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Mikasa?
Was it the one from Attack on Titan? Or the Mikasa from Azur Lane?
And then—White-Haired Dumpling Amoeba K423.
"Tch, why does that name sound so familiar…" Tatsuki's eyelid twitched.
"Tatsuki, is the tea too hot?" Kie asked, worried he might've burned himself.
Some people liked their tea piping hot. Others preferred it warm. Still others liked it cool. Kie figured Tatsuki leaned toward the cooler side, so she continued blowing on the tea, trying to cool it for him.
"It's a little hot, yeah. Please keep blowing to cool it down."
As he spoke, Tatsuki held the ice cream cup with both hands and carefully repositioned Nezuko so she wouldn't fall off the couch.
"Nezuko, if it's too scary, you don't have to keep watching. Not all magical girl shows are this intense—how about changing the channel?"
Despite her trembling, Nezuko shook her head firmly. "No, Tatsuki-nii, I can handle it."
Seeing her so determined, Tatsuki didn't press further. "Alright then."
Truth was… Nezuko had been scared enough to pee herself.
Tatsuki held her close. He didn't care about his clothes, but he definitely didn't want to get the floor wet—he didn't want Sayuri to have to clean up a mess later.
Now, about that special ice cream cup Kie had made…
The material used for the cup was a rare type that behaved opposite to the usual thermodynamic rule: instead of expanding in heat and contracting in cold, it expanded in cold and shrank in heat.
This made it the perfect vessel for presenting her version of the three-flavor ice cream.
Why? Because the slower you ate, the more the ice cream would melt. And that melt—those sweet, colorful drips—was the best part of the whole thing.
Once the three flavors began to melt and mix together, they created a deliciously strange fusion. Anyone who'd tried it before knew—this was where the magic happened.
Tatsuki tucked a few sweat-damp strands of Kie's hair behind her ear and took another spoonful, whispering softly, "I just wanted to say… your skills are amazing, Kie. This three-flavor cup is incredible."
"I'm so happy you like it," she replied.
The love in her peach blossom eyes deepened to a glowing red, and her voice turned fragrant like orchids. "If I get the chance, I'll make you a five-flavor cup. A six-flavor cup. Maybe even more."
She had been diligently learning cooking from Sayuri. To her, a three-flavor cup was beginner-level. She was ready to challenge herself with more.
Tatsuki's eyes lit up with excitement. "Deal!"
No more words needed.
He kept eating, fully immersed in the experience, while scrolling through the group chat.
White-Haired Dumpling Amoeba K423: "Hellooooo! What is this weird chat group? I just thought about sending a message and it went through! Why do I have such a weird nickname?"
Kiana: "Hello everyone~ This lady is Kiana Kaslana!"
Shinobu Kocho: "Oh my, the new member seems quite lively."
Saint: "This is the Apocalypse Chat Group. It's a cross-world group for people from different worlds currently facing—or destined to face—an apocalypse."
Kiana: "Apocalypse? I don't feel anything like that…"
Kisara Tendo: "Check your profile. It should say something."
Kiana: "Oh oh! Future Apocalypse (6-star). Is that it? What does that even mean~?"
Kiana Kaslana, K423. That was all Tatsuki needed to confirm—this was that Kiana from Honkai Impact.
He continued scooping at rapid speed, devouring the three-flavor cup as he typed out a reply.
Tatsuki: "It means your world might face an apocalypse in the future."
Vivi: "That's right. At first, I thought it was all a hoax too… but then everyone started arriving, and I realized it was real."
Kiana: "There's really an apocalypse? Hmph! This lady doesn't buy your nonsense. Who's playing a trick on me? Come out and face me!"
At St. Freya Academy's high school division, white-haired dumpling Kiana suddenly slapped her desk and shot to her feet, her proud little face full of defiance like she'd just uncovered some great conspiracy.
"Who's pulling tricks on me? Show yourself!"
Her sudden outburst startled the entire class.
The teacher at the blackboard, chalk in hand, froze mid-sentence. Snap! The chalk broke clean in two.
Whirling around, he flung the chalk like a dart.
"Ha! Watch me dodge!"
Kiana leaned back in perfect form, letting the chalk whiz past without so much as brushing her hair.
"…"
The teacher's face darkened. His voice dropped into a devilish growl.
"Kiana! After class, my office. Now."
"Yes, sir!"
Only then did Kiana realize she was still in class. Pouting, she sat back down with a defeated grin.
Though her eyes were no longer on the blackboard—they were fully locked onto the chat group.
…
A black-haired girl zipped through the forest, expertly maneuvering with her 3D maneuver gear.
"What's this?"
A floating screen appeared in front of her out of nowhere, disrupting her field of vision. The anchor line of her gear shot off course and failed to latch onto a surface.
"Ugh!"
Mikasa came crashing down hard.
Instinctively, she adjusted her body midair to reduce the impact. Thankfully, the fall wasn't too high. Aside from what felt like a dislocated arm, she avoided any serious injury.
"Tch, careless even during a survey mission?"
A woman with black hair descended before her, landing lightly with her own gear. Her tone was cutting, vaguely sharp.
Mikasa only glanced at her. Without replying, she stood up and leaned against a tree, cradling her right arm.
"Ymir, don't be like that. Mikasa probably just got distracted for a second," a blonde-haired girl said gently as she landed.
"Krista Lenz… I'm just saying it for her own good. Spacing out during a fight with a Titan can get you killed."
Ymir's tone softened when speaking to Krista.
Mikasa's gaze drifted forward. Ymir caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and assumed Mikasa was staring at her. She turned to glare back—
Only to realize Mikasa's eyes weren't focused on her at all. She was staring at the floating screen.
Kiana: "Why can't anyone else see this weird screen?"
Honghong: "Because it's the Apocalypse Chat Group."
Ainz Ooal Gown: "Exactly."
Kiana: "?"
Kiana: "That doesn't explain anything, dammit!"
Mikasa: "Apocalypse… Unstable Apocalypse (4)? Is that what this means?"
March 7th: "Another Indeterminate Apocalypse entry!"
Tatsuki raised an eyebrow. He was very curious—which Mikasa was this?
Tatsuki: "Mikasa, may I ask your full name?"
Exusiai: "? Is Tatsuki suddenly interested in newcomers?"
Tatsuki: "Just asking. Totally fine if you don't want to answer."
Mikasa: "Mikasa. Mikasa Ackerman."
Confirmed—this was Mikasa from Attack on Titan.
Still, to be safe, Tatsuki decided to double-check something.
Tatsuki: "Who is Eren?"
Mikasa: "Never heard of him."
"…?"
Tatsuki blinked rapidly, trying to make sure he hadn't misread.
Mikasa Ackerman doesn't know Eren?
She had been adopted by Eren's father—if she didn't know who Eren was, it could only mean she hadn't been adopted yet… maybe during childhood?
Tatsuki: "How old are you?"
Mikasa: "Fifteen."
"…?"
Tatsuki was genuinely stunned. He even paused mid-bite of his ice cream.
But noticing the puzzled stares of the girls around him, he quickly resumed eating, pretending nothing happened, though his mind was racing.
A fifteen-year-old Mikasa should already have joined the Survey Corps. So why would she not know Eren?
Only two possibilities made sense:
—Either this was an alternate version of her world.
—Or the Unstable Apocalypse label had scrambled timelines and memories.
Kiana: "Hey, hey, can someone explain what's going on here!?"
Aqua: "Guhehe~ Join the Axis Cult and I'll tell you everything!"
Kiana: "Do you take me for a fool!? 'Axis Cult'—that name sounds suspicious as hell!"
Tatsuki: "You should explore the group features first. That way, you can verify whether the group is real or not."
Kiana: "Hmmph… I see a red packet feature! It says you can send things to other people?"
Kiana: "Hehehe, if you're all from other worlds, then anything I send should just disappear, right?"
Saeko Busujima: "That's exactly what the red packet function does."
[Ding! Kiana has sent a red packet to Tatsuki!]
"…?"
Tatsuki raised an eyebrow. What did she just send me?
[Tatsuki has received the red packet!]
He retrieved the item from the group's dimensional storage and held it in his hands, silent.
It was a homework notebook.
Her name—Kiana—was written clearly on the cover.
Without pausing the way he cradled Nezuko in his lap, he flipped open the notebook.
Her handwriting was surprisingly neat and clean… though the actual homework content was wildly unfocused. Little doodles of animals popped up here and there, proof that she'd clearly been spacing out during study time.
He glanced at the group chat again.
Kiana: "Oh oh! My notebook disappeared! Hahaha! No more homework for me! This chat group is amazing!"
Exusiai: "Have you considered the possibility… that even if your notebook is gone, your teacher might still make you redo it?"
Kiana: "Hah? That's allowed!?"
Silver Wolf: "That's the default, really. Why wouldn't it be?"
Kiana: "Whaaa! Nooo! I already finished half of it! I'm not doing it again! Tatsuki, give it back!!"
Tatsuki: "…"
No wonder they called her Dumb Kiana.
Silver Wolf: "…"
Bronya: "…"
Nami: "I'm starting to think this new member might actually fit right in with the Axis Cult."
Tatsuki had previously given the group a lecture on just how terrifying the Axis Cult was.
That had sparked a wave of criticism from Aqua, but she ultimately couldn't stand up to Tatsuki's admin privileges.
The mute button was very real.
...
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