Tendō Kisara: "Seeing such a scene, no matter how unbelievable, I cannot doubt my own eyes."
Tendō Kisara: "Compared to the sudden technological explosion and the appearance of non-military tech like virtual reality in my world, the explanation of encountering a god makes more sense."
In her office, Tendō Kisara glanced out the window at her own ravaged world, all doubts in her heart dispelled.
Setting aside the possibility of a rapidly climbing tech tree, even if geniuses on the level of the Four Sages could create such technology, they wouldn't.
In this era, all technological development was inevitably tied to the Gastrea. Human civilization had no time to spare for researching virtual reality.
Although the technological advancement of her world far surpassed that of the Demon Slayer world, their reactions to a truly divine being were more or less the same.
Shiroyasha: "It seems seeing the live broadcast is more convincing. Saves a lot of explaining."
Rin Tohsaka: "From what the newcomer is saying, although her world hasn't developed virtual reality, it has a similar foundation?"
Rin Tohsaka: "It seems the newcomer's world isn't as ridiculously advanced as March 7th's. It's probably similar to Madoka's."
Even with the addition of the Little Garden represented by Shiroyasha, the most technologically advanced world in the chat group was still the Star Rail world.
Tendō Kisara: "Madoka's world?"
The long, black-haired girl was a little confused.
Madoka Kaname: "My world is just at a normal 21st-century level of technological development! Actually, Big Sis Rin's world will be about the same in a few decades. The information age develops really fast!"
Hearing Madoka's introduction, Tendō Kisara grew curious.
Tendō Kisara: "Are you guys also in the 21st century?"
Madoka Kaname: "Yeah! Are you too, Big Sis Tendō?"
Tendō Kisara: "Mm. According to the timeline, it should be 2030. Post-war military technology has developed a bit faster, but other areas have lagged behind."
Seeing Tendō Kisara's introduction, Rin Tohsaka keenly picked up on a key point.
Rin Tohsaka: "Post-war?"
Rin Tohsaka: "To say it like that... don't tell me World War III actually happened?"
Her own time was 1994, not long after the collapse of the Soviet Union, so she had a fairly clear understanding of the global situation.
Tendō Kisara could understand her surprise. Although she was cautious by nature and knew not to reveal too much in an unfamiliar environment, this information didn't directly involve her, and since she would need to ask for help later, she couldn't hide too much.
Tendō Kisara: "If by World War III you mean the third great war, then yes, that happened."
Tendō Kisara: "However, this war wasn't a civil war between humans, but a racial war against the Gastrea."
Her words quickly piqued everyone's interest.
Shiroyasha: "Gastrea?"
Tendō Kisara: "It's a terrifying virus that can parasitize a host and rewrite their genetic information. Once the virus's erosion rate reaches fifty percent, the lifeform loses its original shape and becomes a Gastrea controlled by the virus."
Hearing her patient explanation, Rin had a flash of understanding.
Rin Tohsaka: "I thought it was an alien invasion story, but it's a biological virus."
Shiroyasha: "Rewriting life's genes... why does that sound a little like the Dystopia Demon Lord's Catalogue of Life?"
March 7th: "The description sounds more like the Swarm Disaster from my world."
March 7th: "The smallest scale, of course."
Compared to the universe-spanning disaster unleashed by the Aeon of Propagation, the insect plague in Tendō Kisara's world was nothing.
Forget the Emanators; the strongest of those Gastrea probably wouldn't even surpass the most common insect in the Swarm Disaster. Otherwise, their planet would have been forged into a hive long ago.
Tendō Kisara: "Huh?"
Seeing March 7th's comment, Tendō Kisara was stunned.
She knew there were many powerful people in this chat group, and that some weaklings like herself got in through sheer luck.
She had assumed March 7th was also one of the lucky ones. When Rin had said her world was technologically advanced, she thought it meant by a few dozen or a hundred years, nothing too outrageous.
Who could have imagined it was this advanced?
A disaster of apocalyptic proportions was only the smallest scale of an insect plague?
Are you sure you know what you're talking about?
March 7th: "According to the databank, that's about right. Although there aren't that many individual insects that can shatter stars, the number of swarms that can destroy planets is countless. It's also normal for the aftershocks of a swarm to destroy a few smaller worlds."
Finally having her moment to shine, March 7th recited from the databank with a serious expression.
It should be noted here that a "smaller world" recorded in the databank was generally not some native civilization that hadn't even set foot among the stars, but an interstellar colonization-level civilization that had once been in contact with interstellar society and possessed an average level of military preparedness.
Of course, even with that strength, the most it could do was get their name recorded.
The number of planets that were completely ravaged and exterminated by the swarm without leaving behind a name or even a trace of life was simply too vast to count.
After listening to March 7th's explanation, Tendō Kisara felt a little numb.
So the world was this dangerous. So many planets had been so easily wiped out without even leaving a name.
Tendō Kisara: "Do you think it's possible that the Gastrea here are just a part of some larger disaster?"
Even she, who normally didn't care about the fate of humanity, felt a pang of worry. What if some main force just happened to pass by, or some even more terrifying existence wiped out the entire planet's civilization?
Tendō Kisara's worry was only natural. Anyone who heard March 7th's string of horror stories would feel a lingering fear.
The ease with which planets and civilizations were destroyed, the fragility of life, challenged their internal sense of order.
As seniors in the chat group, seeing the newcomer's worry, they naturally had to offer some comfort.
Jibril: "Don't worry, your world won't face that kind of danger!"
Seeing the Flügel's comment, everyone was taken aback.
Rin Tohsaka: "?"
Madoka Kaname: "?"
Rin Tohsaka: "Jibril, have you been possessed?"
Rin Tohsaka: "Why does it sound so unnatural for comforting words to come out of your mouth?"
This was the first time they had seen Jibril with such a good attitude, especially since the newcomer was just a weakling she would normally disdain.
Just then, Jibril added to her statement.
Jibril: "Because, according to your description, your world's problem is purely humanity's own fault, a biological crisis you created yourselves, right?"
This was her true assessment.
Tendō Kisara: "Thank you for the comfort... On that point, I really can't argue."
Jibril's words were logical. Since the Gastrea crisis didn't come from outer space like a swarm, there wouldn't be a "kill the small ones and the big ones will come" situation. It just sounded more like mockery than comfort.
Of course, Tendō Kisara didn't mind. It wasn't like she had created the crisis. If the phrase "reaping what you sow" were to be used, it would most likely apply to her enemies, the Tendō family.
Rin Tohsaka: "That's more like it. This is the Jibril we know!"
Rin Tohsaka: "You almost scared me for a second. I was wondering how you could possibly speak so gently!"
Madoka Kaname: "Indeed. I'm relieved to see it's the usual Big Sis Jibril."
Jibril: "?"
Jibril: "How do you all usually see me? I'm very gentle when I speak to Lord Su Mo!"
Jibril: "Besides, I'm not wrong!"
From Tendō Kisara's description, her world really didn't have any alien enemies.
Rin Tohsaka: "Sometimes it's not a matter of right or wrong, but of wording!"
Rin Tohsaka: "But it's not a big deal! Since ten years have passed and the newcomer can chat with us now, the outcome of the war is a given!" the twin-tailed girl said confidently.
Rin Tohsaka: "@Tendō Kisara, humanity still won that war, right?"
No matter how you looked at it, that was the most likely outcome.
Across the myriad worlds, humanity may have faced many apocalypses, but there weren't many where they were truly and utterly defeated or even exterminated.
Tendō Kisara's world must be the same, right?
Tendō Kisara: "No, we didn't!"
Rin Tohsaka: "I knew it... wait, what do you mean, you didn't?"
The twin-tailed girl's expression froze, her eyes filled with confusion.
The long, black-haired girl took a deep breath and calmly explained.
Tendō Kisara: "In that great war, humanity lost. It was a complete and utter defeat."
This time, it was the members of the chat group who were stunned.
Rin Tohsaka: "?"
Shiroyasha: "?"
Erica Blandelli: "?"
Jibril: "?"
Even Jibril hadn't expected such a plot twist. If humanity lost, how did Tendō Kisara survive until now?
As if guessing their thoughts, Tendō Kisara explained.
Tendō Kisara: "Now, the Earth is a paradise for the Gastrea. Humanity has lost over eighty percent of its territory and can only survive in a few small areas. The place I live in is the core urban area of the former Tokyo."
Her words cleared up all confusion.
After a few seconds of silence, Rin Tohsaka spoke slowly.
Rin Tohsaka: "Humanity was utterly defeated... If that's the outcome, then that great war wasn't just World War III."
Shiroyasha: "That's practically an apocalyptic war."
And to be defeated in an apocalyptic war meant...
Tendō Kisara: "You are all correct. Strictly speaking, the world I'm in... is a post-apocalyptic world."