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Time flowed unnoticed amidst the layered conversations.
"Our time is up."
Shen He rose slowly, the faint ripple of divine presence washing over the room. "To this world, we are ultimately outsiders and cannot stay for long. But Yifangtong has already formed a Pact Link with me. In case of emergencies, he can contact me directly. If necessary, I can force open the barrier and descend."
Everything essential had been relayed. At the very least, cross-dimensional communication was secured. One anchor, one link—it was enough for now.
After offering solemn farewells, Shen He and his companions vanished into glimmering particles. The small apartment where Kamijou Touma lived abruptly became silent and spacious, as if the earlier tension and crowding were only an illusion cast by another timeline.
Steele stepped forward to the spot where they disappeared. Closing his eyes, he extended his fingers into the space. Moments passed before he retracted his hand and shook his head at the God's Flame Priestess.
"No residual traces of magic… It's definitely not a superpower either," he murmured. "I'll report this to the Supreme Archbishop."
That final sentence was conveyed telepathically, resonating through the holy code shared only between high-ranked members of the Necessarius Church.
Although Shen He had expressed his unwillingness to involve Jeanne d'Arc in the religious conflicts of this world, her presence—clearly sanctioned by divine protection—meant something significant had shifted. For Steele, this was enough reason to escalate it.
"This is the responsibility of one loyal to the Church. I will not stop you," God's Flame Priestess Shatena replied in the same sacred code, her voice steady as always.
Since no third magician was present, no one else noticed their brief mystical exchange.
Yifangtong rose to his feet next. "I'll search for Misaka Misaka's coordinates myself. I don't care about the rest. If you discover anything meaningful, call me directly."
Without entertaining further discussion, he turned and strode out, cloak billowing behind him.
Silence fell like a curtain over those who remained.
Moments later, Misaka Mikoto cleared her throat and stood. That familiar fire returned to her eyes—the fiery temper, the stubborn pride, and her usual reckless willfulness.
"Hmph. Guess the Academy City investigation is up to me. You guys just stay out of the way… though I do appreciate the help, I guess."
The last part was mumbled so low only Kamijou Touma could pick up on it. Not that he minded—he was already moving toward the door after her.
"Wait! Are you planning to do this alone?"
"Obviously. I'm a Level 5 Electromaster. What I should be worried about is whether they're ready to meet me. I'm just checking out some data points—"
Electric arcs sparked at her feet. Mikoto accelerated suddenly and leaped cleanly from the stairs. In just a few bounds, she vanished into the distance.
Meanwhile, in the Marvel World—
Shen He and the others returned directly to the God Eater dungeon. With no time to rest, they began training immediately. Pressure weighed heavily on Shen He's shoulders. He needed to locate Qi Mu Nanxiong's breakthrough materials urgently—floor seventeen was approaching, and with it, the first major level cap.
During that hour, they managed to locate the Far East Branch, a major storyline node.
"Time for today's reinforcements…"
Shen He stood before his gathered companions. Aside from Qi Mu Nanxiong, the rest fixed their eyes on him with undisguised expectation.
Although bonded by friendship, every follower hungered for strength. As Shen He accumulated more followers, reinforcement opportunities would become more competitive.
"Given the presence of magic-focused enemies in the Demon-Sealed World, I'll prioritize Joan's level today." Shen He made his decision after careful thought.
The Two Rituals remained expressionless, calm as always. Violet, however, seemed downcast. She had contributed little during the last encounter and felt a sting of uselessness.
"You're giving it all to me?" Jeanne d'Arc instantly noticed Violet's mood. "I only need half of today's mana to level up. Master, let Violet and the others—"
"No," Shen He interrupted gently. He pulled Violet into his arms and embraced her, offering comfort before explaining, "I leveled up today too. With current experience scaling, it'll take three days to max Joan. If she breaks through the level 20 cap first, we'll know the breakthrough requirements in advance and can plan accordingly. After level 20, follower strength takes a leap."
He aimed to push Joan past level 21 before the encounter with Misaka Misaka.
"Understood," the Two Rituals nodded silently. Without complaint, she turned and headed for the training chamber.
Her body's rapid strength increase had left unrealized potential. Focused training could tap into it further.
"Jeanne, come help me with close-range spear drills," Shen He added.
It had been his first time using the cursed soulbound spear today, and the gaps in his technique were glaring. If his companions were working hard, there was no reason for him, the Master, to slack off.
Thus began a phase of intense preparations.
For the next three days, while Misaka Mikoto and the rest conducted necessary field investigations in Academy City, Shen He utilized every available hour in the Special Dungeon to gather experience points. His focus wasn't just combat—it included assisting stranded non-combatants and escorting student refugees to safe zones, ensuring food supply and defense protocols.
Multiple clashes occurred with rogue Incompetents and Academy City's covert special forces. These encounters further pushed Shen He's progress.
By the third day, while Shen He was mid-sparring with Jeanne, Tony Stark appeared once more.
"Can't you just take me with you already?" Tony huffed. "You told me this conflict has innocent casualties—kids, Shen."
Ever since he learned the real impact of the cross-world war, Tony had been emotionally invested. Though allergic to commitment and marital tombs, his fatherly instincts transferred onto gifted youths. He even took time to personally mentor talented interns within Stark Industries.
"Jumping between worlds isn't the same as a supermarket run," Shen He replied, slightly exasperated. "It's not up to me. Entry slots are based on item drops and RNG."
Recently, an event-exclusive card called Limited-Time Help had been unbanned. It allowed temporary synchronization with non-summoned characters. Unfortunately, Shen He hadn't obtained one yet.
Truthfully, Tony's armor had already evolved impressively. It now featured supersonic burst maneuvering and an array of devastating weapons.
"Fine," Tony sighed. "I designed a new semi-wrapped power suit for your girl. She's a monster with weapons. Her base stats are already freakishly high. I reinforced half the body's control modules—full armor wasn't needed. This version should help her become a top-tier close-range terminator."
"Make sure it looks good," Shen He said firmly. "Your aesthetic sense is garbage. Get a proper designer."
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