To the Spirit Meridian

Senpai. We will soon reach the point Doctor specified.

There are only flames as far as the eye can see. It's nothing like the Fuyuki in our data.

According to our data, it's an average regional city. There's no record of such a disaster occurring in 2004...

The Mana density in the atmosphere is also abnormal. In fact, it's a lot like ancient Earth...

Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

？！

It was a woman's scream for sure. Let's hurry over, Senpai!

Wh-Who are these guys, anyway? Why do these things keep happening to me?

I can't take it anymore! Come save me, Lev! You were always there for me right?

Director Olga Marie?

Y-You two! What in the world is going on here?

The battle is over. Are you hurt, Director?

...What's going on?

Director? About my situation. I know it's hard to believe, but the truth is

A Demi-Servant, right? It's pretty obvious that you fused with a Servant.

What I want to know is why it's successful now all of a sudden!

Enough of that. You! The civilian who showed up late to my speech!

!?

How did you become a Master? Only first-class Mages can enter contracts with Servants!

There's no way you could ever become a Master! What did you do to her to have her do your bidding?

？！

There's a misunderstanding, Director. I'm actually the one who forced the contract.

What did you say?

I'll explain how it happened. That way we can understand each other's situation better.

...And that's how it happened. We were dragged into a Rayshift, and teleported here to Fuyuki.

No other Master candidates shifted with us. You're the only human we've run into, Director.

But this gives me hope. If you're here, that means there must be other candidates who got teleported here...

...There aren't, actually. That much I'm certain of.

...I hate to admit it, but I know why we were shifted to Fuyuki.

So you understand why we survived?

All of us here share a common denominator. Neither me, nor you, nor that one "were actually inside the Coffins."

Though Rayshifting flesh and blood isn't likely to succeed, it's not impossible.

Meanwhile, the coffins have breakers. When the success rate's below 95%, the power's cut off.

So they never actually Rayshifted. We're the only ones here.

I see. That's why you're the director.

What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm not usually calm?

...Is that a problem? What commander heads to the front lines? Didn't I tell you that you were my tools?

？！

...Hmmph, whatever. I understand the situation now.

Fujimaru, since it's an emergency I'll approve you and Kyrielight's contract.

From here on out, you'll follow my commands. First, let's set up a base camp.

Listen, this is the time to search for a Leyline Terminal. A place where magical energy converges.

There we'll be able to contact Chaldea. So in this town's case...

This is the point, Director. The Ley point is at your feet.

Whoa! Oh r-right, I knew that, I knew that, of course!

Mash, place your shield on the ground. I'm going to set up a summoning circle, with your Noble Phantasm as the catalyst.

...So she says. Are you all right with that, Senpai?

？！

...Understood. Now let us begin.

This is... The same as the summoning experiment chamber at Chaldea.

CQ, CQ. Hello, hello? Okay, the connection's back!

Good job, you secured the connection. Now we can communicate again, and even send rations...

Huh?! Why are you running the show, Romani? What about Lev? Where's Lev? Put Lev on!

Waaaahhhhhhhhh!

D-Director, you're alive? And you're unharmed? What the...

What's that supposed to mean? Where's Lev? What's the head medic doing in charge?

Don't ask me why. I'm fully aware that I'm not cut out for this job.

But there's nobody else, Olga Marie.

Currently, the surviving full time staff of Chaldea is less than twenty people, including me.

The reason I'm in charge of operations is because there's no one ranked higher than me who survived.

Dr. Lev was supervising from the Command Room. There's no way he could survive that blast.

No wayLev... No, forget that, wait... please wait.

Less than 20 survivors? What about the Master candidates...the coffins?

...47, all in critical condition and we're short on medical supplies. We might be able to save a few, but all of them might be

Don't be ridiculous! Cryopreserve them immediately! Think about reviving them later. Your top priority is to make sure they don't die!

I forgot the coffins had those functions! I'll get on it right away!

...That surprises me. Cryopreservation without prior consent is a crime.

Yet you made the decision right away. You put human lives ahead of your own reputation as the director.

Don't be stupid! As long as they're not dead, I can explain myself later - why else?

In the first place, 47 lives... There's no way can I carry that burden!

Please don't die... I'm begging you... If only Lev were here!

...This concludes my report.

Chaldea has lost 80% of its functionality. There's only so much that the remaining staff can do.

I'm shifting available manpower to Rayshift repairs, and maintaining Chaldeas' and Sheba's current states.

As soon as external communications are back up, we'll request supplies and start rebuilding Chaldea.

That's fine. I would've done the same if I were there.

...Ah. Romani Archaman. I don't like it, but until I return you're in charge of Chaldea.

Make the Rayshift repairs your top priority.

We'll be investigating this town. The Singularity F.

Director, you're not afraid to be at ground zero? Since when did you become so brave?

...Seriously, you don't know when to shut up.

I'd like nothing better than to go back now, but it's going to take time till you finish the Rayshift repairs.

This town only contains low-level monsters, with Mash as a Demi-Servant we'll be safe.

Accident or not, we Animuspheres pride ourselves on doing our best in the situations we're given.

I'll be looking into Singularity F with Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight as investigators.

That said, since my field staff is inexperienced, the extent of this mission will be to discover the cause of this anomaly.

Analysis and eradication will have to wait until after Chaldea's restored, and I can send in a second team. You okay with that?

？！

Roger that. Best of luck to you, Director.

We can now communicate in short bursts. Feel free to contact me in an emergency.

...Huh! Even if we sent an SOS, nobody would come to our rescue.

Director?

Nothing, I'm cutting off the connection. Go do your job.

...Director, are you sure about this? There's also the option of waiting here for rescue.

I can't afford to do that... After we return to Chaldea, who knows how long it will take to select the next team?

A month won't be enough to gather personnel or funds. Do you know how much the Association will harass me in the meantime?

Worst case, they'll blame me for mismanagement, and I'll lose Chaldea to them.

If that came to pass, I'd be toast. I can't go back empty-handed. I need something that will shut them up!

...Sorry, but you're both stuck with me, Mash, Fujimaru.

Come on, let's explore this town. The cause of this twisted history must be here somewhere.