Multiversal Friendship System

Kurumi's clones never lived long.

That was because she never granted them much time.

Each clone's lifespan was extremely short, sometimes lasting less than an hour.

But for Souta…

It was hard to see them as mere tools when they had independent consciousness—

Clones that could go on dates, blush, and experience emotions just like the real Kurumi.

Just because a life lasted less than an hour—

Did that mean it wasn't a life at all?

Kurumi's careless attitude toward her clones made Souta feel a bit uneasy.

Of course, this was just his personal opinion.

He wasn't planning to lecture her from a moral high ground or force his beliefs onto her.

Some things needed to be viewed realistically.

He wasn't Kurumi.

He hadn't been through the same life-or-death struggles where she had no choice but to sacrifice her clones to survive.

If he judged her while having no experience of her hardships,

Wouldn't that just make him a self-righteous keyboard warrior?

But now—

Things were different.

Souta had given her over a million years' worth of time.

She no longer needed to worry about running out—

She could freely use any of her abilities without restriction.

Which meant—

If she still continued sacrificing her clones as disposable pawns, it would be unacceptable.

At this point, Souta didn't care if Kurumi got mad at him.

He sent a message with a hint of criticism, but in a respectful tone:

Souta:

"Kurumi, don't you think you're being too harsh toward your clones?"

"They have independent consciousness. That means they're living beings."

"Now that you have unlimited time, you don't have to sacrifice them anymore. So… why not treat them with a little more respect?"

Kurumi:

"Hmm?"

She replied almost immediately.

Kurumi:

"Oh my? Does this mean… Souta-kun dislikes me now?"

Souta:

"I don't dislike you. I just don't like how you treat your clones as disposable tools."

"If they were mindless puppets, that'd be one thing—but they aren't."

"They're basically your children."

"If possible, I hope you can at least acknowledge them more. If you ever need more time, just take it from me."

After thinking for a moment, he added another line:

Souta:

"Of course, this is just my suggestion. I'm not trying to force you. But as a friend, I still hope you'll consider it."

Kurumi:

"Souta… You really are a kind person."

Somewhere in the Date A Live world…

Kurumi had just stepped out of her Shadow Space.

Her phone screen glowed softly, reflecting a warm smile on her lips.

Her eyes shimmered, filled with a gentle light—like the soft waves of water.

She looked just like…

A girl in love.

Kurumi quickly typed a reply.

Kurumi:

"Don't worry. You've already said so much, so I'll change the way I treat my clones."

But as she hit send—

She suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy toward…

Herself.

Kurumi blinked.

Then laughed at herself.

"Am I really getting jealous of my own clones?"

BOOM!

An explosion in the distance shook the ground beneath her feet.

Her golden eyes narrowed as she sensed danger approaching.

From the sky, countless glowing projectiles rained down toward her location.

Kurumi let out a small sigh and quickly typed another message.

Kurumi:

"Souta, DEM's people have tracked me down. I can't chat for now."

Souta:

"Wait, you're really being hunted?! Are you okay? Do you need me to come help?!"

Kurumi:

"Hmm? What exactly could you do, Souta-kun? Get in the way?"

Souta:

"…"

Ouch.

That hurt.

She wasn't wrong, but…

Did she really have to say it like that?!

Kurumi:

"Ahh~ Don't be mad. I was just joking."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine."

Souta:

"Are you sure? You're really not in any danger?"

Kurumi:

"Of course. They're easy to deal with."

"Even Tobiichi Origami isn't a real threat to me anymore."

Kurumi:

"No time to chat. We'll talk later."

"And remember—

Don't go flirting with other girls behind my back, okay? ♥"

Souta:

"…"

The group chat went silent again.

Souta put down his phone.

He had a weird feeling—

Like he was the only one in the group not doing anything important.

With a deep breath, he pushed all distractions aside.

It was time to focus on training his Time Manipulation and Half-Cold Half-Hotabilities.

He had to get stronger.

When the first mission dropped, he wanted to be ready.

That day passed quickly.

By evening, Souta decided to cook dinner for himself.

Technically, he didn't need food anymore.

Thanks to his immortality, starvation wasn't a concern.

But he still enjoyed eating—

Some habits were too hard to give up.

As he relaxed, savoring his meal…

A sense of unease suddenly crept into his heart.

Tonight…

Would not be a peaceful night.

Halfway Through Dinner, the System Alert Sounded—

[System has detected a Friend Group member in critical condition. A single-player mission is now issued to the Host.]

[Single-Player Mission: Rescue Kiss-Shot]

Mission Details:

Your friend, Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, is in critical condition and will die from blood loss soon.

Go to the Monogatari world immediately, save her, heal her wounds, and help her overcome her emotional distress.

Mission Rewards:

1,000 points

---

A Mission… Finally!

Souta's eyes lit up with excitement.

He had been waiting forever for the first mission to drop—he was starting to feel like a retired gamer.

But soon, he noticed something off.

Wait a minute—

Kiss-Shot is considered my friend already?!

They had barely spoken a few times…

If he was being generous, they were acquaintances at best.

Calling them "friends" seemed like a bit of a stretch.

"Forget it—now's not the time to care about that!"

Souta focused on the mission description.

It's confirmed. Kiss-Shot is in the beginning stage of Kizumonogatari.

Because in the original story,

she only ever suffered critical blood loss at the start of Kizumonogatari.

But now, the system has issued a rescue mission—

That means her fate has already been altered by the system's interference!

A butterfly effect has taken place.

Normally, after escaping the Vampire Hunters,

she was supposed to hide in a subway station, where she would be found by Araragi Koyomi.

But this time—

Her hiding place must have changed.

Which means—

She wouldn't meet Araragi anymore.

Which means—

She was truly dying this time.

Which means—

If Souta didn't go, no one would.

"Damn… I actually guessed it right."

Souta's eyelids twitched.

So being chosen by the "Multiversal Friendship System" wasn't just a free ride—

It also came with a fair share of problems.

He quickly turned to the system—

"System, how do I travel to the Monogatari world? Kiss-Shot never invited me, and I don't have a Travel Card right now."

[For missions involving rescuing a Friend Group member, a temporary travel pathway will be forcibly opened.]

[No invitation or Travel Card is required.]

"Wait—there's such a useful rule?!"

Souta sighed in relief.

"Alright then, no time to waste—send me over!"

As soon as he finished speaking—

A bright white light engulfed him.