didn't pay much more attention. He looked at the time and said, "Okay, it's getting late. let me take you to experience the special delicacies of the Dimensional City. I'm not bragging; the food here will make you want to eat forever."
"Oh? Then I would be honored." When Misaka Mikoto heard about delicious food, she immediately became energetic. Although she wasn't a dedicated foodie, how could a girl her age refuse the temptation of great food?
Takumi smiled and led her to the canteen that had recently opened. As for why he didn't take her to the City Lord's Mansion, it was because their relationship wasn't at that stage yet. Furthermore, all his women were there; it wouldn't be a comfortable environment for a guest like Misaka Mikoto.
"Ah, you are a rare visitor. Takumi, what brings you here to eat?" Nakiri Alice, who happened to be setting up the meal, joked when she saw him. Apart from the women closest to Takumi, she was one of the few who called him by his name so casually. Of course, there were also Sakura and Shinobu Kocho. One saw him as a brother, and the other relied on her sister-in-law status.
Takumi didn't care much about titles. They were all his own people, and as long as no outsiders were watching, it didn't matter. "I brought a guest," Takumi said, gesturing toward Misaka Mikoto.
"Oh?" Nakiri Alice looked over at Misaka Mikoto and smiled. "Hello, young lady. My name is Alice Nakiri, and I am today's chef. I hope you enjoy your meal."
"Uh... Hello, my name is Misaka Mikoto." She was stunned for a moment, not expecting Alice to be the chef. She had assumed she was an employee. She responded politely, but couldn't help but wonder if someone only a few years older than her could really be that skilled.
Seeing this, Takumi introduced her: "Alice was born in a world where gourmet food is paramount. She is the daughter of a famous gourmet group and has been professionally trained since childhood. Her skills are unquestionable. She is better than the top chefs of most worlds."
Nakiri Alice scratched her cheek in embarrassment. "Hey, it's not that exaggerated. It's all thanks to Takumi's support."
But as soon as Misaka Mikoto heard this, her gaze shifted from suspicion to respect. She leaned forward and took Alice's hand. "Please, I would love to try your cooking!"
"Sure," Alice replied with a knowing look. She took Misaka Mikoto to the side to get some food. Since she still had work to do, she couldn't make a separate meal, but she pointed out the best dishes for her to try.
"Oh my God! This is too delicious! How did you do this? This is beyond common sense! It truly is a different world!" Misaka Mikoto tasted the food and was so shocked that she lost her composure. She had to admit Takumi wasn't bragging. She felt this was the best food she had ever eaten.
Alice simply smiled and went back to work. In the end, while Misaka Mikoto didn't eat a literal ton, she did finish several kilograms of rice. She only stopped when she physically couldn't eat another bite.
"Sorry, I lost my temper just now," Misaka Mikoto said, blushing with embarrassment as she realized how she must have looked. She couldn't help it; the food had attacked her senses first!
Takumi smiled and waved it off. "It doesn't matter. Many people who come here for the first time react like that. You don't need to worry about it." Hearing this, Misaka Mikoto felt much better. If everyone made a fool of themselves, then she wasn't the outlier.