In the Sanctuary where so many had gathered, Kuromueina spoke with a look of bitter frustration.
"The connection has been severed completely. I can't interfere any further."
"Is it really that difficult to override Shallow Vernal-sama from the outside when she's already within?"
Just as they felt their voices finally reach Kaito after their persistent calling, Shallow Vernal had cut the link, allowing only the barest minimum of communication. With Shallow Vernal present inside the virtual space, external interference was a monumental task.
"Is there... nothing we can do?"
"That's not it. There has to be a way," Alice said. "Apparently, Shallow Vernal-sama told Kaito-san to forge many bonds and transform them into his own wings. That means there must be a way for us here to help him through his trial."
"Yes. Shiro doesn't lie," Kuro added. "Since she said that, the bonds Kaito-kun has woven have to be the key to this trial."
Even for someone like Alice, information was currently too scarce to grasp the details. Nevertheless, she was certain that a solution existed.
Setting aside the external conflict—the decisive battle between the Gods and the Human-Demon Allied Forces—it hadn't felt as though the bonds Kaito had forged had directly aided him in the trials so far. But they were missing something. Though the gathered crowd racked their brains, they couldn't find a single factor that would allow them to intervene.
Enduring a sense of impatience that felt like it was searing her skin, Kuromueina kept her hand on the Cradle. Praying from the bottom of her heart for Kaito's safe return, she whispered his name.
"Kaito-kun..."
At that moment, the change occurred. Immediately after Kuromueina called out to him with her soul-deep feelings, the Cradle emitted a brilliant flash. A complex emblem, distinct from any magic circle, manifested where she touched the device before being absorbed into it.
"What was that...?"
"Everyone! Touch the Cradle!" Alice barked out. "Think of Kaito-san with everything you have and call his name!"
Reacting instantly to the clear shift, the gathered allies followed Alice's lead and reached for the Cradle one after another. However, the same phenomenon only repeated for a few—Alice, Isis, Lilia, Sieglinde, and Fate. The change occurred only when the women who were Kaito's lovers touched the surface.
"Kaito-kun... do your best."
"I see. So that's how it works."
"Yes... I understand now."
"Though I'm not sure just how much we can help Kai-chan..."
Fragments of Kaito's current trial flooded the minds of those who had triggered the change, allowing them to grasp the situation, if only slightly.
"Is all we can do wait? How frustrating," Lilia murmured.
"I feel the same way, Lili. But for now, we have to believe in Kaito-san—and in us."
Those bound to Kaito by profound bonds spoke with anxious expressions, yet their words held a glimmer of hope as they began to explain the situation to the others.
In the virtual world, which had transitioned into the Second Stage, black humanoid monsters now roamed everywhere. Every inhabitant besides Kaito had been transformed into a monster; he was entirely without allies. Even at the Yumegaoka University that Kaito attended in this world, a sea of monsters swarmed the grounds.
Suddenly, a beam of light descended from the heavens onto one of the creatures. Cracks spiderwebbed across its obsidian body, and the monster shattered like a broken shell. From within the remnants, a person emerged.
"The Real Me... I've received your feelings and your wish. If you can't reach this world... then I'll fight in your place!"
With her white lab coat fluttering, the girl—Erina Kurusu—sprinted forward. She moved to become the strength Kaito needed while he fought alone, intent on merging with the remaining five companions as quickly as possible.
Perched on the rooftop of a skyscraper in the virtual world, Shallow Vernal looked down at the writhing masses below and whispered softly.
"So, you've realized. The existences I prepared to assist Kaito-san... I suppose I can say the stage is finally set."
With a casual flick of her finger, the black monsters began to converge, merging into a single, massive black sphere.
"However, time is running out. Though both sides have laid their cards on the table, the advantage remains mine. Will you be able to reach your destination before this is complete?"
Muttering to no one in particular, Shallow Vernal watched Kaito through eyes that saw everything.
"The first was the dream. The second was the escape. Only two trials remain: Parting and Eternity. Now, Kaito-san—my beloved singularity. Show me more. Show me the possibilities of your existence."
Serious-senpai: "Whoa, things are getting intense! So they weren't just here for the rom-com fluff after all!"
???: "They were 'help characters' prepared by Shallow Vernal-sama... Now we see how this unfolds. I'm looking forward to seeing if and when the serious tone finally breaks."
Serious-senpai: "At this point, does it even need to break?!"