There was no sense of time passing. When the white light faded, the lively streets around Kurumi Tokisaki transformed into a vast and solemn hall.
On the throne above sat a silver-haired woman with an expression of cold detachment—Alaya, the collective consciousness of all humankind, the Mother of all Heroic Spirits.
Kurumi's eyes widened, tears welling up as she put on an adorably pitiful face and clung to the goddess's thigh. "Boss, I worked so hard! I struggled for ten years, and now my power of time is completely drained. The Void energy left the world of Guilty Crown and returned to its source. Boss, I spent ten whole years saving humanity, but I've ended up penniless! I didn't gain anything at all. I'm so pitiful!"
Her shoulders trembled, tears spilling freely as she cried like a wronged child. In truth, her inner thoughts were quite different: Wow, what a thick thigh! I'd better hold on tight!
"You are not empty-handed," Alaya said calmly, raising a hand. Behind Kurumi, a pair of pure white wings unfurled—the Wings of Angel.
"The Void of Miku Izayoi—why does it still exist outside that world?" Kurumi wondered. With a thought, the wings extended before her. She reached out to touch them, feeling a comforting warmth spread through her heart.
"This is no Void," Alaya explained. "It is an artifact born from the purest faith and goodwill of humanity. It surpasses all powers. If you nurture it carefully, one day it will transcend all laws—it will become your Wings of True Freedom."
A divine artifact! Kurumi's heart leapt with joy. Inside her mind, a little version of herself was hugging the wings, drooling in delight. Something created from the faith of humankind—clearly a gift from Boss through mortal hands. Boss really is too kind to me!
"But, but! These wings aren't useful right now," Kurumi complained, rubbing at her eyes as she whimpered. "I'll have to cultivate them all by myself, and who knows how long that will take before they're of any use! Boss, can't I get a direct reward instead?"
"Stop crying," came the cold rebuke. The chill in Alaya's voice silenced Kurumi instantly. She tried to hold back her tears, but her expression of struggling not to cry only made her look more pitiful.
"Fine," Alaya sighed. "I'll give you a divine kingdom to cultivate your godhood. Now stop bothering me." With that, the goddess vanished from the grand hall.
Kurumi blinked several times, sniffled, wiped her tears dry, and then turned to leave the hall. It seemed the reward wouldn't be handed to her directly—she'd have to figure out what this place was first.
As she stepped through the great doors, a gentle breeze brushed her face. Her eyes widened in astonishment.
Stretching out before her was an endless sky of dazzling blue. Beneath her feet were soft white clouds, and all around her floated countless islands, each of a different shape and design. Beautiful and magnificent, these floating islands drifted serenely among the clouds. It was a sky archipelago made up of countless aerial isles.
"Greetings, my lady. I am Nero Claudius, your appointed guide," said a woman standing at the base of the grand staircase. Dressed in a red knight's gown, she was unmistakable—the Red Saber, the Roman Emperor Nero from the Holy Grail War. She bore the same delicate features as Artoria, though far less endowed.
"Nero... why are you calling me 'my lady'?" Kurumi asked curiously as she descended the stairs.
"It appears my lady is not yet aware of her own identity," Red Saber replied with a serene smile.
"I am Kurumi Tokisaki," Kurumi stated confidently.
"My lady is Kurumi Tokisaki... and yet not Kurumi Tokisaki," Nero answered with calm composure. "To transform into another being while retaining the same power—such a thing is only possible for one who stands on the level of a god."
"On the level of a god? You mean... Alaya?" Kurumi tilted her head in confusion. She had many questions, but could only ask them one at a time.
"Do you know about me?" she asked finally.
"Yes. As your guide, I know everything about you," Red Saber replied with her usual bright smile. Unlike the ever-melancholic Blue Saber, this one radiated joy and energy. It seemed she was always smiling.
"Then tell me, Nero—who am I?" Kurumi suddenly asked, her tone firm. There were many questions swirling in her mind, but the most important one was, Who am I?
"My lady is Kurumi Tokisaki," Nero replied smoothly. "You were created by the same divine consciousness that formed the God Above. You were given a fragment of the World Essence, making you a being equal to the Divine One herself. My lady is both Kurumi Tokisaki and more than Kurumi Tokisaki. You are the daughter of the Divine—Lady Kurumi Tokisaki." Red Saber's explanation was clear and logical, leaving Kurumi speechless for a moment.
Blinking her eyes, Kurumi murmured, "I see. No wonder my power over time and my ability to transform are so strange—as if there are countless consciousnesses within me that I can freely use. So I'm also a human consciousness collective."
So, the Boss just became my mother... Kurumi's emotions swirled in confusion. Her eyes grew warm with tears. Whether it was Miyu Shirase's consciousness or Kurumi Tokisaki's, the one they revered most was always Mother. Do I really have a mother now...?
"My lady," Nero said gently, "please follow me to select your divine domain—your reward from the Divine One herself." Turning gracefully, she stepped out onto the open air. The clouds below gathered beneath her feet, supporting her as she walked upon the sky.
Curious, Kurumi took a tentative step forward. Clouds gathered under her feet as well, soft and fluffy as if she were truly walking upon them.
Then the clouds began to move. Despite their incredible speed, there was no wind pressure—only a soft breeze that brushed her face, making her gown flutter elegantly. She looked every bit like a goddess.
Kurumi couldn't help but laugh softly. So those cloud-riding techniques were a lie—this doesn't even need control! The clouds are doing all the work!
"What about all those islands? Why do they seem to be getting smaller?" she asked as they passed countless floating isles. The farther they went, the denser—and smaller—the islands became.
"Those are the Isles of Demigods," Nero explained. "Each demigod has an island of their own. The greater their power, the larger their island—and the closer it lies to the Divine One's Temple."
"And where is my island?" Kurumi asked seriously.
"My lady does not have an island. Your domain is a Divine Kingdom—a God Realm. I am taking you to the Pool of Worlds to select your territory. My lady was born as a Main God." Nero's eyes sparkled with joy. Being Kurumi's guide was clearly an honor she took great pride in.
Mother, you should've sent me a few more beautiful heroic spirits as guides, Kurumi thought playfully. One isn't nearly enough.
The cloud carried them to the edge of the archipelago, where a spinning portal of water shimmered like a mirror.
They flew into the vortex and emerged inside a grand hall. At its center lay a vast pool of water, glittering with countless tiny stars.
Just then, a beam of light shot up from the pool, and a figure appeared beside it—Lancer, Cú Chulainn. What kind of fate is this? Kurumi thought. Two Heroic Spirits from the Holy Grail world in one day.
"Yo, Nero! Bringing in another newcomer, huh? I've got to turn in my task—catch you later!" Cú Chulainn called as he hurried to the edge of the hall, disappearing through a different portal.
"See? His luck stat really is E," Nero said with a mischievous grin. "He just missed a rare chance." Still smiling, she led Kurumi to the edge of the pool.
Reaching into the water, Nero's body glowed with light and vanished. Kurumi followed her example and touched the pool's surface—instantly, she was transported into a vast starry expanse.
Stars surrounded her on all sides, and before them stood a massive mirror, twice their height. Within it was the reflection of a white-haired little girl.
"Greetings, my lady. I am the Mirror Spirit of the World's Mirror. The Divine One has informed me of your arrival. Please, select a world to serve as your Divine Kingdom."
Kurumi didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked to Nero for guidance. This was too important to rush.
"My lady," Nero explained, "you carry within you many Godseed fragments—gifts from the Divine One. They are the Seeds of Time, Dispel, Ice, Fire, Wind, and Light. You must first choose one to serve as the foundation of your Divine Kingdom, to nurture into your primary godhood."
There was unmistakable envy in Nero's tone. "Godseeds are born only with true Main Gods. The Divine One granted you many of them... Truly, this is a world where heritage matters most."
"The Time Godseed," Kurumi declared firmly. If she was Kurumi Tokisaki, then the choice was obvious.
"Then you must choose a world where the Law of Time is weak. That way, the Time Godseed will be nourished by the world's essence and grow rapidly, transforming the world into your Divine Kingdom," Nero explained.
After briefly explaining the process, Nero continued, "You may select any world born from human consciousness—worlds from novels, films, dramas, anime... any realm imagined by humanity exists here. You may choose according to your preference."
"I choose an anime world," Kurumi said decisively. "Anime girls are the purest kind. The ones in the real world... are far too tainted. So unclean."
"Information received. Filtering dangerous worlds. Selecting optimal environment for godseed cultivation... Final recommendation: Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere." The white-haired mirror spirit announced, projecting an anime world before Kurumi's eyes.