Chaldea, Control Room.
This place, previously engulfed in fire and explosions, gradually crumbling into an inferno, now showed no trace of flames at all.
The blaze caused by the explosion had long since extinguished, and the control room, which should have been reduced to rubble by the fire, now stood intact as if nothing had ever happened.
The three quantum transfer pods at the center of the control room were the same. During the explosion, although these three pods hadn't taken direct damage, they had sustained varying degrees of structural harm from the residual shockwaves. Yet now, they had been fully repaired.
For Chaldea at this moment, the pods were devices that absolutely could not fail. Not only because they were essential equipment for Chaldea's future operations, but also because the three people inside them—Ritsuka and her companions—had not yet returned.
It had been several minutes since they received Naoki's instruction to initiate quantum transfer. During that time, every staff member in the control room remained intensely tense. If the quantum transfer failed, Ritsuka and the other two still in Singularity F would never be able to return to this world.
*KREK!*
Just as everyone was at their most anxious, the protective covers over the three pods suddenly opened simultaneously. Then, as if struggling to crawl out from beneath the earth, a trembling hand emerged from one pod, reaching for the edge to pull the body inside upward.
"Hah… Does this mean we're back?"
Hinako was the first to emerge.
On the other side, in a similar state, Mash also struggled out of her pod, supporting herself on her knees with both hands. "This really is Chaldea… We're back, Akuta-Senpai."
"Yes… but what's wrong with this kid?"
Hinako looked toward Ritsuka's pod on the other side. The pod was now fully open, but she showed no sign of getting out. Her eyes remained tightly shut.
Could it be she didn't return?
The thought crossed both Hinako's and Mash's minds simultaneously.
"Mash! Akuta!"
Just then, Roman's voice, filled with panic and relief, suddenly came from nearby.
"Thank goodness! The quantum transfer finally succeeded at the last moment! I managed to bring you all back!"
If one were to ask who was the most worried person in Chaldea, it would undoubtedly be Roman. He didn't care at all whether Naoki and Rei could return on their own. After all, the two of them were people who could travel to Singularities alone—so naturally, they could return alone too.
But Mash and the others were different. The only way for them to return was through quantum transfer. If they failed to come back, Naoki would definitely kill him!
"But Doctor, Senpai hasn't woken up."
Seeing Roman arrive, Mash felt momentarily relieved, but she immediately remembered Ritsuka was still unconscious. She quickly pulled Roman toward Ritsuka's pod.
Looking at Ritsuka, still unconscious inside the pod, Roman stepped forward and examined her carefully. "She seems to have passed out… But I can't check her specific condition here. Mash, can you bring Fujimaru with me to the medical room? I want to give her a full-body examination. And you and Akuta too—I need to make sure you're both—"
"I don't need it."
Before Roman could finish speaking, Hinako immediately refused. "My body has absolutely no issues. I know my condition better than you do. Focus your limited time and energy on those two."
Hinako refused the physical checkup. This had been the case ever since she joined Chaldea. Back then, maybe it was fine, but now they had just experienced a Singularity. Even if Hinako could freely replace her body, she couldn't be that indifferent to potential problems.
"Akuta…"
"Take Fujimaru to the medical room first, Roman."
Roman wanted to say something, but before he could, alongside the appearance of a light portal, Rei's voice and figure emerged in the control room.
"Miss Rei!"
"Rei! You're back? Wait, where's Natsukawa? Didn't he come back with you?" Roman, surprised for less than a second, immediately realized something was wrong.
Rei nodded. "The Master said he wanted to briefly greet King Solomon and stay behind to hold the rear. I think he'll return soon. You know how he is—anyway, Fujimaru's condition can't be left like this, right? Though I don't think there's anything serious, still…"
"A-ah, I know! Mash, please—damn it, that bastard Natsukawa! I told him not to act recklessly! Holding the rear… He's not invincible, why show off his power like that!"
Alongside Mash, who carried Ritsuka on her back, Roman grumbled as he quickly left the control room.
And as the three of them exited, Gray rushed into the room. She hurried to Rei with a worried expression. "Sister Rei, you're finally back. Are you all alright?"
"Yes, we're fine. It's just that the Master still has some matters to settle, so he'll return a bit later." Rei smiled. "By the way, Gray, could you stay here and wait for the Master to return? I still have some tasks the Master assigned me to complete."
"Some tasks? Alright, I understand, Sister Rei. Go ahead, I'll welcome my brother back here."
"Then I leave it to you."
After nodding, Rei quickly left the control room.
Watching her departing back and Gray, who remained in place, Hinako, leaning against the pod, raised an eyebrow. "You're really calm, even though that person hasn't returned yet… Don't you ever think he might not come back?"
"No." Gray answered firmly. "Brother may be reckless, doing reckless things without caring who's watching, but every time, he always comes back."
Gray and Naoki had been together for nearly twenty years. She knew better than anyone what her brother was like. No matter where he was, he would always return in the end. That's how he was in the past, and that's how he'll be now.
There had never been an exception in twenty years.
As if responding to Gray's words, not long after her voice faded…
*WHOOSH!*
Just like when Rei returned, a light portal appeared in the control room. Seeing Naoki step out from it, Hinako sneered, then silently let out a sigh of relief.
And Gray immediately stepped forward—
"Welcome back, brother."
"Yeah, I'm back, Gray."