"Alright then," Yuki tilted his head, a playful glint in his eyes. "Should I make my move now? Or will you surrender, Artemis?"
"I want to see it!"
Artemis refused to back down. She'd come here to witness the power of almost Omniversal entity—quitting halfway wasn't an option.
"As you wish," Yuki sighed, amused. "Don't blink."
Since Artemis's wants that, Lin Yue decided to make her wish come true.
With that, a tiny sphere of light materialized in his palm—no larger than a coin, yet its radiance forced everyone to shield their eyes.
A force, unimaginably powerful and beyond the laws of time, space, and causality rippled out, making the entire space quiver.
Then—
Reality warped wildly. Nearby objects twisted into flat pancakes, then stretched into spheres, collapsed into dots, or elongated into lines. Everything turned dreamlike, as if countless dimensional layers were being ripped apart.
The arena trembled but held firm, its structure barely containing the force of what Yuki was about to unleash.
Good.
Had this been any lesser space, the sheer backlash would've erased the spectators from existence.
But before he even moved—
[Winner: Nearly Omnipotent Yuki.]
The system declared his victory.
"This power…" Artemis' voice crackled, her mechanical form flickering. "It defies logic. Transcends reality itself. I… concede."
Unlike the four women watching, she'd felt it—that light had erased her the instant she perceived it.
Their so-called "invincible" machine god bodies? Mere toys in the face of such might.
On the sidelines, Ei and the others finally exhaled, their breaths shaky with lingering fear.
Those few seconds had stretched into an eternity, a nightmare of unraveling dimensions.
With Lin Yue's victory secured, everyone exited the arena.
Back in Reality…
Yuki's consciousness returned to his classroom, the mundane surroundings a stark contrast to the cosmic storm he'd just wielded.
So this is the Cosmic Heart's power…
Even as an incomplete fragment of OAA, it was terrifying.
Back in the Chat Group...
Moon Goddess: "Incredible! Even stronger than Lord Zeus!"
Inazuma's Shadow Warrior: "The gap isn't just a step or two—it's an entire cosmos."
Vase Leader: "With someone like Yuki-kun around, does that mean we've got a safety net for future crises?"
Sword Saint Heir: "Theoretically, yes. But relying on him forever isn't the answer. We need to grow stronger ourselves."
Moon Goddess: "Mmm! Saeko-chan's right!"
Young Miss of the East: "Sigh… I want to get stronger too, but I'm short on points."
Vase Leader: *"+1"*
Nearly Omnipotent: "No rush. Small steps still add up."
Sword Saint Heir: "Yuki-kun's right."
Vase Leader: "Speaking of which… Saeko-chan, your tone gets awfully gentle when talking to Yuki-kun~"
Moon Goddess: "Is this what humans call liking someone?"
Heir of the Shizuma Style: "Eh…!? D-Does it?"
Inazuma's Shadow Warrior: "It does."
Young Miss of the East: "Confirmed."
Yuki scratched his head sheepishly as the teasing flooded in.
Nearly Omnipotent: "Ahem. Anyway Seitenshi, I noticed something odd about your world."
Vase Leader: "What is it?"
Inazuma's Shadow Warrior: "Probably the Gastrea, right? Even I can't make sense of those things."
Nearly Omnipotent: "Exactly. I suspect they didn't just appear. There's likely an origin point."
Vase Leader: "You mean… the Gastrea virus was man-made?!"
....
Tokyo Area – Seitenshi Office
Seitenshi froze at her desk, her face paling.
Nearly Omnipotent: "Yes. If you dig into research records or investigate certain figures, you might uncover the truth."
While the Black Bullet series never explained the virus' origins before being axed, Yuki had his theories.
Coincidences this large don't exist.
The Gastrea were likely bioengineered horrors, with the earliest specimens born from experiments on orphaned children.
Why else would the "Seven Stars Artifact"—a lure for the strongest Gastrea—be a child's toy?
Inazuma's Shadow Warrior: "I agree. That Tendou Kisaru aide of yours seems especially suspicious."
Vase Leader: "Tendou? I see."
Nearly Omnipotent: "Be careful. If they've buried the truth this deep, they won't hesitate to silence you—even if you're the the Governer."
Sword Saint Heir: "Stay safe, Seitenshi-nee. Keep us updated."
Vase Leader: "Mm! Thank you, Yuki-kun—thank you, everyone."
A warm feeling bloomed in Seitenshi' chest as she read their messages. Yuki's guidance, especially, filled her with quiet gratitude.
But now wasn't the time for sentiment. Her expression hardened.
This investigation... She can't trust anyone with it.
Only herself.
Meanwhile, in Yuki's World...
As dusk painted the sky, school finally ended. Yuki packed his bag, ready to head home—until a small, determined hand clamped onto his arm.
"Yuki." Tobiichi Origami stared up at him, her voice flat but insistent. "Come home with me."
She pressed her petite frame against him, trying her best to seduce him while ignoring the bewildered stares of their classmates.
Yuki coughed awkwardly. This girl...
"Ahem, Origami, I've got to pick up my little sister today. Maybe another time?"
Origami's eyes flickered with disappointment before resetting to their usual blank state. "...Understood."
She released him... then whipped out a notebook and scribbled:
『Yuki's Preference: Imouto-type. Conclusion: Siscon.』
Yuki's eye twitched. "That's not—! Look, I'm not a siscon. I'm an equal-opportunity enthusiast."
Origami's pen froze. Then—
"...I see." Her eyes lit up like a supernova. "As expected of Yuki."
Nope. NOPE.
"Alright, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow," Lin Yue said, eager to escape. If he stuck around, this origami master might overwhelm him, and he wasn't sure he could handle it.
Slipping away felt like the safest move.
On the Way Home...
Yuki sighed. Origami's relentless "research" was wearing him down.
Time to enact the time travel plan tonight. If I stay any longer, I'll either snap or surrender—neither's ideal.
Not that he minded her attention. But some battles required... strategic retreats.