The following events took place during the God Realm Decisive Battle Arc.
While Kaito challenged Shallow Vernal’s trial, those gathered in the Sanctuary waited with bated breath, their expressions clouded with anxiety. Kaito was struggling within a world akin to a dream crafted by Shallow Vernal, and his lovers, who shared an unbreakable bond with him, were able to sense the gravity of the situation. Through their spiritual counterparts within the virtual world, they could feel the tide of battle turning against him.
"This isn't looking very good, is it?"
"No, it isn't. He can’t win this in a head-on confrontation. Our only hope is to act as decoys, drawing her attention so Kaito-san can reach his goal... I doubt this trial was ever designed with the intent that he could actually defeat her."
Alice responded to Kuromueina's observation with a heavy, somber expression. Within the virtual world, they were currently in the middle of a desperate vehicular escape from a jet-black dragon conjured by Shallow Vernal.
"It’s agonizing. Being forced to wait here, unable to do anything but watch..."
"Yes," Sieg added to Lilia's lament. "If only there were some other way we could be of use..."
"It’s a tall order," Fate cut in, her voice lacking its usual cheer. "As long as Shallow Vernal-sama remains inside, she’ll block any attempt at interference. Unless we have a method that could completely catch her off guard, further intervention is impossible."
Fate’s face was twisted in a bitter grimace; she was clearly just as dissatisfied with their helplessness as the others. While the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Isis remained perfectly still, her head bowed in silence.
"Isis, are you alright?"
Lilliwood spoke to her with deep concern. Though Lilliwood was not Kaito’s lover and could not perceive the situation as accurately as the others, she understood from Kuromueina's explanation that things were dire.
Isis didn't respond to Lilliwood's voice. Instead, she began to whisper as if in a trance.
"I... I can’t do anything more... even though I want to help Kaito so badly... I can’t think of a way."
"..."
"But... if you know a way... then please... lend me your strength... another me."
"What are you—Isis!?"
Immediately after the murmur escaped her lips, Isis’s body suddenly went limp. Lilliwood lunged forward to catch her. As Kuromueina and the others spun around in alarm, Lilliwood’s eyes widened in shock.
"Is she... sleeping? Suddenly, in the middle of this? What could have happened to her...?"
Isis found herself standing in a vast, sun-drenched plain where flowers of every imaginable color bloomed in wild profusion. Looking around, she saw the very being she had called out to standing a short distance away: a figure wearing a black dress who looked exactly like her.
"Ah..."
"So you did notice. You purposely chose not to mention that I am the residual thought lingering within the Magic Power of Death..."
"Yes... because you are also me... I knew instantly."
"I see."
Their intertwined consciousnesses had temporarily drifted apart, allowing them to face one another within the landscape of the heart. This was Another Isis—the being who had once been a God in a different world. Isis believed that if anyone knew a way to save Kaito, it would be her.
Reading her counterpart’s thoughts with perfect clarity, Another Isis spoke softly.
"First, we must accept the premise: the gap between our power and Shallow Vernal’s is absolute. I do not possess the strength to force my way into a virtual world she is actively guarding."
"So... it’s hopeless?"
"...However, there is one way I might be able to help Kaito. I possess a single ability that can rival Shallow Vernal’s authority."
"An ability... What is it?"
"It is the Power to Connect One's Heart with Others. Because this is the only part of my original divine power that remains perfectly intact, I can exert an influence even upon the world Shallow Vernal created. Of course, it will only last for a short moment before she notices and severs the connection..."
It was the power the Great Evil God had retained in its perfect form, even after discarding all other abilities to create her world. The power to bridge the gap between her heart and another's—an ability that normally held little tactical significance. But Kaito was currently undergoing a trial within a mental landscape. By connecting their hearts, they could create a temporary bridge into the virtual world.
"I will explain the process now, so listen carefully. First..."
Another Isis laid out the plan. As she listened to the method that would save Kaito, Isis nodded with iron resolve.
Though she had fallen into a sudden, deep sleep, Isis opened her eyes barely a minute later. She immediately called out to Kuromueina and the others.
"I can... help Kaito... Everyone... please... I need your help."
"You found a way, didn't you? Alright, tell us what to do."
Kuromueina didn't even wait for the details; she saw the fierce determination in Isis’s eyes and gave her full support. If there was a way to help Kaito, there was nothing to debate.
"I am going to... use my power to connect everyone’s hearts... to Kaito’s... So please... focus all your thoughts on him."
"Kaito-san is in a mental world. If we can project our strongest feelings to him, they will manifest as raw power in that space... As for his location, we can use our counterparts in the virtual world as anchors to find him."
"Yes... and Fate... I need you to grant me... the Critical Point of Fate... I must control my Magic Power of Death perfectly."
"Okey-dokey! If it’s just one target, I can handle that even in my current state."
The Magic Power of Death was the most critical element in exercising the Authority to Connect One's Heart with Others. Just as it had been for the Great Evil God of Despair, a careless connection would expose everyone to her lethal mana. However, under the protection of the Critical Point of Fate, Isis could control her power completely, allowing her to link their hearts without causing them harm.
In a way, this was the very scene the Great Evil God of Despair had once dreamed of. This was the power she had left behind out of a desperate wish to connect with others and be liberated from her soul-crushing loneliness.
Now, that very power was being used to save the person she loved most. At the realization, a single tear traced a path down Isis’s cheek.
Wiping the tear away, her heart filled with a solemn vow to be Kaito’s strength. Isis reached out to her other self, followed the method she had been given, and invoked her authority to connect their hearts.