Akira ignored the surge of morale among the Candidates and focused on the massive threat emerging from the opposite Gate. The sight of the oncoming armored force, though still distant, was enough to make even those who had already taken a life feel a chill of apprehension.
Kuroka, ever the outspoken one, broke the tension with a pragmatic complaint that earned nods from the other girls. "Why did you drag us out here and make us walk through that mess," she hissed, referring to the ruins of Pekalongan, "if you could just call us right into the Gate using Yukari-sama's ability?"
Akira gave them a wide, unapologetic smile. "Simple," he answered. "To make those other Candidates jealous of me."
The girls, looked at Akira with an astonished look. He just caused them needless distress for sheer vanity.
Akira dismissed their judgment. The immediate priority was overwhelming force. He looked at Yukari. "No need to involve the Shipgirls yet. Just let the Heroic Spirits ran amok; that's more than enough for this initial threat."
Yukari gave him a delighted nod. With a dramatic, playful flourish, she ripped the fabric of reality beside Akira, creating a temporary, controlled boundary tear. The tear revealed the vast, internal space of the Domain, visually confirming to the remaining Candidates and the military officer that Akira commanded an impossible, massive army.
The Heroic Spirits, began pouring through the tear, legendary figures in full combat gear.
The bubbly Devil King, Serafall Leviathan, who was following the action with intense curiosity, then delivered a piece of information that threatened to overshadow the battle itself.
"Akira-kun!" Serafall chirped, "That's exciting! But hey, a few of those sleeping girls back in your Domain just woke up all by themselves!" She clarified the alarming detail: "The ones that had a strong goddess aura on them!"
Hearing that his dormant harems were spontaneously awakening without his command, Akira pressed his hand to his forehead. He knew immediately that this uncontrolled development meant a big headache was incoming. The problem of managing a hostile world had just been compounded by the problem of managing powerful, awakened, and currently unaligned divine entities.
Akira decisively shelved the idea of dealing with the awakened goddesses. The immediate, existential threat was pouring out of the opposite Gate; the internal domestic crisis could wait.
Akira turned his full attention to the Heroic Spirits, who were now materializing and preparing to charge the invaders. He addressed them with a look that combined sincerity and just enough manipulation to secure their full commitment.
"Heroic Spirits, I know your purpose is grander than mere monster slaying," Akira stated, projecting confidence. "But these are not mere monsters; they are invaders threatening the very fabric of this planet. I ask you to lend your immense power to this cause, not as my servants, but as Earth's guardians."
He then delivered the crucial incentive, directly addressing their greatest vulnerability—their limited energy supply in a foreign world.
"You do not need to worry about your depleted magic or life force," Akira continued, his voice gaining authority. "You are now connected to Yukari's Domain. That Domain is siphoning its energy directly from the Void, which is the ultimate, endless source of all energy. Your power is boundless while you fight within the Gate's influence."
This guarantee—the promise of infinite, sustainable power—was the only manipulative word needed. For beings defined by their magical reserves, the removal of that boundary was the ultimate freedom. The Heroic Spirits roared their assent and surged forward, meeting the armored invaders in a clash of steel, magic, and legend.
Akira had successfully directed his most powerful force. The assembled Heroic Spirits, rejuvenated by the promise of unlimited power, surged forward. Those who could fly, like several Lancers and Casters, took to the air, while the Saber and Berserker classes charged across the decayed ground.
However, several of the most powerful beings—the Goddess-rank Servants within the Fate contingent—remained stationary. They observed Akira with a deep look of skepticism. They were not marching, but quietly marveling at the man who could deliver such a massive, self-serving lie with a perfectly straight face.
They understood the gravity of the invasion, but their divine insight pierced the pragmatic veneer. They knew Akira was still lying about a few things, particularly their true, long-term role in his chaotic new life.
One of the goddesses, her voice carrying the subtle weight of cosmic authority, finally spoke, directing her question solely at Akira:
"You've given us a purpose to fight—the defense of this world and the promise of endless power," she stated, her eyes sharp. "But we know you. Tell us, what is your true purpose for including the goddesses and legendary figures in your recruitment? What is the role you're keeping hidden?"
Akira smiled, a wry expression that acknowledged their power and his own exposed lie. He knew better than to attempt a second layer of deception with true divine entities.
"Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of a goddess, huh? Fine then," Akira conceded, his voice carrying clearly over the clamor of the charging Servants. "You are correct. There are... personal reasons for your inclusion, especially for the legendary and divine figures."
He shifted the focus from the immediate battlefield to the eventual confrontation:
"We will address this truth privately. Meet me at the main room at the top of the castle tonight."
He then looked toward Serafall Leviathan, utilizing her telepathic network to consolidate the entire divine cohort. "Sera-chan, can you do me a favor? Bring those goddess entities too—all the ones who woke up on their own, bring everyone that had an aura of a goddess inside them. I need to handle this crisis before it expands."
Serafall's face lit up with excitement at the mention of a large, high-stakes gathering. She gave a quick, energetic nod.
Akira then gave the Devil King permission to engage: "And Sera, if you want to play with those invaders? Play to your heart's content."