Some time had passed since the truth of the Dimensional Chat Group was revealed, and Su Mo had integrated the full strength of his scientific-path future self to step into the domain of Rank 9.
In the Dimensional Chat Group, the girls were engaged in their daily online banter.
[Misaka Mikoto: "Speaking of which, it's been a while since I've seen Lord Su Mo. Where is he lately? The Sisters and that Shokuhou girl are all asking about him."]
The newcomer, who hadn't joined the group all that long ago, asked in a feigned casual tone.
[Rin Tohsaka: "It seems the Misaka Sisters really like Lord Su Mo. But what about you, Mikoto? Do you miss him?"]
The twin-tailed girl asked with a mischievous smirk.
[Misaka Mikoto: "I-I do not! He just helps me whenever he feels like it, takes away my important things without asking, and then leaves without even saying goodbye... I-I definitely don't like Lord Su Mo!"]
The brown-haired girl's face turned beet red, and steam practically puffed from her head.
[Rin Tohsaka: "Oh? I only asked if you missed him. Why did you answer whether or not you liked him?"]
[Kanae Kocho: "Exposed!"]
[Erica Blandelli: "Exposed!"]
[March 7th: "Totally exposed!"]
[Misaka Mikoto: "Waaaah! Rin, you set me up!"]
Realizing she had been played, the Railgun flared with indignation. Sparks of electricity flickered around her, accidentally shocking Shirai Kuroko—who was nearby wondering why her "Onee-sama" was so upset—until she twitched on the floor.
[Rin Tohsaka: "It's not a setup; I'm just trying to remind you of something."]
[Misaka Mikoto: "What?"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "There is no future for a tsundere."]
[Misaka Mikoto: "You're the tsundere! Your whole family is tsundere!"]
Seeing Misaka Mikoto provide such a textbook response, Rin Tohsaka simply shook her head.
[Rin Tohsaka: "Sigh, the classic reaction. You're lucky you have a chance to avoid being a 'losing heroine' now. If this were before the group was officially designated as a 'bedtime management group,' a girl like you would have stayed single until the heat death of the universe."]
[Misaka Mikoto: "Huh?! Who's a losing heroine?!"]
[Jibril: "To be fair, she's right."]
[Tendo Kisara: "I am forever grateful to Miss Hatsune, the Administrator."]
[March 7th: "Thank you, Miss Hatsune, for making our dreams come true!"]
Misaka Mikoto, who didn't know much about the group's history, was still a bit lost. However, the veterans fully understood how vital Rin's warning was. If Hatsune Miku hadn't pulled back the curtain, they would have been stuck in a stalemate of hesitation forever.
[Misaka Mikoto: "Aren't you guys exaggerating? I don't think I'm a loser at all. When Lord Su Mo was busy packing up those Magic Gods, I was right there cheering him on with Shokuhou and Kuroko!"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "...That's just hard to watch. Let's get back to Lord Su Mo's whereabouts."]
[March 7th: "...Extremely hard to watch. Lord Su Mo visited my side recently. He taught me some swordsmanship and ended up being pestered by a little girl named Yunli. But he seemed to have other business; he left after giving the kid one lesson."]
[Misaka Mikoto: "Is 'hard to watch' some new kind of linguistic bullying? Anyway, I'm curious too. Where did Lord Su Mo go after that?"]
[Jibril: "Why not ask Master's most loyal servant? That's right, me! Little Jibril!"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "You actually know?"]
[Jibril: "Of course!"]
The Flugel girl puffed out her chest with pride.
[Jibril: "After ascending to Rank 9, Master felt that the classification of worlds could be further refined. He's currently researching 'Fifth-Class Universes.'"]
[Shiroyasha: "Fifth-Class Universes?"]
Jibril's words piqued everyone's curiosity.
[Rin Tohsaka: "I thought there were only four categories. A Class 4 universe is already a dead end without hope. Is there really a possibility worse than that?"]
Everyone was familiar with Su Mo's theories. Class 4 universes were the most common in the multiverse; they couldn't birth "True Hope" on their own and required intervention or world-hopping to survive. They were effectively born to perish.
What could possibly be lower than that?
[Jibril: "There is! Master says it's a special type of world that doesn't just fail to birth hope—it actively consumes it. The level of decay is so profound that even a standard Third-Class Perpetual Motion Machine can't save it. It might require multiple 'Hopes' just to stabilize it."]
If a Class 4 world was a patient waiting for a cure, a Class 5 world was a black hole that rotted the cure itself.
[Jibril: "Master suspects that it's the existence of these worlds that cancels out the energy overflow from Class 1 universes. This is why 'Despair' remains the dominant theme across the multiverse despite the existence of infinite energy sources."]
A First-Class Perpetual Motion Machine, by its nature, should be able to save everything. Even if the energy leakage was small, over infinite time, hope should have flooded the multiverse until every world became Class 1. But that wasn't the case. Something was absorbing that hope.
[Shiroyasha: "That makes sense."]
[March 7th: "A world that eats hope? That's terrifying!"]
[Jibril: "Precisely. Master investigated it. Many beings born in Class 1, 2, or 3 universes are inherently benevolent. They often send individuals carrying Perpetual Motion Machines to other civilizations to help them grow and spread hope."]
[March 7th: "I remember this! The Warriors from the Land of Light are like that, right? They're like divine messengers from myths!"]
Finally hearing something she recognized, the pink-haired girl raised her hand to answer.
[Jibril: "Exactly! They are sometimes called Saviors, sometimes called the Light, sometimes Gods, and sometimes 'Descenders.'"]
[Jibril: "The names don't matter. What matters is the 'Hope' they represent. Each spark of hope can save multiple worlds—until they are swallowed by a Class 5 universe they cannot save."]
[Jibril: "If Master can solve the problem of these universes, he might change the very structure of the multiverse, ensuring no world ever has to face total annihilation again."]
[Shiroyasha: "Hiss... As expected of Su Mo!"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "So this is the scale Lord Su Mo operates on now?"]
Understanding Su Mo's mission, the girls were once again awestruck.
Back in Academy City, Misaka Mikoto looked ashamed. Ugh, if I knew Lord Su Mo was that busy, I shouldn't have turned down Shokuhou's suggestion to help him "relax" together...
Just as her mind was wandering, a system notification flashed in the chat.
[Welcome, a new member has joined the chat!]
[Furina: "Where am I? Is this the power of a Vision? Or is someone playing a prank on the illustrious Hydro Archon?"]
[Furina: "Hmph! Such audacity! Offending the Hydro Archon is a crime worthy of trial! Careful, or Neuvillette might sentence you to death!"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "...?"]
[Rin Tohsaka: "What a cocky newcomer. She's almost as bad as Jibril was when she first joined."]
[March 7th: "Oho? Is this that 'Bratty Girl' archetype that's so popular lately?"]
Faced with the newcomer's grand entrance, everyone's interest was instantly piqued.