Journey to Planar World

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the living room.

Still drowsy, Aishia lay in Charlie's lap, her face serene like a sleeping child. Sitting opposite them were the Nakano quintuplets—Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki. Next to them were the Uesugi siblings, Fuutarou, and his younger sister Raiha.

Ignoring the subtle stares around him, Charlie gently stroked Aishia's hair, as if nothing else in the world mattered more.

He had set up a powerful illusion barrier, making the house invisible to anyone looking for it, including the secret agents who were secretly pursuing them. For now, their location was safe.

Charlie broke the silence. "After everything that happened, do you still not believe what I told you before?"

Ichika looked at him with a serious expression, while Nino rolled her eyes, trying to maintain her skeptical attitude. However, it was Nino who asked first.

"That robot man... who is he really?"

"I don't know his name. As far as I know, he's one of the summoned beings sent by the Abyssal Devourer to target you guys." Charlie sighed lightly.

"Abyssal Devourer?" Miku murmured, her face full of confusion.

Fuutarou, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

"Is he the one who caused the MK Virus?"

His tone was heavy, filled with restrained anger. After all, the MK Virus had taken his father.

"The MK Virus is a masterpiece of one of the summoned beings. The Abyssal Devourer's goal is to steal the World Source. If enough World Source is lost, then this world will collapse."

Because Gaia and Alaya didn't forbid discussing the Abyssal Devourer with the targets of protection, Charlie told the truth. With this, he hoped for their cooperation after hearing the truth.

"What is the World Source?" Itsuki asked, trying to understand the situation that seemed increasingly complicated.

"The World Source is the essential energy that sustains life, order, and balance on this planet. Without the World Source, everything will crumble—nature, humans, even time itself." Charlie explained carefully.

"..."

The explanation silenced everyone. It was hard to digest the fact that their world was on the verge of destruction.

"Then, what's your role here?" Ichika finally asked.

"Well, I'm the Savior. My task is to protect this world, especially you." Shrugging, Charlie said helplessly.

"Why us?" Nino interjected, her voice sounding impatient, trying to hide the anxiety that was starting to creep into her heart.

With her green ribbon looking wilted, Yotsuba lowered her head, her eyes welling up.

"We're just ordinary people. Why are we the target? We're not important... Whether we exist or not, the world would surely continue."

"I also don't understand. I'm just an ordinary student. Why is this entity called the Abyssal Devourer chasing us?" Fuutarou nodded in agreement.

"..."

Silent for a moment, his eyes swept over their faces one by one. Charlie knew the truth, but it wasn't something he could just reveal. Telling them that they were the protagonists and heroines of a fictional work would only shatter their minds.

He remembered how Professor X went crazy after finding out that he was just a character in a comic after reading Deadpool's memories. He didn't want them to experience the same thing.

Under everyone's anticipatory gaze, Charlie took a deep breath and began to speak, choosing his words carefully.

"Every era has its Sons and Daughters of Destiny. In this era, this position falls on you guys, except for Uesugi Raiha. The fate of this world is closely linked to your existence."

"..."

The explanation silenced them.

"It's like the plot of a light novel." Miku murmured softly.

"Doesn't that mean everyone who died from the MK Virus, or those who were caught in the fight last night, is because of us?" Yotsuba's voice was full of regret.

"..."

Her words created a deep silence. Ichika, Nino, Miku Itsuki, and Fuutarou, lowered their heads, consumed by guilt.

Biting her lower lip, Yotsuba clenched her fist as if she had made a firm resolution.

"If... if by me disappearing, this tragedy could be stopped, maybe that's what I should do..."

The statement immediately triggered a strong reaction.

"What are you saying, Yotsuba?!" Ichika reprimanded, her face showing a rare anger.

Staring sharply at Yotsuba, Nino scolded her for having a stupid idea. "Don't talk nonsense! Do you think everything will be fine if you sacrifice yourself? Why should you sacrifice yourself for others! There's no way we'll let you do that!"

Holding Yotsuba's shoulder and looking directly at her, Itsuki said seriously: "Never think of giving up. If we face this together, there must be a way out."

"But I just want all this to stop... If my life is the only price to stop all this tragedy... I don't want more people to get hurt because of us." Yotsuba lowered her head, tears starting to fall.

"Sigh..."

Taking a deep breath, Charlie couldn't blame Yotsuba's feelings—her intentions were very good but her thinking was too naive.

"Foolish, truly foolish... The idea that the future can only be built on the suffering and sacrifice of the past is outdated."

Yotsuba was like a reflection of himself in the past, selfless kindness for the well-being of others... Charlie knew that people like that wouldn't end well. He was the best example.

Folding his arms, he looked at Yotsuba, who was still sobbing.

"Nakano Yotsuba, your death will only cause the Abyssal Devourer to steal the World Source faster. Simply put, if one of you dies, it will actually make the Abyssal Devourer's goal successful. Your survival is important to this world."

Those words echoed in the room. Yotsuba looked at Charlie, her eyes watery but this time a faint determination appeared.

"What if we tell the government the real situation? The government will protect us!" Itsuki proposed with a serious tone, although there was doubt in her voice.

Charlie glanced at Itsuki, smiling wryly.

'No wonder these quintuplets are indeed stupid.' However, he refrained from saying that aloud.

"Don't forget that most government agencies are not functioning after the MK Virus wiped out the majority of men. Even if they believe your story—which is highly unlikely—do you think they can protect you guys from a threat like the Abyssal Devourer? Even I almost died last night."

"..."

That answer silenced Itsuki.

"Then what should we do?" Ichika asked, a serious expression gracing her face.

"We can't keep hiding like this. Many innocent people have died because of the Abyssal Devourer's actions to find us." Concern was evident in her voice.

Charlie looked at Ichika, giving a slight nod of appreciation for her concern. He then explained calmly:

"The Abyssal Devourer that came to this world this time is a Summoner Type. This means he can only summon villains from other worlds once every three days. After summoning five times, the world will automatically send his hiding coordinates to me."

Everyone listened intently, including Fuutarou, who had been silent all along but clearly looked worried.

"After I find and eliminate that Abyssal Devourer, your lives will return to normal. No more pursuit, no more pointless deaths. But until then, you have to hold on." Charlie continued.

The atmosphere became a little calmer, although tension was still palpable.

"How much time do we have until that happens?" Fuutarou asked.

"There are three more times left. That means nine more days. So, during that time, you must obey and stay under my supervision. Don't worry, I'll provide all the basic necessities."

Charlie's statement made the atmosphere even more serious, but no one objected. There was no choice but to follow the instructions of the Savior who had saved them.

After the conversation ended, Charlie took out several cell phones from his Space-Time Cache and distributed them to them.

"These are temporary cell phones. You guys can use them to access the internet or play games, but never try to communicate with the outside world. I'll know if you do."

Taking the phone hesitantly, Miku looked at him.

"Why are you giving it to us now? Didn't you previously forbid us from using any technology except TV?"

"Because now I believe you guys won't run away. You know what's at stake, and I'm sure you're smart enough not to try anything stupid." Charlie smiled thinly.

"Hmph." Nino snorted, leaning back on the sofa. "Hah, you should have been like this from the beginning. At least now we don't feel like prisoners."

Ichika looked at the phone in her hand, then looked at Charlie with a curious gaze. "What's your actual plan? You said nine more days. Are you sure we can survive that long?"

"I've set up an illusion barrier around this location. Even if they send troops, they won't be able to find us for a while. But it's not permanent, so we have to stay vigilant." Charlie said lightly, underestimating the troops from various countries.

Yotsuba, who still felt a little guilty, clutched the phone tightly. "I'll do whatever I can to help... Even though I don't know what I can do."

"For now, all you need to do is stay alive. And follow my instructions. The more you restrain yourselves, the easier it will be for me to handle this." Charlie replied bluntly.

Aishia, sitting next to Charlie, added in a soft voice: "We're here to protect you. So, trust us."

The conversation ended, and they all started using their respective phones. The atmosphere eased slightly, although the tension hadn't completely disappeared.

❀❀❀

In the ruins of Tokai City, special teams from various countries began to move stealthily, disguised as relief workers. Teams from America, Russia, and several other countries were racing to find the remnants of technology left behind by Shishigami Hiro and other advanced weapons.

In one of the central operation tents, a Russian agent stared intently at his laptop screen. "No traces can be found. Could it be that the target used technology we don't understand?"

His leader, a man with a cold face, nodded. "This isn't just technology. Something bigger is happening here. Make sure you report every finding, no matter how small."