Akira and his team stepped through the shimmering purple portal and into the Gate, finding themselves in a sprawling, decayed environment. The air was thick with the scent of dust and rot, the silence broken only by the faint sounds of distant scrambling.
The atmosphere immediately affected the most sensitive members: Kuroka's and Koneko's cat ears, which Akira knew were typically expressive of their mood, slumped low over their heads, a clear sign of their distress at the oppressive, stagnant energy of the space.
As the team began to scout the immediate area, Yukari Yakumo effortlessly phased into existence right beside Akira.
The girls who had been dragged through the wreckage of Pekalongan to enter the hostile environment were instantly filled with resentment toward Akira. They exchanged looks that plainly said: If we knew the Boundary Goddess could follow us anywhere, we would have staying back!
The stark reality of the gruesome memories of the outside world, was hitting them hard. The Hyūga sisters, the Nekomata sisters, and Tsunade were especially horrified.
The strained silence was shattered by a loud protest from Kuroka against the unfairness of the situation, drawing attention to their group.
A familiar figure among the scattered teams of survivors and military personnel looked up: it was the military officer who had visited Akira's penthouse hours earlier. The officer, recognizing Akira, moved toward them with a mix of curiosity.
"Akira-san!" the officer exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the immense number the women surrounding him. "Who are all these people? And how did you assemble this force so quickly?"
Akira, completely unfazed, executed his pre-planned strategic deception.
"These are the summoned that i called" Akira stated smoothly, leaning into his lie. "They were called using the Summoning Card you gave me as a prepayment for our contract." He added the key piece of misinformation: "It was a special card—it only summons girls from works of fiction."
The officer stared, speechless, his skepticism warring with the undeniable reality of the Gate and the assembled team. The explanation was just ridiculous enough to be believed in this new, chaotic world, and it perfectly solidified Akira's cover.
Akira's cover story had done its job, but the military officer was focused on the contract.
The officer's eyes widened with relief. "The seeds, Akira-san! The staples and vegetables we gave you—can they be sown in your spatial farm?"
Akira gave a reassuring, confident nod. "They've been planted already. In three days, the first harvest will be ready for pickup and processing."
As Akira and the officer finalized the details of their arrangement a massive disruption occurred.
Directly opposite the first Gate, the air shimmered violently, and another Gate abruptly appeared. This one was visually distinct, suggesting a different origin or faction.
Akira immediately looked to his sensory experts: Hinata and Hanabi. The sisters nodded, activating their Byakugan, which allowed them to peer deep into the newly formed anomaly.
"The opposite Gate has opened into a world with a lot of people."
"They are wearing various types of clothing, but many are in full plate armor and carrying medieval weapons."
The sisters were able to immediately identify the nature of the invaders because when they were summoned, the Root had imparted basic world knowledge—including common fantasy archetypes—directly into their minds.
Before the officer could react, the Voice of the World boomed, overriding all other sound in the cavernous space:
"The World Battle is Commencing. This engagement is a Death Match. It will only end when one side is entirely wiped out or retreats. The victorious side will claim this sector and the surrounding area, 100 meters from the appearance of the Gate, as their territory."
The announcement clarified the brutal stakes: this was a war for territory and survival.
Immediately, the effect was profound: roughly half of the total candidates (the empowered survivors from the trial) who had entered the first Gate turned and fled. They bolted back through the entrance, unwilling to participate in a mandatory, no-quarter "Death Match" for meager territory.
The military officers and Akira's group remained, facing the dual threats—the unknown monsters from the first Gate and the armored invaders pouring from the second. The time for fighting had arrived.
Akira and the military officer watched the abrupt exodus of half the remaining trial candidates. Both could only shake their heads at the display, understanding that for many, mere survival had become more precious than the risks of a world battle.
Akira turned to Yukari and gave a decisive nod, a signal for her to prepare her own form of intervention. Yukari responded with a really vibrant smile, clearly entertained and ready for the impending chaos.
Akira then addressed the officer, leveraging his new assets and the desperate state of the global economy:
"Officer, in the few hours since we met, I've already summoned a massive army," Akira stated, pointing to his assembled forces. "We will handle the offensive, but we need coordination."
"Your immediate priority is to establish a robust defense perimeter with the remaining Candidates and your military personnel. Hold the ground around this Gate."
"Tell the remaining Candidates this: The military will ensure that anyone who stays and fights (and comes out alive) will receive food supply."
"The price of food has already skyrocketed just three days after the global shutdown. That promise will be the only thing that keeps the remaining Candidates in the fight."
The military officer, surprised by Akira's shrewd move to use the food supply as an incentive for the remaining Candidates, looked at him intensely.
"Akira-san, how did you know that offering free food would be the only thing to keep those Candidates fighting?" the officer questioned, probing the depth of Akira's cynicism.
Akira met his gaze, his response rooted in the cold logic of self-interest and his {Boundary Eyes}' observations of human nature under duress.
"It's about the contract, Officer," Akira explained, referring to the implicit social contract of a disaster zone. "I knew that in a disaster zone, those with a stock of food will eventually see that stock taken by force, not acquired through negotiation. You, however, chose the path of leveraging and paying me, not coercing me."
Akira paused for effect. "That choice means you value stability and cooperation over short-term gain. You aren't operating under the boundary of immediate greed."
The officer's face softened slightly. He confirmed Akira's assessment, but with a proud exception. "That truly happens in a few countries, Akira-san," the officer admitted. "But not for our country, Indonesia. Our standing military order, even in chaos, is to pay those who hold stock. We prioritize the long-term stability."
Satisfied, the officer immediately focused on the tactical situation. He began issuing rapid commands to his soldiers. The soldiers quickly spread the news among the remaining, bewildered Candidates who had stayed. The message was simple and powerful: "Fight, and you will get food for your survival."
The effect was instantaneous. As the Candidates heard the promise of free food—a guarantee of life in a world where prices had already skyrocketed—their collective mood and resolve surged. They shifted from sullen acceptance to motivated soldiers fighting for a tangible, life-saving reward.
With the military perimeter solidified and the Candidates' morale boosted, the stage was finally set for the Death Match between the assembled defenders of Earth and the armored invaders pouring from the opposite Gate.