Outer Gate 565656, Sakramaa Gaa Headquarters.
Atop a simple five-story apartment building, a flag fluttered: a blue mandala as the base, adorned with two black and white serpents biting each other's tails in a circle. The black serpent appeared severed and fading, while the white serpent's scales emitted stars.
This was the community founded by Kalki under Orpheus's guidance after Ouroboros's dissolution.
「(Sakramaa Gaa)」—「Sankromana Gaana」, meaning The Group That Transcends Darkness.
No era mentioned, no name specified—only their aspiration revealed, or more accurately, Kalki's aspiration.
Just like the old Arcadia, with the ultimate goal of surpassing Angra Mainyu.
"His Highness, I'm back."
Suddenly, a girl's cheerful voice rang out from the apartment entrance. As the door opened, a lively black-haired girl in a sleeveless black dress entered, a short jacket tied at her waist.
"Rin."
Seeing Rin return, Kalki—who was seated at the head chair studying a map—called out happily.
"I bought desserts for His Highness and everyone. A community held a Gift Game today, and I won discount coupons. Come on, everyone, eat up."
Rin smiled broadly and placed the large bags she carried on the table.
This past month felt like a dream. No more demands from Ouroboros—just peaceful daily life with community comrades.
And occasionally participating in Gift Games to build reputation, attracting more communities to join their alliance.
If only days like this could last longer.
Dark clouds loomed in Rin's mind. As Canaria's disciple, she was well aware of how turbulent Little Garden's current situation was.
They were still too weak and unworthy of being dragged into this vortex.
But for Kalki, his fate ensured he couldn't avoid various hardships.
Rin saw Kalki still seated at the head, studying Little Garden's situation. She unconsciously puffed her cheeks, feeling a bit annoyed.
"His Highness, what are you researching?"
Rin approached and asked curiously.
Hearing that, Kalki answered without looking up.
"Heretic God attacks are growing rampant. The nearby Outer Gate 565657 is on the brink of destruction due to battles between Heretic Gods and God Slayers."
"The only relief is that the Outer Gate's Floor Master foresaw this and prepared evacuations in advance. Casualties are relatively low, but Outer Gate 565657 has reached a level requiring reconstruction."
Kalki's tone sounded slightly low. The Savior's compassion shone through him again.
Though the God Slayer war treaty had been signed, would the gods, Buddhas, and God Slayers care about ordinary people?
No need to think—it was impossible.
Both Heretic Gods and God Slayers were, to the Lower Layer, Demon Lords akin to natural disasters.
Without restrictions, sooner or later this would escalate into a truly chaotic apocalypse.
"So, His Highness's intention?"
Rin seemed to understand something. She turned and saw Kalki's serious expression.
"This is our chance, isn't it? To build our reputation."
As he said this, Kalki's tone couldn't help but rise. He looked at his community members seated around him with high spirits.
Hoping they would respond and strive together with him to surpass Angra Mainyu.
But all he got was silence—except from Rin and his mentor, Orpheus.
Everyone was busy with their own affairs.
Facing this, even Kalki felt a bit depressed.
After all, Kalki's current environment was no different from Factory. Not one person working beside him wasn't a lackey or spy from another power.
Though they worked hard and contributed, what was missing was the feeling of true comrades.
"Then, His Highness, have you chosen a target? Our first target—Heretic God or God Slayer?"
After a long silence, the long-haired, melancholic Orpheus spoke up.
"If His Highness hasn't chosen, I have a suggestion."
Kalki looked up at Orpheus curiously. Others—Lamia, Aura, Greiya—also raised their heads and looked at Orpheus.
What suggestion would the founder of Arcadia give?
"Please tell me, Teacher."
Kalki said happily. He was also confused about choosing a target. After all, without Ouroboros, he had no information source.
He was nearly directionless, completely unsure where to step.
"The God Slayer Messiah, who killed the Heretic Jesus a few days ago, is an excellent target."
Orpheus smiled and said it outright without beating around the bush.
But after he finished, the entire room was shrouded in an indescribable silence.
The God Slayer who killed Heretic Jesus?
Jesus—the Holy Son of Christianity, one of Little Garden's strongest beings suspected to be Two-Digit.
The Heretic God incarnation of that God.
Suspected, but everyone in the room except Kalki knew that "suspected" was nearly confirmed.
The Holy Son was one of Little Garden's seventeen Full-Authority Domains—a true strongest existence.
What kind of being could kill His Heretic God incarnation?
Could they really kill such an existence?
When everyone looked at him, Orpheus stroked his harp, smiled, and continued.
"Listen to my explanation."
"That Messiah only took advantage of Jesus being possessed by the incarnation and fighting another Heretic God—both injured."
"He didn't truly kill Heretic Jesus head-on. Moreover, His Highness is Vishnu's incarnation, the End-Times Savior. How could you not act against a fake walking in Little Garden under the name Savior?"
"....."
Yet no one in the room dared speak. After all, even if only to that extent.
It still far exceeded their imagination. They couldn't fathom someone daring to walk in Little Garden under the Holy Son's name after killing His incarnation.
Though they were all Demon Lords, they lacked such courage.
No—this wasn't courage anymore; it could even be called active suicide.
"So, understand? If we don't act this time, sooner or later other communities will."
Orpheus sneered inwardly and said.
In the end, this was incomparable to Arcadia's early days. Back then, Arcadia consisted only of Canaria, the framed Kasukabe Koumei, Baron Croix, and himself—four people.
But afterward, not one of them was a coward. Back then, even Canaria dared mock Shiroyasha directly.
Though she was punished severely, nearly beaten to death.
Let alone a fool named Messiah.
Though this Messiah was indeed an incarnation of half the Spirit Status split by the Holy Son Himself.
Yet precisely because of that, Orpheus allowed Kalki to proceed with his madness.
Kalki was silent for a long time. After staring at Orpheus briefly, he sighed.
"Then let's set God Slayer Messiah as the target."
Was this just a fleeting flower, a mirror and water illusion?
This short vacation of over a month even gave Kalki the illusion he had escaped their sight.
But in reality, once they had time, he would ultimately return to his original position.
His Highness, after all, remained the Serpent Highness.
Yet at least he was still walking the path he wanted, even if that path was full of thorns.
"Then please help me devise a battle plan and gather information."
Afterward, Kalki lowered his head and sank back into thought.
On the other side, Orpheus's gaze lingered on Rin for a long time. Finally, it fell on the Grimoire at Rin's waist.
"Rin, what Gift is that? May I see it?"
Suddenly called by Orpheus, Rin was stunned for a moment. Then she removed the disguised Unofficial History copy as a Grimoire and handed it to Orpheus.
"Of course. This is a Grimoire I won in a previous LCO Gift Game."
Rin agreed happily, but inwardly she was still a bit worried.
After all, this book was actually given to her by Canaria and integrated into the Grimoire.
Yet the book did have Grimoire capabilities. LCO did sell powerful Gifts like this.
A rare Gift that could record and use magic.
Taking the Grimoire, Orpheus examined it curiously. However, the setup Aslan had arranged didn't escape Orpheus.
Behind the Grimoire disguise, he saw Canaria's poetry collection.
"I didn't expect—I still couldn't hide it from Teacher."
An energetic woman's voice came from the Grimoire. It was the fiction clone set by Fiction-Canaria inside the Grimoire.
"I also didn't expect—you, whom I once discarded, would return to Little Garden."
Orpheus looked at Canaria's shadow with great interest. This trick of Canaria's was quite intriguing even in his eyes.
"I also didn't expect—it was you who attacked Arcadia back then."
Canaria sighed, then showed a bright smile.
"However, your teachings—I remember them very clearly."
"Always suspect my enemy with the worst intent, and distinguish who is enemy and who is friend."
"If I hadn't prepared a backup plan back then, I might never have known Orpheus was Krishna's human name."