Anime Multiverse: Building a Pantheon from Scratch

Block 1, Beika Town—parking lot next to the police box.

As the Santana rolled to a stop, Luo Shu stepped out and glanced at Tachibana Kirika, who had also just parked her car nearby. "You didn't bring us back to the café. Had Inoue drive all the way here. Is there something going on?"

"I already told you," Misaka replied with a casual salute-like gesture using her index and middle fingers, "the profits from this operation aren't nearly enough for me to just walk away."

She smirked as she shut the car door with a loud bang, then added, "Besides, my subordinates got ambushed. If I don't strike back, I'll be choking on this resentment."

Luo Shu blinked, his expression turning slightly strange. "Didn't you just say earlier we were pulling back?"

"That was just a necessary precaution in case we were being monitored, don't underestimate Sharon the Pure. Doing that would get people killed." Kirika said, tapping her earpiece and saying. "Hey, Kurumi, where did Mizuki go with the package?" As soon as she finished speaking, Kurumi's voice came over the public channel:

"Yoohoo~ just got off the Ring Road! ETA six minutes. Special Assault Team from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police has been contacted and is en route with the custom rounds you requested. But, Chief, are you sure you want to go this far? You even pulled that out?"

"We have to make sure those secret organizations out there know we're not to be messed with."

Kirika smiled playfully. "Otherwise, do you think the police would actually cooperate with me and dispatch their Special Assault Team? Those old guys are pissed too. After all, they just submitted a report about deporting Sharon, and now they've been slapped in the face. As people from Luo Shu's hometown might say, this is what you'd call a 'Sneak Attack,' right?"

She threw Luo Shu a glance as she said this.

"Yeah, that's pretty much the phrase," he mumbled, then asked, "So… what do you need me to do?"

"Nothing. Luo Shu, you've done enough for today. Hypnotizing an enemy like Sharon using the [Heart of the Demon] must've put a lot of strain on you. Go get some food nearby, take a break. The pizza around here's actually pretty good."

Then, turning toward Inoue Takina—who had just stepped out from the driver's seat looking stiff as ever—Kirika said, "Takina, stop sulking. If you're still upset, then join me this time. Let's give Sharon the Pure a proper welcome."

Takina instantly straightened and responded crisply, "Yes, Chief!"

"Very spirited!" Kirika chuckled approvingly at her enthusiastic reply.

Just then, a bright red Ferrari came screeching in with a sharp drift and skidded to a halt by the roadside. Chisato Nishikigi leapt out from the convertible, ran up with concern written all over her face, and called out, "Takina! Are you okay?"

While calling out to Takina, her eyes quickly scanned Luo Shu from head to toe. "And you, Luo Shu? Are you hurt?"

"Uh… I'm fine. Just a little mentally drained," Luo Shu replied, clearly not used to this kind of warm concern, his tone slightly awkward.

"I'm okay, Chisato," Takina answered after a moment's pause, her expression noticeably softening.

"This girl was just beating herself up for letting the enemy escape," Kirika commented from the side as she lit a herbal cigarette, squinting as she teased, "Honestly, she landed a few shots on Sharon the Pure. Even if that abyssal gear of hers probably blocked them, that's still a pretty solid showing. Isn't that worth being happy about? Kids these days, really…"

She shook her head, as if lamenting how people didn't know when to quit while ahead. Then she turned to Luo Shu with a smirk.

"And you—asking if Takina got hurt, I understand. But asking about Luo Shu? Hah! Might as well check if Sharon the Pure is vomiting blood out of frustration."

"Tsk tsk. Being forced to retreat solo by a total newbie… that demon-hunting nun must be fuming."

"Whaaat?! No way! Luo Shu actually forced Sharon to retreat?" Chisato gasped in disbelief, staring at him with wide eyes.

But just as her shock hit its peak, her gaze drifted upward—and landed squarely on a faint lipstick mark on Luo Shu's forehead.

Her eyes blinked once, then she let out a sly giggle, walked over, and nudged him with her elbow. "But seriously, Luo Shu, what's up with that forehead? Hmm? Don't tell me that's a girlfriend's mark of ownership?"

"Oh no, did your secret plans to work at Lycoris get found out? Did your girlfriend mark you so you wouldn't cheat?"

Seeing her mischievous smile, Luo Shu twitched slightly, ready to explain. But before he could even open his mouth, Kirika interjected casually.

"I did that. Gave this kid an advance bonus."

"EEEHHH?!" Chisato's jaw dropped, pointing at Kirika in sheer disbelief. "I knew it! Kirika-nee is totally into younger guys!"

"Shut it, Chisato," Kirika muttered through her cigarette. "I'm trying to strategize right now."

"Aye, aye," Chisato replied lazily with a mock salute.

At that moment, a light truck turned into the parking lot, pulling up right in front of them. The window rolled down, revealing a tall woman in a traditional restaurant work kimono, red-framed glasses perched on her nose, and ashen blonde hair. She stuck her arm out and said loftily, "Geez, Chief, suddenly asking me to bring this thing out—if something goes wrong, don't blame me."

"Zip it, Mizuki," Kirika replied.

From the passenger seat, Mika was adjusting a Barrett sniper rifle. He stepped out, handed a gun to Takina, and said, "All cleaned and ready. I'll handle coordination with the Special Assault Team."

He paused, then looked toward Kirika. "Don't overdo it."

"You nag too much, you damn geezer."

Without flinching, Kirika threw out a cold insult that nearly made Mika's vein pop. She walked to the back of the truck and swung open the rear door with a heavy creak.

Inside was a freezer box packed with ice, and resting atop the pile was a weapon—its blade resembling a spinal cord, two fingers thick, and glimmering with a bone-white hue.

"What is that…" Luo Shu leaned in, stunned, his eyes flicking to Kirika.

Taking a slow drag from her cigarette, she exhaled a long plume of smoke and spoke evenly.

"One of the trump cards from our SDS Abyssal Arsenal. Currently classified as a Level 3 abyssal artifact—[Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi]."

A devilish smile crept across Misaka's lips.

"Time for Ms. Sharon the Pure, who likes to crash the party and play the ambush game, to learn what real official firepower looks like."

Seeing that vicious grin on her face, Luo Shu's mouth twitched slightly. Silently, he drew an imaginary cross in the air—for Sharon.