That single question lingered in the air, a silent pressure that Li Ke couldn't ignore.
He wasn't just worried about the world ending; he was worried about his own momentum. Thanks to the Skill Book he had claimed, his path to power was now set in stone. Even if the System itself were to glitch out and disappear, the combat memories and Combat Instincts skill etched into his mind would remain.
In this dying world, Li Ke had finally found the perfect crucible to forge himself into a powerhouse. For the first time, he felt a genuine attachment to this place—not out of sentiment, but because it was the foundation of his future. He doesn't want his training ground crumble before he reached his limit in this world."
However, while he was thinking, Rias appeared out of nowhere.
"So, you felt it as well. The world's pulse is fading—I could sense it the second I arrived. This world's structure was already on the verge of collapse, but now, it's finally giving way. The end is closer than we thought."
Rias didn't mince words. The only reason the feeling was so intense was that the World's Will was practically screaming in her ear, urging her to slaughter the zombies and claim her place as its ruler.
But her sanity screamed louder. She knew the cost: if she accepted this 'succession' and took control, she would be bound to this dying world forever. She would never see home again.
"Should I send you back now?"
Rias sighed.
She really didn't want to leave such a perfect training ground, but they had no other choice. The world's 'selection system' couldn't even function safely anymore; it was literally falling apart at the seams. The only 'correct' move left on the board was to get out before the whole place imploded.
"I'll wake the others and explain the situation. As for getting out of here... we'll begin the evacuation after everyone ready. Li Ke, make sure you're also ready."
"Understood. I'll do everything in my power to bring everyone back safely."
Li Ke nodded, a calm confidence settling over him. Lending a hand—or saving a life—was something that had always come naturally to him.
After making their decision, the two woke everyone up and explained the situation.
However, everyone's attitude towards this matter was not the same.
Rin Tohsaka gave a slow nod, her hand moving to her chin in a pensive gesture.
"The destruction of a world, huh? Now that's something I'd actually love to see."
She let out a soft sigh. Even though she knew it was dangerous, the temptation was undeniable. An apocalypse was a potential doorway directly to the Root; even if she didn't make it all the way in, witnessing the collapse of a world was a dream shared by countless magi.
After all, when a world falls apart, its deepest secrets—things usually hidden by the Laws of the World—are finally laid bare.
"You've actually got the headspace to watch the world end? Uh, shouldn't you be worrying about... literally anything else right now?"
Hana glanced over at Li Ke and Hermione.
She had long since made peace with how broken this world was. After all, magic was a real thing here, and Li Ke's raw power was on a totally different level from hers. If he wanted to win through brute force, he didn't even need all these flashy mechanics.
"Rias and I have done what we could for Hermione, but given the time constraints, we can't guarantee the spell won't have any rebound effects. Her magical signature is fundamentally different from ours. We've confirmed there will be some feedback, but it won't last long; she'll likely just be out cold for about two days."
Rin Tohsaka shook her head.
They could have just forced Hermione's mouth open and had Li Ke shove his thing down her throat, but that seemed a bit too traumatizing for a young girl. Instead, she and Rias had pored over the book Hermione brought, testing various incantations until they found a safe self-hypnosis charm.
Rin couldn't help but feel a pang of genuine envy. Hermione's mana reserves were practically bottomless. Her only limitation was her physical cast speed—her arm couldn't wave the wand fast enough to keep up with her bottomless mana. Her raw stats were almost high enough to rival the Magecraft of our world.
She said "almost" only because her world's magic couldn't be made permanent. For now, "almost" would have to do.
"I see, that's good. Then, Li Ke, can you send Hermione back now?"
Song Hana nodded, then looked at Li Ke.
"I can do that," Li Ke said, his voice dropping into a serious tone. "But Rin, Rias—can you absolutely guarantee this spell is safe?"
To him, if his actions caused Hermione any kind of irreversible harm, he would be no better than a monster.
"Relax, we ran the tests last night," Rin replied. "The worst she'll feel is some lingering drowsiness from the hypnosis—nothing serious. We could have refined the formula further with more time, but we're officially out of it."
"Good enough." Li Ke turned his gaze toward the young girl. "Hermione, you're up first."
For various reasons, he hadn't interacted much with Hermione. She was clearly afraid of him, and he knew it was because of the deportation.
Mature people like Song Hana wouldn't think much of it, but for a little girl, it was indeed a bit much.
"Thank you all. I'm so grateful for your help, Big Sister Rin, Big Sister Rias, and Big Sister Hana."
Hermione gave everyone a polite, formal farewell before stepping in front of Li Ke. She took a deep, steadying breath, preparing to cast—but in that exact moment, Rin Tohsaka dropped a comment that caught Li Ke completely off guard.
"Empty your mind, Hermione. And whatever you do, don't carry any fear of Li Ke into the trance."
Fear of me?
Li Ke, whose body was still occasionally seeping blood from the sheer intensity of his training, couldn't fathom why she would be afraid of him. He sensed there was something he didn't know, but he pushed the thought aside. He didn't care about the why—only the results.
Hermione nodded. She locked eyes with Li Ke and began a rhythmic flick and swish of her wand.
"Dormio Cor Aperio!"
With a raw incantation that defied standard translation, she pointed the tip of her wand directly at her own heart. In an instant, a brilliant shroud of light enveloped her entire body. When she looked up at Li Ke again, her gaze had shifted—it was no longer innocent, but heavy with a sudden, ambiguous longing.
Li Ke didn't hesitate. He placed his palm firmly against her. Hermione's body gave a sharp, involuntary shiver, and for a split second, the magical light in her eyes flickered and surged in a chaotic blur.
But the next moment, a deportation button appeared before Li Ke's eyes, but…
The price had increased.
"Two thousand points for deportation?"
Li Ke frowned, then reached for Gardevoir beside him, only to find that its deportation fee had also increased to two thousand.
Clearly, prices had gone up during the global crisis.
Li Ke didn't intend to say anything, but Rias and Misaka Mikoto noticed.
Looking at his remaining deportation points, Li Ke pressed the deportation button.
The next moment, Hermione disappeared from that spot and appeared in what seemed like a warm and cozy home. But not only that, a crying woman suddenly rushed out and hugged Hermione.
Clearly, it was Hermione's mother.
But Hermione's stunned expression terrified her mother.
However, these images quickly disappeared, and Li Ke looked around at the people.
"Does anyone else have any objections? Miss Gardevoir's experiment has proven one thing: hands are enough. So, none of you have anything to worry about anymore."
As he said this, Li Ke couldn't help but feel that Mai Shiranui had been completely screwed over.
She had volunteered to be a test subject just to avoid having to sleep with other men—only for Li Ke to end up taking her from behind right in front of Andy. And now, it turns out using his hands would have worked just fine...
"Honestly, I don't really care either way..."
Song Hana let out a long yawn. She was pretty chill about the whole thing, though she had to admit—using a hand was definitely a step up from having to use her mouth.
But just then, Mikoto Misaka finally spoke up.
"I want to believe you guys, I really do," Mikoto said, crossing her arms defensively. "But isn't this all getting a little too ridiculous?"
She shifted her weight, her expression guarded.
"I know my power increased after using those 'Skill Points' you mentioned, but that could just be a manifestation of some unknown Esper ability. Honestly, with the technology back in Academy City, this isn't exactly impossible to replicate. I'm just not sold on the 'magic' explanation yet."
For someone raised in the heart of the Science Side, the truth was simply too hard to swallow.
Then, it happened—a peculiar distortion in the air that everyone could feel.
In the blink of an eye, the sun was out, its rays piercing through the shack's gunports. The zombies were gone, wiped from the landscape as if they'd never existed. Li Ke stared at his phone in a daze. It was 8:00 AM.
The world's clock had fast-forwarded overnight, leaving them a full day ahead of where they'd just been.